Take a Walk With Beth...

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T21:04:00.000-08:00

About 15 of us gathered at my brother's house and enjoyed a great meal and good company. I was getting a kick out of their dog Starbuck who was making the rounds, soaking up the attention.

Leilani is so sweet and friendly, and she wasn't shy showing us her outfit...

And then there was her 3 year old version of Taylor Swift...

A beautiful end to a nice day...

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

When my friend Bev and I started talking about what we could dress up as for a Halloween party, I went online searching for some ideas and we eventually decided on Lucy and Ethel. We knew it had to be something immediately recognizable, not just Lucy and Ethel in everyday clothes. Here's what we came up with:

I made cupcakes from the DC Cupcakes (Georgetown Cupcakes) recipe. Pretty yummy if I do say so myself.

A Trip to DC Cupcakes!

2011-08-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it was really a business trip to Washington, D.C., but I knew I had to find a way to include a trip to DC Cupcakes in Georgetown. The night before I jokingly texted my friend Erica about meeting, and it turns out she lived a lot closer than I thought, so we were able to meet up and indulge together. I took a bus from my hotel and walked a couple blocks to DC Cupcakes. I see Erica!

There were SO many yummies to chose from, we couldn't decide!

I ate 3 that day!

I was impressed at how many workers there were; it was pretty efficient considering the long line.

GOOD TIMES!

Shania Twain Gets Her Star! - June 2, 2011

2011-06-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

Shania’s ceremony was to start at 11:00 AM on Hollywood Blvd. in front of the W Hotel, and I arrived about 8:45, though others had arrived as early as 6:00 AM. They were just starting to set up the staging, etc. & I planted myself in what turned out to be the best spot (with the exception of the press area, of course) and chatted with other Shania fans. One girl named Melissa was there to try to get Shania's autograph on her body so she could have it added to her 160+ tattoos! (photo below). We all enjoyed listening to Shania’s music as we watched the setup.

Shania arrived with her entourage, including hubby Fred and sister Carrie Ann, and posed for some photos before the ceremony. It was cool (low-mid 70’s) but the sun was HOT. I was able to take quite a few photos and was really happy how well they came out considering I was still learning how to use my new Nikon Coolpix P100. Shania was as beautiful as ever, and of course I loved the shoes! Her long-time friend, Bo Derek, spoke about Shania’s career and their friendship. Bo’s late husband John Derek took photos of Shania for the “Woman in Me” album and directed some of her videos. (Side Bar: John Derek had a reputation for being difficult, and he told Shania right away that she was overweight (!) and had a crooked nose. She was unfazed, as she said in her book From This Moment On, “Compared to Bo, I was overweight at 115 pounds, and yes, my nose is crooked, so he was right. It didn’t bother me to hear things I already knew, and I didn’t see any reason why that would make me not want to work with him.” Love her spunk!) Bo introduced Shania, and then she spoke for about 15 minutes. I thought she seemed a bit nervous, understandably.

I loved that she posed with her sister Carrie and her husband Fred afterward, even giving him a little smooch. :-) It's nice to see them so happy. Then Shania did a few TV interviews and Bo signed autographs. You could tell Bo didn’t want to; probably didn’t want to make it about her, but the crowd screamed for her to come over.

I’ve lived in California for over 40 years and had never attended a Star ceremony. Heck, I haven’t really done anything “touristy” since we moved to CA when I was a kid in the mid-60’s. After the ceremony I had lunch at a deli down the street called Chicken Dijon, took a few more pics of Shania’s Star (now that the sun had moved and the crowd had cleared), then headed home. Pretty fun experience. It was also the 1st time using my new camera, and I was pretty pleased with how they came out. Enjoy the pics!

EDIT: I'm not very happy with the way blogspot or photobucket has lowered the quality of these pics and cut off the images (like heads cut off), so I'm working on an alternative. :-(

Meeting Shania Twain - May 12, 2011

2011-05-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

I’ve been wanting to blog about this, but whenever I try to write something, it’s just all over the place. OK so the facts. I’d plan to spend the day there anyway, so I got there about 9:00 and went to Barnes & Noble for my wristband. I’d actually never been to The Grove in LA. It’s a cool mall, outdoor with a quaint "street" down the middle that has a trolley, though the trolley wasn't running. There's a movie theater so I went to a movie mid-day, ate lunch at Farmer's market, read Shania's book, people watched, and saw some filming of the TV show "Extra". Mario Lopez was there filming some pieces and I was in some of the scenes that made it on TV.

At 5:30 they would start forming the line, based on the letter on our wristband (I was in group B.) I talked with a few other fans while we were waiting which was kinda fun to meet people who were bigger fans of Shania than me; one girl about 20 who’d been a fan since she was a little girl and had a whole scrapbook of Shania, and one who was brand new fan who'd seen her Oprah interview. She arrived on time…we could hear screaming so we knew she was there :-) …but the media had some time with her first off to the side first. I knew ahead of time that we weren't allowed to have "posed photography" meaning we couldn't have a picture taken with her. We had to have our books turned to a certain page & we could take pics but they said we'd have to stop when we got right up to her. I kept taking them when I got up there & they didn't stop me. I guess they just meant not to slow the line down by asking her to pose.

As I started getting close, I actually started feeling a little emotional, a little teary, and also felt kinda dorky for feeling that way. The line was going SO fast so I knew I couldn't say much, so the conversation was something like this:
"Hi Shania"
"Hello"
"Thank you so much for being here to do this."
"You're welcome"
"Your music just makes me so happy!"
"Thank you!"

She was friendly and smiled. That was it. Because it was so brief I knew it wouldn't be worth trying to say more. There were people who tried to pose with her for pics, and the "handlers" wouldn't let them (I think they were Barnes & Noble people assigned to be the bad guys). There were a couple of little girls, like age 5-6 that they let go up to her & give her hugs. A few people ahead of me shook her hand. I thought about it, but it seemed liked an imposition for her to have to put the pen down, shake, pick up pen, etc. over & over.

I enjoyed watching her husband Fred beaming as he watched (and filmed) her, and her sister Carrie too. In her book she wrote about doing her 1st tour (on the road over a year) pretty much alone every day, and she was very lonely. She had assistants who were also friends with her, but no husband or family, so it's really sweet that he's so supportive. She said in an interview how wonderful it is to be married to your best friend, "a best friend who is edible!" :-) He is pretty cute. She said he’s always doing sweet, romantic things for her. She deserves it after what she went through.

Afterwards they were taping a segment outside with Shania for Extra, so they encouraged the fans to come out & watch. That was a fun surprise, and I took a few more pictures.

I finished reading her book a few days ago. I can’t believe what she went through. There were so many touching parts, funny too, and I respect her more knowing what she’s had to overcome, and having the courage to tell the world.

I hope to go to a concert some day, but this was unique since I was able to speak to her, even if only for a few seconds.

Interview with Access Hollywood talking about finging love with hubby Fred:

Races - Fall 2010 thru Winter 2011

2011-03-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

Here it is March 2011, and I haven't blogged about any races since before Disneyland last Labor Day. The Disneyland half marathon 2010 was the 5th anniversary. I did the 5K the 1st year (one of my very 1st races) and have done the 1/2 every year since, so I've participated in every one since the beginning. It was fun to see a lot of my friends from Running of the Ears (ROTE) this time. A lot of them came out because it was the anniversary and to get the bonus Coast-to-Coast medal. There's never enough time to see everyone and "play" at the parks, but it was still fun.

Here's a slideshow from the Fall-Winter season:

That Smell Reminds Me Of...

2011-03-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

(Side note before I start: My friend recently informed me that it’s time to update my blog. What? You mean because it’s March and I haven’t blogged since last August?)

So tomorrow is supposed to be the last day of winter but it looks like all we’re going to see for the next few days is clouds and rain. Mickey I & were able to squeeze in a nice 3.66 mile walk today without getting wet. There are a few signs of Spring though, as the Orange trees are starting to bloom.
I think the smell of the orange blossoms is really one of my favorite scents. Having lived in So CA since I was 7 years old, it’s one of those "olfactory memories" that takes me right back to my childhood. My Mom always loved it too, so it also reminds me of her. It’s sad that there are fewer and fewer groves every year as they are removed for new building, but I’m thankful to live in a city that still has groves & has a long history in Citrus.

I also have some smelly memories that are a little odd too. Like when I smell diesel, it always reminds me of the 3 ½ months I spent on the road with Continental Singers 25 years ago. At the time, I hated the diesel smell of that bus, but now it’s a nice memory. Or whenever I smell a fireplace burning, I think “that reminds me of the mountains.” Around here it’s not often that people light a fire, but in the mountains where the weather is cooler, it often smells that way, And then there’s my dog Mickey. Maybe you have to be a doggy parent to get it. Or maybe even if you’re a parent you’ll think I’m nuts, but I love her smell. When I first took her to the vet as a pup, the receptionist said, “Aw, the sweet smell of puppy!” I thought she was a little crazy at the time. But now…it’s soothing. She’s my baby girl. I can be a tense mess, then she jumps up on my lap, gives me a big kiss, and maybe even a cuddle. And I bury my face in her fur. But when she gets wet? Well then she’s just a big ole wet dawwwg.

What scents hold a memory for you?

Christmas 2010 Season

2010-12-30T15:58:00.000-08:00

OC Fair Double 5K Series - July and August 2010

2010-08-15T21:10:00.001-07:00

My friend Dana & I found this great 5K "series" that was being held at the Orange County Fairgrounds. The 1st one was on opening day, July 18th, and the 2nd one was on closing day, August 15th. You got a regular medal at the 1st one, then a 2nd medal that attaches to the 1st, making it a "Double Medal". Pretty unique and fun.

It's odd doing a fitness event and running by these! :-)

"My name is Edith Ann"

24 Hours in Las Vegas or The “Other Sarah” of Phantom! - July 2010

2010-07-30T15:07:00.001-07:00

When I found out my sweet friend Sarah Combs would be going on as "Christine" in the Phantom of the Opera, I started planning how & when I could go to see her. Sarah and I did a few shows together when she was a little girl and I haven’t seen her in over a year. She has grown into a beautiful young woman with more talent than I have in my little pinky! My best friend Kim figured out a day that would work for her, and we set the date. Sarah graciously offered tickets at a great deal, then Kim was able to get us a hotel room AND flights because of all of Jeff’s accumulated travel points. The Phantom is Kim’s favorite show so she was pretty excited too.

