Category: Run!

Say What, LA???

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Rock n Roll Los Angeles as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Oh, LA, will we forever have mixed signals?I

Rock N Roll Los Angeles is Sunday and I think this may be the most unprepared and tired I arrived at a start line.    I was hoping to bank on the residual training from San Jose but I think I underestimated what this work trip was going to really be.   I need a days nap.

That being said, I am looking forward to turning off my brain and running out the week while taking in all the sights and sounds that Rock n Roll LA has to offer.   LA has always been a city I’ve driven around not through so I am interested to see what I am missing. I’m guessing a lot. 😛

I know Rock n Roll will have my back with 8 aid stations so I have plenty of reasons to walk.  Not that I needed them because trust me I will be.  I have a feeling this will be more of photo opp race than the opposite.  I didn’t get many in San Jose and I regret that.   I better make sure I have a fully charged phone.

Right now I am just trying to figure out parking.  Do I want to drive in and park in the garages myself or do I want to Uber there and back?  The race starts at 6:15 so thats super early and roads closed even earlier.  Decisions decisions.

Anyone else running Rock N Roll LA?  You can still join me and register at the expo!  I could use a running buddy!

Wobble before you Gobble

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Oakland Turkey Trot as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

How is it almost Thanksgiving???

If you’re anything like me, you love chilling out, relaxing with the family and eating some really good food.  Possibly too much food.  Yes, please!

However, I love the idea of getting in some #turkeytrot miles before hand.  Make some room for some of the calories I am about to consume? Sign me up!
Except the options in my area are rather limited.  There’s one 45 minutes away that I know I won’t drive to.  The one I have done is so sneaky it never advertises online nor is registration available online so I never really know if it’s even happening.  So now what?

Oakland Turkey Trot!

The Oakland Turkey Trot is a party for the whole family.   They offer a 5K, 5K VIP and a variety of options for kids in a Stomper’s Stomp.    They offer you a fun, healthy way to start your day and to give back to the Oakland community.  All proceeds from the race will benefit the Oakland community.   Oakland Turkey Trot partners with the Alameda County Community Food Bank, Oakland’s Public Schools, the City of Oakland, the local mayor and other local charities to help benefit the community.

Plus it looks like a blast.

I know what you’re thinking.  Wait, Fallon, you won’t drive 45 minutes but you’re driving to Oakland?   Sadly, I am not.

But they have a virtual option!  Sign up for the virtual race, run the miles on your own on Turkey Day and they send you all the same amazing race swag.  And the medal is pretty sweet.  Check out their Insta.

I may be missing out on the party on Thanksgiving morning but you don’t have to!  Use code BROTTVIP to save 10% on registration.  Or use it to register for the virtual option like me.

How do you Turkey Trot?

Week 42: Monterey Bay Half Prep

Upcoming Races-

  • Rock n Roll Los Angeles 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)- 10/29
  • Monterey Bay Half Marathon (Thank you BibRave!)- 11/12
  • Oakland Turkey Trot- More to come!

Oy vey.  I thought I was prepared for this week.  I wasn’t.

I had it planned when I was going to run, when I was going to pack and I when I was going to run to the store for last minute road trip supplies, but you know….life.

Then Friday through me a curve ball with some hotel issues that didn’t get squared away until Saturday afternoon so I wasn’t able to make the long run that I had planned with Mai and Nicole.   Oh, and I got stuck in the hotel elevator.    I was more than a little stressed and may have had something in my eyes.😛

Monday- 3 miles
The one day that went according to plan.  I ran the the river path and just it super chill for a few miles.   I ended up negative splitting but then that’s not hard to do when you start uphill.  The weather is confusing as I could have run in shorts but I needed my Knuckle Lights.  What?

Tuesday- Nothing
I was supposed to get in my second run of the week but it was also my little brother’s birthday.  We ended up doing a family dinner at a local steakhouse and I never turn down tri-tip.   Except maybe I should have as I was super sick all night after dinner.

Wednesday- Laundry
It was a coworker’s last day- boo and donuts were involved.  Probably not the best idea for my stomach.  I headed straight home after work to get in all my laundry in an effort to make packing easier.  It didn’t help.  How do you pack for 10 days?

Thursday- Packing
I finalized packing and tried to make sure that I didn’t forget anything.  I filled my car with gas and tried to get to sleep early as I knew I had an early morning.  It didn’t work.

Friday- Travel/work
I was on the road by 6 and arrived in San Diego a little after 1.  The Bibrave podcast kept me company and I stopped at the largest In n Out I’ve ever seen for lunch along the way.   This office is in a high rise so I kind of feel like a country bumpkin.  We worked until 7 ish an then it was off to the hotel where I had some drama.  And the elevator incident.   By the time I got into my hotel room, I was fried and the thought of going back out for food was not appealing.  I was glad was one of the last minute “supplies” I had picked up at the store the night before had been some EzMac.  Yes.

