Tonight, after many hours sitting in traffic, I finally arrived in Yuba City for the long Thanksgiving weekend. I even got to leave early from work, and it still took me over two hours just to get as far as Davis (which usually takes a little over an hour). Uggg. I guess the cheap gas prices meant more people were able to travel out of town for Thanksgiving.
Even though it's a holiday week, we still had our Buddy Run on Tuesday night. After an unhealthy dinner and drinks at Happy Hour with Lindsay on Monday night, and in anticipation of some heavy eating on Thanksgiving, I was happy to get out there for a run. Since Lindsay's yoga partner had canceled on her, she decided to come out and join us too! We had a much smaller group this week and none of the "steadier" people were there, which meant that I ran with one of my mentees that's a little faster than I am. We ran about 18 minutes out and then back and went about 3.2 miles-- at the end of the run my watch said that we were running at an average pace of a little over 11 minutes miles, including the short walk break we took at the turn around. That's one thing I love about running in the winter... I can push myself a little harder, at least for the shorter distances.
Since I'm in YC until Sunday and won't be working out tomorrow night, or on Saturday with the team, I brought my running clothes so that I can do a little running while I'm at my parent's. We'll see if that actually happens :) In YC we don't have all the nice trails that we have in the Bay Area and it's much harder to motivate myself to go running out on the street!
I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Happy Turkey Day!!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Dreams of Pie
Thanksgiving is almost here :D I can already taste my mom's yummy pumpkin pie! All the talk over the weekend seemed to be about Thanksgiving... where people are going, who they're celebrating it with, what they're eating, etc. It's all that seems to be on people's minds and I forget that I still have three days of work, and a Buddy Run, before I'm off to see the family :(
On Saturday our team met up for our first real Coached Run. Last weekend was technically a Coached Run but since we just did a few loops around the track it didn't feel like one. It felt like track practice, but in the daylight! Saturday we met up at Berkeley Marina for a fairly short 2-4 mile run. As short as that seems to me, it's not such a short run for most of the newbies on our team. For many, it's the furthest they've ever run. After some announcements, a warm up and a stretch, we were all on our way. The weather over at the marina couldn't have been more gorgeous. It started out cold, but clear and sunny and after a warm up, we were all toasty warm!
The first mile of the run there is basically around Cesar Chavez Park near the marina. I caught up with one of my mentees around the 1 mile mark and asked her how far she was going. She said she only wanted to do 2 miles, but instead of turning around at one mile, she was going to go to the water stop around mile 2, and then walk back. We ran together out to the water stop, which was just short of two miles, did some refueling and then made our way back. Although my mentee had intended to just walk back, she ended up running the entire way back with me!
After the run I had a mentor group social with one of the other Mentors on my team. 5 out of my 7 mentees were able to come and Phil even joined us too! We went down the street to Seabreeze, which is kind of a glorified fruit stand. I had been worried about going there since the only seating is outside, and the weather at the marina can be iffy. It was still really sunny and not too cold by the time we made it down there for brunch. We had a really good time visiting with eachother and hanging out for a little while!
Later that night Rocky and his fellow MotherHumbuckers played out at the Rockit Room in SF. Phil, Claudia and I met up for dinner in Montclair and then headed over to the city. The boys did a great job, as usual, and since they went on pretty early, we all got home at a decent time!
Friday, November 21, 2008
The end of week 2
Bye bye heat wave... welcome back cold :( I'm still not in cold weather mode yet... I've been so cold lately at home and at work and keep forgetting that I can just turn the heat on!
Well, it's almost the end of our 2nd week of training and everything is going really well! We met up for the Buddy Run at Heather Farms on Tuesday. A few people from the week before were missing, but we had a few new people so we still had a nice sized group. I ran with one of the new girls and we did 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back. She's a tad faster than me, but not at the point where she can run the whole distance yet so we got in some good running, with a few walk breaks thrown in.