We left on Weds. Morning and arrived in Vegas around noon. I had a gift card for P.F. Changs, so we made that our first stop.

Checked into the hotel, then thought it would be a good idea to walk to the bus stop & get a day bus pass instead of using cabs. It was about 110 degrees and 2 blocks of walking convinced us this was a bad idea. So we walked to the nearest hotel & got a cab. Good thing we didn’t spend too much time trying to hail a cab because apparently it’s illegal for them to stop on the strip. We went to the Bellagio and checked out the beautiful gardens. It was refreshingly cool in the gardens and so pretty and clever.

We also saw a little bit of the fountains “show” but decided to come back later to see the full show. So we hoofed it over to the Coca Cola and M&M stores. Again, so hot! We were dripping after a few blocks. The stores were cute though.

We saw a few creepy characters along the way, some of whom were in costume. Ha! Got another cab back to the hotel to have a snack (complimentary soda, cheese & crackers in our room…Thanks again to Jeff’s points!) and get cleaned up for the show. Another cab over to the Venetian to pick up our tickets at Will Call. That’s when I saw this!

It was SO exciting to see her name on the marquee! We were seated IN THE 7TH ROW! with just about 10 mins. until show time. The show was fantastic, with several elements we had not seen in the L.A. version. It’s shorter, at 90 minutes, but they kept the music that everyone loves. The house is made to look like a Paris opera house, very ornate, complete with mannequins in the box seats and the famous chandelier, only this one had 4 pieces to it. They had some great special effects too. And then there’s our Sarah, WOOHOO! She was beautiful and truly an “Angel of Music.” Remember that high “E” that Christine sings at the end of the title song? Well Sarah nailed it! Who needs Sarah Brightman when you’ve got Sarah Elizabeth Combs! :-) After the show Sarah showed us around the stage, including trap doors & cool set pieces, then we visited a little and took a few pics together.

After the show we took a look around the Venetian. The gondolas were cool, and we saw a few interesting stores. The pic below is the store where Michael Jackson reportedly dropped over a million.

Kim & I really wanted to go to Serendipity for ice cream so we decided to eat in the food court rather than waste time finding another place for our late dinner. So we walked over to Serendipity, got there at 11:05 only to find out it closed at 11:00. Boo. Sadness. So we walked back to the Bellagio to see the fountains show in the dark. Very cool. The 1st time the accompanying music was Faith Hill’s “This Kiss”, so of course I loved that! The 2nd was to Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas!” An appropriate way to end the night.

We went back to the hotel after midnight. Thursday morning we got up around 7:45 for our complimentary buffet breakfast, then headed to the airport. The trip was short, but oh so much fun, and I got to share it with my bestie!

Faith Hill Concert - July 24, 2010

2010-07-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I started looking at tickets to see Faith at the Pacific Amphitheater at the OC Fair. The cheapest seats were $50. so I decided I'd try winning them on the radio. Never happens, right? I listened all day to GO COUNTRY 105 and tried numerous times to be the right caller, then just before 5:00 I got through and WON! Woohoo!

That Saturday afternoon my friend Bruce & I headed down a little early so we could hang out at the fair awhile before the concert. Good thing! Parking was crazy! We had some not-too-artery-clogging fair food and walked around the fair a bit before heading over to the amphitheater, enjoying chocolate covered strawberries and some toffee. :-)

The concert was supposed to start at 8:00 with an opening act, Jennette McCurdy, but no Jennette. No announcement. Then at 8:40 Faith came out! She looked beautiful and her voice was strong. (Photo from OC Register)

I did mention to Bruce though, that she didn't seem to interact with the audience much. I mean, she didn't chit-chat between songs. She was very gracious greeting the audience at the beginning and end, but that's it. I also noticed she seemed to be having problems with her monitors. She pointed to them more than once, first giving a thumbs up gesture, asking for them to be turned up, then later gestured for them to turned down. And the stage manager (?) had to come out about 4-5 times. It must have been frustrating for her. She did 3 cover songs, and since the concert was kind of short, I would've preferred to hear more of her songs. I like Faith a lot, and she's always been very sweet & funny in interviews, so I'm going to chalk it up to "not her best night". She did sing her hits like "Breathe" and "This Kiss" and I thought she sounded great. (Another photo from OC Register)

I had a great time with Bruce and still enjoyed the concert. (Remember, FREE tickets!) Never did find out what happened to Jennette, but I guess she was supposed to be from 8:00-8:40, which meant Faith came out on time. I sure wish I could've seen Faith & Tim when they toured together a few years ago! They have some beautiful duets, like the one below.

Faith Hill & Tim McGraw - "Let's Make Love"

2010-07-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

(Apparently the video can't be embedded, but you can click on the link.)

San Diego Rock N Roll - June 6, 2010

2010-06-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

My 10th half marathon is done!!! The course was a point-to-point race meaning the start & finish are in different areas. No parking at the start or finish, so you had to park at Qualcomm stadium and are at the mercy of the transportation they provide. A few weeks earlier I had seriously considered selling my bid and just skipping this race. I knew it would be horrid, and it was.

The alarm went off at 3:00 AM. I had everything ready so I ate a little, dressed, packed the car and left a little before 4:00 to head to the stadium. I walked to the shuttle area and boarded the bus. The bus took us to the start line at Balboa Park. Visited the potties, then sat down on the grass to try to eat some more (My tummy isn’t usually interested in bagels at 3:00-4:00 AM). A few minutes later Jay, Jill, Brandi & Casey arrived and we checked our bags. We decided we’d better hit the port-a-potties again since the lines were REALLY long! Good thing cuz we were still in line when the race started at 6:15. We all said good-bye at the potties and dispersed to our corrals. “Fortunately” I was in Corral 36 – haha! Yeah, they had over 40! I finally crossed the start line at about 7:00 AM. It was overcast & cool until the sun broke through around Mile 5. Amazing how 60-something can feel like 85 when the sun comes out! I saw Brandi about that time - Yay! There were times when the 1/2 and full course were together, then other times when we split then converged again. Mile 8 passed by Fashion Island where I saw “Coach Ron” & “Coach Cindy” from my TNT days. Cindy is still recovering from her 2nd knee surgery in a few months, but she was out there anyway to cheer us on. What a trooper! And Ron is a great supporter for all of us. Around Mile 10 I saw Jay & screamed to him. Haha :-) He was going in the same direction but the full runners were separated on the other side of the street. At about Mile 11 the runners on the other side of the street were going in the opposite direction. I assumed these were the full runners & hoped we weren’t headed for a turnaround. Unfortunately it was a turnaround & we had to go all the way back. It wouldn't matter, I mean it's still the same distance, but somehow the turnaround was discouraging. The bands on the course were a nice distraction and I would turn off my iPod when I passed them until it got quiet again, then I’d pop my music back on. Lots of costumes, Elvis, Elvis as Spongebob, the Flintstones, guys in Batman underwear...weird. After I passed Mile 12 I saw my friend Michele. It’s so fun seeing people you know on the course, especially when all you can think about is that finish line! At this point we were near Mission Bay and Sea World and even though the sun was still out, I could feel a nice breeze. My feet were really tired but other than that, I wasn’t having any pain. Usually my knees are killing me by Mile 10, especially the right one, but no pain. Yay! Crossed the finish line and got my medal. Ice cold wash cloths. Ahhhhhh.

I went through the snacks area & picked up my checked gear, then it got confusing. I couldn’t find any signs saying where the family reunion area was. Eventually found the “H” tent and waited a little while for my friends. But then I started to feel myself fading, & noticed the line for the shuttle. It looked long & I was afraid I might not last too long so I decided to head for the shuttles. That's when I saw the real line! It weaved back & forth about 10 times in this huge area! After about 30 mins. in line I started getting dizzy. I had refueled during the race and a little after...thought I was OK...but suddenly I felt like I was about to black out, so I got out of line & sat down on a little curb. After about 10 mins. I felt OK again & begged my way back into line (the people were nice & understood.) Almost 50 minutes later we got on the bus, only now we weren’t headed to the stadium where our cars were parked. We were taken to the trolley stop where thousands of runners shuffled down the street to get on trolleys to the stadium, or wherever else they needed to go. The line moved fairly quickly, but still, thousands... Why couldn’t the buses just take us to Qualcomm?!!! TWO hours after getting in the 1st line, I was at my car! I was thankful that my car was parked close to the trolley station at Qualcomm. Once on my way home I really wanted to find an In N Out burger. Between stopping here & there and asking for directions, I finally found one & stopped to eat. Got home at 4:00 PM, exhausted, and vowing to NEVER do a race that had a course/transportation like this again. At least the bling is nice.

I went to San Diego RNR 2 years ago as a support team for my friends, and it was a horrid experience getting around. That year it ended in the secured Marine Corp. base. They changed it this year & I thought it might be better. Wrong. I'll never do this race again!

ZIP-a-dee-doo-dah!

2010-04-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

This was one of those things on my "Bucket List" and I finally got to do it! I had planned to go with several friends to celebrate our March/April birthdays, but they weren't able to make and, after encouragement from other friends, I decided to go for it anyway!

I started the morning with plenty of time to spare, but learned my lesson in using Google Maps: Never trust it! As I neared Big Bear (or so I thought), I turned on the directed road, then another turn and suddenly I was faced with a dirt road. I knew it was possible that the zip place was slightly off the beaten path, but I decided to ask directions. I found out I was in Angelus Oaks, still a long way off from Big Bear, and the guys I asked said, "You wouldn't even want to take a JEEP on that road!" Getting there early was now out the window, and just making it in time for the tour would be a miracle. Frustration was building as I thought about how long I'd waited for this, set the date, cancellations, "do it anyway", and now may miss it because of stupid Google Maps. I went as fast as was safe & made it about 10 minutes late but they hadn't left yet! Woohoo!

