What happens in Vegas...

Is that you get to run underneath the lights of the strip at night...Rock n Roll Las Vegas is now a nighttime run and all marathoners and half marathoners get to run on the strip with all its glowing glory. The marathon cut off time is 4.5 hours, which is not generous, but it would be fun! Me likie. I want to go to there.

My old salsa dancing friend I ran into at lunch invited me to go salsa dancing and so last night I got my salsa on. Salsa dancing is one of my eccentric hobbies and I am proud to say that like riding a bike, it is a skill not lost.

I am sad to say that Sally Meyerhoff, one of Arizona's most favorite runners and one of the top 10 marathoners in the country passed away. She was hit and killed while on her bike in Maricopa. She was getting into triathlons and training for an Ironman. She was also training for the 2012 Olympics. She won the Arizona Rock N Roll Marathon and she was friends with a lot of my friends. RIP.

Memories of Childhood

I grew up in this small town (kind of small) called Puyallup in Washington state, a suburb of Seattle. When I go out running in California I bring back memories of my childhood. I smell bark, freshly cut grass and now in March, spring flowers. I even saw daffodils--my favorite flower. The town of Puyallup has a big daffodil festival, complete with a daffodil parade and every high school in the area selects a daffodil princess who competes for daffodil queen. Daffodils are so beautiful. They are like little sunshines on a stick. Much prettier than sunflowers (not to dog sunflowers; all flowers are beautiful, even dandelions, which I call flowers though they are technically weeds). But today out running I saw snails...snails! I haven't seen snails in years and the sidewalks were littered with them. Then as the sun rose their trails of slime started glistening. Most people would call it gross, but I loved it. Now I just need to see a slug and my California/Washington experience will be complete. Isn't running awesome? Even though I have been super slow at it these past couple of months, I still love it. Just want to get faster!! My finish times are embarrassing.

Happy Anniversary!

Today is the third anniversary of my running the Antarctica marathon--the hardest race ever. Since then, I've run a marathon on every continent and completed an Ironman and ultra marathon. So in honor of today, I completed my 30th half marathon. I drove from California late at night and got in at 12:30am to get up at 5:30am for the race. Plus, AZ is one hour ahead of CA, so really, that's like 4:30am to me. The race was in Scottsdale and I ran into old friends and some people I met in Costa Rica! What are the odds of that? How does that keep happening! I ran into a friend from Phoenix who, turns out, works 2 blocks from me in San Diego. Small world. Well, the race didn't go well. Tough, hilly course and got one of my worst times. Something has happened to me. It's like all the fitness drained out of my body. 2011 has not been good to me racing wise. I've gotten 3 of my worst times in half marathons and they all seem like a struggle, which normally they are not. So what gives? I need to run more and try harder and get rid of the virus that keeps sticking around--go away already!!

Bienvenidos a Costa Rica

I am in Costa Rica for my company covering the Rev3 Costa Rican triathlon race. It is extremely hot and humid, but I am loving every minute of it. You can catch up on it at triathlon.competitor.com. I get up early to drive 1.5 hours to the race site. Then I stay all day and drive 2 hours back. I've gotten lost a few times, but luckily I speak Spanish so can ask for directions. Tomorrow is the professional race and should be good. It's just super hot, but this week my office has been next to the beach in Central America and I cannot complain about that.

Valentine's Day

This weekend, despite my ever-ongoing illness, I completed half marathon #28 and #29 just 24 hours apart. The Sat. race was in gorgeous Mission Bay running on Fiesta Island--flat, loved it. Sun. the race was at an area called Rancho Santa Fe in northwest San Diego, also known as the place for rich people. I saw plenty of woodsy areas and horse stables with estates tucked in behind greenery, just as the wealthy would have it. But the race itself was soooooo hilly. Out of all 29 half marathons, this was the second hardest (after recent #27, which was a tough trail race with the flu as well). I got my second slowest time ever. I think the tough course, mixed with the flu, mixed with the soreness from the half marathon from the day before left me for dead. So I have to just accept my time and try to get my fitness back. I have been posting some of my worst running times ever. 2011 has not been good to me racing wise... What happened?

But San Diego is gorgeous. My life has recently done a 180 and I love it. It is so beautiful here. I ran a race next to a beach??? And it wasn't a trip out of town.

Today, however, is Valentine's Day and once again I find myself alone on this day. Yes, I saw the flowers delivered to the girls at work--one even got pink tulips which are one of my favorite types of flowers. So I did feel a tinge of jealousy, but with all the wonderful things in my life I cannot be sad. I read yesterday that there are 100 million single people in America. With a country of just under 400 million, I am still in the minority, but that is a whole lot of people who are probably dining solo this evening as well. I am not so alone after all.

Life in general

I've always thought my life is the great equalizer. When something good happens, it is inevitable that something bad will happen. It is the way my life goes. I am truly Even Stevens.

Well, I got this really great new life in San Diego and on my first day here I found out that a dear friend and colleague was killed in a car accident. RIP my good friend P.H. You were a joy to work with and I will miss you dearly. I just spoke to her on Friday and on Sunday she was taken from us.

Then two days later I caught a horrible flu. I was smacked down to the ground. Fever, chills, temperature and coughing all night long. I didn't sleep for 5 days and my work said to me "don't come back till you feel better." I spent 3 hours in urgent care with x-rays, blood work, etc. only to be told by the doctor "there isn't anything I can do for you. Go home." What???? I WANT DRUGS!!! NOW!!!

Then in the midst of this horrific flu, I went to Los Angeles to visit friends and watch the Super Bowl. Well, I had signed up for a half marathon that same weekend and paid mucho dinero for it and didn't want to lose the money. So I did the race anyway. It was 27th half marathon. I was born on the 27th and it is one of my favorite numbers so was particularly excited to do this race...that is until I caught the flu. By mile 2.5 I had to walk. It was a super tough trail race so steep I had to walk portions of it (well, I walked most of it). I finished in 40 minutes over my typical time....ick!!! How embarrassing. So my 27th half marathon was the 27th worst and I got my 27th worst time. And I think I caught pneumonia because of it.

CA Girl

I have a major change in my life. I resigned from my job two weeks ago and move to California tomorrow. I am moving to San Diego for a new position that is right up my alley. It is a bittersweet moment. I have lived in Phoenix for a long time and have sweet memories and wonderful friends. My life is awesome and I feel so blessed for all that I have been given. It is on to something new, but Phoenix will always be here.