So in working on the proposal, and finishing up my site at night, I have been super overwhelmed. Tomorrow I’m going to run in the morning though. I went for a nice walk this morning and I felt really good so I’m ready to jump back onto the track. Wow you can tell my mind is going as well with all these lame puns.

So in my last projects for the new super sweet site, I need to include links to all the blogs I read and I would love to include YOURS. This means, just leave a comment with your blog address and I can include it. Try to include it like this:

Then it’s much easier for me to just add it into the page. If you want, you can write nice things about me too, perhaps that will weigh in on where you show up on the list.. JUST KIDDING! Don’t worry I’ll be doing this tonight while watching some So You Think You Can Dance and also Wipeout.

Seriously, I am so jazzed on my new site. I almost think I like it more than I like my bag of Peanut Butter M & Ms I picked up last night. Nahhhhh.

So leave a comment with your site. I just am trying to include everyone, and I have been reading every ones sites, I just haven’t been a comment fiend like usual because of the building of the new child! Some people I have down already from twitter, so I hope you want to be included on the BEST SITE EVER. I hope I get some new cool blogs to check out by doing this too. :) So it won’t be the best site ever, but I think it’s pretty freakin’ cool. :)

Tomorrow is pictures, a run recap (gasp! I run? crazy!) and anything else that my little fried brain might want to discuss. Be ready!

xoxo

So this morning, Baby Koo got a wash. That was the exciting thing ever since it’s been misty/drizzly lately, she was VERY dirty. I was pretty excited as you can tell.

I tried to run this morning and my barking cough didn’t like my breathing through my mouth thing, so I barked my way back home. I shall try again tomorrow morning. I feel like my energy is coming back now though, which is good. Last night I drank some bomb wine with the roommate and we discussed life. It was wonderful.

So there’s no real transition that works well but I feel compelled to post about what is going on over in Iran. Every night on Twitter and through some new sources I see more and more destruction and people standing up for what they believe in. It has reminded me that we are SO blessed to live in a country where we can talk about anything we want, can find information we want, and do whatever we want. Seriously, seeing people who would die for a cause blows my mind.

I think I began to reflect on this and for some reason, those pictures and those people, really have touched my heart and made me appreciate what I have today. I can get out of bed and get dressed in whatever clothes I want. I can drive my car to work and I’m not scared for my life. I get paid and can talk about whatever I want all day long. I can even write whatever I want on the Internet. Whether you agree with my opinions and thoughts or not, I can still say them and not fear for my life.

It’s amazing that some people don’t have what we take for granted every day. Right now my stomach is grumbling and I’m thinking about lunch. Some people don’t even know when their next meal will be. We are so fortunate to be able to eat food, have computers, and have technology. My biggest fear is that my iPhone won’t be here on Friday and I’ll have to wait until Monday to get it. How materialistic am I? It’s crazy to think that some people are fearing for their lives for trying to get out true news stories from Iran, or are trying to let their voice be heard. It’s so easy to take things for granted, like the fact that you can read this post, but man, some things just humble you. I guess that’s what the election did for me in Iran.

So whatever you do today, remember how great it is to live in a free country. Be thankful that you have life, liberty and can purse happiness. Also, if you want, you can pray for the people in Iran. Pray for their government and pray that they can survive this time of turmoil.

xoxo

Well that is neither here nor there, so just around the riverbed for me is the fact that I’m finally starting to feel better. I don’t sound like a man when I talk and I can almost fully breath through my nose again. This means that if I’m feeling up for it, tomorrow I will begin running once again. Hopefully. You see this is how I work, I start feeling a little sick, then I keep pushing myself and pushing myself, thinking that I will just get better, but my body says, “No Way!” and then I just get sicker and sicker and then finally I have to take off work and sleep for a few days in order to feel better. Annoying right? Every time I get sick that’s what happens. So the break was needed and now I’m feeling much better.

There are more exciting things coming to chicrunner too, that I’m super excited to tell you guys about. First, remember when I did my own site, at chicrunner.com, and then there were MAJOR issues of the site being down, problems with hosting, problems with email, problems with people not knowing that they had to add the blog spot back into the address? Yes, well this Friday, there will be a switch back to chicrunner.com without the blog spot, and it’s going to be a brand new, amazing, exciting site, and I’m kicking off the new site with 2 SWEET giveaways.

