LA Was LIT (LA Marathon Expo, Olympic Trials & #WRS Meet-Up)

Just in case you don't follow me on social media (shame on you... KIDDING!) or have been living under a rock the past couple days, you may not know that Los Angeles has been ON FIRE lately... And I am NOT just talking about the unseasonably HOT temperatures (although that does have a little to do with it ;) ).

Anywho, this past Saturday LA hosted the Marathon Olympic Trials, closed down the city for 25,000+ runners to take over the streets for the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday and yesterday was the Grammys... YUP, like I said, the city was POPPIN'! And before I get into my race day recap, I thought I'd do a quick post on what went down on Saturday!

Saturday morning I made my way up to Los Angeles. The expo for the LA Marathon opened at 8am, so I figured I'd shoot to be there around opening time. With road closures due to the Trials and LA traffic to begin with, I left the house around 6am. Thankfully traffic was a breeze and I got to the LA Convention Center with plenty of time to spare.

While waiting for the expo to open, Linzie found me in line and we had a grand ol' time. Before they officially opened the doors some more friends showed up and since we didn't want to be cheaters I moved to the back of the line with them. 

Source: Marlon's Facebook 

Andrea, Linzie and I meandered around the expo a bit, checking out the snacks, gear and overall excitement. We stopped by one of the booths and had some fun with the photo booth (isn't is crazy how Linzie is like 2 feet taller than Andrea and I?! Apparently we should have worn our heels...).

We decided to hit up the potties before heading out to the streets to claim some pavement to spectate the Olympic Trials. Who did we see on the way to the bathrooms?! None other than Mr. Dave Mari! He's such a sweetheart, even if I can't get his signature face down in any of our pictures together ;)

Source: Dave's Facebook

And out to the street we go. We didn't really study the course map or venture too far, but found a pretty awesome spot right across from the Convention Center... AND IT WAS IN THE SHADE! I mean, if we were gonna be on our feet all day the day before running a marathon, I'd MUCH PREFER it being in the shade than in the direct (and blazing hot) sun.

Source: Marlon's Facebook

We posted up in front of the Hooters (which had been closed due to rats... YUM!) and had a blast. We were stoked to not only be able to witness the event (and TALENT... I MEAN, HOLY CRAPOLY, IT WAS AMAZING), but to share it with our friends, family and followers via social media. Thank goodness we brought spare chargers because with the amount of time we spent on our phones we depleted any battery power we started the morning with.

Can I just tell you how absolutely awesome it was to be at the Trials? To see the sheer dedication, talent and grit these athletes showcased Saturday morning was awe-inspiring. They made it look so effortless (and at sub five minute miles in the 80 degree heat that is saying something!). We literally stood with our mouths hung open for a while observing the athleticism in front of us. I know it was HOT out there, but it was SO COOL to be able to be in attendance (literally we were getting chills throughout the morning).

Literally how close we were to the action... Left: Amy Cragg & Shalane Flanagan with a comfortable lead around mile 20 /
Middle: Kara Goucher holding down fourth place / Right: Meb Keflezighi with 800 meters to go in second place

Don't get me wrong, professional athletes are AWESOMESAUCE, but what I thought was even more amazing were the "normal people" who were out on the course, grinding away! There was an article in the most recent Runner's World that showcased some of the non-professional runners who were going to be competing in the Trials... Stay-at-home moms, teachers, engineers, etc... People who aren't getting paid to run, but run incredibly fast nonetheless! Not only that, but the ages of those vying for a spot on the US Olympic Team weren't as crazy young as I was expecting... I mean a lot of them were in their late twenties and thirties... MAYBE I HAVEN'T MISSED MY PRIME! Shoot, joking aside, I know I'm not going to be running sub 2:35 marathons any time soon (which I believe was the female time qualifier), but it's great to know that not starting my running "career" until I was 28 years old doesn't necessarily mean I will always be a pokey-pete.

As soon as we saw Kara Goucher come through for fourth place in the women's race, Linzie and I had to boot, scoot, and boogie across the street back to the Convention Center for our #WeRunSocial Meet-Up.

Your hosts for the afternoon!

I have to be honest, I wasn't sure how many people were going to show up for the event. The Trials were technically still going on (although the Olympic team had already been decided) and it was hot. I was worried that people would want to be off their feet and in the comfort of their own homes (or hotels), but was pleasantly surprised with our turn out!

We had more folks show up throughout the afternoon too (but grabbed this picture before folks started leaving). It was great to chat with everyone, take all the selfies and snack on Girl Scout cookies (okay, I didn't have any since I gave up sweets on January 31st until after my two marathons, but others seemed to enjoy them immensely!). A HUGE thanks to everyone who came out and made the meet-up a success! This community is ever growing because of YOU!

