RunClub Session 5 Debrief

Session 1 was the inaugural session.

Session 2 ended with my first run streak.

Session 3 I did a mid-session check-in.

Session 4 almost didn't happen.

To what extent have you met your RunClub goals?

I have more than met my RunClub+ goals. I have exceeded my goals. I am definitely one pants size smaller and also one shirt size smaller. When I get dressed in the morning, I feel like my clothes have too much fabric. I'm wearing clothes that I haven't fit into since before pregnancy.

I wanted to create memories with my son, and I have. I wanted to reach the end of our breastfeeding journey, and I have. I wanted to carve out time for myself, and I did. I feel more focused, more balanced, and more confident.

Which components of the program supported your progress?

The daily reach-outs make me feel closer to my training group. It gives me a sense that someone cares about how my running is going. I miss it a lot when the session ends. I can't wait for it to start up again.

I love the in-person runs. The support I got from the fellow running moms was incredible. They believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. They hyped me up when I felt unsure. They carried me through the mid-run miles that would have otherwise been dull and painful. They pushed me to run stronger and faster than I would have done alone. 

The Fit4Mom in-person classes were essential to keeping my core and other muscles balanced. I was much stronger and in less pain due to taking Jessica's Stroller Strides class at the Vineyards every Monday. It made me climb that hill. It got me around other moms. I also really enjoyed Adriana's Body Boost class at My Gym in Woodland Hills. She made me feel so pumped up and ready for the marathon.

You can't imagine how out of place I felt at the LA Roadrunners when I felt like I was the only runner who had to balance motherhood with my training. Coming to Fit4Mom is a relief because I know every mom is juggling what I'm juggling and I don't have to explain why I feel so exhausted. Nor do I have to listen to people complain about how tired they are when all they have to worry about is themselves (people without kids).

The transition from Pike13 to Glo was interesting, but I like the new interface. It will be easier to access on-demand content. I will ask my runners for their feedback during this next session. 

The finish line was a big motivator for me. I'm grateful that I had attended the expo last year and ran the LA Big 5k in 2024, it definitely brought me a sense of calm on marathon race day 2025. I have heard that first time marathoners follow the training plan more precisely than second-time or multi-time marathoners because they're so terrified of not finishing. That was definitely me.

I did make a new YouTube video about what is a TEMPO run and why you should do it.

https://youtu.be/5hYBHMkFBXg?si=2OldJudwKMhqRgxv

A lot of what I am doing is learning for myself. I tried to make a Marathon route fly through but I didn't get very far. The course is so long, I have a draft that I can finish later. Like maybe after I get the grades in.

What about RunClub+ was surprising or did not match with your expectations (whether positive or negative)? You can share your general reflections here.

I recorded a video of myself running on the treadmill at Planet Fitness. I was worried that my form on the treadmill would be different than how I run on the roads. What surprised me was how I looked like an old lady. I don't know if it was the saggy boobs or the saggy arms or the tired face but I didn't recognize my body.
https://youtu.be/sBKSZrlkrUI?si=ArVonbyYfHrmVFpH 

It was also surprising that it took me so long to find a bra that didn't chafe on long runs. Seeing my boobs and how much they move while I run made me rethink what type of support I really need. I wasn't surprised that the Crowned Athletics bra was not supportive enough on its own, but seeing the displacement made me understand why my boobs hurt so much after the OC back bay half marathon run.

More specifically, what suggestions do you have to improve session 6?

I would like to get to the point where I can be more authentic in my daily reach-outs. I have been using the pre-prepared ones from HQ. I wish I could just say something that feels more like myself but also aligns with the spirit of the program. Would it be wrong to use ChatGPT for this? 

6 days post marathon

Monday I mostly worked from a reclining position, laying on the couch with my feet higher than my heart. It actually felt excruciating to sit in a regular chair. I wasn't very hungry.

Tuesday I was able to do school drop-off, which is a 2 mile walk. I still wasn't very hungry. I felt better and I had a wonderful brunch and recovery walk with my training buddy Yahaira.

Wednesday I did school drop-off and I started to feel hungry. I was able to do some chores around the house, but not as much as usual. I worked on programming out our next session of RunClub. I created the menus for Albert's birthday party.

Thursday I drove to school drop-off, but I also did some shopping. I was on my feet a lot. I went to Lowe's, Michael's, Smart and Final, and Von's. I was super hungry all day. I traced the logos onto the poster boards and painted the colors.

Friday I walked the school drop-off and did a bunch of errands. I went to Michael's, Target, and had a victory brunch with my husband. I finished painting the white parts of the posters and made photocopies. I felt like I was finally getting my energy back because I folded some laundry and did the dishes.

