The Hot Chocolate 5 and 15K Warms Up San Francisco on January 11th, 2015
How will you be making a start to the new year? I’ll be heading to San Francisco to take part in RAM Racing’s Hot Chocolate 5K & 15K on Sunday, January 11th, 2015.
Join me and make 2015 the year you achieve your fitness and health goals!
America’s Sweetest Race, the Hot Chocolate 5K & 15K, is coming back to San Francisco on Sunday, January 11th.
Enjoy a beautiful run through Golden Gate Park with over 13,000 runners and then celebrate crossing the finish line with indulgent chocolaty treats at the unforgettable post-race party!
Known for their amazing swag bags, all participants receive the official 2014-2015 season swag bag and new for the season, all 15k finishers will receive the official Hot Chocolate Finisher Medal. In addition, runners can sign up for the “Go the Extra Mile” program to raise money for charities. Ronald McDonald House Charities are the official charity of choice for each Hot Chocolate 5K & 15K race.
The Hot Chocolate Series is the fastest growing 5k and only 15k series in the world. The series is produced by RAM Racing, the nation’s premier race production company based in Chicago who strives to give participants an emotional, unforgettable race experience.
You can read about my Chicago experience here.
For detailed information on the race, please click here. To register for the Hot Chocolate 5K & 15K, click here. You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.
Thanks to RAM Racing for sponsoring my race and see you in San Francisco! 🙂
Nike Women’s Half Marathon Entry Winner #2: Congrats to Karla!
Last month, Whole Foods Market, Nike and I gave away 2 entries to the sold out Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco.
I wanted you to meet the entry winners, so you might perhaps comment below and cheer them on for the upcoming race on October 19th! Maybe you’ll even look them up in the race results following the race.
The second entry winner is Karla Euler from Jackson, GA. I asked Karla to share a little bit about herself, her daily diet, and how she is preparing for the race:
I am a 52 year old US Army Vet, mother of 3 grown daughters and grandmother to two beautiful grandchildren, both age 5. I grew up in Southern California and now live in Jackson, GA. I work as a Deputy Court Clerk so I spend most days inside a building which drives me to spend my off days outside as much as possible! I enjoy yard work, hiking, swimming, biking, pretty much anything that will keep me outside and spending time with my family 🙂
I have always tried to maintain a healthy life style and I did up until my 2 grandchildren were born. I found myself making many excuses not to eat right or exercise just so I could spend all my spare time with my grand kids. The Nike Women’s Half Marathon will be my first and has given me the motivation and determination to get myself back into a healthy life style. I have ran numerous 5k and 10k’s in the past, but I am super excited about the SF Half!! I have been diligently training for this and have loved getting back into exercise and healthy eating. I have more energy overall and feel better physically and mentally both.
The following is a typical day of eating for me:
A Cup of Black Coffee and then out for a run; I find that I do better when I don’t eat before a long run as I tend to eat dinner pretty late at night.
Breakfast:
Bowl of Oatmeal and a Banana, Black Coffee
Lunch:
Deli sandwich on wheat bread, cottage cheese with fruit
Dinner:
Baked Fish, yellow rice, garden salad, glass of milk
Additionally, I do take a multi-vitamin, fish oil, calcium supplement, and glucosamine tablet daily as well as drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Thanks to Karla for submitting her story to cavegrrl.com. I am hoping to meet her on the day of the run and wish her luck in person! 🙂 Thanks to Nike and Whole Foods for allowing me to give two other women the chance to run in the race.
You can find Whole Foods on Facebook here and on twitter here. My local store is in Roseville on Facebook here.
You can find the Run Nike Women’s Series and more information on the race on Facebook here.
Nike Women’s Half Marathon Entry Winner #1: Congrats to Cathy!
You might recall a few weeks ago that Whole Foods Market, Nike and I gave away 2 entries to the sold out Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco.
I wanted you to meet the entry winners (I’ll be featuring one today and one next week), so you might perhaps comment below and cheer them on for the upcoming race on October 19th! Maybe you’ll even look them up in the race results following the race.
The first entry winner is Cathy Wiggs-Hong from the Los Angeles, California area. I asked Cathy to share a little bit about herself, her daily diet, and how she is preparing for the race:
Hi my name is Cathy. I am a 34 year old mother of 3 girls ages 9, 4 and 1.5. I am a stay at home mom with the girls now, but I previously worked as a pediatric physical therapist. I love to be active, and enjoy all outdoor activities. As a family, we love to go to the beach, the pool, and Disneyland.
