Two Girls, 655 Miles

A several weeks ago, my running friend Libby (who you have might remember from this post and others) posted a couple of race links on my FB page. The exchange went down like this:

After a flurry of "are you serious? You can't be serious. Can we do this?" emails, spreadsheets, and links, the activity culminated in this post:

And that's how these two Slow Pokes took on the challenge of running a half marathon in all 50 states.

We already have Oregon and Washington down (yes, we are including them retroactively as we've done multiples in each state!), so really, just 48 more to go! Our schedules make this challenge stretch for something like 10 years, which means by the time I am 40 I will be in the best shape of my life!

I'm so excited for this list, too. Highlights: a single full marathon on the list (the Disney World full in 2015), several women-only events, a couple small town races, and a cool one in Illinois called the Quad City Half. We've included Flying Pig, Runners World, RNR Las Vegas, RNR New Orleans (Mardi Gras!!!!) and two brewery sponsored runs. There are a couple of races that we plan to pair with our half marathons; notably, the Dogfish Dash (a 10k that takes place in the same weekend of another New England half) and a Warrior Dash the day before the Maui Half Marathon.

Our first race of this challenge? The 3M Half in Austin this January.

We were looking for a January 2014 race and had a couple options, mostly in California. However, this one popped up and it was, by far, the winner. The race is repeatedly hailed as one of the best in the US, has a net downhill course, and the goody bag is full of office supplies, something that screams to this little paper pusher's heart. It also happens to be the 20th anniversary of the race! Also, Austin is like Portland South when it comes to being awesome and vegan friendly.

I've been researching Austin and keeping tabs on the PPK thread, but I'd love to hear your tips! We plan to be there January 17th-20th and want to eat and drink our little hearts out. Well, until the day before the race. Don't wanna upset those runnin' tummies.

Vegan Mofo: The End.

Well, lookit here! I managed 7 posts during Vegan Mofo! Kindly withhold your applause; it may not be an easy feat, but it is a manageable one.

All joking aside, may I be honest here? My job is kicking my ass. As in, I get home and either stare at the wall until bedtime or take a nap and want nothing to do with dinner. Making food seems impossible! In regards to lunch at work, I have reverted to the awesome roasted veggie burrito at Sandoval's (sub avocado for the cheese, aw yeah!) or the oatmeal at Elephant's Deli (my lunch is at like 8:30am, so this is totally normal) far too many times. My dinners usually revolve around a baked potato. While I'm not necessarily eating unhealthily, it's very bland and boring. Plus, I'm a bit broke after travelling and paying our car insurance premium and signing up for a half in Austin (more on that in a bit).

So, I've decided to take on the October vegan kickstart with my running buddy Libby. At the very least, I'll be forced to raid my pantry and cook up all the veggies I just bought! I tried the plan a couple of years ago (see this post) and while it's a bit boring for an experienced vegan, it's sure gonna help an uninspired vegan!

Now, back to food of September past. For my last Mofo post, here are three photos of some recent vegan goodies:

Vegan mulita with soyrizo at Los Gorditos...a random stop on my way home from work.

Vegan pats of butter at a salad bar in my honky-tonk hometown.

Vegan burger at OMSI's new restaurant Theory.

I'm planning on checking in about the Kickstart program during October. The menu has changed and there seems to be more variety than in programs past. I would love for this to help me build meal plans and a schedule when it comes to cooking and feeding my little family of two, but only time will tell.

Lastly, that half marathon I mentioned earlier? Yeah, Libby and I are embarking on a new challenge: run half marathons in every state. What?! Our first one is the 3M Half in Austin. Check out the last year's goodie bag!

Day 6 - How This Vegan Fuels for Races

I wasn't really planning on writing about how I fuel for my races, but running has become such a big part of my life and is a constant work in progress that I can't ignore.

