I’m a Triathlete

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Amanda

My Dad after his first Sprint Triathlon

Last weekend I competed in my first sprint triathlon. The Triathlon was held in Pleasanton, CA about an hour outside of San Francisco. The length was a 400 yard swim (lake swim), 11 mile bike ride and 3.2 mile run. I was inspired to try a triathlon earlier this year when my Dad completed his first one. He had a really positive experience and really enjoyed all the cross-training. I decided that it was time for me to try one and see if I enjoyed it as much.

Training

I started swimming back in June after the “See Jane Run” half marathon. I was having some issues with my feet once again so I decided to take a month off from running and let my feet heal. The swimming was a nice way to cross train and allow me to prep for a Triathlon. I really enjoy getting in the pool twice a week and I’m now swimming over a mile during most workouts.

Along with swimming twice a week, I always try to get in one spin class a week. I started spinning back when training for my first marathon as a way to cross-train. I have been keeping up with that so I had a strong base for bike riding. I have done several 12 mile bike rides with my Dad when in Maine so I was confident I could do the bike portion of a sprint tri. My friend Isabel was super nice to lend me her road bike for the triathlon. I got it a week before and did a few test runs on it to make sure I was confident riding the bike.

I knew the running would be the easy part for me as I always try to keep in half marathon shape as a rule of thumb. I did a few workouts where I rode my bike (or indoor spin bike) and then followed it with a run. I quickly learned that my Dad was right, the transition from bike to run is super hard. That was my biggest concern going into the triathlon.

I didn’t follow a formal training schedule but I am going to try to get on one now as I am aiming to do an Olympic Distance triathlon in September.

Race Day

The race was on a Saturday morning at 7am. Registration opened at 5:30am and I had missed online reg so I had to register at the event. It was about an hour drive so I planned to leave my apartment at 4:30am. (Gross) I spent Friday night preparing. I packed my bag and got the coffee maker ready to brew. I was so nervous I was going to forget something, you have to remember a lot of things. It’s very different from showing up to a race in your running shoes and just running. My alarm went out off at 3:45am and I was out of bed at 4am. I got dressed, made breakfast to bring with me and packed the car. I had to load up my bike so that took some time.

I arrived at 5:40am in the pitch black. A ton of people were already there. I found the reg tent and got signed up. I was then “oil marked” with my number on my right leg and left arm. I setup my bike in the transition area along with my sneakers, socks, a towel to dry my feet, water, race belt, bike helmet and Gu in case I needed it. I was all alone and this was my first triathlon so my Dad definitely prepped me well and encouraged me to check out other people’s setup. It was helpful to see how other people setup. It was also helpful to be there so early because I got a great spot in the transition area. After I was setup I had a lot of time to spare. I used the bathroom a few times, texted with my Dad a bit checked and rechecked my transition items. I headed down to the beach at 6:45am.

The triathlon was a part of the “Tri for Fun” series geared towards beginners. They had a coach speak and give some last-minute tips. After that we headed over to the starting area and they got the first wave underway. I had two options, I could either go with my age group or I could go in the last wave with the “beginners”. I decided to go with my own age group because I honestly am too competitive. I knew being in the last wave would irritate me. When they called my group I stayed in the back of the wave so I didn’t have to worry about swimmers behind me and I could go at my own pace. At 7:20am I was off!

Sunrise over the lake

The lake water was much warmer then I expected which was a nice bonus. I swam in my sports bra and tri shorts. I didn’t want to buy an entire outfit until I was sure that I enjoyed competing in triathlons. I quickly learned that I should have gone closer to the front. I am a faster swimmer then I thought and I kept running into people. It was tricky to pass people and stay straight so I just did my best but next time I will not hold back in the back of the wave. I did the 400 yard swim in 9:04.

The first transition is tricky. I had to run up the beach, find my bike and then dry my feet and get socks and my running shoes on. (I have not gotten into bike clips yet) My dad told me to buy shoelaces that you don’t have to tie and it was a great idea! Putting on my shoes was much easier than if I had to tie both laces. I did the first transition in 2:12 and was off on the bike ride.

Transition Area

The bike ride ended up being super flat and really easy. I passed quite a few people on the ride. My co-worker told me to push hard on the bike because the run would be easy for me. It was great advice and I definitely pushed. I did the 11 miles in 32 mins. That was much faster than I expected to do it in.

