ASICS Vine Body Sole Weekend

Strangely enough, I was dreading writing this recap the most.  Why? Because I want to be as honest as possible, but not be completely negative about the race.  I figure though I should just dive into this recap and let my experience be just that, my experience.  If it helps you decide if you want to register for this race next year, so be it, but spoiler alert for the end of this recap: I have a feeling next year will be better and I will get to that point in a few. 

To begin, I had seen an advertisement for this race weekend come across one of my social media feeds perhaps back in March.  To me it was "local" (2 hours was close enough for this mom of 4 to just drive in race day), it offered some great events (workouts and yoga), shoes (I don't even wear ASICS) all for the price of $250.  Pricey, yes, but I guess in comparison to RunDisney and all that they were offering, I thought not too shabby.  With that being said I could not afford it, but put it on a growing bucket race list.  By April, I was seeing race Ambassadors post about entrance giveaways.  I told Dave, if I win, I am going and going to try to do as much of what is being offered as possible.  Who cares if I would have run a full and a half in the two weeks prior.  Run for fun!  Low and behold, I won an entry!  I was beyond excited, but that came crashing down when looking for hotels.  Ummmm, can we say pricey?  Even staying almost an hour away was ridiculous.  I just kept telling myself that it was a free race entry so I could swing it.  Regardless, it was still a sticker shock.  

The race weekend came faster than I had anticipated and I had done nothing to prep for it in terms of reading up on where to go and what not, but really how could I?  The website was not fully up and running with adequate information until about 2 weeks prior.  Really.  Maybe a little more, but not that far in advance of race weekend, not even the course.  With that, I already was feeling wary about the logistics of this inaugural race, but it was ASICS, a big name shoe company.  Also they had Destination Races heading it with them.  They had to have their shit together, right?  Well....

Heading in to work my butt off!

I drove up early Friday morning, traffic leading to Charles Krug Winery (the hub) was insane, but once I got there I tried to look for signs on where to park and jump right into the Workout Challenge class.  Signs?  None basically, just guest parking and an arrow to 5 spaces.  There was one car parked.  I thought, "Oh crap.  Did I miss it?  Is no one here?"  Another car parked next to meet and the three of us got out of our and started to walk.  Luckily we were stopped by a helpful employee who told us we needed to keep going and park in the back.  Aha!  That's where all the cars were!  I met up with my Sister-in-law, Stephanie and we headed back to the lawn area.  It was beautiful.  I little chilly and overcast, but considering that we were about to work our butts off, the conditions were perfect.

Post workout 80's hair.  Hello volume.  And of course a Hydroflask comes with me always.  thanks to my SIL - Stephanie for hanging in there with me.  

The workout itself was awesome-sauce!  I had searched Youtube the night before for videos by Anna Kaiser to see if I was in over my head.  What I found were exercises I do at home every now and then so I felt I wouldn't look totally out of my element aside from the fact that I have little coordination, but hey I could give a good chuckle to those around me as they watched me with two left feet.  She started off with a great little upbeat warm up, breathing and then boom, right into cardio.  She was like the Energizer Bunny.  She talked the whole time - jumping, running, punching, you name it.  When the hour hit, I was ready to fall on the floor.  Nope, she just kept going and going.  OMG, an hour and half nearly of cardio and muscle specific exercises.  All great but here is what I learned:

1. She kept saying she was working muscles typically not utilized during running.  Well, I use all my muscles during running woman!  Every part of my body works hard.  Lol.  

2. She had a great body.  I could see her abs from the way back.  I decided right then that this mom of 4 admired those abs, but not enough to work my ass as hard as she must work to get those abs.  I love my cake...ice cream...cookies...

3. Why were these exercises so hard when I do them at home?  Oh, right when I get tired at home I reward myself by taking a break and replenishing "calories".

Yum!  So fruity.

Now here is the "downside" or perhaps better said, other experience of the workout.  There were a ton of cameras.  They were not taking pics of me or hardly anyone else NOT in ASICS gear.  At one point, I just followed them with my eyes and saw them zooming in on about 4-5 specific girls.  All in ASICS gear though.  Sometimes the ladies would stop doing the routine and "pose" for the camera dong a specific skill.  I found it odd in some way.  The instructor even called out names, to assist with form, encourage ladies "You got this! ______, You are working hard!".  Yet, it was the same girls those cameras focused on.  Since I had just arrived to Napa and this workout was after the morning Yoga, I though perhaps they had met her prior or maybe they were part of her workout group.  I would later find out there was a specific reason for all this ASICS specific video taping, instructor support, etc.

One of those glasses was mine.  I did indeed drink...at 10:30 in the morning.

Bib pick up included a race shirt, drawstring bag, socks and shoes

Love this woman!  Always keeps it real and is just wonderful.  Photo: Andrea Hall  Perks of having a tall friend, appropriate angled selfie.

Shoe pick up.  No lines, just ask anyone you think can give you shoes.

After the workout, I actually enjoyed wine.  Yup, I was spent and this momma who doesn't normally drink decided that at 10:30 in the morning it was ok to have a little white wine.  It was good.  Surprisingly, I took a picture of the bottle and just might buy a some for the house.  It was so fruity.  Mmmmm, delicious.  With that, my sister in law and I headed out and took the short drive up from the winery to the "expo".  I use this lightly because they had about 5 vendors, of course a ASICS pop up shop and then bib pick up.  Now to get a more detailed description of bib pick up and a similar experience, click your way over to Carlee's recap of ASICS.  Thank goodness her and Dre were there with me or else I would have thought my weekend to be almost a waste.  I will say this about the bib pick up, it was chaotic.  There were no lines or signs to let someone know where to student to get bibs, shirts, shoes.  I just stood behind someone hoping I was in the right place.  At one point, the woman behind the solution table looked at me and asked if she could help.  My response, "I don't have a problem yet to come to your table, but it's not looking promising I won't be there soon".  Now, I wasn't rude when I said this.  I laughed and so did she.  But hey, like I said it was a hot mess of people in there.  I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the drawstring bag provided and they gave socks too.  Although the shoe distribution area could have been better run.  No smiling, no identification of who to ask, just someone popping in front of my face with the first words, "Ok what shoe and size?".  How about a "Hello.  How are you doing?"  Since no formal greeting, I decided to be honest back and said "No clue what I registered for.  I don't wear ASICS shoes so what do you have that is light and for a neutral runner in a size 8.5?"  She didn't seem offended and gave me a box.  Here's what they could have done better:

1. Have a sign!  A sign where to get shoes.  Heck a sign where to line up

2. Have the ladies passing out the shoes, be clearly identified

3. Mark our bibs.  I made note they never asked to see a bib or ID.  I could have gone to the second woman and got another pair of shoes if I wanted.  It would have been easy to get multiple  pair since there was no checks and balances.

With all this being said, I will look at the chaos from the event employee perspective.  There were more runners asking for "stuff" than volunteers.  Without the proper preplanning, I can imagine they were just trying to get runners in and out.  

My picture in front of the asics logo wearing lululemon and new balance.

It was such a great day, that we decided to hang out around the vendors and snap some pics.  I got to talking to the woman behind the Girls on the Run (GOTR) table.  Turns out she lives in Napa.  Dre had mentioned that she was at the Deena Kastor dinner the night prior (so jealous)and heard that ASICS didn't even come close to selling this event out.  No one knew what the official numbers were, but participants were few.  With overhearing this, GOTR vendor asked why I thought attendance was low.  I made the comment I thought publicity was lacking.  She added that she only heard about the race recently, had no idea about the course and she LIVES in Napa.  Things were starting to formulate in my mind: specific people being photographed, lack of advertising (in my mind), no local signs up announcing the race in the area, I started to wonder the effort that went into this race.

Time to get out of my comfort zone once again, this time with the awesome Carlee

I headed down after lunch to the hotel, met up with Carlee and we shared stories of how bib pick up went.  Sad that we had similar experiences.  Again, her recap here.  An hour later, we made the long, traffic drive up to Charles Krug for yoga.  That also was wonderful.  I have never done a "formal" yoga class so I naturally went to the back.  Carlee and I were asked to move to the front for pictures, we thought it was for a brief time, but we ended up staying the entire time.  Since I didn't have my camera, no pictures were taking.  Too bad because it would have been hilarious.  Oh when he asked to do crow pose, I nearly laughed out loud.  

Once again, however cameras were clicking away, but only for specific women.  One of which was right next to me.  Twice, they were right in her face, with her ASICS gear head to toe, and she obliged by doing yoga positions that the entire group was not doing at the time.  Completely staged.  It made me giggle a little, but since i experienced the workout in the morning, I was't surprised.  I wasn't surprised that again certain names were being called out to show support.  However, unlike the morning, the Yogi and his assistants were excellent in making their way around the crowd and helping everyone fix form.  It was a great experience and if only I could afford and have the time to do a yoga class on the regular I just might.  

Can't say enough about this cool Gal.  She's an all around fabulous person.  So glad I got to spend a little time with her this past weekend

Carlee and I headed back down to find a place to eat.  Besides the company, the best part of the evening had to be dinner.  We sat next to four people, two couples who were quite tipsy.  Silverware slamming, yelling, crying, drunken sharing to neighboring tables all were witnessed.  Best part?  These weren't 20 somethings having a dramatic spat, they were well into the latter years of middle age.  Oh, the things to be heard.  After dinner, we made our way back to the hotel to get ready for race day.  