Wednesday night I didn't do anything. It's supposed to be a cross training day but since I don't cross train (shhh, don't tell on me!), I just spent the evening relaxing, and actually cooked dinner for myself :)
Last night I went over to DVC for track again. We had gotten the okay to actually work out at the track, but when I arrived the track was dark and there were some TNT people just standing outside one of the gates. Uh oh. I don't know what the problem was, but they ended up tracking down the guy with the key, and had someone else turn on the lights, so we were able to use the track after all! And boy what a difference it makes working out on a real track! After some stretching and a warm up lap, we did a bunch of intervals. We ran a hard lap and a half, and then walked for a half lap to cool down. They we did alternating sections of skipping and walking for a half lap, and then a lap with a half lap cool down. We repeating that but with lunging instead of skipping and boy it was hard to run after doing all those lunges! My legs felt like really tight. The last thing we did was two hard laps and then a cool down lap.
Well, it's almost the end of our 2nd week of training and everything is going really well! We met up for the Buddy Run at Heather Farms on Tuesday. A few people from the week before were missing, but we had a few new people so we still had a nice sized group. I ran with one of the new girls and we did 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back. She's a tad faster than me, but not at the point where she can run the whole distance yet so we got in some good running, with a few walk breaks thrown in.
Wednesday night I didn't do anything. It's supposed to be a cross training day but since I don't cross train (shhh, don't tell on me!), I just spent the evening relaxing, and actually cooked dinner for myself :)
Last night I went over to DVC for track again. We had gotten the okay to actually work out at the track, but when I arrived the track was dark and there were some TNT people just standing outside one of the gates. Uh oh. I don't know what the problem was, but they ended up tracking down the guy with the key, and had someone else turn on the lights, so we were able to use the track after all! And boy what a difference it makes working out on a real track! After some stretching and a warm up lap, we did a bunch of intervals. We ran a hard lap and a half, and then walked for a half lap to cool down. They we did alternating sections of skipping and walking for a half lap, and then a lap with a half lap cool down. We repeating that but with lunging instead of skipping and boy it was hard to run after doing all those lunges! My legs felt like really tight. The last thing we did was two hard laps and then a cool down lap.
My group, minus one!
After track we all hung around chatting and taking pictures. I really like my group and they've all been very good about responding to my calls and emails, and showing up at the workouts. At track I had 6 out of my 7 mentees there, which is probably the best attendance I've had in all the season's that I've mentored!! The teams seems to really be coming together!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Heat Wave!
Just when I put away my flip flops (not literally put them away-- they're still lying at the bottom of my closet-- but mentally put them away), put on my winter sheets and add on an extra comforter, we have a heat wave. Go figure. BUT, I'm not complaining! It's still been nice a cool at night, but it's been getting warmer during the day. It has been nice that our first team runs have been in this "global warming" winter, and not in the freezing cold!
Last week we had our first track workout on Thursday night. I think everyone was really excited about being able to work out on a nice new track at DVC but unfortunately that didn't happen. We got word at the last minute that the track was "no longer available" to us but in true East Bay Rocks fashion, we made due with what we had available, meaning the parking lot across the street :) While we stared longingly at the beautiful, well-lit track across the street, Coach Al K. had us do an abbreviated circuit drill workout (Various exercises like planks, lunges and supermans, with a lap run in between each "circuit").
It's been a long time since I did any strength training or circuit drills (I think the last time was training for the New York Marathon, over a year ago) and boy did I feel some of those exercises the next day! By Friday night my abs and butt cheeks were killing me! I had a chance to loosen it all up though on Saturday at our Coached Run at Piedmont High School. We also held Marathon University on Saturday, so they kept the run very short... just a timed mile or two around the track. I was helping direct people to the track from the street so I missed the warm up and stretch but I made it down there in time for a few laps around the track. Then we all made the hike back up through the campus to our Marathon University location. At Marathon U. we learned about proper shoes, gear, nutrition and stretching/injury prevention... all the things that new runners need to know :)
Later Saturday night Claudia, Rocky and I drove out to San Rafael to help celebrate Brandy's birthday and check out her new digs :D As usual, the birthday party was a lot of fun-- Brandy made some yummy food and a sinfully delicious cake and we got to enjoy the nice weather outside!