Transition 2 was a bit easier. I had to rack my bike, switch out my bike helmet for running hat and grab my iPod, I was off. The first mile of the run was awful. My legs were like lead. I felt like I was barely moving and I couldn’t catch my breath. The run was actually a trail run that was quite hilly, not an easy run by any means. I did the first mile in 10:21. YIKES! I was kind of freaked out but kept telling myself to relax, all I needed to do was finish the race, I had no previous time to beat. I hit the 2 mile marker in 8 minutes. I felt much more like my old self. That gave me confidence and I really pushed myself the last 1.2 miles. I passed a ton of people and it was really fun passing men because they started anywhere from 5-10 minutes before me! I sprinted the last quarter-mile and finished in 1:10:27. I was really happy with my finish. I was expecting to finish closer to 1:30!

All Finished!

I hung around a bit enjoying the post-race food and activities and then I packed up and headed home. It was a GREAT time and I knew right away that I would be doing another one. I was aiming to do a sprint tri in September but I found an Olympic Distance one that same weekend so I think I may try that instead. I’m really looking forward to the extra challenge, the sprint felt pretty easy when all is said and done!

Next up – Disneyland Half Marathon next weekend! I’m looking forward to seeing my cousin Heather and spending time with her and her friends. We all ran the race together last year so it will be a little reunion!

Lots of Running….

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Amanda

It’s been about a week since I talked about my training so here is a quick catch up.

Saturday – 15 miles. The rain finally went away and held off through my run! We even saw a little sun. I ran with the SFRRC again. It’s great to have people to run with! After the run, few errands and then out to celebrate St. Patrick’s day and my cousin Hilary’s birthday!

Sunday – Lazy Day! Took me until 3:30 to finally get to the gym for some weights but I made it there!

Monday – 40 minutes of spinning

Tuesday – 8 mile run and track workout with the SFRRC. It was a gorgeous night in Golden Gate Park, I wish I had my phone that night so I could share some of the flowers and beautiful birds I saw. I did a 2 mile warm up on my own, 3 mile warm-up with the club and then 6×200 intervals with 200m recovery. After that I finished up with another mile on the track and 1 minute planks with the club.

Wednesday – Great 5 mile run on a beautiful morning!

Thursday (Today) – 2 mile run with about 20 min of spin (trying to baby my tendonitis a bit) and a 55 minute Burn (weights) class.

Tomorrow is my rest day but more importantly known as Hunger Games Day! Really looking forward to seeing the movie in Imax at 7:15pm!

Eugene Marathon Training – Track Workout

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Amanda

On Tuesday I officially joined the SFFRC (San Francisco Road Runners Club). I’m really excited to be an official member of a running club. I realized how much I missed the L Street Running Club in Boston after running with the club on Saturday. It’s nice to talk to people who have the same passion and love for running. They also don’t give you weird looks when you say you are running 18 miles on Sunday – they get it. :)

Tuesday I went and did my first track workout. It was raining so the group was small but it was a great workout. I got to the track a little earlier so I ran a mile in Golden Gate park before meeting the group. I met the group at 6:30 and talked with the coach a bit. We did a 3 mile warm up in Golden Gate park as a group and then headed for the track. Once we were at the track we did some different drills and then I ran with the group doing shorter sprints because it was my first workout. We didn’t do a ton of speed-work just 4×200′s. It was great though, I was able to push myself and really get my heart rate up. Jenni (the coach) said we’ll probably keep my speed-work similar to what I did on Tuesday until after I’ve recovered from the Marathon, then I can really try to increase my distance and speed. I’m looking forward to being challenged and tackling some 5k and 10k’s this spring and summer!

Wednesday I did a 4 mile run at a slower pace, I was definitely a little sore from the speed-work. I ran on the Treadmill Wednesday because it was really raining, it was miserable. I officially hate the treadmill now. That night I went to a weights class with my friend Kate on Wednesday night and it was a lot of leg work. My legs were done – really tired and sore. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger – right? Yesterday I got up and ran 5 miles outside in the rain. It was lonely, only a few people were out running with me compared to normal days. I’m really adapting to this running in the rain thing – it’s a good thing because I’ve got 14 miles to run in the rain tomorrow.