Since I was taking a billion and a half "burst" photos at the Trials, my phone
decided it was FULL so these are pictures I grabbed from everyone else.

Let's just say the #WeRunSocial knows how to #KeepItTight

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Some of the LA Marathon Ambassadors!

We hung out for about an hour or so, but then it was time to call it a day and head to my hotel. (I was staying in Culver City because the hotel prices were about $300 cheaper per night than Santa Monica and only about a 15-20 minute drive away from the shuttles.)  But like I said, L.A. WAS ON FAYAH <<singing it like Alicia Keys sings "This girl is on fire">> and it was an honor and privilege to take part in some of the days events.

Did you watch the Trials on TV? (I heard the coverage, especially for the women, was less than stellar, but hopefully you could still feel the excitement and intensity streaming through!)

February Is For Lovers

Is it just me or does anyone else hate the word "lovers"? I guess whenever I hear it I picture that creepy SNL skit with Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch in the hot tub saying "love-ahs" non-stop! Anyone else? Just me? Bueller.... Bueller?

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Anywho, on to the main event...

A few weeks ago Ryan and I were interviewed for a Garmin blog post. They didn't end up posting the full interview, but you can see us featured on the post here. We had a blast answering the questions so figured I'd share the whole exchange. And I thought today was the PERFECT day! I mean, tomorrow marks 8 years since we got engaged and 7.5 years since our wedding day. So, without further ado, a little Q&A with the McDots!

- How long have you known each other and how long have you been married?

Carlee: Ryan and I started dating in September of 2003 and got married in August of 2008. I told some of my girlfriends the summer before we started dating that I could see myself marrying him… Guess he took a little longer to convince ;)

Before we started dating... "Sneakily" holding hands... 

Ryan: We’ve known each other for over 13 years and [looks at the wedding date tattooed on his finger] have been married for about 7 and a half years.

- Do you run/workout/go on adventures together? If so, how often?

C: The hubby and I love going on adventures together. Although running is definitely my fave, the hubby humors me and has started to try to catch the running bug. Surfing is the hubby’s favorite form of working out, so I will go once a year for his birthday (not being able to see my feet and being in the cold, shark-infested water is NOT my jam but whatever is necessary in the name of love, right?!). We try to get active together at least once a week. #SundayRunday is my favorite!

R: Most of the time I surf during the week but I always find time to run with my gal on the weekends. Sometimes, if I can wake up early enough, I even run with her before going to work (and she really appreciates that - #HappyWifeHappyLife!). We also have been hiking as of late and love taking the doggy with us on our adventures.

- How do you support/motivate each other with your fitness goals/training?

C: Ryan is my biggest cheerleader. Even though he doesn’t know a ton about the running world, he believes that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to (and with him by my side I CAN!). He is constantly encouraging me to chase whatever goals my mind can dream up (whether that is participating in 4-day race challenges or attempting to qualify for the Boston Marathon).

The hubby's creative art skills come in handy when it comes to sign making!

R: I try to be supportive of all of Carlee’s running by either racing with her or trying to be her super fan. Although I’ve gotta say it’s hard to encourage her when she is way faster than me. I love that Carlee is always motivating me to keep going, whether it be in running or other activities I’m doing. She’s great at helping me make plans and put my goals into action.

- What are things you admire about the other person in regards to fitness/working out and/or other aspects?

C: Even though running isn’t Ryan’s preferred form of fitness, he is willing to put a smile on his face, lace up his running shoes and pound the pavement with his wifey! I am one lucky lady!

R: I admire how committed to running Carlee is, from what she eats to the way she cross trains to the way she recovers. It inspires me to want to do the same because I see the results she is able to achieve.

- Do you ever participate in races together?

C: If the hubby is willing to sign up for a race, I am willing to run with him. Although we normally wouldn’t have similar paces, running together is worth much more to me than any time on the clock.

R isn't as "into" dressing in costume for races, but C never turns
down an opportunity to run all dolled up!

R: I think all of my races I’ve done with Carlee.

This past December we participated in the Santa Run together - R in the Santa 5K
and C (with Walt the Wiener Dog) in the Santa's Little Helpers 1-miler. 

I know you often hike/travel together - what is an unforgettable trip you took or best adventure together?

C: We sure do love to adventure together! We have even outfitted the back of Ryan’s truck so we can camp in it (and have deemed it our “Adventuremobile”). One of my favorite adventures we have been on together was actually a trip we took to Costa Rica. We won the vacation through Dole and were able to tour the pineapple and banana plantations, zip-line through the rainforest and see a country we may have otherwise never been able visit.