Saturday-Nothing
The hotel situation finally got squared away and I left for some groceries and water.  Why is there no water dispenser???? I found the fitness room but just wasn’t feeling it after missing the planned long run.  I had been so looking forward to running with people.   I ended up taking a long nap, oops.

Sunday- 4.8 miles
I worked until 1ish- again more elevator drama, this time the work building.  The lobby is under construction so the elevators were off.  The guard sent me up in the service elevator but later one of the employees got stuck in the service elevator on the way down.   Yikes!   I came back to the hotel and fell asleep again. Oops!  I finally made myself get up and head down to the fitness room and try out the treadmills.
I hate treadmills but the area around the hotel is not run-able.   I tend to be wobbly on treadmills and hurt myself so I either have to run really slow or run really fast and I didn’t think these could handle really fast.  Ok, I wasn’t feeling really fast either.  I started out walking for 10 minutes while I adjusted to the belt and then ran for 50 minutes.  That brought me to 4.8 miles.  It didn’t suck.

7.8 miles for the week.  Not the plan but better than I thought it was going to be on Sunday morning.

How was your week?

Rambling On 43

Happy Friday!

Can I still be excited for the weekend if I am working Sunday too?

Remember a few months back when I was kind of freaking out about a really long solo drive?  Well, I am about to take a longer one.  Like today.    Wish me luck, I’m kind of freaking out again.  I have plenty of podcasts ready to go and lots of water.

In the same vein, I haven’t packed for such a long trip since I was a kid.  I outgrew my one bag and I still can’t help but feel like I am forgetting something very important.  What is it???

I am so not a fan of the darker evenings.  I’ve already had to bust out the Knuckle Lights on a few runs and they haven’t even been that long.   The time change isn’t even here yet.    I am fighting flagging motivation already and it is not a good thing.

I may use this travel week as a way to try and kick soda. We’ll see. If a McDonald’s is between my hotel and work, all bets are off.😛

Share something random!

Week 41: Monterey Bay Half Prep

Upcoming Races-

  • City to the Sea 13.1-10/14- maybe
  • Rock n Roll Los Angeles 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)- 10/29
  • Monterey Bay Half Marathon (Thank you BibRave!)- 11/12

This week was an odd duck.

I was so sore post San Jose, it was ridiculous.  I started the week planning a few recovery days but it kind of snowballed from there.

Then Wednesday arrived and a baby deer and my car collided on my way to work.   I managed to mostly swerve but the deer bounced off my door panel.  I pulled over and took a few moments to breathe.   The deer managed to get up and run away so I choose to believe all good things.  However my brother was not so lucky on the way to work that morning.   His was a big deer on the freeway and they collided in a major way.    Wednesday was just off.

I supposed to run a race on Sunday- City to the Sea- one of my favorite races.  But I kind of never registered for it.  Oops.  Maybe it was meant to be?  Or to not be?

I didn’t really have a plan this week, just wanted to get in some running and some cross training.

Monday-Liift4
I was so sore after Sunday’s race.  Seriously, flat is not my friend.  I was less sore after 26 miles of Big Sur hills.  I didn’t run but I did manage to complete week 2/ day 1 of Liift4.  Very, very slowly.

Tuesday-Nothing
I really meant to do something after work but just didn’t.  I knew I wasn’t running, I wanted to give my legs and back another day to rest but I had intended to at least do a workout when got off work but I didn’t.  Oops.

Wednesday- 1.14 miles, Liift4
Deer day.   Then the day was just odd.  I changed into my running gear after work but everything felt off.  I went to the river path but even the air felt off.  Ever have one of those days?  I walked/ jogged a short loop back to the car and called it.  I didn’t regret it but one of the local sub elites came flying past me I did groan and shake my head.  Of course, I was walking at that point.

Thursday- Mes de Mas legs
Haha, I am so uncoordinated.  I lost count of how many times I fell over.

Friday- Nothing
It was an open to close kind of day.  As I was driving home I suddenly wished I had my running gear because the sun setting on the beach looked amazing and it was warm outside.   I totally would have gone for a run on the beach.

Saturday-Nothing
More nothing.  I thought about running all day but that is as far as it got.    Instead I just kind of lazed about.

Sunday-5 miles
Since I wasn’t running the race anymore, I slept in.   I ran some errands before heading out for an easy run.  It turned into a progression run thanks to a little pass by homeless person incident at the start.   My legs felt good but then why wouldn’t they, they had all week off.

6.2 miles for the week.  I think I took more of a recovery week post San Jose than I did post Big Sur. 😛

How was your week?