Category Archives: hills

Guardsmen “Training” Run

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The Guardsmen is a non-profit, volunteer based group of Bay Area men that work together to assist and improve the lives of at-risk/inner-city youth through educational and outdoor activities. I found out about The Guardsmen last year when I ran their Presidio 10 fundraising race- it was, and is, one of my most favorite races to date! So when I caught their Free Training Run event on Facebook, I signed right up and anticipated a mellow 10 miler.

Yesterday morning, Andrea and I drove out to the Inn at the Presidio in San Francisco to run with The Guardsmen.  I’m not sure what those Guardsmen are training for but I haven’t run a course this difficult in… hmmmm… NEVER! Continue reading →

Friday Favorites: Places I Run

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My favorite running views!

2 blog posts in 2 days?!?!?!  I know, it’s a miracle!  Well, today is the the 3rd day in a row I’ve been stuck at home with my sick daughter- poor little thing! So, I figure, now is a great time to write more about my favorite topic in an effort to get a break from The Fresh Beat Band that my daughter seems to want to watch incessantly.

It’s Friday- YAY- and of course I am already thinking about where I want to log my 10-12 miles this weekend. There are so many awesome places to run here in the San Francisco Bay Area, here are just a few of my favorites… Continue reading →

Anya’s Ultramarathoning Awesomeness

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Anya at the finish line of her very first ultra!

I already introduced you to my friend Kate and her Ultramarathoning Awesomeness, and now for part two, I would like you to meet Anya!

I met Anya during our first season with Team in Training but it really wasn’t until our second season together as mentors that we got really close, especially on those 6am, very dark, very cold, very wet buddy runs.  She is probably going to kill me for saying this but not only is Anya an amazing runner but is she such a sweetheart!  Don’t let the fact that she wears all black fool you- she is kind, funny as heck, and the type of person that will tell you what you need to hear even if you don’t want to hear it!  I LOVE THAT!

After completing 2 seasons of road running with TNT, Anya informed me that she was going to go Ultra.  And, honestly, I was very surprised! Knowing the struggles she had on the road, I was a little concerned for my friend that jumping from a road half to a trail ultra may just ruin Anya for life; but, knowing this team and these Coaches, she was in the best hands ever.  Within just a few runs on the trail, Anya was hooked!  And here is what she had to say about it…

Continue reading →

Race Recap: Nike Women’s (Half) Marathon

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(photo credit: Nike)

If you know me or if you’ve been following my blog, you know that I joined Team in Training last year to run my first marathon, the Nike Women’s Marathon, while raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I raised the money, I ran the race, I fell in love with TNT and have been a part of our East Bay run team ever since.

I am now in my 4th season with TNT and as Fundraising Captain had the opportunity to run the exclusive Nike Women’s Marathon again, so I took the chance to register, and happily checked off the HALF marathon box for this year.

… because the full nearly almost killed me dead.

Continue reading →

Race Recap: Ragnar Napa, Leg 1

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Okay, okay, I know it’s been way too long since I’ve posted but in my defense, life has just been so busy lately!  Plus, my lap top is on the fritz so the spot where I normally sit to write isn’t available, and that’s really messed me up.  I know, I’m weird.

Even though I haven’t been blogging about running doesn’t mean I haven’t been running.  I’ve resumed my regular work out and run schedule and was honored to be a part of a Ragnar team this past weekend.

Team At A Medium Pace!!! (photo credit: Van 1 team mate, Allison)

If you don’t know what Ragnar is, it is an overnight, 200 mile team relay that takes roughly 36 hours to complete.  Teams of 12 runners hop in vans and take turns running 3 legs over 2 days and one night and even though that may sound like complete and utter craziness, let me tell you IT WAS SO MUCH FUN and ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Continue reading →

Kate’s Ultramarathoning Awesomeness

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Kate crossing the Finish Line of her very first Ultra Marathon!

I met Kate my very first season with Team in Training and it was very easy to get to know her as she is one of the sweetest, kindest people I know.  Plus, she is an amazing runner- very speedy, very willful.  A few months after that season concluded, Kate (as well as a handful of other TNT buddies) told me that she had decided to join Team in Training’s Ultra Marathon team to raise funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society while getting ready to run her first 50K race.

Wow, I thought, that’s freaking crazy- 26.2 seems fine enough but you go girl with your 31 miles of hilly trails!

Kate started ultra training in February and completed the Skyline 50K race one week ago today. I am so very amazed and inspired by Kate’s accomplishment that I had to interview her to find out more about this crazy thing called Ultra Marathoning, and here is what she said… Continue reading →

Expect the Unexpected

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You can take the internet from the girl, but you just can’t take the girl from the internet!

It’s day 6 of summer vacation at our family cabin here in Pinecrest, California.  I expected to blog while here, going old-school style by way of HAND writing my posts, typing them into Notepad, and then snagging the nearby resort’s wireless connection to copy, paste and post.  Whadya know, they charge- an unexpected $5 an hour for some wee-fee love but I’m so grateful to connect even if just for 60 minutes, so that’s money very well spent. Continue reading →

A Tale of Two Halfs, Part 2: Hollywood

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If you read Part 1, you know that just 2 weeks following the Oakland Half Marathon, Hubby and I hopped on a plane bound for Los Angeles to run the Hollywood Half Marathon on April 7th.  Originally, I made the plan to run Hollywood with a handful of my favorite TNT buddies but Hubby was quite intrigued and since I found a great coupon for registration, he decided to sign up too. Continue reading →

Race Recap: Brazen’s New Year’s Day 10K

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If you know me and/or if you follow my blog, you know that I was very anti-holidays this year.  When New Year’s Eve finally arrived and we started gearing up to head to Sonoma with BFFs Andrea & Josh to go for our NYE wine tasting extravaganza- I had a mental breakdown.  And it wasn’t pretty. Imagine me, a grown woman, throwing my body on the ground, banging hands and feet wildly, holding my breath and screaming, “NO NO NO I DON’T WANNA!!!”

I exaggerate but yeah, I basically threw a tantrum.  Hubby said, “Uh… I think you should do us all a favor and stay home.” Continue reading →