I was immediately impressed by the staff! I was a bit grumpy at this point, but the tension slipped away as they welcomed me, told me "no worries" and helped me get geared up.

The 1st zip was a short one, about 40 feet so we could get a feel for it and learn how to brake and when to brake. The 2nd one was over a bigger canyon they called the Dragon's Spine because of the rock formations. Here are some pics - Part ONE:

Zip 3 - I screamed like a little girl - lots of adrenaline!

Then the 3rd was jumping right off a boulder and zipping to a platform up in a tree almost 100 feet off the ground! They wanted us to do a Tarzan yell. I tried but it was pitiful. My voice cracked, and then I started cracking up. I put my camera in one of the harnesses. It sorta worked...

Once we landed on the tree platform, they would immediately hook our harness onto the tree safety ropes, THEN unhook us from the zip cable. As each person arrived on the platform, it got a little crowded, but I felt safe. The instructor took our picture by zipping himself out a bit on the cable and dangling there while he took the pics! After that we did our last zip down to the ground. They told us to look down as we took off. I did and it was a looooooong way down!

After I left I drove around Big Bear a little. Had pizza for lunch then drove through the Village & stopped for some fudge. I also stopped to take a picture of "Dr Larry Poland - Chiropractor" since that is also the name of my boss, no relation. Drove home & saw a lot of the burned areas from the October 2007 "Old Fire". Pretty sad to see.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect, sunny and not too cold even though there was snow. A Great Day & wonderful memory! Thanks, friends, for encouraging me to go for it!

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

Dad & I went over to Rob & Barb's house and joined the gang for Easter lunch. Bree & Sean couldn't make it, but we saw Amanda, Mike, and Jose & Leilani. She'll be two in just a few weeks, cute as ever. This is her with her new Barbie (and her boo-boo lip from a fall outside about a half hour before) Check out those curls!!!

It's the Little Things in Life!

2010-04-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

After five and a 1/2 years in my house, we were finally able to replace the rickety, rotten, propped up, termite-infested fence with a new vinyl fence!

Mickey will miss being able to peek at me under the fence. There was a broken spot and if I went in the front yard she would watch me.

It took 2 days for them to finish, and it looks great! Here's an "after" pic, but before they put the post caps on. Mickey wanted me to take her picture:

And then with the caps:

Surf City 1/2 Marathon 2010

2010-02-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

My 9th Half marathon in the books! I headed down to Huntington Beach on Saturday, February 6th. A big storm was coming in, and when I met Kim and Jeff at the expo, it was POURING. The goodies bags were cool, but there was nothing in them this year (not cool.)

I got there later than expected so I didn't get to see my "Running of the Ears" (ROTE) friends Jay, Brandi, Casey, & Gina. Jeff & I picked up our packets, then we all headed over to the Olive Garden for a little carb-loading! (Kim had just taken a bite of salad and I forced her to take a picture. haha)

I didn't stay overnight this time, so I was driving back & forth. On Sunday morning I drove down to HB & picked up Jeff at their hotel, then we parked at Edison H.S. & took the shuttle to the race start. No waiting, no problems! I found fellow ROTEr friend Brandi at the Port-o-potties.

Then we all headed over to the start corrals, Jeff was in #2 (speedy!) so Brandi & I said "Bye!" & headed over to our corral. So many people!!! The rain was gone, clear skies, and weather was perfect!
After another trip to the port-o-potty, I lost Brandi, and didn't see her again til mid-way through. First several miles were great. I had shed my layers before the race & checked them, and felt just right in my capri skirt & long sleeved lightweight shirt. I saw Brandi & Jay's mom around Mile 5, and then saw Brandi shortly afterwards. Mile 8 was the turnaround point where I saw Coach Ron (former Team in Training coach & now with Road Warriors). Always nice to see familiar faces, especially in the upper miles. I started feeling nauseated at Mile 10-ish, so I tried to force down some more energy/nutrition. I thought I had hydrated well, but it was also pretty humid. Sometimes it's hard to get the right balance. After I passed the pier I started to hear the announcer at the finish line. YAY! Sometimes as you approach the announcer does a quick look at your bib # to find your name on the computer, then greets you by name as you cross the finish line. So as I approached the guy was saying "And hear comes EUNICE from Redlands!" I thought, "huh? Is there someone from Redlands near me?" Then he said, "Here's EUNICE, looking great in her running skirt! Let's hear it for EUNICE!" "Eunice" was me! HAHA! I have no idea how he got "Eunice" from "Elizabeth" :-)

I saw Casey right after I crossed the finish line, but felt so sick I couldn't stop to chat. I took a few pics, then headed back. Kim & Jeff had already left, so I found my favorite place for a post-half marathon meal:

Here's a pic of my Surf City medals for the last 4 years. The smaller one is from the 2007 5K, then 1/2 Marys for 2008, 2009, and 2010. After 3 years you are automatically entered into the Legacy Club, which is the extra little thing you see on top of the last 2 medals.

Carlsbad 1/2 Marathon 2010 - DNS

2010-01-25T21:21:00.000-08:00

I went down to Carlsbad on Jan. 23rd for the 1/2 marathon. I got a cheap hotel, met up with a fellow ROTEr Dana. Checked out the expo, then made plans to meet in the a.m. I was up around 5:00, ate, & got to the race start by 6:15. The 1/2 started at 7:30 which is pretty late for most races but great because it was light and warmer. It was in the high 30's/low 40's & was supposed to go up to high of 60. Perfect. Sunny. So I was standing in my corral, they just finished the National Anthem, and the 1st 3 corrals had gone. Then my phone rang. It was Dad. He was calm but was having shortness of breath. I told him to call 911 & I called my neighbor who went over to be with him. I still had to go by the hotel for my stuff so I knew it would take me 2+ hrs to get home. They ran a bunch of tests that came out normal. Said he was a little dehydrated which does make him weak. He came home & is supposed to follow up w/his Dr. this week. After a good night's rest, this morning he seems completely normal.

After he was home and the emergency was over, the disappointment of not doing the race set in. Beautiful race along the ocean. Sigh. I know I needed to come back and don't regret it, of course, it was just a little disappointing. Maybe next year!

Wearing my lovely throw-a-way sweater, minutes before the phone call. Now I can wear this sweater to Surf City!

Disney World 1/2 Marathon - Rain, Sleet & Snow, Oh My!

2010-01-25T20:49:00.000-08:00

In the weeks leading up to my trip to Disney World, the weather reports were not looking good. Every day the forecast seemed to be colder &, no matter what the numbers said, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. 50’s, 40’s, 30’s?!!!Possible snow flurries? Could this be possible? It was. I tried to plan out what I would wear but kept changing my mind. They say never wear anything in a race you haven’t trained in, but we don’t have conditions like this.

The “UP!” themed 5K on Friday, January 8th at Epcot was cold enough. I wore 2 shirts & a jacket & was still cold, especially waiting at the start. I couldn’t find any my “Running Of The Ears” friends (ROTErs) so I just huddled with strangers (they didn’t know it. :-) ) There was a gorgeous sunrise (pic) & once the sun was out, it did help a little. I was thrilled to see Margaret & a few others at the finish line!

After the 5K I went back to the expo since I had very little time there the night before. The bus transfers from my hotel were a pain sometimes. Had to go to Hollywood Studios 1st to get to the expo, so on the way back from the expo I decided to visit the Studios for a bit. It was raining & I didn’t have much time, but at least I got to see some of it. Then over to Downtown Disney to see some ROTErs. I was really late so there was only a remnant left. I got to see Erica, Peggy, Chris & meet Mustapha, Jen H. & a few others.

One thing I found really odd. Several places were really HOT…inside! The expo building was heated to what must’ve been 85 (It was difficult to shop & that is tragic!) & the bus that picked us up for the 5K was about 90! It’s as if it gets below 50 in Florida & they crank the heat up!

Watching the news during 24 hours prior to the ½ was putting knots in my stomach. They were now predicting temps at the start around 33-35 with wind chill (“feels like”) of 24 with snow flurries! Again, I changed my planned outfit, then finally settled… Lightweight tech top + heavyweight ¾ zip top + fleece/tech jacket + heavy hoodie + plastic poncho for wind/rain/possible snow. On the bottom I wore running tights under a skirt with pants (“Tough Girl” for my skirt friends). Then a lightweight & heavyweight ear headband, hat, 2 pairs of gloves. My plan was to toss the hoodie & possibly shed the jacket but keep “just in case”.

Up at 2:50 a.m., ate a bagel & brought an energy bar to eat on the way, on the bus about 3:45, arrived & checked in my after-race bag (warm/dry hoodie) & headed to the “H” tent to see my ROTE friends. We huddled to keep warm. Sometime before 5:00 the snow flurries started! The forecast predicted it, but it was still a bit of a shock! Even with the layers I started getting really cold, & my hands started to feel like I had nothing on them. Erica saved the day with hand warmers! God bless her! Headed over the start area around 5:00 & made my way to my corral, the last one. There was no sound back where we were which was a little discouraging. It felt like we weren’t even a part of anything…discards in the back. Finally the speakers came on & we heard the start of the front corrals/waves, & eventually we were on our way.

It felt better to be moving, but not much. The sleet had started & was pelting our faces. Somewhere around Mile 5 I tossed my hoodie, 1 pair of gloves, & the hand warmers. Should’ve kept the hand warmers. Rookie (insert “Cali Girl”) mistake. Around this time we got to the Magic Kingdom! I CANNOT underestimate the importance of spectators! It is such a boost! At the end of Main St. was a group of hearty ROTErs to cheer us on. They had it much harder in this weather because at least we were moving!

A lot of people commented later that there were very few characters on the open course (before MK). Honestly I didn’t notice because I was so cold & didn’t want to stop for long lines. Once we got in to MK, I did take some characters pics, & made my 1st bathroom stop. I had decided if I had to strip in this weather, it had better be inside. Indoor plumbing! But I took way too long. All those stupid, wet, layers! Then I panicked when I looked at my time & where I was…behind the 16 minute max. per mile pace. No more stops! Well, one. Poor Mary Poppins & Bert were out there freezing with no coats!!!

