Rock N Roll Seattle 1/2 Marathon Race Report

Not sure where on the course this was taken... may have been coming in to the finish line?

Ian and I before the start of the race

More pictures to come (featuring yours truly) shortly!

Background - I trained a little more consistently for this one than for Eugene in May (read, I actually ran) but I still didn't have any runs longer than 7 miles. Gotta get on figuring out how to get those long runs worked in! I also started getting sick the night before the race - sore throat, sniffles, sinus headache, etc. Ick!!

The race - Got dropped off at the start line in Tukwila with only about 10 minutes to spare before the start of the race. Due to the corral start I wasn't too worried about being late, and it was nice to not have to spend hours and hours waiting around. I found a few of my friends before the start and was able to say hi, so that was fun too. The weather was PERFECT for this race - cool and overcast with a light breeze.

After watching the first 13 corrals make their way to the start, it was our turn, and we were off. I ran the first 2-3 miles with a friend from high school, which probably explains why they were a LOT faster than the rest of my miles (10 min average when I was going for 11-11:30... oops!). The 2:07 pace group passed me at mile 4 and I had an "uh oh"moment. I also started feeling like crap during this mile. My friend went on ahead and I spent the next four miles alternately running and darting to the side of the road to throw up whenever I saw a trash can (I HATE throwing up in public!). I definitely considered just throwing in the towel and calling my mom to come get me, more than once. Luckily, the 6th mile was a long, gradual downhill, and aside from the random throwing up, I was able to regain my focus a little bit and just keep moving forward step by step. I think I was all out by mile 8, so I took a GU and continued on.

The last 4-5 miles of the race were actually the best for me - I was running steady and very focused on just making it to the next mile marker, and the next one, and the next one. The only part of this race I don't like is miles 9-11ish on I-90, because the road is so cambered/slanted it is a pain to run on. I was happy to get off the bridge just before mile 12, and ran in strongly. I even managed a bit of a finishing kick, although I swear that last .1 was the longest tenth of a mile I've ever run, haha.

I crossed the finish line in 2:32, which is 20 minutes off my half PR but still 5 minutes faster than I ran in Eugene last month. Given all the throwing up and wanting to quit by mile 4, I will take the strong finish and the time!

Post-race - Hopped in the car with Mom, got some Tully's, and then went to the Tavern to watch the US game (sad sad!). Played soccer with the boys for an hour and then worked at the Tavern until 10. I think all the walking around hopefully kept me loosened up enough to speed up recovery a little bit.

Other notes- My friend T (who I ran the Seattle Marathon with in Nov.) ran the full at Rock N Roll and ran a 4:35 - a 50 minute PR! So cool for him! My friend C ran her first half and ran a 2:03, the guy I ran the first few miles with ran a 1:48 (18 minute PR), and I know plenty of other people that PR'd/BQ'd as well. I also saw a Team in Training lady with a picture of a little toddler on her shirt and underneath it it said "Mommy Misses You" - that almost made me cry. Also, there was a short, STEEP hill going up to I-90 just after the mile 9 marker, and I passed a guy in a wheelchair pushing his way up it. I don't know how he did it, but it was incredibly inspiring.

Reflections - I guess it just wasn't my day, but I'm pleased with how I was able to push through and refocus and still end up with a strong finish. Now to recover, and hopefully get some more good running in before the San Francisco half on July 25!!

World Cup links

There are some great stories floating around after the US victory today - I thought I'd save them here!!

ESPN's game story: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=264048&cc=5901&ver=us

ESPN story about US soccer: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/columns/story/_/id/5319612/ce/us/biggest-win-us-soccer?cc=5901&ver=us

Yahoo story about fan reaction from US: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/columns/story/_/id/5319612/ce/us/biggest-win-us-soccer?cc=5901&ver=us

Yahoo's World Cup blog has some great stories in it: http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/blog/dirty-tackle

Yahoo story about Donovan's comeback: http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/news/dramatic-goal-completes-donovan-s-redemption--fbintl_ro-donovan062310.html

Pictures and video of the goal/US celebration: http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Emotional-celebration-for-U-S-after-unbelievabl?urn=sow,250726#mwpphu-container

Concert Review - The Offspring

This was my second concert at the Showbox Sodo and first time being on the floor/in a mosh pit - it was CRAZY!! I went with my brother and we got there early enough to be just a couple of rows back from the stage. I lost both of my shoes during the first song (You're Gonna Go Far Kid - everyone just went NUTS)! I got plenty of bruises and I am sore today from all the jumping around, but at least I didn't end up bloody like some people that I saw!!

