Its my birthday!

August 21st is my birthday. This year I had plans for a great day out with my hubbie visiting a few wineries in Sonoma. The day didn't work out quite as I planned due to events I completely out of my control. We did, however, make it up to Healdsburg for a little snack and stroll around the square with our Shi Tzu Slugger and dinner at Zazu with some friends down in Santa Rosa.

As we pulled off the highway towards the Square, we realized we forgot Slugger's harness. As luck would have it, we drove right past a pet store! We ran into Fideaux and we greeted by the friendliest lady ever. We have the cutest dog ever, so it was no surprise that she doted on Slugger, but that aside, the service was great and we found what we were looking for.

With the dog leashed we headed over to the square to check out the scene and look for something to snack on. It was 3 and we were eating dinner at 6:30, so we didn't want to spoil our appitites. We stopped in Oakville Grocery, well, I stopped in Oakville Grocery, as they don't allow dogs even on the patio there. I wasn't super thrilled by the options and was definitely turned off by the prices, but I managed to pick up a few things that would hold us over. I chose a camambert and a hard cheese as well as some pre-sliced salami, a baguette and two drinks. All for $20. We took our food and headed to the square for some people watching.

Dinner was down in Santa Rosa. We took the scenic backroads and arrived at Zazu a little early. The restaurant is about 5 miles off of the highway 101 in a farming area. This makes sense since the restaurant is also a farm. They have tomatoes and strawberries growing in the parking lot! Once our friends arrived we headed inside.

The restaurant is super casual, but still has a feeling of being a little higher end. The hostes and our waitress were extremely friendly and made us feel at home. We started off with a bottle of wine, a miner viognier, and an order of their home grown salami and fired okra. I ordered the Scallops and I thought they were delicious, but a little pricey at $27. My husband's dish was delicious. It was a vegetarian pasta that had lobster mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes and a light cream sauce. The flavors were perfectly balanced. Our friends ordered a cesar salad and the grilled cheese sandi with tomato soup and the special, a pork entree served over creamy grits.

Dessert, my favorite part, I was glad we didn't pass up. We ordered an affogato (one of the best I have had), sorbet and some donuts. All were gobbled up quickly!

All in all it turned out to be a fantastic 34th b-day.

San Francisco Marathon Finisher Report

I finished!!!! I'm almost surprised at myself. And anyone who knows me would be surprised that that was my goal - to finish. In 2007 it was all about qualifying for Boston. And I did it. And I ran Boston. But last week I just wanted to get my medal! The DNF in really got to me, I guess.

The day started EARLY. 5:30 was the official start time, but my wave started at 5:53 and I was happy to have a few extra minutes of sleep. The morning was a typical San Francisco morning, cool, damp, a little misty. Perfect running weather.

I started strong. At mile 2 I was met by my dear friends Russ and Aylene, my number one fan (my hubby) and our puppy Slugger. That made me feel good, even though I already was feeling good, just love support. I had passed the pace group I thought I'd be running with, 3:50 and was running a good 8:30 pace up to the bridge and back. This was a tough pace to keep due to all the hills, but I was pushed by all the running buddies I had on this particular morning. Normally its just me in my head. After the bridge and a 2 minute pee stop, it was down hill for nearly a mile. Now some runners were just charging, but I could already feel it in my knees and tried to take it steady.

At mile 11 I was greeted again by my NOF (number one fan) and Slugger. That made me feel good and I gave them both kisses. After mile 12 we headed into Golden Gate Park. At this point the first half marathoners split from the full marathoners, and the course started to thin out. I felt myslef running alone again, but did associate myself with one really tall guy, and a guy wearing a grean Ireland T-shirt. 6 miles through the park gets a little boring and for some reason I think it was all uphill. Just before heading out of the park I saw my pace group and tried to keep up with them...I couldn't.

Mile 19 was Haight Ashury. Just out of the park is flat with some downhill just ahead. This was the point that the elite 2nd half marathoners flew by me. Ugh, that was tough...I felt like I needed everyone to know they just started and I had already run nearly 20 miles. But soon enough I was greeted by my NOF and Sluggies. Big kisses again, and I was tempted to hang back and grab a coffee with them, but NOF encouraged me to get going.

This is when I started to fall apart, big time. Everything hurt, from the tips of my fingers to the tips of my toes. I knew I needed to make it to at least 20 because my brother would be there, and I didn't want to look wimpy in front of him. But man, I just started slowing down. The tall guy from the park must have been doing okay, because I never saw him again, but the Irish guy must have been hurting as much as I was. He was walking. But I couldn't walk...until I passed Duboce. There I saw the big tall blond waving away. I think he might be my NTF (number two fan). He has stood in that very spot for the last 3 years as I've run by. He said " you are 10 minutes late, what are you doing the half or something". Pissed me off, but then again, he's never run a marathon.

From there on out it was a mind game. I kept telling myslef, "one more mile...you can make it one more mile". I tried walking at about mile 24 and it was worse than running, so I figured I'd better just go. And I did. But man that was a feat. You just try to talk yourself into the fact that this will be over soon, and that the pain is only momentary, but its hard to convince yourself that you won't just fall over.

As the ballpark approached I knew I could bring it home. Normally this would be where I'd try to pick up the pace, but I didn't have anything in me. Was it because I didn't use GU? Was it because I didn't drink Cytomax or Gatorade? Who knows....Just underneath the Bay Bridge I saw NOF, Slugger, Carl, Russ & Aylene. They were cheering and I waved weakly. "I am so close" I thought. And I was. And I ran, or jogged, or moved...not really sure, but I did cross the finish line and I was on two feet. I finished. I got my medal. My time was 4:02.

