RocknRoll San Diego Marathon and Half Marathon

I 

I always see this slogan: "It is not all about the finish line, but the journey also." 

I don't want to disregard the real athletes who train very hard and give their all, everyday to achieve  a successful run time.  I have few friends who are real athletes and see the amount of time, discipline, effort and practices that they put everyday to achieve greatness. Couple of them had my other friend and I  do a little crossfit training that they do before the real game and they modified stuff so we can get through them tough excercises and drills. I could not  imagine what goes on in their real training, if ours were modified and still are tough. How much tougher do they really do. But that is why they are athletes and most of them got paid and sent to college for being one. 

My friend, Crystal and I finished our first 1/2 marathon yesterday- the San Diego Rocknroll 1/2 marathon. http://www.runrocknroll.com/programs/ 

I did not know what to expect and was so nervous before the day of because I have never ran straight over 4miles beyond my 5-6mile runs in the gym. If anything We walked/ ran but we finished. There were  plenty of bands playing that were in almost every mile of the run. I was so amazed how highschoolers and gradeschoolers were organized to have their cheering squads on  the road pushing up to the finish. The gay community was so loving dressed with big balloon boobies and glam squads giving high fives and cheers from the beginning and saw them again in after mile 10.  The military familys had their row of flags cheering us up- "you can do it!, you are running for the others who sacrificed their lives!" That mile was very moving I had to stop Crystal, my friend from crying upon seeing the long road of pictures of young man and women who was killed defending our freedom every single day. 

San Diegans are one of the nicest people. Neighborhood gather in their front lawns to support gave cheers, even tequila, dance, sliced oranges, anything they can think of to keep us going.  I even saw iphone docked for music outside their gate. Lots of volunteers for water, gatorade, candies, coaches that are in the road for injuries and responsible medics spots. I am glad my first marathon was here. We felt genuine love from everyone.

Everyone is standing in their respective coral while we find bathrooms and they are everywhere. Look, these were lines going to bathrooms. 

Ready...3,2,1....go!

"1/2 marathon because you are only half crazy".

First mile-smile

This guy is running with his firefighter full-on outfit

"Run Magical Unicorn" the sign says. 

Yes, there is a race going on the other side also.

Yup, this nice person had sliced oranges and Crystal put the whole thing on her mouth and soon as I put them in my mouth I thought, I trust it is clean.

First band

Mile4

Military families were out cheering us to run for the young men and women who sacrificed for our freedom. 

https://youtu.be/lOdMsFbweLg

These photos are not just randomly placed here for display, these are sons and daughters or moms and dads or brothers and sisters or friends who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. 

Crystal noticed how young they are like 20's, 21, 22... It made her very sad and teary eyes until she realized we still have to focus and we are running for them too like one family member or a friend,  was saying, cheering us up. 

http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/

These kids are handing out paper towels to wipe our sweats...everybody is just so supportive in anyway they can. P.s. Sign behind them says: " Honoring the services and sacrifices of the American Military". 

Beer

There was a sweet old man waving inside that window

This made me laugh for I seem to need it every 10 seconds.

The pink sign says : "You run better than the government."

This man is giving whisky shots at the 5 1/2 mile sobriety check point. 

Yup runners but at this point, "walkers" stopped for photo opp

"Seemed like a good idea 4months ago" 

"Seems like a lot of work for a banana".

These cheered us up.

He said he won't tell

Blister-boo-boos...note to self: don't wear new shoes even if it a month old. Pick favorite running shoe now and use it often if not always training to test for blister forming so next year it should be ready for zero blister.

No shame in stopping just not quitting;)

We can not quit, if they can do it, ee can too

"Your lazy friends are still sleeping"

Another band

Pinocchio says,"there is no more hills"

Share the love

https://youtu.be/Bd_wo12HH3k

"You have never looked better, well maybe a few miles ago."

Just cause few people at work are making fun of me that I could probably not even make 6miles.

