4:26:08 Official Time

Yesterday was so much fun!

Martin and I left at 5AM for Huntington Beach. It was a pretty cold morning (he lent me his sweatshirt) as we waited near the start line until the sun came up at 6:47. There were so many people there--so many serious runners!

The race started a few minutes after sunrise and ended for me 4 hours and 26 minutes later! I knew I would finish, but I surprised myself with the time--I had hoped for 4:45:00 and beat my goal by almost 20 minutes! When signing up, I had to agree that I would let the truck give me a ride back if I took more than 6 hours. I kept moving because I didn't want that to happen! :)

I know I'm not the most graceful looking runner around, but when this picture was taken, I had already finished about 16 of the 26 miles! I ran alone and without music (most marathons don't allow iPods, but this is one of the few that does).

Finish: 4:26:08

Overall: 920 out of 1953 Women: 289 out of 846 F 25-29: 56 out of 158

3 Mile: 29:39 Pace: 9:53 6 Mile: 58:04 Pace: 9:41 12.2 Mile: 1:59:23 Pace: 9:48 20 Mile: 3:16:41 Pace: 9:51

These are my official race results from runraceresults.com.

Martin was waiting for me at the 16 mile mark with the camera and some encouragement--it was really good to see him there. It gave me a boost of energy! He also waited for me at the finish line and snapped pictures as I crossed the line. This picture below was taken moments after I was done--it was hard for me to stand still. You know the feeling you have when you get off the treadmill after running for awhile, or when you step out of your rollerblades after a few miles? The forward momentum makes you feel like you are going to fall forward if you don't keep moving--I had that feeling.


They say not to think about doing another marathon until you finish your first and give yourself a few days/weeks to recover and process, but as I ran all those miles yesterday I kept thinking, "I want to do this again and again and again." I enjoyed my race so much and am absolutely hooked! I don't plan to do another marathon next week or even in the next few months, but I do plan to do another one and beat my time! Who knows, maybe next time I will even qualify for the Boston Marathon... :)

The day is finally here!!

Tomorrow is the big day! I am so excited/nervous for my race and can't wait to get going! I have anticipated this for months and am as ready as I can be.

Tonight, Martin has agreed to make some of his awesome spaghetti for me to carb-up before the race. I've got everything laid out and ready to go for my early morning. The race starts at 6.50AM, which requires me to get on the road at 5 to find parking.



I will post an update on Monday or Tuesday about my race score. Also, hopefully I will have some pictures, too!

Marathon countdown: 12 days!

One more long run to go and a few more short ones before the big day! I posted pics of my favorite running spot at the ocean:



I run past all these cool houses...they get better as I run down the coast. I will try 20-22 miles tomorrow, then I am going to coast through the next week!

Woo-hoo!

Funny Running Quote

"A genuine penguin, but in my dreams I'm Kenyan."

This really describes me! I am such a slow runner, but always wonder what it is like to be one of those really fast ones who finish in half the time I do! :)

Hip-hip-hooray!

I am starting to think that I need to set more big goals for myself. Why is it that we doubt what we can accomplish? What keeps us from pushing our own boundaries a little more?

I wasn't sure I could live in Korea for a year, but it had always been a goal of mine to live abroad, so I tried it. It wasn't so bad...in fact, it turned out to be a good experience. Now, I have set this goal to finish a marathon and I am finding that it really isn't a big deal. Sure it's challenging me physically and mentally, but it is really not too bad!

Today I conquered the Newport boardwalk not only once, but three times! The days I do my long runs (over 6-8 miles) are spent at the beach, but I've never run this far in my whole life! Ready to be blown away by the grand total? OK, here it is:

18 MILES!!! Woohoo!!! :)

It took me three and a half hours to complete my run, and I could hardly walk after I finished, but I did finish. My legs and feet are sore, but I now am realizing that this is a really positive experience for me. I am beginning to think about what things I want to do and see and experience:

1. finish the marathon in February
2. become fluent in Spanish (and, eventually, German)
3. purchase an around-the-world plane ticket

It is my goal to have lots and lots of stories to tell when I am Edna's age! :)

Surf City USA

I finally registered for my marathon! I don't know why I was waiting...maybe to see if I could really do it. I mean, I know I can really do it, but I was a little nervous that I might chicken out (I still might chicken out, but I am going to try hard not to). A marathon is a scary goal to set out to accomplish! Traveling in non-English-speaking countries is NOTHING compared to this!

I was previously lined up to run the Napa Valley Marathon, but there were a few obstacles so I decided to search for something a little cheaper and closer to where I live. Napa Valley will be visited, believe me, but maybe I will enjoy it more under different circumstances.

