put on your dress and run

last week was my lululemon ambassador photo shoot. the shoot was mostly to get a shot for a picture that will hang inside the store. i got to choose ANYTHING i wanted in the store for my shoot, and guess what's the first thing i choose? THE RUNNING DRESS...yeah, i know there is this whole understanding that women who wear running skirts are slow and something about a running skirt is just not right. well, i have actually never worn a running skirt (but would just never saw one i had to have), but i saw this dress and fell in love with it and thought that i want to run around in it and show up at track in it and make people wonder, is she serious?" (the answer is: VERY.) and okay, maybe it was designed as a yoga tunic, but having run in it several times (you just wear shorts or tights under) i can tell you that this IS a running dress.

i also got to outfit change into my yellow top and speed shorts. okay, so lululemon has a HUGE running line, but i seem to pick up all the things orignially "designed" for yoga or dance (the yellow is a dance/yoga top i think) and i love them becuase they don't LOOK like running clothes, but they totally function like them.) .......a few more gratuitous shots (but, hey, this blog is all about my life as i never would have imagined it even 2 years ago...so the memories are memories, even if they are a little (lot) self-invovled/induglent)

and a shot with super kate, the photographer and my buddy kirsten, who along with cristina was stylist extraordinaire (better known as the people who told me how to run so as to not look like a stump and reminded me endlessly how not close my eyes and be all awkward in the face. )

there was actually a third outfit (bright blue top with DENIM hot shorts...but you are spared those photos-no joke, kate dropped the memory card down a grate in the street. whoopsees. it was totally my fault becuase she was getting the keys out becuase i had a diva moment and wanted some lipgloss from the car and out fell the card- never to be seen again.

i can't wait to see which shot they choose!

on tap for the weekend...james has his first race of the year- GO JAMES!, we ordered our save-the-dates for the wedding (so exciting, i know)- it's officially december 30th, 2009, and i'm doing my VERY first century ride. the furthest i have ridden is 85 miles and that was a year ago. today i did a long run (as two runs- a morning interval sessionon the treadmill and an evening hilly/hell-y trail run with james) so that i can take it a little easier tomorrow with a swim and mellow ride before the big 100... can't wait!

what a weekend

since i left work on friday evening, i have done the following:
1) gotten new iphone (this is my SIXTH one. i have technology gremlins and anything i touch is "defective". its kind of ridiculous.i have also been through at least six ipod shuffles (only two of which were lost).
2) easy 1 hour trainer session
3) 74 mile bike ride where i did not get dropped this year and i did last year!
4) 3+ mile brick run (my first of the season and it felt AWESOME.i can run off the bike. phew.
5) 12 mile trail/road run
6) 3400yd masters swim
7) 30 minutes of yoga on the sidewalk supporting yoga swami's "take a stand" event
8) 12 mile mountainbike ride

and a whole lotta NOTHING else. i did great on the training front this weekend and very poorly in all other life-maintenance/errands fronts. whoops. james is going out of town tomorrow so i'll catch up on life then. well besides training, i DID do a good job of consuming frozen yogurt 3 days in a row and mexican food on two consecutive days. so i am being very consistent, which as athletes, we know is the key to success...

on a touchy-feely front. i felt VERY lucky this weekend to be surrounded by amazing, fun, and supercharged groups of friends. on saturday, we had a strong group of riders and i'm constantly amazed at the bike strength (and endlessly entertaining conversations) of my lady friends bethany, mary, nikee, and rachel. they put the dudes to shame and have made me a much better rider this year. i was also impressed on our saturday ride when one of the male riders hit a major wall and the group worked together to get him home safely- NONE of the 10 riders left him...we protected our yellow jersey and got him home safely!

sunday was another day i was thankful for great people. i got to spend the first part of my day running (chasing) katya on the local "ranch" run long run. katya and i have a nice time running together because a) she is an thoughtful friend and always gives me some great perspective and b) we talk wedding (she's engaged too!) which is always fun when your are charging up a hill and debating the merits of turquoise vs. bright purple for bridesmaids dreses.

after running, i got to draft for an hour at masters (i heart my lanemates who NEVER make me lead on sundays when i'm tired from running. actually, make that i never lead period. maybe one day but my attention deficit is way too strong for actual lap counting and i'm only hanging on for dear life anyhow.) i also love coach hux who is SO good and motivating that swimming in a lane with 8 people is worth it for his workouts.

then, i did a quick change and headed to the take a stand event at yoga swami.. the lululemon team REALLY did an amazing job of rallying hundreds of people and san diego's best yoga instructors to make a significant impact on the community and support a cause they believe in. it was so great to see cristina, chelsea, kirsten and all the other lovely lulu ladies taking charge. kisten and i did a little too much chatting during our poses, but girls gotta catch up when they can! ..there were lots of yoga-razzi out there so i think there might be some good coverage of the event too. i hope to get some good photos this week- it was really stunning to see everyone lined up on the sidewalk doing yoga.

