the ritual

As I was getting ready for my long run today, I started feeling a sense of appreciation for the ritual. It's so important not to skip any steps at all. 

I drink a cup of coffee while braiding my hair. It's important that my hair is in a protective hairstyle and I can do this quietly while others in the house are still sleeping. Also I use the toilet, to poop. 

I put my phone, headphones, and smartwatch on their chargers. Then I eat something, like a package of Belvita. https://share.google/w67B3NIJqyfyCcGKw

I start with preparing my groin area. Ride in Comfort with Chamois Butt'r Her - The Women's Choice for Chafe Prevention! https://share.google/AXXgVwbwpT5EpmNrl

Then, I put on shorts or a skort. Next I lubricate my ribcage. Any fold of skin, where skin touches skin, it's a good place to lubricate. Body Glide Anti Chafe 2.5oz | Running Warehouse https://share.google/hCdNtJJJbrdWAo1rV

I go all the way around my torso along the bra line. I do my armpits and the top of my arm. This entire ritual is based on evidence, covering all hotspots that have chafed earlier in the season.

I put on my bra(s), shirt, and arm sleeves. I put compression sleeves on my calves. Then, I turn my attention to the feet. 

Chamois Buttr 8 oz – Sports Basement https://share.google/18zdtP8BoUTy176WY

I check my toe nails to make sure they are not sharp. I slather a generous amount of Chamois Buttr between my toes, on the tops of my toes, on the bottoms of my toes, on the sides of my toes, on the arch of my foot, and on my heel. 

Then I put on socks and shoes.

Feetures Elite Light Cushion No Show Tab Socks - Black - Stan's Shoes https://share.google/kLUV8Ejhtm8OhFOJ1

I dress my wrists by adding the smartwatch when it's charged. I add some friendship bracelets and a sweat wristband to clip my GymBoss to. I use a Junk headband to cover my ears and headphones, then a hat or visor and sunglasses.

My husband said that since I'm big chested, I have had to take special consideration with my running outfit, maybe more than other people. I'm not sure if that is true, since anyone of any size can experience chafing. I practice fueling on all long runs. Even if I didn't get 20 miles in today, I still feel ready for the marathon. 

My new training strategy has been no runs over 5 hours. I guess I will let you know how it goes. The thought was, longer than 5 hours is doing more damage than adaptation. 

winter olympics

I had a crazy nightmare last night. I was at a base camp in the mountains. Staying at a bougie ski chalet. Having the time of our lives. Hot cocoa. Jacuzzi. Lush. Selfies. Fur coats. Glam. Good conversations with exciting strangers who also love active living and travel.

Then it dawns upon me. Why I am there. I remember that I registered for a 100 mile ultramarathon. In the cold. In the mountains. I have to stay in athlete housing. Bunks. I am the only female signed up for this race. There are only 12 people doing the race.

I take all my luggage and put it on a bunk bed. I try to sleep. I wake up and go to the bathroom. Someone had moved all my stuff to a different bed. I had to find it in the dark. The night before the race.

I got up to pee again and someone moved my stuff again and this time, like musical chairs, there were no more empty beds because more people had arrived in the middle of the night. So I just went down to the lobby. 

That's when I realized all the gear I packed was for California weather, not cold gear. I didn’t even have gloves. I had a light jacket, not even a windbreaker. I started to really panic. I started beating myself up for being unprepared. I started thinking there was a very real possibility I would die out there on the mountain.

When the other participants woke up, one guy offered me his snow pants and I got a parka and some gloves from somewhere. I thought I could still do the race. I might not finish, but I wouldn't die trying. Then I find out they make you strip down naked and have all your gear checked to make sure you aren't cheating.

Mind you, I'm the only woman. So there I am, a crazy Nebraskan-Californian with back rolls and saggy boobs and a fat ass... dancing in front of the judges and other participants and spectators. I wasn't embarrassed about my body, I was embarrassed that I was so unprepared. And I didn’t want it to reflect badly on me, women, mothers, Californians, Nebraskans, Americans. It was humiliating.

Besides being stripped naked, our gear was inspected. The snow pants that someone had "kindly" loaned me contained illegal, performance-enhancing valves, which the officials cut out. So my outfit ended up with holes in it, and almost ended up getting me disqualified.

