Race Recap: Mermaid East Bay Run

Quarry Lakes sunrise, pre-race

When I signed up for the Mermaid East Bay Run many moons ago, I planned on doing their debut 18-mile race, called the Sirena18. But when my IT band started acting up a month ago, I knew that would be a poor choice, so I changed my race to the Half Marathon. I have the San Francisco Marathon coming up at the end of July (the full 26.2 miles), and keeping that training on schedule has been most important ~ I figured, if I had to run a shorter race to stay strong and injury-free, then so be it!

So for the last month, I tapered my runs, got a bunch of acupuncture, Qi Gong, and bodywork, reinstated my lower-body strength training, and practiced Yin Yoga to open up my hips. I also topped off my runs at 5 miles max. But on Friday, I got nervous about running a Half. I was sure I could do it, but I was afraid that 13.1 miles might push it too long.

And you know what? Heading into a race with fear is NOT something I ever, ever want to do! I race for fun and for fun only.

So, I decided to switch my race once again and do the 10K instead of the Half. It was a little humbling, but a smart choice

So! The 10K it was!

Warming up in the parking lot

An extra bonus was that my friend Rebecca was going to be running the 5K. Her race started at 9:00 and the 10K started at 8:30, so it was likely that we’d be finishing at exactly the same time… which just sounded fun

I crashed early on Friday, knowing I’d have to get up very early to drive to Fremont (an hour away), so I could change my race without having to wait in some huge line. So I was up at 5:15. Breakfast was a 2-egg omelet with mozzarella and spinach and a cup of coffee. Made it to the park just before 7:00 and had NO trouble at all changing to the 10K. Kudos, Mermaid team!

Rebecca and I met up around 7:30, and spent some time getting photos and browsing (shopping!) the expo. Fortunately, the parking lot was right there, so I was able to go back and forth to my car easily. SO convenient. At 8:15, I took some warm-up laps around the parking lot, then ate two date-and-coconut rolls for pure energy, and joined the crowd to line up. It was fun to have Rebecca there to chat away the nerves before the starting gun!

The stats:

• Mermaid East Bay Run: 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Sirena 18-miler
• Quarry Lakes Regional Park, Fremont, CA
• Trail and gravel path running
• 70+ degrees, cloudless, perfect morning

The race:

• My official final time was 55:01, a pace of 8:52/mile!
• The 10K started at 8:30AM, out of the parking lot and around the lake area on a gravel path that eventually turned to trail.
• I made sure to start off slow, so I could have negative splits ~ that is, so my miles would gradually gain speed instead of the other way around!
• For the first mile, I focused on warming up and finding a pace I felt comfortable at. I also adjusted to running on the gravel, which was quite a bit rockier than I was expecting. My leg felt fine, as it usually does for the first mile.
• By the second mile, I had found a rhythm and started to relax, watching the other runners and the scenery. The gravel had thinned out and became much easier to run on. I felt physically comfortable and strong.
• Around mile 3, we had some nice shade. Runners and walkers from the Half and the Sirena18 were passing on their way back, which made for good people-watching while running.
• Not much longer after that, we had the turnaround. I’d stopped at three water stations already and decided just one more. I was feeling really happy and the route was mostly flat and speedy.
• Miles 4-6, I paced behind three women who were running a tempo I enjoyed. Near mile 5, I passed one of them and felt an extra surge of strength. I was also happy to notice that my leg and hip were not bothering me at all, and so I felt comfortable pushing just a little bit faster.
• Near the mile 6 marker, I passed another one of the 2 pacers, and caught up with the third. At a mile to go, I decided to sprint. I could see the finish line and when I could hear the announcers, I told myself to just push it, that it was almost over, and to just all-out do the fastest I could.
• Of course, the final portion was uphill! Why do race planners do that?? Nevertheless, I kept at it and pushed nice and hard. I had just rounded the final bend when I heard, “Andrea!” and looked down the hill to see Rebecca making her way toward the finish line, also! It’s amazing how much energy hearing your name can give you. I bolted toward the finish line and crossed it feeling happy! Only a few minutes later, Rebecca crossed it also, and we were done!

Me & Rebecca: Mermaid Athlete Finishers!