These highschool cheer leaders are all sooo sweet.

https://youtu.be/BrBD4kS1Ql0

https://youtu.be/G6hroczFP7s

Where is this super cute building or is it a house?

"Dont fart"

Yes a cow!

Another band and so grand stage

I stopped counting but the great Alaskan Airline arc you can not miss.

These home really have a full on bar set up in their front yard. A couple really stopped for their free shots.

10mile mark...3 more...we got this.

We are in the freeway

They turned the tunnel into a dance club with DJ from the entrance of this tunnel

https://youtu.be/nkmjQIDE-Mo

I see downton

The music that kept me going plus Elements of life

Less than a mile to finish line.

Ice to greet us after the finish line...and rows of gatorade, bananas, pretzels, cup of fruits, sweet pea chips, chocolate milk. Rocknroll marathon came prepared with photo booths and camera people during the race and after the race. 

Rescue Crystal's blisters

Taxi that a very helpful lady who works/volunteer for rocknroll was super nice to help hail for us. 

Yes all that yummy healthy nourishment, and no I did not finish all that food in 1 sitting. 

And yes I was taking videos and pictures while running and walking and all that love distracted me from the pains in my bum, back, legs, feet and we got through this for the first time and reached finish line and got our medals. 

 

I hope this inspire you to do it with us next year. Serious training this time and more serious run time. Have fun always.

My Caveman life

Take a break... You will feel better after, you'll see.

My caveman life. Well, I am referring to food  and daily activities or excersice. I still love my mosquito net-"I feel like I am in Bali everyday"-room, not totally living in a cave of course. I started last year and I lost about 10 lbs and was feeling good. I do my Paleo like  most people- 80percent paleo, 20 percent sensible whatever. Gave up sugar. I still eat 3 tablespoons of  rice some days. Very minimal bread per week and I still eat a little bit of cake I bake on Sundays. 

This blog is very good reference: http://www.paleoeffect.com/paleo-quick-guide/

My typical breakfast. At times I eat my walnuts, raisins, turkish dried figs in the car in the morning while driving to my zumba or core or yoga, or sand bell or bootcamp class.

P.s. Check out my snakeskin tray, supposedly it is in trend, I read from a magazine. I found the tray and the white Indian wall decor from Ross and mosquito net canopy in Bed bath and beyond https://m.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/1/32768-majesty-white-large-bed-canopy.html

I have coffee or tea with honey and sometimes hazelnut creamer. I refuse to deprive myself so occasional is okay for me. 

And yes that is the beautiful bible my mom gave me and I love reading Bible app in my iphone as well. 

I am currently reading a Tahiti guide I picked up from the hospital lobby for free, just incase I go to Tahiti someday :)

You wish, you get. 

So I saw a sale sign and I'm on it. This man is selling his dad's house so the dad can move in with him in their farm up in Fallbrook. He was so passionate about saying we only  have a short time in this world. "I only have one father", he says "I would rather lose a little money and spend time with my dad". He believes that house's price will appreciate in years to come, but he has his priorities straight.  I ended up buying avocados from their organic farm for 33cents each, with such a big smile. It is good to know that despite of everything negative that happens around us humanity and love still prevails, even in the simpliest ways. 

I bring spaghetti squash and veges and chicken or beef to work so I don't starve while working. 

Bananas, butternut squash, spaghetti squash are my go-to carbohydrates. 

I put mushroom, carrot, rotisserie chicken, green onions, tomato, garlic in a pan. Add salt and pepper. (Salt is not paleo but the body needs it especially if we work out. We sweat, we lose salt, otherwise you will have cramps without salt or headache, be sensitive with your body. Use salt sparingly though) Add olive oil. After 30 seconds of hearing sizzle, add 1/4 cup water.  When it boils add kale and cilantro. Buy organic if you can supposedly it is better otherwise use what you can find in your area. Grow your own organic veges if possible. If you use fresh meat such as lean beef or chicken breast or tenders, place meat first and let it cook in olive oil then add the garlic, onions, green onions and hard veges then water then leaves...After seconds, you want  the leaves half cooked...feed your health. 

