We had our annual summer picnic at work today which included a little 5K race!

A couple of weeks ago I’d gone out to run Shoreline to map out a 3.1 mile course and came up with this course, which perfectly looped our picnic site:

Some photos I took from the mapping run:

* View from the course looking across the lake to the picnic area

* Mile 2

* Park entrance crossing

* Mile 3

This morning, a colleague and I got there a little early to mark the course and put up signs (meaning, I did the course twice today).

* Our cute little Start Line

While doing this, my leg (the one that’s been bothering me) hurt really badly. My co-runner was also dealing with a heel injury herself, so we loaded up Biofreeze for the race. I think it was an old tube and not nearly as potent as we needed it to be…

* I swear, we did not color coordinate our outfits…

Strangely enough, once we got started, my leg felt okay, so I ran! But since my workout today was supposed to be an easy run, I didn’t go all out. In fact, I kept telling co-runner, “I’m going too fast, I need to slow down…” So we did.

* Belting out some Jay-Z and doing Statue of Liberty poses?!

When we finally crossed the Finish Line, we each got a Finisher’s Medal!

* Love the bling!

* The Finishing Group

Scenes from the Finish Line:

After the race, I went to my chiro visit with Dr. Eva and told her all about my leg pain. She examined my calves, my running shoes and told me:

1. The Pearl Izumi shoes I just got are *MUCH* better for my feet than the Nike Vomeros I had been wearing.
2. I must’ve had a cramp in my left calf that I pushed through because the muscle is deeply knotted.
3. She thinks the same muscle might be tangled with a vein. She’s seen it before when increasing mileage and it usually works itself out.

She worked on my calves a lot; i.e., me wincing in pain, but it already feels so much. Bottom line is I have to keep stretching it and *strengthening* it, along with my hips and rest of my legs. That means more squats, lunges, and calf raises…guess I’ll be hitting the gym tomorrow to do some lifting…yay for me!

This is long overdue.

Since I’m running the Portland Marathon this October, I decided to drive the course when I visited the area last month. I printed out the map posted on their Web site and ventured out with my aunt. She drove while I stuck my Flip Camera out the window and recorded. Seriously.

We started out in the downtown area, in the vicinity of the Start line. But being a typical downtown area, it was busy and crowded with one-way streets, so we didn’t manuever through the streets, so consider this shot Miles 1-4:

The video goes like this:

* Start at Front Street in downtown Portland

* We kinda got lost and missed Miles 7-9, but found our way to St. Helen’s Road

* We drive along St. Helen’s Road for a while. This is the industrial area.

* Then we approach and cross over the St John’s Bridge, which is Mile 17 and the biggest hill:

* Coming off the bridge, we drove along Williamette Road for a long time. It goes through a lot of residential areas, passes Portland State University.

* As the course turns onto Greeley it gradually descents back towards the downtown area. Along the way is the Adidas US headquarters.

* When we get back to the Interstate the video ends. We got lost and my arm was tired of hanging out the window. But we continued the drive.

* We got to the Broadway Bridge, only to find it closed for construction. But it will be open by 10-10-10.

* Since the bridge was closed, we went home. But once you cross the Broadway Bridge, you’re back in the downtown area and you repeat 2 of the miles to get to the Finish.

Other than the industrial area, I think its a beautiful course. There should be one hill in the first 4 miles (sorry I missed it), and then the climb to the St. John’s Bridge. Other than that, its flat or down hill.

This probably wasn’t the most detailed course preview. Its kinda hard to follow a map and the flip camera in one hand, filming with an arm hanging out the window while I held a regular camera in my other hand, taking photos through the windshield. And I was even with a driver who knows the area! But we had fun doing it! Here’s hoping for a cool, overcast and dry race day — which by the way was 2 months away yesterday! 10-10-10!

I had such a great time on my vacation and I’m so sad that its over. While I usually take a summer and winter trip to see the Vancouver relatives, this time there was a specific purpose — to spend some time with my cousin Jenna.

Jenna graduated from WSU in the Spring with a Masters degree in Education and accepted a teaching position — in China. She’s moving in 2 weeks!

So during the past week we….

* Shopped …walked around the Pearl District….

* Ate (a lot) …paid a visit to VooDoo Doughnut…

…and ate endless amounts of sushi ($1/plate at Sushi Hana)…

* Watched baseball (no vacation is ever complete without baseball) …her younger brother had all-star games 6 of the 9 days that I was there. There really is nothing more exciting (and stressful) than watching Little League baseball.

