Half Marathon

I realized I haven’t posted much about my running in a while. After the Rock and Roll marathon last year, I’ve run a couple races here and there, but it took a few months to ease back into it. I’m doing a lot more cross training than I ever had in my life, and I like the results! Last night there was an hour long Bosu class that my trainer teaches at the gym, and that is exactly what I needed.

The next race I’m signed up for is the San Dieguito Half Marathon on Feb. 14. I wanted to run the Carlsbad Half but sadly, it was full. Anyway, I’ve slowly ramped up my mileage but had to back off last week due to return of pretty much every injury I ever had. On my last long run, it was like my leg was reliving each injury in detail… “remember those shin splints? this is how it felt!” “remember that patellar tendonitis, wow that hurt!” and finally, “what’s that pain in my knee? oh yeah, IT band syndrome.” Of course, I just kept running and eventually those twinges went away.

Otherwise my running has been doing really well, I’m not timing myself much, just focusing on overall health and actually getting out there to exercise. As my mileage increases, I’m planning on reincorporating sand running on my short 3 and 4 milers. Also, I’m considering doing a summer marathon but scheduling during that month before the marathon needs to be flexible- fitting in a 15-20 miler every weekend isn’t easy when you work an 80 hour work week!

So right now I’m content with my mix of running and cross training and am looking forward to seeing how that affects my time on my next half. Only 4 more weeks to go!

 

Iowa’s Heartland. Where the, uh, heart is…

In coming back to cold, cold Ames Iowa to celebrate both my birthday and New Year’s I was initially regretting that I’d miss out on some killer parties but reasoning that it’d be good to come home. As my life now is fairly fast-paced, for this big city beach girl coming back to spend time by the fire and sipping wine alongside my snoozing parents is exactly what I needed!

It’s been about a year since I’ve been here, but the snow covered trees, rolling hills, and glimpses of red cardinals is more beautiful than I remember. Currently I’m drinking a Boulevard Pale Ale beer in my Uggs (which truly are serving to keep my feet warm) and no it’s not heaven but it is Iowa.

Definitely the best part about coming back was seeing the family. In Chilean style my mom made some awesome food and it was great to spend quality time with everyone. Hugs all around!! My stepsister, her husband, and their 2 kids were here only for the first day of my visit and it was wayyyy too short! Crazy how fast these kids grow and HOW SMART they are!! Makes me wonder how long it’s been since I visited Minnesota… when can I take leave again?

One thing they told me about was the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) they belong to. How have I not heard about this??!! Basically you buy shares in a local farm and they supply you with weekly or bi-weekly boxes full of veggies, herbs, etc. I looked into ones out where I live but still had some questions. Later I went to our local organic grocer, Wheatsfield Coop, and asked the cashier if she knew about them, if she had any guidance on how to choose one. She looks at me for a while (such that I start thinking “¿I am speaking english, No?”) and then she grins and exclaims “I own a CSA!”

She was super passionate about it and gave me a lot of advice, directing me to some sites for recipes, etc. Funny thing, I was also there buying a book called “Slow Food In The Heartland” by a chef at one of my favorite Iowa City restaurants, Devotay. It has a few recipes in it but also describes the whole buying locally and slow food movement that I plan to read as my carry-on when I fly back to SoCal tomorrow.

It has been good to be back, seeing childhood friends and visiting old haunts. I did make a trip to Iowa City which I really, really, truly do miss and love. Seeing all that intense Hawkeye fandom nearly made me tear up/cheer at the top of my lungs a few times! But after living 4 years in Chicago and now living literally ON the beach I wonder how I’d readapt to living in a smaller city which celebrates all 4 seasons … especially winter… with such fevor Soooo I guess I’ll have to see what the military plans for my future, it’ll be exciting to see where life takes me!

… and speaking of Iowa, GO HAWKEYES!!! BEAT GEORGIA TECH!!!!

 

Ducati Monster S4R

I realized that I have neglected to post this large part of my life: my amazing motorcycle. I bought it about 7-8 months ago and ride pretty much every day. What made me think to write about it is that I miss it! It’s been raining in San Diego the past few days and though I have ridden in rain, I’ve also hydroplaned and don’t want that on 2 wheels.