The Nike Women’s half marathon will be my second half. I’ve completed many shorter distance races, but have actually come to enjoy the training and actual race of the 13,1 miles. I try to eat pretty healthy in general, as I am still nursing my youngest child, but I often find it difficult to keep it as healthy as I’d like because of how busy I am.
I find that when I food prep I eat much healthier, that is something I am striving to get more consistent with. I’ve also noticed that when I “eat clean” I feel so much better both physically and mentally, that is real motivation for me to try and keep it up.
The following food journal is what I ate today and is pretty typical of what I normally eat.
Breakfast: Yogurt with strawberries and blueberries
Snack: Baked mini flat pretzels and dill havarti cheese, honey crisp apple (shared with the littlest)
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with side salad
Dinner: BBQ’d hamburger with lettuce and avocado, baked sweet potato fries
Water throughout the day, as well as a multivitamin, glucosamine supplement, calcium, and a broad spectrum antioxidant supplement.
On days that I run, I also have a protein bar or shake following my runs.
Thanks to Cathy for submitting her story to cavegrrl.com. I am hoping to meet her on the day of the run and wish her luck in person! 🙂 Thanks to Nike and Whole Foods for allowing me to give two other women the chance to run in the race.
You can find Whole Foods on Facebook here and on twitter here. My local store is in Roseville on Facebook here.
You can find the Run Nike Women’s Series and more information on the race on Facebook here.
River Run for Youth Wrap Up
Last Saturday, I ran the River Run for Youth in West Sacramento. I wanted to circle back and report on what a great time I had at the race, and give a little bit more about its beneficiary, Collings Teen Center.
I asked Gary Fox, executive director of Campus Life Connection (the non-profit organization that administrates Collings Teen Center) for some more information about the center itself and about how the idea for the River Run for Youth began.
Cavegrrl:
Can you tell me a little more about the services Collings Teen Center provides?
Gary Fox:
The Teen Center offers afterschool options including: tutoring, recreation, field trips, camps, competition, free afternoon meal and service projects. The age for the teen center participants is middle school through high school. The program is for any young person in the West Sacramento area and it is free.
Cavegrrl:
How did the idea of a 5K come to mind as a fundraiser?
Gary Fox:
The idea started with a group of people who wanted to do something to support the center and the next steps included talking to several people who have been doing runs to find out how to put one together, who should we talk to about managing the event and helping with logistics, where should we hold it and who should we talk to about participating.
Cavegrrl:
How did you get Capital Road Race Management and Fleet Feet involved with the race?
Gary Fox:
Both groups have been very helpful and responded with coaching and ideas when we approached them to do a run.
Cavegrrl:
Are you hoping to make the race an annual event?
Gary Fox:
We are planning our next year’s event now, having learned so much from this first year we are excited about the possibilities for the next one.
Cavegrrl:
Besides running the race, how can people donate to Collings Teen Center? Also, do you take volunteers?
Gary Fox:
We encourage people to visit and see what is going on and how the program impacts young people, we accept donation of cash, but we also accept food, clothing and other items as needs arise. We are always looking for volunteers who will be consistent and build relationships with young people.
Thanks, Gary!
I mentioned that I ran in the race (3.1 miles) as one leg of 11.25 miles I ended up running that day. I finished 2nd in my division (30-39) and took home a nice glass tumbler and medal for it 🙂 Below is my Garmin readout from the race with a map of the course.
Speaking of the course, I will say it’s a not a flat one. There are some hills in there. And if you’re a good cross country runner, you would really like it, as only about 1.5 miles of the race are on paved roads. The rest is gravel and dirt. 🙂 And you finish right on the baseball field, which is again, dirt. 🙂 Below are my official results:
Here’s the link to the rest of the official race results: CLICK HERE
If you have the chance, come out and run with us next year!
The Collings Teen Center invests in the lives of young people in the West Sacramento Community. Our purpose is to Embrace, Engage and Empower.
Designed to be a safe place where young people will always feel welcomed to hangout after school, a place where computers, basketball, games and activities are blended with tutoring, community service, educational seminars, and trips outside the area, job training and connection to men and women who are leaders in the community.
Young people need caring adults in their lives that will be a positive influence, listen to their issues, encourage good decisions, and celebrate their successes.
You can follow the River Run for Youth on twitter here and find them on Facebook here.
Raley’s Presents River Run for Youth 5K Run/Walk on Sat, Sept. 20, 2014 at 8:30am!
The 1st Annual River Run for Youth sponsored by Raley’s will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at Raley Field, West Sacramento, California. The event includes a timed and untimed 5K Run/Walk and a FREE ¼ Mile Kids Race. Stick around after the main event if your child wants a chance to run the bases!
