{05/19/2016} Two Half Marathons In Two States In Two Days Road Trip...Day 3 & Packet Pick-Up

Find out about the 1st day of our journey here: Crazy Road Trip...Day 1
Find out about the 2nd day of our journey here: Crazy Road Trip...Day 2



{The Events of this Blog Entry Happened on 05/06/2016}
Okay so here we are day three...and I was already tired thinking about the day that we had ahead of us.  Today was the day that we were going to be driving to the Grand Canyon and the MIL {aka Mom In Law...but that's a lot to type over and over again so we will just shorten it to MIL} and I were up early because of the fact that the Grand Canyon was not 5 hours like I thought it was from LA...NOOOOOO it was more like 8 and that meant 9 with stops because we liked to take our time.

We were up and ready to head out of the house around 0630 because we HAD to be in the Grand Canyon Village area no later the 1700 to ensure that I was going to pick up my packet and other stuff from the expo in time...but I wasn't worried about that!  I am not to proud to admit that I was totally jelly of the husband, daughter and puppy that were snuggled up together as I left because they looked sooooo comfy but I was about to start a road trip that at the end of it would mean that I would have ran a half marathon THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON!!

One thing that people tend to hype up in LA is the traffic and how horrid it is ALL THE DAMN TIME {and I totally don't get it because well I'm from Seattle and traffic happens so turn on some tunes and enjoy it!} but I will admit that I was blown away by how long it took us to get from Simi Valley to Pasadena where we had decided to get coffee - and well now I was in dire need of a potty break!

One of the things that I have always wanted to see in California, and more specifically Pasadena, is the Rose Bowl.  I see it every year New Years Day on TV watching the Rose Bowl Parade and never actually made it down there to check it out for myself.  Well, there happened to be a Starbucks around the corner from the actual Rose Bowl so of course we had to stop by and check it out!  It was even more beautiful in person than on TV {with the exception that all the roses around it were dead...} but the pic still turned out amazing and now I was able to say that I had been at the Rose Bowl.  {I am not going to lie when I say that going to the Rose Bowl Stadium made me want to register for the Inaugural Pasadena Half Marathon because the finish line is going to be IN THE ROSE BOWL...but Lordy I think my Hubby would murder me if I signed up for another race!!!}

Okay so here we were like 1.5 hours in to our journey and now we were on a hunt for Starbucks and gas...it was becoming more and more evident by the minute that whatever schedule I had created for today in my head was going to be thrown out the window in a matter of moments; if not already.  The thing about going on an adventure with me is that I am always down for anything so if someone says "OMG there is that thing I've always wanted to see..." I am the first person to help them get there because what are you going to do in your life...read about all the things you want to see, or see them when you have the opportunity? So gas was gotten and we actually got to drive down a famous neighborhood of Pasadena called the Bungalow District and it was awesome to see all the bungalow style homes being renovated and brought back to their original glory...something that the Pasadena area was famous for a few decades ago.  So after this tiny detour...coffee was gotten and gas was acquired and we were back on the road!

The drive itself out the Grand Canyon wasn't anything to ride home about...however, being a history nut like I am I thought that it was cool AF that we were driving parallel to the original Route 66 and everything that came along with that.  Because we were in such a hurry we didn't get a chance to stop in a the little towns and explore like we would have liked too but that doesn't mean we didn't find cool little towns to get gas in and/or pee in...because there was a lot of that happening {but then again I was downing a water bottle every 10-15 minutes} so why not find the neatest places to stop that we could.

One of the coolest things that we did was pull over at this Oasis of a gas stations that had a Dairy Queen built in {and a hotel that you wouldn't catch me staying in even if my skin was crawling off and rotting...oh god it was horrid} and it just seemed like the epitome of Desert America.  We decided about this point that we were hungry so we stopped here, ordered some chicken from Dairy Queen to thrown on our salads and were on our way to keep driving down the same stretch of road for about 56000 miles {okay okay fine...it was more like 300 miles but it seemed forever} and find the left turn that would lead us to the next long road we had to drive up.

Along the way we stopped in a city called Needles and it is right on the border of CA/AZ on the CA side...but it was cracking us up because the MIL and I were using gas buddy to make sure that we {Yes I know that hurt my head too...but thanks for hanging in}.

were getting the best priced gas we could find and this city was claiming to be "The Last Real Route 66 City" and I'll be dammed if it wasn't but it was also the town with FOUR DOLLAR GAS! Oh hell no...that is a budget breaker, so we pulled up gas buddy and found that four miles away was Arizona and they had gas for just over two dollars a gallon...WINNER WINNER WINNER.  So that was the first time that we saw the "Welcome To Arizona" sign, however it wouldn't be the last because you had to go back to California just to get back on the freeway to go to Arizona.