Early race day morning, Carlee drove up to the finish line since she had to be a rode warrior and make her way to Socal right after for 6:30 dinner plans.  Needless to say, she made it with 35 minutes to spare, but this is Carlee and if anyone can do what seems the impossible, she can.  Ok, back to race morning, I got up and left a little later than I wanted because I got distracted by white hair.  Ok, I digress, but as I was brushing my teeth, I saw the glimmer of something silver and spent nearly 10 minutes trying to get that sucker out!  WTF?  I know I'm no spring chicken, but white hair be gone!  I got ready, jumped in the car and made my way to the Meritage hotel to meet up with Stephanie and Dre.  Again, lack of signs.  There was no sign telling runners where the shuttle would be and when the shuttle came the driver actually asked us where we thought they wanted him to park.  Planning fail, ASICS.  

We made it to the start line with 50 minutes to spare.  It was pretty quiet.  Stephanie, Dre, Carlee and I started to wonder how many runners there actually would be.  My bib was 266, so I joked that perhaps only 300.  Hmmm, sad part is I was almost spot on.  There was about 303 runners in total.  Yikes.  Not to mention, perhaps 25 or so of those spots were giveaways of some sort.  Again with the pictures, ASICS rocking peeps only.  Carlee and I were asked again to come to the front, this time to the start line and do a jumping pic, but hey we weren't wearing ASICS!  LOL.  Ok, I had a tank on, I had made some last minute effort and found a clearance tank to wear to the race.  So they took an upper body shot and found ASICS friendly runners.  Made Carlee and us giggle, me a little more since it was a perk of having a bright personality for a friend near me otherwise no one would ask for me to be in a pic.  

Start Line

I clearly need to work on my Carlee face

The race was about to start, surprise, surprise almost everyone at the start line had ASICS on.  The biggest part was Alysia Montano and Deena Kastor were behind us.  OH. EM.  GEE!!!!!!  Carlee took a selfie of us, I look crazy, need to practice my excited face as to not scare little children.  The national anthem was played, they took the obligatory preface pics with a camera, video and drone; and we were off!  

The signs were so cute.  Not all the signs showed up well in pictures since most of them were written in light purple paint.  

Blurry picture of Alysia Montano running up the incline

Ok, so here's the thing about the race, the entire thing was to be run on the shoulder of an already narrow road.  Basically 300 runners were pushed into a bike lane and in some instances not even the width of a bike lane.  The cars that went by, went whizzing by, enough to wear I could feel a good size breeze at times.  We were all moving targets, lol.  I joked, almost like a game of frogger.  The course itself was "hilly".  Not San Francisco steep hills, but inclines that seemed to go on for 400m to almost a mile.  I started to count how many times we went "up" and it was somewhere around 6, maybe 7.  My legs were not feeling that.  I have said before and I will say again, I am a middle of the pack runner (and happy there), so three races in three weekends not to mention about a 2.5 hour workout the day before (cardio/body strength/yoga) had me feeling every muscle in my body.  At first, I was a bit consumed by trying to perform close to what I did at Tink the weekend prior, but then I told myself it would make me miserable.  So once again, I decided to just enjoy the run, make sure to smile with each step even if it was up hill.  Don't get me wrong, this run was a struggle.  I felt like I was making lead legs move.  The workouts from the previous day was showing.  Those muscles she said I don't really use while running...LIAR!  My back and ass were on fire!   And let me tell you, mile 9.4 to mile 10.4 was all a curved uphill climb.  I smiled though, that's all one can do.  

From mile 4, I was cheesing it.  With each runner I was about to pass, I hovered a little and tried to chat or offer words of encouragement, "You are a strong runner", "Looking good", "A great day to run Napa".  Who knows if they were happy I was saying anything or wanted to push me in front of cars, but I kept doing that along the way, up until mile 12 when I just wanted to be done and started to pick up pace a little.  I thanked every volunteer on every corner and water station.  I even chatted with the photogs bit at some point.  I asked them some very pointed questions while running.  I had noticed around mile 4 that they were tell runners "Cheer!" "Hands up and smile", "Run together".  All runners in ASICS.  I never saw them snap a pic of me.  I was solo for most of the run, behind a few people or in front and I never noticed, not saying they didn't though.  I also heard them say "Blogger" tons.  So I asked if they had specifics they were looking for or certain runners.  Sure enough the bloggers who were asked to be there were high on the list.  Most of the ladies they snapped pics of I remembered from Yoga the day before, they were wearing the same gear.  I appreciated their honesty and kept going, realizing that this entire race appeared to be an inaugural promo for next year.  Haha!  I continued on the course and when I got to relay exchange points (yes a half had 4 people relay teams.  I am so doing that next year.  Anyone in?  I'll do the 2nd leg - less than 3 miles.  lol) I gave a few high-5's, I stopped to take some pics, I shouted out to those runners on the opposite side of the road.  I even chatted a few seconds with two dads and their sons who were spectating on the course.  I didn't take a pic, as a parent I don't want my kids' picture on some random person's social media account.  One little boy asked, "So all these people are going to run up that hill?"  His dad said "Yup.  I thought this would be a good point for us to come cheer them on", it was the base of mile 9.4.  He was certainly right.  

The purple is hard to read (hence why I didn't share the other mile signs) but mile 13, just around the corner...

Not too shabby for trying to take it easy

I finished the race with a sprint and a smile.  Like a dork I put my hands up, but alas there was not camera person at the finish line.  Darn!  I was hoping for another winning finish line photo.  After I realized that, I looked for water, but nope just flavored water.  So I took pineapple flavor and gulped it down, not too bad.  At this point I saw Dave and the boys.  I gave them a kiss and hug and set out to get my medal, wine and wineglass.  I wish that I would have been able to stay and hang out for some post race eats, but Asher wasn't feeling good and looked worse.  We made our way back to the hotel for me to clean up and make the 2 hour drive home.  

So here it is people (I know this is a super duper long recap).  Yes, I feel they missed some huge opportunities to make this race spectacular.  Their lack of friendly service at some points, signage, and inclusiveness made this inaugural race seem more of a small town effort rather than a big company with experience sponsoring big tie races.  Yet, after talking to volunteers, photographers, locals, and even witnessing the "behind the scenes" happenings I conclude that any runner not in ASICS was basically fill in, like extras in a movie to make the promo videos look great for next year.  It came across as this year being their effort to create the PR for going big next year, or so I hope.  Would I do it again? I can't say no, but there would be different expectations.  I would obviously go with friends, decide to almost walk the race and take goofy pics along the way, do all the workouts and yoga offered, and drink.  Would I pay $250 for it?  Hmmmm again for a runner who does not run in ASICS, that's a hard one.  Biggest question, would I recommend the race?  Yes and no.  If you want to have a fun girls weekend of drinking, good weather, and pretty vineyards with a race thrown in for the hell of it, then go ahead.  It will be your thing regardless if they improve anything. If you expect to see equitable customer service, well organized (signs and all volunteers knowing what the heck is gong on) events and a safer course, then I would say this is not the race for you.  At that point, create your own girls weekend in Napa, go out for a training run in town, drink and daring buy yourself some shoes you will love.  It would be cheaper.  This is one of those races that has the potential to be so much more than what it was, to be more than just a big long social media commercial filming for next year when I feel the prices will go up.  I'm sad that it wasn't more, but you know what I still had a great time.  It was just the perfect little 24 hr getaway with some pretty rockin' women.  Expensive as hell?  Yes!  Yet, I wouldn't take anything back because I got to laugh, drink and heck I got a whole bed to myself without a 2 year putting a foot in my face.  That alone might make me the biggest winner of the entire weekend!

Photo from Andrea Hall, IG: @renewedme 😊

RunDisney TinkerBell Half Marathon and Mother's Day Recap...finally

Ok, it's been a good week (or more 🙈) since my TinkberBell half marathon.  I mean at this point, why should I even write a recap?  Yet, I have had one more race this past weekend and it seemed silly to jump into that recap before addressing the awesome experience I had at Tink!

A little background beforehand. About a year and a half ago I told Dave I wanted to run all the RunDisney races before I turn 40.  Well, I have had to modify that bucket list just a bit.  For one, the prices, OMG they have gone up and keep going up.  There is no way to keep up with that pricing increase.  Second, they keep adding races!  Since I made this "goal", they added Paris, Star Wars Dark Side race weekend, Wine and Dine 10k, and a 10k for Avengers.  Well, I am no spring chicken so all the races before 40 was NOT happening.  So I said the new goal will be all the West Coast RunDisney races prior to 40.  That left me with a couple of 5ks, a 10k and the Tink half.  

I admit, going into this weekend I wasn't too stoked on running this race.  For whatever reasons, I just wasn't looking forward to the early wake up, the corral crowds, the weaving around people and so forth.  I was tired just thinking about it.  Not to mention it was Mother's Day weekend, I wasn't going to be able to spend it with my own mother and my eldest son couldn't come because of school so it wasn't looking like it was going to be the best.  However, once in Disneyland how could I not be excited?

