#teamnutribulletinspired

2:56am and I wake up feeling slightly tired but overall rested. By 3:10am I am dressed and making coffee. I go through my morning checklist and am out the door by 3:40am. I take a Lyft car to pick up my head coach, Jimmy and another teammate and by 4:00am, we are en route to Dodger Stadium. Our Lyft driver was a nut. Empty streets and freeways but he was still making aggressive lane changes, going 75-90mph, AND running red lights. Dear God, please just get us to the stadium in one piece!

Arrive at Dodger Stadium, drop off gear check bags, head to the Ketel One Club. Thankfully TNB was able to reserve this room for us to lounge, relax, and prep for the day. Once I saw the other runners sitting on the ground, wrapped in blankets, and huddling for warmth, I was beyond grateful for our warm, private lounge with coffee, tea and private bathrooms. 

Ketel One Club

I got tired of getting up to tell people it was a private event in the Ketel One Club.

A quick pep talk from our coach and by 6:30am we are heading to the starting corrals. The corrals were SO busy, but not chaotic. People were polite and the nervous energy was palpable. As we shuffled into the starting area, the amount of people was impressive. I was so psyched to be a part of this race! For years, I have stood at mile 22 on San Vicente cheering and supporting the runners and today was my day to run. 

Kelli and I decided we would run together for as long as we could with a 4:45 finish time in mind. The race started wonderfully. I was excited and happy. 

A panoramic view of standing in the Open Coral

The starting chute: people as far as you can see!

Leaving Dodger Stadium

 Kelli and I running together and smiling for Ben at Mile 2. Can you spot us?

How about now? :)

As we ran the first few miles, we stayed on the left side of the road so we could see Ben and my family. This was a mistake as I would soon find out. Being on the extreme side of the road meant I was running where the camber angle is the greatest. Since my left leg and right leg weren't hitting level ground, my right hip was getting pretty beat up. By mile 3, I was in pain. I took a moment to process and thought it would be ok, I would need to run in the middle of the road more. Unfortunately the damage was already done.

One of my favorite spots on the course was a spot called Drum Hill. It’s between mile 4 and 5 and features LA Matsuri Taiko drummers, which provide a much needed boost up the hill. It also ends at the Disney Concert Hall which is a beautiful building in Downtown LA.

Approaching Drum Hill, Mile 4

Top of Drum Hill with Disney Concert Hall in the background.

Video of the LA Matsuri Taiko drummers (not my video but the same drummers)

I saw Ben several times between miles 2 and 6 which was made easier since he was on a bike. My parents and grandparents met me at mile 6 with Team Bashaw shirts, a banner, and some of the loudest cheers in the area. I gave hugs to everyone and kept moving.

Kelli and I at mile 5

Cheer Squad and hugs at Mile 6

Kelli and I ran on commenting that things were starting to hurt a bit sooner than we had hoped. Thankfully it wasn't getting too warm yet and we had more shade than expected. I saw several teammates along the way and tried to stay focused on the moment: relaxed form, even effort, and to enjoy myself.

Mile 8.5 where Sunset Boulevard splits away and we continue on Hollywood Boulevard.

Fun picture of me sent to coworkers. I look great but I feel not-so-great.

Ben snapping a pic of me with the Griffith Observatory in the background.

Around mile 10, as we ran along Hollywood Boulevard I was starting to lose my internal composure. If I was in this much pain already, how bad would I be at the end? I struggled to stay in the moment and finally allowed the tears to come; I silently wept as I entered Hollywood. A man was running too close for comfort so I glanced over to see why he was basically touching my arms and it was my head coach, Jimmy. Of course! Of all the moments I choose to cry and allow myself to feel the nervous emotions! He ran with Kelli and I for a bit and recommended I run in the flattest part of the road (the middle) and to acknowledge that what I'm feeling is exactly what I should be feeling: to absorb the moment and keep going. A group hug, a picture, and he left us to keep venturing into Hollywood. 

Kelli, Coach Jimmy and I at Mile 11.

  I took pictures as I passed LA Landmarks, thanked volunteers, waved at spectators, smiled as much as I could. I believe the act of smiling is a way for me to mentally "fake it 'til I make it". 

El Capitan and Chinese Theater, Mile 11.5

The guy in this picture is cracking me up. Straight outta 1984. Mile 14.

Whisky a Go Go, Mile 14.5

Heading down San Vicente from Sunset. In about a minute, everything was going to change for me.