I have major anxiety stomach. What does that mean? It means the day of the race (and, depending on the length, the day BEFORE the race) I can't really eat much at all. My go-to breakfast is a single piece of toast with peanut butter and most of the time I can't finish that. I drink ONLY water up to about 2 hours before the race to avoid side-aches. This is really not the best way to fuel your body, especially if it's a longer race or one that I'm planning on going all out on.

So, I take in my calories during the race. Currently, my stomach will allow chocolate Clif energy gels (confirmed vegan on their website!) and some Gatorade (but not much). I take a Clif gel 15 minutes before the race starts, then one hour into it, then about 45 minutes after that. This method has only failed me once (during my second half) and really, it was most likely the humidity that was hurting me. During the Shamrock run last year, my longest distance to date at that point, I didn't pack that extra Clif gel and I was shaking so hard during that last mile.

So what about after? Most races are good at offering the bread + PB + banana combination. Also, beer works wonders for post race cheeriness. I also am lucky enough to run in Portland, where most of the time the food offerings after the race have vegetarian and vegan options. If not, my lovely group of friends will happily hit up a vegan friendly establishment for post race eats.

Please note I didn't say anything about carb loading. Carbs are my favorite. I eat enough of them that carb loading for normal people is a regular meal for me. I do always have a beer the night before the race if my stomach allows it.

My First Half Marathon.

It's on Sunday.

Somehow, I went from someone who could barely run a minute straight to someone who signs up for a freaking half marathon.

(my first real race!)

I am terrified of the distance, but I was also terrified of the Shamrock Run 15k, my farthest distance at that point, and I rocked that.

 (our very awesome and well earned bottle opener medals)

My training runs suck so hard, but in races? The excitement and adrenaline keep me going, sometimes much faster than I expected.

 

(Bridge to Brews 2012, where I took a decent race photo and ran a 12:25 average pace, a PR for me!)

Those ladies who keep popping up in the photos with me? They are MJ and Libby, my good friends and inspiration and fellow Team Slow Poke'rs. They are doing the half with me (along with a couple other awesome ladies) and I just know we'll rock it. And hey, Little Beirut will be playing in front of the Baghdad Theater as I run by! 

Wish me luck, internet. I've been nervous all week. And Portland? Keep up this slightly warm but still sunny weather, mmmmmkay?

pssssst! Check out Team Slow Poke HERE!

Cinco de Mayo 10k

This is about two weeks late, but I wanted to share my experience in running my first 10k!

The 10k course was very flat (which was awesome) and took place on a day the forecasters insisted would be full of rain. As with any other race I've done, the rain held off and the temperature was perfect.

I'm not going to lie, this race was hard. I was super nervous the day before and decided to do a quick 1.5 mile loop by my house to get rid of some of the nervous energy. BAD IDEA. You see, I live in the hills of SW Portland. The route I took was one I've taken many times now and am used to, but it's still very hilly. I don't know if I just pushed harder than normal or what, but my legs were incredibly weak the next day and hurt right off the bat during the race. I pushed and kept up with Libby the whole time and we finished in an awesome 1:27, which included a bathroom break! (Yes, this means that I am not fast whatsoever).

At the end, during the two block sprint that hasn't really bothered me before, my legs just gave out. Check out this (hilarious yet painful) photo of the moment I just had to stop:

My sweet friend Jill came up behind me and yanked me into running across the finish line, but my legs were NOT HAPPY. I had to keep walking around to make sure I wasn't going to fall over. It was all rather silly.

Now for the fun part. Can you spot my "O.....so glad I finished" face?

Seriously, the beer and the people keep me running.

I have another 10k tomorrow! It's my last race before the trip and I definitely tried to take it easy this week. I weeded last Friday (as in, a week and a day ago to keep my hamstring pain to a minimum) and did a training run Tuesday, but have otherwise stuck to walking. It's the 10 Cane Rum Run and it looks as if we get a mojito AND a Bridgeport beer....WIN.

Wish me luck!!!

