Wednesday, April 2, 2025

priorities

Yep it's cycle day 20. Luteal misery. I fell on my run this morning and cut my knee and the palms of my hands. It got me thinking about my priorities. Should I have cut back the volume of today's run considering I'm a bit sick and on a difficult part of my cycle? Should I have done a shorter workout since my husband and I overslept? Was I rushing to get home and therefore not watching my footing? Was I pushing my pace too hard? Is it too soon after the marathon to be doing speed work again?

Mom
Wife
Teacher
Athlete / Coach
Dog Mom
Friend / Sister
Human Being
Woman
Artist / Gardener

The identities listed above define my priorities. Scheduling my time and doing the most important thing first is a struggle. Minute-by-minute, day-by-day, week-by-week, etc. I do count down the weeks of the semester. I count my parenthood duties as foremost in my mind. I cannot skip these. If my child is sick with a fever, I must drop everything else and take care of him until he is well again.

I guess my wife's duties are to my household and my husband. We took vows to care for each other in sickness and in health. As we strive to reach a more optimized state of health, these duties look like creating shopping lists and meal plans, cleaning kitchens and bathrooms, vacuuming and wiping down common areas, cooking and transporting food, restocking important household supplies, organizing items at the house so they can be inventoried and located, purging items that are no longer used. This is a long list. I also spend many hours per week just putting stuff away, sorting trash from treasures, and resetting areas to be useable again.

Next set of duties that I cannot skip, but also are not my top priority, are the things that I get paid for. Teaching duties, lesson planning, grading, sending emails, posting announcements, following up with absent students, etc. Writing quizzes, making copies, drawing on the board, communicating with colleagues in person and online, reading emails, and scheduling things. I put these things lower on the priority list when I need to, and then higher again when things at home are settled. I work ahead when I feel healthy and balanced, but I fall behind when other higher priorities become urgent.

My duties as an athlete/coach are sometimes higher and sometimes lower, but lately, they have been pretty high. I've let my health take a back seat to parenting and work for half a decade, and now I want to put it higher so that I don't skip workouts and backslide into more significant obesity than I currently am. I spend time creating content for YouTube to educate myself and my runClub. I program and track my workouts using spreadsheets and mileage trackers on Canva. I compare the data on my Samsung Health app to Strava Athlete Intelligence to keep myself motivated and moving forward. As Coach Bennett of the Nike Running app says, You're your best coach. Talk to yourself kindly as you would want your coach to talk to you.

I have a new identity as a dog mom again, which means that I have to fit dog walks into my life. I need to do some dog training and grooming, and remember to add her food to the shopping list, refill her water dish, talk nicely to her, and watch for her under my feet when I'm carrying something large so I don't step on her. 
Filling your cup as a mama
As a friend, this may look like hour-long phone calls to check in on the women in my life. Or it may look like sharing something funny or motivational on Instagram messages. It doesn't have to take up a lot of time when I'm busy, but it is a steady stream of back-and-forth to let those women know they are important, significant, loved, and cared for. It's similar to sisterhood. It's curating the village. This may be a separate post, but I'm leaning into paying for my village. I paid to join the run club. I paid to join the Sparkle Squad. But I get a lot out of it too.

How the "human being" tasks ended up so far down, I don't know. This is stuff like eating, sleeping and pooping. Stuff all humans do. Getting sick, getting well, breathing, digesting, the things we take for granted when it is going well. Maybe we should also put hydration in this category. Also shopping for stuff like supplements, vitamins, and tracking macros. I mean, this could also be a separate post. I've reconsidered the supplements I'm taking. After some bloodwork before my marathon, which I begrudgingly agreed to do, I briefly stopped taking all my supplements. But since then, I've started retaking most of the supplements I had paused. 

I guess I would put "woman" in here in a general way to say self-care. Beyond friendships. Stuff like pampering. Spa time. Being alone. Thinking your own thoughts. Blogging like I'm doing now. Doing something I enjoy. The other day I heard a podcast about Disney stuff and they mentioned that Bath and Body Works was doing a line of Disney Princess fragrances. I had to go to the mall and smell it for myself. I'm not sure why this resonates with me in the category of women, but I guess princesses are women and women are taught to be conscious of smelling good, not sweaty, and having soft skin, not rough. So this type of self-care is associated with femininity. It also falls under the Wife category since it involves keeping the lotions and soaps stocked. It is Woman, though, because this dry skin due to perimenopause is something else. And I'm hoping the lotions help with that.