Sunday was an extremely lazy day. I'm almost too embarrassed to say how lazy of a day it was. Let's just say that I didn't do anything. At all. But now I'm all rested for the busy week ahead!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Team Fearless
How do you like our new team name? I actually like it and hope that it proves to be a good description of us while we're out there running in the cold, dark and sometimes rain!
Saturday morning we had Kick Off in SF for Team In Training. It's been a little while since I've been a mentor and I was both nervous and excited about meeting my mentees. A few of them weren't able to make it but, since I was also looking out for a fellow mentor's mentees, it worked out well. It was a LONG day though! Phil picked me up at 6:10 so that we could carpool into the city together and after Kick Off and lunch afterwards with Claudia, I didn't get home until about 2:30!
Once I got home I took a short nap and then had to head out to the city again for my friend Kelvin's birthday. After dinner the whole group headed back to Kelvin's to hang out and play some games. It ended up being another late game night and I didn't roll into bed until the wee hours of the morning!
Thankfully I got to sleep in on Sunday and then relax at home for awhile. I had invited Claudia and Jeanette over for girl's day. We spent the afternoon talking and catching up with eachother. It was a nice, relaxing way to spent the afternoon!
Monday night I got together with the other TNT mentors, captains, coaches and manager for a social and training in Oakland. Although I have been through the training many times before, it was nice to get to know the rest of the volunteer staff. Since we weren't able to have our social before Kick Off, many of us met eachother for the first time AT Kick Off and even then, didn't have much time to get to know eachother. Everyone seems like a lot of fun and I think it's going to end up being a great season!
Last night we had our first official training... a Buddy Run at Heather Farms. We had a pretty good turnout... about 10 people total! We ended up doing about 3 miles and I found a group that seems to be roughly my pace. The weather was nice and we even had the moon to light the way for us a little! Even though we had a few newbies out there, everyone seemed to have a great first run!
Saturday morning we had Kick Off in SF for Team In Training. It's been a little while since I've been a mentor and I was both nervous and excited about meeting my mentees. A few of them weren't able to make it but, since I was also looking out for a fellow mentor's mentees, it worked out well. It was a LONG day though! Phil picked me up at 6:10 so that we could carpool into the city together and after Kick Off and lunch afterwards with Claudia, I didn't get home until about 2:30!
Once I got home I took a short nap and then had to head out to the city again for my friend Kelvin's birthday. After dinner the whole group headed back to Kelvin's to hang out and play some games. It ended up being another late game night and I didn't roll into bed until the wee hours of the morning!
Thankfully I got to sleep in on Sunday and then relax at home for awhile. I had invited Claudia and Jeanette over for girl's day. We spent the afternoon talking and catching up with eachother. It was a nice, relaxing way to spent the afternoon!
Monday night I got together with the other TNT mentors, captains, coaches and manager for a social and training in Oakland. Although I have been through the training many times before, it was nice to get to know the rest of the volunteer staff. Since we weren't able to have our social before Kick Off, many of us met eachother for the first time AT Kick Off and even then, didn't have much time to get to know eachother. Everyone seems like a lot of fun and I think it's going to end up being a great season!
Last night we had our first official training... a Buddy Run at Heather Farms. We had a pretty good turnout... about 10 people total! We ended up doing about 3 miles and I found a group that seems to be roughly my pace. The weather was nice and we even had the moon to light the way for us a little! Even though we had a few newbies out there, everyone seemed to have a great first run!
Joking with one of my mentees at the Buddy Run
Friday, November 07, 2008
Back to normal
After all the excitement of the election at the beginning of the week, life has now gone back to normal! Good thing I have the season of TNT on the horizon to keep things exciting!