Bridge to Brews, or how the sun made an appearance in Portland.

Yesterday was awesome.

 My second event of the year happened! Bridge to Brews is an 8k/10k course that crosses two bridges and finishes up at Widmer, one of Portland's first breweries (and home to one of the first beers I actually enjoyed, the ubiquitous Hef). The sun decided to reappear for the event, something that I know most of the runners were praying for. It was super cold, but when you have the sun instead of rain, you can't complain!

This was a challenging course. Right after the starting line, you had to climb an intense hill and then follow it up with a long uphill onramp onto one of my favorite bridges, the Fremont Bridge!

The Fremont is a car only bridge, but is opened to pedestrians a couple times during the year. Crossing that bridge has been on my mind a lot lately. I LOVE the view from the car and being able to stop would be heaven. And it was.

 

 I am a super giddy nerd.

The rest of the course (after the very long downhill portion, weee!) was pretty flat and took the runners through NW Portland and past my favorite tattoo studio. We then got to cross another bridge, the Broadway bridge, another favorite of mine.

That last mile was a tough one for me. My farthest distance before this was 3.7 miles, so my legs were definitely feeling it. But I tried to run as much as I could and beat my previous per mile time by 10 seconds. I am so proud of myself right now. I never thought of myself as an athlete, let alone a runner. It's been a hard journey but crossing the finish line makes it all worth it. Oh, and so does this:

I ran with my friend Libby and new friend MJ. My sister in law also ran this course! She gets huge props, she is deathly afraid of bridges and has been battling some foot problems. She finished barely 9 minutes after me!

After we finished slopping beers all over ourselves (it was COLD and the cups were full!) we decided to get breakfast in NE Portland at a great little cafe called New Deal. They had tofu scramble and I was able to sub veggie sausage for a buttermilk biscuit. I cleaned that plate to its former sparkling white self.

I also wanted to add my finish line photo, because it's so great. I'm working on actually smiling for cameras, and this was the result. I kinda love it.

(thanks to Libby and Karen for the photos!!)

Strange.

In the past two weeks, I have entered two running giveaways. One to win a gift certificate, one for a race entry.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

Day 26. Or, how I conquered a 6k.

Day 26 - What kind of person attracts you?

They have to be honest, kind and trustworthy. That didn't used to be the case in my younger years...

Now on to the exciting stuff. Today was the Fort Vancouver 6k!

The weather reports threatened the day with a nasty rainstorm but it held off until well after we finished the race. My dear friend Crystal is struggling with some health issues, so another dear friend stepped in and ran for her. My official time was 50:05, with an average pace of 13:59/mile. That's 4 minutes off of my time on Wednesday (on the same course!!) AND my best pace yet AND it includes a couple minutes stop at a porta potty (not me, but I wasn't gonna leave her hangin'). I think I'm getting better at this thing. Considering none of my trainings have taken me over a mile and a half, I'm happy with it.

 
Runners were rewarded with a beer from the Rock, a pizza place in the shopping center the race started and ended at. The beer (the Rock's own brew) was mediocre and Papa John's could have made me the same pizza 400x better, but you know what? Nothing feels better than that beer at the end.

Fort Vancouver 6k - 3 days away!

My first event of the year is on Sunday. For those not familiar with the area outside of Portland, Vancouver (USA!) is a town right across the Columbia river. Actually, I should say it's the 4th largest city in Washington state, but you wouldn't know it. Jeff calls it a suburb of Portland, and I kind of agree. I lived most of my post-18 year old life there, and it's really not a bad place, even if it gets a bad rap from Portlanders who, for the most part, aren't natives anyway. They're just pissed at rush hour.

ANYWAYS, Fort Vancouver is the result of an encampment first settled by Lewis & Clark. It's currently a historic site with replicas of the original fort and is also home to Officer's Row (a stretch of gorgeous old mansions) and Pearson Airport. The race snakes around this stretch of land, going over the freeway on a brand spankin' new land-bridge and running through the park and alongside the airstrip. It's a very flat course, which I am incredibly happy about.

