That peaceful nervous feeling...

The day before a race always feels strange to me...it's one of very few days where I am not running and it always includes a race expo, both of which bring feelings of excitement and anxiety.

Maybe it is just my own emotionally-charged running-induced-endorphin-kick-happy self, but my stomach always feels a little uneasy when I walk into the expo. Maybe it's because my head is in so many places. Part of me is sizing up the competition (which, by the way is nearly impossible to do in endurance running), while another part of me is sizing up the vendors (to see which are giving away free stuff, of course), while yet another part of me is day-dreaming about the race tomorrow.

There have been times that I have left an expo with new gear, other times with a new race on the calendar, but every time I leave an expo I have left with that peaceful, nervous feeling.

Charging up

I am slowing down, cutting my training miles and starting to charge my battery for America's Finest City Half Marathon in San Diego this weekend. I am excited to finally get back out and race and to see where my fitness level is at with two months until Long Beach. I am hoping to set a personal record, but more importantly, I am hoping to recharge.

As if working full-time and training for a marathon wasn't enough for me, I added another job on top of that and recently my body, mind and soul have been crying out for some rest. They will finally get their wish when I spend the weekend on my own down in San Diego.

I have decided that my motto for this coming weekend is, "Slow down, run fast".

Running Rut

It's been about a month since my last race and I have over a month until the next one. It's training time, which always tests my patience. I increased my training mileage which has decreased my sleeping time.

No races + more miles - sleep = RUT

I love running, don't get me wrong, but I am tired. It's hot out and it feels like I have a year until my next race. 

How do I get out of this rut? Guess I have to run out of it.

"RED VINES!" (LA Marathon)

My alarm went off at 4:45 a.m. so I jumped out of bed and threw my running clothes on. There's only one day I willingly "jump" out of bed at 4:45, RACE DAY.


Memorial Day was finally here, which meant I would get to join two of my friends, and over 15,000 others as we ran 26.2 miles through the streets of Los Angeles. Even though this would be my third marathon, the feelings of anxiousness and excitement were still incredibly strong. My two biggest fears were warm weather and my legs refusing to run a second 26.2 in a one-month span. I had never attempted anything like this, so I had no clue what to expect.



We arrived at the start line with about an hour to spare. I could tell that Phillip and Edgar were nervous. They were nervous because they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. I was nervous because I knew EXACTLY what I was getting myself into. I envied their ignorance.



Before we knew it, the race had begun and the huge crowd of 15,000+ shuffled towards the starting line. With "I love LA" blaring over the loud speaker and a nice downhill at the start, everyone was in good spirits.


I seperated from the guys pretty early on. I kicked into a comfortable pace and was feeling great, better weather than I could have ever asked for and nice gradual downhills to speed things up. The miles started to add up and I found myself feeling very comfortable at the halfway point, which is where the race turned from downhill to uphill. Around mile 14, we started our 'ascent'. My pace had slowed, which I very much expected, but I was still running strong when I passed the 20-mile marker. I could slowly feel my body begging me to put a stop to the madness, but I didn't care to listen.


With the 23-mile marker in sight, my hamstrings tightened up. Both hamstrings, cramping at the same time, so I had to stop to stretch. I had 3 more miles to go and I knew there was no way they were going to start feeling better. Time to dig deep. The four-hour milestone was on the line and I wasnt going to let my hamstrings keep me from reaching it.


In the last three miles I grabbed just about every water, gatorade, orange and pretzel I could find, trying to fuel myself to 26.2. I ran as fast as my hamstrings would let me, trying to find something to lift my spirits...then I heard it. "RED VINES!" Music to my ears. I saw a man handing out red vines, my favorite, on the side of the road. It's funny the little things that excite you when your body is pushed to its limits.

The last couple miles were tough, they always are. I turned the corner with about 3/4 of a mile left, and could see the finish line. Mobs of people crowded the sidewalks as I ran down the homestretch. My hamstrings were screaming, but I focused on the voices of the spectators, cheering me towards the finish line. I broke into a sprint and crossed the finish line at 3:56. My body was beaten up, my ipod broken and my feet blistered, but I did it.