Race Beneficiaries
The River Run for Youth benefits Collings Teen Center.
A non-profit organization investing in the lives of young people in the West Sacramento Community whose purpose is to Embrace, Engage and Empower.
Race Features
Cotton T- shirts (click here to view the race shirt); Scenic river course finishing inside Raley Field; Timing by Capital Road Race Management; Ideal weather; Delicious post-race food and access to the Raley Field Kids’ Corner.
A chance for any child who wants to run the bases will take place after the main event!
All participants in the Kids’ Race will receive a finisher’s medal. Race shirts are not available for the Free Kids’ Race.
There will be an awards ceremony at appx. 9:30am.
Start Times
¼ mile Kids race (10 & under): 8:00 am
5k Run/Walk: 8:30am
Please arrive early allowing plenty of time before your race start.
Walkers and strollers will start at the back of the timed participants.
Sorry, No Refunds
Register online. CLICK HERE
Race Day Registration
You will be able to register on Race Day starting at 7:00 am.
On Site Registration & Packet Pickup
You can register and/or pick up your race packet on Friday (9/19) from 10am to 7pm at the Collings Teen Center and on Race Day.
NOTE: Pre-registered participants may also pick up their race packets on Race Day starting at 7:00am.
Race Timing
Timing will be provided by Capital Road Race Management.
Awards
All participants in the ¼ mile Kids Race will receive completion medals.
Trophies will be given to the overall 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers of the 5K. Awards will be given out to the top 3 finishers in each age division of the 5K.
Age Divisions
12 and under, 13-18, 19-29, 30–39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+
Awards will not be mailed so please listen for your name at the award ceremony approximately one hour after the start of the 5K race, if you think you finished in the top three in your age group. If you fail to pick up your award on race day, you can pick up your award at Collings Teen Center. Please call the Teen Center to coordinate a time to pick up your award.
Time Limits
¼ mile Kids Race: 20 minutes
5k runners/walkers will have a ONE – hour time limit to complete the course.
Water Stations
There will be one water station at the halfway point (appx.) of the 5K. The water station will be supported by local volunteers and will include water and a sports drink.
Driving Directions
Raley Field is located at 400 Ballpark Drive, just west of Old Sacramento and the Sacramento River.
BUSINESS 80 WESTBOUND/US 50 WESTBOUND
Folsom, Fair Oaks, Rancho Cordova, etc.)
Business 80 West to Jefferson Blvd/Fifth St. Exit
Keep Right to exit at Fifth St.
I-80 EASTBOUND
Interstate 80 Eastbound to Capital City Freeway (Bus. 80/US – 50) to South Lake Tahoe.
Exit Jefferson Blvd./Downtown Sacramento.
Keep to the Left and take the Downtown Sacramento exit.
Turn Right on Fifth St.
1-5 NORTHBOUND
Interstate 5 Northbound to Business 80/US – 50 Westbound toward San Francisco
Exit at Jefferson Blvd./Fifth St.
Keep Right to exit Fifth St.
1-5 SOUTHBOUND
Interstate 5 Southbound to Hwy 50/I-80 Westbound
Exit at Jefferson Blvd./Fifth St.
Keep Right to exit Fifth.
Parking
Please click on the link below to view the parking map at Raley Field.
5K Course
Start Line – On 5th St. at Raley Field between Tower Bridge Gateway and Ballpark Dr;
Mile 1– On Lighthouse Dr.; between Watercolor Ln and Marina Wy
Mile 1.5 (appx) – water station
Mile 2– Located on the River Walk; between the Pers. Building and the Pyramid Building
Mile 3 – Located on the warning track at Raley Field; SE of the centerfield gate.
Finish Line – Inside Raley Field!!
Certified 5k
The River Run for Youth 5k is distance-certified by Fleet Feet Sports. Official race timing by Capital Road Race Management.
The Collings Teen Center invests in the lives of young people in the West Sacramento Community. Our purpose is to Embrace, Engage and Empower.
Designed to be a safe place where young people will always feel welcomed to hangout after school, a place where computers, basketball, games and activities are blended with tutoring, community service, educational seminars, and trips outside the area, job training and connection to men and women who are leaders in the community.
Young people need caring adults in their lives that will be a positive influence, listen to their issues, encourage good decisions, and celebrate their successes.
You can follow the River Run for Youth on twitter here and find them on Facebook here. Hope to see you on Saturday! 🙂
Post-Race Wrap Up: Nike Women’s Half Marathon Series
It’s been exactly one week since I crossed the finish line in San Francisco at the Nike Women’s Half Marathon. I was so honored to have run with the Whole Foods Market team and promote their stores. It makes me so happy to have a fitness/healthy living themed website and that I can inspire others to take care of themselves just a little bit better/more.