Okay so we border hopped and got gas on the cheap and now were back on our way...and then the rainstorm and stupid drivers set in and since I was not driving so I was hanging on for dear life as the MIL was trying to go around different semi trucks, cars and stupid Volvo drivers {apologies if you drive a Volvo but for the love of god if you are going to drive in the fast lane do not, and let me repeat, DO NOT  drive 30 under the speed limit because dear god - we will attempt to move you out of the way...} and then there was the Grey Hound bus driver lady...mmm she made the road rage come out full force.  The other lesson that I learned was that if you are going to pack everything in to a big ass SUV make sure that you have everything that you need near you because wearing booty shorts, a tank top {especially when you have specific um assets we shall say} leads to the truck drivers radioing each other letting them know a good boob shot is coming and lots of awkward waves! {I'm not a blusher in life but hell I was dying by the end of that supply gathering adventure throughout the Tahoe}

The last town that we were going to hit before driving north down a two lane road up to the Grand Canyon was Williams, AZ.  We were excited to find civilization again after many many many hours of nothing but tumbleweeds.  This was legit the cutest Route 66 town I've ever explored...and couldn't wait to get back there to explore more since we were still racing against the clock and we needed to get to the packet pick up.  Okay so nothing exciting happened between Williams, AZ and the actually getting to the Grand Canyon it's self so yey we have made it to packet pick up!!!

Now this was my first Vacation Races half marathon or event in general and I was really excited about this one as I won it from my amazing running group, The Half Twisted Runners, and couldn't have been more proud to be there repping for them with our other members...tho I was by far the slowest of all them I got the most fun for my entry! {Or so I am going to keep tellig myself and I'll come back to that on the next post...because holy hell!}  The packet pickup itself tho was the BEST reace expo that I have been to yet.  It was simple, well organizaed, and each and every person there was so happy to see you and meet you.  I was in and out of the expo pretty quickly and that was mostly because I needed to go pee, find out hotel and lord we needed food.

Okay so we decided to stay at the Grand Canyon itself at a place called Yavopi Lodge and it was like the most amazing little hotel that one could have expected for less than $150 per night.  Now one of the funniest things that happened is when we went to the Ranger station to get in the park we were told that we needed to spend $30 for a 7 day pass but I didn't want a 7 day pass as I was only going to

be there for 24 hours...if that; and so becaue the MIL was 63 she was able to buy a LIFETIME pass for $10!!  I mean seriously...that's a little bit of a price difference when you think about it...but a better deal for sure.  Now back to the lodge where we were staying...there is a more expensive option on their property but you have an Eastern view vs. the Western View that I had...and frankly I couldn't tell you the difference for almost $60 more!  The MIL and I checked in to the room, got flat me all laid out and decided that before we died in bed we would head back in to town for dinner.

Now, anyone who knows me knows how excited I get about stupid stuff and I was WAY EXCITED about taking the MIL to the Big E's steakhouse in town because the last time I was up at the Grand Canyon that is where my friends and I ate and it was wonderful!  The meal this time was no exception everything was wonderful...to the point where I had the best idea for taking my left overs to eat both Pre and Post race {...and holy hell it was wondeful even cold and eating it with my fingers because we forgot to get a darn fork.  But what are fingers really for if not eating with them, riiiight?}

Well dinner was over, we found the quickest way to get to and from the starting line and the hotel and now there was nothing left to do other than go to bed...however everyone was making fun of me because it was like 8PM and I was ready to crash but I'm thinking sleep is one of those vital things that will keep me going over the next two days. We did make one more stop before actually heading to hotel, well it was on the way, but the MIL wanted to see the Grand Canyon sine we were there...and it was sunset so there wouldn't be a better time to go see the big wonderful amazing hole in the ground.

Now, the funny thing about the Grand Canyon to me is that you drive all that way to get up there, and when you don't have a ton of time because you are on a schedule you find yourself wondering how long you have to stand there to make it worth it.  Well to be honest the MIL and I lasted about 4 minutes becaue it was so FUCKING cold!!  Like could it get anymore windy and cold...but lord I sure didn't expact it to stay around {because it is May after all...} but the view was breathtaking and I'm glad that we decided to check it out & then leave before the hypothermia set in!

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon

I litterally couldn't believe that when I woke up I would be heading out the front door to do something that I never thought I would be albe to do and that was amazing but the more and more I thought about it...Yup, I'm crazy...but sometimes it takes a little crazy to do awesome things!!!

Meg
aka Nutmegz
HF#120333

(<--- Lord I look like I need some beauty sleep!!)

Next Blog Post: Crazy Road Trip Day 4 (GC Half Race Review & Getting to Disney)

Watch Out World...Big Things Are Happening!!!

am·bas·sa·dor

a person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified activity

Synonyms: Campaigner, representative, promoter, champion, supporter, backer, booster

There are time in life that the efforts that you make, the work that you put in, the positive attitude no matter how much you wanna die that everything starts panning out!!  I can't even begin to tell you guys how excited I am to announce that I am an offical ambassador for the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Half Marathon from Alaska Airlines!!!!!