Riding a motorcycle is fantastic. Mine in particular was already upgraded with Termignoni pipes, increased horsepower, adjustment to the exhaust to lighten the bike, and a bigger filter. All I had to do was lower it to my height and add bigger mirrors! Riding is what I look forward to doing after every stressful day at work- leaving the ER, putting on my gear, and forgetting all my worries. I did a lot of investment in getting safety gear, and I just got a new jacket that’s better for the winter months.

I miss my friends that I used to ride with… we’d go in the canyons and ride the twisties, sooooo much fun on my Monster! But as I ride pretty much every day I have fun when I can And the guys who service my bike, GP Motorcycles are awesome, even lending me my Halloween costume ( I was a Moto GP Mechanic).

Of course, all my family and friends out there reading, I ride safe- very safe. I have literally had my hands in the injuries of motorcyclists, their blood on my scrubs.. But I’m an adrenaline junkie…. so the fun is worth it

here’s my fantastic, amazing, wonderful bike!!!!!

 

Dr. Stereotypes

The twelve medical specialty stereotypes: So true…. here’s what I wish I could do all the time

and here are the rest; I wish I had a favorite but they’re all pretty funny!!!!

 

Breather

After a month of work/sleepwalking in the hospital, I’m so amazed that I was that stressed out! More and more I feel like I’m living to work, instead of the other way around. I keep telling myself that this is temporary, just a few more years of being a resident (and internship, typically the worst year of being a doctor is already behind me!) And when I’m staff it’ll be better.

It’s funny how people think physicians are so smart but really, if we were smart, we’d probably figure out a way to balance the life/work thing. Individually it’s possible, but working a 40 hour work week is kind of a Holy Grail in medicine.

But since my schedule has become SO much better even in the past week, the difference in my mood, my energy level, my overall well-being has become exponentially improved! How I was able to survive a month of q3 and stay sane is beyond me… I was about at my wit’s end by my last call. Thankfully everyone I worked with was fantastic and that’s one of the few reasons why the pros still outweigh the cons in my career choice!

 

Willpower of Jabba the Hut

Everybody whines about how they wish they would work out more, eat better, sleep more.

I count myself among them. Then again, occasionally I will achieve these goals- look back on my week and realize that I’ve spent over 60 minutes on cardio each day, ate my perfect share of the 4 food groups, and slept 8 hours a night. This has only happened maybe…. twice in my life?

At times it’s easier, but right now it is REALLY HARD. I am spending every third night sleeping in the hospital. By “sleep” I mean, working 30 hours straight. Straight. Once I got about 2 hours of sleep, but sleep while on call isn’t the nice nap in your own bed. Even in sleep, you’re on edge thinking “was that my pager?? did it go off??? did they just announce a code blue???”

Basically I either 1.) Wake up in the hospital, 2.) Spend the night in the hospital, or 3.) Head to the hospital and then go back to sleep as soon as I can get off work, because tomorrow I’m spending the night in the hospital. My last “night off” I spent nodding off at dinner. I then went to a friend’s house, where I promptly fell asleep. I went home and woke up the next morning to watch football, but then came home for a nap. I went to a friend’s dinner but had to leave early because I had to sleep up for my 30 hour shift the next day.

I don’t know how my peers do it, the ones who have spouses and kids!! My laundry is literally overflowing, I have been eating whatever I can get my hands on instead of planning meals- which has meant frozen pizza and popsicles this past week, and exercise has been nonexistant.

Of course, with no clean clothes, eating high sugar, high fat foods, along with a serious lack of sleep and no exercise, I feel like Jabba the Hut. Mean, sluggish, and fit to be thrown into a sarlacc pit. At least I can spend that thousand years catching up on sleep

 

Personal Trainer

I got a personal trainer, she’s fantastic!! Though I didn’t anticipate I’d ever sink money into something like this, my roommate joined a gym, got me to join the gym, and of course the gym offered 3 free sessions with a trainer. I figured, why not?