I found this marathon: Surf City USA Marathon. I am really excited because I think it is a perfect thing to mark my time in Southern California! It is a month earlier than the other one, so that means I have to work hard to finish all my training, but I am up for it! A big bonus is that it is really close (maybe 30 minutes away) and my friends (if I have some by then!) can come and cheer me on!

The trail goes down the Pacific Coast Highway through several beach areas. I read that we get cool surfboard medals at the end of it, too!

Look what I found!

This, my friends, is Laguna Lake. It is the first lake/river/pond I have seen in California...maybe ever. The 70-something-year-old identical twins across the street told me about this lake last week, but I didn't find it until today. The girls, Jean and Jane, have been particularly helpful in helping me find things in this new city. They are so cute, too--they live together, dress identically, have the same red hair, and even finish each others' sentences! I really like them--they remind me of my aunt Reeva, only doubled. Neither has been married or has children, and when one is over here too long, the other comes over to check things out.

My running has been a great way to get out and get to know the city. There are a couple of local trails I have tried running, and have the general layout of the streets on this side of town.



I am really excited to get out there on the trails tomorrow and see what else I can find! :)

Running

Today's run was my longest one so far: somewhere between 11 and 12 miles. I felt great through the whole run and felt even better when it was over! :)

I am getting into my stride and can easily run 6-7 miles 4 times a week. I even like it. There is something called the "runner's high" that I have heard of--I think I get it. There is an addictive quality to running--it isn't horrible for me anymore, and, though I sometimes dread the thought of another grueling workout, I still get an enormous feeling of accomplishment when I finish even a shorter run.

I felt really good today--my body aches, but I feel like this marathon thing might really happen for me. It is one more life goal ready to be checked off my list!

A few things...

Still no job, still no car, still enjoying life for the most part...

As mentioned in a previous post, I've been filling my days with running, Spanish and lounging during this transition time. I have gotten quite a bit done, but it has been at a VERY relaxed pace. I figure that this is a rare time in my life where it is OK to do nothing. Once I get out to California, things will be different.

I researched new music yesterday, a couple of notable finds include: Laura Marling (Brit-folk), Paramore (Brit-punk), and Vampire Weekend (indie-punk-rock). Check them out if you are looking for new tunes! I think Paramore and Vampire Weekend will make great running companions.


This is such a random post!

Finally, thanks to my aunt, I've found a new time-waster that I've quickly become addicted to: solving jigsaw puzzles on the National Geographic website. It's really fun, but if you plan to only solve one puzzle, think again.

Are there mountain lions?

I have started running again. Long ago, I used to really enjoy long runs down country roads and winding streets, however, I eventually got a little bored and started to explore other forms of exercise. It has been years since I called myself a runner, but I've decided to resuscitate my running shoes and have set a new goal: finish the Napa Valley Marathon in March. Anyone want to join me? Now, before you call me crazy, it is definitely do-able and as long as you set small goals for yourself, you can finish all 26.2 miles! I get a little nervous putting this goal into cyberworld, because, frankly, I am a little unsure I will be able to complete it myself! (But, like I said, it is do-able, small steps and goals....I will be fine) I would love company, so if you are interested, let me know (we could do a nice wine tour after the race to help speed the recovery process!) :)

My daily run has been between 3 and 4 miles--not a bad start, but I have a long way to go. I take off down the driveway and try to get as far as I can before the wind starts to dry up my sinuses and blow through my ears. Then I turn around and head home.

You might be wondering why I have made a reference to mountain lions in the title. Well, let me fill you in. I have these really random, pretty ridiculous fears, here are a few examples: sharks, things falling on my head, riding horses, extreme speed, and mountain lions.

I've been running pretty regularly since getting back to the States two weekends ago, but didn't think I had anything to fear (even after I saw a black bear run into the woods not too far from here!) until my dad mentioned that the neighbor spotted a mountain lion in the field a couple of summers ago. A mountain lion in central MN, you ask? Apparently so. This past year, my friend in Korea filled my head with stories of people hiking, jogging, and biking in California and Colorado before a surprise attacker pounced from behind the bushes to gore, shred and maul the innocent victim. The thought sends shivers up my spine.

I started off on my run two days ago, and as I made my way down the driveway, I saw a small pile of droppings discretely hidden on the edge of the pavement. Immediately, alarm bells went off in my head. I tried to calm myself down--there is no way...I mean, could it really be?...a mountain lion? I have no answers at this point--only assumptions as to what species left them there for me to find. Was it one of my parent's two dogs? A deer perhaps? Maybe I should have paid closer attention when we went through the dung unit in biology class.

I guess I shouldn't always assume the worst--I mean, why would a mountain lion choose me over any of the juicy deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons or porcupines roaming my parents' land? Either way, I am going to keep my eyes open from now on!