Friday night my son suggested we go swimming and I jumped at the chance. It was so relaxing and a perfect way to do some light compression and easy activity. Today, Saturday, we have my son's birthday party at our house. So we're going to have a busy day today.

Tomorrow, Sunday, I will be going to the medal walk with the LA Roadrunners at Encino golf course. There's a pot luck afterwards. And from there, I'm going to a sports massage. We also need to pick up our meal prep from Fitlicious.

It's been a big, expensive month. People are asking what my next race will be. We've got the rescheduled Rose Bowl Half coming up in a month. It's the weekend after Easter. I have not signed up for anything else yet. RunDisney just announced that sign up for the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend will be April 29th, the Tuesday after the Rose Bowl Half. I wish the race would be over winter break but it's not. It's in late January/early February after the semester has already started.

It feels like Spring. The city smells so sweet. It's green everywhere. I'm glad I planned to have avocado and tofu here at the house. I'm glad I had salads and rotisserie chicken. I'm glad I had soup and rotisserie chicken. I ate eggs, waffles, tortillas, potatoes, and salsa.

One key component of my nutrition leading up to the race was lemonade. Our neighbor gave us a bunch of lemons. It was helpful for hydration. Also I tried to give up coffee in order to respond to caffeine on race day. I drank a lot of chamomile tea and ginger tumeric tea. I almost don't want to get back into coffee. But I did notice that my fingernails became more brittle when I gave up coffee because I put collagen in my coffee. I could always put it in a smoothie.

Marathon Equipment

I wanted to write about this because it took me a long time to get it dialed in. The best shirt for me turned out to be the one that was given to me by the LARR. I found that running in tank tops was a recipe for chafing. I also found that full compression socks were too compressive but that calf sleeves were just right. I found that wearing two bras was better than one, but I had to put a massive amount of chamois butter underneath. 

The folding hat is amazing when you start out your run in the dark and it gets light later on in the day. Not pictured here is a neck gaiter, which I had left over from the Color Run. The sun sleeves I wore were leftover from my cycling days, but you can find something similar listed below. I think the non-slip grip in the sleeves and in the skort is really key to keeping things in place. The skort never rode up and the sleeves never fell down.

I learned that I had to wear only one headphone at a time and leave the other one charging, to have the batteries last until the end of the race. I learned that my phone wouldn't last 20 miles without the fuel rods. I learned the Feetures ultra-light gave me a blister, but the light was perfect. I put chamois butter all over my feet, in my panty line, armpits, bra line, and inner thighs. I learned that I need to put sunscreen on the tops of my hands. Marathon training aged my skin on my face, neck and hands. 

I LOVE the Crowned Athletics Skorts. Seriously, it's one of the biggest game changers in my whole marathon training. The Powerful Hermana sports bra kept riding up, and the band was too compressive. I would have to take it off mid-run because it left me feeling like I was gasping for breath. But for some reason, the Changed Fate sports bra was tight and loose enough to stay put, let me breathe, and not chafe. 

$78 Crowned Athletics Skort

https://www.crownedathletics.com/collections/athletic-skirts

$68 Crowned Athletics Changed Fate Princess Sports Bra

https://www.crownedathletics.com/products/changed-fate-princess-sports-bra

$46 Freya Women's Dynamic Non-Wired Sports Bra

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2PBVRW9

$18.93 Sparkle Athletic Rainbow Calf Sleeves

(from Poshmark)

$9.99 ELLEWIN Unisex Baseball Cap UPF 50 Unstructured Hat with Foldable Long Large Bill
https://www.amazon.com/ELLEWIN-Baseball-Portable-Research-Foldable/dp/B01JI0XLZS

$18 Feetures Elite Light Cushion No Show Tab Ankle Socks - Sport Sock with Targeted Compression

https://www.amazon.com/Feetures-Unisex-Elite-Cushion-Medium/dp/B0D7KMZG22

$8.99 beister UV & Sun Protection Arm Sleeves for Men & Women, UPF 50+, Cooling Sport Compression Arm Sleeves

https://www.amazon.com/beister-Compression-Breathable-Basketball-Lymphedema/dp/B07S5XT7HY/

$31.74 INOXTO Hydration Vest Backpack,Lightweight Water Running Vest Pack with 1.5L Water Bladder Bag Daypack for Hiking Trail Running Cycling Race Marathon for Women Men

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BCR78S8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

$59.99 due to lightning deal. True Bone Conduction Headphones, Open Ear Earbuds with Ear Hooks, Up to 60 Hours Playtime with Charging Case, Bluetooth 5.3, IP68 Waterproof, for Running, Yoga, Gym, Sports