FINALLY, it was time for the sunday-funday mountainbike ride james and i planned out at lake hodges. i took my first big mountainbike crash and somersaulted into a ditch, but was totally fine. we had a super-fun group and i got more mary-time which i love- it was her first mountainbike ride...and she crushed it! she did however take a spill in the water and get some bigtime scrapes and had blood dripping down her leg. which sucks for her, but is funny to me because now we can call her "Bloody Mary"....me and my bloody buddy:


james was our "host" and led us all through the trails on his single speed. my favorite tour guide around.
after, we topped off the ride with some beers and mexican food...good times.

fun times in arizona & take a stand!

james already did a really great recap of our long weekend in arizona with my family with specifics, graphs and details. and he stole all the good photos. so i thought i'd just add in a couple of things from my perspective that he may have left out or didn't focus on enough.


training-wise, the weekend was basically one long view of the ever-increasing distance between me and my view of james' arse.. this is very good training and demoralizing all at once. here is a picture of me, all happy before our first long run....ready to get it!!! so naieve to what was ahead!

the picture at the end of the run would have been a different story but luckily we didn't take one. i remember (about 1:25 into it and 3000 feet of climbing) gasping for air and telling james i needed some water. he told me that being thirsty would make me strong. stupid camel james. that was probably the first (or 10th) of 1,000 times i cursed him under my breath last weekend :)

the next day, his "friend" brian laid out a 65 mile "road" ride for us. this ride included nasty headwinds, the longest mind-numbing gradual poke-your-eyes-out climb, 6 miles of DIRT ROAD (see below. not a joke), two chase packs of wolves and coyotes and 3 humongous bulls in charging distance.
seems to me like jame's "friends" might just be wanting to oust the competition (just kidding, brian- the route was quite the awesome adventure!)

we also hit the trails for some mountainbiking 2 times at an awesome trail system/competitive park, which was super fun (and very hard for me and easy for you know freak-show who!)...

after a few long days of training, we went out for an "easy" run to "shake out the legs"....when this is the view at the top of your "shake out the legs" run , you realize that a) your fiance has crushed you even further under the guise of an "easy" run and b) you won't be home in 40 minutes as planned....

all in all it was a fantastic weekend that left me dead tired. it was really a dream to be able to train all morning and lounge all afternoon with the folks and my sister, hang out and eat good food and even hit pilates class and jacuzzi time...
i know its probably pretty rare to have a family that lets you come on vacation and go do your own thing (becuase honestly, they are off doing their own cool/random things) and a future husband that kicks everything down a notch so you can stay on his heels (or at least waits at the turns so you don't get lost)....even if he does give me tough love and say things like, "we didn't come out here to rest!" when i request a break :)


oops, forgot to mention that the "swim challenge" didn't happen. the lap pool was one of those short random distance pools and there was always a floater or two in there with a snorkel...i didn't want to mow them down.. (or actually i was just lazy, but shhhh!)

ooh! i almost forgot-
there is a really neat event this weekend: take a stand to preserve this land...

A benefit to raise awareness for the preservation of the land where Yoga Swami stands

What: Stand one, stand all! Yogi’s, surfers, runners, artists, friends and neighbors unite by lining up along Hwy 101 to take a stand to save Yoga Swami from commercial development. Tree-stand, mountain-stand, hand-stand, head-stand, toe-stand …choose your stand!

Intentions:
• Seek a benefactor(s) with intentions to buy and maintain land
• Create awareness for cause
• Raise funds to support campaign
• Unite 222 people to take a stand for the land which Yoga Swami sits
• Illustrate meaning, value and power of community coming together in North County San Diego

Join the potluck with live music and food in the Yoga Swami garden.

For more information, visit http://www.yogaswami.com/save.htm

There are no limits to what we can accomplish when we stand together.