This website keeps me motivated, too. It keeps me in such a good place mentally with food and exercise. I would never expect someone else to live a lifestyle that I had not already adopted for myself. It makes me happy to be nearly 100% gluten free and about 90% sugar free. I feel so grateful that Whole Foods Market reached out to me and offered a place for me in a sold out race, paid for my race entry, and funded nearly all groceries I brought home in the last two months. It was such an advantage to have the best food available to me (local, organic, grass-fed, you name it) to nourish my body and help train for the race.
So here are some photos I took and some reflections I had on the race:
I was unable to pick up my bib prior to the Expo, so I attended on Saturday. Props to the staff at the Expo for being so efficient. I walked right up to an open computer kiosk and was helped immediately. I also received my pace bracelet so I knew where to line up for the start of the race the next day.
Then I met with some of the staff at the Whole Foods booth inside the Expo. I was given my team shirt that I was supposed to wear during the race (if I wanted to wear it) and I was all set! Let the nerves kick in…
But first, it was dinner at a great restaurant (walking distance from the hotel in which I stayed) called Le Charm. I posted this picture because I was wearing the Nike Women’s Finisher’s necklace from last year that my friend Maria gave me. By the way, if you are ever in San Francisco check out Le Charm (SOMA district). They have a great $35 pre fixe dinner and a very sensible wine list.
A little bit about the race. It’s crowded. Like, really crowded. This race had a record 30,000 participants. And the pace bracelets we were given didn’t mean much because somehow despite being corralled in the second wave of runners, there was a huge bottleneck from people who were walkers/joggers and must have taken off during the first start time. It was bob and weave for nearly the entire race. But, it was the biggest race I have ever run in, so there was really no way around it. And the course was challenging. If you have ever run the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati, it was similar to that, only a little higher in total elevation gain.
So, those were the little caveats of the race. And here’s me running in it! 🙂
The positives? Quite a lot. The weather was perfect. It was pretty chilly before the start of the race, but I stayed about a half mile from the starting line, so I jogged to it as a warm up.
The same course I described earlier as challenging, is also quite amazing and scenic. You get to see a lot of touristy San Francisco, as well park areas and some very nice residential areas. I loved running past the Argonaut Hotel, Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, and the Buena Vista Café (Fisherman’s Wharf). And one good thing about the hills that start just after that, if you must run uphill, you then get to run back down! Thanks to a few long runs in Incline Village, I am more able to handle/control my downhill running, so I was able to take advantage of the downhills to make up some of the time I lost to the crowds earlier in the race. And I know I was smiling in the photo below because I was feeling strong and there was a great song channeling into my ears. The air felt so good on my head and in my lungs.
The spectators were pretty thick along the course and it makes me happy to think that some of them are just locals who got out of bed and wanted to watch all the runners go by.
My official chip time was 1:55:14, which was an 8:48 min/mile pace. Not a PR, but I am happy with my time considering the circumstances. I finished 139th out of 3065 people. And yes, the part about receiving a Tiffany necklace from a San Francisco firefighter when you finish the race is true!! So, I get to wear my “medal” for this half marathon every single day.
When I got home from San Francisco that afternoon, I ran 3.1 more miles because I knew I would be pretty trashed the next day anyway. I also thought about all the women who had just run the full marathon. And my total for the day 16.7-ish still didn’t even come close to the majestic 26.2. That day got my mileage for the next week off to a great start, and by yesterday I had put in 55.7 miles… which is the most I have ever run in a week. Am I considering a marathon? You bet I am. But I still don’t feel like I am ready. I would like to run at least 3 or for more 1/2 marathons and a 20 mile race before I attempt to run a full marathon. The reason why is because I would like to run the entire marathon as opposed to walking any of it. To me, that’s the point of a race of any distance. To run it as fast as you can on that given day–although nine times out of ten the race will not be perfect, so you suck it up and just try and do your best.
I took this shot of me wearing my finisher’s shirt and my 2013 finisher’s necklace. You can tell I was tired, but felt so satisfied. Thank you SO MUCH Whole Foods Northern California for asking me to partner with you for this event and I hope we can do it again next year!! 🙂
You can find Whole Foods on Facebook here and on twitter here. My local store is in Roseville on Facebook here. The Nike Women’s Series is on Facebook here.