She was awesome from the start! As a runner, I’m not the biggest fan of strength training. But when Christal and I have our sessions, we chat so much that I forget how hard I’m working, which makes it SO much easier! I’d love to work out with her more often but having that one-on-one attention doesn’t come cheap so we have 30 minute sessions once a week and I try to make it to her fitness classes on other days to keep up abs, kickboxing, bosu, etc.

I noticed a huge improvement in my running time when I added these workouts, an unexpected bonus! I’ve read so many times in Runner’s World how this is true but I didn’t believe it until I felt it myself. My sprints are so much faster and without losing a pound, I was able to comfortably shave 30 seconds off my mile!!!

Getting a personal trainer is sooo worth the money, not only because it’s motivating but makes those hard workouts much more fun. Now I just have to ace my Navy Physical Fitness Test in 4 weeks…

 

Ames, Iowa – Told you it was great!

No one ever believes me that Iowa could be a great place to live. I actually consider myself a native of both Ames and Iowa City, as I moved back and forth a few times during my childhood. However, I did spend 4th-12th grade in Ames and was a Little Cyclone (though I consider myself a die-hard Hawkeyes fan!! First game of the season is this Saturday!!!!)

So reading that Ames has been called one of the top 5 Best Places to Live the Simple Life was cool, I got a kick out of hearing about some of these places mentioned….
———————————————–
Ames, Iowa

Vibe: Wholesome Americana
Population: 55,000
Median housing price: $159,270
Average commute: 17 minutes
Average number of sunny days: 202 per year
Most relaxing way to spend an afternoon: Paddling a canoe in Ada Hayden Heritage Park, where you may spot—besides hundreds of common birds—a short-eared owl or a summer tanager
Simple fun for less than $10: Touring Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University, where $7 ($6 for seniors) buys access to award-winning rose gardens and more
Who knew?: It recently ranked as the sixth-smartest city in the United States.
Membership – Join, renew, or learn about exclusive AARP member benefits.

Ames is a gracious town—with broad lawns, leafy neighborhoods, pretty parks and ponds—and its distinctly rural flavor is the key to its urban charm. With its thrice-weekly farmers’ markets, paddling options on the Skunk River, and 55 miles of city-maintained trails for avid bikers, runners, and walkers, Ames is a place for people who like wide-open spaces. “You can drive less than five minutes outside of town and you are really in the country,” says Russ Cross, 53, a bank executive in Des Moines, 30 miles away. The lively downtown area—including a long Main Street, fun restaurants (such as favorite Aunt Maude’s, serving up local meats, cheeses, and produce), and a pub with its own brew—adds to the charm. “I love that when I step outside my office on Main Street, it’s such a clean little town,” says Russ’s wife, Beth, 51, president of a local marketing company. “It’s one of the most welcoming places I’ve ever seen.” The couple, who like to run on Ames’s trails with their golden retriever, say they are a long way from retiring, but when they do, they can’t imagine moving anywhere else. “There’s just so much that I want to do right here,” Beth says.

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/lifestyle/the_simple_life.html

 

6 days post marathon

When can I start running again??? WAhhhhhHHHH!!!!!!!

My quads are sore- in a really good way though. Sadly, my left calf is still acting up. I can barely climb stairs now. I went to the physical therapist and she wants me to get ultrasound therapy for the next few weeks, stretch at home (first hot, then cold to cool down) and have a clinic visit in 1 month.

When can I start running again??? I missed it since the day after the marathon!!! I was limping for a few days but now I’m much better. Ugh, I cannot WAIT to lace up my shoes again. Guess I’ll swim and kayak till then…

 

Rock and Roll 26.2!

Yesterday I ran the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon in 4:31:10!  My first goal was to finish… check… and secondly, to finish under 4:30, but this is close enough!  I have to say that in comparison to my first marathon, this is better in that I actually finished   In comparison to my second marathon, I -thank God- had no IT band syndrome and so this was MUCH less painful!!  Apparently it’s true that the third time’s the charm

The day started off really well when I found out it would be a low 60’s degree, cloudy day.  I didn’t sleep all that well, but woke up at 5 AM to get to Balboa Park.  My roommate Frankie brought her dogs to the event, and she took pictures while I stretched, dropped off my gear, and found my corral.  The only concern I had was an old calf injury that started to flare up during my 20 miler a few weeks ago, and was still present on my 13 miler last weekend.

