American River Parkway Half Marathon

This past weekend I completed something that I wasn't even on my bucket list but probably should've been: I ran in and completed a half marathon. That's 13.1 miles for those of you wondering just how far that is. It all started with one of my coworkers saying something in random conversation about wanting the 13.1 sticker for the car. She made it to about 6 miles in her training and started having minor health concerns. We had even gotten a team in the office going but one by one they either had an excuse or something come up as the time came to pay the race fee. In the end it was my coworker and bootcamp companion Heather, and my supportive husband, who were out on the race course with me.

I didn't start really jogging until February of this year. I trained every Saturday increasing my miles by 1 mile every week, and I did interval training of jog one-mile walk one-mile. The weekend before the marathon I did a test run on the actual course and found this to be very helpful as I can't run up hill so I was able to determine which mile should be walking and which ones I should jog. I was good until about mile 8; that's when my knee started to bother me; mile 9 my hip started to hurt but at mile 10 I was able to block out the pain and speed walk to mile 12.

Then we slowly jogged to mile 13 and ran across to the finish line. Sure I didn't make it as quickly as I had hoped, and sure most people had finished before me, (there were about 50 or so people behind me), but I did it. I got in that crowded starting line and went for it. I've never run so far, I've never push myself quite so hard, especially in 80 degree temperatures, and I wasn't the one who ended up in the ambulance--thank goodness. I may have been limping and in serious pain, but the feeling I had when I crossed that finish line was worth it.

If you can't do a half marathon, do a 5 K, and maybe some day you just might be able to go the distance too.

Make sure you have a plan for after the race: a massage, a rewarding meal...me, I'm heading to the beach. Hawaii here I come. Blogging community, see you in 2 weeks. 

Mental Strength means Physical Power

My husband and I were having a conversation yesterday about how women are mentally strong and men tend to be more physically strong. Whether it's a drive for survival, or the need to be better, or who knows what it is, don't underestimate the women in your lives or yourself. I did not start jogging until January of this year, I have arthritis and a bad right hip, but I was determined to be fit and healthy this year and do a half marathon.

I went for a trial run to see how the actual conditions would be, and I did pretty well. I had hoped to make it 13.1 miles in 3 hours; after my test run I know it's possible, but I'm going to have to push myself even harder. Then today I was thinking and thought even if I don't make it in at or under 3 hours I will still have achieved a major feat. So this has been your Motivational Monday peep talk. Put your mind to it, and go do it- whatever it is.

Cotton Candy at Disneyland

Cotton candy and popcorn are two classic amusement park foods, and Disneyland knows some sort of special trick to get the delightful smells to fill the fresh air. I wish they had a gluten free vendor cart, but until that day happens my must eat at Disneyland is cotton candy.

Have you ever looked for blue cotton candy at the Disneyland? I know it's not something you don't initially think of, but as someone obsessed with the color blue I only buy blue cotton candy if I can help it. In any case did you know that they only sell pink cotton candy at Disneyland because "Minnie Mouse deems it so".  When two different Disney employees told me the same thing I thought it was strange, but when I went across the street to California Adventure, sure enough they had blue cotton candy.