Expo and post-race:

• All racers got an adorable silver finisher’s necklace: a small circle pendant with the Mermaid Series “M” logo on one side and “inspire” on the other. We also got this T-shirt, which fits perfectly and is super-cute, to boot.
• The expo was great. In classic Mermaid style, they had a photobooth set up, where you could get pictures wearing boas and holding personalized signs. Not only could you print the photos right away, they also had a station set up where you could Facebook and Tweet the photos right away, too!
• Knowing how much some people like photos, they also had a backdrop set up with “Mermaid Finisher” on it, so you could capture your pride
• And, of course, they had all the great Mermaid schwag for sale: hoodies, T-shirts, hats, jewelry. Although I knew I’d be getting my finisher’s necklace after the race, I couldn’t help but also buy an adorable “Run” necklace before my run. Sterling silver and will keep me inspired!
• After stretching it out, Rebecca and I skipped the post-race pancakes and headed into nearby Union City for a super-long, lazy, chowdown at a local greasy spoon called Baldie’s. I think we were there for, like, 3 hours.

Mermaid East Bay Run T-shirt

In sum, I’m very, very happy I decided to do the 10K. I’m confident I could have done the Half, but as I’ve said, at this point in my marathon training, it’s most important to stay fit and strong, and the Half simply would have been too big of a risk. I felt prepared and well-trained for the 10K, which boosted my confidence a lot.

As always with these races, I’m so grateful for my hilly routes around here. It makes the small hills in other parts of the Bay Area seem FLAT. I keep this in mind as I huff and puff through them every week, knowing they are great training grounds. But mostly, I am really grateful for feeling GOOD. I’m grateful that my leg is better and that I have the confidence again to return to adding mileage to my training. And perhaps most important, I’m way less nervous now about the marathon and am back to having excited butterflies, instead!

The Versatile Blogger Award & Very Inspiring Blogger Award!

On the surface, this was a fairly normal weekend: ran 12-miles in the rain, which was actually fine, even good; got some new bike handlebars with my REI dividend; watched The Help while it rained, rained, rained; went on a bike ride with said new bars once the sun came out; ate a bunch of coconut meat.

But there was one thing that made this weekend extra-special. I am beyond thrilled to share that one of my favorite bloggers, Jasmine at Paintbox Kitchen, has tagged me with two awards: The Versatile Blogger and the Very Inspiring Blogger Awards! The warm fuzzies and gooey innards hardly touch what this means to me. Thank you, Jasmine!!
 

The premise is simple: Jasmine herself was nominated by a blog friend of hers, who was previously nominated by a blog friend, who was previously nominated by a blog friend, and so on, backwards through time. The winner shares 7 things we might not have known about them, then they link to a) the person who nominated them, and b) the new winners of the award. I guess the original rules say you’re supposed to link to 15 people, but Jasmine linked to 4, and I am still quite green so will link to 5. In good punk rock fashion, we’re making up our own rules. DIY, baby!

So, the deeper, and extra-cool part of this award system is how connected it makes us. I read the blogs I do because I like the personality of the blog writer, trust their opinion (even if I don’t always agree with it), and simply think what they have to say is valuable. Then it goes without saying that I would probably like the other blogs that Jasmine nominated and I would probably like the blogger who nominated her, and so on and so forth, backwards through time. It’s a web, see, that spreads across the world! A world-wide web! THAT IS SO COOL.

Now, I’ll go ahead and let you in on a few tidbits you might not know. After that, the new winners of the awards. Onward…

7 Things You Might Not Know About Me

… in no particular order

1. I’ve been to Burning Man nine times. And while I no longer go every year, I still hold dear to my heart the 10 Principles and include them in my everyday life, particularly Radical Self-Expression, Radical Self-Reliance, Participation (No Spectators), and Leave No Trace.

2. One day a week, usually Sunday, I spend 2-3 hours prepping food for the week. This makes it easy to grab healthy, well-rounded, veggie-tastic, protein-filled meals and snacks whether we are working from home or on the go. Prep includes things like roasting chicken and turkey breasts, hard-boiling eggs, pre-making lunch salads and wraps, making a big batch of protein pancakes, dehydrating veggies and/or crackers and flatbread, soaking beans and nuts for sprouting, soups, and snacks.

3. I am not vegan, though I was for 4 years. I’m also not vegetarian, pescetarian, Paleo, carnivorous, raw foodist, strictly gluten-free, strictly sugar-free, or any other label that makes it easy to pigeonhole or stereotype my eating habits, because really, no one needs to care that much about the details except me. The recipes I share tend to be on the healthier side, though

4. I discovered my love of open-water swimming while training for my first triathlon and hope someday to do an Alcatraz swim. That’s when you take a ferry across the San Francisco Bay and jump into the water when you reach the famous island ex-prison, then swim across the bay until you reach land. Like an escapee, get it? The SF Bay is about 55 degrees year-round, but with a wetsuit, it’s totally fine. I haven’t yet reached no-wetsuit bravery, but people do it all the time. I think the Alcatraz swim is 1.5 miles.