You are looking at mom-son goals.  These two are so awesome!  Congrats on all your races you two!   

First stop, @werunsocial meet up!  If anything was to get me excited for race weekend it was seeing all the running peeps!  It was great to chat it up with running friends, hear about how the 5k and the 10k races went and to simply just laugh.  It was fun after the long and "scenic" (sarcasm) drive down I5 to get out of the car and immediately laugh and eat cupcakes (yum!!! Happy Birthday to @Ivie!)  Werunsocial always hosts great tweet ups.  If you ever have a chance to attend one, I highly recommend it.  Don't be intimidated, EVERYONE is super welcoming, nice, and genuinely interested in knowing about you.  Oh and a huge congrats goes out to @jmangilit who ran his first half marathon!  

Just some of my fave people 💙 Sam marlon and Julian

There really isn't much to say about the expo itself.  Typical RunDisney expo.  Bib and shirt pick up went smoothly.  They really do have it down to a science.  The expo, like all their others, had the typical vendors.  We didn't stay long.  Trying to avoid the purchasing trap.  It is easy to get caught up in the excitement and think you really do need all the things.  I do regret not making my way through the crowd to visit the @Sparkleathletic booth.  The donut skirt is seriously calling my name!  

Now for race day aka Mother's Day.  Early morning wake up as is typical for Disney races - not as bad as WDW - but still early.  I got up and of course Asher sat right up.  Poor Dave then had to be awake at 4am with a whiny 2 year old who only started to cry a little louder when he saw me with running clothes on.  I grabbed my Honey Stinger Strawberry Waffle which was a new flavor for me (race day rookie move, I know) and headed out the door.  Finished off about half of it and started to jog towards the corrals.  For some reason, people get a little upset when people are warming up, jogging past them.  "Show off" was yelled my way, meant to be funny, sure, but ouch.  Just trying to warm up the limbs, not trying to show off.  I got to Disneyland Dr and it was bottlenecked too much to jog much more so I walked.  They had us loop around into the Paradise Pier Hotel parking lot and cross in front of the port-o-potties.  That didn't seem like such a good idea.  It was so congested, people were jumping bushes, pushing to keep up with friends and others were just trying to get to an open bathroom.  I finally made it up to corral A and spent more time jogging up and down to keep loose and to also not stress to much about the race.  Race day jitters are real and everytime I am placed in corral A or anything near the front, I start to doubt myself and worry about being in the way of "real runners".  

Almost go time.  

I entered the corral with about 15 minutes until the start.  I spied the 1:55 pacer and decided to stay about 2-3 rows behind her.  This was not an "A" race for me, so I wasn't trying to rush out from the start.  I have a terrible time pacing myself and figured 1:55 would be a good place to be. Well, not even a quarter mile in and I had to get around the 1:55 pace group.  She was cute and all, but she was chatty, even chattier than I am when running.  Not to mention the group was HUGE!  They basically took the whole expanse of the road. I sped around them and used her voice as motivation.  Whenever I heard her voice close, I sped up.  This lasted for maybe 2 miles and then I no longer could hear her or see her.  

Don't know who she is but I certainly hope she got the perfect picture and bought it.   

At this point I had to change my game plan.  I wasn't looking at my watch, I wanted to run each mile by feel, run the mile I was in basically.  I was having a blast, feeling good.  I stopped for a picture in the hub.  I had wanted to take a picture in front of the castle, but some random lady kept jumping in the middle in front of the cameras to get the "perfect" jump shot.  What I had noticed as I was leaving Disneyland were the same ladies around me.  I had then decided to keep an eye on about 4 runners and try to stick with them. Whether that meant I was in front or they were, I was going to use them to pace me.  I had no clue what they were running, but I felt good and it felt relatively comfortable.  

Thank you random stranger for pulling me along. I certainly hope you also got a PR.  

However, at about mile 6, things changed a little.  The 4 runners I was keeping an eye on had dwindled to one.  I had passed them all and I think lost them at the water stops.  Side note: I was taking the water stop like a boss!  Didn't have to slow down too much, no sloshing water on myself or in my nose and nailed each garbage can.  I was in the zone.  Haha!  The one woman remaining had her game face on.  She was determined.  Headphones in, eyes straight, no posing for the camera.  Ummmm, I decided to just ham it up the whole time.  I cheered on the other runners that I passed, high 5'd the water stop volunteers, did a little fist pumping with the bands, heck I was having a blast.  I passed my secret pacer a few times, but she would charge ahead.  I had no goal of trying to beat her, although I think she was determined to not have me beat her.  At mile 11, I saw her pick up, but at this point the finishing miles met up with mile 4-5 and we ran next to each other for over a mile.  I decided to let her go, I didn't need her anymore and I ran cheering on the mile 4-5 runners.  Oddly, I find rooting for others probably does more for lifting my spirits than maybe theirs.  When they look back at me and smile, I just want them to realize how awesome they are and that they truly are doing a great job.  Every step is better than the last, every effort is better than quitting.  

Wait, what?!?!  A brand new PR

I love that he was just as excited as me for the race I had just run.  

As I made my way down the chute near the Disneyland hotel, I got a glimpse of the mile 13 marker with the time 1:43:xx on it.  In that moment, since I had spent the whole race not looking at my watch, I said to myself, "Holy crap, I am going to PR this race.  Ruuuuunnnnnn!"  I lifted my hands up, shouting thanks to the spectators and charged ahead, rounding the corner and eyeing the finishing line.  I typically have Dave's hand to hold up when I finish a race, this time it was all me and I made a bee line towards Mickey (sorry Daisy on the other side) and gave him a fierce Hi-5.  I looked at my watch to stop it and immediately had tears in my eyes.  I could not believe it.  One week after a marathon and I was able to take down a two year half marathon PR by 2+ minutes.  Best.  Feeling.  Ever!!!  

Nice look back Mickey Mouse!  

I have done many many Disney races and this was one of the most emotional times I had receiving a medal from volunteers.  I think they saw those happy tears in my eyes because I went to the first girl to get my medal and either side patted me on the back and said congratulations, as I made my way past the 2 rows of volunteers behind her, they did the same.  Although I was dreading this race in some ways - I am not a huge TinkerBell fan (gasp) and it was Mother's Day weekend being celebrated without my oldest - it is also one I will never forget.  I even bought the race photos (or Dave bought them for me) and I have shamelessly looked over them a million times laughing and smiling.  

I even stayed a little to listen to the band. I never typically do.  

Medal and flower for Mother's Day park accessory

The drink was waaaaay bigger than the picture but delicious. Dave was helpful and finished it off for me. 😜 

• Mother's Day this year, although not what I had thought it would be in terms of celebrating, was nearly perfect.  After the race, Disneyland gave carnations to mothers.  It proved to be the perfect addition to my Tink medal.  The boys took me to eat and I even had a drink!  I had to pick one from the menu that looked "pretty" because I seriously have no clue.  I couldn't have asked for a better Disneyland Mother's Day - spent with (most) of my boys, running a fun race, enjoying every moment, and obtaining a PR.    

My boys minus one

Pony Express Pony 5k recap (kids race)

     My race on May 1st was very fun.  I had trained for 5 weeks with classmates at my school, Donner Elementary.  Every Tuesday and Thursday I had to meet after school to run.  On race day, we were told to meet everyone at the purple balloons.  There were a lot of kids from all over Sacramento.  

     Before I left to find my group, my brother Gabriel gave me advice.  He told me to not go out too fast so I on't get too tired to run faster at the end of the race.  He also told me to not worry about how fast others are going at the start.  Run my own race.  When I met with my school, I found my friends and we walked to the front of the start line.  I was at the front of the start line.  I was very excited but nervous at the same time.  After awhile, an announcement came on saying that the race was starting in five minutes.  When I heard this, I got very excited.  The horn blew and the race started.  

     At first, I ran with my friends, but after awhile I sped up and left them.  I soon caught up to 4 people who ran faster than me at the beginning.  I passed the fourth person as we excited Old Sacramento.  I went up a bridge and when I got to the downhill part, I sped up because it was easier to speed up going down.  The water station was coming up, but I skipped it.  I didn't need any water.  Then I came to the third person.  He saw me and sped up.  I still had half the race left so I didn't speed up.  I didn't want to waste my energy trying to pass him.  At least 5 people passed means I turned the corner to cross the Sacramento Bridge.  

     As I approached the highest point of the bridge, I could see the finish line.  Once I had that in view, I started to sprint,  I went really fast and sprinted past the finish line.  I finished in 25:23.  I am proud of the race I ran.  I want to get faster.  My goal is to run a 5k in 24 minutes.  

Eagle Creek Pack-It Sport™ Review

Being a part of the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon Series #RockNBlog team definitely has it's perks. One of them is getting to use and review cool products such as the Eagle Creek Pack-It Sport™ Fitness Locker, Pack-It Sport™ Shoe Locker and Pack-It Sport™ Roll Top Sac. 

These innovative products are the only way to keep your workout gear organized and odor free. 

They're perfect for a race vacation or otherwise known as a "raceation." However, how many times a year do you get to travel for a race? These bags are so versatile that they should be used every day. 

