I run. I run a classroom. I run my life! I can't promise any eloquent words of wisdom, but I can share what it's like to be a runner and a teacher, and everything in between.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011 Races in Review

My mother always has the family write down our "highlights" at the closing of each year.  (I guess she's been doing this since 1996.)  Anyway, yesterday when I sat down to add mine to the list, of course the first things that came to mind were all of my races.


I was shocked to see I ran seven races in 2011!


The best part is it's not hard to remember my stats and the particulars of each race because I have a journal where I record notes about each race, including pace, ranking, who I ran with, or any other memorable details.


So straight from that little journal, here are the specs on my races this year!  Definitely memorable, and eventful.  It's hard to say which one was the best.  It's definitely a toss up between running a half marathon for my 27th birthday or running in the pouring rain on the Golden Gate Bridge only to find a rainbow after reaching halfway across the bridge!


The stats:



  • My First 5k - January 2011 - Not my first 5k, just the title of the race.  This was my first race in the rain, though it was mostly sprinkling by the time the race began.  I remember sitting in the car debating if I should even run it in the rain, but of course I did! I hit a personal best for a 5k at 28:15 with a 9:06 pace.

  • Shamrockin' Half Marathon - March 2011 - Hosted at the home of the Sacramento River Cats at Raley Field, this was my second time running the Shamrock.  A good friend convinced me to run it last year after I swore I'd never run a half, and here was my 2nd half!  I went with my other friend Lyndsay and hit another personal best for a half marathon at 2:12.  I do remember my knee was killing me by mile 10, thanks to a poor choice in shoes...
  • 12K Across the Bay - March 2011- Just a week later, I ran this race with a coworker and good friend Leanna in San Francisco.  This was the weekend of the crazy storms and I remember debating with her the night before if we should even go.  The weather forecast was nothing but 100% chance of rain all morning.  Well, we did go, and we had an AWESOME time!  The coast was clear as we waited for the start, yet as soon as we started, pouring rain! Yep, we trekked through that rain all the way up to the Golden Gate Bridge, but halfway through the bridge we were greeted with a rainbow and a parting of the clouds. Ahhhh! From there, its was a great race.  And just as we got in the car to hunt down food, more rain! :) This was a leisurely run, as I had just run a half marathon the weekend before, so my time was 1:24.
  • Zoo Zoom - April 2011 - I had the pleasure of coaching some junior high students in track this spring, and as a team bonding event we did a 1 mile "kid race" with the Zoo Zoom.  I guess this doesn't really count as a "race" but it was a fun memory.
  • Buzz Oates No Excuses 5k - May 2011 - This marked the 3rd time I've done this race on Memorial Day.  This year I did it with two coworkers, Lisa and Colleen.  They walked and I ran it.  This marked another personal best to date for a 5k race at 28:04. As of today, that record still stands because I haven't run another 5k since.  Let's see what 2012 will hold for this record.
  • Urban Cow Half Marathon - October 2011 - This was a special one!  I ran a half marathon for my 27th birthday!  Let me tell you, it was a great motivator when it came to training.  "Hmmm I can skip this run, but then I'll run like crap on my birthday..."  Haha, let's just say I missed few workouts in preparation for this one.  And it did me good! I beat my personal record by four minutes and finished in 2:08!  Chris ran the 5k (his first) and he and my parents cheered for me at the finish line! 




  • California International Marathon: Relay Challenge - December 2011 - What an inspiring race!!! Though I only ran 5.7 miles of the race, it definitely inspired me to try something I have not yet tried before: a full marathon.  I ran this one with some 20/30 friends: Kellie, Amanda, and Frank.  Man we were fast!  Our team ranked 12th in the co-ed open teams, finishing in 3:35! Yowza!  It was a thrill to watch all the full marathoners and to run beside them!  I hope that's me next year, but hopefully it's as nice a day as this race!  It was chilly, but sunny and clear!  Let's pray it doesn't rain when I run my first 26.2!

Here's to lots and lots more PRs and races in 2012!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

DIY: Circle Scarf

Have I told you lately how in love I am with Winter Break?


I've been baking up a storm, running A LOT, spending time with family, and my latest endeavor has been some DIY projects.


First Up: DIY Circle Scarf







If you've not yet experienced the amazingness of Pinterest you need to do so IMMEDIATELY!  It's the greatest thing ever, filled with recipes, projects, teacher ideas, and more!


I found this easy project here.  You can also search "circle scarf" on Pinterest to see some other tutorials.  I liked the one I linked the best because it's a video.


The video is a perrrrrfect tutorial.  I'd list the directions here, but it honestly helps to just watch the video because there are a few steps that can be confusing if you don't watch what she is doing.


Be sure to pick a light but comfy fabric.  The fabric I chose this time was a little heavier than I would have liked, but it still looks pretty cute in my opinion.  Luckily I found another cute fabric to try that's a little lighter for my second try. :)


Now, if you're saying to yourself, "I don't have a sewing machine!"  have no fear! I am proud to say I hand sewed this entire scarf!  It probably took me a lot longer than it would with a sewing machine, but I'm pretty proud of my hard work!


Check out the final product:




Monday, December 26, 2011

30 things before I'm 30


Being a teacher certainly has its perks. One of which includes 2 glorious weeks on break for the holidays! :)

I've had some time to reflect as I spend some quality time with the fam bam and running up a storm.  I recalled that a friend of mine had made a list of things she wants to do before she turns 30.  Though getting older doesn't exactly freak me out just yet, (but I do still feel like I'm 19 years old!) I thought it'd be fun to make a list of my own.  

I tried to only put items on this list if I actually thought I could do them.  Of course there are other things I'd love to do in life, but 30 is a little bit close!



30 Things Before I’m 30
1.     Run a full marathon
2.     Run in a destination race (Races I have in mind are: a Rock and Roll series race, Bloomsday Race in Washington, etc.)
3.     Attend an NBA game in an arena other than Arco (Power Balance Pavilion)
4.     Bet on March Madness in Tahoe/Reno/Vegas
5.     Learn to make my Abuela’s 'Arroz Con Pollo' by myself
6.     Coach a youth soccer team
7.     Take a picture of our Old Fair Oaks brick and frame it
8.     Hike Half Dome
9.     Build and Grow a garden in my backyard
10. Go beach camping
11. Go to the Garlic Festival in Gilroy
12. Maintain my “Running My Life” blog
13. Sew something I can wear (without Abuela’s help, or too much of it J )
14. Ride in a limo for a special occasion
15. Take a picture with all of my cousins in one photo
16. Decorate my house/apartment for Halloween
17. Visit the NBA hall of fame
18. Host a dinner party
19. Spend a month committing random acts of kindness
20. Plan a girl’s weekend
21. Get married
22.  Go to Hawaii
23. Meet someone famous
24. Attend a boot camp or personal training session
25. Make an ice cream cake
26. Visit the corn maze in Woodland
27. Bake bread from scratch
28. Go on a road trip down Highway 101
29. Learn to play Craps
30. Volunteer to help with a race (host one, aid station, etc.)

We'll see how many of these actually come true!  Hopefully more than not!