BBW Disney Princess collection

Artist is the last, lowest, and least of my identities. But it's still there! This may be visual with crafting, or it may be kinesthetic with roller disco and dance. I had vowed that when I finished the marathon season, I would do something else in the off-season and get back into dance or rollerskating. And then I went ahead and signed up for another marathon! Yes, I'm doing the LA Marathon 2026. But I still have a lot of semester left to finish, and most of the summer will pass by before training starts again in earnest. Naughty Girl Fitness is $14.44 a month, and it's app-based. 

I'm still paying for my Fit4Mom instructor membership, which is $9.99 per month, not even covered by the amount I get paid for coaching the RunClub. After talking with my husband over the long weekend, we may have concluded that I might not continue coaching the RunClub. I might get more out of the season if I commit fully to LARR. The good discount with Fit4Mom is that you do not have to pay for the monthly membership as an instructor and you can still attend classes. I think I was paying $69 per month for Fit4Mom, and at one time, I was paying hundreds of dollars for a monthly membership and Body Well. 

People say good things about Orange Theory Fitness, and 24 Hour Fitness, but for now I've got my Planet Fitness Membership. It's $25 per month for the Black Card membership, which includes massage chairs, hydromassage, tanning and Total Body Enhancement, which I have yet to try but I might do it soon. It's vibration combined with red light therapy. Again, this could be a topic of a future blog post. What I'm looking forward to most is the end of the semester and our trip to Nebraska. What I'm not looking forward to is the Rose Bowl Half because it seems so out of place in the season, finishing up all the work of grading and submitting grades, and the weather going hotter and hotter as we approach summer. 

Maybe I could add to Artist also Gardener. And this is the lowest priority. At the moment completely dead. But it is generally in spring where I revive our garden. Albert has shown some interest in planting stuff for spring. It will be difficult to justify since we're traveling to Nebraska early in June, but maybe if I'm clear with my husband about care instructions, the garden won't be completely dead when we get back. And I really need to work on getting stuff OUT of our house. It's so overstuffed right now it's stressing me out.

Monday, March 24, 2025

Albert is 5

Party theme = along the boulevard. Albert's favorite fast food. Fast food five. Five fast foods. I admit. I went overboard. Here is the invitation. It was the concept that I came up with in February when we started freaking out that there was no party theme.

Fast Food Five
The Invitation

Stuff to fit the restaurant theme

Dry-Erase markers $24
Menu Covers $26
Guest Checks $6

Goody Bags for School and YMCA and party guests

Doughnut sticker sheets $8
Doughnut sticker rolls $8
Sweet stampers $10
Party favor bags $8
Stuffed doughnuts $26
Target $89.67 for batteries, goody bag treats, coffee, creamer, kitty litter 
Smart & Final $113.92 for goody bag treats, coffee cups, plates, tablecloth

Decorations 

Balloons $16
Filling balloons $8
Michael's $25.25 for poster boards

Play food

Burgers (2) $24
Ice cream $13
Coffee station $27
Doughnut station $30

Real food 

Pizza $23.97
Burgers $84.84
Doughnuts $46
Ice cream $59.98
Dry ice $50
Ice $13
Lowe's $61 for an extra table 

It was all for $802. We had corporate logos featured, but I think Albert actually really liked it. He would say, "Wow, that's like what we have at home." When he saw the logos of real restaurants, he would say, "That's just like what you made, Mommy." I'm not big on "corporate," but I do know that kids like food that is easily recognizable. I brought the poster boards to CSUN and used the projector to trace an outline of the logo. Then I brought them home and painted in the colored parts of the logos. I got balloons that fit the theme to make it like the signs along the boulevard, especially like Ventura Blvd where there is a giant hand for a car wash or a giant donut for a sweet shoppe.

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Real Coffee Bar



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Pretend Coffee Bar

The kids started playing with the play food immediately. It was like they knew what to do inherently. There were 5 stations and about that many kids. The kids liked making coffee for the adults, and I think it was a novelty that the real food matched the play food. When your kid would take your order, you didn't know if they would bring you real food or pretend. The play money and cash register were also pretty fun. The kids played with everything and took turns like champs. I think there was enough overlap and familiarity among the kids that they were not weirded out by each other. Nobody was excessively shy. They rode their wheels up and down the alley, especially after eating ice cream and donuts. 
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Real Ice Cream Bar



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Pretend Ice Cream Bar

We decided that the mini cones were such a hit that we could have had twice as many for the same price. It was the only thing that ran out. The mini cones from Baskin Robbins were nearly $2 each, while the cones from Trader Joe's were about $0.50 each. We could have created a stand to hold them upright ourselves out of cardboard, but that's how you learn. The dry ice was too much. We got 20 lbs. It took forever to melt even in direct sunlight. 

