Cost of Racecations

I got a really nice compliment from my coworker today. She said I'm looking good in the body. And the skin too. I feel so much gratitude that I have the resources to spend on running and running-related travel. I know it's not the end of the year (yet). But I thought it would be interesting to look at how much we spent in our "startup" year compared to the following year. I told myself I wouldn't need to buy new stuff as much in 2025 since I already had most of the things I would need to complete a marathon.

TOTAL SPENDING IN 2024 = $6549

• Disneyland 5k 2024 $1466
• LA Big 5k 2024 $284
• OC Marathon 2024 $522
• CdM Scenic 5k 2024 $640
• SMC Classic 10k 2024 $1063
• Mission Inn Run 2024 $1075
• Holiday Half Marathon 2024 $1499

TOTAL SPENDING IN 2025 = $6476

• LA Marathon 2025 $1366
• Rose Bowl Half 2025 $724.11
• CdM Scenic 5k 2025 $1749.42
• Cookie Mile 2025 $35
• Bimbo Global 10k 2025 FREE
• Mission Inn Run 10k 2025 $1804.95
• Clueless and Breathless Half 2025 $35
• Random Clothing, Hats, Sunglasses $462
• Shoes $301

PROJECTED SPENDING IN 2026...

• 1/11 Citrus Heritage Run $676
• 1/18 Rose Bowl Half 2026 $126.42
• 2/15 Palm Desert Half 2026 $80.50 registration + $249.00 hotel
• 3/8 LA Marathon $1448.47
• 6/10 Epic Sister Camping / Disneyland Trip $2000+
• 8/1 Nebraska Family Reunion $2000+
• 9/27 - Bimbo Global Race 10k
• 10/18 - Mission Inn Run 10k - $120 registration
• 10/24 - Nike Women's Half

PROJECTED SPENDING IN 2027... 

• 1/17 - Rose Bowl Half $109.40 registration
• 3/7 - LA Marathon $363.69 registration + LARR membership + photo package

I didn't join Sparkle Squad for the 2025-26 season. I didn't renew my Strava subscription. I kind of miss it but also kind of not. Definitely the Sparkle Squad was an opportunity to spend more via the facebook group and little gift exhanges throughout the year. But I do kind of miss the features of the Strava subscription, I almost renewed it yesterday when I tried to access the heatmap for the purposes of route planning and I couldn't see street-level details. But I also miss when it would tell you "Athlete Intelligence" about something it noticed about your run. Usually it would say something encouraging like, wow that was a lot of climbing, or you really pushed your pace. It felt like I had a friend encouraging me for what was new or improved with each training session.

I guess what I'm trying to do right now is let go of the Palm Desert Half. I've never done it before and if I did it, I could get another medal for the Run Riverside County Challenge. I skipped Every Woman's Marathon 2025, and I'm okay with it since I was awarded a greater teaching load mid-semester. I thought it would be a nice trip, out to Palm Desert. But now I do have my Spring 2026 teaching schedule. Haha. Looks like I'll be running a marathon every Tuesday and Thursday.

SPRING 2026 TEACHING SCHEDULE

• MW 09:30am-12:20pm
• TR 09:30am-12:20pm
• TR 1:00pm-01:50pm
• TR 02:30pm-05:20pm

It's uncertain whether RunClub+ will continue for Spring 2026. I will be making enough from my CSUN units, so I don't really need the income from the side hustle, but it is nice to have the support from the other moms in the group. I am trying to unsubscribe from disney influencers because I don't want FOMO. I'm close to unsubscribing from LARR as well because they keep talking about this half-marathon and that drumstick dash. I'm trying to enjoy the races I signed up for and run the training runs. The actual race day doesn't feel as special when you're running a world major every other weekend. I enjoyed the Bimbo Global race a lot more than I thought I would. I enjoyed the Mission Inn Run a lot less than I thought I would.