Showbox Sodo is a lot differently laid out from Showbox at the Market - the SODO one is basically just like a big old warehouse with a bar and a stage attached. It's still pretty cool though - it's just a lot bigger than the one at the Market, so there is less intimacy, but it's handy for shows that draw really big crowds like The Offspring.

(This isn't my picture - we were actually a lot closer to the stage than this!)

The concert was great - they played all my favorite songs (You're Gonna Go Far Kid, Hammerhead, Self Esteem, Pretty Fly For a White Guy, My Friend's Got a Girlfriend), etc. They were super high energy, sounded GREAT live, and were a great band to dance around and sing as loudly as possible to!

Here is a video of them live (not from last night): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ4bxQ04dH8&playnext_from=TL&videos=Dn1oair2R4o&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh%2Bdiv-1r-2-HM

The tickets were fairly expensive but it was such a fun show that I'd definitely go back if my budget allowed. Concerts at the Showbox are addicting... I'm sure I would go to at least a couple every month if I could afford it! Maybe someday...

USA! USA! USA!

In honor of today's AWESOME last-minute victory by the US Men's team over Algeria, which means that the US has won their group and gets to advance to the next round, my blog is now rocking the American pride!!!

Seriously, what a game! So many chances and so close to being out, but we just kept trying and trying and it FINALLY went in!!

My only complaint is that because refs have disallowed TWO US goals this World Cup, we all paused in the middle of screaming and were afraid that this one would somehow be disallowed also!

But it wasn't and the US has fought and overcome and will continue on! Carry on, men!

I also love how this run is getting people all over the US into soccer as well! My FB news feed was literally ALL US soccer this morning... (I know the pictures are small, but you can zoom in on your screen and see - hold control on your keyboard and scroll up on your mouse).

If you could live anywhere in the US...

Where would it be, and why? Do you like where you are now, or are you dying to go exploring?

I haven't been to many other places besides Seattle (OR, CA, ID, VA, NC, and DC, and kind of Canada and Mexico) so I am dying to travel. Much as I love Seattle, there are still many many places on my list that I want to check out. And much as I love it here, sometimes I wish I lived somewhere with real seasons. You know... snow in the winter, hot in the summer? Maybe it's just because this el nino year has been particularly blah so far. We still haven't even hit 75 yet, and this past Sunday was the darkest/rainiest June day in 15 years! I guess I got spoiled by last year, when it snowed like crazy for a few weeks in the winter and was hot and sunny most of the summer!

My top places in the US besides Seattle that I'd like to at least see/explore are: (in addition to the other big cities like Chicago, Boston, etc!)

Orange Beach, Alabama

Portland, Maine

San Diego, CA (or anywhere in Cali really)

New York, NY

Colorado Springs, Co

Austin, TX

Miami, FL

If you live near or have been to any of these places (or have any of your own) please feel free to comment!!

Adventures in biking

First, here are the new bike shorts I got yesterday. They're cheap, and they're just plain black, but they are sooo comfy! (and I happen to think they make my legs/butt look nice!)

Tri training has gone well this week, capped off by a fast 1200M swim on Friday, a great 3 mile hill run yesterday, and my longest bike ride ever - 30"ish" miles - today. By the time I finished, I was soaked, dripping wet, and shivering. Hello, Seattle, it's supposed to be June!! I just hit the trail and followed the Burke-Gilman up to the Sammamish River Trail (which apparently has a few short but steep hills that I wasn't expecting) and rode out to Red Hook Brewery in Woodinville. Unfortunately I didn't have time to stop in for a beer! I felt pretty good about the ride, nothing really hurts (although my quads are feeling it a bit now), and I rode the second half 6 minutes faster than the first half. Onward and upward...!