I had a day of recovery. My body ached and this was the first time I didn't completely pig out for 24hours. I've been feeling pretty good, but still haven't gone out for that "follow-up" run. Maybe tomorrow.

My new puppy is getting in the way of my running

Slugger is a 3.5 month old Shih Tzu. He is the cutest thing EVER. Really, I have a new love interest. He is a special dog and he loves his new parents. The thing is he loves his new parents so much that he doesn't like when they leave him. This has gotten in the way of my early morning runs.

I get up at 6:45 to let him out of his kennel to "go potty". That can take approximately 15 minutes. Then I feed the little guy...although he doesn't like what I feed him and starts to beg for something different. If he's lucky, I might have some left over scrambled eggs in the frige that I will mix in with his food. Then he wants to play, and/or will need to "go potty" again. If he doesn't get play or food he starts to bark, which will wake up the neighbors and his daddy. So I take him outside.

It's nearly 8am by the time I can even try to convince him to get in his kennel...okay, to be honest today is the first day I put him in his kennel so I could get my run in and move on with my day. Unfortunately lately my early morning runs have turned into late morning or early afternoon runs. I guess I should have considered getting a dog I could run with...

Podcasts during my run

A few weeks ago my cousin Lars suggested I start listening to Podcasts during my runs. I get a little tired of the same music playing during my almost daily runs, so I was open to something different. Although I consider myself somewhat technologically savvy, I have never downloaded or listened to a podcast in my life.

So I decided it would be fun to download a daily podcast from a Chicago radio show I used to listen to when I was living in the windy city. I went to my iTunes store and was able to download a subscription to the Erik and Kathy show as well as "PodRunner" and "How Stuff Works".

As I went out for my run this morning I was excited to listen to my long-lost friends' radio show from the previous morning. The commercial free podcast had me giggling to myself during the first 3 miles of my run. After Erik & Kathy, I tried How Stuff Works. I was really looking forward to this podcast because I love to know how things work!!! Unfortunately I couldn't stay interested. The topic was lucid dreams and somehow they manage to talk about overweight 35-year-olds doing yoga. I only made it through 5 mins of the show. Finally I switched to PodRunner. Now this is my style. It really is free running music set at different paces. This morning was "A hypnotic, lulling workout mix that will zone you out and bring you back to earth hardly even aware of the calories you've burned". Not bad, but I was near the end of my run and only listened to it for about 8 minutes.

7 inspirational and motivational running films

Looking for movies to watch before your next race or run? Check these out:

1. Chariots of Fire – No list of running movies is complete without this one. A movie about two runners who are competing in the summer 1924 Olympics. They are each running for something more than a medal.


2. Prefontaine - Starring Jared Leto, this movie received Two Thumbs up in 1997. It is the inspiring yet tragic story of Olympic hopeful Steve Prefontaine.


3. St. Ralph – A 14 year old boy is determined to win the Boston Marathon. He has made a deal with God that if he wins, God will save his mother from her illness.


4. Run Lola Run – Lola may not be running for a medal, but she is running a race against time. This great high energy film tells the same story 3 times each with different outcomes.


5. Rocky – Although a boxing movie, a runner can’t help but be inspired by the Rocky’s training and the famous scene when he runs up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.


6. The Long Run – A South African drama about an old, worn out coach who trains a promising women to run one of the most difficult races, the Comrades Marathon.


7. Run Fat Boy Run – It’s a silly romance worth watching. The main character will do anything to get back his girl, including train for and run the London Marathon.

Back on the running trail again!

I didn't keep my promise of a post marathon update. There are a few reasons for this, excuses, yes, but reasons none-the-less.

First of all, the Vancouver Marathon was not one of my better races. The truth is it was my first DNF (did not finish). Although a tad disappointing, and even a little bit embarrassing to admit, "stuff" happens. So I didn't finish my 7th marathon. The world isn't going to end and I can still consider the fact that I did prepare myself for the race, which is 98% of the work anyway, right?

Secondly, I started running for the examiner.com. I am the SF Running Examiner. It's not like I'm a writer for runner's world or anything, but it does require me to think of content put together stories about running in and around the bay area.

And finally, I've just been plain busy with everything else in my life.

But I have decided to start blogging again. Although I get to tell the world about running in SF on the examiner.com, I still have to keep my stories in the 3rd person - more informative if you will. This is where I get to state my opinion or make fun of myself or other runners (not that I would do that, although I did see this guy running in Crissy Field yesterday wearing a bright blue unitard. That was very strange and I wish I had had my camera. He wasn't even that weird looking of a character, and he was running with someone who seemed perfectly normal....)

Stay tuned! I will eventually give an update on Vancouver and my next events.

Vancouver, Here We Come!

I am afraid that I will not be able to out run the rain in Vancouver this Sunday for the Vancouver Marathon. I have never run a marathon in the rain. I can't even tell you the last time I went out to run in the rain. I guess I should just be glad that I wasn't using this race as a qualifier, and will just have to go with the flow!

On a positive note, the weather leading up to the race is supposed to be great and my friends who arrived this afternoon said this is the view from our hotel. And despite the crummy weather, it looks like its a nice course and we will see a lot of cool things as we run the 26+ miles. Don't look for me on twitter after all. It's a premium price for twittering in a foreign country, unfortunately. I will have a full report when I return on Tuesday.