I have found them to be perfect after my lunchtime run aka "runch." No more throwing sweaty clothes into shopping bags or worse, hanging them in my cubicle (EWWWW!) 

Now that I've been using my Eagle Creek Pack-It Sport™ bags, I never catch my coworkers trying to de-stink my cubicle with febreeze! 

These bags are

• made of ultra light, water resistant fabric
• machine washable
• antimicrobial to keep the odor in and prevent microbial growth
• easy to carry or hang using the top grab handle

My recommendation - don't just use the bags to pack race gear for a weekend, pack them everyday for a lunch run or to the gym!

Many thanks to @EagleCreekGear and @RunRocknRoll for an awesome partnership. I was provided a set of Pack-It Sport™ bags to review for the RockNBlog team. All opinions are my own. 

Pony Express Marathon Recap

It's been a few days since David and I ran the Pony Express Marathon.  I think I have had sufficient enough time to digest everything that lead up the race and the actual day; and let me tell you I am pleased.  I want to back track a little and talk briefly about training and goals.  I  know, I know, I probably should have done that before the race, but hey, I have said before there is nothing consistent with this little family blog we have.  We try not to put to much emphasis on it since family time is what is most important for us, not to mention our days are cray-cray as it is so I am not adding one more to do list item to not be checked off at the end of the day.  Haha!

Ok, training.  I took a leap of faith and followed Dave with the Hansons Method for two reasons.  The first being that we do not have a babysitter but were both training for a marathon, if we didn't want to spend the entire weekend running, we needed to enlist a plan that didn't have 20 mile runs.  We could beg enough people to watch the kids (minus Asher) for a couple hours.  Secondly, I have heard rave reviews from numerous people and saw how Dave shaved off nearly 30 minutes from his first marathon to his second marathon a couple years ago.  However, I also saw the hard, hard work that went into training.  The 6 days a week, the longish runs during the week, the workouts, etc.  I was not looking forward to that and as you know my training runs were with the stroller a majority of the time , but I went with it and I am so glad I did.  I have told a few people in the past, but I really was shooting for anything around the 4 hours mark, not sub 4, but 4:05 - 4:15.  Huge window I know, but training for this as a mom of 4 is anything but conventional (to be blogged about another day.  Trust me I have thoughts on this part) and I wanted to set a good goal, but nothing that would leave me disappointed on race day if I didn't come close to that time.  16 weeks came and went fast, but also slow.  When that last taper week came, I was welcoming it.  My body and mind was certainly feeling tired.  

I felt that I did my best during training.  I worked my butt off and wanted to prove to myself that I could do this, I could run 26.2 miles.  Yet, at the same time I was incredibly nervous, immensely intimidated by the distance.  I had those "Debbie Downer" thoughts in my head: "Even 4:15 might be a long shot Paula.  Maybe readjust that goal to an even bigger window", "Maybe marathons are not for you.  Do the Half Marathon and try your best at that", "It's going to be hot, you don't do well with heat" and so on.  Dave was great at reassuring me as sooooo many others did too.  I have to thank each person who encouraged me via social media, in person, by text that morning.  It helped me A LOT!!!  To know that others had faith that I could start and finish a marathon helped me believe in myself. 

Now onto the actual race weekend!  I helped at the expo on Friday and learned a few things that I didn't even know about the race.  The biggest being that there would be no gear check.  I found that odd considering that it was a marathon and I know many runners like to check things for post-race. Dave and I actually wanted to check our birkenstocks for after the race, but changed our mind after that info was given.  I encountered a few runners upset by this fact but no one truly angry.  Not to mention this posed a problem after the race with entry into the Beer Garden. We both had wristbands, but Dave was denied because he didn't have ID. Well, no gear check, no wallet, no ID. We didn't want to walk all the way to the car and back so we skipped the beer after the race. Hopefully next year it is something they are able to provide.  The expo itself was small, but had enough vendors to intrigue people.  Bib pick up was easy and quick although a plastic bag to hold the goods would have been nice (trivial I know).  Best part of bib pick up was getting a bottle of Yolo Brew Pony Express beer!.  I don't drink but I was pretty excited by this fact and quickly made the decision that if I survived the race (dramatic I know), then I would actually drink some.  Needless to say I did have some and it was delish.  

Saturday, Chris Malenab held a tweet-up at the expo.  We were of course late and missed the group picture, but it was nice to catch some of our fellow runners to wish them luck and talk about goals for the next day.  Sometimes the best part of a race weekend is not so much the race but all the social opportunities.  There is just something about connecting with other people who genuinely want others to succeed too.  It's a feel good type of thing and regardless of what someone's goals are, encouragement and confidence also comes with running friendships.  

All smiles prior to the start. Behind us is Running 4 Rhett. Great organization emphasizing "Run because You Can!"  And Rhett's mom, is pretty awesome. I work with her and admire how her family has created something so wonderful after her son passed away. ❤

Sunday was the big day.  The night before, my mom actually was gracious enough to take the 3 older boys to sleep over.  Dave and I only had Asher to contend with the night before.  I surprisingly slept better than I do most pre race nights, only waking 4 times.  We got up around 5 am, ate, got ready and double checked that Asher had all his things for being dropped off to my mom's house.  Once dropped off, we were on our way and I had to confess to Dave I was nervous, worried about my performance.  I didn't want all those miles and hours to be for nothing.  I started to put all this pressure on myself to do really well.  Thankfully, again, Dave is really good about calming me down.  We got to the race, saw several people that we knew running the race.  We tried to remember to do the obligatory pre race selfies with others, but we are always bad at that.  We did get to snap a pic with the other Pony Express Ambassadors and 9run6 crew.      

All the peeps!  See that young lady on the end, to the right?  Alexia ran her first marathon and BQ'd!!!   Erin and Chris were instrumental in getting her to achieve such a huge goal. PC: Brian Crilly

After we warmed up, used the port-o-potties (so gross) and took pics, we headed to the start.  The half marathon and marathon were all starting together and there were no corrals.  It was interesting to see pacers with times from 1:30 - 4:30 standing near each other.  I overheard someone look at the 1:30 pacer and remark "Those marathoners sticking with that pacer are hauling ass!"  Yes, to run 26.2 miles in 1:30 would be a huge feat!  Lightened up my uneasiness a little.  So thank you to the random runner for the random statement.  The race started a bit late, 7 mins, but it allowed my to readjust my shoes a few times.  At 7:07, the race was underway and I immediately let Dave know that I wasn't going to look at my watch and that he needed to be my pacer.  Surprise!  I know, not cool letting someone know that while running the first mile, but I tend to go out to fast and crash and burn.  As always, Dave was ok with that and let me know if we were "coming in hot" as he would say.  

The first mile, mile and a half was a bit congested since it was the half and full together, but once the two distances departed from each other the road was clear.  We did not have to do any weaving and we were able to take the tangents pretty close.  We were carrying our own water bottles, but had decided to use their water stops, every other one.  Kudos to PEM, there were water spots every miles for the first 14-15 miles.  It helped since the course was full sun, a little wind and it was warm.  Running along the river was nice, a different scenery that suburban streets that for sure.  Some water spots had pretzels and oranges even.  The first half went well,  I chatted and Dave just said "yup".  I'm a chatty runner.  We finished the first half about 2 minutes under goal so I was feeling good at this point.  We started to pass runners around mile 14, some which we knew and we chatted with some of them for awhile.  That made the miles pass by a little quicker.

Now after miles 16 or so, water stops didn't seem so close.  And orange slices were non existent.  I kept searching for those orange slices.  But none.  Bummer.  I had fuel, but I could tell that my stomach with the heat wasn't going to tolerate eating them as frequently as I needed to so I had to readjust.  In reality I had to make a quick decision to under fuel and save my stomach, rather than perhaps give myself that "energy", but have issues for the last miles of the race and after.  Would you have done the same?  I don't know, but I did not want to spend the day with an upset stomach.  As we approached mile 18 and on, we were leaving the river and heading into suburban territory.  I had assumed that this would be where I would be strong or at least feel good because I actually like running on neighborhood streets.  Alas, I was wrong.  The Land Park area of Sacramento seemed to go on forever, with turns and hills!  Ok ok not San Francisco hills, but when you are at mile 20-23 and there is any incline it is a hill.  Dave and I were ever so grateful for our friend Stephanie who we saw on the course TWICE and Derek.  Seeing these faces helped give us a little boost.  Since the course is mostly along the river, spectators were very very few.  The only cheering really only came from the aid stations.  Seeing people that we knew helped a lot.  

She might have been one of the only spectators out there. It was hot and we are so grateful she waited for us to take this pic. We are still smiling at this point, lol but not much longer. Haha. 📷: Stephanie

Here's where it gets a little sad, ok for me a little sad.  Dave and I, whenever we race together, we ALWAYS finish together.  When we say we race together, we don't mean that we register and then do our own thing, we actually race together.  Many many races Dave has held back because he is a stronger runner than me.  I however had told him before this race to please please leave me if I am holding him back because this race was for me to prove to myself that I could do it.  He agreed and told me to do the same, but I brushed him off.  He is most definitely a stronger runner than me, faster, more endurance, but on Sunday at PEM I actually had more "gas in the tank" than him.  Around mile 18, I could see he was not feeling it.  By mile 20, my feet were a little ahead of his.  Right before mile 23 I pulled ahead and I slowly heard his feet distance themselves from mine.  I knew that I had left him, but I told myself to just get to the mile 24 marker and wait for him.  I did just that.  I stopped and waited, searching for him.  I wasn't sure how far behind he was.  Then I saw him frantically waving his arms forward.  I knew what he was saying, he was telling me to go, but I felt beyond guilty leaving him.  He slowly came closer and yelled at me to go.  I looked at him and knew that I needed to and with that I slowly picked up my pace and left him.  This is the first race ever that we have not finished together and I hope the last.