And now that I have my new gym, I've tweaked my weekly training to look like this:

Monday - Master's swim (AM), long run (PM)
Tuesday - Spinning (AM), yoga (PM)
Wednesday - Open water swim practice, easy run
Thursday - Easy bike, run workout
Friday - Long swim
Saturday - Easy run
Sunday - Long bike

And finally, I signed up for the Seafair Triathlon today. It is less than a month away and I didn't want to risk it selling out! Also, can't wait for the Seattle Rock N Roll 1/2 this Saturday!

Music of the week - 6/14/10

Here is a sampling of recent "music of the week":

- Neon Trees, "Animal"
- Shinedown, "If You Only Knew"
- This Providence, "Letdown"
- Anberlin, "Feel Good Drag"
- The Offspring, "Self Esteem"
- Muse, "Resistance"
- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, "Home"
- The XX, "Crystalized"
- Phoenix,"1901"
- Train, "Hey Soul Sister"
- Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance" (hey, it's catchy!)

This week's:

- Brandon Flowers, "Crossfire"
- Pearl Jam, "Amongst the Waves"
- The Classic Crime, "Solar Powered Life"
- Muse, "Neutron Star Collision"
- The Dirty Heads, "Lay Me Down"

And, in honor of Thursday's amazing concert: "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked," "In One Ear", and "Back Against the Wall" by Cage the Elephant! <3

How bout you?

Concert Review - Cage the Elephant

This was the third concert that I've been to at Showbox at the Market, and probably one of the most fun concerts I've ever been to!

This video wasn't taken at the Showbox concert, but it is a pretty good sample of how they perform live. The Showbox is a fairly small venue so it was just NUTS in there!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msFAn-5GGME&feature=related

(and yes, he did manage to stand up while crowd surfing AND singing)

I had a blast and I will totally make an effort to see them again when they come back. If they are in your area and you like good crazy fun rock music, I'd totally recommend. Bonus - the tickets were only $15!!

First "current events" post

But first, quick update - I signed up for the new gym across the street yesterday, got a good deal on it and it is sooo nice and convenient!! Yay! Also going to the Cage the Elephant concert tonight - should be fun!

Anyways, here is the current events article: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012122660_coppunch16m.html

One point of confusion: "Levias was given a deferred disposition because it was a first-time offense, Goodhew said". Yet just a few paragraphs earlier, the article says "Levias was charged in February 2009 with third-degree assault after she allegedly pushed a King County sheriff's deputy down." So clearly it was not a first-time offense, and more than that, it wasn't even the first time she's tried to shove a cop around.


Another point (of familial stupidity): "Marilyn Jamerson, Rosenthal's aunt, spoke after the hearing in support of the girl.
"She's perfect; that's why we call her Angel," Jamerson said. "She was named Angel for a reason."

The next paragraph says: "Rosenthal was charged in November with second-degree robbery. According to prosecutors, she punched a 15-year-old boy in the face while she and a group of youths were on their way to a rave in South Seattle last Aug. 28. The boy told police that his cellphone and $20 were stolen in the incident. A 14-year-old boy told police that he was punched in the head and his hat was stolen.
Authorities say the case was dismissed when the boys refused to testify.
In April 2008, Rosenthal was charged with third-degree theft after she allegedly stole a minivan in Tukwila, prosecutors said. Kent police said she used a screwdriver to break the ignition and start the vehicle."

Yeah, she sure sounds like an angel...

A few other points that commenters on the article seem to have missed (and a few that the short video clip doesn't show):

* Rainier Ave has more than twice the amount of pedestrian/jaywalking accidents than the next highest road in Seattle
* The school district actually *requested* that the SPD have a presence in that area specifically watching out for jaywalking
* A man in the crowd near the cop had a handgun in his pocket
* The man attempted to subdue/control the girls for 5-10 minutes and the girls kept escalating the situation, yelling derogatory language and pushing and shoving at the cop

In my opinion - yes, a punch in the face does seem extreme. However, it is NEVER ok to touch or assault a police officer on duty, and it sounds like these girls weren't going to quit giving him crap. He was also surrounded by a crowd of people that could have easily gotten out of control. And, what message would it give if he simply let them walk away? Too many kids grow up spoiled and thinking they don't have to listen to authority. Finally, in my opinion, playing the race card every single time an instance involves people of difference races diminishes the effect it has when there actually IS a racial bias.

Feel free to post any thoughts or comments you may have!