Last night Amy and I had our last run together (not forever, just for the next few months) and we made it count! It was our first run after the time change so we both brought our headlamps in anticipation of the blackness. Because we knew we'd be running in the dark, we decided to head out in a different direction where the trail is a little more open, and less creepy at night. The only negative was that we were going to have the nice downhill on the way out, and the uphill on the way back. I know... wah, wah, wah! We started running at a pretty good pace, helped by the down slope. By the time we turned around, it was starting to get dark and quickly after it turned completely dark.
One thing I love about running at night is that you can't see the trail ahead of you... you don't see how big the hill is and you can't see how much further you need to run. You just run. When it seemed like we should be getting close to our cars, I started to go a little faster. It ended up that we weren't as close as I thought to the end but I kept pushing it until the end. At that point I just wanted to get the darn run over with! Amy and were both breathing pretty heavily once we stopped... but it felt good. I'm glad that I've been able to keep up (a little) with my running so hopefully I won't make a complete fool of myself at our first team workout!
Tomorrow is Kick Off for the new season. I'll get to meet my mentees, and also hopefully get to know some of my fellow mentors and cappies as well! For the first time (other than my first season), I don't really know anyone on the team, other than Phil. There will be a bunch of the usual crowd at Kick Off, but they're all doing different sports (boo hoo :() I am looking forward to meeting a bunch of new people though, and excited about mentoring again! GO TEAM!!
Last night Amy and I had our last run together (not forever, just for the next few months) and we made it count! It was our first run after the time change so we both brought our headlamps in anticipation of the blackness. Because we knew we'd be running in the dark, we decided to head out in a different direction where the trail is a little more open, and less creepy at night. The only negative was that we were going to have the nice downhill on the way out, and the uphill on the way back. I know... wah, wah, wah! We started running at a pretty good pace, helped by the down slope. By the time we turned around, it was starting to get dark and quickly after it turned completely dark.
One thing I love about running at night is that you can't see the trail ahead of you... you don't see how big the hill is and you can't see how much further you need to run. You just run. When it seemed like we should be getting close to our cars, I started to go a little faster. It ended up that we weren't as close as I thought to the end but I kept pushing it until the end. At that point I just wanted to get the darn run over with! Amy and were both breathing pretty heavily once we stopped... but it felt good. I'm glad that I've been able to keep up (a little) with my running so hopefully I won't make a complete fool of myself at our first team workout!
Tomorrow is Kick Off for the new season. I'll get to meet my mentees, and also hopefully get to know some of my fellow mentors and cappies as well! For the first time (other than my first season), I don't really know anyone on the team, other than Phil. There will be a bunch of the usual crowd at Kick Off, but they're all doing different sports (boo hoo :() I am looking forward to meeting a bunch of new people though, and excited about mentoring again! GO TEAM!!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
An Historic Evening
By yesterday afternoon, I was ready. I had read through my voter pamphlet, filled out my practice ballot and I was ready to vote! When I drove by the Elk's Lodge yesterday morning (my local polling place) I saw there was a line already starting to snake through the parking lot. I didn't have time to vote before work and I was hoping that line would be gone by the time I went to vote after work.
All day I read about the election day craziness and couldn't wait to cast my vote and hear the results! Thankfully when I stopped it at the Elk's Lodge, there were no lines at all and the voting process only took about 5 minutes. I was meeting up with my friend Ann a little later and since I still had time I went home to watch a little of the early election coverage. By the time I headed back downtown to meet Ann, they were reporting results from just a handful of states.
Ann and I had a nice evening at Havana but we were completely cut off from all the election coverage. When we left the restaurant around 9:00, we headed over to Starbucks to get our free coffee and heard a bunch of commotion coming from Pyramid a block over. On the way back to our cars, we stopped by to see what was going... we figured it had to be something related to the election. Sure enough, they were having a party for a bunch of election volunteers and the whole place was packed. We asked a woman selling Obama buttons outside what the latest news was and she told us that McCain had just conceded to Obama! WHAT???! I didn't expect to hear any results until a little later in the evening so I was surprised that we had our President already! Ann said that this will be one of those moments that we always remember and I think she's right. No matter who you voted for, this was an historic event and I think I'll always remember where I was the moment it happened! We stayed to watch a little of Obama's speech and soak up all the excitement! Once I got home, I turned on the TV to try and catch up on everything that had been going on.