This announcement and appointment comes with a lot of emotion backing it! Let me explain a little bit more...I have never been the leader of the pack when it comes to running - I've always been a "I'll see you when I get there and you are already rested" runner but I'm okay with that! I'm breaking down walls, I'm doing things I never thought I'd be able to do and I'm bettering myself with every step I take...but it doesn't come easy {and no that isn't because I just love to eat chocolate cake and cookies in bed...but that sure doesn't help either but it is SOOOOOOOOO gooooooood!!!} but because chaning yourself, your habbits and running 13-point-freaking-1 miles isn't easy no matter who you are!!!

I am Meg. I am chubby.  I am not fast...but I can run the most miserable half marathons out there thinking I was going to die and finish with a smile on my face and planning my next one before I've even gotten my bottle of water - but after I get my medal because let's face it...BLIIIIIING!

I have four mottos that I live by when it comes to running and I can't wait to bring my excitement for everything out to the pavement of my hometown {Seattle} which will be a comeback race for me since last year during this exact race I had to medical out because my knee gave in {and not going to lie I shouldn't have attempted to do six half marathons in six weeks...well my first six half marathons ever in six weeks! ...Again with my good ideas hahahaha} and I thought better to tap out than to really hurt myself.  But here is what every runner should remember:

1. It's not about finish times, it's about finish lines

2. Listen to music, sing out loud, dance while you move and live it up

3. Talk to everyone who is around you...you never know when your words will mean the world to someone and make a difference in their race

4. Run when you can, walk when you half to and crawl if you must!

I can't wait to see what the next month brings me, I'm excited to work with the Rock 'n' Roll association, Alaska Airlines and all the other ambassadors!!!

Meg

Half Fanatic #12033

{05/12/2016} Two Half Marathons In Two States In Two Days Road Trip...Day 2

Find out the first day of our journey here: Crazy Road Trip...Day 1


{The Events of this Blog Entry Happened on 05/05/2016 - Happy Cinco De Mayo}
Okay so here we are day two of the crazy ass idea I had to drive all over the place so I could run two half marathons and we are waking up in Simi Valley...zombie-like and with 4 hours of sleeping am waking up to head down to the Disneyland Hotel to get the packet pick up for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon underway as the next day I would be heading over to the Grand Canyon to run the half marathon through the Grand Canyon itself!

I was not looking forward to this packet pickup because the Wine & Dine Packet Pickup/Expo was a total flop and lord it took me forever to just get my Bib...and I didn't even attempt to go shopping for some RunDisney gear so I was dreading the idea of showing up for chaos again, but I was SHOCKED that it wasn't anything like the dreaded event I made it out to be in my head {and yes now that you are getting to know me better I would agree with you that it is entirely possible that I make things worse in my head than they actually are...but hey it is at least highly comical!}.

2016 Tinkerbell Half Marathon!!

10k Starting Line on Disneyland Dr

It was exciting driving up to the Disneyland Hotel because the starting line for the 10k was up and getting ready for the day before...and that is a site that I love to see.  Starting lines...those means that there are finish lines to be had, bling and new goals to crush. {If you look at them any other way then they become dreaded and they lose their excitement...so no matter what you have to do to love the look of a starting line then do it - I personally dance and sing and jump in place...kinda looking like an idiot but I own looking like a smiling idiot who can't wait to get her BLING!}

Probably the hardest part about the expo was that there were lack of clear signs on where to park...we knew that we were going to the Disneyland Hotel but lord I hadn't been to Disney since they redid the streets and built a parking garage...so I got lost a few times! {And I'm not going to point any fingers but a certain Apple GPS talking lady *cough* Siri *cough* didn't help me much either}  However, once we parked we started walking towards the Disneyland Hotel my excitement started growing more and more and more!!!  OMG I WAS GOING TO RUN TWO HALF MARATHONS IN TWO DAYS AND I WASN'T GOING TO DIE!!! {...Or so I kept telling myself}

There is one thing that you can't deny when you head to any event at Disney and that is the fact that

At The Disneyland Hotel

The Green Carpet

everything will be over the top and magical...and this Expo thing was no different.  So after we passed under the Mickey Mouse house of Magic it was a slight jaunt to find the exact place that we were supposed to be...which we heard was not a red carpet nooooo it was a pixie green carpet!! {You know being the Tinkerbell half and all...}

Now, here is where everything changed and got super exciting for me because my mind was blown...THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE EXPO! Apparently going on a Thursday morning at 1000AM on the dot was the best idea that I've had in many many years...because we waited in line for oh I don't know 1 minute to get my bib! Now, while it only took me one minute to get my bib and another one minute to get my shirt it was when I turned the corner that I found out where everyone was...they were in line to get their Dooney & Burke hand bags and other Tinkerbell Merch!!! {Call me crazy but fighting through thousands of women to get a Tinkerbell Wine Glass is not my thing...but I'm not saying if you bought an extra one that I don't want it! HAHA}

The Empty Expo!! #AlwaysGoOnThursdayMornings

I think the other part of the expo that I liked the best and hope Disneyland half marathons continue with it...and maybe Disney World could pick it up as well...was that the green carpet took you down to a basement to get your prepaid merch, bibs and etc and then you followed the green carpet up stairs to go shopping.  By separating it you didn't have the HUGE crowds trying to get official merch getting in the way of packet pickup folks and creating mad confusions! It really was one of the best packet pick ups I've ever been to yet!