Last night, I participated in my first What? run. Vancouver is holding their very first marathon this year, and What? is their way of advertising the marathon. They hold monthly group training runs on portions of the race and buy you a beer afterwords at the participating restaurants (hell yes to free beer). It was a good precursor to the race on Sunday as it followed the EXACT course! I knew what I would be getting into! I ran with my friend Libby, and was pleasantly surprised at her walk/run method. When we did run, we ran a lot faster than I've been running. The walking spurts totally helped, though! We finished the 3.7 mile stretch at 54 minutes, which isn't the fastest but hey, at least I was out there! I should also mention that this is my farthest distance as of yet, and I was terrified before we started. But we got into the groove, ran up the two small hills, grunted, sweated and had an awesome time. I'm feeling so much better about Sunday.

Last night, the restaurant we ended the run at was Beaches, a local place that is super friendly to vegans, even if it doesn't look that way! My old company had yearly Christmas lunches there and I have always enjoyed my food.  They are incredibly happy to accommodate me and last night was no different. The runners had access to the happy hour menu all night, so I got a rice & veggie bowl (originally a teriyaki chicken bowl) for $4 and I couldn't even eat the whole thing. ME! The beer was Full Sail LTD, and tasted so damn good.

The company putting on the marathon (and the training runs) is Energy Events. They held a raffle after the race and gave free tech shirts to the first 10 people who signed up (and hadn't received a shirt yet). Even though I was way down on the list, I won a shirt! Now, I'll be in Europe for the actual marathon, but technically I AM training :-)  And the shirts I've been running in are all cotton, so a tech shirt is definitely an improvement!

If you're one of my lucky readers in the area on Sunday, come cheer me on! It might be raining (let's be honest, it'll be pouring) but I promise to give you a sopping wet, sweaty hug.

OH MY GOD

For my birthday this year, I'm signing up for the brand spankin' new Rock 'n' Roll half marathon coming to Portland.

Somebody tell me I'm not crazy! It's over a year away, I can totally get up to that mileage, right? RIGHT?

Day 14 and a running update.

Day 14 - Your earliest memory.

It's a tie between two, because I'm not really sure which came first! The first is when my mom found a backpack that belonged to a missing child. I don't remember the name (for some reason I thought it was Amber Garcia, but we lived in Washington, not California, at the time) or what came out of it, but I think I remembered that particular memory because it was such a scary thing to find.

The other memory takes place at a birthday party, and I remember my aunt riding a bicycle around our driveway.

Running!

I panicked a little last week when I realized my first 6k of the year is March 27th. I've been upping my running minutes and today finished (wait for it) 2 sets of 8 minutes each.

I AM HARD CORE, MY FRIENDS.

I'm hoping to get a slightly better time than my last run, only because I plan to pace myself a little bit better and not waste all of my energy at the start.

Also, I tried on all the pants in the bottom of my dresser drawer, the drawer of yesterdays, and they almost fit! One pair I can button, but I'm not comfortable wearing skinny jeans that aren't supposed to be like that....

No More Excuses.

Thanks to my sister in law's post run high from last night and some good friends encouraging me, I am currently signed up for two races, soon to be three (maybe 4?) for 2011.

1. Fort Vancouver 6k - March 27th

2. Bridge to Brews - April 17th (c'mon guys, BEER)

3. Cinco de Mayo - May 8th

4. Rum Run - May 22nd

I've chosen these solely on the fact my sister in law and good friends are running them. The free drinks at the end are an awesome incentive though! I don't want to overload myself by signing up for these and then burning out, but I think this is the best way, based on my habit of backing out unless it's paid for.

I have no idea what distance to do for the last two runs. I figure if I'm doing an 8k in April, I should be able to finish a 10k, right?