Going To Nike Women's San Fransisco Marathon 2013

Yippee! I got my email on Friday confirming I have been picked to run the Nike Women's San Fransisco Marathon in October 2013!  https://www.facebook.com/RunNikeWomenSeries My running friend, Ann, also made the lottery. There's a lot of confusion about some entries. This site may help: https://register.racepartner.com/nwmsf/validateentry  Thank you NIKE!
In May, before entry into the race, the logistics started by finding where the starting line was located and how to get back after completion of the marathon. Oh yes shuttle buses are provided. In my experience, shuttles are only effective IF you can find them. I'll make sure I bring credit card or cab fare.  Reading comments on Facebook, the women who ran this race in past years to book your hotel ahead of time because the lower priced hotel rooms run out fast. There are more affordable hotel further away, but being near the start line is a must for me. The race starts at 0630. Nike also opened up a training application: https://werunsf.nikeapp.com/ . It begins on July 8th, running 5 days a week, one cross training day, and one rest day. Wow! Let the training begin!
To kick start my training, I'll be running the 39th Annual Coronado Independence Day 15k. That's the way it is when training for winter marathons. It means training during the summer!

Stride Box June 2013

I had forgotten about getting the Stride Box at the beginning of the month. It's not that it didn't make an impression but more that I was over thinking MENOPAUSE. There, I said menopause, like wizards dare say Voldemort's name! Oh well happy the box arrived. The box came and it contained mostly energy and electrolytes replenishing. It's good to have running friends to share these products. I do like the pocket fuel. It's marathon training again and it's always a struggle to find enough fuel intake during a marathon.

Rock and Roll San Diego Half Marathon 2013

Say SUPER LARGE!!!  6,539 marathoners and 18,072  half marathoner! Holy crap was HUGE! I thought there were a lot of people in the Carlsbad Marathon/Half, but it's nothing compared to this race. Everything was BIG. The expo was hosted in the San Diego Convention Center. The bib was like loose leaf notebook paper and the gear bag is my new overnight bag! Lots of runners opted to fold the bib in half to wear on their shorts.
I was meeting up with two friend to ride the shuttle to Balboa park where the half marathon started. The parking fee was $10 and the shuttle was free. The morning of the race, I was in a fog and got to our meet up location LATE! Crazy. I lost track of time.  We made it on time to catch one of the few charter buses. Yes, that's right. I said CHARTER bus. It was warm and comfortable. Such luxury!

Waiting in line at the porta-potty there's so many outfits!  I met a girl from Colorado, running her first marathon on her 6th wedding anniversary! Hope she had an awesome experience. Hoped you rocked it!

Since it was R&R my running pal Ann and I ran in tutus with ribbons in our hair!  We were in the 10th corral out of 26 corrals!
 R&R started on time for the marathoners. They made no acceptations to those who were tardy.  The marathon mats were removed at 0635, then started half marathon started 10 minutes late.
Once the race started, it took awhile for the corrals to move up. By the time corral 10 approached the staring line, the announcers were muttering off advertisements instead of getting runners pumped up.
There were police on roof tops and soon, as Simon says, RUN!
Ummmmmm, now I know exactly what it's like to run with cats!
Runners are cutting me off, stopping without notice, and bumping me as they squished through other runners. My pace was relaxed at a 10:49 for the miles 1 through 9. I found the bob-&-weave very effective.
The R&R boost a new half marathon course. It was easy breezy.  There were no real challenges,mostly downhill, and through residential areas.
Thanks to the volunteers who tried to keep the water stations going.  I had to wait for water to be poured from a pitcher of water into a Dixie cup! Tra la la la laaaaa! Teach my ass to run faster so I can be there when the cups are full!
 I waved Ann on as for the second time in all my races, because I had to pee! What the heck! So annoying and I wasted 6 minutes in line. *shrugs* I figured out later it's because I had been taking in too much potassium and my bladder was irritated. *yeah gross*
I shot out of the porta-potty like my pants were on fire trying to catch up with my friend. For the next 3 miles my pace was 9:40 to 10:10. I didn't see Ann again until after the race. I was a minute behind her. Eventually the road was split in half offering one side for the full marathoners. It put the half marathoners on top of each others. Dang it! There was no room to run! My pace dropped to 11:00. There's no way I was going to be a problem for other racers causing someone to fall. Some half marathoners didn't have the same courtesy. Runners bumped and pushed their way through. Others choose to run on the side walks, taking their chances with the pedestrians. Hope those nutty runners didn't knock over any baby strollers.  What's a girl to do? Apply cherry Chapstick, hitch my tutu back into place and enjoy the ride :)~
Overall: 10814 out of 18072
Division: 391 out of 931
Gender: 5579 out of 11042
Pace: 11:06
Chip: 2:25:27
My Garmin Forerunner 10 said the miles were 13.26 with a pace of 10:58. Next year, I hope to return and run the full marathon!