Just before mile 15 I spotted a fire station with people putting Icy Hot spray on runners. I immediately cut left and had them spray my right hip. In a matter of minutes I was like a brand new person!! The pain and discomfort of my hip went from sharp and consistent to a quiet rumble in the back of my mind. Between mile 16 and 17, Kelli and I separated. We agreed that we'd each run our own race and if either of us needed to split off there were no hard feelings. As I entered Beverly Hills I was feeling more and more confident about the run. Of course I was holding things together with Icy Hot but that was ok for me. I was in a great place mentally and was holding down consistent miles.

West Hollywood, need I say more? Mile 15

One of my favorite venues, Mile 15.

Rodeo Drive, Mile 17

Rodeo Drive, Mile 17

As I ran miles 18 - 20,  I was reminded of a mantra I used heavily in my Ironman training: "You are earning this race." It is something I say to myself when on a long run or a long bike ride; a way to remind myself that it takes hard work and effort to get to the finish line. So the pain and effort of the day was okay because I was earning my finish! Everything was good, I was ok, I would finish and I would be genuinely happy with my day. I walked the uphills of those miles and ran the rest, by this point it was warm and we were on an exposed section of the course.

We turned onto Wilshire around mile 21 and I felt a boost of energy. I was getting close, the air was cooling (thank you ocean breeze), and my body could feel it. I asked Ben to meet me just before mile 22 with ice and ice water since I was feeling very thirsty and wanted cold water. 

Getting ice water from Ben, Mile 21.5

After this point I was on San Vicente which is basically a long homestretch. I saw many supporters and stopped to hug and thank all of them for being out there. I wasn't worried about my mile times because I knew I was going to OWN this stretch of the road. Shortly after I hit mile 23 I thought "A mother f#@%ing 5k is all that's left and I'VE GOT THAT IN THE BAG!!" I was passing people left and right as they walked and I ran. It felt great to run past them. It felt great to be able to run!

A coworker came out to cheer. “Code Purple” is what we use at work to describe a critical situation. This sign absolutely cracked me up (see post on Instagram). Mile 22.5

I saw fellow teammate Annie who ran with me for a few blocks and was impressed how great I felt. I then was picked up by Coach Nicole who said "You've got a great mindset! Go get it!" Coach Josh jumped in and was like "You are the happiest person out here right now!" I replied "This is when it's supposed to hurt, I'm ok with that. I am where I'm supposed to be." He smiled handed me off to Coach Kelley and Coach Craig. They also saw I was in a great spot and sent me on my way down to mile 25 and to the finish. I was proud of myself for being in such a great place mentally. I was proud of owning that pain and discomfort and keeping a smile on my face because you know what? I LOVED IT!! I love running! I love being on a team and supporting my teammates! And I was going to finish the LA Marathon!

Coach Josh and I at Mile 24.5

 I turned onto Ocean Avenue and picked up the pace. I looked for my family and Ben and waved as I ran to the finish. I was in full sprint when I hit the finish line and was so proud of myself and my effort. I instantly broke into tears. I sobbed while getting my finisher medal and sobbed while walking circles trying not to cramp up. I finished the LA Marathon in a respectable 4:57.41.

Mile 26!

Sprinting towards the finish!

Sobbing just moments after I finished. SO PROUD!!

Two-thirds of the GOT Crew!

Thank Yous....

My family is the best cheer squad a girl could ask for. Getting up early, driving all around Los Angeles just to see me for brief periods before it's back in the car and driving to another location. They cheered me at miles 6, 11, 17, and the finish. A big thank you to Ben for his support and guidance over the last 22 weeks, for allowing me to cry when my foot was holding me back, and for pushing me when I needed a kick in the ass. Thank you for being all over that course and popping up in so many spots I lost count of how many times I saw you. Thank you to Jen, Linda, and Kelly for their signs and cheers. Thank you to my family and friends who sent messages of encouragement and support the night of and day of.

Thank you to Orange Mud for getting me set for the warm temperatures and my fueling needs on the course. Didn’t have one issue!

I am grateful and thankful for the input, guidance, and support of the coaches and mentors of Team NutriBullet. I am honored to have been on this team with so many great people and proud to call them my teammates. I hope I made them just as proud. "Thank you" doesn't come close to showing my appreciation for the last 22 weeks.

