Pasadena Rock n Roll Half Marathon

near the start line at the Rose Bowl, just before sunrise, for the Pasadena Rock n Roll half marathon

"You're from the East Coast. You should be used to this," said Sally, one of my race companions, as she watched me shivering in my thin running pants and shirt.

Pasadena Rock n Roll half marathon. My first race of the year. My second race ever. 

Sally had picked me up at my house at 5:15 and we got our third companion, Suzanne, right after. By the time we got to the Rose Bowl at 6 a.m. it was still dark as night. We found a parking spot about 20 feet in front of the porta-potty row and the three of us alternately huddled in the car, seat heaters on high, and stood in line for the bathroom as the sky turned from black to deep blue to pre-dawn pastels.

Maybe there is something to the "your blood gets thinner out here" thing I'd heard when I first moved to LA six years ago, or maybe I've just gone soft. Either way, I was damn cold on Sunday morning as we waited for the race to kick off. I wore my thin Lululemon running pants (black with a yellow stripe, for you fashionistas out there) and my favorite running shirt (long sleeved, but the wicking material makes it great in any temp between 45 and 70). The forecast was for sunny blue skies, lows in the 40s and a high at noon of 70. I had figured it would be around 60 when I crossed the finish line at 9:30.

In many ways, my experience for this race was different from the half marathon I ran in October. Back in the fall I was scared and excited enough that I tried to do everything "right". I had trained well and felt really strong by race week. In the days leading up to the race, I ate well and got plenty of sleep. My boyfriend came with me and took care of the driving/parking logistics which, for me, can be a prime anxiety-inducing project.

The main difference between then and now was the prep. I hadn't trained as well for this race. I did a 12-mile training run two weeks ago, but right now I'm just not *as* strong as I was in the fall. My weekly mileage hasn't hit 25 yet, and I haven't run 100 miles in a single month since October. Just considering my lower mileage, I knew I'd run this race a little slower. Also, the course for the Pasadena Rock n Roll is much hillier than the Los Angeles race was in October. I actually like hills, and was looking forward to the pretty scenery, but I knew they'd slow me down a little. I ran the fall race in 1:58:01. I suppose there's a little spark inside me that wants to keep getting faster, but I went into this one hoping I would clock in under 2:05:00.

Despite going in feeling a little defeated about my anticipated timing, I was excited about the event. It felt like an adventure to carpool down to the race with Sally and Suzanne. They are inspiring to me - both have run a gazillion half-marathons and a few fulls, and have a great attitude about them all. We run at different paces so I hung around with them until it was time to find our corrals and then made a plan to meet up at the beer garden afterwards. I ate a Chocolate #9 and took a last sip of water and then shivered over to Corral 3 where I found a place to stand near the Elvis posse.

are there Elvis posses in every race, or just here in Los Angeles...?

The Star Spangled Banner started at 7:20, then the first corral went out at 7:30. I crossed the start line at 7:32 and tried to find my own pace among the runners. Pasadena was a lovely course. Beautiful craftsman houses, canopied tree branches over the street. Curving hills. Shady and quiet with just the pitter patter of running feet, sounding like rain drops on the asphalt under the clear blue sky.

There weren't a lot of spectators out for the first part, but it was so inspiring around mile 3 to see two runners holding hands - one of them with Down Syndrome. I lost my Elvis posse pretty early and only saw them once again on a switchback later on. I saw two guys in No Meat Athlete "Runs on Plants" shirts and spent a mile thinking about making some veggie-fueled running shirts. I'd love to see more people out there on the course showing the world how strong we can be on a plant-based diet. The DJs and bands out on this course were really energizing -- much better than the LA rock n roll race. Yes, I did sing along to LMFAO's "Sexy And You Know It" around mile 4. And in mile 5, for the first time in my life, I enjoyed "Who Let The Dogs Out". Mile 6 had the best band - a Taiko drum band - and I ran to the thundering beats for as long as I could hear them.

When running for two hours, every little out-of-the-ordinary thing feels like an adventure. I grabbed water at each station, usually more for the entertainment of trying to drink it than for real thirst. Drinking from a paper cup. Blowing my nose. Eating a Honey Stinger chew (pink lemonade are the best). These were some of the highlights of my morning, until mile 11 when I started to regret digging into the second package of Honey Stingers. Miles 10, 11, and 12 were the hardest. I'd been trucking along okay for the whole time until around that point, and my pace got really slow. Runners began passing me left and right. Although I'd begun the race about a minute before the 2:00 pacer's corral, she and her 2:00 comrades sailed past me around mile 11. I felt a little sick, but I couldn't pinpoint where -- was it my stomach? Or was I just tired? My feet were dragging. I wanted the race to end and I still had another mile or two left. I felt defeated about the 2:00 pacer, and was sure my finishing time was going to be later than I'd hoped.