Some reasons to love soccer

Aside from the fact that it's an awesome sport and the World Cup is so much fun to watch...

Fernando Torres

Piles of cute men in shorts

Cristiano Ronaldo

Kasey Keller

Iker Casillas

Fredy Montero

Freddie Ljunberg

Carlos Bocanegra... my newest soccer crush

David Beckham

Michael Ballack

If you think of any I've left out, feel free to let me know!! <3

Expansion is in the air

In the spirit of all the expansion talks going on in the NCAA (which I disagree with, by the way), I've decided to expand my blog a little bit. Thus far it has mostly focused on running and triathlon training, with the occasional sports nugget thrown in.

However, I've decided to branch out and start blogging about news events, politics, and other sports when the mood strikes. Feel free to skip any or all of these non running related posts, or feel free to read and comment if you agree or disagree or have anything to say!

Shaking it up

So, I am thinking of switching gyms. My current gym is close-ish to my house, but there is one in the building literally right across the street from my work, which has free parking in the mornings, parking for $3 a month on weekends, and is two blocks from the bus line. It would be SO convenient (and I'd probably use it a lot more) to be able to stop in and spin/swim/do weights, yoga, whatever on the way to or from work, or even on my lunch break!

They have free 7 day passes downstairs in my building, so I took one, and I am planning on trying it out sometime this week. If it's not WAY more expensive than my current gym, I am going to switch. I like the one I'm at now, but if this one is just as nice, but way more convenient, well, I'm in!

I have still been mostly managing to fit tri training in fairly well - I've had a few good runs, gone on a few more good bike rides (I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with it) and a decent swim or two. Tonight is my first brick workout of the year - I am planning on an easy 10-12 mile bike ride followed by a 6-8 mile "long run" on the Burke-Gilman. The weather looks perfect for it - cool and overcast (although I do wish it would get hot and sunny ASAP... booo to el nino!).

I am going down to Speedy Reedy this weekend hoping to find a good tri suit, and I still need to sign up for the Seafair and Lake Meridian triathlons. My bank account won't like *that* very much!

Less than two weeks til the Rock N Roll Seattle 1/2!

I heart OWS

I was a little worried given all the rain and looming thunderstorms today, but amazingly the weather cleared up just enough to not cancel the open water swim practice this time.

A bit of background - I started training with Team Survivor Northwest last summer, which is a group of women cancer survivors that get together and do triathlons and other things. I have never had cancer, but my mom had a friend who did, and she invited us to the group last summer. I had so much fun training with them that I eventually started helping out at some of the practices, mostly being a "swim angel" (ie swimming around with a buoy just in case anyone ever needed help). So, I volunteered to swim angel and otherwise volunteer at the practices this year too.

There were only four people who showed up to swim tonight (probably because of the weather), and a few others that were there to kayak alongside. So I didn't actually need to swim angel, which was nice because I could actually swim (I mostly just practiced sighting across the lake and trying to swim in a straight line without the help of those handy lane lines). Beaver Lake was COLD - probably as cold as the coldest swim I've ever done in Lake Washington. I was the only person there not in a wetsuit, and everyone else thought I was crazy.

The first few strokes definitely took my breath away a little bit, but I quickly settled into a rhythm. There is something I just LOVE about open water swimming - I find it so incredibly relaxing. We swam a quarter mile, and then the one male swimmer and I went back out for another quarter mile. I felt really smooth, strong, and fast, and everyone else was impressed. I mentioned to the coach that I'd always swum breaststroke and was just now getting comfortable with crawlstroke, and she was like "wow, really? I thought you've always done crawlstroke, I thought that's what you swam competitively, you're so good at it!"

So, it was really fun, and a big confidence booster, and I can't wait to get back out again!

Tomorrow is a bike/run brick, my first one of 2010!

Baby steps

So, I'm now a week and a half in to 1/2 Ironman training. It is going pretty well so far - at least on the weekends. I still need to figure out how to juggle everything during the week, but I'm getting there!

Last weekend I did a 14 mile bike ride with the family, followed by a (slow) 1.2 mile swim. The swim took me just over an hour, which is fine considering it was only half crawlstroke and half breaststroke. My goal for the HIM swim is <50>

This weekend, I did a 24 mile bike ride - I think that's the longest I've ever ridden. It was great! My wrists were a little sore and my butt was sore - gotta wrap my handlebars and get some padded bike shorts - but aside from that it felt really good. I followed the bike ride with a 1/2 mile swim (still only about 66% crawlstroke) in 25 minutes.