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLGCHQ18?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

$39.99 for two. FuelRod USB-C Portable Charger... 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D54WTVG1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

$25 Goodr sunglasses

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N54JGM6

Did not wear on race day, but these were essential to training

$19.89 Energizer LED Headlamp PRO... 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN4K3PT6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

$11.95 SWEETFULL Portable Clip on Fan -... 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNJZRSLC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

$11.37 esonstyle Pack of 6 LED Light Up Band Slap Bracelets Night Safety Wrist Band for Cycling Walking Running Concert Camping Outdoor Sports

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014D4GAN4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

$25.17 Running Vest for Women Reflective Running Lights Vest for Night Runners, Running Light Gear Safety Reflective Vest for Men size XL 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3NM7PDM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

$39.37 Amphipod Hydraform Ergo-Lite Ultra 20 oz. Handheld Water Bottle, BPA-Free Hydration/Fuel Bottle, Endurance Runners & Walking

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NWZ7S91?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

LA Marathon Race Report

This is the official race report following the format of my prior race reports. I will add the official race photos later, and hopefully, some of them will turn out well.

The event itself: Where? How long? When? Weather?

This course started in Dodger Stadium. From the stadium we went over to Chinatown. Past Olvera Street and the Courthouse. Past Echo Park Lake. And a long straightaway on Sunset. Through Sunset Junction and Silverlake. Onto Hollywood Blvd, past the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign. Past the Walk of Fame. Along the Sunset Strip, through West Hollywood to Beverly Hills. A fun jaunt through Rodeo Dr. And a long straightaway down Santa Monica Boulevard aka historic Rte 66. Past Century City. Past the VA hospital. Through Westwood and Brentwood. You get to see so much running a marathon because it's incredibly long, and if you're me, you're not going all that fast.

Race day was March 16th. Although we had a lot of rain the week before, the weather on race day was nearly perfect. It wasn't too windy, and it didn't even sprinkle. I felt like it was sunny the whole day. I brought a ski hat and gloves, sweatpants, and a sweatshirt, all of which I left behind at the starting line. I had a great experience with my race day outfit and would not have changed anything about it.

Course description and evaluation of event logistics

I do not think that I over-prepared for the marathon. I am glad I made a route sheet, which I used at several points during the race. Knowing when the hills were coming and how my fueling plan lined up with the elevation changes was helpful. I am also grateful that I had a bathroom plan. The restrooms at the early aid stations were absolutely swamped. And I overheard people saying that the toilets at the starting line were horrible. 

I don't know the price of the starting line hospitality, but I did enjoy it. I used the private toilets twice. I used the private gear check. I used the foam rollers and yoga mats. I ate the bagels, drank the coffee, and grabbed two extra Gu's. It was hot and cozy in that tent. They let us in at 4:30 a.m. And I stayed there until about 5:15 a.m. I could have stayed longer but it got increasingly crowded the closer it got to the start of the race. I appreciated sitting in a chair, staying off my feet, and not having to sit on the ground. 

The perks of being an LA Roadrunner were also great. Our pre-race loge level at Dodger Stadium was something that really pumped me up. I used the restrooms there twice and they were nice, clean, and well-lit. It wasn't warm there because it was outdoors, but there was good company and I really enjoyed Coach David's pre-race pep talk. It gave me a feeling of continuity to see Coach David at all training runs, on Thursday zoom calls, before and after the race. I would 100% recommend joining the Roadrunners.

How did you train for the event

I ended up following the LA Roadrunners level 3 training plan. I squeezed in my weekday runs either early in the morning or midday. I did not do any runs in the afternoon or evening. I got a Planet Fitness membership to use the treadmill, which I've written about before. 

Gear and Nutrition

I will do a separate post on gear, but let's say I found a way to fit everything in my shorts pockets and hydration vest. I was actively bleeding (menstruating), so I had to carry tampons and wipes. One Gu exploded in my pocket, so I just ate it in the corral before the start of the race. I wasn't planning on doing it, but I don't think it hurt.

The goal was to get 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour for the first three hours and then increase to 60-90g of carbs per hour afterward. It was good that I had each time and a place marked down to eat, roughly based on my estimated pace. I didn't look at this plan every mile, but there were some times when I did look at it, and it helped me feel calm and situated. I didn't rely on the aid stations for food, water, or electrolytes, but I did take them when it felt right. I didn't take any food or drinks from spectators. Most of the water I took from the aid stations was dumped on my body to cool down. Even though I trained with Stroopwaffles and Fruit strips from Aldi, I didn't end up bringing those on race day. I was trying to keep the simplest possible race day strategy. And Stroopwaffles take too long to eat. 