I want to do the Mission Inn Run in 2026 because they have a legacy program. I would get a loyalty item, such as a hat, and a 3-year pin! I could put the pin on my patch jacket. It did work well to have our son stay with his grandma. However, kiddo was already nervous about Thanksgiving because he thought we would be dropping him off at grandma's again for an overnight. He said he was scared about that and didn't want to be away from us. So I would consider that when planning the potential Palm Desert Half and any other races for 2026. I'm glad I didn't sign up for the Holiday Half, even though that race was very special to me last year.

My motivation for running is to set a good example for my son. I took a few days off from my training plan, and I noticed that I had a noticeable drop in gratitude and joy. I had an increase in resentment and feelings of being disgruntled. I stayed home on Sunday when I would normally be out running and it was like I was in the way of my husband and the routine he's established with our son, they have some stuff that they enjoy doing together on Sunday while I'm out on my long run. So, I guess, it's become ingrained as a long-term pattern now that we've been doing this for two years. I really remember Thanksgiving weekend 2023 as the first runs leading up to the Disneyland 5k 2024.

As far as traditions this holiday season, I think we're going to just stick to training and our weekly routine and not do much else. Like, yes, bake cookies at home. But no, we're not planning to do any elaborate holiday light display that you have to pay to get into. I am still taking advantage of Buy Nothing to get things that are new to me, but also free. Yes, I have been stockpiling gifts for Albert to open on Christmas, which, by the way, we have no plans for. About half the gifts are games, which we can play at home. Running and doing my training is bringing me joy. And I look forward to returning to Fit4Mom in-person classes with Albert over winter break. I would also like to go rollerskating or ice skating at least once.

lost my hearing

In a strange turn of events, I have a double ear infection and I can't hear. It started off pretty innocently, just a little runny nose. I kept up with my training. I remember doing my 10-mile training run and wondering if it was the right thing to do or not. That was Sunday, November 10th (10 days ago). I did do two 2-mile runs the following week, but it was a taper week and it got pretty cold. Later on Thursday, November 14th, I started to lose hearing in my left ear. By Friday, November 15th, I couldn't hear in the right ear either. I tried to rest all day Saturday, thinking it would clear up. But after sleeping most of the day, both ears were still plugged up late Saturday afternoon. We went to urgent care around 4:30pm and returned home at 8:30pm with antibiotics. People have been telling me that it should resolve after a couple of days. So now we're on day 4 of taking amoxicillin, and I still can't hear. 

This semester came in so challenging. I got a change to my teaching schedule on August 9th. That was the Friday before my kiddo's first day of TK. Within a few days, he came down with COVID. Then my husband and I got it too. I was behind from the first week of classes all the way until about week 4 or 5 (end of September). After things settled down, I got a bit sad because we had low participation for RunClub. Just when I thought that was canceled, it was back on!

Being without hearing for a week has been odd. I feel like I'm forced into a meditative state. I can't be entertained by podcasts or music right now. It's a lot of work to have a conversation or watch TV because I have to read the subtitles or people's lips and really strain to pick up what they're saying. So I'm really in my head. What's nice is I've found a bit of gratitude there. It's the lead-up to Thanksgiving now. I'm in the home stretch of the semester. I don't have to hear the students ask me what each piece of glassware is. I don't have to listen to my kid whining. I can't hear the brakes on our minivan squeaking. It's all diminished. And what remains is an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the people in my life.

It's that time of year where we trim the tree and send out holiday greetings. I did get to send a few care packages to loved ones in advance of the holiday break. I bought holiday stamps at the post office. I cut up photos of kiddo to include in the cards. There are just so many steps to sending these out, but I'm ready this year. I'm ready for the end of this year. I'm looking forward to the Holiday Half Marathon. I'm looking forward to the Rose Bowl Half Marathon. I'm taking these setbacks (like this double ear infection) in stride because my training has been strong up until this point. I'm on track to submit grades early. Amazingly enough!