Official 2016 Ariel New Balance's

The other aspect of the expo that blew my mind was the New Balance booth area was crazy but I had signed up to get on the Virtual Signup/Appointment List the night before to get my Tinkerbell Half Marathon 2016 Limited Edition shoes...and the appointment time that I was given was Noon!  Well here was my issue...it was 1030AM and I was not in the mood to wait around for an hour and a half because I was hungry so I thought "Go ask if you can sneak in earlier...and if not, screw it let's get foooood" and as much as my stomach didn't want New Balance to work with me I was so happy and completely surprised when they let me come on in at 1030AM to get my shoes!!!  Now...call me snooty or pickey {because I am in some ways} but when the New Balance lady helping me, Megan, brought out the shoes that I wanted to get...the Tinkerbell editions...I tried them on and had to put them back because they said "2015" on them and not "2016".  I didn't want to buy a show that was the official shoe of the half marathon and have it have a different year on it than what I actually ran...so I landed on Ariel! I love them to pieces and don't worry I did not in anyway attempt to wear them to the race {because I like my feet and don't enjoy blisters}.

Okay, so now we were done at the expo...grabbed some new race shirts, shoes and random samples and we could go eat breakfast!  So, if you know me at all you know how I travel and for those who don't know me yet will get to realize that I travel differently than most people.  I am always looking for amazing new places to eat, places the locals go and places you just don't hear about unless you start talking to people from the area...and California Donut was the food quest of the day.  It was located in the heart of LA and no matter what people say I love LA...I mean look at this skyline!!

I did apparently bring the clouds to Cali with me because it was overcast AF the entire time that we were down there...and windy! But I mean come on there isn't anything more beautiful when you look at the city other than their skyline...the history, the growth and the story that it tells {Now don't get me wrong I love the Seattle and PDX skyline more than anything but this one is amazingly beautiful as well...and somewhere in there CELEBRITIES are hanging out...I've just got to find them (Kidding)}

This Place Is AMAZING!

One of the nice things about trying new places if you sometimes get to see neighborhoods you would have never gone through before which gives you a different level of understanding and appreciation of the city that you are in.  California Donut was in a part of the town that I've never been in before and it wasn't exactly what I expected but if you are ever in LA you need to GO GO GO GO GO GO GO eat here!!!!!!  Everything that we got was amazing, fresh and left me wanting to eat their entire store front as if Hansel and Gretel were at the house made of candy and HANGRY!!

I mean Nom Nom Nom!

As a PNW girl I can appreciate a good doughnut and have been known to drive 4 hours each way to pick up a VooDoo Donut or 30 {I mean OMG right...8 hours for doughnuts...this chick is cra
cra!} but I was completely blown away by what I saw! Everything was clean, colorful and looked like just came out of the fryer and were needing to get in my mouth!  We got a few different donuts to take home to our family because you can't get fancy donuts and not share...{and yes, I understand you wanted some but I just couldn't bring them home I'm sorry}...but you sure can test the waters and have one on the car ride home, HEHEHE!!!

No, we are going to get serious for a moment and just tell you that I learned my lesson the hard way regarding something...When you are in the Hispanic District of LA and you see what looks like an amazing sausage wrapped in a croissant and it has the word "HOT" after it that doesn't mean warmed up...NOOOOOOO that means so hot with spices directly from the devil that make you drool on yourself and curse the food you keep eating in misery because it is so good despite it burning your mouth off!!   I am not kidding you when I say that it was one of the best breakfast croissants that I have ever had and there was the perfect balance between bread, meet and cheese and if you have to ability to withstand the heat GO GET ONE!!! {It doesn't hurt that I was eating spicy AF food on Cinco De Mayo!}

After the drive back up to Simi Valley was completed that was the end of the adventure that day!  The hubs, kiddo mom and law and I hung out with our amazing friends and watched movies and just lounged!  I didn't want to do anything too big as the next day I would be getting up at the earliest sight of dawn to drive East to the Grand Canyon because I had to make it by 400PM for packet pickup...so being rested and just NOT being in a car anymore for at least one afternoon/night sounded amazing!!!  

...let's just say that the rest was needed because the next few days were comically tragic, amazing and any other action word you want to dub it but it was one thing for sure - an adventure that would change me, challenge me and have me laughing for hours a day with my Mother In Law!!  Stay turned for the next blog post for {05/06/2016}: Day Three of my crazy adventure!!!