Seriously, I’m jealous of the giveaways because I want the prizes for myself. So stay tuned, I will be linking to all sorts of wonderful things and will let you know when the new site is officially up!

To all you Texans, the lovely Mr. R is attending a conference out in San Antonio this week for work. Perhaps stalk if you see him, don’t tell him you’ve seen him online for that would forever freak him out. He is just coming around to understanding this… but I personally would find it incredibly funny if someone did spot him partying on the river walk like he’s 21 conferencing hardcore for work.

On another completely unrelated note, here is a picture that I am in love with today.

I’m catching up on every one’s weekends! Can’t wait to post a sweet review tomorrow!

xoxo

Also, coaching track and cross country and running competitively in high school for four years and on and off for 5 years, I think I will do a lot of the same workouts I did and had my kids do as well. I think that will be helpful since I used to do them and they are pretty engraved into my head.

Also many of you think this training schedule is super hardcore, but really looking at the schedule, it’s not too rough. It’s a few smaller runs, with longer runs on the weekend and I tried really hard to switch it up from just going out and running 5-8 miles daily as well, with the hill and gym and track workouts as well. Now, don’t get me wrong, you won’t be seeing me on a bike or in the pool anytime soon. Thanks for all your advice though, I definitely will be taking it to heart.

Now, I know many of you need new summer workout gear, check out the links below. Lately though, I am sad to admit that there are absolutely no guy deals out there. Every website I check it’s the same stuff I posted last week. Do any of you guys who might creep around this blog know of any new websites or places online to get good guy running stuff? Email me @ Danica@chicrunner.com if you know of any!

Women’s

Journey Moving Comfort Shorts

Nike Fitness Tights

Prana Sports Top

Prana Sports Top 2

Asics Performance Shorts

Nike Strength Top

Prana Sabin Racer

Asics Microfiber Shorts

Marmot T-shirt

Sugoi Lucky Fit Shorts

Sugoi Sports Bra

Sugoi Marilyn Tank

Sugoi Balance Tee

Sugoi Cap Tee

Nike Knit Shorts

Tank by Moving Comfort

Simple Tank By Prana

Saucony Shorts

Oiselle Shimmel Tank

Nike Bikram Shorts

Nike Plus Shorts

Nike Personal Best Long Tank

Women’s Unwind Strappy Tank

Seamless Champion Sports Bra

Reebok Fitness Tank

New Balance Tank

Danskin Spring Blossoms Tank

New Balance Shorts

Men’s

Sorry. Lame. I know.

MarmotMesitaTee

I’m still sick. I’m seriously over being sick in the summer. I can’t breath through my nose so I know running is out of the question right now. My head feels like it weights 10 pounds and it’s all clogged up in my sinus area. Graphic? Yes. Would you expect anything less from me? I can’t believe tomorrow is already Friday. Where did the week go? I’m excited though, because tomorrow is Foto Friday! Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

xoxo

I spit out my gum and it landed on my door. Totally missed the rolled down window. STUPID. I think what could even be more stupid is that I then took a picture of it.

How’s that for a super amazing and exciting 200th post? Yup, I failed. ha ha.

Tomorrow I will have some new cool stuff to talk about, like my infected toenail that has not allowed me to wear shoes. I did get in a gorgeous, I wish I took pictures, run this weekend in San Luis though. I ran about 8.5 miles and felt good, minus the toe issue. Hopefully, and sadly, the toenail just needs to fall off and then I think that it will heal itself.

This week I will be posting my homemade training plan, what I think my goals will be for the San Fran 1/2 and of course, anything super exciting that happens to me that I think you all must know about immediately. I have a review to post as well. Maybe I’ll even throw in some workouts, but tonight is a rest day and will include some great Bachleorette watching!

xoxo

Inappropriate but hilarious. So as many of you know, this weekend I am running the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon. It’s going to be a blast for all the events that lead up to it, including the blogger meet up, the girls I’m staying with, I just know it will be so fun and exciting. I’m already glad that I chose a “big” marathon for my first, so I’ll always have people to run with and stalk.