I've been working on my holiday bucket list. Or should I say, a list of holiday traditions that are meaningful to me. Given that we only have a few weekends to plan stuff, I want to make sure we're prioritizing things that are meaningful and not just "staying busy."

Nov 23 - Birthday Party 10am - noon
Nov 24 - Grand opening of Boeckmann park 11930 Mason Ave Porter Ranch 2-6pm (11 miles)

Nov 28 - Thanksgiving
Nov 30 - Holiday Train / Downtown Disney
Dec 1 - Pick up Fitlicious / Hot Chocolate Run (13 miles)

Dec 7 - Discovery Cube?
Dec 8 - CicLAvia + GH Holiday Parade 1:30pm - 4pm (14 miles)

Dec 14 - kids race
Dec 15 - Half Marathon + Chatsworth Holiday Parade noon-5pm

Dec 22 - Discovery Cube?
Dec 23 - 15 miles

Iceoplex Winter Wonderland 
Dec 23-Jan 5 
three sessions (9am-noon, 1pm-5pm, 6pm-10pm)

ALL ABOARD! We got our tickets for
Saturday, November 30 - Anaheim (A.M.)

Welcome Event: 8:30 a.m. at Anaheim Station. Train Departs: 10:00 a.m.

Discovery Cube

🍪Cookie Decorating – Guests will learn about primary and secondary colors and decorate a cookie to take home

🎅Visit Santa Claus: November 23-24, 29-30, December 1, 7-8, 14-24. Appearances from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.

👨‍🍳Meet a Pastry Chef! Gingerbread demonstrations on November 23-24, 40, December 1, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29, January 4-5. Demo times: 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.

Westfield Topanga Village Snow falls Friday-Sunday evening Dec 3-23. 6, 7, 8pm.

Other ideas for the holiday list:

Yolanda Lights FREE

Baking gingerbread house

Sending holiday cards

White elephant @ CSUN

Holiday lights bike ride

Boat Parade Newport Beach

Rose Parade Bike Ride

Planning Your Racecation

Let's talk dollars and cents. We did not renew our Disneyland Magic Keys because I wanted to spend the equivalent amount of money on race registration fees instead.

• http://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/03/farewell-magic-key.html

I've written about the races so far in 2024

• Jan Disneyland 5k http://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/01/rundisney-debrief.html
• Mar LA Big 5k http://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/03/la-big-5k-2024-race-report.html
• May OC http://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/05/bike-month-and-month-of-mama.html
• Jun CdM 5k http://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/06/cdm-scenic-5k-2024-race-report.html
• Sept SMC 5k http://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/09/santa-monica-classic-race-report.html

Cost of each racecation:

• $1466 Disneyland (with two park days)
• $284 LA Big 5k (no hotel)
• $522 OC Marathon (without running the race)
• $640 CdM Scenic 5k
• $1063 SMC Classic 10k/5k (with no hotel)
• $3975 for the year, which is only half over

Why were these races so expensive if the registration fee was only $377 for the whole year? Well, that's because I included things like gas, parking, hotel, costumes, shoes, sports bras, and food. I got a little carried away preparing for the Santa Monica Classic, but it was my birthday month and I bought a whole bunch of sparkle stuff. It is a balancing act to allocate funding to:

1. Consumables (food, shoes, sports bras) which are temporary investments and need replacing 
2. Experiences (travel costs including hotel, gas, parking, race registration) ephemeral
3. Permanent items (race photos, clothing) could be useful, reusable or simply memorabilia
4. Memberships (squad and run club) which provide information and a sense of belonging

As we always say, everyone has hobbies. Some hobbies are more expensive than others. The two races I want to register for next are:

• Citrus Heritage Run (January 5, 2025) Half-marathon $97.68
• Palm Desert Half (February 16, 2025) Half-marathon $69.90

Maybe my reason for these two races is stupid. But there is a special challenge medal for doing three races in Riverside county and I'm already registered for one of them, which is in less than two weeks. Of course, since these events are so far away (distance-wise) we would need hotels along with them. The Citrus Heritage Run is cute because it's where we got married. And the Palm Desert run is of interest to me because I think Palm Springs in February will be delightful. I want to take my son to the Palm Springs Tram and go up the mountain to hike in the cable car. I think he'll get a kick out of it.