Today, a much-needed recovery day after 6 days of exercise. Happy Friday everyone!

“When it’s pouring rain and you’re bowling along through the wet, there’s satisfaction in knowing you’re out there and the others aren’t.” -Peter Snell

Eugene Marathon Training – 18 Miles

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Amanda

Saturday

I ran 18 miles in prep for the Eugene Marathon. I had a really tough long run the week before and really wasn’t looking forward to this run. In order to motivate myself and switch it up I decided to try running with a local running club – the San Francisco Road Runners Club. They run on Saturday mornings (my preference) and you can run anywhere from 5 miles all the way up to 24 miles.

Saturday morning I was up at 7am. I had prepared the night before getting my Gu and Water Belt all ready to go. Typical long run morning routine, roll out of bed, wash up, make an English muffin with Almond butter and jelly, glass of water, dress and head out the door. I met the club down at the Marina Green at 7:35am. I introduced myself to one of the leaders and he gave the run down on pace groups and introduced me to another new member. As I was chatting with the other new member I heard another lady say “I just moved from Boston 2 months ago” so of course I went over and introduced myself to her as well. I ended up running with both of them in the 9:00 min/mile pace group. The run was sort of typical run for me, through the Marina and out to the Presidio but when you live in a city that is 7 miles by 7 miles the options are limited. It was so nice to have people to chat with! Most of our group turned around for the 8 mile run but 2 girls stayed to do 10 so I stuck with them. We headed back the Marina green and finished at about 10.5 miles.

I had 7.5 miles to go but I planned it well! My friend Katie wanted to join me for part of my run so she met me at the Green at 9:30am. We headed off down the Embarcadero for another 7.5. She stuck with me the whole time which was great. It’s just nice to have company, even if you aren’t talking, having that person there is nice. It’s a nice change from iPod too. The music starts to get old day after day.

Overall, I had a great run! I think the company definitely helped but physically I felt much better than the week before. My legs were strong and only started to tired around 15 miles. I powered up the Fort Mason Hill at Mile 17 without an issue and felt great after my run! I was a little sore but nothing crazy.

New running shoes!

That afternoon I headed out for some errands. I made my first stop at Sports Basement for more Gu and Electrolyte Pills that my Dad got me into for the last marathon. I ended up buying new running shoes as well. I needed a new pair but kept putting it off. I ended up with the same shoes Brooks Adrenaline but after trying on the 2011 and the 2012 models ended up with the new model. They are much lighter than my previous pair. The best part was they had them in pink – I have never had pink running shoes, they are bright and obnoxious but I love them.

The rest of my day was spent running errands and then I crashed on the couch. I was in bed at 9:30pm on a Saturday night. That’s what marathon training and a long week of work does to you.

Sunday

I was up at 9:30am, made a good breakfast (egg whites, english muffin and fruit) and off to the gym by 10:30. I spent about 45 minutes doing a weights workout. I focused mainly on my upper body and core to let my legs rest after 18 miles but got a few leg exercises in. I hit the foam roller for about 15 minutes after that. I’m a little concerned my right IT band is acting up. I spent a lot of time trying to roll that out along with my right calve. It felt great to stretch and foam roll after my long run on Saturday.

I headed out on a hike with friends around 1pm. The weather was ify but who cares – just nice to get out in the mountains. We went south of the city to Pacifica and hiked up Mount Montara. It’s an 8 mile hike with a good incline but nothing crazy hard. It got my heart rate up and was definitely challenging at parts. It turned out to be sunny for most of our hike. We had a great view of the coast and could see all the way to SF and see the top of the Golden Gate bridge. It was a perfect hike for a recovery day, challenging but didn’t beat me up. After that we got post-hike beers in the Mission and headed home. It was 7:15 when I got home and the sun hadn’t set yet – love it!

View from about halfway up Mount Montara (SF is towards the back of the photo)

Monday

Last night I went to yoga. It was a great class, I definitely pushed myself and got a great workout in. I love when I have a good Yoga class!

Tonight I’m off to my first track workout with the running club. I’ll share more in the next few days!