Around Mile 11, still worried about the sweeper, I was up on an overpass & looked at the course below/behind me. I could see the sweeper vehicle still quite a distance away, but the distance was only slight comfort. I tried to run a bit around mile 12 on a little uphill, but my muscles seemed frozen. Very difficult to transition from 1 motion to another. I heard runners say later that it was hard for them to NOT run for the same reason. I guess your muscles get used to one motion & freeze there!

Finally we entered Epcot. I knew the Gospel choir was ahead & was SO looking forward to them, but I couldn't remember exactly where. My brain was frozen too. I had pretty much decided I wasn't going to see them. Either they weren't doing this race, or I had been out there so long that they had quit because of the cold. Sad. Then I came around another corner & there they were! It was so uplifting!

I saw Erica, & Colleen & a few others ahead of me at the turnaround point. Finally crossed the finish line. Second slowest time ever: 3:27:44, but I did it! I looked over at the “H” tent but no ROTErs. Too cold. By this time everyone just wanted to leave. I started for the buses…oh no…the line for my hotel bus snakes back & forth several times. We waited for about 45 minutes, shivering uncontrollably. I had to force myself to take deep breaths to calm myself down & stop shaking. I covered my lips because they felt frozen, could still see my breath, couldn’t feel my feet or hands at all. Numb stubs. I saw several people getting medical attention. I had picked up my dry hoodie at the bag check, but didn’t want to think about taking anything off to change. And it was still raining. Temps hadn’t come up much if at all. I had the mylar blanket they gave me wrapped around my hips. Tried to rub my hips but couldn’t feel them either. I thought, “I guess this is what it feels like when hypothermia is starting to set in.” I think the bus back-up was just because usually people hang out afterwards & trickle out, but EVERYONE wanted to get out of the cold.

Got back to my hotel, hot shower, tried to find a good meal (that was an ordeal, & I finally had to get dressed & walk to the food court), took a 30 mins. nap, then headed over to the ROTE dinner.

On Sunday, I slept in a little, went over to the Contemporary Hotel’s business center because I forgot to print my return flight confirmation (argh), then over to Magic Kingdom for a few of my favorite attractions. After that I headed over to Epcot to see some of my ROTE friends finish their marathon & took several pics at the finish line. The sun was out, but it was still COLD. They said the water stops had partially frozen water & Gatorade slushies! And it was really dangerous at the water stops because the water that had spilled then iced over. Sunday afternoon I went to Epcot for lunch in China, on Mission Space, & a few character pics. Then back to Magic Kingdom until after the fireworks.

Monday morning I packed up & let Disney take care of my luggage, then went over to Animal Kingdom for a couple hours before I had to catch the Magical Express to the airport. Didn’t have time for a lot but I saw a few characters & mostly enjoyed walking around on a SUNNY day. Yeah, it was sunny now that I was leaving.

I had a great time, but I was so tired and ready to be home in my own bed and see my fur-child. When I got to CA & stepped outside the terminal I couldn’t believe it. It was almost midnight and 63 degrees! Home. :-)

"Mary Poppins" Musical - A Review

2009-11-15T16:15:00.000-08:00

Warning! SPOILER ALERT! If you don’t want to know, stop reading!

Opening night, Fri., November 13th, my friend Kim & I drove to the Ahmanson theater in L.A. Why CAL TRANS decided to do pot hole repair on a Friday night during rush hour traffic, I’ll never know, and we arrived at the parking structure 18 minutes before show time! (Good thing we had allowed lots of extra time!) They had made it very clear that they wouldn’t let you in if you’re late, so I took off my heels and we run/walked (4 flights of stairs) all the way from the car to the door. We made it with time to hit the restroom, but no time to buy a program. More on that later.

We had been looking forward to this since I bought the tickets in April, and my expectations were high. But it was Disney! It was Broadway! How could it not be great? It was NOT great.

OK I’ll start with the highlights. There are two. “Step in Time” (2/3’s of the way through the almost 3 hour show) was FANTASTIC! It was the kind of choreographed, top-tapping number you expect from Broadway, complete with Bert doing his own Fred Astaire-esque dance on the wall and ceiling! Perfect number. “Supercalifra..”, etc., was also done very well. Cute choreography. Unfortunately I had seen this number several times on the Tony awards and talk shows, but it was still good.

Before I continue I must also say that the cast was wonderful. I understood almost every word (Exception: the butler character…have no idea what he was saying 80% of the time), and they were very talented.

OK, that’s where the good stuff ends. The show is put on by Disney, so wouldn’t you expect it to follow the movie? I think that’s what people expect and it’s what they want. I was really looking forward to what they would do with “Jolly Holiday” when they jumped into the chalk drawing. Guess what? No chalk drawings. Well, Bert did have 3 pictures hanging on the rod iron fence, but none on the ground. Then when they “arrived” in the fantasy world, there was no carousel, no horses, no penguins, only grey/white statues that come to life. Actors dressed in skin tight leotards with a few strategically places leaves. Mary and Bert were wearing hot pink and purple. Yes, I know this looks good on stage, but where are their red & white outfits? They were being worn by chorus members. With my binoculars I could see that the red/white striped jacket that the chorus member was wearing was really pink/white and not red, but it still looked weird. If you’re going to put Mary & Bert in another color, don’t put the chorus members in “their” costumes. So, back to the number, well that’s it. The “frozen” actors come to life and dance. rah. Nothing magical about it.

The potential for this scene on Broadway is huge…Chalk drawings projected on the floor of the stage floor (I’m thinking how beautiful the stage floor was for Secret Garden), special effects to have them jump into the paintings, colorful carousels horses, cute dancing penguins. Yeah, it’s expected, but isn’t that the point with a classic like Mary Poppins?!!!

So then we were both waiting for the big Uncle Albert number where they all fly and laugh wildly. It was non-existent. There was NO Uncle Albert! No happy laughing scene. This was one of the many changes. Not only did they leave things out, they added weird things that added nothing to the story. At one point mid-way through the show, Mary Poppins leaves the Banks family and they must replace her. Her replacement is “The Holy Terror”, “Miss Andrew”. She is pure evil, making them drink her own horrid version of medicine in a number called “Brimstone and Treacle”. My friend Kim pointed out that it was interesting they named her Miss Andrew considered our beloved Julie Andrews played M.P. in the movie. In the earlier Supercali..(etc.) number, the foursome visited Mrs. Corry who owns a magic sweet shop. They learn that their father had a mean nanny named Miss Andrew. Being raised by this monster & the fact that his own father ignored him has made him a cold man.

Other “low-lights”:
• When Mary flies in the 1st time, the backdrop is baby blue, so the wires are highly visible.
• No “Votes for Women” storyline to involve Mrs. Banks.
• No Admiral Boom bit where the family & staff has to batten down the hatches whenever he fires his cannon. (He’s in the musical, but pretty much a non-character.)
• When Mary first arrives and empties her carpet bag, the items were all collapsible. I mean, you could see several of them “pop-up” or expand. The toys don’t come to life in this scene. Instead…
• The toys come to life in a dream the children have after mistreating their toys. The music is creepy and scary, and so are the toys. Think “Chucky”. :-(
• The “Spoonful of Sugar” song was not in the nursery. It was in the kitchen after the children decided to take over and made a mess. The table/counter “cracked” in half and the shelves on the wall broke so the plates “fell”. Nothing really breaks. When Mary “fixes” everything, it’s like when a ride at Disneyland resets itself and the table goes back together and the shelves right themselves. Cheesy special effects.
• We see too much of the marital problems of Mr. & Mrs. Banks. As Kim put it, it was like we were going through marriage counseling with them, including Mrs. B. singing “Being Mrs. Banks”.

At intermission, I didn’t even want a program. But I did buy a cute umbrella ornament and a MP pin. OH! I have never, ever, had problems at a theater DURING INTERMISSION, IN THE LOBBY, with taking pictures. But I snapped one picture and TWO employees were all over me. They wanted me to surrender my camera. I explained I didn’t realize you couldn’t take pictures in the lobby. They said the issue was that I HAD a camera in my possesion, and if they know it, they must confiscate it. Kim jumped in at one point and asked if she could just give us a warning, and I promised I wouldn’t remove it from my purse. She eventually said OK, but you could tell she was really worried I wouldn’t comply and said she’d really get in trouble, yada, yada. Sheesh! It’s a lobby people!

There was one more highlight at the end when MP flew away. She flies right over the audience and from our 6th row of the Mezzanine, she was about 20 feet away. That was cool! She floated right up into the rafters & disappeared!

Kim initially felt bad that she was going without the kids, but after seeing it she was glad. I really wanted to like it, & I didn’t want to give a bad review. Really, if it didn’t have the Disney name on it, I could understand it being different. I probably wouldn’t have been thrilled, but I could’ve understood it. I can’t believe I’m saying this but...“Disney Productions, you disappointed.”

This is the "illegal" picture I took:

Running of the Ears

2009-10-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in running, walking, cycling, or "tri-ing" (doing a triathlon), and if you love Disney, check out this website! There's lots of helpful info about training for all kinds of races (even non-Disney ones), and you'll meet a lot of great people! All the cool kids hang out here :-)

CLICK ON LINK AT THE LEFT, or just go to www.runningoftheears.com

"Garmin Forever" uh, I mean Forerunner

2009-05-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

In the running world, I'm really behind the times. After a couple years of ignoring all the Garmin talk (mainly because I didn't know what the heck it was, let alone what it could do for me), I finally decided to see what all the chatter was about...and proceeded to buy one. OK, it would probably surprise most of you who know me that I really like electronic toys. I just don't like figuring them out when they 1st arrive. I just want them to magically do all their little tricks.

Why do I "need" one? When I first started walking I actually used something as primitive as a pedometer! Can you imagine?!!! :-) They were fine, but they're a pain to calibrate, very inaccurate, and if you want to jog a little, forget it, they won't work. Then sometimes I would hop in the car and drive the route. Of course this required me to remember the route I had driven. Then I found www.mapmyrun.com -A very handy little tool that lets you map out your run right on a city street map, and it calculates the distance. The downside is if I've already mapped out my route, I can't deviate from it if I see a neat looking street, or decide I want to go by way of the corner market (more water!) or "Hey, there's an ice cream truck!" Just kidding.