I Ran the Run for Courage: The Race to End Human Trafficking
I’ll begin by saying that “human trafficking” should just be referred to as “sex slavery” because that’s exactly what it is. Human trafficking is just too light of a term to describe what goes on every day. Even in the United States. Even in my state. Even in Sacramento, California.
There are an estimated 4 to 27 million slaves in the world today. Slavery by modern standards has been broken into 2 categories by Unicef and the US government: Sex Trafficking and Labor Trafficking. Sex trafficking as: “a commercial sex act that is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age.”
And there are 100,000-300,000 sex slaves in the U.S. Right now. In 2013. Typically the victims are young girls (average age is 13) who seek love, affection, approval. Approximately 60% are foster home youths. Vulnerable souls who may be homeless, bullied or orphaned. The statistics are sickening. We live in an evil world.
Some victims don’t report their situation because they are afraid. Or they are shamed. Or maybe they are just loyal to their “master”. Sometimes it’s just hopelessness that leads their silence. My heart is heavy for these broken souls, and that is why I am trying to help the Run for Courage, Inc. organization and Vicki Zito spread her message.
Vicki Zito founded Run For Courage after her 17 year old girl was taken from local suburb and made a sex slave for 8 days before the FBI finally came to her rescue. Following the tragedy, and having never heard the term “sex trafficking”, Vicki Zito, Ashlie Bryant, Stephanie Loos, Amy Johnson, founded Run For Courage, Inc.
Here are some other facts from the Run for Courage website:
- It is estimated that 100,000 to 300,000 children are being sexually exploited each year in the United States and approximately 1.2 million sex trafficked victims overseas.
- The average age of the victims recovered in The United States is 13 years; overseas, the average age is 10 years.
- Trafficking of minor girls is the fastest growing crime in the U.S.
- Pimps can make up to $652,000 on 4 girls
- Convictions net 5-8 years in CA
- With “good behavior” it is much less
- Convictions net 12-15 years from the Feds
I found out about the organization when a friend of mine (Jed, winner of the 5K for 3 years in a row) ran the race last year and afterward attended a party that Andy and I were having. He was wearing the medal he won and he told us a little about the race and the cause.
I then found Run for Courage online, but it still didn’t register to me how much of a massive problem that sex slavery really is (even locally). It was not until this year then I was sent an email from my blogger buddy Margaret asking if their were any bloggers out there who would be interested in covering the 2013 Race for Courage (taking pictures of the race and writing about it). And then there was the moving interview with Ashlie Bryant I heard on the Armstrong and Getty show. You can listen to the interview here.
I immediately called Erin Walsh (Margaret’s contact for the organization), because my plan was to see if she might be interested in having me actually run the race and write about it from a runner’s point of view. We spoke for a while about the sort of post I would write, and a few days later I was on my way to pick up my race packet at Sports Authority in Folsom.
I was not sure whether I wanted to run the 5K or the 10K… I was eager to try and improve my times for both distances. I finally decided on the 10K, and decided I would try and break 50:00 mins. (My PR at the time was 50:31.)
Everything was perfect the morning of the race. The weather cooperated, and I had plenty to eat and just enough sleep the night before. I put on my running clothes and pinned on my number, and I was ready for battle!
The Run for Courage was one of the best organized local races I have run. There is such a great vibe in the air. There are so many volunteers and sponsors at Run for Courage. Even though we all gathered there together to benefit a cause born out of an unpleasant situation, everyone had a smile on their face. There were even entire families that ran the race together. The course was very well marked and there was always someone to cheer you on and point you in the right direction to keep you on course.
As for me, I ran as hard as I could. The entire time. The course is not an easy one. It is mostly paved, but it is a bit hilly, and there are many parts of the course where I was running on dirt, gravel, and across several foot bridges. I found a few people to run with that really kept me going, but by the fourth mile, I was getting a little tired. I remembered thinking about a training run i had done the week before that was 11.25 miles long. I remember being at the 9th mile and thinking… “it’s only two more miles and we’re done.” So, I applied the same attitude to this race. I told myself that it would all be over in less than 20 minutes. I was not struggling for air, and I was not in pain. I actually felt blessed. So on I went, and I reached the finish line just 11 seconds shy of my goal. I crossed at 50:10, still a new personal record by 20 seconds! My average pace per mile was 8 minutes and 5 seconds. I was pretty thrilled with that.
Thanks to Erin Walsh and Ashlie Bryant for allowing me to be a part of the Run for Courage. I only hope I can encourage my readers to run the upcoming race in Oakland on November 2nd, or to join the race next year.
I hung around a little bit after the race to watch the awards ceremony, and to chat with some others who had also run the race. That day over 2,800 people registered to walk or run and there were 300 volunteers!