Cold, Hard Facts:

Finish Time 4:57.41

Average Pace: 11:11/mile

Average Heart Rate: 158 bpm

Calories burned: 2,631

I am impressed by my negative mile pace:

Mile 22- 12:17 (stopped 3 times for photos with supporters of mine) :)

Mile 23- 12:03

Mile 24- 11:47

Mile 25- 10:24

Mile 26- 9:42

Last 0.62 (yes my watch recorded 26.62 miles)- 9:19

The Day After...

I am sore today and I knew I would be. With a foot injury that took almost 6 weeks to heal, I was not in the shape I had wanted for this race. But that being said, I am recovering very well for not being able to run for almost 6 weeks. 

I went for a bike ride today to spin out the legs and will continue taking walks (plus more biking) until I can walk without looking funny. Enjoy this video, I feel all of their pain, especially the man trying to get onto his motorcycle.

With one week until race day there really isn’t anything I can do to help my performance on race day. Shorter and consistent runs are a great idea to keep things loose and moving. My aerobic capacity is where it’s going to be. My muscles are at the level they’ll be. My endurance also isn’t going to change between now and then. But there are a LOT of things I can do to hurt my race day performance!

Things that can (and WILL) hurt my race day performance:

Not enough sleep/rest.

Too much running.

Activities I haven’t been doing the last few months. 

Partying and hardcore drugs.

That last one is a joke but I’m pretty sure it won’t help my performance. ;)

From this point I need to keep things consistent, stay relaxed and rested, and realize I can’t do anything to help my physical preparedness (I can only hurt it). I’ll make a list of race day mantras for when things get tough, I’ll stay hydrated, and I’ll stay away from stressful things (and people). 

The truth is, the work is done. I’ve put in the time, the sweat, the miles, and the effort so Sunday, the 14th is going to be my Victory Lap. Sunday will be my time to run and show all of LA what I’ve done and what I can do. This is also true of my teammates. I hope they can take some of the pressure off themselves and view next Sunday as their time to celebrate the last 5 months of training. 

Our last “longer” run was last weekend. There was a lot of laughter and fun on this run. Here are some photos from the run from myself and other TNB’ers.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in ourselves, our problems, our reality, our head. And why shouldn’t we? It’s what we think of when we wake up, before we lay our head down to sleep, and all the times in between. It’s easy to forget that others have their own struggles, their own realities, their own demons.

The past few weeks I’ve been struggling with my injured foot. Due to the cold weather in LA, riding my bike outside isn’t enjoyable. When I wake up and see that it’s 37oF and know it’ll be even cooler in the canyons, I gladly roll over and go back to sleep. Aquajogging in a pool while it’s that cold is also not something I want to do as I don’t want to risk getting sick. And of course the indoor pools are closed for the holiday break and the only warm pool around is closed for renovations. I’ve turned to TRX for strength and the bike trainer for cardio while my foot mends. My limitations are my struggle, my reality.

Being on Team NutriBullet I’ve been exposed to many different people who have many different stories and pasts. Some are brand new to the game of running, others are seasoned veterans. Some are older, some are younger. Some are in tip-top shape, while others are slowly getting back into shape. Most are injury-free while some are nursing injuries. But it goes a lot deeper than that.

As the weeks go on, the conversations become more authentic and real. The topics become more sincere and the answers more genuine. Some of us are struggling with depression and mental illness. Some of my teammates have contemplated suicide and thankfully found a path back to the enjoyment life can bring. Some are going through divorces and trying to create a new life for themselves as a single individual. 

The struggle is real, no matter what the struggle is. Take a moment and reach out to those around. Ask how they are and really mean it. Spend the time listening to someone else’s fears, frustrations, concerns, and accomplishments, Rejoice in their successes and commiserate in their disappointments. When I reach outside myself, I find it helps me on a few levels. One, I realize I’m not the only one struggling with something. Two, I feel good helping someone else with their struggle. And three, I feel their support as well as my own. 

Yeah, YOU. You heard me. You suck at this sport and you’re never going to look like everyone else. You’re slow and weak.

Would you ever say that to anyone? Would you ever let someone say that to you? Then why do we say it to ourselves?! Coach Jimmy recently challenged Team NutriBullet and it was simple: anytime you hear someone putting themselves down or degrading themselves, they must pay you $5. Some TNB’ers have openly admitted they are in big trouble while others are going to get rich with this one.  With all the various ways we encourage people around and look for the best in our friends and family, why don’t we do the same thing with ourselves?