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Real Donut Bar


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Pretend Donut Bar

Albert was having fun being a DJ and showing off his new CD player and dance moves. I did a good job of not cleaning too much and just letting the house be as it is to normalize the reality of parenthood. I noticed many of the kids we invited are only children. And I was surprised to learn that I'm older than the other moms by about 5 years. Mike is older by more than 10 years. So we are more settled and chill. I also let them know that Kathleen is my sponsor, so we're in the program. My sobriety journey has been as crucial as my PhD or my marathon training to shape my character. So it's okay to let people know about it. There was a moment when the kids wanted to play inside with Albert's trucks. And jump on the couch. I hope the other parents thought it was a worthwhile day and playdate.

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Pizza Play Kitchen

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Pretend Burger Bar

The three medium pizzas were good. People did eat almost all the cheese pizza. We had only 3 pieces left. The cheeseburgers were good, but expensive. We had only 4 leftover out of the 24 that we ordered. The kids ended up asking for milk, which we had. I set out 5 and there were only 2 left at the end of the party. We set out about 36 water bottles and there were about 18 leftover. 

I think people appreciated the goody bags. I tried to have a mix of sweet and salty. Nothing chocolate. No nuts. And something non-food that isn't just garbage. It's challenging. Albert was really specific about what he wanted in there for his friends. He wanted pretzels or cheese balls. We got cheese bunnies instead. He wanted gummy bears, we got sour patch kids. He wanted ring pops. He wanted good candy, like starbursts. He is so generous. His after school teacher made him pass out the goody bags himself. I don't know about his classroom teacher, but he didn't have too much trouble giving all that stuff away. I know he really likes getting goody bags on other kids' birthdays.
After his birthday parties 2, 3, and 4 were like destination parties, I said last year that the next birthday party we would have would be at our house, which we did. I was tired of parties at public parks where it seemed like random kids would join, eat the food, and try to steal the presents. I had planned to give away the food menus with worksheets inside, but I forgot. It would have made more sense to go with the dry-erase markers in the goody bags. But it's okay.

Guest List

  1. Kathleen


  1. Christoph

  2. Harvey


  1. Carissa

  2. Husband

  3. Declan


  1. Lee-Ann

  2. Boyfriend

  3. Heinrich

  4. Frederick


  1. Larry

  2. Victoria

  3. Sarah

  4. Stephen

  5. Samantha


  1. Anthony

  2. Mika

  3. Lucas

  4. Emma

  5. Eli


  1. Kayla

  2. Mike

  3. Albert


I tried limiting the guest list to just 5 kids, following the rule of thumb that you invite the number of kids that your child is in age. The reason is that more kids is more overwhelming and although I wanted to invite everyone in Fit4Mom and everyone in Albert's class, for a house party in our somewhat small house, that just wouldn't fit.

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.
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.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Marathon Equipment

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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

$68 Crowned Athletics Changed Fate Princess Sports Bra

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

$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

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

$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

$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

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

$25 Goodr sunglasses



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


$19.89 Energizer LED Headlamp PRO... 

$11.95 SWEETFULL Portable Clip on Fan -... 

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

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

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

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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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Monday, March 17, 2025

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
DistanceProjected TimeActual TimeProjected PaceActual PaceProjected CarbActual Carb
miles 1-27:367:331816.5Gu + bloksGu + bloks
miles 3-48:168:032015.3Gu + bloksGu + bloks
mile 58:368:192016GuGu
miles 6-89:219:231514.8bloksbloks
miles 9-1210:0610:221514.4Gu + bloksGu + bloks
miles 13-1610:5411:191614.7Gu + Clif barGu + bloks
miles 17-2011:4212:231616Gu + bloksBiscoff + Clif bar
miles 21-2412:301:331617.75Gu + bloksbloks
miles 25-261:062:061816.75Rx barjust 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.

Screenshot_20250316_151903_Maps 

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.

What remains

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.

Cleaning up

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 

Screenshot_20250316_191112_LA Marathon

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.

Screenshot_20250314_114854_Drive

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.