I’m starting in corral 7, and my race number is 7376. I feel like it’s a good number. There’s a lot of lucky number 7′s in there. Well my lucky number is 6, but 7 is the ultimate lucky number, so therefore that is what I’ve made myself believe.

My biggest goal for this race is to finish. I know everyone says that that really isn’t a ‘goal’ because obviously I am going to finish the race, but at the same time, a lot of crazy things can happen over 26.2 miles. I also don’t want to focus so much on my pace, time, and all the aspects that I didn’t really work on that much during my training to not soak in my first marathon experience.

Every ‘race’ I’ve ever ran, I’ve always raced them. I think I learned that in high school when I ran competitively and was much faster than I am now. Even if I tell myself I’m not going too, I find my heart beating and my body tense at the starting line and I always give it my all. For this race though, I have to keep telling myself, it’s not a race, it’s a marathon. They don’t call it a race for a reason. I know if I race the marathon I will be upset with myself and I’ll miss a lot of the fun ‘firsts’, plus, I can always run more if I decide too.

I’ve decided to break down my goals with A, B and C goals, but first and foremost it is to finish, enjoy the race and soak up everything going around me, and what an accomplishment even running a marathon is.

My A Goal is to finish in between 4-4:30. This would be a decent pace for me, and I think it’s possible if everything is going right for me. This includes no crying, no crazy bathroom breaks, no walking, not really any stopping at all. I can run 20 miles in 3:15, so we’ll see how things go race day.

My B Goal is to finish in between 4:30-5:00. This is more than attainable for me, pending anything absurd happening to me, but I guess you can’t rule out everything going perfectly

My C goal is to finish in between 5-5:30. This again shouldn’t be a problem, but pending I break my leg or get trampled we could have some issues.

These goals are all easily within my reach, but I know I will have to pay attention to my body and listen to what is happening on those last miles. I definitely know I will have the mentality of, well I ran 20 miles, what’s 6 more?! I also wanted to give myself goals that I know I can achieve because I would be really upset if I didn’t make my goals.

So what’s more important than goals? Outfits of course. So I didn’t know what was wrong with me because usually I can spend money like it’s my full time job, but I just couldn’t find the perfect racing top for this race.

I narrowed it down to two shirts, and will make a game time decision as to what one I will wear.

No matter what I will be wearing my Nike Spandex Shorts and my Zensah pink sports bra but I cannot decide in between the purple top or the Nike blue top. I know the purple top is new but don’t worry, I wore it around under a shirt for a day to see if I would chafe and I didn’t. I’m a freak I know. I like the blue shirt a lot too. So many decision. I know it will depend on how I feel that morning and what I want to run in. You may actually recognize the shorts and tank though, they are the same ones I wrote when I shot some sweet pictures with Kymberli

So it’s this weekend. On Monday, I will be able to say for the rest of my life, yes, I have run a marathon. Have run? That sounds pretty crazy. I am excited, nervous and I’m pretty sure I might cry tonight while packing my bag for San Diego tomorrow.

Perhaps I might post something tomorrow evening, before I go to bed, depending on what I am feeling, but I’m so thankful for all the encouragement, support and kind words over this whole training period. It’s weird because after this race, I have this weird feeling that I don’t even know what I’ll blog about. Well I’m sure I can always find something somewhat random and interesting in my life to entertain you with, but it’s just like it’s all accumulated to these upcoming moments. I am so overwhelmed by so many crazy feelings but it’s a huge adrenaline rush! I can’t wait to write up a super long race report. I think I might have to do it in segments over the next week because I know I’ll take a billion pictures and then we have 26.2 miles of coverage. I’ll try to leave out any poopy details. :)

Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you at the finish line!

xoxo

Sorry to disappoint. Instead, in this wonderful week of losing my mind, I decided to give you, what I think is an entertaining rant on dentists and why I loathe them. You see, I was born without any wisdom teeth in my head, which one of my best friends once called me a freak for, and I like to think of it as a more evolved species, since you get them ripped out anyways. I also don’t have a twelve year molar. Remember these facts, they will come into play later on.

