That Four Letter Word Called Love

There’s this adorable picture that sits on the fridge in our apartment which serves as a constant reminder of how much thinner I used to be. It’s a photo taken at Disneyland hours after running my first half marathon. Perhaps it was that I’d burned off so many calories during the run that I’d looked thinner but the reality was that I’d put on a few pounds. What happened? A sweet four letter word called LOVE.



Teacups at Disneyland after the Disneyland Half Marathon, September 2010

Okay, I can’t completely blame my significant other. He supports me running marathons and doesn't get mad when we go out to eat and I take five minutes to tell the waitress/er how I want everything on the side. I will say though that the common denominator to many people’s weight gain is the feeling of complacency in a relationship. I vowed never to be the type of woman who let herself go and I’m not saying that I have. I still dress up when we go out but instead of just ordering a salad like I used to, I’ll have a salad and dessert. These little bouts of splurging tend to add up most on the scale.

I shared my unhappiness about this with my boyfriend who also said he’d been feeling a bit disappointed in himself. We both admitted that we’ve splurged a bit more since we'd been together. In his defense, his work schedule changed and if I don’t cook something at home, he’s subjected to late night fast-food. I really have no defense other than that I’d developed the “I run therefore I can eat,” mentality that I’ve mentioned here before. It's a viscious cycle..we have a bad habit of getting motivated to work out and eat right but aren’t consistent. We revealed to each other how much we’d weighed when we first met and how much we weigh now. It wasn’t pretty. Between the both of us, we were pushing a combined total of almost 40 pounds gained. We talked about what we could do together and our biggest challenges are our schedules and going out with friends.

So as of today, we’ve agreed to join 24 Hour Fitness and do a better job of being more mindful of what we eat. I've been a loyal LA Fitness member for many years but I made the switch to accommodate his schedule and sacrifice a little bit of sleep for us to work out after he gets home from work. We’ve been down this road before so I am skeptical but my plan is to set little goals for ourselves along the way to keep us motivated. My first goal is hitting my next weight range and rewarding myself with a Garmin which I’ve always wanted. So let’s hope my next post is me talking about my Garmin or if not that just yet, our progress along the way.

Where the Heck Have I Been?

Many have asked if I fell of the face of the earth or just given up on Twitter and the running world completely. No, no, and no. As most of my readers know, I started running because of an amazing organization called Team In Training. Through Team In Training, I discovered so many things about myself. For starters, I unleashed the marathon maniac that I never knew I had within. Me, running 13.1 miles? I never in a million years would have pictured myself a runner! Before marathon life I used to (BRACE YOURSELF FOR THIS ONE) smoke every single day. A cigarette after work and a few on the weekends was quite common. I must admit that I did smoke well into my season with Team In Training but the more and more I started learning about cancer, it not only drove me to quit, but it also helped me discover an even greater passion than running…I wanted to be part of the cure!

I wanted to do everything I could to help put an end to cancer. I threw myself into Team In Training, embarked on a mission to raise money, and finished my season raising more than $2,500! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…this would never have happened without the many people who supported me on this. From my co-workers Alicia and Freddy who told me that I could not give up and the countless people who donated or helped in one of my fundraising efforts. Every little bit brought me closer to my goal and essentially unlocking this passion to help others that always existed but came full circle through Team In Training.

As the months passed, I knew this was my calling in life. And then one day, I came home and my wonderful boyfriend said, “Look what I found.” And there it was--a job opening at Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Orange County. I didn’t apply.

Why? I wasn’t sure I had it in me to be a “manager”…to lead others in believing the cause. I myself believed in it but how could I convince others? To spare the long details, it took me two months to apply and I was the one they called back to offer the job. I was faced with so many decisions…leave an agency that had been so good to me for almost six years or jump to the non-profit side and have the chance to do something I’m passionate about. As hard as it was, with tears in my eyes, I told my boss that I was taking the position. Was I scared? Absolutely! I remember someone told me, “Lead with your heart, and the rest will fall into place.” Those words gave me the courage and the confidence that I needed to start my position as the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Orange County Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Los Angeles Race for the Cure, March 2011

So that’s where I’ve been and that’s why I’ve gone missing for the last two months. The learning curve in addition to working on one of our Affiliate's biggest events of the year, Pink Tie Ball, are what have kept me away. I dove right in working on materials and night-of presentation logistics for the Ball which is an annual fundraiser we host where we identify seven men in the community to help raise awareness about breast cancer in the community.