Thank You Mother Nature & Apple

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Amanda

Drinks - I'm representing Beantown with the Sam Adams

I had a really nice and relaxing weekend. After my 15 mile run Saturday I showered, ran a few errands, made a nice lunch and headed down Chestnut Street to get a mani-pedi. One of the best parts of SF is that mani-pedis are $20. Yes, that’s right, $20 and it includes a neck rub. I get my nails done on a regular basis now. I love it! After nails, I met my friend Kate and her out-of-town friends for drinks and then we grabbed dinner. It was a nice night.

Yay for 70+ Degree weather in March! (Thank you Mother Nature)

Sunday I was up kind of early. (I can’t sleep in anymore) I headed to the gym in the morning to do weights. I skipped cardio to give my legs some recovery time but wanted to get some exercise in. It was a nice workout and the gym was empty on a Sunday morning which was great. After the gym I headed home and was trying to decide what to do. I finally decided that it was 70 degrees out and hot in the sun so I was going to head to Stinson Beach for the afternoon. I figured if it was warm enough to lay out and tan that I would and if it wasn’t I was prepared with pants and a long sleeve shirt so I could just sit on the beach and read. (When you grow up going to the beach in Maine you always bring warm clothes) It turned out to be a great day! The drive to and from Stinson Beach is so beautiful. It’s right along the mountains the views of the ocean are breathtaking. I was fine in my bathing suit and got some sun. I spent two hours there reading and relaxing. I really enjoyed my alone time, sometimes I just need a day to myself. I laid out on the beach, 45 min from my house in March. That is like a dream come true to me. It was a GREAT afternoon – thank you Mother Nature.

Beach in March = Heaven

View on the way to Stinson Beach

My Monday

This morning started off a little “shaky”. Haha. By shaky I mean, I woke up to an Earthquake at 5:33am. It was little scary. It was my first Earthquake in my apartment and alone. I really don’t mind living alone but this morning I wished I had a roomie. It was a little unnerving. Things were clanking (I realized later I think it was medal rack with all my medals) and my bed was shaking. I just laid in my bed paralyzed in fear…probably not the smartest move. (I did read if a big earthquake hits while in bed to cover your head with a pillow and try not to get up so I guess that I’ll do okay.) Turns out we had two Earthquakes right in a row a 3.5 and 4 and then their was an aftershock a half hour later which I didn’t feel. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to Earthquakes.

Tonight I skipped yoga. The worst part is, I left work, rushed there to find out that it was not the normal instructor but the one woman I really don’t like. I turned around and left – I really don’t enjoy that woman’s class.

To give you some background, I started practicing Bikram Yoga when I arrived in SF last August. I hated the classes at first. However, I had bought at 30 day trial so I stuck with it. After about 2-3 classes I was hooked. I love the good deep sweat (I’m hopeful I’m sweating out all the bad toxins I put into my body, like wine….) and I love the stretching, it feels like a great compliment to all my running. However, this particular teacher started teaching a few months ago and keeps the room REALLY hot. (She doesn’t sweat which I can’t understand but I think that is why she keeps the room so hot) I have gone to her class 2-3 times and each time had to leave the room, couldn’t push myself in the poses and have left feeling sick to my stomach and couldn’t eat dinner for hours. (Many other people leave the room during her class too so I don’t think it’s just me) I hate doing things half way, I’m a perfectionist, so leaving and not being able to push myself in class really stinks. I also don’t like getting sick from class, I don’t think that is healthy at all. With all that being said, once I spotted that instructor (fortunately before I checked in) I was out. I turned around walked out – again, I’m not really a quitter so I hated doing it but I really hate her class. I did run 5 miles this morning so I didn’t feel as bad skipping.

Love technology (Thank you Apple!)

Bruno - newest addition to the Family

On a brighter note, I texted my brother and sister-in-law on the way home and asked them to FaceTime. Hannah (sister-in-law) just got an iPhone so this was our first time FaceTiming. They just got a new puppy and I really wanted to see him! We chatted for about a half hour and they introduced me to Bruno the new puppy and I got to say “Hi” to Artie their other dog as well. I gave them a tour of my apartment and we caught up for a bit. It was fun!

After they hung up with me I FaceTimed with my sister. I haven’t really talked to her since vacation expect for a few texts, so that was fun as well! I really love that I can FaceTime with my family and friends. I talk my good friend Laura who is now living in Europe quite often. It’s free and we can see each other. It’s so great to catch up, see her new apartment and even say “Hi” to her husband Tim. It really is better than just a phone call. Seeing your family and friends makes all the difference in the world. Thank You Apple for making my friends and family thousands of miles away feel like they are hanging out in my living room with me! Anyone else want to FaceTime?

