notes from my journey: Stinson Beach 25K and some new fitness goals

Ok, so my blogging habit is dwindling. Finals are approaching, and I really don't have time to think about blogging. But I am getting requests to keep up with it, so I will try.

Two weeks ago, I fell running and fractured my ribs. It hurt. It still hurts, but it's calmed down into a dull pain that I can deal with. Only when I laugh really hard or when I lie down, I can feel it hurting, but at least it doesn't hurt everytime I breathe anymore. God, that was awful.

What was crazy about this though is that it happened 5 days before my 25K race at Stinson Beach. Everyone and their mom was trying to talk me out of it. And honestly, if it hurt too much while I was running the race, I had every intention of quitting or walking the rest of the way. But I wasn't going to give up without at least trying. And luckily, I was fine!

I ran like a soldier and finished that thing. It was awesome.

So Paul and I drove into the little town of Stinson Beach and met up with his family- his brother Chuck, nieces Patti and Jenny, and Patti's man, Mike. We all rented a beach house in Stinson and just had a blast that whole weekend. It was great seeing them all. I hadn't seen them since the Bix run in July.

We did some sight seeing in the city, ate at one of my favorite restaurants, Gordon Biersch, and spent most of our time talking, hanging out, and dining at the local restaurant, Sand Dollar. They treated us well.

There's a big, friendly golden retriever that greets you on the porch, and there's a live jazz band playing for dinner each night. Their menu offers a variety of pasta dishes, clam chowder, oysters on the half shell, and steamed mussels. I recommend this place for anyone who wants to experience a smalltown, neighborly dining experience with fresh seafood prepared in many different ways.

The rest of the town is really cute and quiet. A little grocery store that sells locally made gourmet cheeses, freshly churned milk (with cream still floating at the top, sold in glass jars), and other local goods like that. They have a surfer store, a really good breakfast/coffee shop, and a few random gift shops with interesting little knick knacks.

Our beach house was fully equipped with everything you can imagine, from surf boards, cruisers, a game room that included foozball and a pool table, kayaks, to little buddha statues, among other odditites that were curious and strange. We tried to take advantage of everything that beach house had to offer, but mainly, we were there for the race.

The race was spectacular. It started right on the beach, and the timing was very informal (as in, no chip time). This was probably the smallest organized run I've ever participated in, and it was special and thrilling in its own way.
What most people won't understand is that this race is not just an ordinary race. It involves an elevation gain of at least 1,000 feet- all uphill, up, in, and over a mountain.

So you start from the water, and you run up the mountain. Up, up, up. And then down into Muir Woods. And then up some more. Here is a ladder you have to climb somewhere after mile 3.

It took me a little over 3 hours to do it, but it was so satisfying, I definitely want to do it again. The hills were initially frustrating, but afterwards, the feeling of accomplishing running up those hills is really rewarding.

Plus, trail running is really great. You are running through the beautiful redwoods, seeing and smelling and feeling the freshness of the forest, and if you get enough distance away from the people behind you, you are able to enjoy running through the woods in total solitude. It's an amazingly peaceful feeling, and you feel at one with nature.

Here's a view you can catch on the trail:

It's a breathtaking view as you run along this trail. Whether you run it or hike it, I definitely recommend that you check it out.

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On another note, I've decided to lose some weight. I've gotten a little soft in the last few months and I'm starting to feel unhappy about the way I look. I've known this now for weeks, but it became a whole different matter when someone actually pointed it out. I'll be damned if I get called "fat" ever again for as long as I live! So no more frozen yogurt, and no more cookies. Co-workers, if you're reading this, please kindly refrain from shoving an endless train of desserts down my throat every single day we are at work. I know work is tough, but cookies and pie every day is not going to help us get through it any easier. Ok, that wasn't fair. I know it's nobody's fault but my own, but it's so. damn. hard. to say no to a whole table full of desserts every day, it's like the Fat Devil is calling out to me every single day with its evil, sugary temptations.

This part of my entry is in no way an attempt to fish for compliments or to seek reassurance about my figure. I know I'm not fat. I'm just not as tight and toned as I'd like to be. So no reassurance needed. I know exactly what my goal is, and I know that it's still within a healthy realm of what's proportionate to my height. I'm 5'2" so the slightest bit of extra weight looks a whole lot worse than if I was taller.

Weight is such a sensitive issue. I worked my ass off to get to my current size, but it's still raw and sensitive. I was surprised at how hurtful a passing comment was, and how raw and painful it still felt after all these years of overcoming my body insecurities.

So I went out and got an elliptical machine (that doubles as a stationary bike), some weights, and will not use the excuse of "being too busy" to neglect my fitness. Of course I've been running, but I haven't done any strength training since summer. I truly don't have time to go to the gym, so I thought I'll bring the gym to me. So I've invested in some home equipment and plan on getting back into better shape. And I've started counting my calories again, so we'll see if I can hit my goal before this next marathon on Dec. 4th.