Enter the Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS trainer. Ah bliss. Slap that baby on my wrist, turn it on, and go! Since it is GPS, it calculates my mileage. Heck, if I wanna run in circles (see picture below) I can do that too! It's also a stopwatch (of course) and calculates pace, calories, heart rate, and lots of other cool, geeky stuff. If I'm feeling competitive I can even set up my "virtual partner" to run with me, then watch who is ahead. It's been so nice to just walk up and down whatever street I wanted to without planning ahead. Lately the criteria has been, whichever street has the most shade!

About my "running in circles" comment, yesterday I grabbed my shoes and plopped myself down to put them on, then saw this:
I own more than one pair.

Run Through Redlands April 19, 2009

2009-04-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

Last year I did the 1/2 marathon in this race, and hated it (See old post), so I vowed I'd never do it again and would instead do the 10K. It was just right. Still enough of those good old Redlands hills to offer a nice challenge and still have fun. No medal for the 10K but even without the bling I'm glad I did it. (I did get a pretty green ribbon) :-) I had a decent run/walk (mostly walk) time of 1:25. At least there were still orange slices and water left when I finished! And then I found my friend Sandi and waited with her for her husband Mitch to finish his 1st 1/2marathon.

"It's my blog and I'll rant if I want to!"

2009-03-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

This is really a P.S. to my Pasadena 5K report.
During the 5K I actually saw a group of people who "cheated"! I couldn't believe it. In longer distance races there are mats placed throughout the race, and the timer chip you wear will record your time when you hit that mat, i.e. if you miss that mat, you won't be timed and you will have a DNF (Did not finish.) For instance, in a 1/2 marathon you will also cross a mat at the 5K and 10K mark, or other predetermined distances. This is both for the runner to be able to check their times at certain points, but also to keep people from cheating. But with a 5K there usually are no "check points" since it's just 3.1 miles. I was, and still am, shocked. What possible gratification can you get from cheating on a race! And yet it happens. I am really big on encouraging people who are just starting out...even if you're a couch potato, you can do it...but come on! If you can't finish a 5K legitimately, don't sign up. And this was not a case of someone who was "in trouble" physically, as in, we've just got to get to the finish line. So, as I was on my back half of the race, on my way to the finish, I saw this whole group of people cut short of the 1/2 way point & cross over and join the return route. Unbelievable! I heard them rationalizing to themselves about how they had probably walked 3 miles if you count walking to/from the car, etc. I almost said something but didn't want to get beat up. And to think that they got a medal for it. Disgusting.

OK, I'm off my soap box.

Pasadena 5K - "Inaugural Redux" March 22, 2009

2009-03-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

The inaugural Pasadena Marathon/Half Marathon/5K/Bike Races were originally scheduled for Nov. 11, 2008. Then Southern California was hit with terrible fires. The race officials sent updates all day Saturday saying it was still on, but Sunday morning (race day) at 4:00 AM, the message came that they had to cancel due to poor air quality. Probably a good decision, but I felt really bad for those who had trained for the half & full. So, it was rescheduled for March 2009. As we got closer to race day, the forecast was rain. When I left the house it hadn't started raining, but just as I was arriving, it started to sprinkle, and then standing in the corral it POURED. Fortunately I had a sweatshirt & a rain poncho. Oh! They had about 20 port-a-porties at the start for this huge crowd. Ridiculous. Other than that, they did a good job considering it was their first race & had faced a lot of adversity.Aneeeeeway, being primarily a walker, I hadn't done much training in the way of running, but decided to do some run/walk intervals, and I finished in 40:14, my best 5K time! If only I had run a bit more I could've done sub 40 minutes! For the 5K-ers, the rain stopped for most of the race, then poured again as soon as I finished.

Disney World Princess Half Marathon March 2009

2009-03-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Only 5 days (and 2 of those were spent traveling) at WDW, and I had to fit in 4 parks, an Expo, a 5K, and a ½ marathon. Oh, and some sleep. Didn’t get much of the latter. I learned a lot from this trip, namely that I’m not 20 anymore, and that you really can’t cram all this into 3 days! I hadn’t been there since 2000 so my “to-do/see” list was long!

Arrived on Thursday night with just enough time to meet my roommates Erica & Kelly, eat a sandwich and head to bed. On Friday morning Kelly & I headed over to Animal Kingdom to try out the “new” roller coaster, Expedition Everest. It was a blast, except when we rode a 2nd time & my head slid off the head rest & smacked into the side of the head rest. But other than that… Also checked out the Nemo show, then it was off to the Wide World of Sports for the Princess Expo. OMGoodness, I have never spent so much time at an expo! When we arrived the fairy godmothers sprinkled us Princesses with Pixie Dust.Then it was off to getting our race packets & SHOPPING! There were several running skirt vendors, plus all the Disney Princess stuff, and OF COURSE meeting my “imaginary friends” from DisneyRunning.com (Many of us know one another from the “club” but have never met in person, and some family members think our friends online are imaginary.)
We were there for about 5 hours! It was fun, but I hadn’t planned for this and ended up messing up my shoulders, neck, & back for the rest of the weekend from carrying a backpack that weighed about 20 lbs. Seriously. Another reality check on the age.
We grabbed a quick bite to eat then headed to Epcot. That night we had fish & chips in England, went on Test Track, and watched Illuminations from our prime viewing area. Kelly’s cousin works there so instead of having to get a viewing spot an hour before, we walked up right at the start & had a place right on the pier!
Saturday morning was the 5K. Got up early to catch the bus to the start. A lot of the women dressed as their favorite princess, or at the very least, in the colors of their fav. The Cinderellas:
After the 5K, Erica, Kelly & I headed over to the Polynesian for a good breakfast, then on to Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM). Tower of Terror, Aerosmith’s Rockin Rollercoaster, Chocolate shakes at the 50’s PrimeTime Café, Great Movie Ride, Grauman’s Chinese Theater (had to put my hands in Mickey’s prints)We ate at Mama Melrose’s for our "carb load" dinner. The girls told the waiters it was my birthday so we got to celebrate that too! Soooo, it’s Saturday night before the big race. I’m already exhausted from the 3 hr. time change, slept about 6 hrs. Thurs. night, 4 hrs. Fri. night, and now we were also loosing another hour because it was Daylight Savings changeover time! We changed the hotel’s clock time & set the alarm for 3:00 AM. It went off at 2:00. Apparently the clocks reset themselves for DST, only we didn’t know that. Then Erica in her sleepy stupor kept hitting the snooze instead of shutting it off. She’s a deep sleeper. :-) I slept about 2.5 hrs., and by Sunday my neck & shoulders were really tight. We went to the food court for a quick bite, got on the bus & made it to the start line by 5:30 or 6:00. It was really cold (especially for this CA girl!), but all the DR people met up at the “R” tent and had fun waiting for the start. It was literally almost a full mile walk to the start (What were they thinking?) and there was one “last chance” porta-potty area, and then too bad. I don’t even want to tell you what some were doing. Let’s just say there’s a lot of swamp land out there!
As with the 5K, there were characters everywhere, both the Disney ones, and runners dressed as characters.The course took us through the Magic Kingdom at around miles 5-6 which was really fun. My eyes were darting all over the place trying to soak it all in and still keep moving. I HAD to stop for a few pictures…
Except for Magic Kingdom the course was a lot of open roads with trees, up and down on/off ramps with what I thought was a lot a camber, which is really hard on the joints. By Mile 10 my shoulders and neck were one big knot. I tried to massage my shoulders to work it out, but it hurt pretty bad. I was also feeling like a wet noodle…combo of not enough sleep, the humidity, and probably needing some nutrition.I can't tell you how forced this smile was.

Crossed the finish line, got my beautiful tiara medal, AND a DIET COKE! Yes!

After a shower at the hotel, we all met up at the Floridian for a nice Princess character dinner. Cinderella and the whole family!
But we’re not done yet! After dinner it was off to the Magic Kingdom.There was so much I wanted to see and so little time. I decided to head off on my own & see a few of the sites. Visited Mickey & Minnie at Mickey’s house and I HAD to go to the Carousel of Progress! I guess it’s the nostalgic thing, and since we don’t have it at Dland, I really enjoy it. I bought some fudge to take home to Dad, shopped a little more, then headed back to the hotel. In the morning, Erica, Kelly & I had breakfast at the hotel (Mickey waffles!) then Kelly & I had to head to the airport.

It was a fantastic trip, but I would definitely do things differently next time. Since I’m not in a position to make my trip longer than 5 days, I probably wouldn’t do the 5K, less time at the expo, and more park time. Before I left for this trip, I had already signed up for the 2010 Half Marathon in January. This will be during the Marathon weekend where some will do the full marathon or half OR BOTH, which is appropriately called the “Goofy” I’m not that crazy. Good-bye Disney World. Until next year!

Surf City 1/2 Marathon, Huntington Beach Feb. 1, 2009

2009-02-01T22:04:00.000-08:00

Is it really February already? I haven't blogged in awhile and a race report seemed like a good reason to blog. On Sat. 1/31 I headed down to Newport Beach to meet Kim & Jeff, the kiddos & Kim's mom, Karen.
After picking up our packets and checking out the expo, we headed down to the beach. It was a gloriously beautiful day! Sunny and warm but not hot. The kids played in the sand and splashed in the water and the rest of us soaked up the sunshine.

If you look closely at the horizon, you can see Catalina Island.
The sunshine kinda brought out the kid in me!

Thanks to Jeff & Kim and their Marriott points :-) we stayed at the Newport Beach Villas. Very Nice. Sunday morning Jeff, Kim & I left the hotel a little before 6:00 AM to head to Huntington Beach.