Hope everyone had a nice Monday – 5 mins until my new favorite show SMASH! (If you haven’t watched get on Demand and watch the first 4 episodes – it’s AWESOME!)

Successful Week

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Amanda

After a week of being sick I decided it was time to step up my exercise regime. Since I moved to CA I have not being as exercise centric as I would like to be. In Boston I was lifting weights twice a week, spinning etc. Here it’s been mostly running and some yoga.

This week I got back on track. I got up every morning I was supposed to (no sleeping in) and got in a great mix of workouts. I completed the following.

5 runs – 29.3 miles
1 spin class – 50 minutes
2 weights workouts
1 90 min Bikram Yoga class

It was a great week! Yesterday I ran 12 miles in the morning and it was just beautiful!

Harbor by AT&T Park on my run (Bay Bridge behind it)

I also booked two trips yesterday. I’ll be heading to Maine for a week for the 4th of July. I have a great job that will let me work from home a few days so I can spend a whole week with the family – thank you Bizo!

I also booked a 10 day trip to Europe to visit my best friend Laura and her husband Tim in Luxembourg. Bring on the fun!

Laura and I on Alcatraz when she visited SF in October

As a reward, I’m off to Sonoma in a limo wine tasting with friends today. Should be a fun day!

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend & Race Recap

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Amanda

On January 8th I ran my third marathon at Walt Disney World. It was a wonderful experience and another day with friends and family that I will never forget. It was also my Dad and cousin’s 1st Marathon so it was great to have company out there! Here is my recap of the weekend and race:

Expo

On Thursday morning after a night in Fort Lauderdale we headed to Orlando. We hit the road early – 7:30am so we could be at Disney between 10-10:30. Our first stop was the Expo at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.

My mom and sister ran in the Family 5k on Friday morning along with my Aunt, Uncle and cousin.

: Laura picking up her first race bib!

My Mom and Laura with their bibs!

My Dad picking up his first Marathon number!

Me, Dad, and Heather with our Marathon Bibs!

Disney Family Fiesta 5K featuring the Three Caballeros

Mom, Laura, Aunt Marie, Uncle Sonny and my cousins Sarah participated in the Family 5k on Friday morning. The run started at Epcot and looped through the park and finished at the Marathon finish line. My Dad and I went with them to cheer them on. It was another early morning, out the door at 4:30am. The race had 3 waves to start and the winner finished before the 3rd wave started. It was kind of funny to see that happen. Overall, they had a blast running or “wogging” as my Aunt Marie called it. (Please direct all questions about “wogging” to her and my sister)

Pre-Race

Starting Line

Headed for the finish line! (Aunt Marie in the red jacket and black capris - check out that "wogging" form!)

5k Done!

Marathon Day – Pre-Race

Up at 2:45am – just gross. (I am not a morning person and my nerves were pretty in check for this marathon so I would have preferred to sleep in.)
Got ready for the marathon – my Dad and I basically woke up my mom and sister so my sister was throwing in comments like “Don’t forget your GU”. I found that quite funny because she’s never run a long distance race but she knows these things because my Dad and I constantly talk about them.
We met my cousin Heather in the lobby of our hotel at 3:30am – she was really excited and ready to get running. I was still half asleep and my dad was really nervous. We made an interesting trio.
Note: On the ride to Epcot I was getting texts from my West Coast friend who hadn’t even gone to be yet – that’s how early it was!
4am – we arrived at the Epcot Parking lot via a Disney Shuttle. They were super organized and efficient – it was an easy journey over to runners area.
We had a quick breakfast picnic on the ground and organized our gear for bag check, after a bathroom stop and picture we were off to the starting corrals.

Dad, me and Heather ready to head to bag check and the start line!

Start Area:

The walk to the starting area is quite long and it was really congested. It took us about 30 minutes to get into our corrals.
My dad and I were in corral C and Heather was in corral E so we said our good-bye’s and good luck’s and “see you at the finish line”. We timed it well because we only had about 15 minutes to wait for the first corral to go.
My Dad and I were off at 5:43am – Heather was about 10 minutes behind us.
The characters yell the countdown for each corral, it’s funny to hear Mickey’s high pitch voice telling you to go!
Overall, the start was super organized and painless – I wouldn’t expect anything less from RunDisney.

