Hey, L.A.

Hey, L.A.? We need to talk.

Is it just me, or is L.A. kind of a, well, strange place? I mean don't get me wrong, it's very cool. Just maybe a bit odd.

I've been here for only one month so I really can't make a solid judgment yet, but I do have some observations. Here are the cool things I've been enjoying so far:

1. Looking at the sandy beach!

2. Palm trees EVERYwhere!

Now let's move on to the strange:

1. The grocery store checkout.

I was checking out from the grocery store, about to slide my credit card through the reader when this lady comes screaming up behind me, squeezing her poor bouquet of flowers to within an inch of its life:

The cashier told her she would have to wait since we were literally in the middle of the transaction, and directed her to the self-checkout right next to us. This only made her more frazzled:

She panic-ran over there anyway where the drama continued:

A variety of people, including my cashier, went over to help her.

With her crisis averted, she ran out of the store, shouting her gratitude as she went.

I still made it out of the parking lot before she did.

2. The crossing signal button.

I was walking through the neighbourhood and hit the crosswalk button, then waited for the light to change.

I watched as a lady hustled across the street and made a beeline to the same button. She then proceeded to punch it no less than TEN TIMES.

She continued:

"All my friends and family ask me why do you have to do that? But I tell them I can't help it I just have-to-hit-the-button! I'm addicted! Some people are addicted to alcohol or heroin, but me? I'm just addicted to one thing: these buttons!"

The light changed and she walked away with one last word:

Mmmm-kaaayyyyyy...

Soooo, yeah. At this point I clearly have a lot to learn about the L.A. way.

Questions: 
1. Do you have advice about living here? (GiGi, I just might be talking to you!)
2. What do you think about L.A.?

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I'm thinking of starting a separate blog all about my L.A. observations, including selfie sticks and rain behaviour. I'll let y'all know! It's a bit of a culture shock here :)

The 2015 Seattle Half Marathon: chilly and hilly.

After my triathlon in July I kind of didn't exercise for a bit a few months. So in order to get back into it I signed up for the Seattle Half Marathon.

Well, maybe not ever, but not my best plan. Because in the fall it gets dark here before afternoon tea, I had to do the majority of my training on my treadmill.

I'm not really a fan.

But, I slogged through as best I could and soon enough it was race day.

I was grateful that there was no rain or snow this year, since that is never a guarantee. Nevertheless, it was just above freezing first thing in the morning and you know me: I show up prepared.

My training didn't go quite as planned (when does it ever?), so I decided to play it safe and go with a 4:1 run/walk interval, like I'd used so much in my training. My hopes of getting a sub 2 this year were long gone and I wanted to make sure I didn't hate the run. Plus, my longest training run had been 8 miles.

I wasn't expecting much. I had:

I was hoping to beat my course PR from 2010 of 2:26:17, which was only my second ever half marathon. I also really wanted to come in under 2:20:00.

I started the race somewhere in the back half of the pack and stuck to my plan...pretty much. I knew there would probably be times that would require more walking since there were a few hills.

Along the way, there were some encouraging spectators.

It felt good to be up the big hill. Until I started the next one.

As I recall possibly incorrectly the course was completely uphill. Especially the hill that started around mile 7 and must have lasted at least 5 miles. All that went through my head was the following:

You could actually see it winding up and up ahead of you FOREVER.

It did finally end as we plummeted down over the freeway toward the water, which was super fun after all that climbing.

And then I ran into another helpful spectator about 1.5 miles from the end.

Are you freaking KIDDING ME????

Who designs these courses?? (Also, those poor full marathoners!)

I pushed up that final hill, passed TriGuy for a quick wave and burst of energy, and crossed the finish with a time of 2:17:39. It wasn't a distance PR by any stretch, but it was a course PR by 8 minutes and 38 seconds!

After the race, we grabbed our car and TriGuy's cousin and headed home.  While I "rested" they made Thanksgiving Dinner!

Lucky me!

It was a successful race for me but I don't think I'll be running it again. And not just because of the hills and the cold, but because...

So if you live in the area, LET ME KNOW!

You can email me, tweet me, message me, whatever. I've never lived in California but I'm looking forward to some sunshine!

Oh, and maybe some warmer race starts!

Seriously though, hit me up if you know some good places to run, race, drink coffee, etc...