And then, around mile 12.5-ish, I looked to the left and saw my friend Kelsey with her newborn baby standing alongside the course waving. I looked back at them twice, and somehow that little baby transferred the energy I needed right to me. I looked ahead and could see what I thought was the final bend of the course. I picked up my pace. As I got closer, crowds of people lined the race for the first time since the start. When I caught a glimpse of the finish line I felt another surge of energy through my body. Without thinking, my legs stretched out before me and I sprinted as fast as I could. I felt strong. I felt like an Amazon Goddess. I lifted my arms as I crossed the line in victory. Yes, I actually did do that, just like last time. I'm a little bit of a dork.

As I made my way through the finish line support, I gathered every water, pretzel, Jamba juice, banana, and Gatorade I could carry. I heard the congratulatory text message bings from my boyfriend, my brother, and my dad's wife. One Gatorade bottle and one bag of pretzels later, with shoes off and jacket (reclaimed from Gear check) on, I met up with Sally and Suzanne at the beer garden. Far East Movement played on the main stage as we stretched in the sun and drank a beer.

I did it in 2 hours. Well, 2 hours and 45 seconds. I'm convinced Kelsey's baby shaved at least 15 seconds off my time.

Timing breakdown:
Crossed start line at 07:32:35
5k (3.1 mile): 28:46
10k (6.2 mile): 56:51
10 mile: 01:30:37
finish line (13.1 mile): 2:00:45

Sage Calling

Compared with the east coast weather, I have nothing to grumble about. Still, today in LA it is chilly and the forecast calls for rain. Some days this wouldn't stop me. Some days I hope for rain. Today, I'm feeling chilled to the bone and am having a hard time motivating to get out for a run.

These are the days when I especially miss my running buddy, B. I don't have a lot of experience with running buddies. B was my first, and until last week, my only. B and I met while out running. Our routes crossed paths, and eventually we joined forces. She inspired me with her commitment. Her schedule never wavered - she wasn't fast, but she was out at lunchtime everyday, doing her 5 mile loop.

When I first started running with B she was training for her second full marathon ever, which was also her second of the year. She inspired me to increase my miles, and sign up for my first half marathon. We ran through the summer together, and through part of an intense triple-digit heatwave. We talked about our families, our boyfriends, our professional interests, and running. Sometimes we didn't talk at all.

After B's marathon, she eased up on her miles. I was still working towards my half, so I'd meet her at her workplace, we'd run 2.5 miles together, and then I'd drop her off there and finish off my 5. Then she cut back on her days to go part-time and work on her next career. I looked forward to the 2- or 3- times a week that we'd still run together, but she was getting slower and I could tell her heart wasn't in it anymore. Towards the end she cut back to just one day a week. I knew she wasn't doing any long weekend runs with her other running partner. The last time I saw her, I gave her a holiday present - Cheryl Strayed's Wild. That was the last time I saw her. Since Christmas we've texted once - she was taking time off to heal a foot injury. Doesn't this read like a eulogy?

So, grumble, grumble. Today I would have gone out if B had been around, but I just couldn't brave the chill. What is it about some days? I don't over-think a thing one day, and then there are days like today when I wake up ready for a midday run and then spend the rest of the day trying to find a good excuse not to go.

Today's excuses went like this: It's cold. It's a long day. I'm tired.

Then my boyfriend called to tell me both kids were home from school today. Em has ear infections and Es has the flu. Suddenly I wondered if the inner-voice that had been looking for a reason all day to rest was actually the Sage speaking. There is some place deep inside me, on this day that I will go straight from my day job to teach yoga, and then directly from there to sing a gig, that did not chastise my decision to stay in. There was a tiny applause, actually. I didn't feel like a slacker, but still I wondered. It took till I got that phone call to consider that it has been my Sage all along.

Meanwhile, tomorrow, usually my day off, I am looking forward to a beautiful Saturday 6 miler through Griffith Park.

SUNDAY'S RUN: 
Setting:
February 3, 2013.
Los Angeles, CA
Morning
60's - 70's. Very pleasant.

Run:
12 miles
1:54:30
average pace: 9:32

TUESDAY'S RUN: 
Setting:
February 5, 2013.
Los Angeles, CA
Afternoon
60's

Run:
5.13 miles
49:07
average pace: 9:34