The shuttle service for the race was horrible, and poor Kim had to jog to the start line to meet Steve for their 5K. Jeff & I walked over to the start for the 1/2 which started a bit later. It was overcast & cold before the race.
The sun came out after about 1-2 miles. It stayed cool so the sun felt good. I was keeping a pretty good walking pace. The thought occured to me that I might be sorry in the later miles, but it would also feel really good to have a PR (personal record), so I tried to keep the pace. I did have to stop for a pic or two. :-)

My right knee started hurting around mile 10, but I didn't slow down. By mile 11-13, I was longing for it to end. Crossed the finish line at 3:06! (previous PR 3:14)
Jeff had his own PR of 1:59 despite some heavy duty pain in his ankle. And then there's Kimmie. She was just 4 weeks out from surgery, but decided to attempt walking the 5K anyway. She just wanted to finish, even if it took 2 hours. Well, she finished in 49 minutes! That's a great time even without surgery! And her sweet brother Steve stayed with her the whole time even though he could've run. Good brother! I'm proud of you Kimmie!

I was looking online for any press there may have been for the race, and specifically the number of runners, which was about 18,000. I found this interesting article about a man named Robert Lopez who ran Surf City...his 198th marathon! AND he and his wife have both survived cancer! Pretty inspiring, if you feel like reading it:
http://www.marathonguide.com/news/search.cfm?M_ID=484
I could relate to something he said: "I was attracted to running because it wasn't a team thing and nobody was relying on me to not screw up and a little bit of pressure was off. But also there was a social aspect to it. I was able to meet people, and they had great stories to tell." When you run (or walk), the only competition is with yourself, but there's still a lot of camaraderie. Sometimes chatting with complete strangers can get you through a tough mile or two. I've also recently "met" some pretty fun people on...[EDIT: Previous website referred to here is no longer a good site. See new, fantastic site www.runningoftheears.com] and will be joining some of them next month at Disney World for the Princess 1/2 marathon! Oh yeah, and the medals are pretty fun too!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-27T10:24:00.000-08:00

Everyone gathered at our house on Christmas Eve. Leilani couldn't make it because she was with her mommy, but Daddy Jose came. We had our traditional pizza dinner & opened presents. On Christmas morning Dad, Mickey & I opened our Christmas stockings.

ISN'T DISNEY GREAT!

2008-12-11T18:04:00.000-08:00

Not feeling too good today, and this made me smile!

It's a Wonderful (odd & funny) Life!

2008-12-08T20:06:00.001-08:00

I made this online last year, but it's worth repeating. :-) Starring:
George Clooney as George Bailey
Beth as Mary Bailey
Nephew Jeff as Ernie, the Cabbie
Dad Norm as Clarence the Angel
Ella as Zuzu Bailey

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Loma Linda Holiday Classic 5K - 12-7-08

2008-12-07T22:00:00.000-08:00

This race has 4 divisions and I entered the 5k Walk. They separate the walk vs. run so if you're in the walk division, you're not allowed to run at all. I had my best time of 40:23, then a few hours after I got home I decided to check my stats online. I came in 2nd in my age division! WHA? Must be a misprint! Guess it pays to be old and to walk only! I even get a separate medal for placing. I placed 4th overall out of 77 total walkers. I know, small group, but still kinda fun. Please excuse my bragging, but this was pretty encouraging. When you're "only a walker", you don't usually have a chance at any placement or special accomplishment.

A Ride on the Polar Express!

2008-12-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

On Dec. 4th I went with the Semmens family and Grandma Karen to Williams, AZ to take a ride to the North Pole on the Polar Express! We stayed at the Grand Canyon Railway Resort. A looooooong drive to Williams, but it was a memorable trip, and fun for the kiddos!

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-30T10:41:00.000-08:00

Carrie Underwood Concert - November 5, 2008

2008-11-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

From "Peg Leg" to "Patches"

2008-10-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

My poor baby, 2nd trip to emergency in as many weeks.
Last night at 1:00 AM Mickey wanted to go outside. She went out & I noticed she had the runs (sorry). It happened 2 more times in the next hour, then when she was laying on the bed I felt a wet spot, I discovered she was also bleeding. :-( I took her to the emergency hospital again and they took some blood & other tests & determined she had a condition called Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis, which is a "rapidly occuring inflammatory condition of the small intestine." The best I understand is that some kind of bacteria inflames the intestines & they start to bleed. If they catch it early, which we did, they can treat it by having her stay 12-24 hours in the hospital with an IV for electrolytes & antibiotics. They said on a busy night they can have 2-3 cases so it's fairly common, but also very serious if you don't treat them right away. They also don't know what causes it, but said it's not contagious. She came home late this afternoon & will be on antibiotics for awhile. She wasn't acting very normal at 1st but she's coming around. (sigh) So now instead of just the 1 shaved area on her left paw from last week's incident (see previous blog), she was shaved in another spot on the same leg AND her right leg (still in bandage below, which she won't let me remove.)
I only had a few hours sleep last night, but we will all hopefully sleep better with our baby back at home.

Close-up without bandage:

Mickey is a "Peg Leg"

2008-10-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

My baby Mickey gave us a scare last night. I was in the back yard with her & noticed she was limping, pulling her front paw up. I examined it & didn't see anything but she kept limping, so I checked again. Whenever I would get close to touching it she would try to bite me. Not a good sign. I found something that could've been a thorn or some kind of stinger. Within 5-10 minutes she was laying on the floor and wouldn't come to me when I called her, wouldn't even lift her head, and I knew something must've bit her. I called the vet which was closing in minutes & they said to go to the Vet Emergency Hospital which didn't open for 40 more minutes! We were stuck in the "closed" zone. Ugh. So Dad & I jumped in the car with her to go to the hospital. About 1/2 way there she became listless and was panting. At one point her tongue was hanging out & I was afraid she was having a hard time breathing. Really scary now, and then the traffic slowed to almost a stop...with 2 miles to go. I was praying at this point. Literally seconds after I prayed, she perked up! She was not normal yet, but better. We made it to the emergency vet & even thought they were closed, I went to the door & knocked. The nurse came to the door & asked what was wrong, and at this point Mickey was wagging her tail! I was starting to breath normally. I'm sure the nurse thought I was nuts, but in those minutes that everything is happening, you are thinking the worst & don't know what will happen. About 20 mins. later they opened & Mickey saw the Dr. They said she probably was biten by something, shaved her paw & examined it, then gave her a shot for the pain & inflammation. Except for some tenderness on her paw, she was back to my bouncey Mickey. But now I have to call her Peg Leg. Check out her paws:

EDIT: 10/13/08, I just called the vet to let them know what happened & so that they could add the info to her file. I explained how she had been deteriorating quickly, and then suddenly just seemed to pop out of it. I said, "Does that happen? Is that normal?" She paused for a few seconds, then said, "no not really, that doesn't usually happen." So, is it coincidence that she seemed to spring back to life within 30 seconds of praying? I think not. Thank you Jesus.

Headline: Super Mickey Watches for Pizza Man!

2008-09-27T18:57:00.000-07:00

I'm so proud!

That Recliner is Just Too Comfy!

2008-09-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

It's been 3 weeks since my last race & I feel like a slug. Really. This is my downfall: If I don't have another race event on the horizon as a goal, I fall back into the old rut. Since the Disney 1/2 marathon I've only been for short walks with Mickey. So, new goal! I want to work toward running a 5K! Short distance, but I said run, not walk. There's a beginner's training plan out there called "Couch to 5K". Training the 1st week consists of a 5 min. walk to warmup, then alternate a 1 min jog with a 1.5 min walk, for a total of 20 minutes, and the running increases each week. Doesn't sound too brutal, right? And hey, I've done a marathon, right? Uh yeah. There's a reason I've always walked my races. Don't really like running. So why not? Haha. I started yesterday & went out again today, but today I took my iPod, which really helps. I also need accountability, so if you're reading this, maybe you could leave a comment just to let me the you know!

Workin' 9 to 5!

2008-09-13T20:38:00.001-07:00

Tonight I went with my friend Tracy and her daughter Mikayla to see "9 to 5" at the Ahmanson. We all love Megan Hilty & Stephanie Block from WICKED, so it was fun to see them in other roles, and we got their autographs afterwards. Are you old enough to remember the movie with Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda?

P.S. Disneyland 1/2 Marathon '08

2008-09-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

Whenever you're at a race you are bound to see some interesting shirts. There are the more thoughtful, inspirational types: "DLF>DNF>>DNS" which translates, "DEAD LAST FINISH is greater than DID NOT FINISH is much greater than DID NOT START"

And then there are the ones that provide some fun distraction, especially in the higher miles: "In My Dreams, I am a Kenyan"
and my favorite at my last race, "Race Official - Do Not Pass"
I passed her anyway. I'm such a rebel.

I found this cool aerial map of the course:

"Pushing Daisies"

2008-09-10T22:45:00.002-07:00

My friend Sandi & I visited the traveling Pie Hole (that's the restaurant from the TV show Pushing Daisies, for those of you who are not "with it"). Just some silly fun. See slideshow below...(note captions at bottom of TV)

Fun With "Pushing Daisies"

2008-09-10T22:45:00.001-07:00

Celebrating Dad's 91st Birthday With Family

2008-09-10T22:32:00.001-07:00

Disneyland 5K and Half Marathon 2008

2008-09-10T22:27:00.001-07:00

Baby Keenan is HERE!

2008-08-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

My niece Brianna & her husband Sean had their baby today! (She did all the work.) He was born August 4th at 5:20 AM, 7 lbs. 3 oz., 20 1/2 inches. I may be a little biased, but I think he's pretty cute. Brown wavy hair, long fingers, and kinda chubby legs for a newborn. Why are chubby thighs so darn cute on a baby! Can't wait to meet him. See for yourself:

Toilet Paper - Part Two

2008-08-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight Mickey was barking. Not all that unusual, however this time the bark was not coming from the front door or the back patio. So I followed the bark to investigate and found this. It seems I had committed the grave offense of not giving her the empty roll & she had to let me know. One smart dog! OK, so she's chewing on a t.p. roll. I'll bet you've got some family members who can't seem to ever replace the paper, right? Or they put the milk carton back in the regrigerator even when it's empty. Mickey would never do that.

Toilet Paper is fascinating...apparently.