You can run the Run for Courage 5K or 10K on November 2nd in Oakland at Lake Merritt. Learn more and register for the race here.
You can visit the Run for Courage Facebook page here.
Fueled by Whole Foods! (Nike Women’s Half Marathon Series)
So, I finally had time to get out to Whole Foods and start using the gift card they gave me to feed myself during my half marathon training (the Women’s Nike Half Marathon in San Francisco on October 20th). For about $65 dollars, here’s what I bought:
- 1/2 Gallon So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk
(will use in smoothies, sometimes morning coffee) - 1 pound bag frozen raspberries
(will use in protein shakes with protein powder, ice and coconut milk) - 1 package Diestel sliced herbed turkey breast
(love their products, a healthy splurge indeed!) - 1 head of organic cauliflower
- 1 small block of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
(.25 pounds or so, my biggest splurge on the list!) - 3 pound bag frozen triple berry blend
(will use in protein shakes with protein powder, ice and coconut milk) - 2.87 pounds of broccoli crowns
- 1.17 pounds of organic bananas
(will use in protein shakes with protein powder, ice and coconut milk) - 1.82 pounds of Grenache grapes
- 1 pound of Organic Girl Super Greens
- 1.5 pounds of parsnips
- .75 pounds of coconut flour
(will use in occasional treats after long runs) - ,75 pounds of almond meal
(will use sparingly to make gluten free bread or occasional treats) - 1 orange flesh honeydew melon (my favorite fruit!!)
This was my awesome dinner tonight, almost all of it made from the ingredients on my shopping list today from Whole Foods. It was a Diestel Turkey salad (2 1/2 slices), on a bed of Organic Girl Super Greens (dandelion, arugula, spinach mix), 2 hard boiled eggs, 1-2 Tbs grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, eggplant “croutons” and studded with about 1/2 cup of organic Grenache grapes. I don’t typically use dressing because the egg and cheese make everything so flavorful I don’t need it. 🙂
As far as the running goes, I have an app called Runkeeper to log my daily mileage. Here’s a look at my run this past Sunday. I wanted to put in a long run on the roads because I had not done one in a while. I was even wondering if I could make it past 10 miles! Followed by the map are my mile splits:
1 mi: 9:05
+12 ft elevation climb
2 mi: 9:07 +1 ft elevation climb
3 mi: 9:01 -10 ft elevation loss
4 mi: 9:18 -3 ft elevation loss
5 mi: 8:44 -18 ft elevation loss
(water stop at 5.25 miles)
6 mi: 8:59 +23 ft elevation climb
(ran kinda through the mall and through the tunnel into Old Sac… AWESOME)
7 mi: 8:09 +15 ft elevation climb
8 mi: 8:20 -5ft elevation loss
9 mi: 8:35: +4ft elevation climb
(water stop around 9 miles)
10 mi: 8:36 -3ft elevation loss
11 mi: 8:47 +4ft elevation climb
12 mi: (last .24 of my run in front of the Sacramento Zoo) 9:38 -8ft elevation loss
=========
I am planning on running a short race the first weekend of October, but otherwise will mostly be concentrating on building my road tolerance and endurance.
If you would like to check out my profile and my running on Runkeeper, click here.
Look for another post using my groceries from Whole Foods, coming this week and more on my training as well!
You can find Whole Foods on Facebook here and on twitter here. My local store is in Roseville on Facebook here. The Nike Women’s Series is on Facebook here. Now get out there and go running! 🙂
The Nike Women’s Half Marathon San Francisco: I’m Running with Whole Foods!
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! 😛
I’ll never forget how I felt after my first half marathon. Or how I felt right before it. I was so intimidated. I had never run a race longer than 9.3 miles (In November 2011, The Hot Chocolate 15K in Chicago), and I distinctly recall not wanting to run another step after that event. But, in May 2012, I ran the Border Energy Cincinnati Flying Pig Half Marathon in just under 2 hours (1:58:49).
You can tell from the picture just how elated I was to even finish the race! Under 2 hours part was only icing on the cake. 🙂
So now, after running three half marathons, I’m very excited to announce that my fourth half marathon will be the Nike Women’s Half Marathon on October 20th in San Francisco, and I will be running on behalf of Whole Foods!!
Annually, 30,000+ people come to San Francisco to run the Nike Women’s Marathon (benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). This year, the race will celebrate its 10-year anniversary and Whole Foods Market will be the official grocery sponsor.