I made my electrolyte plan the morning prior to race day. I wasn't sure I needed to do this, but also I wanted to make sure I had enough salt tablets. I put them in bags. 4 bags with 6 tabs each. Since I ran a bit slower than I had planned, I almost ran out. But also there was a stretch there where I didn't want to eat anything. It was a good thing I brought the Biscoff cookies. That was something I was considering skipping but at the last minute, I threw them in. And that was a good decision because as some point, that was the only thing I could tolerate, and they helped immensely.

The other items I had in my vest were (1) sunscreen, which I did apply at mile 22 when we turned around and had the sun at our back. (2) a chapstick with SPF, which I did apply several times. And (3) Her chamois butter. I didn't use the anti-chafe but possibly I should have each time I used the restroom. I did get some chafing from the tampon string, which I could have put lotion on. I didn't practice that.

Specific experiences

It was pretty special meeting up with my husband around the half-marathon mark. I think he had to pay $3 for parking. We chatted for a bit and he took a video interview of me. I was so flustered I forgot to include him in my Instagram story. My aunt wanted to be there but I thought logistically it would be too challenging to coordinate. She encouraged me to take lots of pictures, which I did. It did slow me down to get my camera out and pose each mile, but now I can look back and see exactly how I was feeling. 

Finish and associated emotions

I felt like I could still run across the finish line. I didn't start crying until I saw Coach David. I almost feel like it hasn't hit me yet that it's over. My legs are still sore, but also I don't feel injured. I feel there's just a lot of trauma there. Kind of like how you feel after giving birth. Everything is a bit swollen. My body feels like it went through something intense, which it did. I might lose my left big toenail.

Overall evaluation of the event 

Overall, I might do this event again. Others said that this year we had the best weather ever. It's a toss up in the spring whether you might have cold, hot, rain, etc. I didn't know how I would feel. As my friend Yahaira pointed out, doing the same race again helps give you a comparison to know if your fitness is trending up or down. What's funny is that even the list of landmarks ends at mile 21 as if the last 5 miles don't exist. I think most people agree that the last 6 miles was the worst. Partly because that's where people hit the wall, but partly because that part of the course was mentally difficult. 

It would be fabulous if the race could have gone to the ocean. But as I understand, the city of Santa Monica was asking 5x as much as every other city for permits. And I didn't particularly enjoy the Santa Monica Classic. It would have been a full-circle moment to start and end the race season in Santa Monica. 

This season was so impacted by climate change it's actually nuts. The mid-season race, the Rose Bowl Half, hasn't even happened yet. It's been rescheduled for April, so there will be a forthcoming race report for that event. I felt it was insincere to hand out the challenge medals at the marathon for doing all three races when one hasn't even happened yet, but it was easier for the race organizers logistically. They decided to give the medal for the races people were registered for, even if the participants chose to skip the race.

1 day after the marathon

I'm still trying to finish my post-race meal from El Pollo Loco. I'm so thirsty. I'm walking but I'm moving slow. It's weird. I'm hungry but I'm too tired to eat.

I really enjoyed the marathon experience. Looking at my photos, I'm glad I recorded as much as I did. On a sunny day, all the colors and the whole experience was so vibrant.

Yes, it sucked knowing I had already crossed the finish line and having to go back. Yes, those miles after mile 18 were hard. Yes, my smile faded a bit. But after the turnaround, each mile I got progressively more excited for the finish line.

I reached mile 18 right around noon. And that's when I noticed that I was feeling nauseous. I realized that I was almost out of electrolyte tablets. I realized that I wasn't going to make my time goal.

I must have given "big mom" or "big teacher" energy because some of the SRLA students asked me for help pacing and getting in touch with their parents. 

I'm so glad I brought the two fuel rods. When my phone got from 100% down to below 70%, I put a fuel rod on it until it was back up to 100%. I finished the race with my phone having >60% battery left. And I think my watch was about the same. I did have a moment with my phone where it was saying there was water or some debris stuck in the charging port, but I just turned it upside down so the charging port was down and ran for a mile or two with it like that and then it was fine.

I got to sit with my former student Parker Smith and his aunt and uncle before the race. She is a high-school chemistry teacher who has run the LA Marathon many times. She didn't run this year because she's having a knee replacement in a few weeks. But she kept me entertained with stories from the front lines of teaching chemistry at a school in Malibu that burned down in the wildfires. I didn't get nervous at all.