I openly admit to having a healthy amount of confidence. I consider myself to be strong, intelligent, attractive, funny, and passionate. This does not make me immune to negative thoughts, jealousy or straight-up crazy desires like “I wish my ankles were skinny like hers” (true story). 

Having at least a baseline level of confidence in myself and my abilities does help me get over the hurtles that life (or myself) throws at me. It gives me the ability to say “OK, today you don’t feel super great. That’s alright but what are you going to do about it?” And here’s the honest truth: some days I do nothing about it. I stay in my pjs and sulk or I throw my hair up in a bun, wear comfy clothes, and allow myself to feel like crap. But MOST of the time I get up, get moving, and realize life is nothing but ebbs and flows. I acknowledge that I can’t appreciate the sweet without tasting the sour. So what does this mean for me? It means maybe I wear my favorite shirt, go to my favorite running spot, call my bestest friend and chat, or I throw on music and have a mini dance party in my living room (I do this all the time and it’s a winner!). 

Lately I've been battling the sadness and frustration associated with my foot injury. Some days are good and some days I'm really upset and aggravated with the slowness of my recovery. I have to try hard to keep things in perspective sometimes.

No one should expect perfection with anything in life (except cotton candy, that stuff is always perfection). Acknowledge that not everyday is going to be the best day of your life and when the hard times come, think about all the great days you’ve had. Try to see the balance of life and all it’s mysterious ways. It’s ok to be down on yourself every once in awhile as long as you also acknowledge the highs when you have them. When you look or feel great, tell yourself! When you had a good run or went to the gym when you absolutely didn’t want to, high-five yourself. Give yourself the credit you deserve by doing all the things that make you amazing. 

Here are some ways to help you think more positively:

1. Use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. You are awesome, motivated, fun, beautiful, driven, super-duper, the best!

2. Smile! Sounds simple and it is: just smile! Not only does it make you feel better but you’ll notice people will smile back. Always a plus.

3. Create a positive thought bank. What is this? It’s a bank of memories, thoughts, pictures, people, mottoes, slogans, etc that make you feel good. Go to the bank when you need a pick-me-up and to overcome the negative space you’re in.

4.  Repeat personal affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements that describe a desired situation, event, habit, or goal. Example: you want to kill it at a work presentation so you repeat “I am going to rock my presentation and deliver it in a clear way.”  Example: you want to have a great run so you repeat “I’m going to be relaxed, focused, and have fun on my run.” 

And here’s some greatness from Professor Dumbledore :)

Two weeks ago I was in one of TNB’s strength classes put on at YogaWorks in Brentwood. The class included some ladder work (fast feet), pushups, wall-sits, various core work and glute work. The last 10 minutes were spent working our fast-twitch muscles and honing the explosive speed we all seek. This meant going into a deep squat and then jumping up/forward and landing back into a squat position. You want to do this softly and not land too hard. All went well and the class was another ass-kicker. 

Examples of plyometric (jumping) exercises

The next morning I woke up with a tender right foot. The spot was in the ball of my foot under my big toe, where my sesamoid bones are.

I took the day off from running to give the foot some time to recoop. Since we do the strength classes barefoot and on wood floors I assumed I’d injured my foot while doing the plyometric (jumping) exercises. Wesnesday I woke up with no pain or tenderness so I joined in the Victory Laps run with TNB. This is a fun run with shots of tequila before we run a 2.1 mile loop. I took the run easy and it was a very social run with photos and conversation.

WNWW Victory Laps (read about it at the article “Victory Lap #2″)

Thursday morning it all changed. I woke up and the pain/tenderness was back and worse than before. I knew I had injured whatever it was again from Wednesday's run. Decided to take the next two days off (Friday is an off day anyways) to allow my foot to recover. Unfortunately, that didn’t help. Actually, my foot seemed to get worse as the days went on. I talked with my coach and he agreed I needed to more time off and see how it recovered. This meant I wasn’t able to run on Saturday with my group so instead I rode my bike while they ran 2.5 hours.

Riding on Saturday while my teammates ran.

By this point I had done some research and deduced it was one of a few things: a stress fracture, deep bruising, or sesamoiditis. My hope was bruising, my fear was a stress fracture. I was nervous but dedicated to staying positive and patient.