Race

Miles 0-2 were a bit slow, we had to work through the congestion. It was fun because you run up a circular on-ramp to a highway and you can see all the people running ahead and behind you. It always amazes me how many people are out there with you!
Mile 2.5 – my Mom, Sister, Aunt & Uncle and Heather’s friend Anette were at the Monorail station to cheer us on! It was exciting to see them and look for their signs.
The next few miles were through Epcot and then out to the behind the scenes area. I love running through the parks.

Running in the dark...

After that we headed down to a long road that was going to take us into Magic Kingdom, it could have been boring but Disney had all kinds of things going including a Hot Air Balloon – that was really neat and pretty!
GU at Mile 6 for my Dad and I.
Mile 9 – We were on the lookout for our fans again – they were watching from the Ticket and Transportation center – we found them easily because of Heather’s awesome blue sign. Good to see the family again!
Mile 10 – we headed into Magic Kingdom. This was my favorite part of the run, there is something about running down “Main Street USA” with the Castle in front of you that is really fun.
We ran through Tomorrowland into Fantasyland. They had a ton of characters – the highlight was Cinderella and Prince Charming in front of the castle. Prince Charming was quite charming. :)

Dad and I in front of the castle!

We headed through Liberty Square and then into Frontier land where Woody was standing. I wish I had gotten a picture with him!
We headed through the back area of the park and then out on main roads again. Their were signs with fun facts to read and music playing. Disney always has something going on.
We did a GU on the way out at Mile 11.5ish.
My mom and sister were at just about the halfway point somewhere around Mile 13.
Unfortunately my Dad’s IT Band started flaring up at Mile 10 so he was hurting. It was hard to see, I’ve been there and it’s the worst when that happens on race day. He kept stopping to stretch it out because that was helping.
Mile 13-16ish was a bit long. We were on back roads and made a nice little tour around the Disney water treatment area. It smelled lovely. (joking)

Dad & I with Peter Pan and Wendy!

Gu at Mile 16.
We then headed through Animal Kingdom. My Dad and I made the decision to split up once we were out of the park. He was hurting and wanted to take it slow. I felt horrible leaving him but I know he felt horrible holding me back. It was a tough decision.

Running in front of "Mount Everest"

I was very much looking forward to seeing my cousin Sarah and her daughter Lily at Mile 17.5. (Remember this post from Boston) That kept me pushing forward.

Mile 17.5 just before I went off on our own!

We found Lily and Sarah easily but Lily wasn’t so happy this time around. She had dropped one of her 3 binkies and it tumbled onto the race course and got kicked to the other side. I made a daring rescue to get her binky because I thought it would cheer Lily it up. It didn’t so I didn’t get a hug this time around. My dad and I took a picture, said our good-byes and I was off on my own
Lily's 3rd Birthday was the same day as the marathon - we had a little party the night before!

It was hard to leave my Dad, I got upset and almost went back but knew I needed to just focus on my race. I pushed really hard miles 18-21 clocking 8:30 miles. It felt good to get my speed up and push myself. I have never clocked 8:30′s in a marathon.
Mile 22 – Gu and my quads started to hurt so I stretched quickly.
Around Mile 22 we entered Hollywood Studios. I enjoyed running through Hollywood Studios because the park was open and their were a ton of spectators!
In front of the Hollywood Studios Mickey Hat

My cousins Derek & Celeste were just outside the park at Mile 23.5. It was great to see them and stop and chat for a min. I stretched my quads out and moved on. I know I could beat a 4:15 if I pushed so I didn’t stop for long.
At that point a giant blister on my left pinky toe popped. It was so PAINFUL. I just kept running but was definitely limping at that point.
The last few miles were along the Boardwalk area in front of the Yacht and Beach club. I really don’t remember much about this part of the run at all. I just kept telling myself to push though the pain and to keep my pace which was about a 9 min mile at that point.
Mile 25-26 was through the countries in Epcot. It was hard, I felt like it took forever to get through them. I finally got to Spaceship Earth (the globe) and knew that it was just a short bit to the finish. I started scanning the crowds and saw my Aunt & Uncle and Annette. I needed the cheers, it was great to see them. Shortly after I saw my mom and sister – so great to see them as well!