5. I’m running my first marathon in July, the San Francisco Marathon, with my sister, who has run 3 marathons already. The whole point, for me, is to run this thing with her. I don’t care about time at all. So, I’ve decided not to publicly share my final race time, whatever it is, because it won’t matter. The whole point is to run with her and to cross the finish line with my sister

6. My birthday is next Saturday ~ March 31! That makes me an Aries, but I have a Cancer moon and Cancer rising, so I’m like a ball of fire surrounded by water. Like some beautiful Polynesian-esque display where there’s a giant, roaring fire pit set up in the middle of a pool. Or something like that.

7. An astrologer once described me as, “the exact middle point between introverted and extroverted.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

And now… I’m very happy to announce the newest winners of the Very Inspiring Blogger and Versatile Blogger Awards! The rules are simple ~ when you’re tagged, link back to this site, share 7 things about yourself that we might not know, and then pass the award on! Of course, you’re welcome to ignore all of this, too. And that is totally fine. But I think you’re cool, so that’s all that matters!

The Healthy Diva

Diva Sarah is a California girl turned Aussie whose interest in heath, food, and fitness never fails to inspire me. Her blog’s tagline, “Balancing Fitness, Food, and Feeling Good!” sums it up with a big, motivated smile!

Marin Mama Cooks

Jackie is a mom of 2 who cooks delicious and healthy meals for her family… and she is a fantastic food blogger! She includes very clear instructions and beautiful pictures of all the steps, which makes everything easy to understand. I always feel like I’m right there with her when she’s cooking, which is a cozy, if hungry, feeling

You Just Did What?!

In just a month, Erika has jumped right in and shared her friendliness, adorable family, and motivation to run a half-marathon! Her smile and sense of humor are infectious. I just can’t wait to hear how the Hot Chocolate run went!

Weddings & Workouts

Megan also lives in Australia! She’s super-motivated, inspiring, and like a burst of sunshine and fresh energy. Smiles all around, Megan!

Naturally Healthy and Gorgeous

You can’t argue with a title like that! Rebecca posts super-interesting information about various natural items and their benefits, plus not-so-great items and why to avoid them. She covers everything from BPA to tea tree oil to garlic and it’s always presented clearly, with references and source info, so you gotta trust her!

Well, I hope you’ve all enjoyed this round of Blog Awards. May the web continue to be woven and the connections continue to grow!

Things I Love Thursday

March so far has been IN like the proverbial lion. Actually, like a lioness defending her cubs! Curious to see if the rest of the month will continue to be so roar-iffic. Looking forward to the weekend. Fun stuff like fixing my dead scooter, weeding, and going to storage ~ yes! How ’bout you? Any good plans? Hope it’s a good one, whatever you do and wherever you are.

And now, some good stuff collected over the last week. Enjoy!

1. A Day in the Life of California, via Ryan Killacky on Vimeo:

A sweet little video about my favorite place in the world….

2. From Smithsonian Mag, the story of the most common bird in the world:

An amazing story. It’s not just about a little bird, but about Communisum in China under Mao, ecology, and the growth of cities. Fascinating read and beautifully written.

It is sometimes only when a species is removed that we see clearly its value. When sparrows are rare, we often see their benefits; when they are common, we see their curse.

3. Safe Cosmetics: Five Tips for Frugal Shoppers via Crazy Sexy Life:

Obviously, if you’re following my 52 Tips, you’re already in the know about making your own!

But buying in bulk and (gasp!) doing without are other frugal options. Read the whole thing and get some great ideas.

4. What’s so bad about preservatives? Ask Georgie answered.

They’re carcinogenic, for one thing.

Fresh foods rule!

5. From ScienceNOW via Wired: How Dolphins Say Hello!

Excellent information for the coming age of dolphin overlords.

So, basically, it’s like a fist-bump… right?

6. How About Orange found these gorgeous seamless textures at Subtle Patterns:

Lovely soft designs for web designers and bloggers!

7. San Francisco Turned Me Straight, by the always-great Anna Pulley on Salon.

Sometimes I think S.F. is one of those Emerald City-type places where, free of many of the cultural or religious constraints that plague other cities, you can be the truest version of yourself, or at least have a really good time exploring untrue versions of yourself along the way. It’s a city that embraces the idea of potential, not limitations. I realize, of course, that sexuality can’t really be articulated or altered by a ZIP code, but all this flip-flopping seemed pervasive to me, and I figured the City itself, its brazenness, its tendency toward experimentation and spectacle, had to at least play a role in this shifting sexual mind-set.

A fun romp through the best city in the world, where various definitions of sexuality are commonplace.

We like to name things because it gives us a sense of order and comfort. So we can feel connected to one another. If I say I’m a daughter we all know what that means. Or a liberal, or a feminist, or a molecular biologist. But sexuality often doesn’t work that way. If you don’t look the part of a queer, then you don’t exist.

