Hollywood HILLS & Yerba Mate thrills


 So it's been almost 2 weeks since the ultra, and I am definitely experiencing some post race desertion- I need more trails! I want another ultra! I YEARN to train, so what do I do? I drag my friends to my magical trail spots at 7am on a Sunday morning to share the gift of beauty, and I experiment in the process!

 While in training I am reaching for my tried and true body pleaser! I guzzled down a drink that I've loved for some time now, Guayaki Yerba Mate, I've always been a fan of cold drinks- water being my fav. electrolyte drinks not so much... But Yerba Mate gives me a kick before and continues the buzz post run, it's not the shaky coffee type of energy its more of a fluid sustainable energy flow- that mixed with a runners high on the trails and rolling elevation makes for one happy Rad Runner!

 The flavors are tasty and easy on the tummy, I definitely will have a couple cold ones in my drop bags for ultras during the summer! The minimal and natural ingredients make my mind and insides happy. I drink Guayaki Yerba Mate instead of coffee when I am in search of some pre-energy help!

I met up with my friend Melia, the same chick who I talked in to running her first marathon a couple years ago! She has been away from running while she obtained her yoga teaching certification, but lately she's been yearning for the tried and true runners high.. She mentioned that she hadn't ran for at least 2 months, so I figured her I throw a major challenge at her with the hills, but I'd reward her with 10 miles of pure beauty...


After our 10 mile run, she remembered just how amazing running was, and promised not to leave it in the back seat of life again, it's just to good.. 


Cheers! To happy, healthy race running, trail loveing, elevation gaining peeps!
xo-Rad Runner




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5.09.2013 Posted in | , , , , , , | 1 Comments »

Leona Divde 50k Recap BAM!


It happened guys! Ultra #2 a breath robbing, body working, heart loving experience...

It started with a 1:15am wake up call.. 
A ride to the start with my amazing family and off I went to the start line *please note I did get nauseous on the twisty road up, nothing a little Dramamine couldn't conquer!

So here I am, at the start line..



The race director and all volunteers were very clear on the rules of the trail, and how to get around people, how to stay hydrated and how to have the most successful race possible- this was definitely appreciated by the trail racer newbies (ME)

The race started right on time at 6am sharp with 550ish runners (a mix of 50k and 50 milers) We all started happily gaining elevation quickly.. All while watching the sun rise...


The first 5 miles or so were all on fire roads,  after the nice wide open fire roads, we hit the real deal, no more child's play, it was single track grounds from here *Note, I have never trained on single roads this tight, and this fast so it was quit the experience, while I ran I kinda felt like I was on a roller coaster, my pace went from 13 minute miles to 9:30 miles...

Then I saw this:


I even ended up pacing some dudes on the single track ;) People were very courteous when it came to passing, one another on the single track, everyone was very friendly to, encouragement was the name of the game on the trails and I loved it! I'd say it was consistently the most continuous stream of positivity from one runner to the next for the entire race, runners would use there very last breath to say "great job" to a passing runner..

Later along the path I saw this fairy haven:


I saw a butterfly (in which I talked to *literally) and it flew down this shaded beauty path, as did I...


 At mile 15 and 24 I saw this guy, Matthew, the head of the cheer station and a good friend, he has NO idea what he did for me out there, (he brought me beer) and high fives and encouragement and fun and I held onto it for as long as I could.. Every aid station (I believe there were 5 for me) were amazing.. they really look at EVERY SINGLE RUNNER to make sure you are well equipped with the essentials not to mention they were the yummiest stations EVER! (candy, pbj's, potato's, potato chips, ginger ale, electrolyte water, salt tabs, fruit and so much more!)

Me, mile 16, I was milking it before my 2,000+ incline climb ahead for miles 16-20



 Miles 16-20 were hard, the mass majority was walked, by me and everyone else in the race, it was tough, but little did I know I was actually saving my legs for the remainder of the race.

Every back breaking hill comes with a view:


 Miles 20-25 were mostly down hill, but temperatures were at a scorching abnormal high of 88 degrees+, I stayed well hydrated with water, and fruit and salt tabs, when I saw Matthew the second time around he had me dump a bottle of water on my head, as I stuffed ice down my top... 