I'm nearing the end and so grateful!  Less than a 5k to go at this point. Please ignore the eyes closed. 😂 📷: Stephanie Ganeban

With me running by myself, no orange slices to be found and me deciding to push through taking no fuel, I started to dump water on my back because I was really feeling the heat.  I started to countdown blocks to the turns.  The beauty of city running for me.  I would tell myself, 4 blocks until turning left and start counting down.  By the time I got to mile 25, I wanted to be finished.  I wanted to walk.  I wanted to curse at the aid station people yelling "You're almost there!"  As I turned the corner onto L Street, I passed the only 3 runners on that street.  The people on the side of the road were yelling "You can do it!" "You look strong" (suuuuurrrreee) "Keep going!".  I used that to help pick up the pace and as I turned the last left to see the finish line with no one in front or behind me, I sprinted.  Yup, I sprinted.  Who knew I had that left in me.  The announcer has to say last name 3 times to get it right.  Made me laugh while I was running.  I made the dash towards the finish and crossed that finish line not in the 4:15 I had told myself would be a far stretch for me to do, but actually under 4 hours!!!  

Finishers!  The medal is HUGE!   

Photo op!  Had to after we couldn't get into the Beer Garden due to no ID. Again, gear check would have helped this PEM!!!!

Disclosure: I was provided a free race entry as an ambassador for the Pony Express Marathon.  The opinions expressed herein are my own and represent my experience with the race.

Lessons about Stroller Running

I realized the other day that by the time we have had our Bugaboo Runner (read the review here) a full year I most likely will have logged close to 1000 miles, maybe more. 😳(I need to replace the tires, I'm sure. Hey Bugaboo wanna send me some tires?!?!  😜). Not many to some, but to me that number is astounding!  That's a lot of Asher crying, laughing, and sleeping. Yet the biggest things that I've loved about becoming an almost 100% of the time stroller runner (yes even my long weekend miles have been with the stroller most of the time) is the things that I have learned about stroller runners in general:

1. Stroller running moms and dads are badass!!!  Come on, pushing anything at any pace takes strength, perseverance and sheer will. The desire to get those miles regardless of how much your body wants to turn around and not finish the run.  

2. We got speed!  Yup, when you see a runner with a stroller do not immediately assume they are slow. And remember when a stroller runner passes you DON'T say "I need to pick up the pace" or "I can't let a stroller pass me". Give a hi-5, cheer them on. Consider it a good thing they pass you, that stroller runner is putting in some serious hard work out there!  Their hard work to catch up to you only means you too are putting in hard work!  There are some speedy, quick like lightening stroller runners out there too. If you don't believe me check out (Erinamg, momslrb, littlebeastling, runfargirl, runemz and nycrunningmama) on Instagram. 

3. We hear your complaining about being behind a running stroller when you are on a training run or during a race. We are pushing a stroller, not hard of hearing. Those two are not mutually exclusive FYI. Also, if you groan about being behind a stroller please make sure that you pass them and ARE faster than the stroller. You don't want to get your ankle clipped. 😂. Just kidding, we try not to bump into anyone. Ok ok, I've thought of it before though.  

4. Stroller running providers a regular running partner. There is no texting or calling back and forth to coordinate the run. There really isn't any compromising on miles or pace. The running partner is sitting right there in the stroller. Heck they are probably running entertainment too. Asher has started to clap for me while on training runs. Well, at least until he falls asleep. He's like my own personal cheerleader. ​

5. On the flip side, Stroller running makes it hard to run solo. It's a love/hate relationship with the stroller. One the one hand, there is the fabulous opportunity to bond with your child(ren), to incorporate strength training or even ensure that afternoon nap. Yet, when you do get to run by yourself, it can be lonely. It's always a battle between making the run "easier" and having a little company. ​

6.  Last but not least, I've learned stroller runners love a good hi-5, a pat on back, a "good job". As I've said over and over, pushing a 25-35lb stroller PLUS the weight of your child or children is tough!  When you see a runner on the race course, training on the street give a little wave, smile, cheer. It truly does help us run a little taller, forget about the struggle for a little while and push on. ​

2016 RnRSF Race Recap: When Someone Hears Go, Go, Go! Instead of No, No, No!

This weekend was full of races - virtual and the IRL kind - a bit of travel, running with good friends and a fair bit of laughs. Sounds like a great weekend right? It absolutely was. Other than the part when one of the boys got sick, it was great.

It started on Friday when Paula set out to run virtually with a team of awesome ladies running for an even more awesome cause. The ladies of #TeamSparkle ran the Ragnar SoCal for Rett Syndrome (learn how to help support this great cause here). Their mission to run #Ragnar4Rett began on Friday and consisted of 190 miles of road running to end on Saturday. 

To pledge her support, Paula chose to run a virtual 5k at the same time the team began their grueling adventure. Awesome job this past weekend, #TeamSparkle!

On Saturday, Paula ran the inaugural @giantsrace here in our hometown of Sacramento. Since we had to travel down to San Francisco to make the We Run Social meetup in the afternoon, I chose to register her for the 5k instead of the 10k. 

It was a great day for racing and Paula did amazing! She PR'd and didn't feel like throwing up afterwards. Off to an awesome start, I'd say. After meeting up with fellow Rock N Bloggers, Andrew and Andrea, we all set off to meet up once again in San Francisco to gear up for the RnRSF Half Marathon. 

Andrew aka @smartwatermelon and Andrea aka @renewedme

Andrew appropriately dubbed this weekend #SAC2SF. Fitting. We hit traffic on our way to The City and were late to the We Run Social Meetup. We were still able to catch up and chat with Brian, Mike and Richard. We even met Chris who hooked us up with #RunWestin swag to rep #TeamHeadband. 

Killin' it (or trying to), NP style.

We spent some time galavanting around the city before having dinner with friends. Unfortunately Jacob got a migraine that wouldn't subside and couldn't attend dinner which meant that we were three down. Nonetheless, we enjoyed great company and great food. After deciding on race plans we went our own way to get race ready. 

Since the race is a point to point course, we had to be shuttled to the Start Line so the plan was to meet in the hotel lobby at 430am. Yikes, that's early! Luckily I woke up with plenty of time to get ready, eat a banana and muffin and meet Brian and Mike in the lobby. We made the mile walk, met Richard and hopped on the shuttle buses (which were warm!) down to Ocean Beach Start Line. 

We made our way to the VIP area and enjoyed time with additional pre-race goodies, coffee and chatter. There was plenty of time to relax and even snap a pic with fellow Rock N Bloggers, Elizabeth and Sharon:

Photo: @Pavementrunner

#SAC2SF continues

I was excited for this race because it was very reminiscent of #RnRLA where Mike, Brian and I ran together with no intention of setting any PR's. Heck, the last time Mike ran this course, he danced his way through most of it so we knew he was going to at least set a course PR. 

The miles - along with the hills - went by quickly and before you knew it, we were at Lincoln Hill where the Blue Mile was held. I stopped to snap a selfie with our flag and the Golden Gate bridge in view. Nailed it.

When you're running with good company, you don't mind the hills and as cliche as it may sound, the views ARE really worth the climb. Mike brought along his trusty new toy - a camera that records 360 degrees around and filmed us all crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Check out a snippet HERE. View it on a Mac or PC for the full effect! 

Eating donuts and taking selfies is tough! Remember this little gem from #RnRLA last year?

After more beautiful views, we neared the finish line. This is where the title of this post comes in. You see, Mike wanted to record us finishing the race together on his fancy schmancy camera and started to record. Somehow, the words "wanna go fast" came out (from who, I don't know) and Brian said No, No, No and Mike heard Go, Go, Go! and when you're already speeding up, we found ourselves sprinting thru the finish line which may or may not have been a great idea. But boy was it fun!

Photo: @Pavementrunner

We cooled down with the Fam, congratulated each other on a job well done and said our "until next times." My first Rock 'n' Roll race of 2016 is already gonna be hard to beat!

We Are Far From Perfect→

Carlee Padot McClurg:

But just because I am blessed does NOT mean I can rest on my laurels and continue to reap the benefits... We have to continually put the time and effort into our relationship! It's sort of like your fitness level. Say you get in shape - you can't just say that you're in shape and stop, because once you stop, your fitness level will begin to decline... I'm not saying it'll happen overnight, but slowly and definitely surely, if you stop putting in the effort you will stop reaping the rewards!

{Here's where I get up on my soapbox with my two cents} Put in the time and effort, NO MATTER WHAT! Do it even if you don't "feel" like it - I promise if you do the work your feelings will follow... eventually... The saying "Happy Wife, Happy Life" is soooo true! If you're marriage is thriving there's nothing that can stop you; make the time and give it all you've got! 