So then I was left at the decision point. Run the race with all the holy gear, or quit before I start. Then I woke up.

I think it was about the Winter Olympics. And exploitation of women. And misogyny. And working in a male-dominated field. And feeling stressed about my training cycle. And the upcoming marathon. And generalized travel stress, like for a destination race. Like worrying about having forgotten something essential. And wondering what my next big challenge will be.

Rose Bowl Half Race Report

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

Starting and ending at the iconic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. I ran the half marathon. It was Saturday, January 18th, 2026. The start line felt cold, but the temp was mid-50 degrees Fahrenheit. It was mid-70s by the end of the race and sunny with only 2 mph wind. The wind is significant because we've been having gusts up to 40-50 miles per hour.

Course description and evaluation of event logistics

This course is nostalgic for me because I biked these routes 2 or 3 times per week for a few years. I know the hills and I know the effort needed to climb them. The city is so cute and there's a lot to see.

How did you train for the event

I have been following the LA Road Runners Level 3 plan for the 2026 LA Marathon. The Rose Bowl Half is a stepping stone. We have had six long runs in Nov, Dec, and Jan to prepare for this race. We followed a 2-week taper to run strong today.

Gear and Nutrition

I wore my hydration vest and took lots of goodies with me. I drank almost all my water. I set a timer on my watch to take either an electrolyte tablet or carbs every 15 minutes. Precision Fuel & Hydration was the nutrition partner. I picked up two PF 30 gels and took them. I also ate one frozen waffle with peanut butter, one package of four belvita cookies, two Gu, and one sleeve of six Clif blocks. I did drink some electrolit but maybe only twice. At each water stop, I dumped the water on my head.

Specific experiences

After each mile I thought, "that was my favorite mile." I actually enjoyed the whole race and ran consistently throughout. My only goal was to finish my race before the kids race. My son ran with the five year olds. I had enough time to get lined up along the rail, and film him. He was pretty jazzed. After collecting all of the goodies for finishers, I had brought my gear check bag to collect everything, we had a "picnic" on the grass of the field. It was honestly everything I dreamed of when I registered us for these races.

Finish and associated emotion

The pace leader of my training group was there at the finish line to give me a fist bump and a hug and take my picture. It was so special to have someone there waiting and recognize me and congratulate me. Someone called me out by name on the course, but my bib didn't have my name on it, and I think I know who it was. But honestly, I was just tickled pink that somebody gave me a shout out.

Overall evaluation of the event

Since I didn't have a kid running in the kids race last year, I couldn't speak to the logistics of that race in last year's race report. My husband got a bib that said "parent" so that he could join us in the stadium, on the grass, without having to run at all. My husband and son also watched the 5k finishers from the stadium bleachers and collected dropped pins from the finsh line festival. They both agreed it was fun and a good way to spend the day together as a family. So that made me feel good that we all got to participate.

Citrus Heritage Run 2026 race report

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

The start line was between a park and a produce stand on Victoria Avenue, developed in the 1890s and now a historic, scenic parkway known for its beautiful medians with diverse trees and plants. We did the 10k course, my goal was to run with my husband and son. Our wedding was 18 years ago at that exact location. We ran right across the spot where we said our vows. It was "California cold," which means it was in the low 40s. Luckily the winds weren't too bad. It was dry and there was great visibility, not a cloud in the sky.

Course description and evaluation of event logistics

The course ran down Victoria briefly, down Jackson and into the Citrus State Historic Park. Miles 2 and 3 went all through the park, it was hilly and there were some off-road segments through the orange groves. Miles 4, 5, and 6 were on the roads, and we had scenic views of snow-capped mountains in the distance and palm tree-lined streets. The way the 5k, 10k, and half-marathon courses diverged and converged was so smooth. There were plenty of signs and volunteers to help runners find their way. The timing of when each race started made a lot of sense.

How did you train for the event

This week is a taper week for me on my journey to the LA Marathon. I have been training for 18 weeks, with 8 weeks to go. I had no time or pace goals, my goal was to stay together with my family, which we pretty much did.