On Monday afternoon I saw my orthopedist and he agreed it was likely one of the three things I listed above. X rays were taken and didn’t show a fracture (thankfully!). I was instructed to wear stiff-soled shoes and to avoid anti-inflammatory medications. An MRI was scheduled for Wednesday morning and I continued to walk as best I could without walking on the ball of my foot. This caused pain in my left knee and my right ankle. Compensating is just as bad as the injury itself. On Thursday, one week of a very tender/painful foot, I got the MRI report back: NO FRACTURE!!! The MRI showed some deep bruising, a lot of inflammation, and joint capsulitis. I was to avoid running or impact until the pain/tenderness was gone completely and then wait another 2 weeks before resuming running.

MRI images

I once again missed a long run with my team. They hit the cold/frozen trails in Pasadena while I aqujogged for 2 hours in the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center. Aquajogging is no-impact and great for staying in shape while recovering from an injury. The downside is it’s BORING. I mean, B-O-R-I-N-G!

I’ve now been down from running for 2 full weeks and am looking at another 1-2 weeks off. This means the 13.1 race on January 10th will no longer be a PR attempt. But it also means the LA Marathon is a go. For now I’ll be riding my bike, aquajogging, doing core and upper body strength exercises, and remaining patient. 

Not being able to run makes me realize how often I turn to it for fun, for de-stressing, and for enjoyment. I look forward to the next time I can lace up my running shoes.

Each Wednesday, the team does the hardest run of the week. The exception is when we run Victory Laps. Tonight we celebrated our latest race: Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run. We had tequila (or whiskey) shots and ran a little over 4 miles: two shots and two laps around the Brentwood Country Club. 

Afterwards we some of us went out to dinner at a local restaurant. Some workouts are hard and some workouts are boring. Some are easy while others are torture. The workouts with Team NutriBullet have all been fun and engaging. I have my coaches and teammates to thank for this. Training with a group > training alone.

I’ve been MIA and I’m sorry!! It’s been so busy trying to balance life, work, training, love, the holidays. You know how it is so I appreciate you letting me slide on this.

So what have I been up to? Here are some of things that have happened in the last few weeks:

1. A new 5k PR! At the Simi Valley Thanksgiving Day 5k, put on by Elite Sports CA, I ran a 23:35. I took second in my age group and 4th female overall! There were a few other TNB’ers there as well who also podium’ed!

2. A new 10k PR! OK, this one isn’t quite as great since my last 10k was in 2013 (and I’d ran 6 miles before running that race to get in all the miles I needed) but it’s always nice to have a new PR on the books. I ran a 53:01 at the Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run, while dressed as a Christmas Tree!! The star on top? I also won Most Festive Costume!

3. I missed a practice and realized just how much I love my NutriBullet Family. I spent a few days playing in the snow in Mammoth which meant I missed a long run with Team NutriBullet. After the run everyone posted so many fun and beautiful photos. It made me really jealous that I wasn’t there to experience that day with them. I realized (yet again!) how much I appreciate their company, personalities, and companionship.

4. Snowboarding! Speaking of missing a practice, the boy and I decided to leave LA before the turkey break and hit up the slopes in Mammoth. It was a fantastic trip with a basically empty mountain, decent conditions, and great company. It was a needed break from the LA-grind.

 5. SCUBA diving. It had been a year since I’d dunked my head below the surface for fun and that needed to change. Went out for a day of diving with my cousin and her husband as well as several friends. It was a great day of doing something different than biking, running, or swimming. (Photo: Kelli Bortolin)

6. New hydration pack. I’m planning on running a 50k in April 2016. The run will require more than my 20oz hand bottle so I’m trying out a new pack from Orange Mud. The first run with it left me with a rat’s nest on my head but I’m hopeful it’ll be a good fit. 

As you can tell it’s been an incredibly exciting time for me! :-P  Here’s some photos of the last few weeks and several of my delicious blasts!

Culver City runs with Chan Chan (Photo Chan Chan)

Tasty hydration drink!

Spinach, blueberries, banana, pecans, ginger, maca root powder, acai powder, OJ and water. 

Spinach, blueberries, strawberries, mango, blueberries, banana, coconut water, chia seeds, and mint.

Post-10k photo (serious)

Post-10k photo (funny, hence me running through the photo)

Breakfast after the 10k with some TNB’ers. (Photo: Speedy Hamilton)

Playing the goof in my 10k costume

Fun green screen photos... which made half my costume disappear (no skirt or arms).

Sunset as I head to OSV to get a run in.

Last but not least: finally lost part of the toenail that had been bruised since IM Boulder in August. Runner’s Feet.