Yesterday, I did my "long run" for the week around Green Lake - a little over 6 miles. It felt really good!

I'm a bit sore today, so will aim for some yoga and maybe go for a quick spin at the gym later in the evening. Tomorrow (assuming the weather holds, which it looks like it actually might this week) is first open water swim practice of the year at Beaver Lake! I hope it's not too cold, as I still don't have a wetsuit yet!

In other news - just working, hanging out with friends, trying to get things organized and find a balance. It's definitely a process adjusting to life after college!

Also, only 2 1/2 weeks til the Seattle Rock N Roll 1/2!

Big plans for June

A 30 Day Program of Radical Self Care

1. Detox your diet. Eliminate all processed foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine (I know this may be no simple task for some of you, so go slowly, plan ahead, and be compassionate with yourself). If you can manage, go vegan, mostly raw for two weeks. If you can, do a 5 day green juice fast. If not, stick to steamed veggies and salads for 2 weeks.

2. Take your vitamins, superfoods, & supplements every day. I use the Usana My Health Pack, which contains multivitamins, fish oil, calcium, and other minerals. I also take Sun Chlorella and Vitamin D.

3. Make a practice of daily writing. Just for yourself. Keep a Joy Journal. Or do morning pages, as suggested by Julia Cameron, author of the The Artist’s Way. Send your inner critic to time out and just WRITE.

4. Sleep 7-9 hours/night. No buts. Just do it.

5. Detox your friendships. If someone isn’t good for you, take a 30 day break from them. This is YOUR 30 days to nurture you. All toxic relationships are off limits.

6. Move your body no less than 5 days/week, ideally, every day. Walk. Do yoga. Go to the gym. Whatever. Honor your body by letting it move.

7. Meditate. I know, I know. This is the hardest one for me. If you can’t handle the silence, buy guided meditations on CD or Itunes. I love Belleruth Naparstek. You don’t have to spend an hour. But take 10 minutes to close your eyes and get quiet. No excuses.

8. If you have a bath tub, take baths instead of showers. Use your yummiest bath gels, salts, and scrubs. Read an inspiring book while bathing. Finish it off by consciously loving each body part while rubbing on body lotion, coconut oil, or olive oil.

9. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Drink herbal tea, water, green juice. Get those cells hydrated. If you’re peeing often and it’s clear, you’re doing it right.

10. Have orgasms no less than 5 times/week. If you don’t have a partner, pull out that pink Rabbit vibrator!

11. Practice forgiveness every day. Forgive yourself. Forgive that person you’ve been holding a grudge against. Be extra specially kind to yourself and others for 30 whole days in a row. Banish toxic thoughts altogether, if you can.

12. Skip the news and read inspirational books instead. I highly recommend the one I’m reading now- Gregg Levoy’s Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life. Or try Martha Becks’s Finding Your Own North Star. Or Marianne Williamson’s A Return to Love.

13. Pray. Reach out the Universe. Make your desires know. Set intentions. Give thanks. Feel the divine energy that runs within you.

14. Choose a mantra for your 30 day program and make this your affirmation. Mine will be “I am successful AND balanced, healthy, vital, and whole.” Write it by the toilet, post it on your computer, repeat it during your meditations.

This 30 day program will require that you give up some other things in your life for this 30 days. I suggest skipping arguing, excessive work, ego-driven ambition, the fourth bedtime story, time spent berating yourself in the mirror, and, if need be- a clean kitchen! Your life isn’t going anywhere if you take 30 days to radically nurturing yourself. I’ll bet you anything it will change your life.

If you can’t manage an intensive 30 day program, don’t despair. You don’t have to beat yourself up if your to do list just won’t allow a program like this. While a program like this will jump start you, you can get your Mojo back with a less radical approach. Simply choose one or two of these activities, and scatter them throughout your life. Exercise Monday. Meditate Tuesday. Have orgasms on Wednesdays. Write on Thursday. No matter what, be compassionate yourself.



I'm pleased to say I'm already off to a good start!