I love L.A.

Deja vu all over again

Here I go again. My third marathon and my second in the last month. I feel ready, a bit anxious, but mostly excited. I should clarify, though, i'm not all that excited for me.

I am excited because two of my friends, Phillip and Edgar, will be running their first marathon and I get to experience that with them. It was just a few short months ago that I was in their shoes, with butterflies in my stomach and doubt in my head. I'm pumped to experience this with them and can't wait to see them succeed.

I'm looking forward to a great run through LA with a couple of incredible guys. Good luck Phillip and Edgar, i'll see you guys at the FINISH LINE!

Black toenails

I've always heard stories about the myriad of running injuries, ranging from blisters to stress fractures and everywhere in between.

Of all the injuries, though, the one I hoped to never encounter was black toenails. A 'Black toenail' is when blood builds up underneath the toenail, causing a lot of pressure on the toe and eventually causing the nail to fall off.

After finishing a half-marathon on May 3, one week after the USMC Hard Corps Marathon, I removed my shoe to find two lovely black toenails. They don't hurt at all, but they are just downright ugly to look at.

Strangely enough, I have gotten use to looking down at my rainbow-sandal-wearing feet and seeing my ugly toes. In a wierd way i'm proud of my ugly feet.

It's difficult to tell just by looking at someone that they are a runner unless they are extremely athletic or Ethiopian. If someone were to look at me, "RUNNER" would not be the first thing that comes to mind...that is, until I show them my feet.

Just another run...

They said the Marine Corps Hard Corps Marathon course was 'predominately flat' and it was predominately flat, if you don't count the endless rolling hills...

The day started off just like any other day. The 8:10 start time meant I was able to get a full night sleep. It also meant the sun was shining bright from start to finish. Guess I can't have it all, right?

This was an inaugural marathon, so the race field was pretty small, somewhere around 500 people. There was about 5,000 in my last marathon, so the difference was noticeable. My parents were there to support me and I was able to chat with them all the way until the start of the race, which was a welcomed distraction from the thought of running 26.2.

Feeling calm and much more prepared than my last marathon, the gun went off and I began the 26.2 mile journey, again. A couple of miles in I noticed that we had been running on rolling hills, with nothing but more rolling hills ahead. I didn't let it bother me and I kept running. The playlist I had made for my ipod was doing a great job motivating me and keeping me from boredom.

Five miles from the start, I saw the ocean. We turned to the north and continued. Rolling hills, no shade, but a great view of the Pacific. The course was an "out and back" course, so at about mile 12 (at San Onofre) we turned around and retraced our steps. My body was beginning to feel tired around mile 13, but my legs, surprisingly, still had a lot of life.

As the mile markers continued to pass, I was enjoying the alone-time I was getting. I felt like the only person out there and at times, I couldn't even see any other runners.

Knowing that I have a half marathon a week after this race and another marathon a couple of weeks later, I knew it wasn't wise to push myself to the point of injury (see previous posts on my last marathon). This was a good excuse for me to not worry about my time and just enjoy myself. I talked with other runners, sang along with my ipod, and tried to encourage everybody I passed/that passed me.

I hit mile marker 21 and turned inland for the final 5.2. More sun and more hills, but I knew the end wasn't far. As I stopped for a quick walking-break I thought about my last marathon and the overwhelming pain and emotion I was feeling at that point. Where did all of that come from and why do I feel absolutely nothing this time around?

As the finish line came into my sights, I pushed hard, finished, and thanked God for helping me through. I'd like to say that I learned something profound during the race, or that it was a once in a lifetime experience, but the truth is that it was just a really good run.

Sometimes in life, we look for the spectacular, hoping and praying for an unbelievable story or a fairy tale ending. The race of life isn't always what we'd like it to be, but i'm gonna run it anyway.