True. Far from it. You must put in the work to keep things from getting stale. Especially with children. A thin, yet complex layer develops in the relationship when children are added into the mix.

RnRDC recap....(insert sad emoji here)

What can I say about #RnRDC?  Hmmm let me start at the beginning and be warned I will probably go off on random tangents but this recap will not be that long.

All ready to go. Tired, exhausted really from getting hardly any sleep but so happy to finally be on my way to DC!!!   

The beginning...last year I had decided that DC was a bucket list race for me. Something about running through the Nation's Capitol was exciting. I registered as soon as I could, so essentially a year ago. It was all planned. As the year went on I thought "Hey won't it be good to make it a girls weekend!?!?!  My two sisters could run too". Ok without going into details, that proved to be a horrible horrible idea. Horrible. Logistically it was a nightmare coordinating it all and costly. My older sister and I are still fighting as I write this.

Besides registering for the race which went smoothly, everything else about DC proved to be a nightmare, as if the universe was telling me to NOT go. I was fortunate enough to get a "buddy pass" (there is more to the story here that I will not go into) from Southwest Airlines. And you read that right, Southwest, but if you saw my IG post I actually flew American Airlines. Why? Because that buddy pass was lost. Couldn't find it. No go. Oh and a way out of the blue side note, I was already emotionally spent since Asher had his first transition meeting for his IEP that morning. Although it went well, everyone was nice, I could tell getting him all the services he needs from the district was going to be a long process. Especially when I am not fully trusting what some of his current therapists are telling me. Ok back to the story, the ticket was lost. It was hours before I was suppose to leave on the original flight. What's a girl to do?  Search high and low (and tons of others helping me. Thanks to my younger sis, BIL, friends, mom and Dave) for an affordable ticket out on Friday. Alas, one was found on American Airlines for a really really good price. One lay over. Got into DC before midnight.  The original buddy pass had me going into Dulles airport. I thought, "things are looking up"!

Well, no. Got to Sacramento airport and the flight was delayed. Missed my connecting flight and the only available flight was going to Baltimore by 2am!  Then that flight ended up being delayed by 2 hours!!!!  I didn't know what to do, hence the apple eating pity party of one, tears included on the Phoenix airport floor. Yes, it was a pitiful site. Thanks again to my younger sister and BIL, I decided to call it a day. DC would not be happening for me. Not this year. Essentially I got my first DNS (Did Not Start) for a race and even typing it makes me weepy. 

Waiting at customer service. Over half the plane had connecting flights. Most DID NOT make those connecting flights.  

I was looking forward to DC for a year. I was so extremely excited but it just wasn't happening. Thank you to all who tried to help, who offered encouraging words, who hoped and wished it would happen. It didn't. Unfortunately DC was and will most likely be my only rock n roll race this year. All I can do is tell myself, "it's only a race that will always be there", but I will say sometimes only so many things can go wrong before you just feel beyond defeated. The day was full of emotional highs and lows: IEP transition meeting, lost ticket, fight with my older sister and her husband, frantically searching for a new ticket, the list goes on. I felt defeated on all fronts - emotionally, financially, physically. And that's ok, even if it was about a silly race.  I just need to remember that tomorrow is a new day and there is always next year. 

I did see someone famous, Ben Stein at the Phoenix airport. The bad pic is because I'm trying to be sly and take a picture without looking like I'm taking a picture. 😂   

Brooks Launch 3 Review

I’ve been running in the new Brooks Launch 3 for a while now and I feel that I’ve put enough miles (40+) on them to write about my experiences so far. Now I won’t tease you all about my conclusion so I’ll say it here up front – I love them!

Launch v3

I hoped I would, especially after the love affair I had with the previous version 2 of these shoes. You see, I wasn’t one of the original Launch wearers who cried in unison when their beloved original Launch were discontinued out of the blue a few years back. That is what got me into the Launch in the first place (twice over). When Brooks announced they were bringing back the Launch, I had to jump in and see what the hype was all about. Boy am I glad that I did.

Launch v2

I was worried because when I first put them on they felt a bit snug in the forefoot unlike the previous version which were more accommodating for my wide ass feet. Yeah, I said it. I went for a quick 3 mile run in them – nothing too crazy – to see how they felt on and I was a bit bummed that they were not the same comfy fit as before.

A friend suggested a different lacing technique and after some research, I found a site here which recommends alternative lacing methods for specific issues you may be having. Hallelujah! After lacing up using this new method, I began to feel that old Launch feeling again.

Alternative Lacing Technique

Enough about lacing, let’s get on to how the shoe performs. Brooks uses a DNA in their midsole which can act as a cushioned ride or as a more firm, springy ride if you wanna run fast. What they changed in the upper this time around was the mesh material surrounding the toe. Last year it was on the outside and now it’s underneath a very thin microlayer. It’s still very breathable though.  

They look and feel fast.

The shoe is light. It feels lighter. At 9.8 oz, it sort of disappears on your feet like a more speedier racing flat should. The 10mm drop helps here. I have absolutely no problem racing in these and am thinking of running a full marathon in them in a couple months. They’re that good. What doesn’t help is that Brooks keeps coming out with special edition colorways like the Tokyo Dragon and Kaleidoscopes. It says something when only their most popular shoes get the special edition treatment. 

Carpe Runem

This post is not sponsored by Brooks. The shoes were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Have you tried the Launch’s yet? If so, let me know if you what you think.  

Tofu Tuesday: Tofu Adobo!

During the runDisney Star Wars Half Weekend #werunsocial tweetup (wow that was a lot to type), we finally met @marlon_barcelona and got to talking about all his tofu recipes.  Since we are somewhat new to this tofu game, we were all ears!  He mentioned Tofu adobo and my wheels got to turning.  I HAD to make this dish.  Don't get me wrong, we are not a vegan household in the least.  We love a good burger, chicken, steak even, but our road down tofu lane is to broaden our tastes and for Asher who has sensitivities.  

Tofu Adobo seemed perfect!  We all love tofu and we all love adobo.  What a great idea to bridge them together.  Now if you ever had made Filipino chicken adobo, you know that it isn't that difficult.  Tofu adobo took a little more time and work, for me that is.  I found this great recipe via Michelle's Tiny Kitchen for baked tofu adobo and was set on giving it a try.  I made some slight adjustments to the recipe below.  

Tofu Adobo

INGREDIENTS:

2 pkgs extra firm tofu, sliced or cubed.  I preferred sliced because they will bake quicker in the oven.

olive oil

4 garlic gloves minced

2 cups of vegetable broth

1/4 cup of Tamari Sauce

1/4 cup of white vinegar

black pepper

3-4 dried bay leaves (I like bay leaves)

1 tsp brown sugar

cornstarch slurry equal to about a 1-2 tablespoons

PROCESS:

1. Make sure you press the liquid from the tofu and then slice or cube, your preference.  

2. Place sliced (or cubed) tofu on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer.  You will most likely need 2 cookie sheets.  Bake at 450 until slightly brown.  I baked for 20  minutes, flipped at the 10 minute mark.  Remember: the longer you bake the tofu the "chewier" it will get.  I wanted it to have a firm texture, but not too hard to bite for Asher.

3. While the tofu is in the oven, start with the adobo sauce.  Coat pan with olive oil (1-2 tbsp) and toast the garlic.  

4. Add broth, tamarin sauce, vinegar, pepper and bay leaves.  Let the mixture boil and then turn the sauce down to a simmer.  

5. Once it has reduced slightly, add the brown sugar.  Continue to reduce sauce over medium low heat until reduced by about one quarter.  

6. Add the tofu sliced, making sure to get all slices coated in sauce.  

7. Add the cornstarch slurry and let simmer for a few more minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.  

8. And tada!  You have tofu adobo!.  Serve it with rice and your choice of a side.  Might I suggest fresh chopped tomatoes.  

This was a HUGE hit and will be in heavy rotation in this house for sure!  I  might even have to increase what I make, maybe double the recipe since they boys loved it so much.  Give it a try, let us know how you like tofu adobo.  I won't be surprised if you come back and rave at how good it is!.  

Reflections on 2015

Earning my coast to coast

Highlight of 2015: We started the year off with an amazing feat: earning the runDisney Coast to Coast medals in back 2 back weekends. Yes, we took all the kids, they flew well and even raced on both coasts!

Favorite Race of 2015: It's got to be the Run Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Halloween Half Marathon. There are a couple of people that would totally disagree with this choice, I'm sure. I was dressed up in a Super Mario costume and even though it was one of the longest Half Marathons I've ever ran, it was with good company. All of our significant others were there and we even stopped for Starbucks during the race! How cool is that? 

Looking forward to 2016... I'm looking forward to enjoying every mile that I'm in during 2016. This may sound cliche but it's true. We run becuse we enjoy it, to teach our kids to live healthy lifestyles and I'm getting too old to take those things for granted. I obviously want to get faster (doesn't everybody?) and I'm looking forward to running new races in 2016.

My only solo 10k of the year. I placed 1st in AG.  