WOO HOO... we have a new President!! I am very happy with the choice that America made! I'm excited to see what kind of changes Obama's Presidency will bring to our nation... and I'm hopeful that they will be the changes we need!
All day I read about the election day craziness and couldn't wait to cast my vote and hear the results! Thankfully when I stopped it at the Elk's Lodge, there were no lines at all and the voting process only took about 5 minutes. I was meeting up with my friend Ann a little later and since I still had time I went home to watch a little of the early election coverage. By the time I headed back downtown to meet Ann, they were reporting results from just a handful of states.
Ann and I had a nice evening at Havana but we were completely cut off from all the election coverage. When we left the restaurant around 9:00, we headed over to Starbucks to get our free coffee and heard a bunch of commotion coming from Pyramid a block over. On the way back to our cars, we stopped by to see what was going... we figured it had to be something related to the election. Sure enough, they were having a party for a bunch of election volunteers and the whole place was packed. We asked a woman selling Obama buttons outside what the latest news was and she told us that McCain had just conceded to Obama! WHAT???! I didn't expect to hear any results until a little later in the evening so I was surprised that we had our President already! Ann said that this will be one of those moments that we always remember and I think she's right. No matter who you voted for, this was an historic event and I think I'll always remember where I was the moment it happened! We stayed to watch a little of Obama's speech and soak up all the excitement! Once I got home, I turned on the TV to try and catch up on everything that had been going on.
WOO HOO... we have a new President!! I am very happy with the choice that America made! I'm excited to see what kind of changes Obama's Presidency will bring to our nation... and I'm hopeful that they will be the changes we need!
Monday, November 03, 2008
Rain
When they said rain was coming, they weren't lying!! At least the heavy rain seemed to hold off until all the trick-or-treating was over! Since trick-or-treaters don't come through my condo complex, the only ones I really saw were in Protrero Hill in SF, where I went for dinner with some friends. After a very late (at least for me) dinner at Goat Hill Pizza, we spent the next few hours playing board games. I know... it's not a crazy, rousing Halloween party but the competition and fun kept me up far later than a night of partying would have! By the time we left the city it was around 5:30 and after a yummy, greasy breakfast, I finally crawled in bed at about 7:00am. Wow... I can't remember the last time I stayed up that late!
Despite being up for over 24 hours, I didn't actually get much sleep once I did go to bed. I spent the rest of the day being a lazy bum and watching tv in my jammies. By this time it was pouring rain outside... definitely the kind of weather where you want to lay around all day in your jammies! I finally did "get up" and made it out for a filling BBQ dinner, movie and, because I didn't eat enough earlier apparently, some ice cream. There's nothing better than a big scoop of ice cream on a rainy day!
Sunday was pretty much another lazy day although I did fit in some grocery shopping and laundry. My weird sleep schedule, plus the time change really threw me off. By the time I decided I needed to go to bed, I wasn't able to get to sleep very easily. Hopefully a few days of normal sleep will get me back on track!
Despite being up for over 24 hours, I didn't actually get much sleep once I did go to bed. I spent the rest of the day being a lazy bum and watching tv in my jammies. By this time it was pouring rain outside... definitely the kind of weather where you want to lay around all day in your jammies! I finally did "get up" and made it out for a filling BBQ dinner, movie and, because I didn't eat enough earlier apparently, some ice cream. There's nothing better than a big scoop of ice cream on a rainy day!
Sunday was pretty much another lazy day although I did fit in some grocery shopping and laundry. My weird sleep schedule, plus the time change really threw me off. By the time I decided I needed to go to bed, I wasn't able to get to sleep very easily. Hopefully a few days of normal sleep will get me back on track!
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