Miles 26-31... It was hot, I was tired, I needed to stay positive, it was mind over body now- I was sacrificing a good amount of my hand held water on my head, and pushing words of encouragement to my fellow runners, which in turn actually lead me closer to a state of enlightenment..

3.5 miles left, I almost started to cry I was so happy, I thanked my body and then realized I didn't have enough liquid in me to actually shed a tear...

With the last 2 miles as flat and downhill the end of the race was planned well, first I heard a cow bell *someone stands near the end of the finish to alert the spectators that someone is coming and then people around the corner start to cheer.

Then I saw my little sister-then my eyes got teary.. Then people cheered, I ran through the finish, I saw my parents and I ran straight up to the race director Keira Henninger to tell her that she was the mama of all ultras,

   

 and I thanked her for the experience...-then I cried and then I hugged my mommy and then my dad, and then I washed dusty self with a hose-the end....


 Then I woke up this morning, ready to find my next trail run and ultra!

Thank you body, thank you mind, thank you self, thank you lord and thank you family and friends for the journey.

Until the next! 
Run on!
-xo Rad Runner


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4.29.2013 Posted in | , , , , | 1 Comments »

Boston marathon 2013

Monday March 15 th 2013, a day that will deffinetly make its mark.. Today the Boston marathon took place for the umpteenth year... New runners old runners and hopeful runners gathered to conquer their dreams and then tragedy hit-

I sit here in sunny Southern California in complete disbelief that this a t is even fathomable, then I move on to anger, then sadness, then sickness and the. I realize:

Good out number bad- runners are strong- community is stronger and together we will conquer the unexpected. I've never been to Boston. I've never qualified, but I've never felt closer then I do today.

We are beings of positive power actions and intention and we will come together. There's no such thing as a stranger amongst us.

-xo Rad Runner

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4.15.2013 Posted in | | 1 Comments »

Goal crushing- a glimpse...


A video of the goal crushing night

#lifebeyondluon


PS. I am totally in full fledged trail running training mode!

23 days until Leona Divide Ultra, and I am excited!

 xo -Rad Runner

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4.03.2013 Posted in | | 0 Comments »

An Open Mouth & LA Marathon 2013

Marathon #11, done and done... And what a great run it was! It was so great, my mouth was open in Awww the entire freaking weekend (or at least that's what the pictures state..)

The LA Marathon picked up a last minute sponser this year Asics, and what a rad choice that turned out to be! The organization was superb.. 

The Expo:
They moved the expo back to the LA Convention center WIN, and there were plenty of free goodies, amazing art work( the art work hasn't been this cool since Shag and Shepard Fairey , 


and good looking merch that I'd actually wear:


I walked away like a sucker with the coolest shirt that reads "L.A. Is For Runners"and I LOVE IT. 
We were in and out of the expo in good time, and arrived early, it was totally organized! 
Thanks L.A. Marathon for not holding it at Dodgers Stadium, I'm sure your volunteers appreciated the air conditioning/heater and lack of hypothermia as well.


Moving on,

 RACE DAY MORNING:
March 17th, 2013 in L.A. was the perfect running weather ever, thank you weather fairy's for providing us with the B.W.E! (Best Weather Ever)
We layered up for our 5:30am shuttle ride from Santa Monica to the Stadium, but tossed the layers before we even started running.. It was actually a little sunny, but then the nice clouds moved in around mile 5 or so and they followed us the entire run!


The 23,000 + Runners were Green with excitement, and the energy was electric, the start time was close to perfect for accuracy too!


Another thing I noticed was L.A. Marathon's commitment to the Runner's bib corrals, they were super duper strict, but it clearly broke up the crowd- WIN.