Highlight of 2015: Hands down the best part of 2015 was #Active4Asher. Not only did it introduce our family to some amazing people, but it was humbling to see how many people supported our family and Asher. To this day, I still get misty eyed looking at photos from that day. 

Favorite Race of 2015: I don't know if I can pick just one!  So I'm not and going to declare a tie between rundisney 10k (in September) because I was able to run with my two oldest boys, clarksburg half marathon because it was cold and rainy but I loved every mile and Courage Run 5k because I actually placed in the overall female category not just my age group. 

Looking forward to 2016... I'm looking forward to running my second marathon and hopefully finishing upright. No goal time, just finish. I'm also looking forward to seeing each of my kids develop as runners. Lastly, I'm really looking forward to more stroller runs. They are a struggle but I find they help make me a stronger runner. I might, just might want to find a half marathon that allows strollers and give that a try.  

Last XC meet of the season

 Highlight of 2015: My favorite memory of this year was joining cross country for the first time. It was fun to join a team and spend time with other people who like to run. It was a learning experience since it was my first time participating in a competitive sport. 

Favorite Race of 2015: Running my first 10k during the rundisney Disneyland Half Marathon weekend.  

Looking forward to 2016... I hope next year I am able to run at least two 10k races, build speed and build endurance. Maybe even run a 10 miler. I had a great running year and look forward to an even better 2016. 

My first 4 mile run while training for rundisney 10k

Highlight of 2015: Running 11.1 miles with my family!  That was hard but so much fun. It was great to go to so many parks in one day, more than we have previously done. 

Favorite Race of 2015: I loved running my first 10k at Disneyland. I didn't think I could do it when my parents registered me, but I did and it was fun! 

Looking forward to 2016... I can't wait to run my next 10k - Star Wars!  I hope to run more races in 2016. Maybe virtual races like Beat the Blerch! 

Training to run 30 mins straight

Highlight of 2015: This Year I started kindergarten!  I was nervous at first but I love school.

Favorite Race of 2015: Elk Grove Turkey Trot Kids Race. It was so cold but I got to run with my dad.   I heard a lot of people cheering me on at the finish and it made me happy. 

Looking forward to 2016... I want to run more and longer. I hope I get to run a runDisney 5k.

First time crawling through leaves during #optout

 Highlight of 2015: This year I learned how to sit up and "crawl". I even learned how to say more in sign language. I love my running stroller because I can see my mom and dad when they are running with me. 

Favorite Race of 2015: I love the rundisney races because I see Mickey at the end. My favorite though was Sacramento Santa Run 5k. It was my first Stroller run and I laughed and slept for the entire race.  

Looking Forward to 2016... I hope that I will be able to actually crawl or walk in a rundisney race in 2016 (instead of being carried) and I want to do more races in the stroller.  

RUNNER TIP #3 for Parents - Let's race!

Racing the 9 year old to the stop sign which ended up being 200m. He won, I had the stroller to push. Extra work! 

Speed work. How do you get that in when a track isn't readily available near you? Yes, of course we could drive somewhere about 30+ minutes away, but I'll be honest, well at least I don't want to. Not to mention with 4 kids and a very very busy schedule for all of us, we had to figure a way to get some sort of resemblance of speed work in while the kids were in tow. This is how "Let's Race!" came about.  

The concept is so simple and I am sure many people do it. As with all the tips, planning the course is a must. Where we are going to run, the number of stoplights, the distance between those stoplights - are all vital parts of getting anything close to what we can call speed work.

We live and run in suburbia so stoplights are a fact of life. Some streets have more than others which can be helpful with the youngest child. Once we have the street planned, we pack up the youngest and the rest of us lace up the running shoes and head out for a warm up. When we are approximately 100m (sometimes more) from a stoplight one of us says, "ready, set, GO!"  Off we go at a fast speed but not full on sprint. Basically we are racing to the cross-walk button. Once there, the 30 seconds to 1 min wait time is the recovery and once we get the green light the next cycle begins again. 

Sometimes the pace is slightly slower than we want. The 5 year old can run fast but not as fast as the 11 year old...yet! Peace yo!

The end result?  Enough pick ups to help us feel like we got a little speed work in, heck, with the older children some of those "race to the light" dashes are at sub 7 minute pace!  We'll take it. The children have a blast racing us or each other. I'll be honest, we throw the races at times. It puts a smile on their faces and they enjoy "teasing" us a bit feeling that they are faster than mom and/or dad. Pretty soon they will be. It's a definite win win. Everyone gets outside. Those who need it get some sort of speed work. Best of all we are together as a family. 

Give it a try, snap a pic. Tag us!  We would love to see the blur of family feet as they race to the stoplights!   

Runner tip #2 for Parents - #runningparktour

Every training plan call for a long run, typically on Saturday or Sunday. So what is a family to do when there is no sitter and long training runs need to happen?  We utilize something called #runningparktour. We have mapped out several parks in our city, all with varying distances from our home and from each other. At first we had park locations and distances memorized for #runnerswitch.  However we found the information useful when we came up with the idea to take ALL the children, yes all four children ages 2 - 12 with us on our long runs. 

On our most recent family run, we ended up going to 5 parks plus having lunch. Here we are at park one. Everyone happy and the weather was overcast but felt great! 

The idea is fairly simple and fun!  Not only will miles get logged, but great family time will also occur. Simply locate 3-5 spots, more specifically parks, in your neighborhood. I will say they do not have to be parks, but making the pit stops fun for everyone should be key.  We mostly use parks as our rest stops, but sometimes the day calls for a smoothie stop and/or lunch stop.  Those can be fun and very necessary too! Depending on the ages of your children and the experience they have with running I would keep parks/locations 2-4 miles between each other. Once you have your parks/pit stops laid out you can embark on your adventure!  You run from park to park, taking "rest" breaks at each one. When we do it we either stop for 15 mins to 30 mins. It really depends on the size of the park, the energy level of the children and time of day.  

The boys playing together. Getting some "down time" before heading out to run again.  

Their idea of "rest" is definitely not ours. We were sitting on the swings. Lol

Asher even gets his "rest" time out of the stroller. Everyone gets to stretch. Him included! 

Ok yes, speed is not part of this plan, but miles certainly are, fun miles. It is a way to build up your childrens miles AND self esteem while getting in longer distances. My boys are always really proud of themselves when they have run 10+ miles in a day. And rightly so!   

Also keep in mind how to "pack" for this type of family run. Generally this is what we pack to go on our #runningparktour runs, which we store underneath one or both of the running strollers:  

* waters

* minimum two snacks packed in sandwich bags

* chapstick 

* wallet and cell phones

* diapers and wipes (obviously. Lol) 

I hope you give this a try. #parktour run with your family, see all the parks and even small businesses your town/city has to offer. Make it an adventure, a treasure hunt even. A hunt for your favorite park or an I Spy running game to look for certain things your neighborhood might have. Tag @fitfam6 and #runningparktour. We look forward to seeing your #runningparktour!

Still smiling. Soon after this picture was taken, raindrops started to fall. The boys first time running in the rain with 4.5 miles left to get home! 

Tofu Tuesday...kinda

So a long overdue #tofutuesday...kinda. We had to scale back on our tofu/soy experiments. Too much of a good thing is NOT a good thing. Asher was getting too much soy.  

Obviously this is a store bought pizza. We have been wanting to try this brand for awhile now. The cheese mostly but we thought to ensure we would all like it, let's try it on pizza. I mean who doesn't like pizza?!?!  With the business of the holidays, trying to get back in the groove after weeks off, Asher's health issues and pure laziness I decided it was time to give it a try. Supreme (not real meat, but looked and tasted like sausage) for the boys and veggie for me. Yet, we all tried both.  

Verdict: they loved it!  Whew!  Even Asher liked it however he could only eat a little bit before having trouble digesting it. But I consider it a success. The pizza had lots of flavor, the soy cheese melted to a great consistency, just the right amount of spicy and there were many flavors to chose from. The only down sides were the cost for the size. $8 per pizza and in reality one boy could probably finish. It's the "perk" of having so many boys - our grocery bill is super high because they can "fuel" A LOT!!!  For sure though, this pizza will be in our freezer stock simply because it's quick, easy, the boys like it and EVERYONE, including Asher can eat. 😊

Capping Off #SD2LV

Let's see....where did we leave off? Oh, we were on a plane from San Diego to Las Vegas for Race #2 of 2 for the day. If you want the full story, open up a new tab and read the first race recap HERE. I'll wait. 

Ok. After a quick flight we took a ride to our hotels to get ready for the half. @Carleemcdot and i hung out, ate a quick snack and met @Pavementrunner and the wife to head towards the Pre-Race area. Quick tip: head towards the pre-race area early. There are bag check lines before entering and it gets crazy congested so if you're picking up bibs, t-shirts, checking bags etc. you'll need plenty of time. Here we picked up our bibs (thank goodness for race day pickup). Without it, the #SD2LV or any other #XX2LV would be near impossible. 

So awesome meeting @Kaellaontherun

The @WeRunSocial crew pre-race.

I love meeting running friends in real life! @dishouttawater

We met up with more friends and took many pictures. We exited the pre race area listening to Kid Rock up on stage as the Headliner for the race concert. Vegas does it up real big with entertainment at this race. I like to consider it the Super Bowl of Rock 'n' Roll races. 