* Did yard work…okay, so she worked while I watched…

* Worked out…we had never worked out together, it was so much fun! Although I’m sad that we never had our jump rope contest…

* Hiked…guess which route we took

* And played with Chip …have I said enough about this dog yet?

See…contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t take a lot to entertain us. Case in point, apparently last week was “Shark Week” on the Discovery Channel. Her boyfriend lives near their corporate offices in Maryland and sent this photo of their building.

We got such a kick out of it that he went back the next day to get a shot of the rest of the shark so we could get the ‘full effect.”

I know, we’re so random…

This was the perfect vacation for me. A laid back week of quality time spent with people I love. Did I say that I’m so sad its over? It went by way too fast. I am so going to miss this girl. I was worried about her going to live in China; then I found out that there’s a Wal-Mart in the city where she’ll be, and for some reason, that makes me feel so much better.

Jenna will be blogging about her life in China, so if you have any interest, you can check out her blog here. She just set it up so its a work in progress, but I’m looking forward to reading about her experiences.

Bon voyage Jenn! (and don’t forget to send me a magnet)

While waking up at 6:30 am is sleeping in for me, its not for everyone else. Chip and I were the only ones up (actually its 10:30 am and we’re still the only ones up….) so I decided to take him out for a walk.

The mere mention of the work “walk” gets him all riled up….

He goes nuts and starts wimpering like a baby.

Once outside, he becomes out of control. He pulls and pulls until he either chokes himself, or yanks my arm out of its socket…which ever comes first, I guess.

See what a spazz he is? He zig zags…doesn’t walk in a straight line.

This is why you can’t really run with him (at least I can’t).

Typical:

And on the way home, he met up with his neighbor. They “talk” to each other through the fence a lot.

After the walk, we hung out in the backyard for a bit…

And now he’s zonked out, leaving me to be the only one awake in this house…maybe I need to go back to bed too…

First let me start by saying Happy Thursday! Only 2 more days to the weekend!

If you’ve read my blog from 2 Springs ago, you will know that I am a huge fan, HUGE fan of Sex and the City. When the SATC movie came out in May 2008, I was in heaven! My cousin and I bought tickets for the opening night weeks in advance and I think I saw that movie in the theatre about 6 times over a 2 week period.

Well, my Google Reader is filled with approximately 195 subscriptions and one of the blogs I subscribe to is Chic Alert. They have been posting updates of the Sex and the City sequel that is due out this Spring. Today they announced that the new trainer was just released! I cannot wait – let the countdown begin!

Now back to what I really wanted to write about today:

What is it about January that feels so “blah?” As much as I’ve been excited about the New Year, it’s also been kind of a downer. I’ve even had a meltdown or two, though I can’t really say why . Too much stress? Too much reflection on the new year? Lack of Vitamin D from no sun? Probably all of the above. But I also attribute it to not enough sleep. I once read an article that said sleep is just as important as diet and exercise.

Last week I averaged about 5 hours of sleep – not good when I need a minimum of 7 hours every night. I thought I could catch up on sleep last weekend but that didn’t happen. It was such a bummer to have had 3 whole days to sleep in but wasn’t able to on any of them. When it came time to start this work week, I knew I had to get more sleep or else I’d be a cranky mess. So this week I’ve been forcing myself to go to bed between 8:30-9 pm, getting 8-8.5 hours of sleep. Its been glorious and has made a world of difference. But that’s also why I haven’t written much this week. I’ve sacrificed writing for sleep…and it was well worth it.

Now that I’ve been getting enough sleep, this week feels feel brighter, lighter and happier. And so far, this young Thursday has been the best day of all!

This morning I woke up and checked my work email to find that the power is out in the building and the office is closed to employees. Yay! – hopefully it will stay that way all day so I can work from home and not have to battle another rainy commute. Then, I went to the gym for a morning swim workout and the pool was empty — I had it all to myself! I’m still such a beginner in the pool that I get nervous when other people are there. Being by myself allowed me to be relaxed and not get distracted by other people. It was by far the most enjoyable swim workout I’ve had in a long time.