-President Barack Obama

Sunday, February 22nd, 12-1pm Stand in front of Yoga Swami; 1pm-2pm potluck!
912 South Coast Highway 101

this event is going to be awesome and is such a great local cause...i'm hoping to catch the tail end and show some support, but i'm going to have to bike FAST down from orange county- we're taking the train up this saturday and riding down- CHOO CHOO!

ready for a long weekend!

hello out there! wishing a loving valentine's day to all. i'm going to be spending the romantic day on a couples vacation with the family. kind of awkward, huh? but super fun with my family..that is, after this marathon day of classes is over, james and i are driving out to scottsdale, AZ...should make it by midnight. i'm having trouble paying attention in class today because i can't wait to get on the road!
the weekend will be filled with fun activities some of which include (i am the only family member that knows about these mandatory activities so far):
1) family swim. they don't know it yet, but we have swim workouts planned for the family. the resort has a 25yd lap pool... i brought extra goggles, so no excuses, dad or dan!
2) speaking of swimming...james is being challenged (by me) to a valentine's day swim meet....the meet includes a 200 free, 100 free, 50 free, and 100IM. i pretty much predict a clean sweep by me (swim coachs hux and coleen at Encinitas YMCA have really helped me improve my stroke over the past 6 weeks and i am getting FAST (for a slow swimmer). i have never been as fast as james, but i'm feeling bold. and i've got the eye of the tiger. it's ON! he only stands a chance in 2 events (50free and 200free). oh, and this is the first he is hearing of the swim challenge. bring it!
3) at least a set of tennis. i packed my tennis skirt that i bought 2 years ago and have been dying to wear. but seeing as how i don't play tennis....so i plan on playing just enough tennis to justify putting on my tennis skirt.

other than that, we'll be doing lots of eating, hiking, biking and relaxing. hopefully a little spa-ing thrown in there.


finishing this post off with a couple valentines. one for miss ross:
and one for james:
ha ha.

some girls love jimmy choos...

i love my zoot schoos. last week, christmas came 11 months early and i got lots of new shoes for training and racing this season... i'm very lucky to have zoot's support for sure because i truly love love love these shoes. can't get enough. and i especially like how i wear them to the gym and people think they look like space shoes. check out the silver racers...ooh! flashy. love em. how can silver shoes not be fast?

this weekend i met up with the girls for blythe's bachelorette party in palm springs. it was probably the one weekend in 6 months that the weather was crap, but we made the most of it and really didn't notice...we had a sporty spice moment and 10 of us set off on a run together...many tapered off after 3 miles, i had two companions to 10 miles, and finished off with 5 more on my own to make a solid 15...pre-run, ready to shake off last night's party:after the run, there were massages at the house and then shopping!!! here's the bachelorette, looking for some honeymooning ensembles at trina turk...

unnecessary pose down in the store in our matching bomber jackets

later that night, all cleaned up and ready to party!

the weekend was a blast, and it was a rough ride home- i was so tired! i even skipped my sunday workout (long ride) for the first time i think, ever. i did nothing on sunday. except eat fish tacos and make james go to a chick flick with me ("he's just not that into you"). it was pretty fun. now we have a few more days of work and training and then it's off to scottsdale, AZ for a training camp (for me and james) slash awkward valentines couples vay-cay with my parents and sister/husband...the folks wanted to get out of the winter on the east coast for a bit and decided to head out to arizona. should be a good time for sure.

a plan for 2009

2009 race schedule just a draft...i am really excited about this year!
my big "training plan" until Honu 70.3 (if i can afford a plane ticket!) is just to stay as consistent as possible while balancing work and school. i will (cross your fingers!) graduate with my Ed.S. (4 years of grad school and only a faux wanna-be PhD!)) on may 24th. so honu will be a good celelbration. so here is the rough idea...

3/1 Gran Fondo Century Ride (not a race, but my first century)
3/29 Super Seal International Triathlon (SD Tri Series)
4/26 La Jolla Half Marathon

5/17 Encinitas Triathlon (maybe)
5/30 Honu 70.3 (A)

6/28 San Diego International Triathlon (SD Tri Series)

7/4 Scripps Ranch Old Pros 10k
7/11 Xterra Sugarbush Xduro 21k
minor possibility of vineman 70.3 on 7/19
7/26 Solana Beach Triathlon (SD Tri Series)

8/15 Pikes Peak Ascent (or Marathon? probably ascent.)
8/23 Imperial Beach Triathlon (SD Tri Series)

9/27 Orange County International Triathlon

10/4 Mission Bay Triathlon (SD Tri Series)
10/11 Chicago Marathon (sub 3 or bust!) or Kona Ironman World Championships (A Race) (go big or go home with the goals, right?)