It’s a fantastic essay ~ check it out!

8. Including Cake shared their delish Quinoa and Chickpea burgers

An excellent, healthy, whole-foods, high-protein, vegan, gluten-free meal (or snack)!

9. Flourless peanut butter ginger cookies from The Edible Perspective

I LOVE THE IDEA OF PEANUT BUTTER AND GINGER TOGETHER. Brills!

10. Finally, the Healthy Diva schooled us on guilt-free eating AND gave us a recipe for high-protein muffins!

Score! She’s the best. Check out her blog for massive inspiration.

That’s all for now! Have a wonderful weekend!

What are some great things you’ve seen this week?

Got any fun plans for the weekend?

Photos ~ Pacific Orchid Expo ’12

Spent hours awestruck at the amazing variety of orchids yesterday at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Photos barely do them justice!

View the slideshow below (~100 pics total).

Enjoy!

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Race Recap: San Francisco Half Marathon

I’m happy to say my first half marathon was a success! Such a success, in fact, that I didn’t get any pictures! Well, I got two of the gorgeous sunrise. You know a race day bodes well when the sky looks like this at 7 a.m.:

Sunrise over Golden Gate Park

Sunrise over Ocean Beach

I took those two pictures, then left the camera in the car for the entire rest of the race. Bad blogger! Haha. So, in lieu of gorgeous race pics, I’ll sum up in actual words but I’ll keep it short, ’cause I know it’s Monday and your brains might not be 100% awake yet

The stats:

• Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon & 5K
• 10,000 racers: 6,500 half marathoners and 3,500 5K-ers
• Golden Gate Park and the Great Highway / Ocean Beach
• 55 degrees or so and gorgeously sunny

The race:

• First things first ~ I finished in 1:55:21! Which is way, way faster than I expected, to be honest. I thought I’d come in around the 2:10 mark.
• The 1/2 marathon and 5K racers all started together, in GG Park.
• For the first couple of miles, I simply focused on finding good spaces to run in and avoid being trampled.
• Around mile 3, I got into my groove and started focusing more on my breath, form, and pace.
• Miles 3-7 were a net downhill and quite easy and zippy. I figure that’s where I got most of my speed!
• At mile 7, we turned from the park onto the Great Highway, which runs along Ocean Beach, for the remainder of the race.
• Miles 8-10 were the most difficult, by far. The route itself was still pretty flat and easy, but I was starting to feel tired. I figured I could use a fuel boost, so I ate a Gu but didn’t have any water, which was a bad idea. The gooey stuff stuck to my throat a little, which caused me to slightly panic, thinking, “What if it glues my throat shut and I can’t breathe?” Totally rational, right? I slowed down and walked for about 20 paces until I got some saliva back, and downed a full cup at the next water station. Lesson learned: don’t eat a Gu if you don’t have water on you!
• At the turnaround at mile 10, I got a new wind. It’s likely the Gu had kicked in, but it’s also because I knew I only had the 3 mile stretch left. From there, the home stretch was flat and fast. I wasn’t sore, but I was eager to finish strong. I kept my mind on my breath and my form, making sure I wasn’t running too fast or too slow. I was pretty sure at that point that I’d finish in under 2 hours, but you still never know, so I just kept plugging along.
• The final .10-mile stretch back into GG Park was uphill ~ drat! That was definitely a challenge, but as soon as I spotted the finish line, I simply felt relief… and then was stoked to see my final time!

Post-race:

• The park, of course, was a zoo, with 10,000 participants and friends and family roaming around.
• I didn’t stop at any of the expo booths, except to pick up my race T, which is a nice dark blue, long-sleeved cotton shirt.
• No, I was more eager to get back to the beach and meet up with my honey!
• After a gigantic post-race brunch, we headed home, where I sat on the couch for the rest of the day: repolishing my tired toenails, watching the Super Bowl Madonna, and snacking until I literally fell asleep while still sitting up.

In sum, I feel like I was well-trained and prepared for the race. I’d eaten my regular breakfast of toast with almond butter, a pear, and coffee. Then I ate a (very large) date just before the start, then another at mile 4 and at mile 7. I brought pretzels, too, but didn’t touch them ~ it seemed like the dates were enough sugary fuel for 13.1 miles. I drank water at every water stop except the first two, which seemed to be enough, although I could probably have actually drank more from the cups than I did. But in general, I think I got enough water.

The hills I’ve been running on around here made the ones in the park feel utterly flat. So, as much as I dread them sometimes, I know they are awesome training grounds! The weather couldn’t have been better, nor could the view, and my experience with the race producers (Rhodyco) was nothing but good. I’m looking forward to doing this race again!