2008-07-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

Ever since Mickey was a pup, I have given her the toilet paper roll to play with after the T.P. was gone. She gnaws on it awhile & when it starts to become edible, I trade her for a little treat. Well just this week I have found her standing in the bathroom staring at the T.P. roll. I've told her she needs to wait until the toilet paper is all gone, but she doesn't seem to get it. That's what happens with toddlers, I guess... She keeps me laughing anyway. Love that pup!

WHAT DOGS COULD TEACH US:
1. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
2. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a ride.
3. When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
4. Let others know when they have invaded your territory
5. Take naps and stretch before rising.
6. Run, romp and play daily.
7. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
8. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
9. On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
10. When you are happy, dance and wag your entire body.
11. No matter how often you are scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.
12. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
13. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
14. Be loyal.
15. Never pretend to be something you are not.
16. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
17. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Graduation from "Boot Camp"

2008-07-28T19:44:00.001-07:00

Woohoo! My last day of boot camp! No more getting up at 4:45 AM. It was only for 1 month, and "only" 3 days a week, but it was rough getting up so early & then going to work! (Especially today when I just walked 12 miles yesterday!) But even in that short amount of time, I improved my 1 mile run/walk time, and the number of crunches, etc. per minute, so it was worth it. I loved the variety of activities & will probably do it again in the fall when it's cooler & I can go to an after work class. Here's a pic of my class: (our trainer Kat is in front w/thumbs up, I'm standing w/pink shirt)

Baby Keenan is Due Any Day!

2008-07-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

My niece Brianna & her husband Sean are expecting their 1st baby any day. She had a wonderful baby shower today, got lots of great stuff, and I thought I'd post a couple pics. Her due date is in 2 wks. but the Doc says their son is already about 7 lbs. so if she goes 2 more weeks, Keenan will weigh 8-9 lbs! By the way, Sean is VERY irish with a nice O' last name, thus the great irish name of Keenan. Here's Bree with a sign made by Sean's sister, me with my other niece Amanda, & Bree opening presents. Oh, and a pic of Daddy Sean from the wedding.

Before and "After?"...and Boot Camp!

2008-07-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

Struggling with my weight has always been an issue for me, but as you get older, it’s not just about how you look. You also start thinking more and more about your health. In Dec. of 2005 I saw one of those “enlightening” photos of myself that shocked me into reality. A week later in January 2006 (yes, the month that everyone starts a diet!), I decided I had to do something. I signed up for Weight Watchers. The progress was slow but steady, lost 20 lbs. by April, then I didn’t try very hard & stayed the same for a few months. Back on track and over the next year I lost another 30. Late last year, after my marathon training & bored with “training”, I started putting it back on, and was shocked to see that 10 lbs had returned without any effort. That’s the problem, no effort. It really is a CONSTANT struggle. I know that this is not “a diet” that I can quit when I get to my goal weight, because it has to be a forever lifestyle. So now I’ve lost the 10 I gained, plus a few more. I wrote “After?” in the title the way I did because I don’t think I’m “there” yet. I don’t think it will be a certain number on the scale, I think I’ll just know. A few weeks ago I signed up for an outdoor "Adventure Boot Camp for Women." It’s a 4 week class held M-W-F at 5:30 AM. It’s been really interesting…hikes, jump rope, kick boxing, running, situps, lunges, & oh so much more. But it’s actually kinda fun. It’s NOT fun when the alarm goes off at 4:45, but I feel good after I have completed each class. Just 5 more classes to go! Here’s my “before” (July '05)and “so far” (July 08) :-) picture (both taken at Disneyland , by the way!) Now that I’m documenting this for the world to see, maybe it will give me accountability. And if you’d ever like to join me for a 5K, 10K, or even a ½ marathon, let me know!

"Run Through Redlands" - May 4, 2008

2008-05-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

I had previously done the Redlands 5K and the 10K, so I decided it was time for the 1/2 Marathon. The course already had a reputation for being pretty hilly, and they supposedly changed it for this year to make it less hilly. I don't believe them. The weather could not have been more perfect. Cool, breezy, clear...but it wasn't my day. It started out great. Actually that may have been my problem. I ran several times rather than just walking fast, since I felt this extra bit of energy, but I really hadn't trained like I should have. Not enough days pounding the pavement and not enough hill prep. Around Mile 10 I started to feel really nauseous and that never went away. I knew I might be dehydrated, and I drank more, no relief. Also this race is NOT geared to walkers. Instead of cars having to drive on the other side of the road, or take a detour, there were times I was having to stop on the side to let THEM go by! About 3/4 of the way through I was feeling all alone out there, wondering if anyone was actually still on the course. Then at about mile 11.5 I heard footsteps. (smile) There was someone BEHIND me! Woo-hoo! (BIG Smile) After awhile I hear, "Do you keep about a 15 minute mile pace?" "Yeah, I think so", I said. "You're fast, I can't keep up with you!" Ah, music to my ears. I felt a little spring in my step. But it didn't last. About a mile later he passed me. :-( At mile 12.5 they told us we had to now walk on the sidewalk. They were opening up the road to traffic. It was really ridiculous because, according to my time we were no slower than a 15 min. mile pace, which is usually the cut-off. So finally I cross the finish line, about 10 seconds behind my new walking friend. Ironically, it turns out I finished faster than either of my 2 previous 1/2 marathons - 3 hrs. 15 minutes. There were actually people as much as 45 mins. behind me. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that we got medals because I thought we were just getting a ribbon. Not much in the way of after race refreshment. I had to hunt down water & some orange slices. Redlands usually does a great job with events (They're also host to the Redlands Bicycle Classic, drawing cyclists from all over the world.) I think I just have to chalk this up to not being a "walker's race". I'll do the 10K again because it really is a beautiful walk, but I'll skip this 1/2.

50th Birthday Celebration with the Girls

2008-03-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

On the weekend of my 50th birthday, Kim, Becky & I celebrated together by staying overnight in Laguna Beach. We stayed at the Surf & Sand...a splurge...but I'm worth it! :-) When Becky picked me up, I noticed that her clothes were a bit...odd...then I saw her makeup & glasses. We then met up with Kim, and well, I'll let you see for yourself...

Once we arrived in Laguna, we dropped off our luggage (room not quite ready) & went on to have lunch at Las Brisas Mexican restaurant. It was a gorgeous day and we dined on the patio. Oh, the girls decided NOT to change their clothes. Yes people were staring. Most of them "got it" and laughed along with us, but some were not sure. A margarita, yummy food, presents. I could get used to this!

The hotel & the view from our room was AMAZING!

Cool, sunny walks on the beach. (OK, well Becky RAN!), Breakfast at "The Cottage"...

Kim is a busy mom & wife, and Becky is a realtor with a very busy life as well, but they took time to get away and celebrate with me. I am truly blessed by God with great friends...

"SOAK CITY" Half Marathon - Feb. 3, 2008

2008-02-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

OK, it was really the Surf City (Huntington Beach) Marathon, but if you were there... Days before we knew the forecasts were saying BIG TIME RAIN!, but we just kept living in our fantasy world & hoped it would change. Hey, it's happened before! Well, not this time. We woke early to see a light mist outside. If only it had stayed that way. Kim, Becky, Karen, Jeff & I headed out. By the time the race started it was windy, cold, and raining, and it only got worse. You know the kind of wind that you're leaning into, and the rain that slaps your face? Around mile 1-2 I was already having doubts I could finish, something I've never done before.

So we all trudged on. Karen finished her 5K is less than an hour, Jeff finished in just a few hours (1/2 marathon), and Kim, Becky, & I finished in about 3.5 hours. Considering the conditions, it wasn't a bad finish time for a race walker. Here's a video sampling of what it was like, and a pic of us afterwards. Once again, medals (which were cool surfboards, by the way!), and showers can do wonders!

Joining the 1% - Nike Women's Marathon October 2007

2007-10-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

After 5 1/2 months of training, it is now history...I DID IT! And this is my race report...(I realize that only a few may be interested in the nitty-gritty details, but here they are.)

We arrived in San Francisco on Fri., went to the Nike Expo and did a little sight seeing on Sat., a team meeting, then to our TNT (Team in Training) Pasta Party on Sat. night where Joan Benoit Samuelson spoke, then tried to get to bed at a decent hour for our early morning on race day, Sun 10/21.

As a walker and member of TNT (Team in Training), we had the option of an early start, which we took advantage of. Without the early start it's nearly impossible for a walker to make the time deadline, and they won't let you finish if you don't get to Mile 19 by the cut-off time. But I'm getting ahead of myself....

2:15 AM: Alarm goes off and I’ve had about 3 hours of sleep. Coffee & 1 piece of bread with peanut butter & honey.

3:45 AM: Meet the early start group (walkers) in the lobby. After pictures, instructions, ½ bagel, we walk to the start line a few blocks away. It’s really cold, a little windy, and very dark. We huddle to stay warm, & take 1 more potty break. My friend Julie (who came with me to San Francisco to be my support) went down to the lobby with me, then went back to room & met us later at the start line for a few pics (wearing a "GO BETH GO!" shirt that she made, covered with pics of my friends and family.) :-)

5:30 AM – START! Here we go! There are so many people we are packed together for quite awhile. My walking buddy Ashlyn & I took advice from coaches to just enjoy the race & not worry about time. So, lots of pictures (there’s only one “First” time!)

Miles 1-6 are really dark, so we can’t take many pics but of course I tried anyway. At Mile 6 we get to the Oxygen Bar. What the heck, let’s try it. I breathed in some of the “Ocean Blast.” At first you actually taste it, then it’s just like brisk, fresh air. It actually felt good & opened up the sinuses.