As the work piled on, I started neglecting my running a bit. And I just moved which only added to the craziness of my life. Ironically though, I moved right near a running track in the city of Cypress and just discovered that the city hosts its own 5 and 10K in July. So I’ve signed up which is just what I needed to kick-start my running again.

Although I’ve been insanely busy with my new job and the move, by no means would I trade the experiences in for anything. We raised thousands of dollars at our Pink Tie Ball and are full swing ahead onto our next event which is our 20th Annual Race for the Cure! It’s all hard work but I am so proud to be a part of this great team. They are all so passionate at what they do and I can honestly say I feel at home in my new role. I am helping save lives each and every day which is what this blog has been about since day one.






Brooks Giveaway

A special thanks to Brooks for providing me with some apparel to giveaway to one lucky winner. I've recently become a big fan of their gear and hope you will become one too if you're not already! 




Versatile EZ Racer Back



 

Epiphany Stretch Short II





To enter the giveaway you will need to do the following:

1. Leave comment on the question in the previous post and indicate that you want to enter
2. Become a fan of Brooks on Facebook
3. Follow @BrooksRunning and me on Twitter (If you don't already)
4. Follow my blog



Please note, the items are both a size large. I am not sure if they can be exchanged if they're not your size as a receipt was not provided but you can try :) Winner will be selected on Friday, March 18th.

Thanks for stopping by!









Hello Brooks Running Shoes

I’ll never forget a phrase I heard when I started marathon training last year: “Don't be tied to a brand.” I heard this during a shoe clinic Team in Training provided for participants during my first season with them. At the time, I was quite new to the sport and Nike was the only brand I’d ever known.

Truth be told, I have been a very loyal Nike fan for many years and scoffed at the idea of mismatching my gear. As I got further into my training, I started to become more exposed to different brands and suddenly realized why we advised not to stick to just one. What I found was that not one brand fit my every need. While I preferred to stick to one brand when putting on an outfit, I found that I just felt more comfortable in one brand for different things. I like the way Nike pants feel on me, Champion shorts give my legs the right amount of coverage, Brooks Running shirts are more flattering on me than other brands, and to this day have found that I run my best races sticking to my black Nike hat. As much as I hated wearing all sorts of different logos at one, it’s just something I had to learn to understand.

I’ve slowly started to open myself to trying different labels. In a previous post I talked about how much I love Brooks reflective gear. It’s light; it’s stylish and just seems to have more reflective selections than other brands. So I decided I would give their shoes a try. Hello Glycerin 8 DNA’s, you make me feel like I am walking on a patch of puffy clouds on beautiful spring day. Yes, I just compared my new Brooks shoes to walking on a patch of puffy clouds. They feel fantastic.

Brooks Glycerin 8 Women's Shoe

The shoe features Brooks custom cushioning called DNA which changes with your individual stride. The pad in the shoe responds to the amount of force you put on it delivering a specific amount of cushioning based on your step, weight, pace, and environment.

I figured I would break them in on our last team run before the LA Marathon. They felt fantastic! I have flat feet and sometimes feel too much support when I buy anything labeled "motion control" or "stability" however, this shoe has just the right amount for me even though they're listed under the "neutral" section.  I wore them with my Nike pants…yes, perhaps a fashion faux pas but it's marathon training not fashion where you sacrifice comfort just to look good.


What are your thoughts on wearing different brands during a run? Do you mismatch for comfort?

(Don't forget to check out the Brooks outfit giveaway)

Here We Go Again

When I started training for my first half marathon in June last year, I thought I would instantly drop a lot of weight. What I soon learned is that runners are classified into two different categories: the ones that follow their workout regimen with a healthy or slightly moderate indulgent diet or those that say, "I run, therefore I can eat". And when  I say eat, I mean anything and everything because long runs means more calories burned making it okay to consume more calories. There is truth in being able to eat more calories, but by no means is it a green light to consume half a dozen cupcakes.

I started running with the "eat right, feel great, run better" attitude. A great recipe for losing weight in which I did. Well that soon changed. I started to notice the longer our runs got the more hungry I became. I quickly transformed into the "I run, therefore I can eat runner". Half a dozen cupcakes...yup, guilty as charged. In my defense, I sell cupcakes to make extra money to pay for my marathons so I need to taste them right? Okay...perhaps not six all at once. I'm admitting it--all the eating has caught up to me.
 