Gear and Nutrition

I started out wearing a tank top, jacket and hoodie on top, with long tight pants and sweatpants on bottom. I had a headband covering my ears and gloves before the race started. Just before race start, I took off the hoodie, and gloves. By mile 3, I had taken off the sweatpants. Around mile 4, I took off the headband and put on a trucker hat. Honestly, we had a lot of snacks since we were running with the stroller, which also gave us a place to put our clothes that we were shedding. We ate popcorn and an apple around mile 2. They gave us gatorade, water, and orange slices. I think there were two or three fuel stops.

Specific experiences

There was a marching band in the orange groves around mile 2 or 3 and another band at mile 6. The last one was key because the last mile was a straightaway but due to elevation changes we couldn't see the finish line archway. But I knew it must be close because of the music. It was so fun and motivating.

Finish and associated emotion

My son sprinted across the finish line. We were about 5 or 10 minutes late to the kids race, so it was hard to figure out how to navigate that. If we do it again, we'll know. The kids race didn’t have a published course map and we weren't the only parents who were confused. But there's a packed dirt or gravel path that winds around the perimeter of the park, which the kids were expected to navigate. I think it would have been good for older kids. I didn't expect this but my kid ran the first 3 miles of the 10k and the last mile too. By the time of the kids race, he didn’t have much gas left in the tank. It was cute and I'll know for next time.

Overall evaluation of the event

There were enough port-a-potties. Bib pickup was easy. The finish line festival served fresh-squeezed orange juice, which was amazing. There were actually a lot of booths and tables set up to hang. We don't drink anymore, but they did offer a free beer for those who would want it. There was music, some recovery tables, and it was really nice. The event was so nostalgic for me, not only because of our wedding venue, but also because I was in a cycling club when I lived in Riverside. We did our time trial on those streets and I visualize that experience every time I run a magic mile. Nearly every route we biked went along Victoria Avenue at some point because it is such a wide, gorgeous boulevard with a bike lane. I have so many great memories of spending time walking or biking on it. 10/10 highly recommend and would do it again. 100% of the proceeds go to local high school cross-country programs, so the race feeds directly back into the running community. Good vibes.

Festivus

I'm actually kind of sick of all the social media posts about women doing all of the heavy lifting during the holidays. At some point, if you don't want to be the one doing all the heavy lifting, you have to put the burden down and do nothing. And wait for somebody else to pick it up, or make peace with the fact that not only do you not have to be the person to carry it, but actually, maybe it doesn't even need to be carried. Like, yes, if you don't do it, it won't get done. But also, maybe you can live without it. 

I'm saying this as someone who has been carrying a very heavy burden for the entire past few months. So heavy, in fact, that when I finally put it down, I'm almost catatonic. I'm having like a two-day migraine headache, and I feel like I physically cannot go on. My body is breaking down like my ribcage. And my neck.

I was listening to the Rise and Run podcast, and they mentioned the Airing of Grievances as a part of the Festivus holiday. I think it might be healthy. To prevent carrying these grievances into the new year. Our son, Albert, was upset that we didn’t do stockings on Christmas morning. I just couldn't swing it. I had stocking stuffers, but we never hung the stockings, so I mistakenly assumed Albert wouldn't expect one. 

My husband seemed to really get it. He realized he hadn't bought or wrapped any of the gifts under the tree. And he offered to do something to make a stocking for maybe New Year's Day. But to my knowledge, nothing has been done about it. And there will not be time. But he asked me not to do it because he feels bad about not doing anything else. I don't know.

We spent Christmas Eve baking. Sugar cookies, candy canes, fudge, peanut butter balls, and gingerbread. Mike delivered the plates to the neighbors. It was a good project for a rainy day when we couldn't do much else.

I don't know what more to do. Now I'm trying to decide whether to take Albert to the winter academy. It's a normal school day the week before they go back to school. Shouldn't I be jazzed to spend every possible moment with my kid? But it is tempting to go for it, since this break has been full of screen time, meltdowns, and sugar.