There is a concept in the running community of a "catered training run" that you're not just out there running 18 miles, but you're using one event as a training run for another event. And you don't have to do those miles alone, and you don't have to do those miles unsupported. I don't know if it's a formal term, but it does seem to permeate the runDisney community, ostensibly because while training for Dopey you need to run/walk a lot of miles, which gets boring.

In debriefing our previous racecations, we have done a reverse packing list, where I wrote out everything I brought and added items I should have brought. With the idea that we will eventually optimize the items that best support the racecation.

What we learned is that we should just always bring swimwear even if we think we won't use it. Bringing some kind of comfort item like a nightlight makes early bedtimes a breeze. We have to remember to bring vitamins, medications (prescription and over-the-counter), and electrolytes. A box of toys was a big hit for kiddo. I would love to write more but I have to get ready for class. So grateful it is nearly the halfway point in the semester. I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel already.

smart watch fail

Well it finally happened. My smart watch gave up the ghost. I don't know how long smart watches typically last, but this one only lasted 1 year and 6 months, which seems short to me.

It looks like I bought it during the Month of Mama (May) in 2022. Here's me wearing it while making my son's Halloween costume for the cargo bike.

Oct 2022

I got a few bands for it right away because I didn't like the band it came with. I prefer fabric that absorbs sweat rather than a silicone elastomer. Both wash easily with dishsoap and water. I also enjoyed the velcro closure instead of the aluminum buckle. I've lost a watch before from a bad clasp mechanism. But sometimes I wear the band that came with it.

Aug 2023

Honestly, I am lost without it. I use my watch SO MUCH to gauge the time while teaching. I loved the clock face that had really big numbers. It is called MEGA TIME. What's great is that I can set up my Versa 4 to look exactly like what I had before. Although the menus are different, at least the clock face looks the same.

Interestingly, I had just requested to download all the data from that device on November 10, 2023. Which was 3 days before it died. Looks like I used the FitBit Alta HR from Aug 24, 2018 until May 15, 2022. This is what it looks like when you get all the data from Google, which has acquired Fitbit.

I used the guided breathing mindfulness for 8 sessions. I also used the menstrual health tracker. I logged 12 periods (all postpartum). I had the premium subscription for 6 months (May 2022 - Nov 2022), but I don't remember any specific useful features. 

I guess one useful thing from the premium subscription was the readiness score, which you had to wear the watch 24/7 for it to work, but I did find it useful to know when it was "safe" to workout again. Although there's also that thing called "listen to your body" that is just as good. So I guess that's why I didn't extend the premium. Also, when I wore the tracker 24/7 I started to get a rash on my skin and it didn't smell good. That funkiness and itchiness caused me to sleep with the watch off. Therefore I wasn't able to see the readiness score, therefore I didn't use any other premium features.

I did buy another one, the Versa 4. Maybe I should have taken more time to research alternatives rather than just buying a replacement for what I lost. I'm not loving the interface that Fitbit offers on the web. It's not easy to see your mile pace and splits. Maybe it's better on the app. Maybe I should have taken the opportunity to switch back to Garmin.

Data Recorded by Interval Workout

This forum post explains adjusting the interval durations on the Fitbit Versa 3. When you open the Exercise app and choose Interval Workout, swipe up on the tiny "^" at the bottom and you will see your Goal to the left and the Interval settings to the right.  Set them on the Versa 3 screen.  Swipe up some more and you will see the other possible setting choices.  All of the other exercises have different, relevant setting options when you swipe up.

