Running These Days & Saying Goodbye

It's official.  I'm training for a marathon in June.  So that means track workouts, long runs, and hill repeats are back in action.  I must be a bit crazy because I actually missed training like a crazy person.

I've become good friends with Michelle who is also training for a marathon in June, so I've had an awesome training partner 1-2x/wk!  She is a super-speedy runner and makes me train hard!  I've been doing my best to be smart with training and stretch, do some ab work, and cross train so I don't get injured.  I've been swimming with the masters swim team 2-3x/week and I think it is making a huge positive impact on my running!  It strengthens the glutes and other muscles that are normally weak.  I definitely recommend it if you have pool access.

Yesterday I did Yasso 800's and was pleasantly surprised with my pace. I'm not hoping for a specific time in the marathon, but I just hope to finish strong and if I get BQ, it would be an added perk. :)  If you're not familiar with the concept, Yasso 800's are said to predict your overall marathon time.  The concept is simple. Want to run a 3 hour marathon? Train to run 10 x 800m in 3 minutes (each 800m). Want to run a 4:00 marathon? Train to do the 800s in 4:00, etc.  I've read a few articles and blogs that say it isn't an accurate predictor of overall marathon time (here and here), but regardless of predicting my marathon pace, I will say it was a fabulous workout!

I had to say goodbye to an old friend last week; my first Garmin watch. It wouldn't hold a charge for more than 2 hours, it took ~10 minutes to find a satellite, and the screen was cracked. I had a lot of fond memories with it: my first marathon ever, my PR marathon in St George, miles and miles of training along the sunny California coast, my first Boston marathon, and so much more! I was sad to say goodbye but I quickly got over that when I said hello to this beauty:

The Garmin Forerunner 220. In love. It instantaneously finds the satellite, vibrates at each mile, holds a charge for up to 10 hours, and so much more! And it's purple. :) I have a lot to learn about all do it's features, but so far, I'm sold! 

#3- Grateful for Study Buddies. And Running Buddies.

I have come to the conclusion that running makes it easier to get out of bed in the morning.  I woke up at 7 today (with the help of 3 alarms) with every intention of going to the gym.  Somehow, after getting up for a few minutes, I stumbled back into bed and didn't wake up until 9:00.  I'll have you know I haven't slept  in past 7:30 for 16 months.  Well, except for last weekend in Alaska... and Thursday when I didn't wake up until 10.  The culprit of all of this laziness?  Not running.  At least that's my excuse.  That, and I love sleep.  There is nothing as beautiful as waking up and looking at the beautiful California sun streaming through the shutters... then pulling the covers over your head and hitting snooze.  Ahhhhh.... did I mention that I love sleep?

Why yes, I will! (Or I'll press snooze.)  

Anyone else have a clock like this?

To redeem myself for my ridiculous laziness this morning, I met up with my awesome classmate, Evan!   We headed to a place that I can't believe I've been missing out on for the past 9 months while living in San Diego.  Meet Pannikin.

A coffee shop and bakery that serves the most delicious coffee and baked goods in the whole wide world.  (Except for Great Harvest and Kaladi Bros in Alaska!).  The best part?  They make gluten free/nut free goodies for people like Evan and I!  He has celiac disease (autoimmune deficiency of the enzyme that breaks down gluten - aka no wheat, rye, barley, oats) and as you know, I am allergic to everything under the face of the sun.  I had a delicious cup of coffee and the most scrumptious chocolate chip muffin in the world.  YUM. The best part is it tasted better than a regular, gluten-filled muffin.  It literally melts in your mouth.  Can you guess where I'm having breakfast tomorrow?

This picture is purposefully the biggest one on the page.; It deserves the most attention. 

November 3: I am grateful for... STUDY BUDDIES! 

I am so grateful for my study buddies to help me conquer the massive amounts of work in my masters' program and motivate me to study one of the billion diseases I need to know about to pass my PA program.  Misery loves company- and gluten free, nut free muffins.

Num, num, num.  

November 3: I am ALSO grateful for... Running/walking buddies! 

Can I be grateful for 2 things today?  Yes?  Good.  I'm also so so SO grateful for my friend Carrie.  We met in one of my running groups and became instant friends.  She is amazing.  Since I am on an unbearable running break, we went on a sunset walk in the lovely Del Mar.  It almost made me forget that I wasn't running.  Life is so good when you have study/running buddies.

Friends make the world go round,

You'll never guess what's in store for tomorrow?  Starts with an S and rhymes with cruddy! (Funny, it's also makes me feel cruddy!). Don't forget to get your EXTRA hour of sleep tomorrow. If your smart like me, you'll go to bed an hour early and wake up two hours more refreshed!  :)

Miracle Baby

I couldn't muscle the energy to type last night, but I'm feeling slightly more energized today!  The 20 mile run yesterday was a great success!  And by success... I mean that I finished.