Good thing because the next FOUR miles, Mile 6 through 9 are ALL up hill! Really BIG hills. I’m thinking, boy we didn’t do enough hill training, then I try to tell myself that this is just like Smiley Heights, where we trained… but that only works for awhile. I’m thinking these hills will NEVER end. Puff puff puff. Ashlyn (who is about 30 yrs. younger, by the way!) is now 10-15 feet ahead of me, and I know she is just having to keep going. In between these 4 miles there’s 1 downhill & I catch my breath, but it’s short lived. Up we go again! Finally Mile 10 and we’re flat for awhile, then this GORGEOUS view downhill and over the ocean! Aaaaah. Miles 11-16 are through Golden Gate Park. Everyone tells you that you’ll probably have a “Bite Me!” moment at some point, which is aimed at your friends and/or family. My friend Julie is with Ashlyn’s boyfriend Dean, her Dad, & Stepmom. They told us they’d meet us at Mile 12 & we told them we needed Gatorade. Just B4 mile 12 there’s a water stop but we skip it because we know we’ll see them around the corner. Mile 12 – no one. Mile 13, 14 = no one. We finally hear that they’re at Mile 15 or 16! BITE ME! Part of the problem was that they were told wrong info about where they were because of the ½ marathon course mixing with our course, & partly because they couldn’t get through on the closed roads. It wasn’t their fault but at this point you don’t care. We get our Gatorade & all is better, all is forgiven.

Mile 15.5 was cool as went through the “Nike Tunnel.” We heard Lance Armstrong encouraging us to keep on, and inspirational messages projected on the walls.

Mile 17-19 Great Highway. Beautiful ocean view, but it’s long. We know that Mile 19 has a cut off requirement, but we’re OK on time.

Mile 19 entering the circle around Lake Merced.. Oh my gosh, the lake is HUGE! Full loop is Mile 19-23. We have to go around THAT?!!!” There is a beautiful view & I ask Ashlyn to take a pic and ask if she wants a pic. She says, “I’m over the pic thing.”

Mile 23 – I don’t know if this is “The Wall” but now my knees really hurt! Ashlyn & I are both especially feeling it in our left knee. It’s not like it was all at once. It came on slowly but there was 1 point when my knees started to just buckle underneath me. That was a little scary, because it’s physical & you can’t do much about it except to keep going. You hear people talk about your body being like a machine. It’s kinda like that just you just keep moving your feet, one step at a time, don’t stop, don’t stop.

The last 3 miles were really HARD. Playing music in iPod just to create a distraction, but not sure how much it’s helping. The phone messages and texts that I received (even if I didn't answer) from friends really helped keep me moving along.

Mile 25 – we see Coach Ron! YEAH! We needed that.!

WE CAN SEE THE FINISH LINE! Just keep going, one step at a time.

Cross the line! WE DID IT!!! Cute guy in tux gives us a Tiffany box. Oh yeah! Time: 7 hrs. 3 min.

We get our timing chip clipped off, then head over to the TNT tent to check in but realize we were supposed to go straight first to get our “FINISHER” shirt, so we have to back track. At this point you don’t want to walk 1 more step. Get shirt, go to TNT tent for check in and 26.2 pin. Pick up some snacks, then meet Julie & Ashlyn & her family again. Heading towards shuttle area which is about 2 blocks away (seems like another 26.2!). We get there & find out they’ve MOVED the shuttle area to be at finish line. CRAP! That’s where we came from! Ashlyn’s family gives us a ride instead, so there’s 6 people in a little pickup truck. Takes a long time to get back to hotel with traffic, 1 way streets, & closures.

Back in room. Julie orders pizza & gets me some ice while I take a shower. I am glad there’s a handicap bar in the shower to hang on to! After shower we eat pizza, snack a little more, then get ready for Victory Party. The party location is 3 blocks away & we can’t bear to imagine walking that far, so I decide to pay for a cab. As we walk through the hotel you can spot the marathoners. They have what is called the “Marathon Moon Walk” – it’s kind of a waddle. We take the cab from Marriott to Moscone Center & eat good food. The cab fare was about $5 but I gave the driver a $10. (each way) – It was SO worth it! The food was plentiful & it was good to see some of our teammates, 90% of whom are waddling.

Going to bed it’s hard to get in a comfortable position. I prop my knees with a pillow behind my knees, take ipuprofen, & ice my knees. That felt good, and with the exception of the difficulty of changing positions, I slept great.

I raised $3,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and am so thankful to everyone who contributed with the finances and prayers

Did you know that only 1% of the population have completed a marathon? Feels good.

Dad's 90th Birthday Celebration

2007-09-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

Today was Dad's 90th birthday party. About 50 family & friends attended. It was a lot of work, but well worth it. How blessed am I to still have my Dad in my life! He is such an easy person to be around, everyone likes him, and I'm sure his friends would say "Norm's a great friend!" He's always had a great sense of humor, so he keeps us all laughing. Here's a few pics from the party:

Disneyland Half Marathon-The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

2007-09-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

Just a little over 1 month before my marathon in San Francisco, Kim and I participated in the Disneyland ½ marathon.
The GOOD: Kim & I wore Mickey tattoos :-), and were really excited about the whole Disney thing. The race started by going through Disneyland and California Adventure, characters & cheering everywhere. FUN! Then we headed out onto Ball road and right into the sun. Hot, Hot, Hot. After a few miles we were already beet red & sensing how hard this would be. When we got to the Angels Stadium at Mile 10, it really lifted our spirits. Sat in the dugout for pics, saw ourselves on the Jumbotron, cheerleaders…
then we left the stadium & the rest of the race was pretty much concrete.
The BAD: The temp at 6:30 AM was already at about 85 degrees. Not a good sign. Speaking of signs, they posted warnings about what could happen.

At the start of the race, we were already at the Red Flag warning. I heard rumors that it really did reach Black Flag conditions during the race, but they didn’t call it. First Aid assistance and ambulances were a common sight.
Many stations ran out of water, or the water was hot because they hadn’t had time to put it on ice, so people were taking ice to put on their heads, in their own water bottles.

The UGLY: OK, well let’s just say we weren’t “pretty”, but we were just happy to have survived!

My First Triathlon - June 9, 2007

2007-06-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

L.A. Tri Series, San Dimas, CA, Lake Bonelli
Sprint Distance: Swim 300 meters, Bike 8.4 miles, Run 4K (2.5 miles)

I got up at 4:15 AM. Ate: 1/2 Fat free muffin but couldn't finish it. Nerves? 3/4 cup coffee, then 1/2 Power Bar on the drive in, and water.

Left house at 5:15 for San Dimas. Arrived around 6:00 AM, picked up packet and goodie bag, bathroom, set up transition area.

About 5-10 mins. before start of swim, a large dog (german shepherd) attacked a cocker spaniel, holding it in its mouth above the ground. It was very traumatic & unsettling and I had to calm myself down. The owner of the larger dog just stayed there! Several people were mumbling, "why doesn't she leave?," etc., and I finally yelled, "Get your dog out of here!" which was followed by numerous other people yelling the same. I asked the owners of the cocker spaniel if it was OK and they say "we don't know." My heart was racing. The owner of the spaniel was a participant, and shortly thereafer I noticed they were gone.

Just before the start of the race I saw my friends Kim, Jeff, and their boys Riley & Reid. You don't know how great it feels to have your friends there to support you!

I found out they shortened the swim to about 300 meters (originally 400), which elicited a huge cheer when announced. The swim started with the championship group (longer) of men first, then the women. When our group started I hung to the back of the pack based on the advice of many for a 1st timer - helps avoid being kicked around a lot. It was so much harder than I expected (despite warnings of this). I felt like I wasn't getting anywhere, gasping for air, and at one point was swimming across rather than forward! Fortunately I wasn't the only one - one girl swam all the way to shore before she realized she was way short of the finish. About 1/2 way through I calmed myself and just swam on my back so I could catch my breath. I heard a lifeguard tell the wayward girl something about "do 10 strokes and..." (something) and I decided "10 strokes, then look at where you're at", so that's what I did. It worked. As soon as I could stand I started pulling off my goggles & wetsuit since they say to take it off when it's wet. I was still gasping :-) but I kept moving. My transition felt surprisingly fast, didn't have any problems with the order of things, and my wetsuit came off without problems, probably thanks to the BodyGlide. I don't know what my T1 (Transition 1) time was because this race (unlike most races) doesn't break down your transition time, they just lump it into the first segment. My swim plus transition was 10:23 for 300 meters (less than 1/4 mile). My guess is that my T1 was in the 3 min. range. I finished the swim 165 out of 200. (I read one guy's review of his 1st tri swim, "I gasped. I swallowed water. I swallowed a bass." haha!)

Bike: Even though I was winded, I was just glad to be sitting! haha. Though the hard work started pretty quickly. I suppose the hills were normal for the non-rookies, but they were tough! (I did hear someone else comment on this) I fought one hill w/out stopping. On the 2nd one, I thought the end of the hill was coming so I kept going, only to find out the right turn (downhill) was not the course; we had to continue UP. I then had to walk a bit. On the 3rd hill, I had to stop for a drink. Unfortunately I was "sucking air" so badly that I inhaled the water and choked. duh. On about the 2nd hill I felt like I was in a hard gear and couldn't figure out what was up, because my gears were OK. Then I looked at my rear tire, it appeared to be flat, but I guess was just really low. I had checked the tire pressure the night before, but forgot to replace the cap. Ugh. At least I felt better about sucking in the bike portion. On a huge downhill I was up to 25 mph! Freaky if you've never gone that fast. I read somewhere that the elite racers hit 40-45 on this same hill. I preferred not to hit anything so I used my breaks a lot, even if it meant a slower time. I didn't want to find out what road rash was like. The 2nd transition was easy since I only had to remove my helmet, grab visor, water, & snacks. Time including T2 was 57:02 for 8.4 miles. Not too great. I finished the bike section 186 out of 200.

Run: I was a bit rubber leggy when I started but still jogged more than I had hoped I could. I refueled with my Cliff Blocks and water. The course was 98% gravel which I wasn't used to. Slipped & fell once on a steep downhill but caught myself with 1 hand. I finished the run/walk in 33:44 for 2.5 miles. I finished the run 174 out of 200.

Overall time: 1:41:07. No broken records, but no broken bones either. I finished 5th out of 7 in my age group, and was the oldest in my age group.

That's it. Feels good. If you had asked me 2 years ago, even 1 year if I would ever do this, I would've looked at you like you had two heads. But I found out it's possible. YOU can do it too!