According to my Samsung Watch5, I was in Zone 2 for 1 hour, 18 minutes and in Zone 3 for 1 hour. This was the first 9 miles from 7am - 9:23am. I was waiting until then to change my tampon because someone told me the port-a-potties at mile 9 were the best ones because they're on a side street that you can't see unless you know they're gonna be there. So I was holding out for them, and it was one short line for about 9 bathrooms, and the line went quick. Other people told me the lines at other bathroom stops were 10-15 minutes long. My pace for the first 9 miles ranged from 11'13" to 16'01". It was my intention to walk almost all of the first 6 miles.

The next 5 miles from 9:29am - 10:51am were until I found Mikey waiting for me across from The Comedy Store. I was definitely running this part using my interval timer. I was doing 3 minute run and 1 minute walk. Mostly. My watch says I spent 10 minutes in Zone 2, 47 minutes in Zone 3, and 23 minutes in Zone 4. My pace ranged from 11'13" to 15'56".

The next 5.5 miles from 10:55am to 12:25pm were mainly in the aerobic zone (56 minutes), with some time in the anaerobic zone (27 minutes). I don't really remember what intervals I was doing. Probably still 3 minute run and 1 minute walk. At some point I changed it to 2 minute run, 1 minute walk. Maybe around mile 18. I believe I stopped here to change my tampon again. There was a row of restrooms hiding behind the run clubs and there was no line there. I also refilled my hydration bladder.

It was at some point here where I started dumping water on my body from the water stops. The first tables had electrolytes and the second tables had just water. Well around mile 15 I forgot this and dumped blue electrolytes on my head. I love the running hat and it's great but it doesn't really absorb water like my hair does. So I started raising up my hat and dumping the water on my hair, which is where the electrolytes went. I also dumped it on my shoulders and arms, down my chest and my back. It really helped.

My watch bundled the remaining 7.5 miles together from 12:27 - 2:48 pm, even though I did stop briefly around mile 22 to pee. There was no line for the toilets there. It was right at the turnaround to come back towards the finish line. I was feeling overheated, there was very little shade during this part of the course. There was good crowd support. Lots of people offering lots of different things. Fruit, water, pretzels, coca-cola, gatorade, etc. 

At this point, I was feeling nauseous and I could feel the liquid sloshing around in my belly so I took an electrolyte chew and that helped. But I stopped being able to take Gu and Bloks. I was just so sick of all the sugar in my mouth. Luckily, I had packed Biscoff cookies so I ate those and felt much better. Next 20 minutes I ate as much of a Clif bar as I could and that sat okay. Next 20 minutes, I ate another set of 4 cookies and that settled my tummy.

As much as it sucked to do an out-and-back for the last 8 miles, the saving grace was that we were close enough to the ocean to feel a cool breeze. Even though the sun was out, it was like being near the beach where you don't feel cold but you can get a nasty sunburn. It was like once we got up and over the hill at avenue of the stars, it was a cool breeze for the remainder of the race. Nothing like finishing right at the ocean in Santa Monica, but it was still nice.

According to my watch, I barely ran any of this. But most of my pace was in the aerobic zone (zone 3) for 1 hour and 17 minutes. I was also in Zone 2 for almost 1 hour. I kept telling myself that that's where you want to be for burning fat, so there's no need to rush. Also, I was hot and I didn't want to cramp. I ran a few downhills when that felt easier than walking.

LA Marathon 2025
Distance	Projected Time	Actual Time	Projected Pace	Actual Pace	Projected Carb	Actual Carb
miles 1-2	7:36	7:33	18	16.5	Gu + bloks	Gu + bloks
miles 3-4	8:16	8:03	20	15.3	Gu + bloks	Gu + bloks
mile 5	8:36	8:19	20	16	Gu	Gu
miles 6-8	9:21	9:23	15	14.8	bloks	bloks
miles 9-12	10:06	10:22	15	14.4	Gu + bloks	Gu + bloks
miles 13-16	10:54	11:19	16	14.7	Gu + Clif bar	Gu + bloks
miles 17-20	11:42	12:23	16	16	Gu + bloks	Biscoff + Clif bar
miles 21-24	12:30	1:33	16	17.75	Gu + bloks	bloks
miles 25-26	1:06	2:06	18	16.75	Rx bar	just electrolytes

What I didn't factor in was all the other walking I would be doing that day. My watch clocked 1.2 miles prior to race start. It also logged 2.5 miles after the race. My husband and I congratulated ourselves for making pre-race and post-race transportation plans but we both agreed that we could have been more thorough. I forgot my gear check bag in the car when I got dropped off and he had to circle around and bring it to me. Luckily, we were so early it was no problem. I'm actually glad I got there so early.