Workouts
Since I haven’t written much this week, here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve been up to:

Monday: Yoga
Tuesday: Weight Training
Wednesday: Strength & Conditioning, Core Training in the AM, and a 3-mile run on the treadmill in the PM
Thursday: 60 min pool workout

You can read the details of the workouts on my Daily Mile log.

This Week’s Menu
I also cooked another big meal on Monday that I’ve been eating all week. Its a Chicken Tortilla Casserole that I got from my friend Wendy. I’ve made it many times before, but it’d a while since I last made it. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

* 2 cups shredded chicken breast (I buy an already cooked roast chicken and debone it)
* 1 tsp chile powder
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped green onions
* 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup low-fat shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
* 2 7oz cans of green tomatillo jalapeno salsa
* 3/4 cup 1% milk (I use soy milk)
* 12 white corn tortillas
* Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Spray 11X7″ glass baking dish with cooking spray
2. In medium bowl combine chicken, chile powder, salt, pepper, green onions parmesan cheese & 1/4 cup of the monterey jack cheese
3. In separate bowl combine green tomatillo jalapeno salsa and milk
4. In a nonstick skillet, on medium high heat, warm the 12 tortillas (about 10 seconds on each side)
5. Pour 1/3 of green salsa mixture in bottom of baking dish
6. Layer 4 tortillas over salsa mixture. Top with 1/2 of the chicken mixture. Layer 4 more tortillas followed by second 1/2 of chicken mixture. Top with last 4 tortillas.
7. Top with remaining 2/3 of green salsa mixture.
8. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of monterey jack cheese over the top.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes

* 347 calories each

The recipe says it makes 4 servings but I’ve been eating it for lunch and dinner since Monday. My friends think I’m nuts for doing this, but I don’t mind. Its very yummy and so easy to make! (but next week I will be mixing the menu up more…) And I must admit…I did put a little more than 1/4 c of cheese on the top.

I’m looking forward to the rest of today, especially going to the Stanford vs OSU basketball game tonight. I’m not really a college basketball fan, but its always fun to go to games and I’m looking forward to catching up with friends I haven’t seen in a while.

Let me close by leaving you with this one quote that’s inspired me over the past 2 weeks:

“You live longer once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted.”

Have a great Thursday!

Its no secret that 2 of my most favorite things are baseball and running…

So last week, when I sat down to plan my Spring vacation, I found myself in a bit of dilemma between choosing to travel to New Orleans on Feb 28th for the Mardi Gras Rock n Roll Half Marathon or to Scottsdale, AZ for my annual San Francisco Giants Spring Training trip. I should have considered this before I registered for New Orleans, but I registered for it on a whim, not really thinking or planning it through. I’ve been going to Spring Training annually since 1994 and its not something that I’m willing to skip – for anything. Period. I would love to do both, but I neither have the funds or the PTO. What to do, what to do…

Well for a while I did nothing, trying to avoid having to make a decision. Then a few days later, while on Active.com researching races for my 2010 schedule, I came across a half-marathon in Scottsdale during Spring Training! Cha-ching – problem solved! Why not go to Scottsdale for Spring Training AND running!

Today I officially registered for the Race for Ryan House Half-Marathon, scheduled on Saturday March 6th, in some golf course community in Scottsdale. It sounds like a fairly small event and that’s pretty much all that I was able to find out about it. But I’m okay with that because:

1. Its on a Saturday.
2. The entry fee was only $43 but will still have chip timing.
3. Ryan House sounds like a great cause to run for. Its a lot like the Ronald McDonald House, where I volunteer at.
4. After the race I can head over to Scottsdale Stadium and watch the G’s take on the D’backs.
5. Post-race dinner will be a full slab of baby back ribs at Don’s and Charlie’s.

While I would love to visit New Orleans, it’ll have to wait for another time, but I will get there someday…and to be honest, I could use the extra week of training. This will be my next “big” race, the first one of a few planned for 2010. More to come on the rest of my 2010 schedule shortly…

I love it when a plan comes together!

PS I finally downloaded the video of me crossing the finish line at the Las Vegas RnR 1/2 Marathon. Can you find me?

1. I learned that I should not wear my Anti-Up shirt in Vegas…no wonder I got so many strange comments…

2. I learned that there’s Filipino fast food in Vegas. I can’t wait to bring my cousins here!

3. I learned that I have a serious addiction to crepes…had one at least every day in Vegas…savory and sweet.

4. I learned that in Vegas, bottled water from a street vendor is $.75; bottled water at the airport is $2.39; and bottled water in a club is $6…and the cost of 1 pack of Orbitz gum is $2.89….who said Vegas was cheap?

