My thoughts after the 2013 LA 13.1 Marathon

The review for my race this weekend follows, but first you have to bear with me as there are a few things I'd like to share.

I've been running since 2008, and in the last 5 years I've found that theres at least one unshakable truth about running:  It will always surprise you.  Each route is never the same twice, each race is never the same experience, and you will always have farther and faster to go.
Running the LA 13.1 was a first for me because it was the first time I'd run a race a second time.  Approximately the same course, same weekend of the year, same goal of "doing better".  Only this time, I had a Personal Record FOR THIS RACE to beat.  I had all the confidence of it being my 7th half marathon.  None of the pre-race anxiety that I had the year before.  I knew that my diet didn't have to be EXACT to do well.  I knew that I could function well even on poor sleep.  I was excited and pumped up about race day but it wasn't tearing me to shreds.  But in the back of my mind there was that  clock time from the previous year.

2:56:28

I love the course of the LA 13.1, and have replayed it in my head a thousand times as one of those GOOD race memories.  Running past the iconic Muscle Beach, through the eclectic town of Venice,  down to the paved beach path, the hilly turn around, the desolate stretch of 3 miles that tests your resolve, and the downhill finish line that suddenly jumps out at you.

As I ran it this year, I was greeted by memories.  Mile 1:  The farthest I had ever run without stopping to walk.  Mile 5: The path down to the beach, where a tornado of seagulls had surprised us.  Mile 6: Stop at a beach bathroom Mile 8: Cursing the slow incline that forced me to walk  Mile 11: Pain in my feet so bad that I wanted to cry Mile 13.1: Crossing the finish line with cramps in my calves and the feeling of victory as I completed a sub-3 hour half marathon for the first time.  

I had said in the past that I didn't think that I'd want to run the same race twice.  That the excitement of a new and different race each time was too enticing, that there are too many races in Southern California to stick to the same ones over and over.  But now I get it, I know why some people run the SAME race every year for decades.  Some courses just speak to you as a runner.  Some have such special memories to you that its like seeing an old friend.  And each race can be better than it was before.  

And, by the way?  I totally blew my old Personal Record out of the water.  2:42:56  

Restaurant Review: The Linkery, North Park, San Diego, CA

For our 12th anniversary, the husband booked us a table at The Linkery, a hip urban eating establishment in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego.  There are three outstanding features of the restaurant.

1. They are Farm to Table, using only locally sourced ingredients.  It makes eating paleo pretty easy when you know exactly where the pork is coming from.  
2. They have a NO TIP policy.  There's an 18% service charge added to EVERY check.  You can read about their policy here.  And honestly, we got THE BEST table service that I've EVER experienced in a restaurant.  I can't wait to go back.
3. While not everything on the menu is so, they are a VERY paleo-friendly restaurant.

We started our meal with the two-year salt cured ham.  It comes with pickled cucumbers and pickled onions.  It was exceptionally refreshing, salty and briny.  A great way to ease our hunger pains while waiting for our entrees.  

For the main course I ordered the picnic plate which consists of 2 of their house made sausage links, coleslaw (made with housemade mayo), potato salad (again with their housemade mayo) and rye bread. The husband ordered the grass-fed beef burger and added cheese and bacon to it.  His burger came with housemade potato chips and their coleslaw.  For my links, I chose their alsatian and the Minnesota potato.  I totally recommend the Alsatian link.  It wasn't a completely solid link, which I prefer and the flavors combination of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg with the locally sourced pork were intoxicating.  The star of the plates were the coleslaw though.  It was light, unlike most coleslaws out there.  The cabbage was crisp and lightly dressed with the housemade mayo.  I'd go back JUST for that coleslaw.  

Hubby's burger

My Picnic Plate

The foodie pleasure continued with dessert.  The husband ordered the oaxacan chocolate ice cream, served with chilled oranges. I ordered the Migas Bark, a dark chocolate bark with bacon and vanilla.  It was absolutely amazing.  I already told the husband that I want him to go back and buy me some for next Valentine's Day.  Nothing says "I love you" like Migas Bark.  