Meg

aka Nutmegz

#HF12033

Half Twisted Runner

{05/11/2016} Two Half Marathons In Two States In Two Days Road Trip...Day 1

{The Events of this Blog Entry Happened on 05/03-05/04/2016}
Okay so not to long ago I won an entry in to the Grand Canyon Half Marathon from Vacation Races so the idea of taking a road trip to the Grand Canyon and back with a stop in Log Angeles/Simi Valley to hang out with friends started taking form.  We were so excited because we haven't put together a road trip as a family in a long time but then something CRAZY happened!!   ...I got this brilliant idea that since I was going to be in the Los Angeles that I would challenge myself and run the Tinkerbell Half Marathon the day after the Grand Canyon Half Marathon! {...Remember what I was saying about me and my good ideas?!  Yeah...this is another bright idea that should have been a cautionary tale of Meg's BAD IDEAS!!!} 

Of course the journey started multiple days before hand because of the packing and prep that goes in to packing for two half marathons in two days in two different states...in fact just saying that almost hurts my head.  I was excited because the day before we left I got the opportunity to run up to Tacoma and not only get my new Half Fanatics shirts {Been waiting a year for those!!!} and get fitted for new trail running shoes because I thought I might want to be better prepared for the Grand Canyon Half Marathon and lord I had nothing that resembled trail running shoes...or anything that I should be running trails on for that matter.  I was sad that I didn't love the Brooks trail shoe options..it was the first time that I put on a Brooks shoe and through to myself "What the fuck are wrong
with these magical shoes I love so much they huuuuuuurt..." but then Craig from Fleet Feet in Tacoma shocked me and put a Saucony on my foot and I was in LOOOOVE!  {Not going to lie I feel like I am cheating my road running shoes with the new pretty pink and yellow trail running shoes...but I don't care!}

Everything A Runner Might Need!

So back to the packing dilemma...how much stuff is too much stuff?!  I have a small or rather teeny tiny habit of over packing...more so when I know that I am going to be driving to me destination and I have the room to spare and don't have to pay by the bag for luggage {However after this trip my husband my change his luggage policies for the next road trip that we take} and that is exactly what I did for this trip as well.  I ran around the house after checking the weather for both of the races and ended up packing all the running clothes I own...all the gel packets, all the socks, my Evergreen Turtles Hat, all the running clothes in my drawer and the kitchen sink too of course.  It took me about 4 hours, three times of losing my mind and multiple forgotten things that I would have been lost without I was finally packed and ready to get the car all loaded up.  My husband was working the overnight shift so I was left to get everything ready and that isn't always easy...because I am not as picky as him but 'meh' I did it and no on needs to say a damn word about it!

We rolled out at 0630AM on 05/04 and started our roadtrip south to Simi Valley because I had to be at

Mak Is Ready To Go!

How Long?!!?

Disneyland 05/05 by 1000AM to pick up my Tinkerbell Half Marathon packet...and take what I knew would be a much needed break from being in the car after driving for almost 24 hours straight.  Because it was Mother's Day weekend we were planning on making this a family event but my 11 year old son practically begged me not to get in to the car with his sister for a week straight and asked if he could stay with his Mimi & Papa...we caved and let him. {Not because I didn't want him there because I already miss him so so much but because if he wanted to stay home to go to school and baseball then I was proud of him for making that decision...that and there would be less fighting in the car between the two of them - something I haven't missed} There were a few stops and one more person that we needed to pick up on our way out of town, but then we would be on our way...but lord that was going to be a long drive!

Since we are a family who enjoys long road trips {You have to be saying...WHO ARE THESE CRAZY PEOPLE by  now!} we have a few traditions that we live by.  They have almost become supersiticions at this point because we've never had bad luck on road trips...well maybe minus one that involved a lot of birds attacking us and flying in to our car while we were driving down the free way...but other than that, nada!  The two things that we always do is stop in Belfair, WA and get Starbucks and in Portland, OR get Voodoo Doughnuts!  The key thing about going to Voodoo Doughnuts is that we do not go to the original one downtown PDX because of the fact that there is ALWAYS a huge line and no matter how much I love me some doughnuts...I will not wait in a long a$$ line for them.  We go to the VooDOo on Davis Street...there is never a line, the doughnuts are way more fresh because they are not mass made like the one with the line and they a tad cheaper.  Now once we got our doughnuts and the tradition was completed we were off really heading south...it was going to be a long day of driving but we knew we had to make it no matter what time we arrived.

My Little Lady...And Smelly Feet!

My favorite part of road trips are the random ass shit that you will see along the way.  You can never count on anything being what you expected it to be...nor what you wanted it to be.  There are weird people, strange AF places and some of the most beautiful visions of nature that your eyes can ever and will ever see.  That is why I am such a fan of the Left Coast in general...never get tired of it.  

