Long Beach Marathon: Post-race report

I rocked the Long Beach Half Marathon yesterday and I feel awesome. I jogged/ran the whole distance and according to the official race results, my average mile split was 11:18 and I was running at about 5.3 mph--that's better than a car in rush hour on the some LA fwys! I'm proud of me! Total time: 2h:28m:5s

Highlights? (1) I hit my high running alongside the beach (must have been in Belmont Shore) with small waves crashing to my right. (2) There was a water station at Mile 9 that was playing Pitbull's "Ay Chico (Lengua afuera)" and was so tempted to stop running and shake my booty. A little reggaeton can go a long way! (3) After Mile 10 the course looped back near the same water station and I was also able to hear MJ's "I wanna rock with you." (4) At about Mile 3, I passed a runner that had to have been older than 80, maybe even 90. He was accompanied by someone who was probably was his son and who told an inquiring dentist that the super-aged runner was a retired MD running yet another marathon. Can't get much more awesome than that.

Training could have been more rigorous but it was consistent: I signed up for a circuit training weight course at school that I attend two times a week and I have been running about 5 miles a week since May, increasing the mileage in the last month before the race. I have a few strange traditions and rituals I do/complete before a big run, some too private for the internet. I'll share one: I listen to music on the way to the race to pump myself up and to get a song in my head to mentally sing, kind of keeping a cadence. For this race, Viva! The Killers.

Races are fun! Nothing compares to the energy of the runners lined up at the start line. My adrenaline rushes, my pulse races, my spirits are high. The half marathon distance (13.1 miles) is perfect for me. The distance is long enough for me to get in the zone (runner's high) and to hit a short yet surmountable "wall."

Unlike Revlon 5k run/walk, the LB marathon saw less people with tribute signs--the ones that pull at my heartstrings--but there was a good share of runners and walkers with the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. It's so motivating and inspiring to dedicate your run to someone who cannot be there themselves because of illness, injury or death. That seems starkly morbid, but I didn't know how else to put it. I didn't have anyone specific to run for, but I had a handful of people on my mind: a friend's father suffering from cancer and running a fever this weekend; another friend's baby whose corporeal heart shall one day be as strong as the love he gives and receives; my grandma and last living grandparent whose mental faculties and memory are slipping as her body gives way to age; and at the risk of sounding egotistic I run for my health, my future and myself.

I made it a goal of mine to run 300 miles between May and the end of the year and signed up for the half-marathon as a way to help myself keep up the mileage. For those of you who also visit my facebook page, the number in my status represents the number of miles I have run so far. Big thanks to those who openly (or telepathically) root for me and my running achievements. If you want to run, it's all possible.

Run, Baby, Run!

Remember when?

Whether or not Barack Obama wins the election, he will have had a lasting impact on my life. Thank you Obama for your time at ACORN as a community organizer. Because of you, less people will give me that perplexed look each time I explain the five years of my life after college.

I was a Community Organizer.

Yes, that means I dedicated my life to bringing up the lot of low income people and connecting people to resources, whether they existed or should exist.
Indeed, what I wanted the most was to restore dignity to people who did everything in their power to survive and feed their families.
Emphatically,  I wanted to encourage each of the students I worked with to force open doors of opportunity, and use those opportunities to succeed and help their communities.
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Each person I came in contact with--whether it was the family who lived in the converted garage, the city officials who talked out of both sides of their mouth, the parents and teachers and organizations who came together because they cared, or the recovering addicts who cleaned our office--taught me a lot about myself and helped me realize what kind of life I want to live.

I'm a terrible person!

I needed butter for apple pie so I roller-bladed to 99 ranch. And I didn't take off my wheels upon entering the store!

Making my way toward the store, I had doubts about whether I had the guts to pull it off. I told myself that if there was a sign in the door, I will follow and take off the skates. Gasp! No sign in the door.

Entre-moi. I tried to move as slowly and inconspicuously as possible as I made my way toward the butter. I startled a few patrons, whom were mostly Asian/Chinese. Most of the people who really noticed were little kids whose faces lit up with something of mixture of amazement and jealousy.

As I waited in the long Sunday lines I started thinking about possible consequences of my actions. Did I make any marks on the fancy floor? Did I give a hoodlum an idea for a quick getaway after a five-finger shopping spree? What if I was wearing heelies instead--would I feel as weird? If I saw someone wheeling herself around the store, how would would it affect my shopping experience? What if everyone had these on? It would be a nightmare. My heart was beating faster standing in line than it did while blading up the hill.

I realize this was not the worst thing I could do. At least I have good balance and control on my skates. But I really do feel bad. Let's hope there are people who are not as crazy, brazen, anti-car, pro-fitness, idiotic as I am. There's a tiny part of me that wants to do it again, so I'm thinking I'll write a letter to the store asking them to put up a sign prohibiting skates/boards.

Cook an entire holiday meal, check.

This was my vegan/vegetarian version of a turkey. Stuffed Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin).


Soy-brined citrus turkey. It turned out a little undercooked, but delicious after 45 more minutes in the oven. Yay. Turkey for days! Turkey porridge, turkey sandwiches, turkey salads.


Apple-chestnut/walnut stuffing. I made it with a mix of whole wheat and challah breads. It was great.


Mashed potatoes and gravy (neither from a powder mix), and buttery Brussel sprouts with pine nuts.


Vegetable ratatouille (not a winner), mushroom couscous.

I did not have the time or energy to get the apple pie out for Thanksgiving Dinner, and I was relieved when my cousin came bearing a pumpkin pie for dessert! Heroism is still appreciated even if it is unintentional.

New Developments

Wow. August was crazy.

I flew to San Jose and New York. Attended a wedding. Bought a car. Got a second job.

And that was just the bare bones. The meat of is what really makes it crazy. I wish I had Labor Day weekend to unwind. Alas, when it rains in this life of mine, it pours.

Soooo... time for a party. How about the beach? AND Double time on the destressing effort: TV, jacuzzi, shopping, arts and crafts. To do: haircut, massage, movies, more air conditioning, getting out of the city and into nature.

Let's decompress.

Peace of Mind

Dear Kimberly,

Your application for healthcare coverage has been approved, and your coverage will go into effect on Tue Jun 12 03:00:00 EDT 2007.

Your identification cards and a packet with your Evidence of Coverage/Certificate of Insurance and other important information will arrive in the mail shortly.

Thank you for choosing Blue Shield as your healthcare coverage provider.

- - -

I wish everyone could have coverage.