R: This past year Carlee met me in Hawaii for a little R&R. Due to some wet weather, we decided to leave the beaches and do some super fun hiking. We ended up finding a 200 foot waterfall. It was cool to see other parts of the island and to share that time with Carlee.

Any questions you wish we would have been asked? 

#ShareTheSpark

As you all know, Momentum Jewelry is DA BOMB! Oh, wait, WHAT?! You don't know what I'm talking about?! Oh, that's okay... just means you must be new around these parts, and if that's the case - WELCOME!

I was introduced to Momentum Jewelry a while back on a #HealthyWayMag Twitter Chat. I didn't win the giveaway they were having that evening, but decided to reach out to Amy (the lovely owner, jewelry designer and brain behind the company) to learn more about what she and the company stood for.

Source

Um... can you say AWESOMESAUCE?!

Anywho, long story short, Amy asked me to be an ambassador for the company a while back and it has been AMAZING ever since! I mean, how can you not LOVE a company who wants to encourage everyone to go the extra mile and be the best version of themselves that they can be?! Shoot doggy! I love being a cheerleader for others, but obviously I can't be there 100% of the time... but your Momentum Jewelry can!

And, as if that wasn't enough, Amy wanted to launch an AWESOME new campaign: #ShareTheSpark!

Momentum Jewelry is releasing two new sayings - "NEVER GIVE UP" and "you got this!". During the #ShareTheSpark campaign (February 14th thru April 14th), some of the Momentum Ambassadors will be sent a few of the new wraps to share with those who they feel could use a little extra motivation (whether it is someone at the store, a friend, someone they see at a local race, a neighbor, someone who is working their butt off on the machine next to them at the gym, etc).

Not only will some folks in the world be gifted these new wraps, Amy also wants to make them as accessible to the public as possible... So... SALE TIME! During the #ShareTheSpark campaign, Momentum Jewelry will be offering the specific wraps greatly discounted. Retailing for $18.99, you can pick yours up for $10 - click HERE for the deal. (Not only should you stock up on them for yourself, but this is a GREAT time to grab some for your friends, as stocking stuffers {yes, I know I am 11 months early, but I am always looking for great gift ideas}, as a gift for your child's teacher, etc.)

As if that isn't AWESOME enough, there is one more piece to the #ShareTheSpark puzzle that I am EXTRA STOKED on... There is going to be a LIVE TRACKER of the #ShareTheSpark on the Momentum Jewelry website so you can see it sparking from person-to-person; passing it on and paying it forward. Picture the Santa Tracker, but for inspiration and encouragement!

And guess what?! I GET TO START THE SPARK! Yup, I will be sending the first wrap out. It's like a chain letter that you WANT to open and share! And at the end, we will get to see how far we were able to reach in the 60 days!

NO, everyone will NOT be sharing the same wrap... That's just silly! Everyone selected will get their own wrap AND be able to keep the encouragement going. The only thing required of the recipient will be their email address, that way Momentum Jewelry can contact them to get their preferred saying and their mailing information. Momentum Jewelry will then ship out the wrap FREE OF CHARGE! That recipient will then be able to select another recipient and hopefully the HUGE game of tag with encouragement being spread all over the world will catch like wildfire!

If you could spread an extra piece of encouragement to someone, who would you pass the inspiration along to?

Workout Recap - Week 7

Sunday, February 7th – Cardiff Kook 10K, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Monday, February 8th – Strength Training (abs, back, and arms [skipped legs to give them an extra rest for this weekend's marathon]), 4 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Tuesday, February 9th –  4 mile run (hills and heat), Stretched & Foam Rolled

Wednesday, February 10th – 16.5 mile bike ride, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Thursday, February 11th –  3 mile run with the hubby, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Friday, February 12th –  2 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Saturday, February 13th –  Rest Day, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Well, my least favorite week of the training cycle is OVER - THANK GOODNESS! And... guess what... I didn't go crazy, so I'll consider it a WIN! Although the LA Marathon is not a goal race for me, 26.2 miles is a beast no matter what and it MUST be respected! The temperatures will be a little higher than I would like (60s at the start and 80s at the finish), but this one will be all about PR'ing in spectator high-fives, getting as many treats as possible along the route and finishing with a HUGE smile on my face!

How were your workouts this past week?

Easy 3-Bean Chili

Let me warn you from the get-go... I am NOT a food blogger. I enjoy eating food, but I'm not much of a cook (I can follow directions decently, but that's about it... and really do NOT enjoy spending more time on preparing the food than eating it). With that being said, I was still pretty stoked about this super easy 3-bean chili recipe so thought I'd share it with you.

(With our Southern California heat wave going on {it's been in the 80s for the past four days and is expected to get into the 90s this weekend}, it isn't necessarily "chili time", but for some parts of the country this is PERFECT timing!)