What's weird is that I can see in my data tracking that I logged many workouts via MyFitnessPal, and I used Strava on my phone to track some of the official runs. I guess it's because the Alta HR only tracks heart rate and doesn't have GPS. I figured out how to see my pace on the website; it's pretty useful. I wasn't sure what was tracked when logging an interval workout. It doesn't record a map, but it does calculate your pace. Only when you specify the workout as a "run" does it record a map.

Just for funsies I went back in time to see my mile pace for workouts and events of different lengths and durations. I'm worried because I told runDisney that I would run between a 12 and 14-minute mile, why? Because in a recent assessment, I was able to run almost a 14-minute mile without training and after 8-weeks of training, I was able to run under a 14-minute mile. So it doesn't seem completely ridiculous.

Event	Date	Distance (mi)	Duration (H:MM:SS)	Pace (min/mi)
Newport Beach	Jun 2023	0.9	0:16:51	18.8
BodyWell	Mar 2023	1.03	0:13:39	13.3
BodyWell	Jan 2023	1.07	0:15:19	14.3
F4M Race	Nov 2022	3.48	0:53:52	15.5
Color Run	Jun 2022	3.2	0:59:48	18.8
Body Well	Jul 2021	1.02	0:11:39	11.4
Body Well	Jun 2021	1.07	0:22:33	23.2
Strength	May 2021	2.63	0:40:59	0.0
2/13 5k	Feb 2021	3.24	0:49:33	0.0
Mission Inn	Nov 2016	6.2	2:03:00	19.8
OC half	May 2015	13.2	3:22:00	15.5
CdM	Jun 2014	3.2	0:40:29	13.0
Mission Inn	Nov 2013	6.4	1:29:00	14.3
CdM	Jun 2013	3.2	0:39:00	12.7
Verdugos	May 2013	6.4	2:16:00	22.0
Downtown	Mar 2013	3.2	0:34:00	11.0
CdM	Jun 2012	3.2	0:40:00	13.0
Downtown	Mar 2012	3.2	0:28:36	9.2
Mission Inn	Nov 2011	6.4	1:07:00	10.8
CdM	Jun 2011	3.2	0:35:30	11.5
Raincross	Feb 2011	3.2	0:26:44	8.5
Holiday Half	Dec 2010	13.1	2:26:00	11.0
Citrus	Oct 2010	6.4	1:04:00	10.5
Raincross	Feb 2010	3.2	0:26:00	8.5
Mission	Nov 2009	3.2	0:37:00	12.0
Citrus	Sep 2009	3.2	0:37:00	12.0
CdM	Jun 2009	3.2	0:44:00	14.0
Redlands	Apr 2009	13.1	2:48:00	13.0
Raincross	Feb 2009	3.2	0:34:00	11.0

View Details to See Pace and Map and HR

The annoying thing about this activity history is that you can't sort by workout type, or distance or duration. It would be great if each column would have a sorting function. Or if you could filter by date. Like if you know the date of some event, it should have the function to show only data recorded on that date. But as it is, you have to click "Load 10 more" repeatedly until you get back to that day. It's only chronological and does not have any sort function.

Run Data: Pace, Elevation, Heart Rate, Calories, Steps

Run Data: Map and Splits

Okay so I'm re-convincing myself that the Versa 4 will work for me. At least for a bit longer. Hopefully, the Versa 4 will last longer than the Versa 3 did.

Week	Date	Distance (mi)	Duration (H:MM:SS)	Pace (min/mi)
1	10/14/2023	0.45	0:13:20	29.5
1	10/17/2013	0.50	0:13:20	26.5
1	10/19/2023	0.71	0:13:20	18.8
2	10/28/2023	0.62	0:13:20	21.5
3	10/31/2023	0.42	0:07:33	18.0
3	11/2/2023	0.38	0:07:15	19.2
3	11/5/2023	1.50	0:29:20	19.5
4	11/11/2023	1.29	0:29:20	22.7
4	11/11/2023	1.47	0:30:13	20.5

I made a separate Google Sheet to track my training for Disneyland. When I registered, I said that I would do a 12-14 minute mile! Eek, so I'm trying to document my progress towards that goal. The reason why the workout duration is 13:20 a couple times is that I used 10/30 intervals with 10 seconds running and 30 seconds walking. That's 800 seconds total divided by 40 seconds, so 20 rounds. I don't know if I programmed that or if it was the default on the device. I know I did change the interval durations.

