I don't think I've ever cheered so loudly or so long for so many people before! And I'd never spectated at a major race, either. But I have now, and I loved it! I must say, however, that I am wiped out! Granted, my exhaustion is nothing like that of the participants who ran and walked, but it's very real. It's as much from cheering as it is from volunteering in the TNT finisher's tent after the race handing out sandwiches and cookies. But I'll get to that when I write more about the day.
For now, it suffices to say that Team Oz rocked the Nike Women's Marathon! Everyone finished, and some of my teammates even had personal records. On a hilly course in San Francisco, that's most impressive. Look for more details in the days to come. Congratulations team -- I'm so proud of you!
Here's a link to the San Francisco Chronicle article.
Thursday evening was all about TNT past and present, with no running involved!
My first stop was the Cheesecake Factory overlooking Union Square. I promised to bring dessert to my "spring team girls" dinner party/reunion, and there's nothing better this time of year than pumpkin pecan cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. I don't even like cheesecake, but this dessert is to die for! (It helps that I looooove pumpkin.) If you've never had it, I highly recommend it, but get it now before it's gone, as it's only sold seasonally.
Before I could leave San Francisco and head to Sharon's new house in San Ramon for dinner, I had to walk across the street to check out the Nike Expotique in Union Square. It was like no other running expo I've ever been to -- not that I have that many to compare it to, but still! There were manicure and massage stations, and Thursday was ladies night!
I met a bunch of my teammates there: Heather, Jenny, Shannon, Lynsey, and Janice. We enjoyed seeing well-known athletes, including 
Brandy Chastain and the first ever women's Olympic marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson. Plus, we got to partake in complimentary wine, crackers, cheese and fruit. Pretty snazzy expo, if you ask me!
Post-expo, I reunited with Tonya, Sharon, Ginny, Becca, and Shanin. It was great to see so many of the girls who helped me complete my first 26.2 miles! Tonya has been training on her own for the Nike Women's Half, and Shanin recently ran the Rock and Roll San Jose Half-Marathon. Yea girls! We had a wonderful time catching up and hope to do it again during the holidays.
I've been MIA, I know. But I'm still here, and I'm still training! Although I'm training less with the team these days and more on my own simply due to competing interests. I've gotten out of bed early the last few mornings to get a good three miles in before starting the day. It's chilly out there! I donned my fleece hat this morning, and the gloves will follow soon if the weather keeps moving toward fall. I recently had the privilege of providing some marathon advice to a first-time marathoner (a non-TNTer). I can't take credit for it, as the tips were passed along to me by my coaches! However, since the Nike Women's Marathon is this weekend and many of my teammates are running the race, I thought I'd post what I shared: - Don't do anything new on marathon day. That includes wearing any new clothing or fuel belts you haven't tried out during training, as well as eating anything you're not used to consuming before or during a run. Sounds simple, but I've heard horror stories, including one from an experience marathoner (and one of my teammates) who ate raisins before his race to impress his health nut friend. All I can say is it was a bad, bad idea, and he paid the price. On that note, stay away from fiber entirely the 24 hours before the race!
- Think about your pre-run meal routine and bring anything you may need to replicate it with you.
- Don't go out too fast and be sure to fuel yourself properly along the way (water, electrolytes and carbs). A (half) marathon is no time to be stubborn.
- Don't even think about sitting or squatting down once you're past about 18 miles -- you may not get up again! (This is not as much of an issue for half-marathoners.)
- If you're flying to a destination race, don't check any of your running gear. Bring it on board with you and stow it at your feet or in an overhead compartment. It would be awful if the airline lost your checked bag and your running gear was inside!
- Above all, enjoy the race, take in the scenery, and be kind to other runners around you!
I'll be in San Francisco on Sunday to cheer for my friends and teammates. I've never been a spectator before, and I'm really looking forward to it! I'll post photos and write about the race once it's all said and done. Go Team!
I don't think I've ever cheered so loudly or so long for so many people before! And I'd never spectated at a major race, either. But I have now, and I loved it! I must say, however, that I am wiped out! Granted, my exhaustion is nothing like that of the participants who ran and walked, but it's very real. It's as much from cheering as it is from volunteering in the TNT finisher's tent after the race handing out sandwiches and cookies. But I'll get to that when I write more about the day.
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