Easy 3-Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 1 can of Black Beans
• 1 can of Pinto Beans
• 1 can of Kidney Beans
• 1 can of Diced Tomato
• 1 can of Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
• 1 can of Corn
• 1 can of Mushrooms (optional)
• 1 packet of Ranch Dressing Mix
• 1 packet of Taco Seasoning

(As I am sure you noticed from the picture, we used the "low sodium" or "no salt added" options for all of these because the hubby has unfortunately inherited high blood pressure so we try to keep unnecessary salt out of our diet.)

Directions

• Open all of the cans
• Pour into slow cooker
• Let cook for either four hours on high or eight hours on low
• Garnish as desired
• Enjoy

Like I said, EASY! Not only is it a simple recipe (with very little prep work), it's vegetarian AND can be adjusted based on taste. For example, like spicy? Add an extra can of green chilies or jalapenos. We garnished ours with red onions, cheese and avocado (the hubby also used Tapatío), but this recipe is totally up to you (and whatever is in your cupboards).

What's your favorite slow cooker recipe?

My Least Favorite Week

My least favorite week (at least of the training cycle) is here... YIPEEEEE <<insert sarcastic emoji here>>...

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The week leading up to "the race" is definitely my least favorite week of my training calendar. Give me peak-week week after week and I wouldn't bat an eye, but tell me it's time to taper and I will have (at least) four mental breakdowns.

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I mean, really, who thought it was a good idea to cut back your mileage AND give your brain all this extra time to think obsess over the upcoming race?! Sure, I realize that having well rested legs 'might' be a good idea, but wouldn't a sane runner be a little better?!

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This is the week that runners start putting the final touches on their game plan. For example, getting your #FlatRunner ready as to not forget anything on race day, mentally preparing (and then second guessing that plan 800 times) for your race goal(s), stalking the weather (which, by the way, keeps getting worse and worse the closer we get... the temperature at the finish line is now estimated to be close to 90° on Sunday!), and hopefully getting nutrition on point - including your hydration game.

And the crazy thing is, THIS ISN'T EVEN A GOAL RACE FOR ME. It will be "for fun", to enjoy the sights and scenes of Los Angeles... But my mind knows no difference apparently! And I won't even hint at the fact that we have the Phoenix Marathon less than two weeks after LA because that will really throw this lady's mind space into a tailspin!

What are your thoughts on tapering? Love it or leave it?

#TeamSparkle Virtual 5K

Well, I figured now is as good of a time as any to let the cat out of the bag... I am honored to have been asked to join #TeamSparkle for a second year in a row for their #Ragnar4Rett adventure. Six ladies (including myself) will be running 200ish miles from Huntington Beach to San Diego in hopes of raising awareness and funds for Rett Syndrome. I will have more to share in the coming weeks, but for now I wanted to spread the word about one of our fundraising opportunities.

Registration is Open for the #TeamSparkle Virtual 5K

Once again #TeamSparkle is running the So Cal Ragnar in order to raise awareness & money for Rett Syndrome & Girl Power 2 Cure. This terrible disease has trapped close to half a million girls in their bodies, leaving them unable to speak, walk, or even use their hands. #TeamSparkle is running because these girls can't, but we believe someday they will!

We will be running 200 miles for 200 girls during our #Ragnar4Rett adventure. But just because you aren't running Ragnar with us doesn't mean you can't participate. This year we invite YOU to join #TeamSparkle and participate in our #Ragnar4Rett journey by signing up for the #TeamSparkle virtual 5K (& yes, all profits will be donated to Girl Power 2 Cure).

Participating is easy:

1. Sign up for the #TeamSparkle virtual 5K. Registration is open now until 3/20/16. Race fees are $35. You can sign up HERE.

2. Run/walk/roll at least 3.1 miles (5K) anytime between now and Saturday, April 2nd, 2016. However, we'd suggest you complete the 5K the weekend that we are running Ragnar So Cal (April 1st-2nd). YOU will be receiving a real, actual bib AND a beautiful, sparkly, die cast #TeamSparkle medal the week of March 21st.

3. Share your pictures with the rest of #TeamSparkle on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtags #Ragnar4Rett and #TeamSparkle. Post pics of your #FlatSparkle (the clothes & gear you are rocking), your medal, your run, and anything else you want to share. Although you may be racing virtually, by posting your pics to the Facebook page, or using the hashtags on Instagram & Twitter - we can cheer everyone on!

A real bib? A sparkly, die cast #TeamSparkle medal? Raising money for Girl Power 2 Cure? Who's ready to sign up? I know I am and I hope you will join me!

Have you ever participated in a virtual race before?