GOOOOO DUCKS! #SorryNotSorry

It was about the point where we were six or seven hours into the drive where being tried set in and we all started to get a little loopy...which wasn't a good sign of things coming for the rest of the day...and night, considering that we had at least another 10 hours of driving to go and hadn't even hit the Oregon-California border yet.  I was a bad kid packer and didn't bring anything other than her tablet beause at home I don't think that she plays with anything else...but when that is your ONLY option of entertainment it just isn't good enough.  So...what is a Mama to do when her little is bored and needs something to do

Snap Chat For The Win

until we can get somewhere that might sell coloring books and crayons?!  That's right, you guessed it!  Snap Chat filters for the win!!  There was at least an hour of fun that was had messing around with Snap Chat and everyone in the car tht wasn't driving but the little lady couldn't get over how silly she looked...I've never quite heard her laugh that hard in a long time but it was a blast.  I mean look at them...I can't even without laughing hysterically.

Keeps Me Going!!!

I took over driving for a while because let's face it I am not a fan of at night...nor should I be allowed to because I tend to fall asleep!  So, we pulled over somewhere in Oregon and I made our lunches {Which were amazing} and took over driving South.  I have to say that while I was driving I was having a hard time staying awake and it was Nuun energy flavors that keeps me going...while I love the lemon lime it was the Strawberry Lemonade that made me say "OOOOOH".  My favorite meal on the road {and you will see a theme throughout the road trip of how I eat while I'm on the road} is a chicken finger salad!

Mmmm....Salad!

So there was one thing that I didn't account for in todays age...that a child would need more than a tablet to keep herself occupied for a 24 hour drive...but sure enough when we were stuck in a damn traffic accident.  So after we took a moment to enjoy the view that we were given we decided to stop and get the girl some colors and paper to draw pictures on...apparently that wasn't good enough either because she was bored 10 minutes after.

I almost lost it when we stopped in Yreka, CA and Mak said that her coloring stuff would come in handy because of the fact that the people in the town look weird and she could draw the town with all of the "martians" that live here...she said that because she saw someone reading a book to a statue and she thought it was the best thing ever...when she is older we can teach her a little more about why some people do that and possibly help people out that need it if that is the case but she is five so I smiled and kissed the top of her head...and we continued on down the road again because LORD we were still far away from where we were going!

You can either listen to you kid complain...or look out the window! 

My view from the back seat...nice and comfy

So at this point we are already to get out of the car but we had a LONG WAYS TO GO! {It was my idea to load up the car and drive right...ugh I've got to learn about these "good" ideas that I have}

Mt. Shasta 

Since it was getting dark we decided to find dinner and just power it out.  The next morning I had to be up for the RunDisney Tinkerbell Half Marathon Expo and it was projected that we would only be getting about 4 hours asleep at this point...but being exhausted and sleep walking to your race bib is the way to go to a race expo right?!

MMMMMMMM!!!

We stopped in Redding, CA for dinner and gas...each person in this car were craving In-And-Out Burger but when we got there the line to get a burger was about 40 cars deep and none of us could stand the idea of waiting that long {Don't get me wrong you fellow in and out burger fans it killed me to give up the fight of my favorite Cali burger....but rest assured it would happen soon} so we headed over to 5 Guys burger and ordered what can only be described as way to much fucking food!  I did feel like I made a decent decision by getting a lettuce burger however that turned out to be a horrid idea in the back seat of a car! That thing exploded in my hand and went everywhere as if I was in a bad comedy...but it was damn good!

Mak Ready to Sleep

After dinner I was ready to sleep, Mak was passing out and well frankly the husband and mother in law started in on the power drive mode so that we could make it to our destination tonight. There was one point that we had to stop to get gas and all the adults in the car looked back and busted up laughing because daymn kids have this uncanny ability to do sleep yoga in positions that would leave me with the biggest neck pain in the world...so Nana to the rescue with the unicorn neck pillow from a gas station in the middle of no where.

Puppy Naps

All in all by the end of the night we were all so tired the only way that we could be described as is Zombies of Bremerton Visiting Cali and I don't think that any of us actually remember hitting the pillow at 0430 the next morning but we had did it...we had driven from Seattle, WA to Simi Valley, CA and we did it without killing each other... and with that victory noted it was time for a nap, a little recovery and even a few prayers because when I wake up the next morning it was going to be the start of the biggest challenge I had put myself through yet since I started running!




Meg
aka Nutmegz
#HF12033

{05/01/2016 Race Recap} Tacoma City Marathon & Half

I knew that the Tacoma City Marathon...or half marathon that I would be running would be a challenge but I have been working hard to get back to the shape that I was in when I made strides last summer before my accident that has caused a few set backs...well that and you know eating!

Hotel Murrano - Tacoma, WA

Packet pick up was at the beautiful Murrano Hotel in Tacoma, WA and what a great time that was!  I love it when you can get to a packet pickup, have no lines, expo folks all to yourself and get in and out pretty quickly.  It is even nice when the place that your packet pick up is could double as an art exhibit.