Crossing the finish line!

I crossed the finish line at 4:14:10. No Personal Record (PR) but I was close. I was really proud of my performance, I definitely hit the wall later on – Mile 23/24ish and I felt so much stronger then in past marathons. Instead of running 10/10:30 min miles at the end I was running 9 min miles. I got my medal, mylar blanket, water and took my picture and headed for the food and bag check. I got my standard banana and bagel. Once I had my bag I sat down to wait for my Dad. I checked my email for the race alerts, and knew he wasn’t too far behind me. I then texted my running friend and said “I’m in so much pain, but I want to do another marathon.” That was the truth. I had so much fun and I’m ready to do another one. I would say I’m officially addicted to 26.2.

My Dad finished at 4 hours 36 min. Incredible for his first marathon at 56. I’m really proud of him and Heather who finished with a huge smile on her face. She was in really good shape at mile 26 – I was so impressed! I was not in that kind of condition at my first marathon – I was in horrible pain. I could tell how proud she was of herself and I knew what an accomplishment it was for them both. It’s so fun (and painful) to conquer 26.2 miles.

Marathon Medal #3

Halle Family - All done! (Ignore my squinty eyes)

3 Marathoners in the family now! Who's next?

Me and the parents!

Post Race

Lunch, cake and champagne to celebrate the new Marathoners!

Congrats Dad & Heather!

My cousins and I headed to Epcot to celebrate with a “drink around the world” evening. We had dinner in “Germany” and then headed over to “Jelly Rolls” at the Boardwalk Hotel for some good old singing and dancing. (I actually watched the dancing along with Heather because it hurt too much to move.)

Derek's totally jealous...

Check out our bling!

Big thanks to our spectators – Mom, Laura, Aunt Marie, Uncle Sonny, Anette, Sarah, Lily, Derek and Celeste. I know you had to get up REALLY early and it meant so much to have you there. Here is a big Virtual Hug for sacrificing your sleep and standing on your feet for hours to cheer us on.

Overall, the Walt Disney World marathon was a wonderful experience. I had a great week with my family and really enjoyed the run. My only regret was that I didn’t do the Goofy Challenge (Half Marathon Saturday and Marathon Sunday) but I”m sure I’ll be back at some point and that’s my next challenge!

To finally wrap this up I’m going to use a quote my sister put on her sign for the Marathon:

It’s kind of fun to do the impossible

- Walt Disney

Thanks for reading my super long post!

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Amanda

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas! Mine was great, busy but great! I spent lots of time with family and friends and now I’m off to Boston for 2 days to spend more time with friends!

Snickers aka "pup" in her new Christmas Collar from Laura Bass Cote!

I flew home from San Francisco bright and early on Thursday morning and arrived in Boston at 2:30pm. My sister picked me up in Boston and brought a surprise, my little pup, Snickers. (She’s not actually a pup – she’s 11 years old but we call her “pup”) That kicked off a weekend of family and eating. Friday night we went for Mexican as a family. This is a newer family tradition but it’s fun. Saturday my Dad and I went to spin at 8:30am at his gym and I did a total of 1 hour 45 min on the bike. I have issues again with my feet so I skipped the 12 mile run and substituted spinning instead. It was a good workout and felt good to burn a lot of calories before all the Christmas eating. We met my mom and sister for Breakfast after!

My new running Garmin and Yoga Matt strap

Christmas Eve we go to church at 4pm and then head to my Grandparents house for our Christmas with my Dad’s side. We had a great evening with lots of gifts and good conversation. Of course we had a delicious dinner as well. My grandparents gave me a Running Garmin for Christmas! I’m so excited, I’ve been running long distance for well over 2 years now and have never had one. I have been using MapMyRun on my phone which works pretty good but it will be nice not have to bring my phone out on my runs now! The Garmin also has a heart rate monitor which I have already used in two spin classes – I love having that as well!

I finished out Christmas Eve at my best friend Laura’s family Christmas Eve party. It was great seeing her and her family before she heads off to Europe where her and her husband will be working for the next two years!