I am particularly excited to run in a marathon that happens to be the world’s largest women’s foot race (though men participate too). I also heard a rumor that there will be a Tiffany & Co. finisher’s necklace for every runner at the finish line. And that firefighters (IN TUXEDOS!) will be handing them out. Oh. My. You know I’m only in this for the jewelry, right? 😉
Over the next 6 weeks until the race, I will be working with Whole Foods and keeping track of my food and training right here on my website. During that time, I will be sharing recipes and some of my workouts. I most likely will post in a weekly format to give a breakdown of what I ate and the miles I ran. I feel so honored to be journaling this race and the time leading up to it. A big thanks to Whole Foods, as they are funding my groceries until the race as well!
Here’s a map of the course (highlighting the full and the half).
It means even more to me that I was given an entry into the race because I am not an elite runner, but more of a “bridge” runner that can connect people doing this the first time to people of an intermediate skill level. Remember, I didn’t do anything more than walking until I was in my late 20’s, and I didn’t start racing competitively until 2 years ago. And now, I’m on a team, too–The River City Rebels. So, if I can do this, so can you!
Is anyone else running the Nike Women’s Half Marathon or the Marathon? I am really looking forward to it. I have my hotel picked out and am already getting butterflies!! Let’s do this!
You can find Whole Foods on Facebook here and on twitter here. My local store is in Roseville on Facebook here. The Nike Women’s Series is on Facebook here.
Girls on the Run 5K 3rd Annual Spring Race is this Saturday, May 18th!
Girls on the Run of Greater Sacramento will be holding their 3rd annual 5k race in Natomas on May 18, 2013 at 9:00am at North Natomas Regional Park. The spring run will benefit Girls on the Run of Greater Sacramento, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which currently serves over 600 girls throughout Sacramento, Natomas, El Dorado Hills, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rocklin, Roseville and Yolo County. The mission of Girls on the Run is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.
The race is being emceed by KCRA’s Edie Lambert and her husband Lloyd Lavine. The race start and finish will take place on Via Ingoglia in front of Inderkum High School. The 5k is a designed to be a fun and supportive community event for families. Sponsor booths and kid-friendly activities will be on site, including a face painter and cheer sign booth where supporters can make signs to cheer on their runners. Walkers and runners of all ages, genders and abilities are welcome to register and attend! A pre-race group warm-up will be led by Fitness Rangers of East Sacramento, and prizes will be awarded to the top male and female finishers.
Girls on the Run of Greater is a curriculum based youth sports program for girls in grades 3-8. The program stresses the importance of equally developing the emotional, mental, social and physical aspects of each girl. The curriculum encourages independent thinking, healthy group dynamics and problem solving and emphasizes the importance of making healthy choices. The girls, led by trained coaches and volunteers, meet two times per week for 12 weeks every spring and fall. The goal of the program is to foster a respect for healthy living while celebrating each girl. Every practice focuses on fitness, character development, positive reinforcement of each individual child, and having fun, while training each girl to run a 5K. Each of GOTR’s 12-week seasons culminate in a 5K run where parents, coaches, teachers, families and friends gather to celebrate and support the girls who, for many, are running their first 5K.
Interested in running or volunteering? Registration is still open! Visit www.gotrsac.org site to learn more about the Girls on the Run organization and register! You can also click here to register! You can find Girls on the Run Sacramento on Facebook here.
New PR and More Bubbly to Celebrate!
This probably won’t come as much of a shock, but I love to celebrate. Any excuse to open a bottle of sparkling wine is fine with me. My last post showcased a Prosecco on a Sunday afternoon, and this post features another Prosecco Andy and I tried on a Sunday afternoon. (As in yesterday, to be exact.) 🙂
This time, we opened a bottle of Prosecco to celebrate finishing the Clarksburg Country Run Half Marathon (my 3rd half marathon this year), and my new personal record for the time it took me to finish. This half marathon was my last chance to get a long distance race in for the year, and Andy really helped build my confidence when he told me that I was in great half marathon shape and I could definitely P.R. I am also happy to report that I placed 6th out of 27 in my division (35-40 year old females). My official time was 1:53:17, knocking off 58 seconds of my previous half marathon time (Avenue of the Vines back in May).
So now that I’m done bragging ;), let’s get to the wine!
The Mionetto Prosecco Brut is made from 100% Prosecco D.o.c Treviso grapes. Recommended serving temperature is between 43° and 46° F
The Mionetto Prosecco Brut is dry and light (the alcohol content is 11%) with just a touch of golden apple. You could use it as a base for Bellinis and other sparkling wine cocktails, but I suggest drinking this one on its own. We tried this wine right before and leading into dinner. It went very well with the fennel salami and caper salad with olive oil and lemon dressing Andy made. I cut up the crispy ends of a Diestel turkey we had left from Saturday night and topped the salad with the meat. The wine is also well suited to fruit and cheeses.