there will also be some local club races and things thrown in. yes, its a lot of races, but only 2 A races and maybe 3-4 i will do any type of taper for. i just love to race and i'm lucky with my breakway training team to be able to do so.

ooooh. and james posted one of his latest awesome recipes on Vo2Maxxed...blue corn encrusted mahi mahi with healthy yogurt tartar sauce. deeeeeeeeeeeeelish.

let me know if you have any thoughts on these races, training for them, if you'll be there...thoughts...any thoughts are welcome!

xterra mission gorge, picture-esque, and ironman sandwich

LONG ONE, so i'll break it down.
chapter 1: usual randomness
chapter 2: xterra mission gorge 15k trail race


USUAL RANDOMNESS
its been a pretty great week. lots of pictures ahead. the weekdays happened as usual and the wednesday night run club at lululemon carlsbad is really taking off. ...and how cute is this up on the wall in the store? its totally true. if you are a single guy- come on out. its where its at.

the week flew by, and included my birthday (#29!) . i was most lucky to have some wonderful birthday wishes- thank you, everyone! all these internetters really make it look like i have a lot more friends than i do in real life!
saturday was the best. i wore my new birthday bike knickers and twin six jersey (thanks, james!) on a 60-mile coastal ride through camp pendleton. i pushed so hard on the way back -mary pulled me and two other girls for 20 miles and it took everything i had to stay on her wheel going 25mph through camp p. i really surprised myself being able to push so hard, but was bummed when we got back to the cars at 50 miles and hadn't had too much lollygagging chatty girl time. so, mary and i tacked on 10 beautiful sunny miles full of therapeutic catching up- we're separated at birth and its nice to chat and have so much in common. some girls shop. we ride. (and then shop) .
after the ride i had a billion errands to run. one of which included stopping at apple becuase my iphone was busted. so i'm sitting at the genius bar and i hear a tasty australian accent next to me. i look over and there is this guy wearing an Orbea jacket and he has a mega sunglass tan....hmmm..its only the Ironman World Champion, Craig Alexander!!! I proceeded to be a total geek and probably scare him. it was one of those times i was glad i was wearing an engagement ring becuase otherwise he would have thought i was some creepy tri chick trying to hit on him and he's very married. i told all the apple employees who he was....hope he didn't mind...and then i asked him to tak a picture with me...couldn't help it. good thing i was looking my finest all unshowered from the 60 mile ride in my hot pink do-rag:
it was hard to tell if he thought it was cool that i was so into meeting him randomly in the apple store or if he was over it. i think that if you are Craig, maybe you don't get recognized ALL over the place, so it's kind of nice to be recognized? hope so at least. its weird becuase i lived in LA working in PR for 4 years and met and saw every celebrity and never cared or asked for a picture or autograph. oh, and that lululemon sweatshirt i am wearing above...JUST bought it and lost it today at the race...i'm so angry at myself- so silly and such a waste....speaking of the race today

XTERRA MISSION GORGE TRAIL RACE-15k.
ok. this was my second time doing this race and i raced 9 minutes faster this year on the same course. but, last year i had just come back from "re-breaking" my arm falling off the trainer so i probably played it a bit safer on the crazy downhills and the conditions were torrential last year, but perfect today.

the race goes up two peaks in mission trails regional park...first there is south fortuna:

and then north fortuna- with the famous '1,000 steps' (or famous by mission trails park standards). anywhoo, to get up the face of this climb, there are steps carved into the rock face. its pretty intense

james garmined it today and here is the elevation graph. you can see the second peak is pretty much straight up. ouch!

as usual, i got pretty worked/dropped on the climbs, but held strong through the flats. from the second mile or so, i never saw any women. one was ahead and the rest were behind. the results: an former-ironman-world-champion sandwich! check it out!
i guess this was my weekend to get close with past ironman world champions. heather fuhr dominated as usual, but this year she ran 4.5 minutes faster than me. last year she ran 10 minutes faster than me. i was 4.5 minutes ahead of the 3rd woman (PNF) so the race was pretty spread out.
post race was good times in the sun. i met a super nice girl named gloria who said she reads this blog- HI GLORIA!!!! it amazes me and means a lot to me that people actually read my crap and i really love meeting these people who are always so awesome.
i also had a great time just hanging out with my hot future husband.....


waiting for awards and haning out with our trail running friends...there's that darn pink do-rag again!
that's pretty much it. we hit a superbowl party at brent and rachel's and now am relaxing, preparing for the week. happy february!