The RACE:

The run was amazing, I love L.A. Marathon, I always do, rainy, windy, perfect weather, it holds a total soft spot in my heart (what a softy hu?)
I was bummed that I didn't run it with my lil sis, but she has college track on the mind and she is one committed little peanut. 
But I was OH SO VERY LUCKY, to run with one of my great friends Rebecca, who ran her very first marathon.. How awesome is that? I got to taste every ounce of fear, excitement, doubt, confusion, exhaustion, and down right happiness and fulfilment that we as runners feel all while running our very first marathon, getting to be there was such a treat and made the run as fun as a trip to Disneyland :)



I saw some familiar faces on the course too!

I ran in to Uncle Fester 


I ALMOST ran into a wall of men pissing on the side of a wall...


I ran in to Jesus ( thank goodness I was feeling good the whole time, otherwise I would have thought I was dying)


And then I ran into this hunk!

And countless friends on the way, Marathon Maniacs, Co-workers, and Amazing Runners alike. 
This was the race to be in, the race to skip, to run, to high five and to take in community!

Seeing my Mr. at mile 12 with waters and pre cut grapefruit on hand, my co-workers plus some 200 strangers at mile 15 representing (and putting on a HUGE cheer station that I dreamed about a year ago during the LA Marathon) *Insert big goal accomplished*
 

& then Rebecca's awesome family at mile 19 made the run FLY by!

I mean, do we actually look like we are running a marathon?

A definite marathon for the books! 
*L.A. Marathon keep it up! 
*Rebecca keep reaching past the point of no return, the untouched territory and know the sky is the limit.
*Friends, family, and strangers, thank you for being out there for 26 point freaking 2 miles, providing water, high fives, music and laughs.
*Rad Runner will undoubtedly be back next year!


What's next? 
Leona Divide 50k, and a pink handkerchief to cover that open mouth of mine to avoid swallowing any bugs.

XO-Rad Runner

























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3.27.2013 Posted in | , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comments »

Conquer Those Fears (Goal Crushing 101)



So I'm still alive folks! I SURVIVED! 

Yesterday, I conquered a HUGE fear of mine...

I spoke to 300+ people, on a stage.

And wouldn't you know, I talked about RUNNING :) I shared my journey as a "I am the furthest thing from a runner" to "my name is Rad RUNNER and my life's mission is to inspire and perspire on a daily basis..."

I spoke for 7 minutes on a stage, to friends, family and hundreds of strangers, I shared my ups, my downs and I presented them with a challenge-


TO OPEN THE DOOR TO POSSIBILITY, 
whether its running, or yoga, or a new job, or a new style- just keep that door open and you will be surprised with the amazing opportunities that will come your way... 

I was a NERVOUS WRECK- 
W.R.E.C.K, the entire day, all the way up to the point of me walking down the aisle to face the stairs to climb the stage- but once they handed me the microphone- all I wanted to do was talk, to act as a messenger of possibility and a motivator of truth. 

*My favorite part of the speech? When I threw my flashcards with my speech notes on the ground- I held them as a total security blanket, but once I realized that I was already on stage, exactly where I set myself up to be, to share happiness I threw them on the floor and then the crowed threw me a huge applause.

Thanks lululemon athletica for picking me, to share my journey, my vision and my goals.. #beyondluon #beyondluonla #elreytheater #goalcrusher

 And thank you family and friends who shared this amazing journey I could not have done this without you..

So whats next on the list?

LA Marathon-and coaching a friend through her very first marathon this Sunday-I love my life- 


xO-Rad Runner

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3.13.2013 Posted in | , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Conquering Goals one day at a time...


So.. I entered a contest...

The contest had hopeful participants submit a 2 minute video answering questions about who you are, why you are, and what goal you reached for, conquered and are now living...

I entered because I thought it was a good way to get over my fear of public speaking-only 7 people were going to get picked, I figured taking the chance to just enter was scary enough- 

UNTIL

I found out I was selected?!?! 
This my friends was far scarier then the submission process.

So next Tuesday March 12th at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, I will be speaking in front of 300 people, for 7 minutes, about what goal I have achieved... (yep it definitely involves running) 

If your in the area, join in on the night of inspiration-it's free and easy to rsvp just check the flyer below. 

Wish me luck! I will let you know how it goes! (GULP)


xo- Rad Runner

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3.06.2013 Posted in | | 0 Comments »