Our tab (with the 18% table service charge) for 1 drink, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts was about $80.  A bit pricy but completely worth it.  I cannot wait to go back.

Race Review: Silver Strand Half Marathon

The Silver Strand Half Marathon - November 11, 2012

• Location: From Sunset Park in Coronado to Imperial Beach Pier
• Distance: 13.1 miles
• Surface: paved highway, city roads

I'm spending today gingerly lowering myself onto toilets, and grimacing every time I go up stairs.  But I'm also glowing with accomplishment and pride for having completed my 6th half marathon.  It was a great race for lots of reasons: The last half marathon in San Diego for the year, running it with some dear running friends, planning to have my family at the finish line for the first time.  Emotionally, it was a great race to wrap up 2012.  

Running with friends 

Even from a Runner's perspective though, it's STILL a great race.  

The sign up was easy, and two weeks before the race they sent a confirmation through the mail!  I don't think I've ever had a race send me the race day instructions in the mail before.  It was oddly sweet.  The parking was the most complicated part of the sign up.  You had 4 options for parking.  Since it's a point-to-point race you could either park at the start, park at the finish or be dropped off.  Having to make a decision WEEKS (or in my case MONTHS) before the race about parking was a little confusing.  The packet pickup at Road Runner Sports was efficient and quick.  The tech tee race shirt was of a good quality (although I'm not a fan of gender neutral shirts).  

The day of the Silver Strand came after 3 days of rainy weather.  This being San Diego, it kind of wigged most of us out and we had debates over what we were going to wear.  I decided on the "Ultra runners" uniform: split leg shorts with clothes to keep my core warm.  I had my Girls on The Go tech tee, my Sugoi sleeves and my new Nike runner's gloves.  I was definitely chilly when I got to the start area but as the sun came up I was fine.

The start area was well set up.  It was obvious where gear check was, and race day registration, and the port a potties.  I was glad that they offered gear check!  It seems like a lot of races aren't offering that perk anymore.  I like being able to have my favorite post-race treats (Honey Stinger Chews and Cherry Juice) at the end of a race.  The race announcer was easy to hear, and had lots of jokes, especially for those who had mistakenly come north for the 5k instead of being about 10 miles south!  The race did start a few minutes late, but once it did, the small crowd of 4500 went across the timing mats pretty quickly.  I started as far back as I would let myself, and it only took me 3 minutes to cross the start mat.  

So flat!

The course was one I was mostly familiar with.  I run the Silver Strand as part of my training runs. It's flat, and although its a bit windy, it's fast.  The majority of the course was run on the Silver Strand Highway and was indeed flat.  There were only 3 inclines, a bridge over wetlands, a slight uphill into residential homes and a long incline inside the Weapons Station.  Nothing that a little extra arm pumping and a good attitude can't handle, even at mile 10.  There was a bit of cambering to the highway, which I hadn't expected (having run only on the bike trails on the northbound side of the highway) but there was always a flat spot to be found.

The aid stations were excellent and well manned by volunteers.  They were stationed about every 1.5 miles of the course, usually right when I'd need them.  The volunteers seemed to consist mostly of high school or college students, and they were cheerful and encouraging the whole way.  They appreciated when I cracked my "Who's got the GLUTEN FREE water?" joke.  Or at least pretended to.  They offered energy chews at mile 6, which I chose not to take.  I carry my own fuel with me.

Every race has its challenge, and in the Silver Strand it has to be the miles 10-12, where you run into the Naval Weapons Station in Imperial Beach, and run a 2 mile switchback.  I had the benefit of running into my friends as they finished the switchback during my mile 11.  Having to run 1 mile out, only to run 1 mile back is definitely mentally difficult when you're so close to the finish.  Throw one of the only hills on the course into that mix and its a killer challenge.  We don't earn a medal for it being easy though! 

My amazing friend Dave volunteered at the Finish Line so he could award me my medal.  