For the last six months, all I've done is complain about how my clothes don't fit to which friends and family respond: "How have you gained weight if you run so much?" Again, I became the "I run, therefore I can eat" type of runner.
 

I hate to admit this publicly and it's not because I am ashamed. I'll be the first to say...God did not bless me with a petite figure. I'm tall and curvy. I don't like to admit that I'm trying to lose weight because I don't want to be held accountable in case I can't do it. I know...I shouldn't be so negative but I have to be honest; I'm just not motivated. Another reason is that I think it takes a lot of guts to put something like this out in the open. I admire those who share their weight loss journey with others in their blogs especially those who have lost so much. Here I am struggling with 15 pounds and already feel defeated.

I know it will not only help me feel better but also would improve my running as I'll have less weight to carry. So, I titled this entry here we go again as I have decided to give Weight Watchers another go. Prior to my marathon training, I was a member and less than a pound from my goal weight but had to drop as the meetings conflicted with my training. Go figure...I stopped going to meetings to run and ended up gaining weight.

I chose WW because I know it works and helps keep me structured which for me, is what works. How has running changed your eating habits? What works for you?

Day 2 Dinner: Turkey burger on whole wheat bread, salad with vinaigrette, and grapes

Hood To Coast...A Must See Film!

Last week I encountered a difficult decision…to run or not to run. Every Thursday I try to make it out to the Rose Bowl to run with A Snail’s Pace. They’re a running group with different chapters in Southern California. I LOVE running with them because they’re fast and I find that I really push myself. This particular Thursday just so happened to be the same Thursday Hood to Coast was playing in theaters. For those of you not familiar with Hood to Coast, it’s the world’s largest relay race which takes place in Portland, Oregon every August.

Hood to Coast Poster

The film was shown in theaters last month for a special one night engagement. On this one night, the film aired around the country opening with a live preview featuring Burt Yasso, CRO of Runner’s World Magazine. I’d missed the original screening and contemplated going when the encore presentation was announced.

I left work for the day thinking, run or movie? I was stopped at red light when a Tweet came through on my cell phone from @Kui360: “@MissJewels212, please go watch Hood to Coast for me. It's not playing in my area. Bummed... :(” It was a sign, turn left and head to the theater.

I got there with ten minutes to spare. I thought for sure the theater would be crowded so I bought my ticket on the road (shhh, don’t tell the police I was using my phone while driving…I waited till I was stopped at a light, promise.) I went inside and was pumped for this movie. I’d never done a relay before so I was really excited to see what this Hood to Coast was all about, how it worked, the coordination of a 12-man team and seeing runners in action. Instead of previews or ads on the screen, a slideshow of the different teams played. It only got me more excited for the film to start. A few minutes before show time, a familiar face walked in. It was my college buddy Rudi and a friend of his! We sat together and waited in anticipation. And then it began…

The movie covered the history of Hood to Coast and followed the journey of four teams participating that year. It was an incredible documentary on a legendary relay that was created in 1982 by Bob Foote, president of Oregon Road Runners Club. The 197-mile relay race had grown tremendously over the years with teams now being selected through a lottery process which opens in October for the relay in August. The relay has 36 legs, each varying in length and level of difficulty; each runner runs three legs.

What was interesting about the film was that it was not only a documentary about the relay itself but that it also highlighted teams like Dead Jocks in A Box, a team comprised of a group of older men who have been participating in Hood to Coast for several years. Watching them come to grips with the fact that they are no longer "fast" is quite commical. I must say, I admire anyone who can run a 7-minute mile especially in their 60's...according to them, that's slow.

The film really demonstrates the passion and respect these groups have for Hood to Coast. For example, Heart n Sole another group made up of women who have also been long-time participants. Kathy Ryan, one of the teammates had actually died during the previous year running the relay but was brought back to life and is eager to run Hood to Coast again. This woman’s determination is borderline psychotic to the average person, but as a runner you definitely understand the pain and heartbreak she experiences when her doctor tells her that she needs to hang up her sneakers.


Another group is Team R. Bowe running in memory of Ryan Bowe. This story was so touching. Ryan had run his first Hood to Coast at the age of 12 by default; his father had formed a team and one of the runners backed out last minute. Then 12-year-old Ryan asked his dad if he could run with them, and so he did. He later died at a young age leaving behind a wife and a baby. The film follows his wife, mother, brother, father, and friends who participate in his honor.