Then the second duration, 29:20 is 1760 seconds, which is 44 rounds, which for some reason is the max it would let me do. But that's fine because it corresponds to about a 30-minute workout, which is what the Galloway training plan specifies for 5k training on weekdays. I guess for a longer run, I would just restart it when it ends. Happy training! And thanks to the Rise & Run Podcast for inspiration and motivation in weekly installments.

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hungry heart

I don't always get a chance to write when the spark of inspiration strikes. More often I get a moment of clarity and then my 3-year old starts screaming for something and my insight vanishes like a drop of water on the Arizona asphalt. But for now, I wanted to write about the bittersweet return to school. Academia as a career gives me a break every summer and winter. So I do get to step back from my job duties and into my stay at home mom (SAHM) fantasy.

This morning we went to the grocery store to fill the fridge with healthy stuff after it was clear that Hurricane Hilary was no longer a threat. We bought a few things to continue cooking our way through my Disneyland favorites cookbook. It's been such a wonderful summer project.

I got halfway through the things I wanted to sew and then my sewing machine locked up. I haven't been able to fix it myself so I just packed it up and promised myself I would come back to it later. Albert has enough clothes and I can hand sew the rest of the name tags in to his pants and t-shirts. I kind of like doing it by hand anyway. It feels more intentional.

This week we have faculty meetings. I spent the morning doing laundry, dishes, meal planning and doing stuff related to post hurricane. I dumped out all the standing water to prevent mosquitoes. I put the patio umbrellas back up. I re-hung the shade on our garden window.

Saturday night, when I realized we had to cancel our Disneyland plans, I was so sad, I cried myself to sleep. It wasn't just the trip though. It was the stress of the transition from summer to fall. Letting go of all the summer expectations and milestones and to-dos that didn't get done. We had an amazing summer, to be sure. But now it's over.

I listened to "The Retrievals" podcast and relived some of our IVF journey. I looked back at photos from the day we decided to do it, to the week we actually started treatment, to the months between retrieval and transfer, to the early middle and late months of pregnancy. We got rid of the leftover medical supplies this past weekend and it was so freeing. I made my husband help because I needed a witness and I felt like it shouldn't be just my burden. He was there for all the injections, so he should help with disposal of the leftovers. I needed a witness to help observe that the process of disposal was labyrinthine and impersonal and confusing. But for me it was a reminder that we needed help making our son, that he wasn't the direct product of lovemaking, but instead we required a ton of interventions. It was a lot to process actually.

We got a power hub for our Sactional on the 1-year anniversary of buying it. Got a wireless phone charger. Got two more Kitchenaid attachments: Citrus Juicer and Masticating Juicer. Made spinach and kale and apple juice at home. It was yummy and fun. Got a Sous Vide and the accessories. I loved the chicken and I am planning to try it with pork ribs tonight. We love and use our kitchen gadgets so much.

I titled this post Hungry Heart because it perfectly describes the angst I'm feeling right now. I want time and space away from my family but at the same time I crave intimacy with them. I guess that is why they call it "quality time" and why "absence makes the heart grow fonder." I think you can yearn for an idealistic memory of a place, person or experience. Sometimes, as we found at Disneyland, the real thing is crowded, uncomfortable, and stressful. I think that's how parenthood can be too. I feel touched out quite a bit and am somewhat able to tune out the whining, screaming, biting, hitting, throwing and kicking but not all of it. I don't think my kid has any behavioral problem, it's just typical 3-year old "big feelings" or when he is "overtired." But I know I'll miss him when I go back to work because he can be incredibly sweet too.