About the time that I picked up my packet I was having a debate with myself...could I do it? Should I do it? Would my knee like it? Wouldn't it just be easier to sit at home and spend time with the family and so much more!!  And yes, it would have been easier to skip it but nothing AMAZING has ever come easy...and I was never going to get back to where I wanted to be fitness wise, where I was and where I wanted to go by sitting at home.  Even if I sucked it up I would just be going for a super long walk through Tacoma - but I wouldn't have to worry about that because I was going to rock it! ...and I kept telling myself that!

Race Course Map...I did the blue route

I am not a person to dwell about courses because mainly I tend to stay away from hills as I am not ready to make them my B!*#H quite yet, but this course was amazing!  The first 5ish miles were all a slow climb but after that it was downhill and flats for like 8 miles...I could do this!  I might be slow at the beginning but I would be able to make up the time for sure!! I think that I counted on that a little too much in the end...and I can only chalk that up to a "Lesson Learned" moment in my life.  {You would think that I would know by now in life that if I think it is a good idea I should just remember that I am never right and prepare for dooooom!!}

Don't leave home without the important stuff

So I went on with life *cough* all sorts of delusional *cough* with the belief that this was going to be no big thing and gave it no other thought! I Saturday morning I gathered everything together that I would need to get me from the starting point and the finish line maybe not quickly or even in the prettiest manner but I would be alive, finished and have new bling and well that's what we call WINNING!

Packing this was my enemy!

Now, I am going to have a rant moment here for a minute...have you ever had a moment in your life where both of your kids have baseball games & pictures, your husband loses his wallet, you have not only a birthday party to go to but also the surprise after party AND you are trying to pack your over night bag that needs to contain: sleep ware, pre-race stuff, race stuff and post race stuff?!  Oh you have, well let me ask you, DID YOU ALMOST LOSE YOUR MIND TRYING TO DO IT?! I must have packed my bad about 3 times because I thought I was forgetting stuff throughout the day but  thank god I did because the things that I was forgetting were like my bra, socks and oh I don't know a shirt!!  I think that I was losing my mind with everything going on!

Flat Nutmegz

So here we are...post baseball crazy, post parties and missing a whole lot of sleep! It is the morning of race day and "Flat Meg" is waiting for me to put on and get to work.  Now, I am not going to try and lie, sound like a hero or anything when I say that I WAS NOT EXCITED!  Normally on race mornings I am nervous but excited to get out there, and this morning was nothing like that.  I would have done anything to have slept through my alarm clock, to trip down the stairs and sprain my ankle or to even have a freak snow storm that would confuse everyone and make them cancel the race...but no such luck.  When you have those moments in your life you have to remember to thank all the people who do believe in you, who are waiting for you at the starting line, and who telling you "BITCH GET MOVING YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE TO BE" because without them my mental block would have won and I wouldn't have ran that race that morning.

So...I'm at the starting line and now the BIG panic attack sits in - I have to run over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.  A bridge that scares that piss out of me.  A bridge that I white knuckle over each time I drive it...but thank god my friend was there and stayed with me until I made it across!!!  So Jennifer and I took off together...now she is beast who can do half marathons much faster than I can (tho I'm going to get to her level one of these days) and she was helping me with intervals and keeping my pace up...I was feeling amazing & thought yup I can do this and I'm going to do it FAST!  Well after the race took off I don't know who didn't get the memo but the half marathoners began running down a part of the course that was designated for the marathoners and we added an extra mile right off the back! ...are you kidding me?! I know that it means longer course, more fun and more value for your money but talk about MIND GAMES when your Nike+ GPS voice (who I've named Bertha) tells you "You have completed 1 mile" and you're saying to yourself...um, what?! and where is the marker?!?!  ...and it as like that the whole course! But we have to love Bertha because I yelled at her quite a bit throughout this race!

Way too beautiful for words

This picture here is my proof that I ran across the bridge...well I guess I also have a medal to show that I did it as well, but this picture is so pretty.  Now, let me just note that I am thankful I didn't drop my phone off this bridge as when I walked up to the railing to take it I was shaking worse than a hairless cat in the winter without a sweater!

So now I am in the thick of it so to break it down a little better...Miles 0-3 (Bertha Miles 0-4) were amazing!  I had an amazing friend get me across the bridge, helped me run further and extend my intervals, make amazing time and remind me why I want

Jennifer & I Made It!

to get faster because I don't want to run alone...Jennifer took off after we took our post bridge selfie because she was going to kill my time and I didn't want to hold her back! I was going to concentrate on intervals and getting to that finish line as quickly as my legs would carry me!  {Note: I do not like off ramps...why do hills in cars seem like nothing but hills or inclines on your feet feel like you're climbing Mr. Everest each and every time...this needs to change soon or I need to grow wheels!}

Once I got to the top of the off ramp, told Jen to go and leave me in her dust I knew that I just needed to make it to the park and things would begin going downhill and flat until the finish line so Miles 3-6 (Bertha Miles 4-7) were going to be where I rocked my world and proved to myself that I could do things faster than I thought I could...but yeah, about that - can you say walking?