Sunday morning we celebrated Christmas with my immediate family. I got some new running clothes including a pair of Lululemon pants! (My first pair) I’m excited to give them a try. I also got an adorable 26.2 ornament from parents! It’s a tradition to collect ornaments in our family for significant events or places we visit. It’s always fun to put up my tree and relive my vacations and some of my great accomplishments. Can’t wait to hang this one up! We spent the afternoon at my mom’s family’s Christmas. It was another great and fun Christmas!

26.2 Runner Girl Ornament

The rest of the week I’ll be visiting friends in Boston and some more family before we head down to Sunny warm Florida for the Walt Disney World Marathon! Can’t wait!

Hope everyone had a great Holiday!

My tree in SF!

Bootcamp & Big Sur

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Amanda

As I mentioned in my previous blog post I got a few good runs in my first week in California. I was up early and pounding the pavement. It’s a lot easier to get up early when you are on East Coast time living on the West Coast. (I think I’m on West Coast time)

One of my co-workers goes to Bootcamp three days a week. She always speaks so highly of it so I decided to give it a try. I registered for a free trial class on Tuesday morning. I knew I was staying in SF on Monday night so Tuesday was the perfect morning to give it a try. I was up at 5:20am and out the door at 5:40am. I drove over to the Exploratorium and met the class.

The class started with a 5 min warm-up run. We then did some stretching and we were off to Lyon Street. It was a short jog over to Lyon street and then the fun began. We ran up the infamous Lyon Street stairs. (Read about them here)I say infamous because if you want a hard work out you head for the stairs and run them a few times. This is well-known amongst San Franciscans. Wow, they were tough. When got down the from the first run up and down we split off into advanced and beginner groups. What I didn’t know, was that because I was considered a “fast” runner I got put in the advanced group. Advanced group = Lyon St stairs 3 more times. Planks for what felt like hours, crunches, and monkey walks. I got my butt kicked. I’m still sore two days later but I love being sore. I am definitely joining boot camp for a 6-week session once I officially move into the city!

After boot camp I ran for another 30 minutes. I missed a long run last weekend so I wanted to get a good 90 minutes of cardio in. I slept REALLY well on Tuesday night.

Yesterday, I signed up for my first California Half Marathon. The Big Sur Half Marathon in Monterey Bay on November 20th. I’m very excited! It looks really beautiful and it should be a fun weekend!

Kick-off to the Long Weekend

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Amanda

Yesterday my good friend Laura and I purchased tickets to see Keith Urban at the Boston Garden. Yes, I admit – I’m a country fan. I wasn’t always a fan, in fact I hated country music a few years ago but now I love Country music. This is my first Country Concert and I’m very excited! The concert is next Friday night. We will get dinner and drinks before and have a nice girls evening!

I went to my favorite spin class during lunch yesterday for my weekly cross-training. It was a good class, a little more relaxed than usual but I needed that. I did dead-lifts in my weights routine Wednesday and my legs were really sore. It was nice to take it a little easy.

View from our table at Legal Test Kitchen

Last night I had dinner with the girls at Legal Test Kitchen in the Seaport area. It wasn’t our first dinning option but it was crazy down in the Seaport area and we refused to wait 2.5 hours for a table. It ended up working out perfect! We were seated at a table outside (awesome!) and had a great meal. As we were finishing up our wine Fireworks started going off over the Boston Harbor! The were beautiful. After some “googling” we determined the fireworks were the kick-off to Boston’s 4th of July celebration. After dinner we headed over a to bar right on the waterfront and had a drink. It was beautiful and a fun end to a much-needed girls night.

Today I conquered a 10 mile run. I was supposed to get up early and run but after last night that didn’t happen. Fortunately I got out of work at 2pm today so I headed for my run this afternoon. I never run in the afternoon so I knew it would be more of a challenge for me. It was close to 80 degrees when I headed up so it was much warmer than I’m use to running in. I had a great run though, I maintained an 8:40-8:45 pace throughout average an 8:42 min/mile. I would have liked it to be a little faster but given it was a late day run and hot I’m happy with it! It also feels great to be doing long runs again.

Spotted on my run - the cruise ships are back in Boston!

Tonight I’m headed up to Maine spend the weekend with the family after I pick up my cousin at the airport. I’m looking for a much-needed day of sitting on the beach and taking a day off from exercising tomorrow!

I hope everyone has a great Fourth!

Rise to Run

My running and life adventures

Category Archives: Cross-Training