 

After the race, I tried walking through the mall to get back to Santa Monica Blvd, but I ended up right back where I started at the finish line, but on the spectator side instead of the participant side. I had to walk back to Olympic Blvd and follow the arrows on the ground for SRLA to Beverly Hills High School and the long line of yellow school buses along Moreno Drive. Seeing where the kids had to walk to return to their meetup spot was neat. 

I tried to find the Metro 4 bus, but I guess it was diverted to Olympic, so I was just walking up Santa Monica Blvd until I decided I didn't want to walk anymore. I talked with my dad for 40 minutes, which was really great. I was still in Zone 2, and that walk helped me not to be as sore as I could have been today. I never found the bus, but I called an Uber to take me the last 2 miles to the hotel. I could have walked it, but I didn't want to keep the family waiting longer.

I brought back two unopened Gu's and one unopened Honey Stinger that I got at the start line hospitality suite. I never ate my Rx bar either. I ended up carrying a huge pack of wipes and only using one. I didn't want to throw my tampon applicator in the porta-potty so I ended up carrying one back with me (gross I know). They had Terracycle for Gu wrappers but I ended up throwing most of mine in the trash. Right before the race one of the Gu's exploded in my pocket and my hands got all sticky. I didn't freak out though, but it was something I hadn't planned on. I did use the sunscreen and chapstick with SPF. I had forgot to put sunscreen on my neck so I put that on when we turned around and had the sun at our back.

I unpacked the car this morning and washed all my race clothes. I'm happy with how my outfit performed. I got lots of compliments on it. I was surprised that only my hands were sunburned. Somehow I forgot to put sunscreen on my hands, but my arms and shoulders were covered. Minimal chafing. Taking a shower right after the race felt REALLY good. It also felt great to lay down on a soft bed and recover a bit before driving back to the valley. It was nice to be able to chill until around 6pm before leaving the hotel. The traffic was mellow and we got home in about 30 minutes.

I got a strange alert on my watch that I was out of my circadian rhythm. I went to bed the night before the race at 5pm. I woke up at 12:30am on race morning. I ate a power banana (banana, yogurt, granola, nutella, and sour cherry syrup) and drank chamomile tea. I listened to some music, I made a sparkly shamrock by gem painting. It was relaxing to do that for 90 minutes and then start getting dressed at 2am. I ate a bagel with cream cheese at the start line hospitality around 5am. I used the VIP toilets twice and the private gear check 

Budget

Ramada Plaza by Wyndham West Hollywood Hotel & Suites $153.07

Parking in West Hollywood $50.00
Residence Inn Chatsworth $311

Throwaway Clothes from Goodwill $14

El Pollo Loco $65.03

Uber $20

Chevron Gas $62.49

Feetures Elite Light / Ultra Light (4 pairs) $54

New Goodr sunglasses $25

New Balance $140

Custom Tank Etsy $31.74

Race Registration $186.40

Gym Boss $20.95

Gu / Bloks / Stroopwaffels / Salt Tabs $232.78

TOTAL $1,366.46

I was just 3 minutes in front of the sweepers. In fact, when I was doing mile 24, I could see the garbage truck on the other side of the street cleaning up after the Run Club Row. The water tables were being broken down and carried off the course. I am grateful that I was able to finish in the allowed time. I took my time. I got my money's worth!

I got my medal, and my gear bag was returned to me at the bag check. I got to see Coach David, and I started crying. I felt such a mix of emotions. Relief. Gratitude. Pride. I thanked him for all the excellent coaching and told him to thank Julie for the children's book, which helped Albert understand the journey to becoming a Marathon Goddess.

I'm not really gung-ho on signing up for the LA Marathon again. My training group is all over the map: some say it's their last one, and some have already signed up for 2026. If I were considering another marathon, it would have to be a really special course, AND/OR I would have to have a very special person to train with. It's such a long journey and a big time commitment. 

I did pay the annual fee for Planet Fitness Black Membership $45.02 billed on 3/03. The next payment of $25.02 will be billed on the 17th of the month. So I guess I could have included that gym membership in the cost of training for this marathon. If there hadn't have been wildfires, I wouldn't have needed that. But since I have it now, I could train for a fall race and just run indoors on the treadmill.

The only marathons I'm considering are the Every Woman's Marathon in Scottsdale, AZ and the Disney World Marathon, which is now a bucket list race. It doesn't need to be soon, but it could happen eventually. Every Woman's Marathon was inaugural last year, so this would be the 2nd annual. But it's appealing because I know the area. It might be fun to do a San Diego marathon as well. That's first weekend of June.