And finally, we have team Thunder and Laikaning, the most non-experienced team of all…the bad boys of the bunch if you will, who decide they will not train but instead drink beer and just hope they cross the finish line.

Hood to Coast was truly an amazing adventure to watch and follow. It was very inspiring and made me think that I could not wait for October to put my name in the lottery. The miles in the film looked grueling but the glory these teams felt, their dedication and their stories were incredibly moving. A definite must see if you get the chance!

After the film, Rudi and I talked about about the possibility of doing a relay...more to come on this! Stay tuned!

Surf City Half Marathon Recap

At the start of the year, I was determined to run as many marathons as I possibly could. As noted in my previous posts, I ran Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona and absolutely loved it. What’s next? I really wanted to do Surf City since it was one of the races our Long Beach Team in Training had been training for all season. I knew how excited I was for my first race and how great it was to see familiar faces out on the course so I wanted to be right there with them. 

For whatever reason I waited to register and when I finally did decide to do so, Surf City was sold out. In my defense, I’m still fairly new to marathons. I know now to register ahead of time and not wait until the last minute. I was really bummed and thought if anything I’d just go run with our team but truth be told, deep down, I really wanted the medal and the glory too.

As luck would have it, a bib literally came to me. My wonderful friends who I’d met in Long Beach last year were registered but weren’t able to make the trip. I know marathon organizers would frown upon this transaction but you can’t just let a bib go to waste if the original registrants can’t participate. I owe this entire experience to Marianne and Randy. Your kindness and generosity are beyond words and I am truly grateful for this gift.

Expo weekend came and I couldn’t believe that just three weeks ago I was in Arizona. I remember how well I’d been running leading up to Arizona but Surf City was a bit different. There’s always those races you get insanely nervous to run…Surf City was definitely that race for me. For some reason, I’d felt incredibly weak the days leading up to it. I’d run two miles and feel completely wiped out. I had no idea how I was going to do 13. There was no turning back at this point. I’d picked up the bibs, looked around the expo for a bit (found some rather interesting items), and went home to get all my gear ready.

I'm asssuming this is the type of underwear you wear for a marathon...the MARATHONG! LOL!

I could not sleep at all…again my darn nerves worrying about crossing the finish line. 4:30 a.m. came so quickly and off I went to meet up with some of our teammates running the marathon. We got to Huntington Beach rather early and sat in the car for a while not wanting to be out in the cold. Tired and cold, we finally got out of the car and made our way to meet with the rest of the team. The thrill of being out there with them was exciting. For many of them, this was going to be thier first half marathon and also for my friend Rudi who I'd gone to grad school with. Ahhh that first time feeling! We took pictures and waited for what seemed like hours.

Our Long Beach Team in Training at the start line

I promised some of our teammates we’d run together but in typical marathon fashion, too much shuffling during a race and we lost each other. I managed to stick with one of our teammates, Jennifer who actually kept me going the entire time. “Follow the pink shorts!” I kept telling myself and that I did. We kept weaving in and out of the crowd trying to get ahead. We stayed at a good pace, around 9:40 per mile up until around mile 8 or 9. We were tiring out as we hit a few inclines. “What comes up, must come down!” I told Jennifer. The only problem was…it never felt like it went downhill or at least that’s how it feels after so many miles.

I trudged through the last four just exhausted but I never stopped running…well my last few miles were more of a jogging pace but I did it. I crossed the finish line at 2:17:58. Right before collecting my medal, I took a deep breath and cried. Why? I can never explain to anyone who is a non-runner without getting a weird reaction. Really? You cried? It’s not like a sobbing cry or tears streaming down your face, it’s more like a release of emotion that you’ve held on to for the last 2 plus hours. It was a great feeling in an exhausting kind of way. I looked back to find Jennifer but didn't see her. It turns out she finished about 45 seconds after me. I walked around in a bit of a daze, picked up my gear, and reunited with some friends and our teammates at the TNT tent.

I want to congratulate our TNT participants who not only toughed out 13.1 miles but also helped raise money to fight blood cancers…you are all heroes in my book! GO TEAM! Till the next one…happy running!

Some more post race pics:

I was promised a mimosa by the Alpha Running family so you bet I went over to collect. They’re a great running/training group out of Los Angeles. Thanks to Coach C. for the welcome and congrats to Rudi on his first race.

The beautiful Surf City medal!

Sporting our Team in Training shirt and my rockin' new medal!