We had time to spare before the official start time of 4:30pm and of course, took that opportunity to take more pictures and talk about race plans. Well, the race plan was unanimous - have a fun, relaxed race! Our corral was released and we immediately got off to a rockin' start. The Meb corral passed us early and we cheered that big group on loudly.

I see #thegibblers

Early on, one of our peeps @wonderfullykara had a small respiratory issue and had to slow down a bit and walk earlier than expected. Good friend @ivieanne and I decided to stay with her until she got some wind back. She quickly recovered (with a smile and positive attitude) and was back in business in no time. She ended up PR'ing this freaking race! I decided that I was feeling pretty good and went ahead to catch up to the rest of the @werunsocial crew. 

perfect gesture at the Paris hotel.

@blingwhore takes the best GoPro pics!

@ChrisHeuisler aka Elvis at the Finish Line!

The wind was howling, the air was cold and the rain was steady at times but we stuck with it and made it a party. We ran with glow sticks that the volunteers (Thank You, volunteers!) had at the water stops. We walked through the water stops, took some pictures along the way and continued to follow the race plan. We crossed the finish line with a selfie and made the looooong trek through the finishers chute. It was a great race to end the long day and all we wanted to do was get warm and begin recovering.

BRF's and THE #SD2LV crew. Love. 

This was my second year in a row doing this 2 races in 2 States in 1 day thing and I'm easily hooked. We are already planning what we're going to do for next year! If you've ever wondered what it's like, there's a good group of people who you can call on for advice! 

bonus: Werunsocial meetup slideshow

the #WeRunSocial crew rolls deep!

Ok, now do something silly!

Post-race chill session

Finally got to meet @Katrinaellep! Love.

Super glad to meet @mileposts and hubs. Cool peeps!

@Pointonemiles. Peace out Vegas!

Two races, two states, one day? it's a thing

Perfect weather in Coronado, Ca.

People thought that last year's #Disney2LV was crazy. If you think about it, it actually is pretty wild. Running two half marathons in two different states in the same day is something I thought I'd never do but here I am again doing it for the second year in a row. I flew down to San Diego and met up with @pavementrunner who was part of the original #SD2LV crew from a couple years ago.

We chose to come in on Saturday to get things ready for what was to be a very, very long Sunday. We chilled, had a beer at the famous Hotel del Coronado and walked along the race course a bit to get a feel for the first race. After setting up a few #flatrunner pics (don't tell me you don't do this) and grabbing something to eat, we called it a day. Following Saturday nights sleep, there wasn't going to be much of it until the plane ride back home. 

race day

We woke up early, got things in order and checked out of our hotel. We took our bags (one each - since packing light for multiple race excursions like this is a must), walked to the start line and met up with @carleemcdot, @runningwithsd and @stuftmama - fellow @werunsocial crew. They all call San Diego and the surrounding area home and I was just glad to be in it. They are all fun, energetic and passionate about running. In the little time we had before the race started, we hammed it up with pics and selfies. 

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@pavementrunner planned to PR in this Half, @stuftmama was to stay up with him, @runningwithsd was running the 10-miler and I had no plans but to have an easy race. Since Carlee was also doing this #SD2LV thang, we decided to run together.

Easy. Riiiight. Until about 8 miles or so. At that point my calf started to cramp up and I legit don't know why. Dehydration, over hydration, lack of training or lack of salt - who knows? Whatever it was, it really put a damper on the race. At one point I actually asked a race guard for salt. Now, i've never taken salt before and assumed it would be in tablet form. So, much to my surprise he pulls out this vile of salt and pours it into my hand. I do what's natural and lick it out of my palm (Yuck!) and squirt an ounce of water in my mouth to wash it down. That was one of the weirdest things i've done on a race course before. 

Such an obscure race. There was an inline skate division and even an elliptigo division! 

Long story short, we run / walk the rest of the race and finish with a much slower anticipated race time. Sub 2:00? Barely. I'll take it. I have to say thanks to Carlee for sticking with me and making sure we crossed the finish line in one piece. We still had another Half Marathon to run later that night! We met up with the rest of the crew, picked up snacks, and took the obligatory finish line pics. We said goodbye to @runningwithsd and @stuftmama and made our way to Vegas. 

Off to Vegas for race #2!

Have you ever ran multiple races in one day before? Would you ever consider a #SD2LV challenge like this?

RUNNER TIP #1 for Parents - #Runnerswitch

Typical #runnerswitch spot - a park. The kiddos get to play while waiting.  

You've seen our posts before on Instagram so this tip is more of a reminder. We have a big family where 5 of the 6 of us have training plans (we talked about our training plans here), goals are set and a plan is made on how to get there. All great things - except how do we get everyone's running in when we ALL need to run different training plans? Easy - Runner Switch!   

The concept is simple, either Dave or I pick an end location for a run. Typically it's a park. One of us drives the children to the park so they can play while waiting for the runner to arrive. Once there it's as if saying "tag you're it!"  The person waiting runs home. This way both of us can get our weekday, and sometimes weekend, long run in.  

There are obviously variations to this method. Our 5, 9, and 12 year old also need to get weekday miles and weekend long miles in, so often the 9 and/or 12 year old will partner with one us for the first leg of the runner switch. Once we get to the park, the warm up (or cool down for the first runner) is the 5 year old's training run.  

There are also modifications with using runner switch. Training plans call for a variety of running - tempo, intervals, race pace, etc.  Sometimes we are able to reach those training goals for speed work or a tempo run and sometimes we just simply get the miles logged. We have realized that the important aspect of running for us is training and running as a family. We set goals to improve on speed and distance, and we are getting there slowly but surely. Having a bigger than normal size family that are all training puts up some challenges but we get it done!  Runner Switch helps us do that!

Do you have multiple people who run in your house?  Do your children long to run races or train with you?  Try our first tip: #runnerswitch and tag us @FitFam6 on IG and Twitter. We would love to see how others use #runnerswitch.  

Entering the world of XC by Gabriel

     A cross country meet experience is like no other.  Cross country meets are very competitive, very unlike the races I have done with local racing organizations and rundisney.  In my first experience, I saw and learned a lot!  First of all, don't let the lower mileage deceive you.  My first cross country (XC) race was "only" 1.5 miles so i was very confident that I could run it "fast".  I went out way to fast at the beginning and along the course there were hills.  The terrain was uneven, dirt roads.  The 1.5 miles were probably some of the hardest I have had to run.  Second, competition is tough.  I saw many kids fall along the route, but even more I saw runners push each other out of the way which caused some runners to fall.  One girl had blood on her face, but she kept running.  A teammate got her leg scraped up!  I didn't know how tough it would be on the course.  My parents told me competitive sports are not "nice".  They can be fun and a great experience, but it is a competition and it can get "ugly".  I saw that during the race.  It makes me a little nervous for my next meets.  

     I took away a lot from my first XC meet.  I learned that it is very important to walk/jog the course before the actual race so that you will be prepared for obstacles, tight areas, changes in terrain and so on.  I learned it is very important to warm up properly, but to also stretch a little after warming up.  I learned that I have work to do with pacing myself in races such as how fast to go out.  The biggest thing I learned was to have fun.  Even though we all want to win for ourselves and our team, it is very important to have fun and use each meet as a place to grow for the next XC meet.  I am happy and proud of my first XC meet results even if I didn't place.  I ran hard and put my all into it.  I have work to do, but I look forward to the next XC meet.  

2015 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend Recap

It's been a week and we're just now coming down from the high that was the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. This will not be a full-on run of the mill race recap in the traditional sense since you can read about great ones HERE and HERE.

We met so many social media friends IRL (in real life) and we had a blast talking about Disney, running, kids, etc. which reminded us why we love this community so much.

Think of this as a photo recap of the fun times our family had this past weekend. Let's get to it!

My first EVER Half Marathon!

It was the 5th Anniversary of the DL Half. I've run this race every year since and it will always hold a special place in my heart!

It's @krissycakes13 This soon-to-be-momma ran the #DumboDoubleDare (10k and Half)

It's @ivieanne and @meliimamiii chillin at the Expo. 

Meetup at Downtown Disney Starbucks

It's @carleemcdot and @ruggedwoodsman. These are two amazing people with #GIANTHEARTS

It's @pastrychef_dani I think we gave her the biggest hugs of the entire weekend!

It's @a2thej44. He's rocks and loves Goofy. My Half Marathon costume was AJ approved!

It's @pointonemiles and @andreabarber workin' it at the @procompression booth in the Disneyland Expo. 

#runallday in #allblackeverything. Doing the Pavey. 

#werunsocial Meetup

hosted by @sharpendurance and @carleemcdot was pure fun. "Hydrating" after the 10k and taking #alltheselfies

So good meeting online friends in real life. It's @leslieplatzgray and @bscribbles throwing up the 9-1-6 hand signs. NorCal in da house!

Post run beer and Disneyland Half 10th Anniversary medal. It spins!

It's @caseyruns and some of the @werunsocial after killing it on the Disneyland Half Marathon course! 

Asher and Elias at the runDisney Kids Races. 

If you've ever wanted to know what it's like running the Disneyland Half Marathon, check the video out. Warning, spoiler alert!