My MIL warned me that I would have restless legs the night after the marathon. I know what she meant now. I felt like I needed to massage them and just keep moving. When I laid down in bed, it felt like I was still wearing my hat, sunglasses, and headphones. It felt like I was still running. Like when you go on a long road trip and stop for the night and dream that you're still driving and fall asleep at the wheel. But really, you're in bed just dreaming that you're still driving. Just me? Well okay.

I laid down between 7:30pm and 8pm and got my son to sleep and then snuck out of bed for some stretching and to eat a giant bowl of macaroni & cheese from El Pollo Loco. I slept through the night after that and woke up feeling pretty good. I took two naproxen sodium, even though my MIL recommended 4 Advil. Our coach says the maximum of soreness (DOMS) is 48-72 hours after the event, so I guess the worst is yet to come. I would have been okay walking Albert to school today but we kind of ran out of time since I had to clean out the car and do laundry and pack his lunch and walk the dog and all the things and it's St. Patty's Day today.

My MIL said that when she ran the LA Marathon it didn't start at Dodger Stadium and it didn't finish in Santa Monica. It just went around the city. She did the second annual. Albert did surprisingly well spending the day with his grandma and grandpa. Surely he wore them out, but neither one had any complaints about the other(s). I'm so grateful that I have family nearby that is willing to support me in this marathon journey. It does make me feel like I belong in the family, where all of them had completed a marathon except me. Not anymore.

4 days until the marathon

Whoah, Like woah. It's almost here. I'll be at the marathon expo in two days. I feel ready. I have actually really enjoyed taper. I thought I would be getting the taper crazies, but it's been so nice to have a lower volume with less strength training. I actually feel like it's more manageable with my schedule. 

I know I should be stretching more. I know I should be hydrating more. I am trying to eat healthy. But there are so many things happening this week! My kid is sick again which means I'm going to be sick soon, hopefully not too bad on race day. My period is scheduled to start soon which means my hormones are going crazy. I had the most uncomfortable hot flash on Monday night but luckily it was a cold night so I could open the window. I'm guessing I am going to be doing some heavy bleeding on race day, of course. 

My husband had a colonoscopy and my son's birthday is Friday. And daylight savings time has messed up our schedules a bit.

It's really hard to drink and eat as one would like to when you have back to back labs to teach, but I'm trying to stay calm and carry on. I got my race day attire all together. I packed my nutrition. I packed my salt chews. The last thing to pack will by whatever I put in my gear check bag, which I will get at the expo on Friday.

I made a route sheet and a schedule like I have for many of my previous long runs. I will have enough time for all the bathroom breaks, I'm sure. I do plan to bring my hydration vest because otherwise where will I keep all the tampons? I might be able to finish in less than 6.5 hours, we'll see. The weather looks like it's going to be perfect. Overcast with a high of 60 degrees. 

We booked a hotel near mile 13-14 for the night after the race, so that we can rest, regroup, shower, etc. And get something to eat before heading back to the valley. I hope I won't have any trouble catching the bus from the finish line up to the hotel. I'm not sure what the finish line festival is going to be like, hopefully the crowds won't be too overwhelming.

I feel so privileged to have had a husband willing to support me through this training cycle. I feel I did meet my goals of weaning my son and trimming my waistline. I'm actually really proud of my body now. Yes it's not tiny and it's still pretty heavy, but it's done a lot of amazing miles over the last year. I've gotten to rebalance my time and reclaim my self-image.

13 days until the marathon

I got a bad virus.

Saturday (2/22) my kid was vomiting all day from 9am until 4pm. 

I did my training run on Sunday (2/23). But I knew something wasn't right. It was my longest run and it was supposed to feel like a victory. The running part was fine but I was having an out of body experience for most of the mid-miles (miles 5-11). I did walk the biggest hills and run on the rolling hills. I tried eating the Aldi dupe for Clif bar and it was terrible. I drank all my water trying to chew it. It tasted like minerals coated in frosting. On second thought, it might have tasted bad because I was getting sick.

Anyhow, I ran out of water when I was 3 miles away from the next park. It was getting to be a hot day so I walked from that moment on. My phone was dying so it was a confirmation that I need some fuel rods for race day. That was the second time my phone crapped out on me.

After my water stop at Mason Park, I was already getting close to my 20 miles. I mostly walked home with a small bit of running. I was continuing using my fuel plan. I made it home and everything was okay. I ate some food and drank some liquids but I didn't eat too much. I had a feeling I would be seeing all that again soon. And I was right.

Around 1am Monday (2/24) I woke up and vomited. All the sushi. All the pizza. All the fluids. I vomited again at 2am, 3am and 4am. Then I stopped trying to drink and just tried to sleep. Around 8am I was still thinking I would be able to make it to my 11:30am class. But then the diarrhea started. Or should I say sharted. And I knew I was in no shape to teach and definitely should not be around people.

I vomited again at 4:30pm that day. Mostly water. What saved me was eating two Pedialyte popsicles per hour until the box was empty. I was really anxious to be able to drink water because I had a splitting headache and I really wanted to take some Tylenol, but I didn't want to try to take it and then throw it up again. 

I called my sister around 3: 45pm that day and she told me that it only takes 5 minutes to digest water so I should try and go ahead and drink some, but I guess my body wasn't ready for it. She said that these types of viruses last 12 to 24 hours. That I probably did not need to go to urgent care. She also told me that my digestion was going to be messed up for a while afterwards, possibly the virus would re-surge, and that definitely the diarrhea would hang on longer than the vomiting. She also told me that I definitely should not try to run until 5 days after. 

She wasn't wrong. On Tuesday (2/25) I tried to follow the BRAT diet. I brought with me to work white rice, bananas, and applesauce. I had to work a full day on Tuesday but luckily my teaching assistant covered for me so that I could leave an hour early. I still had a splitting headache and I was taking high dose of Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours. 

When I woke up on Wednesday (2/26) I thought oh maybe I can stomach something else, so I did a Google search of what you should eat next after the brat diet. The internet suggested suggesting things like plain yogurt, plain egg, and plain chicken broth. So I had the yogurt and egg for breakfast. Egg on rice was really delicious. I had the plain chicken broth for dinner, which was really helpful at addressing my dehydration. 

Wednesday evening I tried eating spinach on pizza, and while I was able to eat it, and get it in my stomach, It felt like it didn't go anywhere from there. It felt like my entire digestive system was on freeze. The food would just sit there in my tummy. And I felt like I wasn't getting any energy out of the food that I was eating. So I really didn't feel safe going for a run Thursday or Friday. I just felt like I had no energy. I tried drinking coffee but it tasted horrible at the first sip.

Thursday (2/27) morning I went to Dunkin Donuts and got a refresher and two tortillas with egg and cheese. I don't feel like they digested. But the tea drink was really helpful in getting rehydrated. It was sweet and icy. I ate fish and rice for lunch, but it didn't digest well.

Friday (2/28) I stayed at home and near a toilet. I wanted to take a nap but I didn't. I tried to alternate stretching and working. Between Wed and Fri I actually got pretty far caught up with my grading.

Saturday (3/1) we went to the LA zoo. I had a really nice chicken pesto sandwich with a salad. Honestly I feel like this was the first time my tummy was digesting things correctly. I don't really remember what I had for dinner on Saturday evening, and by that time I knew none of my run club members were going to make it to our group run.

So at that point I had a choice, I could run by myself, inside or outside. Or I could go and meet up with the LA roadrunners. I decided it would probably be best to run on a treadmill near a toilet, just in case I had a digestive emergency. So I started off slow, building up each 3 mile block a bit faster than the one before. I was able to get through my 10 mile run but very slowly.

Sunday (3/2) after my workout I felt some very uncomfortable pains in my nerves. I felt pain from my back, through my glutes, and down the backs of my legs. It was so bad, I was irritable. After taking ibuprofen, it felt much better. Like it went away entirely. I'm convinced it was related to the virus that caused the vomiting.

Now today (3/3) is Monday. I was able to do my workout and I was back up to my normal pace, I felt good. I felt like I could digest food again, even though I have been trying to keep incorporating eggs, rice, fruit, veggies, and yogurt.

Coach David says that we should avoid caffeine, so I have been keeping coffee out of my body. I have been drinking herbal tea instead. One of my students, who is also running the LA Marathon, said that it's a bad time to get sick. I agree, but you can't schedule the flu.

Now it's Monday evening and the nerve pain is back. I will take my vitamins and more ibuprofen and hopefully get a good night's sleep.

I feel nervous and excited when I think about race day. I didn't feel nervous before this, I felt ready. My MIL has offered to watch Albert the morning of race day. Coach David is offering new tank tops for LARR members. It's just too many last minute changes. I need to feel like it's under control.

After watching "Spirit of the Marathon" I do feel excited to see Los Angeles on race day. It's like the biggest longest CivLAvia ever. But it's not free. I don't know if I'll ever want to do another marathon, maybe I will write about that in another two weeks.