Urban Cow Half Marathon

Most of you know that I am partial to cycling. During the year I do very little, if any, running. I spend hours on the bike commuting, cruising, training, and racing. In September a few of my girlfriends (Jenny, Amanda, Whitney) and I decided to register for the CIM relay on December 5th. I figured I needed to put the old running shoes on if I was going to survive. I didn't want to be the one to die during our relay. I decided to participate in the Urban Cow 1/2 marathon. It starts right here in Land Park. I figured I could just wake up and walk over. I hate the 8am start times and 1-3 hour drives for cycling. I don't intend to wake up early every weekend during the off season too. This was going to be perfect. The problem was that I only had a month to prepare.

My friend Kath gave me a training plan that was 12 weeks long. I just skipped right to the 8 week mark because I didn't have the 3 months. I was hoping that my cycling fitness would help me out a little. I tried my best to follow the schedule. I substituted the Wednesday running speed work day for a cycling speed day. I was having a hard time running fast enough on the slower pace days anyway, and it was a good excuse to ride my bike. Keith and I would compare my cycling data to my running data. I could race my MTB bike at an average heart rate of 185 for an hour and a half, but I couldn't get my HR over 119 while running. Ya I was slow, my muscles just didn't respond quickly to the running thing. I just continued to train and decided to bring Keiths fathers dog along on each run. She was getting a little chubby so I figured she would benefit. I'm sure she enjoyed every bit of the training.

Well, today was the day of Urban Cow, my first half marathon. I must say I completely surprised myself. I finished about 10/15 minutes faster then I thought I would. I guessed that I would run about a 10 min mile pace. I guess the dog slows me down. ha. She had to sit out for the big race today though. I didn't have time to stop for her bathroom breaks. I only had to make one pee stop! I was planning on two.

Keith came out to watch me which was quite encouraging. I looked for him in every crowd. It was like a "Where is Waldo" game for me. He just looked so cute with the camera. I love that boy. He had to leave for work right after the finish, and I went searching for a family friend (Mary). I found her! I enjoyed hanging out and catching up:) I also bumped into Vee and Jill. You won't find them in the results. haha. Tagalongs.... wait is that a cookie? Yummmmm. I must say Vee and Jill were quite ambitious and decided to run a half marathon at the last minute (this morning).

As you probably figured, I am an extremest and randomly just do things. Today I was thinking about qualifying for the Boston marathon. I looked up the qualifying time (3:40:59). Hmmmm Maybe next year. haha. As of right now I am not sure I will be able to stand after sitting so long to write this blog. I hurt. I also wish I would have known about this arm pit chafing thing. People mentioned thigh chafing, but my hips are so wide there is no way my legs would ever rub together...... apparently my arms rub quite a bit against my shirt though. I don't even know what to do to prevent that. I have butt butter. Do I use that? hmmm. I put a little Neosporin on my armpit rashes after my shower. It seems to be feeling better. I finished the day with a Chipotle Burrito. I ran into Rich there. I swear I am always seeing someone from the Land Park crew at Chipotle or Big Spoon. A girl can just never spurge without it being known. I figured the 13 mile run was enough to justify the burrito though. Maybe someone would like to accompany me to Big Spoon later.

Well here are the results of my first half marathon!:

Finish Time: 02:00:03

Pace: 09:10

Overall 956 of 3117

Female 361 of 1972

Female 25-29: 52 of 307

Here are some pictures, CHEESE.

The warm up

The Start

The Run

I'm DONE!

Thanks for reading!

Cardiology III

Life sure is becoming a little hectic right now. A few months ago I was worried about not being able to find a job and wasn't really sure what I should be doing to occupy my time. I hate having nothing to do. This used to frustrate my mother when I was a child. She used to say, "JenniferMarie, can you just relax?" I guess not. I had to be kept busy. It worked out in her favor though. She would have me do dishes or put away groceries. I still go over there and start cleaning on Holidays. My MS advisor used to comment on my lack of ability to sit still. I would sit in my office chair in the most awkward positions. At REI I tend to windex the mirrors daily. Anyway, to avoid the possibly of being bored I registered for 2 marathons and a century, entered Miss California USA, and applied for 100 jobs. As it turns out Urban cow marathon is this Sunday, pageant orientation is the 9th and 10th, Foxy Falls century the 16th, and new hire orientation for my new exercise physiologist position is this Monday. WOW. Last week I took a certification test and was in Brynne's wedding. hmmmmm. My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy and says that I just enjoy being stressed out. Who knows. What I do know is that I love my new Cardiology III Stethoscope. Keith went with me to pick it up today. The acoustics are amazing and it's copper color is unique. I love it. I can't wait to get to work.

I do have a Vella and Mahoney story too. Today I left for SF around 8am and Vella managed to get shut into the bike room. Vella has the quietest little meow ever, so she can't be heard. It turns out that Mahoney can hear her just fine and SCREAMED so loud Keith went searching. Keith heard a faint little meow and scratching at the door. There was Vella. Mahoney saved the day. Good boy. O ya, we also tested the Cardiology III out on the cats. They have the fastest little heart rates. We are guessing around 100 bpm. That's crazy being that all they do is sleep.

On a serious note, my Dad's best friend past away yesterday. He is really having a hard time. If you know or see him, just give him a hug or a little prayer.

Jen

The Weekend Recap- Folsom Cyclebration

This weekend was one of the last hurrahs for most of the local cyclist. It was Folsom Cyclebration. Keith decided to race the road and mountain bike omnium, totaling 6 races in three days. He is one pooped pickle right now, sound asleep. Mahoney just meowed in his ear though and gave him a little scare. Mahoney doesn’t understand why we are both in bed right now. Poor confused kitty.

Friday was the MTB TT and the Road TT. As you know from my previous blog, I was in SF.Keith broke the MTB course record (16:01.58) previously held by Clint Claassen (16:02). WOW that is close! I think the only thing closer is the Phelps and Cavic finish in the Beijing Olympics.Following the record setting MTB TT, Keith headed over to the Road TT and scored an impressive 11^th against a tough field.

Saturday began with a little relaxation. The MTB ST wasn’t until 1pm for me and 2pm for Keith.I actually didn’t decide to race until the last minute. Keith figured it would be beneficial for me to go on a long road ride and save myself a little money. I didn’t listen and decided to race anyway. I honestly think he was just trying to get out of fixing the flat on my MTB that I got during the Wed night PC race. Anyhow, Keith and I both won the tough 8 lap MTB ST race. The Stanford boys, Cortney, and Chris came out to cheer us on. I must say Bicycle Planet put on an awesome race. They gave both Keith and I Serfas True 150 Lumen lights for winning. If you don’t have one you should swing over and pick one up. They are rechargeable, always a plus. I hate looking for batteries that I don’t have. Following the race I headed off to work an evening shift, and Keith raced the Road Crit finishing 19^th (I think). He later went to a BBQ with friends.We both arrived home a little after midnight.

This morning the alarm went off at 6am. I wasn’t really feeling like I wanted to get up after a late night. I had to do it for 2 reasons: 1) My coworker Garrett was awesome enough to work my shift so that I could race. 2) Asa worked her buns off building today’s MTB CX course. It went through the Folsom prison and the zoo. You can’t ride that everyday. Keith got everything ready and I just made sure I got in the car. The course was fun. The Expert split was pretty difficult with tight turns, single track, rocks, and loose dirt. The rest of the course was perfect for me with lot of hills and plenty of room to pass. It was definitely hot and I just couldn’t drink enough water. Keith and I both won the CX race as well. Keith needed to head off to the Circuit Race so Rich and I waited around to collect medals and awards. We grabbed a bite to eat at the local pizzeria. I was able to see the last three laps of the P12 men’s circuit race. I swear most of the field had dropped out, so I’m sure it was tough. Keith was still in it. I think he finished somewhere around 20^th. He ended up getting 1st overall in the MTB and 13^th overall in the Road. I must say, not bad honey!

We again ate with some friends and headed over to Folsom bikes to get a free coffee and tube. I decided to get another MTB tube to replace the one I used for the Wed flat. Keith opted for the road. I think we have tons of both either way. We came home and unpacked. I was finally able to take a shower. The first thing I noticed was how dirty my feet were. How in the world does the dirt get through my shoes and socks? I don’t know. I am not sure how people wash their feet, but I find it to be a little difficult to stand on one foot while soaping the other. My showers are never relaxing. Mahoney meows and plows into the door like he is a member of the SWAT team. I have to let him in because I can’t handle it. He has a ritual. He checks the toilet, just to see if by chance we left the toilet seat open. He jumps at any chance to drink out of it. He then goes to the sink that once upon a time had a leaky faucet. He is like an elephant that never forgets. Once he finds that neither is water accessible, he proceeds to eat the plant, which is also annoying. He has already broken a pot and always gets dirt everywhere. The best part is, he always vomits after eating plants. He really is a high maintenance cat.

Following the shower, food again (yes we eat a lot), feet are up.

That’s a wrap.

I Was Once A Bike Commuter

There was a time that in my life when I would pedal my way to work and school. I was the person who watched Good Day Sacramento religiously and made comments about how crazy those people were sitting in traffic at the toll plaza for hours. Well, today I was reminded that I am now one of those crazy people. I have gone from bike commuter to bay area commuter. I must say though, I started work at 7am so I made it before the heavy traffic. That is always a plus, even though a 4am wake up call may not be.

I am sorry that I often have some bodily function or nasty comment in posts, but I really hate the fact that the rest stop in Vallejo is closed. It KILLS me every time. I mean what is a girl to do after two double espressos, a full water bottle, and a 2hour drive. EEK. Holding it is out of the question and I am always too embarrassed to walk into a place without purchasing anything. I am not against the side of the road, but I don’t need an indecent exposure fine or anything. I opted to pretend I was getting gas, and go. I feel bad for the next few people who had to use the restroom. Sorry. My excuse has always been my fast metabolism. Haha

Anyways, the day went well. If anyone needs a little confidence booster, go work in Cardiac Rehab. I heard I was beautiful and thin over and over and over and over............ ok I guess you get the point. I even had one patient tell me that I intimidated her because I was “skinny.” I guess that was her excuse not to exercise for the day. Maybe she was expecting an overweight Exercise Physiologist. I made her walk anyway and told her that was how I stayed skinny. Lets see other questions I got were: 1) How old are you? 2) Are you married? 3) Where are you from? I never disclosed my age, told them I had a boyfriend, and replied Amador County. People always say I have an accent, and think I am from the south. I don’t know why. It must be because I grew up around my German family from Minnesota. No one knows where AC is, so that’s always a lost cause trying to explain. As for my age, I just really don’t think they need to know. They always use their ages as an excuse not to exercise, so I don’t want to give them the leverage of being older.................. even though 50-70 years is noticeable. I just pretend that I am between 70 and 100 too. Haha. The ladies really like to gab. I know all about their husbands. I guess some things never change ladies. I can picture myself and Brynne in Cardiac Rehab 50 years from now.

The day was a success. I love the staff and the patients. I have absolutely nothing to complain about other then the fact that I am exhausted. Well I am home now and really need some sleep. I would love to go watch Keith race tonight, but I really can’t get back in that car. I am going to make the cats take a nap with me. SLEEP........ I need you.

Life on the A List

Sometimes I really think I need a reality TV show. I think my life is much more interesting then “Holly’s World” or “Bethany Getting Married.” “Kendra” is pretty cool though. I mean, currently I am sitting in bed watching Good Day Sacramento with my cat. I spent yesterday folding clothes and searching for a mini chick-fil-A cow. Today I have plans to go for a bike ride and try on my bridesmaid gown for Brynne’s wedding. Does life really get anymore interesting then that? Haha.

Ok, maybe my life isn’t reality TV worthy, but I am happier then I have ever been. For the first time in my life I am not wishing today were over, or trying to just finish this last project. Throughout high school and college I was always wishing the days away. I couldn’t wait for a test to be over, a project to be done, the semester to end, or the thesis to be a faint memory of my life. I always felt like I needed to turn in the best work and get the best grade. I never took time off, always went to summer school, and made sure to graduate in an appropriate manner of time. I am not sure why I did this. I think it is part of being the oldest. I had to be the one to set the bar high. I wanted my parents to be proud of me. I am now 25 with a graduate degree, and I still don’t feel like I have accomplished what I intended to do. The funny thing is that I don’t really know what I intended to do. My goal has always been to work my ass off and one day it will all pay off, and my life will be perfect. I have now realized that life isn't perfect. I read something that my friend Rebecca posted the other day...............

(The past has already happened. The future is what's yet to come, but everyday will always be a gift. That is why it is called the "present.")

The only thing I can really do today, is to enjoy the present, and that is exactly what I intend to do.

One too Many M&M’s in the Trail Mix Bag

Today had potential for perfection. I worked the sweet 9:45 to 5pm shift with my man Patrick, and had a massage scheduled at 5:30pm with my honey. No complaints about that. The day started off with me making coffee, making lunch, and picking out my work outfit. I had two pairs of jeans in mind for the day. A) The light blue “comfy” jeans that sag a little in the behind resembling a possible accident in the pants B) The “sexy” dark blue jean with little wiggle room. I asked Keith his opinion and he quickly chose option B. Option B it was. I set off to work on my bicycle, got about 3 miles down the road, and realized I forgot my work shoes. AWSOME. Keith came to the rescue and brought me my sweet Keen MJ shoes.

The day went on, it was busy. I took my lunch at 2pm, ate my homemade trail mix made up of a handful of peanuts, handful of almonds, and two handfuls of both raisons and M&M’s. I love the sweet stuff. Just as my lunch was coming to an end, I went to use the restroom. When I was through I went to pull up the ole skinny jeans. I attempted to do a couple squats, trying to make a little more room for my, well thunder thighs. On about the third squat and lunge to the side RIIIIIIP! OOOOOOO no. I looked down and I had ripped my jeans in the right thigh. It was right at the part of the inner thigh where that extra flab of fat has made a home. Ladies, you must know what I’m talking about. Well, life must go on. I went to find Patrick and made him aware of my predicament. He said it wasn’t bad, so I went on with the remainder of my day with a rip in my thigh. I just tried not to bed over and was sure to keep that leg straight like a wooden peg if I needed to bend over.

Work was soon over and it was time for my much needed massage. I wanted to slip into something a bit more comfortable, so I put on some REI running shorts with the built in underwear. I was off to my massage. Keith and I get into the couples room and I realize I have no underwear to wear for the massage. I mean, you can go without, but I like the comfort of a quality pair of panties. O’well. The perfect day went not so perfect. I ate one too many M&M’s in the trail mix bag, ripped my pants, and had a very “nudy” massage. Although I must say, it was still a good day. I enjoyed work with friends and the evening with my love. I guess those mishaps are apart of that thing called life. Maybe next time i'll go with option A.

The Litter Disaster

Yesterday was PETCO day. I needed to pick up some kitty litter and food for the weasels, aka Mahoney and Vella. My cats are a little on the, lets say, large side. It is pointless for me to buy the little 8 pound kitty food bag for 16 bucks when I could spend 24 dollars on a 20 pound bag. The problem is that I am very picky about the food and litter I buy. I never have a problem buying the large bag of Nutro Natural overweight management for indoor adult cats, but the litter is a bit tougher. I hate the smell of a dirty litter box, and I have tried multiple cat litters. I have found that the "Ever Clean Extra Strength" is awesome! Not the Ever Clean Charcoal, Multiple Cat, or Unscented. It must be Extra Strength. Anyways, every time I go to PETCO they only have one box of my favorite Ever Clean litter. Think about the biological process of mammals. A 20 pound bag of food for two 20 pound cats requires far more litter then one box. This poses as a problem. This requires me to make bi-monthly trips to PETCO to purchase litter. I'd rather just make one trip and do it all in one shot. Well yesterday must have been my birthday or something because to my surprise PETCO had TWO Ever Clean Extra Strength cat litters. I was super excited and brought my items up to the register. The cashier leans over to pick up the box of cat litter, comments about its heavy weight, tries to scan it and CRASH! My precious box of cat litter went all over the floor! She apologized repeatedly and stated that she would look in the back for another box. I knew this was just a common courtesy. I ask monthly, well bi-monthly, if they have an additional box and they never do. They always have the other Ever Clean versions to offer, which results in me looking like a crazy cat lady when I attempt to explain why they don't work as well as the sister version. I guess it wasn't my birthday after all. However I did get 15 percent off my purchase and some little balls for the Vella Kitty. Mahoney hates balls. He is more of a stuffed animal kind of guy.