You know its a great race when by mile 9 you're already thinking that you want to run it again next year.  I like the sentiment of the race, that its the LAST half marathon in San Diego for the year.  A nice bow to put on your accomplishments.  I'll be back Silver Strand, after I run some more hills, and I'll finish you faster.  

Race Review: The Color Run San Diego

The BEFORE Pic

The Color Run San Diego - November 3, 2012

• Location: Qualcomm Stadium
• Distance: 5k
• Surface: paved, parking lot

I'm addicted to Color Runs.  I hate mud and obstacle courses, but apparently running through gauntlets of people throwing colored cornstarch are just fine.  I've run three in 2012, and now I'm very interested in the upcoming Neon Run in 2013.

I ran my first Color Run in Sacramento, CA with my extended running family.  The differences in that race in April and the San Diego Color Run make it apparent that the race's organizers have found quit a bit of success.  First of all, there were 30,000 people signed up to become human rainbows.  That's enough people that they needed two waves, a 9a and a 1:30p.  It's also a record number of signups for the Color Run.  

image credit: The Color Run        
Wave 1 wrapped up around the
stadium parking lot!

The second indication that these runs have been profitable for the organizers is the introduction of their mascot: Runicorn.  A rainbow-maned unicorn wearing running shorts and a Color Runner Headband, he's definitely not necessary for a race.  But he and the t-shirt cannons and Color Throw Stage all add an element of "festival" to the event.  And this is definitely not a race for Serious Runners.  It's a gateway race into running for those who haven't found their reason to join the rest of us.

The sheer number of racers made it impossible to start of at a decent pace. The race organizers make no attempt to keep walkers and people with strollers or slow moving children at the back of the corral.  But again, this isn't a race for serious runners.  Once you get past the walkers and the strollers and the beefy young men who don't realize that 5k is longer than they've ever run (and so they're sweating and wheezing and walking), you can run at your pace . . . .  Until you hit the Color Zones.  

When I ran the Sacramento Color Run, there was a good deal of humidity, which seemed to keep the color dust under control.  At the San Diego Color Run, the Color Zones were a COMPLETE blinding experience.  The organizers did suggest that runners stay to the left, walkers to the right.  But I did NOT feel safe running through the Color Zones with the lack of visibility.  I didn't see anyone run into a volunteer, but I came close a few times.  

The After Pic                              
image credit: Jeffrey Hoffman

The location of Qualcomm was good.  There was ample parking, along with the availability of the SD public transit system.  The trolley system here in SD is great for events at Qualcomm, as there's a trolley stop for the stadium itself.  The parking lot provided space for both the pre/post-race festival and the race course itself.  The actual SURFACE of the race wasn't very good though.  The parking lot is riddled with potholes, cracks and metal gratings.  All increase the chance of turning an ankle or tripping.  And these hazards were not marked off with neon paint or cones, which have been present in other road races.  

The Finish Line provided water and granola bars, sufficient for a 5k distance.  My running buddy noticed that they had brought in a tanker truck for the water, which I had never seen before but seemed like the BEST IDEA for providing water at such a large event.  Kudos to the organizers for taking that extra measure.  

Color Toss Finale
Image Credit: The Color Run

The best part of the Color Runs is the COLOR TOSS Finale.  Not many race experiences give you the opportunity to come together as a community is such a grand celebration of effort.  For many people, the Color Run is their FIRST 5k, and hopefully its not their last.  In 15 minute intervals, starting from when the first people cross the finish line, the DJ at the Color Stage count down to the color tosses.  With music blaring, you all open up your color pouches (provided in your race packet) and toss the colored cornstarch in the air.  The scene from a distance is fun, but being in the color cloud is almost euphoric.  It really encompasses the feeling of "I JUST RAN A RACE!"  It's a physical manifestation of Runner's High.  

Will you likely get a new PR at a Color Run?  No.  Will you have a fun, colorful time with some of your favorite runner friends??  YES!