I am training with a speed-demon named Dennis who I met while training with West Coast Road Runners.  Our best half and full marathon times are within 1 minute of each other, so I feel so fortunate to have such an PERFECT training buddy!  What works out even more is that he and I both got drawn in the lottery to run the St. George Marathon next month.  We've been training 2-3 days/week together; doing hill repeats, long runs, and tempo runs.  And I'll have you know.... he kicks my butt. He pushes me much harder than I would push myself.  And yesterday?  Well.. it was no exception to the rule. What I planned to be a leisurely, comfortable 20 mile run, somehow transformed into a hill-dominating, mentally-challenging, sub- 8:00 mile, tempo run.  I'm not complaining in the least, but I'll guarantee you at mile 16 I would've told you otherwise.  It was by far one of my more challenging runs lately, but the second I got back to the car, that feeling came over me and I was so grateful he pushed me.  

Although it might seem slightly strange and/or crazy to get up at 4:30 to inflict 20 miles of torture on myself, it was a great run.  And how often do you get to watch an amazing sunrise (while running up a hill the size of Mt. Everest)?  Or watch surfers catch some "radical" morning waves? Or run through beach campgrounds (while being tortured by the delicious smell of pancakes)? And how about enjoying the most delicious cup of coffee you've ever had?  All before 9 AM?  Yeah, it was pretty awesome.  

I had every good intention of going to a coffee shop to study all day, but my legs refused to be seated in a hard, wooden chair... so I stayed at home and studied on my bed.  I got a lot done and I'm happy to report that I only fell asleep once. 

The best part of my training plan is that I get to do back-to-back long runs.  So today at 6:30 AM, Dennis and I did run #2.  It wasn't nearly as long as yesterday, but you can guarantee the 7.5 miles did not feel awesome.  Have I mentioned that I'm ready to taper yet?  

Okay, enough complaining and running talk.  The title of my post today is Miracle Baby. And while my runs the last two days were pretty miraculous, I'm not actually referring to that!  The most heart-wrenching patients to see are mothers whom you have to explain that either: a.) there is no heartbeat or b.) there is an empty gestational sac.  AKA- they've had a miscarriage.  It literally breaks my heart into a million little pieces and I have to hide my face as I choke back the tears.  

Today we had a pregnant patient follow up that had gone to two different ER's in the last 10 days because of severe abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding.  They each performed an ultrasound and she was told that the fetus had no heartbeat and she had miscarried the baby.  She was then told to come to our office to schedule a procedure (without going into too much detail) to remove what is remaining in her uterus.

We went and saw the patient and the doctor explained that he would need to do one final ultrasound to confirm.  After doing a little exploration, the gestational sac appeared, as did a flickering shadow. There was no mistaking... there was a heartbeat!  The doctor said, "This almost never happens.  I don't know how they missed it, but your baby is alive!"  He was in shock!  After doing fetal measurements and listening to the heartbeat on doppler, it was safe to say the baby was alive and healthy!  At the visits at the ER, the fetus was simply too young to see the heartbeat.  I can't imagine a more beautiful and shocking surprise for the mother! :)

I couldn't find any pictures that would reflect my happiness for the mother seeing her little miracle baby. 

So... here's a picture with my dear friend, Mr. Alpaca while I was at Machu Pichu last year.  

Sonrisa!

Favorite Place in the World!

Did someone say Taco Tuesday?

Well... its official. We FINALLY found the best Tacos Jake has ever eaten. Maybe the search can end now?  Doubtful...

This morning started off with my favorite running spot @ Torrey Pines. Tuesday is hill workout day with my training buddy, Dennis. 9.5 fabulous miles of hill repeats is probably the best way to start my day. Yes, I'm serious. :) To make it even better, Jake decided to join us! I think he quickly regretted his decision when he realized just how many repeats we do. He did incredibly well and ended up doing the first 2 with us... Then ran on his own while we did the remaining 8 repeats.

To reward him for his hard work, it was deemed necessary to eat tacos twice today. I think he would have eaten tacos at all 3 meals if we could have found somewhere open at 8:30AM. So that's where the world's greatest tacos comes into our story.

Meet Las Cuatro Milpas:

Line out the door!

This fabulous find had a line down the street when we arrived.  Although hungry, we knew it was a must... and were we ever right!  The menu is simple: Tacos, Chicken/Pork Burrito, Tamales, Rice, Beans, Chorizo con Huevo (Chorizo with eggs), and on Saturdays they serve Menudo.  Let's get serious though.  The prices are unreal and the servings are incredible. Not to mention the out-of-this-world-so-good-I-want-wrap-myself-in-their-tortillas food.

Menu.

 Sticking with Jake's motto: "you never know when the next meal is going to be, so eat like a caveman..." we got enough food to feed a small to moderate sized army.  (And by "never know when the next meal is going to be" he meant in 5 hours when we ate Tacos again.)

Thumbs up for Taco Tuesday

Drool.  All for $9

Tacos, tacos y mas tacos

This is where the action happens.  

Could live on these delicious morsels.

As for the other part of Taco Tuesday, we met up with my good friend Dan and had another round of Tacos for dinner.  All in all, our mission was accomplished.  The world's best tacos were had, the most amazing rice and beans were devoured, and now I am drooling and want more of those tortillas.  Delicioso!