5. I learned that Vegas cab drivers must be transplants from New York…they are constantly honking their horns at other vehicles. And the driver who took me the airport yesterday dropped me off three airlines away from the one I was taking. When I asked him why he did that, he looked at me and said, “just walk the rest of the way…” then held out his hand for a tip.

6. I learned that playing slots in Vegas is all just a tease.

7. I learned that you don’t need to go to Italy to see David…

8. I learned that I loved going for a run down the strip. Its a good thing too because the Vegas Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon is now only FIVE weeks away!

9. I leaned that everyone needs a little Amy in their life.

Scene 1: While running down the strip, someone yells at us, “Why do you come to Vegas to run?”
Amy: “So we do turn into a fat ass like you!”

Scene 2: Walking thru Caesars Palace and we see random guys wearing Ketchup, Mustard and Hot dog costumes
Amy: “So you guys know that if you keep wearing those costumes, you have zero chance of getting laid right?”
Random Guys look at each other, mumbling, a little stunned she said that to them.
Amy (to me and De): “See, no comeback, they know I’m right.”

10. I learned that the Mandara Spa in Planet Hollywood is one of the best I’ve been too in a long time. I think I might have lost consciousness during my treatments.

11. I learned that the best way to see the Strip is by scooter…just like these guys.

12. I learned that there must be lot of guys (and girls) in Vegas who have Turrets or something…all they do is slap their fingers on these fliers of naked girls and then try to get you take one.

13. I learned that the best costumes are ones where you aren’t really sure if they are a costume or the real thing…case in point (but no photo of): a guy with hair like the Ultimate Warrior, wearing dangling earrings, a women’s blouse, jeans and heels, carrying a beer bottle. We thought it was a costume, but he was walking alone, stumbling along…was it really a costume? Here’s us in ours…

14. I learned that when you can’t make it as a reality show star, you end up hosting parties at Vegas clubs. Case in point — Corey Haim.

15. I learned that I get excited to see Jerry Springer in person. After all, he is a DWTS alum!

16. I learned that in Vegas, its OK for people to drink beer at 10 am because with the time change, it was really 11 am.

17. I learned that the Bellagio is by far, my most favorite hotel in Las Vegas. Its clean, classy and beautiful.

18. I learned that one of the most beautiful places in Vegas is the Conservatory in the Bellagio. I can’t wait to see is decorated for Christmas!

19. I learned that patisseries make me happy. And although, not as good as the ones in Paris, the patisserie in the Bellagio is pretty darn close…

20. Speaking of Paris, I learned that I can visit the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas and it will emote my memories of the real one.

21. And most of all, I learned that its so much fun to go to Vegas with old and new friends!

So Con te partiro Vegas, I’ll be back in 5 weeks to run the Strip!

Tomorrow begins a much anticipated Giants vs Dodgers series in San Francisco. I always love these series, for obvious reasons, but this year, it actually has significance in the standings. It already August and the Giants are only 4 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the division standings! Needless to say, this series is HUGE!

Its also the first meeting since Casey Blake mocked Brian Wilson. I am intrigued to see how that storyline will playout, if at all.

I fully intended to write this post on my favorite moments of the rivalry (so far), complete with images and videos, but I started watching Mad Men, Season 1 and it took over my entire day. (I am now hooked on this show and only have seven days to watch Seasons 1 and 2 before Season 3 starts next Sunday.)

So this is as far as I got:

The Shot Heard Around the World (this never gets old)

Other Memorable Moments:

* Brian Johnson’s Walk-off Home run (1997)
* JT Snow’s Hidden Ball Trick (1999)
* Barry hitting #71 off of Chan Ho Park (2001)
* Barry hitting a home run off of Eric Gagne’s 100 mph pitch (2004)

Let’s hope there are more Giants-favorable moments made over the next 3 days!

Go Giants!

Feel free to share your favorite Giants over Dodgers moment!

(I found this Web site detailing the rivalry.)

its been almost a year and half since i visited paris – i miss it so much. these are video clips of some of the street performers i encountered while strolling the streets of paris.

(i tried to upload using the blogger tool but i guess the files were too large so now i’m experimenting with embedding video from youtube.)

this was on isle de cite:

this was on the side streets behind notre dame: