Los Angeles Marathon Part 2 – From Stadium to Sea

I should finally get on with this recap!

I woke up around the ungodly hour of 3:30 AM. I slept pretty well due to jet lag, but I still wasn’t thrilled about being awake that early despite the exciting reason! Reluctantly, I did my best to scarf down a bagel with peanut butter. But I knew if I didn’t, I’d definitely regret it at a later time during the race. I got dressed, took an awkward mirror selfie and waited until it was a reasonable time to grab an Uber.

When I did, the Uber was scheduled to arrive within minutes, so I grabbed my stuff and rushed outside. It was obviously still dark out at the time, so I was a bit leery being alone. My Uber driver was really nice, and it wasn’t long before I arrived at Union Station to take the shuttle to the start. I was exhausted, so I unfortunately left my pre-workout/water in the car. I guess out of all the things I could have left behind, that was the least of my worries. It was still annoying because I didn’t have access to caffeine. I immediately asked security if the buses parked next to us were for the race. I was unsure as the shuttles were departing from an actual bus/metro station. There were 3 of them, and not a single person had a clue about what I was talking about. They sent me on a wild goose chase only for me to come back where I started and get on one of the very buses I had originally asked about.

The start was at Dodger Stadium, and I don’t know if it was because I was tired, the darkness, the size of the venue or a combination of all 3, but I really struggled to find the things I needed.

I did drop off my bag at gear-check quickly, but all I wanted was to find water since I left mine in the Uber. I didn’t drink anything at my Airbnb since I expected to do so while waiting for the race to begin. I somehow ended up near the entrance of the VIP hospitality area, so I turned around once I made the realization. I looked like a lost puppy as I made my way through the sea of people and around the various fences, which made things extra confusing for me. Finally, I found some water and chugged it down and did my pre-race ritual of going to the bathroom 27 times.

Before I knew it, it was time to head into the corral. I was in the “general” corral, so I was way in the back. While waiting, I overheard the announcer talk about runner demographics. Over 200 twelve-year-old participants from Students Run LA were running the marathon as well as the oldest participant being 87! At 87, I hope I’m able to be upright let alone be able to run a marathon! AMAZING!

Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend: Part 1

I’ve been participating in Pittsburgh Marathon weekend events since 2012. It’s my favorite weekend of the year, and it never gets old – that hometown feel. Many of my running friends and I can agree that it feels like Christmas morning for runners in Pittsburgh. We spend months training for this special weekend; early mornings and a winter in Pittsburgh can truly test one’s limits.

Because I’m impatient, I took Friday off and headed to the expo when it became open to the public. Last year, as an official blogger, I got to head into the expo 2 hours early and watch the ribbon cutting ceremony. It was a cool experience that I hope to enjoy again in the future!

This year, I had to park about a 1/2 mile away from the convention center, but the walk wasn’t bad since it was basically a straight shot…good for me because I get easily lost! Once I entered my way into the convention center and headed into the designated area for the expo, I almost immediately bumped into my long time friends, Michael and Jennifer. They had their little boy of 2 years with them; he was signed up for the Toddler Trot (THE CUTEST RACE EVER!). After chatting with them for a bit, I went over to packet pickup to retrieve my bibs/shirts for the 5K and marathon. *One odd thing about Pittsburgh Marathon packet pickup is having to go clear across the venue to get our goodie bags. So, you have to juggle your items for a while.* This year, we got a pretty cool additional item with registration – a Pittsburgh themed pair of Goodr sunglasses!

I did a few laps around the expo to check out the merchandise and socialize, but I my best to not really spend any money. All I purchased was a meal and some fudge because carb loading.

I went home and took a nap; I tried to get in as much sleep as possible because I never sleep well the night before big races between the excitement and nerves.

The following morning, I woke up and got ready for the 5K (the first part of the Steel Challenge).

Chase fear. Challenge fear. Conquer fear.

During a run, I overheard a couple of my friends discussing their confusion over ‘chase fear’ and the meaning behind it. “Why would you want to have fear stick with you,” they questioned. I don’t chase fear only to have fear remain a sidekick in my life. So, came my explanation. This post is to help others understand where my mantra came from and what it means to me now.

How did my mantra come to be? I started my original blog back in 2011, which I regretfully deleted, after discovering my love for distance running. I’m really big on deep meaning, so I wanted my blog name to be something that was short but still expressed my philosophy and approach to life. The word ‘fearless‘ was an important part of my weight loss journey. I donned a bracelet with the word as a way of keeping me motivated. Fear has always been a part of my life and was the number one thing that held me back the most. Fear of failure. Fear of embarrassment. Fear of the unknown. Things changed for me when I started confronting my fears. That’s how ‘chase fear‘ was born.