Clueless and Breathless race report

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

Along the LA River between Vanalden and Owensmouth. Start time 7am but we started early at 6:30am. The route is 5k from end to end. We didn’t do a 13.1 mile half. But it was okay. We did 20k. Weather was awesome. Cool and foggy.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSh5sgXCVWJ/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Course description and evaluation of event logistics

There were aid stations at mile at 0, 1.5, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 10.5, and 12 miles. There was an inflatable start line. There was a port-a-potty at mile 0. Aid stations had Electrolyt, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, water, Red Vines, fruit snacks, and doughnuts. The course was completely off-street on a bike path.

How did you train for the event

I am following the LA Marathon training plan level 3. We're halfway to the marathon, week 13 out of 26, so it felt right to do a half marathon. Last season, the Rose Bowl Half was postponed due to wildfire. I found it was a good idea to double up on Important milestones to have a backup. So this was my first half marathon race of the season but it was very laid back. We took a potty break mid-way through and I made some adjustments to my outfit. I did not care about the time for this event since it was not a full 13.1.

@fit4mom_west_sfv RunClub+ Session 6 #runclub #mamamagic #lamarathon2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSfyuKjko7U/?igsh=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

Gear and Nutrition

I started out in a tech t-shirt with my hydration vest. I ate some but probably not enough. My feet were giving me problems at three points during the race. Like mile 1, 8, and 11. Thankfully the race organizers let us leave stuff at the aid station, so I didn't carry my vest for the second 10k. I ate 1 package of BelVita cookies, 2 Gu's and 6 Clif bloks.

Specific experiences

I ran with my friend, we stayed together the whole time, talking and laughing. It made the race go by much faster. We put on the music from the movie soundtrack in the last 2 miles. 

Finish and associated emotion

I was SO happy to be done. I didn’t want to run a step further. The end-of-semester and holiday / birthday season is so stressful for me. I am behind on everything: rest, hydration, nutrition, and sleep. So I wasn't expecting a stellar performance. But it was actually painful. I hope new shoes will help. 

Overall evaluation of the event

Jed and Ted's Excellent Races are a monthly event bringing back vibes of the '80s and '90s with nostalgic movie themes. I would do one of these again. I would definitely recommend it for a first-time race for someone looking for a low-key high-fun experience. You get a bib and a medal. The organizers took lots of photos and shared them pretty much right away. Price $35. Totally worth it.

Lessons from being a dancer

I had the privilege of being a trained dancer. Which is to say YEARS of intense training. Almost every day. Sometimes twice a day. Lots of technique and few performances. Literally years of just learning how to point my foot, which muscles to use, and what "doing it correctly" feels like. Years of staring in the mirror, years of getting corrections from master teachers.

There are things I learned along the way. Like, it takes years to get okay at doing something. Some of us will train for a decade and never become a prima ballerina. I think this helps me in my running. Like I will never qualify for Boston, I am not on a masters track team. It doesn't mean I don't enjoy running for the sheer feeling of being in this body and doing the damn thing.

I learned, through dance, that you must listen to your body. There will be days when you feel strong, some days you feel extra flexible, some days you're in your feelings and you can dance with more emotion. Some days you need to sit down and rest. You can't be in top form all the time. You sometimes have to perform at less than 100%. The show must go on.

I learned that stretching is life. You must stretch. For hours. Per day. Small movements can add up to a stronger body. Especially if you do them regularly, like every day. Multiple times throughout the day.

From dance, I learned about breathing through a movement. I learned how to sit with discomfort. I learned how to find the calm even while your body is doing amazing things. I learned how to remain centered. I learned how to remain grounded. I learned about how a lot of your power comes from your foot. Yes, the thighs are amazing, and so is the booty. 

Dance taught me to cultivate a strong core. The basic dance warm up emphasizes fluidity of the spine. You're going to stretch your back, you're going to stretch and warm up your hips. Dance taught me to never skip your warm up exercises.

There is a dark side to dance. Constant pressure to shrink your body. I know it exists in sports like gymnastics and cycling, too. I don't miss that part of it. I appreciate that running allows me to fuel my body with less shame and judgement. I wonder how the GLP-1 craze has impacted the dance world. I imagine it's rampant.

I'm tapping back into my dance roots this session of RunClub+. I decided to post a video after each run instead of a static photo. It's going well and I am starting to remember how dance brings me a lot of joy. It's not important to me how it looks to anyone else, just like my running. I'm not trying to be the poster child for dance or running. But I do enjoy both.