View from Tacoma's Skyline Pedestrian Walkway

There was a second bridge around mile four that I needed to cross and I was able to steal this quick pano of a view that I've never seen with my own eyes and loved it! On the other side of the bridge there was a huge out pour of cheers and support from the families who lived in that area and I was able to do my 2:1 intervals for the most part until I hit about mile 5...when the biker from hell crossed my path!  Now, I am the first to admit that when I see a cyclist blaze by me while I am not just struggling but I'm chasing the struggle bus down and not able to catch it and they ring their little bell and wave...yes yes I see you just keep on peddlin' sir!  But at mile 5 of this race there was a cyclist that didn't let me know that he was coming and clipped the back of my heel, sending me falling and rolling off the sidewalk and the yelled at me because I got in his way!  Oh I was mad! I so wanted to run ahead of him and throw a tree branch in his wheel while he was flying down hill and see if he liked it...but #1: I am a nice person and couldn't so that & #2: I so wasn't running ahead of him, no way no how...so my imagination would have to be good enough.  I got to mile 6 behind the time that I wanted too, telling myself I couldn't do it and looking at a mental wall that just about broke me!

When I reached the half way mark I was excited...I was almost there...it was all downhill and flat from this point and now Miles 6-13.1 (Bertha 7-14.2) would fly by as if they were nothing! Yeah, again about that delusional thinking thing I mentioned earlier...*insert crying face here*!!  I was doing good at running the downhills but the flats were much harder than I expected and it seemed like everything was building that damn wall in my head grow higher and higher...it was hot, I needed water, I was HANGRY and I just needed the race to be over!!! The things that I held on to was that I had amazing friends who were waiting to cheer me on - I mean how many people wait almost 2 hours to cheer you in for the worse race of your life.  I had friends blowing up my phone reminding me that Finish Times do not matter...it is the fact that I am doing it and getting there and making the choice to come back after injury.  I had bling waiting for me...and most importantly I had fooooooood waiting for me and it was needed!

I have amazing runner hair...

When I crossed that finish line I was spent and done! I came in at 03:54:59 which was my worse time so far by about 30 minutes...however, it was my longest half marathon ever (LMFAO) because the course ran long...but it was amazing!!!  I GOT MY BLING!

I remember one of my BFFs, Alyson, was picking me up from the finish line because it was a point-to-point race and when I checked my phone and saw a text from her I swear to god I went dumb because she sent me a screenshot of Google Maps of where she was parked to where I was so I could find her and all I could think was "Bitch Please! What the hell is that...a drawling?!  Do you expect me to find my way to you!? Can you send Uber? Thanks!" ...and it was weird because seriously I couldn't have found my way to her if I had tried at that moment in time...and all I had to

Bertha's Tracking Bull-ish

do was walk up some stairs and turn right and walk for five minutes; but in my head she was asking me to walk across Texas after running like Forrest Gump.

Once I got to the car, got some water and made our way to Katy Downs (BEST BURGER IN TACOMA) I took out my phone and looked at the GPS Data for the race from Bertha and Nike+...ugh I didn't like what I saw but what are you going to do? Dwell on it or do better next time and train more?! That's right...do better!

MMMMM...BUUUURGER!

...but no matter how bad I thought I did in my head or how much I hated how long it took me to complete this half marathon (plus some) there was one thing that I was sure of...I GOT TO EAT A CHEESEBURGER!!  Holy Molly was this cheeseburger amazing!!  I have decided to go back to the cheeseburger being my reward for running a half marathon because if not I could eat them daily and then I'll look like Chris Farley and that wont help with the whole go faster goal stuff!

...Well Done?

Overall it was an amazing day! I'm glad that I not only had people who would have slapped me silly had I not showed up but also that I decided to not skip it like a whimp because even throughout all my misery each and every race that I run is amazing and I love it!  However, this race was exactly what I needed to remind me that my goals coming up are going to come true if I don't rock my training and keep pushing through the mental blocks and pain!! ...I also learned that even if you don't think that it is going to be hot & sunny outside wear sunblock anyways because glowing from being sun burnt isn't an extra perk of running a half marathon! {I apparently forgot 4 things when packing my bag 29840392480 times!!} 

Don't Tell Me To Move..

The most comical part of the night for my husband was when I was struggling to keep my eyes open watching Game Of Throws (BECAUSE DUH!!!) and my Garmin 920XT decided that I'd not been moving for long enough and send me a reminder to get up and move and I yelled "LEAVE ME ALONE I DON'T HAVE LEGS ANYMORE"! I mean crap...I think I had enough steps and crushed my daily goal obviously that you think the thing could give me a break for a little while...or at least let me finish Game of Thrones and watch the Kardashian's Premier in peace with my Stump Brew Cold Brew Coffee!!!

Nom Nom Nom...Guilty Pleasures

I hope everyone had a great race weekend!!!
Next post will be my workout schedule for the week, next races & what ever random stuff might pop in to my head!

Meg

{#Nutmegz}
HF#12333
Half Twisted Runner