So, what does ‘chase fear’ mean to me now? It can be broken up into 3 parts.

CHASE FEAR: Chasing fear means taking back control of your wheel. Fear has placed me in the passenger seat of my life, fear being the driver. I know that fear can’t be destroyed. Fear is a part of human nature to help us avoid potential dangerous situations. However, fear is a double-edged sword in that we sometimes allow fear to shut down goals, dreams and aspirations only further pushing us into the backgrounds of our own lives. That’s what I allowed fear to do. It controlled my actions, or lack thereof. One day, it clicked. I just had to take a chance on myself, and better days would soon follow. My weight loss journey was my first ‘chase fear’ moment. Today, I continue to face my fears every single time I lace up my shoes.

Bad Runs Are Actually Good

Let’s face it. Running is hard. It’s really f*cking hard. Early on, I learned that you get out of it what you put into it. It took weeks (okay…months) of consistency, dedication and a lot of patience to begin seeing progress in my running journey. Anything worth while is going to be tough, so it’s incredibly easy to get discouraged. My first outdoor run was nothing short of a disaster. My running journey started on a treadmill, so I had a very rude awakening when I ran outside in warm weather on hilly terrain for the first time. I recall vlogging about it on my original blog, all while panting and sweating in places I never knew existed. I was frustrated, but I wasn’t mad. I just used this run as a learning experience, which in turn, helped me with future runs.

Signing up for a goal race keeps me motivated – especially when I have not-so-good runs. Running is a crazy, messy and wonderful sport. I’m here to help you see the bright side of the runs that make you want to crawl into bed and hide for a while.

It helps you tune into your body: Sometimes, there are very concrete reasons why a run may go awry. If a run starts to go south, I do a mental head-to-toe assessment – maybe I readjust my form or try to control my breathing better. Sometimes, it’s a quick reset that can help get my run back on track, but other times, it could be a warning sign that something is wrong. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re injured and need to stop running. It could just mean that you need to take a step back, whether it’s cutting back mileage, incorporating more strength/cross training or taking a few days off.

It helps you tune into your mind: Mental health is just as important as your physical health. I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety for years, so occasionally, my mind just isn’t into it. I still get out there, even if one mile ends up feeling like 100 miles. It’s running that helps me cope and remain connected to myself so I don’t lose sight of my mental well-being. But more often than not, even if my mind isn’t into it, I still come out on the other side of a run feeling much happier and better about myself. I quickly learned that the hardest part of any run is getting yourself out of the door, and when I do, I don’t regret it.

Silver white winters that melt into springs…

…these are a few of my favorite things. (Artist: Julie Andrews)

I’m here to talk about my favorite running gear. I’ve tested and used a lot of products over the last (almost) 8 years. I’ve also regretfully purchased many products. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what does and does not work for your running journey. But if you’re curious, you can read about my running must-haves!

FAVORITE GEAR: Disclaimer alert! What works for me may not work for you! These are merely brief honest reviews. 🙂

Brooks Launch: I’ve been running in these shoes for about 3 years now. I have flexible flat feet, meaning my arch collapses when weight bearing (i.e. standing), but returns when not standing. It took me a longgg time to find a shoe that my body responds well to. As soon as I slipped my feet into the Brooks Launch, I knew they were going to be a good shoe. They are the perfect balance between cushioned and light weight, giving me the neutral support that my body needs, whether I’m doing speed work or an easy paced long run. A nice perk of this particular model is that many races have exclusive colors and designs. Pictured below is the special edition shoe for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series.

I love colorful shoes!

Aftershokz – Trekz Titanium: I purchased these headphones in 2017 and immediately fell in love. They are bone conduction headphones, so they sit in front of the ear canal, leaving the ear completely open. It’s a great safety feature for runners because you can still hear your surroundings. Don’t worry; the sound quality is crystal clear! Being a young woman, it’s nice to have a little more security when I’m running alone. Side note: They have FANTASTIC customer service! I accidentally broke mine a few months ago, and since they were still under my 2 year warranty, I got a brand new pair (for free) in the mail within a week without any hassle at all.

SparkleSkirts Black SparkleBottoms Too: Since I started running in 2011, it has been nearly impossible for me to find shorts that don’t ride up within the first 5 minutes into a run. I’ve tried different brands, styles and sizes and my shorts still always managed to disappear into my behind. *awkward* That was until I discovered SparkleSkirts. These shorts are PERFECT! They don’t ride up no matter my pace or distance. Also!!! There is a HUGE zipper pocket on the front that holds my iPhone 8 Plus and 2 deep open pockets on both sides. It’s nice not having to wear a belt of some sort for my essentials (keys, gels, inhaler). These shorts are completely worth the higher price tag!