random thoughts on race eve...

Attention cyber-stalkers out there: My bib number is 5096. I have no idea if they have instant results and splits but here is the website for the race: http://www.carlsbadmarathon.com/Home_28.htm

I went to the expo yesterday. Since dear hubby is currently without a job, I am able to leave my little one with him while I wander aimlessly through the expo instead of grabbing my bib and chasing an almost-three-year-old through a crowd of people. There are some benefits to unemployment, right?

It was a nice relaxing way to spend and hour or so. I love going to booths of cool races and fantasize about doing them. I talked to the guy from Big Sur. He confirmed that it is, indeed, a very difficult course. BUT... it is exceptionally beautiful. He said to add 30-40 minutes on to my time to run it. No thank you. I don't think I could stay on my feet that long. They have a two mile hill in the middle of the course that nearly everyone WALKS. But it is nice to fantasize that someday I might be strong enough to run this race. I also talked to the woman at Elite about the San Diego Rock-n-Roll. I was tempted to sign up then and there to get a really cool t-shirt, but I didn't. The woman was trying to talk me into running both the San Diego AND the Seattle RNR. Seattle is three weeks after San Diego. THAT would be truly crazy. I am actually considering it! That is one thing about a race expo... it makes you believe you are a real runner who can do things like that.

Today, after taking my kids to a birthday party, I am going to try to relax. I need to stretch quite a bit today. I taught a Stroller Strides class yesterday and kicked my own butt. I did some killer power squats. If I am sore, I feel sorry for some of my clients. They may not be moving so well today. Oh well... isn't that what they are paying for? *evil grin* I am going to try to eat my big meal as early as possible and try to avoid my tummy issues that haunted me in both the marathon and the AFC half. Then I am going to bed early.

The weather report is fantastic for tomorrow! Here is what it says right now

Hi: 60°
Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming
partly cloudy.
Slight chance of showers. Highs 56 to 61. Light winds. Chance
of measurable
precipitation 20 percent.

I would say that is perfect running weather! Now I just have to figure out what I am wearing. I was hoping to wear a running skirt, but I think I may be opting for capris. My only issue is that I have never run a long run in these capris. I am not sure I want to risk it. Hmmmm....

Sorry for the random, disjointed post. I started out just posting my bib number and then the rambling ensued.

Have a great weekend and happy running....

p.s. Good luck to my blogging buddies AKA Alice and Penny. I hope to see them at the race!

It doesn't suck to live here!

At the risk of being boo'd by the majority of readers out there, I am going to gush a bit about San Diego weather. It was f'ing AWESOME this morning! I think it was in the high fifties/low sixties when we got to the beach at 9 a.m. for a Stroller Strides class. It was over 70 when we left at noon. I got a great workout pushing 100 pounds of kids and stroller up a mammoth hill along with upper body exercises that kicked my butt (I was a participant today, not an instructor).

Ironically, we also did some killer butt exercises!

As I was hanging out after class while my kids played in the sand and water, I watched surfers, divers, swimmers and even some dolphins in the cold water. I was riveted by the swimmers. There were at least a dozen people doing open water swims this morning. There didn't seem to be a race or anything, but there was a least one organized swim (there were a couple of kayaks going along with some of the swimmers). I think I have mentioned here before that I would love to do a triathlon. I am confident in the running part. I am pretty confident that I could train easily for the bike part. The open water swim freaks me out. Don't get me wrong. I can swim. I actually think I am a decently strong swimmer. I swam some decent distances in the Caribbean on our honeymoon. I feel confident while snorkeling etc. BUT, the Pacific Ocean, so dark and blue, intimidates me. A lot. Maybe I can do one in the Caribbean, since that crystal clear water is the only place I feel really confident. I even get a little weirded out in lakes (it's the fish below me, I think).

My friend, Jen, is a former collegiate swimmer and badass in the pool. She is a lifeguard (the beach kind, not the weenie rec pool kind*). She is going to train me (once we can get our schedules figured out). She assures me that she'll have me swimming through the waves in the Pacific in no time. Today would have been the perfect day for it. There was little or no break and the water looked really calm (maybe that is why there were so many people out there). The water was cold (about 56 degrees), but there were plenty of swimmers that were not wearing wetsuits. Not me. I was cold standing on the beach watching them. It got me ready to start working out in the pool.

Here are some pictures from our morning at La Jolla Shores. The kids had a blast. I didn't think it would be warm enough for playing in the water so I didn't have the appropriate attire nor did I have a change of clothes. Luckily, I had towels in the car. They rode home in their skivvies.

Can you believe this is January??!

Oops... she fell down. That didn't slow her down. I had to drag them away from the beach so that we could go eat lunch. I was STARVING.

He got a bit wet, as well....

They love to dig in the sand and stomp around

I sure do love it here.

*not to say that rec pool lifeguards are weenies. My mom was a pool lifeguard for years and she is the one that taught me to swim. It is just that at the pools, it seems like all the lifeguards do is blow their whistles. One time at the YMCA one actually jumped in after one of my kids (long story) and she looked genuinely annoyed to have to do so. Jen says that she has had days at the beach when she has gone into the water DOZENS of times. A true rescue in the ocean is life and death. My point is that if anyone is going to take me out into the ocean, I want it to be her ;-)