Now, according to my ‘How Well Do You Know Me” quiz via the lovely creeping site, Facebook, my most favorite feature of myself are my teeth. Believe me, teeth are super important to me, for whatever reason. I brush twice a day, if not more, whiten with crest white strips on occasion and did the whole braces for 6 months thing plus retainers for a year.

When I was little I LOVED the dentist. They always told me what a good job I was doing and that I had such nice teeth. Then you get a sweet prize out of the chest at the front of the office. There were fish in a tank to look at (think finding nemo and it kind of makes me sad now), everyone was very nice, and I got shiny clean teeth.

Then in college, I had a blood blister form behind one of my front teeth. It was incredibly painful and I had to have emergency dental work to pop the sucker. I went to a new dentist since it was about time that I stopped going to the children’s dentist. I went on recommendation of a friend and LOVED the doctor I met with. He was so kind, complementary of my teeth and super gentle, which was nice because shoving a needle in that blister hurt pretty bad.

I decided to make an appointment to go back to the dentist for my cleaning. I got a different dentist in the office. This is where my hatred began.

She was rude, told me I wasn’t brushing properly, that I had gingivitis and wasn’t taking good care of my teeth at all. Um, I was shocked, to say the least. I hadn’t changed anything about my brushing habits and I always get complements on my teeth. I never returned after that trip and that is where the disliking of dentists began.

Finally I found a new dentist close to my house that my mom really liked. I trusted her judgement and also fell for the koi pond outside the treatment rooms. He seemed nice, until he started pushing me. Remember how I didn’t have the 12 year molars and wisdom teeth. Well this was the dentist who recommended that I needed to get an implant to make up for the extra space in the back of my mouth. An implant includes drilling a screw into your jawbone, and four months later getting a tooth that screws on top of that screw in your jaw after your jawbone has ‘accepted’ the screw.

I held out for a long time, but his persistence made me think that my whole entire mouth would fall apart if I didn’t get the surgery he recommended. I finally scheduled the consultation and the doctors and staff members told me, oh it’s not a big deal, you’ll be back to normal life, normal eating in no time.

LIES I TELL YOU. I couldn’t eat on that side of my mouth for a good two months. I was so sick after the surgery I couldn’t eat for 3 days, and I was throwing up and couldn’t go to work. Now that I have the tooth, a year later, I still feel like the process was worthless. Insurance didn’t really cover much of it and I still think they should have just ripped out the top tooth and be done with it, since they were worried it would just ‘keep growing downward’ since it had nothing to ‘hit’ to stop its growing.

This leads me to recent occurrences. I went to the dentist back in February, and they insisted I needed x-rays. I told them that I didn’t think it was necessary and I had just gotten them with the follow up of the implant surgery. Then the hygienist brought in the doctor to consult me on why I needed these x-rays. The last x-rays showed that the tooth was in place and the screw was good and everything was kosher in the implant department. He told me he needed to make sure. If he needed to make sure then he should pay for these $75 dollar x-rays and the pain of the ‘bite wings’ shoved into his mouth.

I repeatedly told him that I didn’t need x-rays but they kept insisting. I almost, almost made a scene, but finally just rolled my eyes and gave in. Who gets the bill for $175 dentist appointment now? ME. Who would much rather save their money spend their money on shoes, food, running gear, and clothes? The best part of it all?

He and the hygienist tell me how great my teeth look and how great I am at flossing.

I haven’t flossed a day in my life. Bad, I know, but funny how they complement me on my flossing.

This all was because the account payable called me this morning requested her $175 dollar check and gave me a sad “ahhh ohhhhh” when I said I didn’t have dental insurance. I told her I didn’t want the x-rays and she said “Yeaaaaaa wellllllll we hadddddddddd to take them.” Where are those x-rays now? Sitting in the filing cabinet.

Dentist, our relationship is strained and I’m over you and your surgeries and your x-rays.

This morning I went for a slow 3 miler. I can’t find Claude’s charging station and I’m starting to freak out that I may have to use someone else’s down in SD this weekend.