I can not help placing a slice of french brie cheese on top of the spaghetti squash:)

Sweet potato, bananas and butternut squash are a great sweet alternative.  They have low glycemic index and high in fiber. I just bake them for an hour in 350 degrees or boil or steam and voila! 

Here is a link on paleo guide. So everything I read in this website is pretty accurate: http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/sweet-potatoes-paleo/

Basically, you can eat everything that is not processed. Think as if you were a caveman, and whatever in nature that is mostly raw and  viable, they ate. They probably ate fermented stuff also, so kimchi, fermented vegetables, fish are allowed in paleo. They walked, ran, hunt, crawled, squat, had burpee movements, planked,  carried heavy rocks or wood to find food and survive. So in our times, I do bootcamp to  immolate    such movements or crossfit or anything that uses muscle with such great intensity like pilates, yoga, etc. I am sure cavemen did not do yoga and all but we never know. They use their muscles with great intensity with such movements so I do them too. Of course we don't have to do that all day, at least 30 minutes to an hour, you get the idea, right? We still need to move around and be active even when working, take breaks to walk or run if you can. Hike a lot during your days off, be one with nature like the cavemen did. 

 To learn more about the list of you can and can not eat click here: 

http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/paleo-diet-food-list/

In all aspect of your life, a break is a human right. It is good for you to step out in any situation, work, even relationship even just for a moment and go back after a break.  Go outside, smell some fresh air, smell the flowers, don't stick yourself in such toxic, I mean, in your office, or whatever situation. Even just a few moment you will notice that you are more calm, collected and energized to go back to whatever you need to tackle. Refreshed.

 I pack organic walnut, raisins, turkish dried figs for dessert. I love sweets and these satisfy and are good for your blood circulation. In paleo, you can eat as much  until you are full, like the cavemen. They did not store food. Maybe carried some with them if there were extra but I am thinking they ate whenever they find food and they can not tell when will they find food again so they probably ate as much when they find food, right?  They did not use food as pleasure as we all do today. They did not eat their feelings with food, hehe. Basically, use food as nourishment,  and occasional pleasure? 

The best part, chocolate is permitted, dark ones, no sugar. Yummm with my organic vanilla rooibos tea and honey. I use hazelnut creamer sometimes. There goes my occasional pleasure. 

 

Make it a lifestyle not a diet. You will see and feel the difference. 

#havefunalways

To read more of my adventures, click here: http://whatidowhilemyhusbandisaway.blogspot.com/2015/03/puerto-vallarta-mexico-2015.html?m=1

And click here for more recipes: 

http://jackiechercafe.blogspot.com/2016/04/custard-cake.html?m=1

Dolce far Niente (ˈdoltʃe far ˈnjɛnte)

Dolce far Niente (ˈdoltʃe far ˈnjɛnte) All it Takes is a Pleasant Breakfast

French(napoleon & cream puff)  English(breakfast tea, gift from my friend who grew up in London, Lisa, I miss her), and Filipino rice cakes, the purple and orange. 

Everybody seems to rush in the morning and not ever take the value of breakfast. It could be simple such as toast, jam, fruits, coffee or tea with milk, black or sugar or both or cream. Buy pretty and dainty cups and use it at least once or twice a week if you can't everyday. Place some flowers or play some music or be quiet if you prefer so.  Read your favorite book, or magazine or newspaper, or just sit and relax and enjoy . You can do that after work too, with cup of tea and cream or plain, couple of biscuits or small dark chocolate...however you may like, stop...and relax. (ˈdoltʃe far ˈnjɛnte) Dolce far niente - pleasant idleness, literally means: sweet doing nothing. We need that, however hectic our lives are. We need to reset our buttons...luxuriate in our own home if we can't go out with our friends during work days. #havefunalways