I saw a few people I know from work milling around the start line, but after the race began I put on my headphones and got into my pace.  For the first few miles I ran below my typical pace, remembering that I have to conserve energy over the long run!  The spectator turnout was fantastic, first as we ran up to the Hillcrest area and were awarded high fives amidst Rainbow flags from a big group of men wearing wigs and fake boobs!  Then we turned around south, down past Balboa Park and around PetCo Park.  We looped into the Gaslamp, in which some of the businesses were open and had spectators shouting encouragement to the runners.  By the USS Midway I noticed the first band, for which I turned off my music and enjoyed the Rock n’ Roll experience.

I think around mile 5 or 6 we began running up the highway, which I never noticed was uphill!  My left calf injury had been acting up since the start, and the uphill didn’t help.  I hoped and hoped and stretched many times during the race to make sure it didn’t suddenly cramp up and ruin everything… something I had been anxious about for the past 2 weeks.  Amazingly and by divine intervention, my worries evaporated at mile 14 when it suddenly eased up and I was able to run the race without further calf issues!  Well, maybe once on mile 22 but I was able to stretch it out.

The race took us past the Fashion Valley mall, to Mission Bay Park, looped around to Pacific Beach, and back towards the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.  I felt really good for almost all of the race, and I stuck to my strategy of eating an Accel Gel every 4 miles (one Gu at mile 20 because they were handed out) and never passed up a CytoMax energy drink stop.  The Medic tents were handing out salt packets, of which I took 2 and I’m sure it helped!  Because of this my energy level was faily constant… though around mile 22, then more so around mile 24, I started to think “uh, this hurts… I wonder if I’ll ever do this again?” 

Not that I couldn’t run, I just knew it would be sooooo much easier to walk!!!  In the last few miles there were a lot of walkers that I passed, I envied that they probably weren’t in as much pain as I was but I just thought about how much better my time would be   Also, I wanted to be able to say I ran a marathon, not walked it.  (I’m not counting the walking as I drank the energy drinks, I end up coughing and spilling it all over if I try to drink and run at the same time!)  Surprisingly, after I’d clear the drink station and begin running again, it wasn’t as painful to restart as it was in my longer training runs.  That was a definite plus!

After mile 24 I did start to think about the finish just a little too much… “am I there yet?  Where is it??”  People without bibs were running in the opposite direction of us, I assume to find their friends and run them in.  I did see one of my friends do this and he encouraged me by saying “Only 2.5 more to go!”  but in all honesty, what got me through those last few miles was just my determination to never quit and push myself to the limit.  If I were to give in and walk, I’d be letting myself down, as I knew I could run.  So RUN I did!

Once inside MCRD I kept looking up for the big balloons that usually signify a finish line, listening for a loudspeaker indicating we were getting close to the spectator stands.  I was sooo happy once I saw the balloons!  As I tried to pick up my pace- at this point, it probably was about 0.15 seconds faster per mile, that’s all my energy had left– I lifted my shoulders, thought about how “hey, I’m finishing now!” and gave the photographer the best smile I could!

Afterwards I ate a bunch of fruit, drank a ton of water, and changed into dry clothes.  Once I got home, I took a loooong warm shower and a quick nap.  My roommate and I went to Arrivederci in Hillcrest where I ate as much bread, fettuccine, and tiramisu as I could fit into my stomach.  I’m counting calories on LiveStrong.com, and I calculated that the marathon burned 4,589 calories!!!!  Try as I did to eat, I could only match it with 5,365 calories of food.  I also tried to keep to the 4:1 carbs to protein, but it was more like 3:1.  Oh well.

Today my left calf is cramped, and my quads are soooo sore!  I’m taking the elevator everywhere and my ortho friends put in a consult for me to get PT so I can adequately recover.  Overall, it was an awesome experience.  Honestly… call me crazy, but I wish I could run again today!  But then I try to stand up from a chair and feel how hard I worked yesterday   I still can’t wait until I run again… maybe plan another marathon in December?  Anyone interested?