On another horribly sad note, My 1st gen. iPhone has lived a long wonderful life and now is very sick. You know how some of you have pets and kids. Well this is my 1st born. Of course, I think Apple put a spell on it because there are rumors that in two months a new iPhone will be released. Hang in there little buddy! I don’t really get calls or texts, and when I do it’s like 4-10 at a time. I can still call people though, but it won’t hold a charge at all, so he’s just resting on the charger all day long. I am hoping to keep him going for as long as possible because 2 months of me without a phone could cause some havoc.

Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow is one more day until San Diego, and also Foto Friday!

xoxo

Well because I am a good sport, and love me some twitter, I just had to post this for you.

Laugh, at me with me!

I hope the twitter birds will carry me to the finish line this weekend.

Don’t mind the weird picture and my sweet photoshopping skills, I was a writing minor, not an art minor. My feet were cropped out! Don’t worry, tapering hasn’t taken away my feet!

xoxo

Seriously, it might just be me but I can’t stop laughing.

There’s just nothing like starting off your day with 300 calories of pure amazingness. Tonight I’m going over to my grandma and grandpa’s house for dinner too. I can’t wait to eat some good home cooked meal that my grandma will make me, I’m especially hoping for some mashed potatoes. Last night I had a sandwich for dinner while crying and watching Jon and Kate + 8. Seriously, did they have to take it to that sad level? On another note, I really need to learn how to cook!

I really have nothing to write about this week besides the fact that my mind is consumed by the last six miles of this race I’m doing this weekend. I finally found a shirt that I might wear, but who knows, I’ll probably just stick to my blue one that I have been wearing on my training runs. I searched in vain for a new pink one but had no luck at all. Mr. R about killed me this weekend on the ‘hunt’ for the shirt. There were some options but they were all too tight, too short, too expensive, too baggy. Can someone please invent an inexpensive, cute dri-fit clothing line? Thanks! I would really appreciate it.

I will be running my last five miler tomorrow morning and then I have one more three miler somewhere in there between now

I want to do some product reviews but I cannot type for some reason. My mind is so blank, but luckily I don’t have the marathon insomnia that some of you speak of. That would really put a damper on my evenings. Last night I went to bed at 9:30 and in no way am I ashamed of that, but I did dream that we had an earthquake and I don’t know if it was real or not.

Wow, I think that ‘tapering’ or for me, not running, has taken it’s toll on my mind. I guess this is what they call ‘taper madness’, dreaming of earthquakes and eating McDonalds? I’m in!

xoxo

PS. Kymberli of Webbed Foot Photography put up my ‘slideshow’ of pictures from my photo shoot that we did together. If you want to use up three minutes of your life looking at pictures of yours truly, check out her blog. It’s the last ‘video’ under the latest pictures she put up. Press play and enjoy. She is amazing and seriously, if you need a photographer around Long Beach, Orange County, or LA, check her out. She works WONDERS.

Shopaholic Confessions
Julie

and

Brandi

gave me the Queen award!

Toronto Girl out West

gave me the Renee Award

A Glimpse of the Girl Next Door gave me the One Lovely Blog Award (send me the link to your blog and I’ll link you! Sorry I couldn’t find it on my new computer :( )

and Mrs.GI Joe
Gave me the Charming award

Thanks ladies. I don’t think you all realize how wonderful it is that people find me to be an running inspiration or funny, or whatever you think. I’m glad that I have all you “in” my life, and just as much as you like reading about my failed runs, my home, my life and my exercising, I like to read about yours!

This weekend I did an eight miler and it was poopy. Not figuratively but literally. I seriously think that Gus make me poop. Too late to really work with figuring out what works the best for the marathon but there are porta potties along the route! Other than the bathroom break the run was great, I felt really fast and just cruised along. I am getting excited for this weekend! I can’t believe it’s approaching so quickly.

Other exciting things that happened this weekend was my roommate graduated! I think I’ll post some pictures on Foto Friday. I also have been searching for the new perfect shirt for the marathon, but haven’t had much luck, but today I am going to continue my search and lay out by the pool and enjoy the sun! Good luck to everyone who ran the LA marathon and did any type of Memorial day race.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day! Remember all those who have fought for our freedom.

xoxo