And I’m not the only one who likes this Prosecco. The wine has rated 89 points in Wine Enthusiast, a “Best of Tasting” and “Best Value” in the Wall Street Journal.
You can find this wine in Sacramento at Cost Plus and BevMo and it retails for around $14. Salute!
River City Rebels Rebellion Recap and Gold Rush Fun Run!
So, I just joined a running club last month called the River City Rebels. The Rebels were founded in 1994 by Andy Harris and Mark Hicks, and now have over 100 members–both newcomers to the sport, as well as those with over 20 years of running experience. The River City Rebels Running Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization through their affiliate membership in the RRCA.
It’s a great group of really talented people and I am happy to be a part of the team. I am mainly a treadmill runner, so it’s quite a literal chance of pace for me to run out on the roads and even cross-country.
The 2nd Annual River City Rebel Rebellion was just this past weekend, and I competed in the PAUSATF division. It was my first cross-country race ever. I came in 72nd out of 78 women, and yes, most of the women behind me were a lot older. Still, I feel great about how I did. The 5K course was very challenging with 3 big hills and mixed terrain. I am looking forward to racing with the Rebels for the remainder of the season. Running with people who are a lot faster than you can really motivate!!
I truly have mixed feelings about running competitively. Though I am not a fast runner, I definitely am an endurance runner. My PR for a 1/2 Marathon is 1:54:15. I feel very proud of that.
The above images of the 2nd Annual River City Rebel Rebellion were taken by me and the shot of the Men’s Open Race was taken by Cristian Morinico.
Gold Rush Fun Run
My next race will be the Gold Rush Fun Run and I will be running the 10-miler. I don’t have a 10-mile PR, but I ran 1:22:39 last year at the Hot Chocolate 15K, which is 9.3 miles. If I can beat that pace (which is 8:53 mins per mile) I will be pleased.
The Gold Rush Fun Run & Walk benefits InAlliance, a nonprofit organization serving people with developmental disabilities. For more information about InAlliance, you can visit their website at www.inallianceinc.com.
The race is set for Saturday, September 22, 2012
Its background is the Sierra Nevada Foothills along the El Dorado Trail. Participants weave their way along a trail, which was once the historic Southern Pacific Railway line, and now features picturesque scenery and an abundance of wildlife.
You can sign up for the 10 Mile, 10K, 5K or 1 mile race followed by an after party with snacks, vendor booth, music, raffle prizes and awards ceremony. The 10 Mile, 10K and 5K runs will be chip timed by Synergy Race Timing. 5K walk and 1 mile stroll are untimed.
The Gold Rush Fun Run & Walk course map is located here: http://goldrushfunrun.com/about/course-maps/
You can register for the race and walk here.
All participants registered for the Gold Rush Fun Run & Walk will receive two free raffle tickets for our Gold Nugget Raffle!
2012 Prizes include a Lake Tahoe Getaway, Specialty Spa Package, and many more. Additional raffle tickets may be purchased the day of the event- 5 tickets for $5, 10 tickets for $10 and 25 tickets for $25.
Important things to know about the race:
TIMES:
7:00am: Packet/Bib Pick-up and Registration
8:30am: 10 Mile Run START
8:45am: 10K Run START
9:00am: 5K Run/Walk START
9:15am: 1 Mile Stroll START
10:30am: Raffle Prizes and Awards Ceremony
12:00pm: Event Concludes
PACKET PICK-UP:
Thursday. September 20, 2012
9:00am-4:30pm at the INALLIANCE Sacramento Office located at 6950 21st Ave, Sacramento, CA 95820.
Friday, September 21, 2012
9:00am-4:30pm at the INALLIANCE Placerville Office
located at 660 Main Street, Placerville, CA 95667.
Race Day- Saturday, September 22, 2012
Beginning at 7:00am at the Registration Table in the parking lot of the El Dorado Trail- County Trail Head located on Jacquier Road, Placerville, CA 95667. Click Here for Map
Friends may pick-up packets and register for you. No entry refunds, transfers or exchanges. Dogs with well behaved owners on short leashes welcome.
Awards: The top three overall male and female finishers in the 10 mile, 10k and 5k races will receive custom medals. Age division awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers in each of the following divisions: 12 and Under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+.
All races will take place rain or shine.
For more information, you can call 916-381-1300 x170. Hope to see you there!
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