Category Archives: Running

Running While on Vacation: Day Two

I have to admit, it wasn’t easy getting out the door this morning to run. Logistics are never simple when you have others to consider and one car to share. My hubby was fabulous though, as always, offering to drop me off wherever I wanted to go. That was my problem though; I couldn’t decide where I wanted to run.

There are so many options in Palm Springs! Should I run the Tram Road with its 2000 ft. elevation gain in 3.7 miles? Or should I run at Indian Canyons, which has lots of flatter options, but an admission fee and limited hours in the summer. Should I run the Bump and Grind Trail in Palm Desert? After putzing around too long, I finally opted for the nearby South Lykken Trail, just off South Palm Canyon Drive.

It is similar to the North Lykken Trail, which I ran yesterday, yet different. This one has a steep 1-mile start, but then flattens out a bit so there are lots of small rolling hills as you continue upward. Once again, it was already 90 degrees at 7:45 so I was cautious about pushing it too far. On top of that, it was also smokey from a nearby wildfire. I was the only person on the trail today.

Here are a few pictures…

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Overheating and getting low on water. I decided to go 2 miles up with an elevation gain of about 1200 ft., then head back down, making it a 4 mile trail run. Then I finished the last 2.25 miles of my 6.25 mile run on the road.

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This is about where a HUGE BLACK KILLER BEE was pacing me, right next to my ear. I definitely picked it up here!

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And then, a whole lot of aaaaaaahhh. Cooling my tired dogs in the pool after my run. And yes, that’s ANOTHER latte freeze (thank you sweet hubby).

Tomorrow we leave Palm Springs and head to the Grand Canyon. I’m super excited about this! Stay tuned for my next running adventure…

Happy Trails!
xo

Running While on Vacation: Let the Adventure Begin

Keeping running fitness going while on vacation can be a challenge, but making it a priority and incorporating it into your overall travel plan will at least give you a fighting chance. If you’re lucky like me, your peeps will be supportive and understanding of your need to at least log a few miles every day.

Before packing up our car yesterday, I knocked out a quick 3 miles in our neighborhood, even though I had a bazillion and one things to do to get ready. It may not seem like much, but those few miles gave me an extra sense of Zen while riding in the car for 3 1/2 hours as we headed to Palm Springs.

Eating healthy while traveling can also be a challenge. I packed our family lots of healthy snacks for the road like snap peas, carrots and strawberries, but somehow we all migrated to the not-so-healthy salty popcorn. I guess that’s part of the fun of being on vacation though, right? That’s just one more reason to make running a priority.

Day One of Our Trip: Palm Springs North Lykken Trail

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For my first run on our vacation, I kept it short and sweet. I was already sweating bullets at 7:30 this morning when my husband and daughter dropped me off at the North Lykken Trailhead, as the temperature had already reached 90 degrees. I knew I was getting a late start, but when you’re on vacay, sometimes you just have to roll with it. I loaded up my Camelbak Flashflo with 50 ounces of water and electrolytes and set out.

The North Lykken Trail isn’t a long one (only a couple miles), but it’s steep with lots of rocks to scramble over, especially on the way down. My daughter snapped this picture of me as I headed up the trail.

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Here it flattened out a bit before getting steep again.

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This is some of the gorgeous red rocks and desert landscape that I got to run along this morning. Never mind the wildfire that is blazing on the mountains in the Morongo Valley in the distance. Thankfully the smoke didn’t head our way at this point.

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Here I am near the top, trying not to overheat. Below is the town of Palm Springs and the windmill farm in the background.

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Near the top, I came across this sign. I don’t think I’ll be trying this Long Valley trail quite yet–at least while the temperature is still scorching. I drank 50 ounces in the span of just a couple of miles and still felt overheated. Thankfully I had a swimming pool and a frozen latte waiting for me after I finished (it’s vacation after all, right?). The temperature reached 118 degrees today and it’s supposed to be the same tomorrow. Regardless, I’m already looking forward to my next run. Until then….

Happy Trails!
xo Becky

Santa Barbara Girls in Motion Running & Fitness Camp

I’m so excited to be coaching my Girls in Motion running and fitness camp again this July! Sharing my love of running and empowering young girls is truly one of the highlights of my summer!

All the details of this week long camp are below. I still have space available for girls ages 6-12 who want to join the fun and be inspired. For those who sign up with a friend or sibling, I’m offering a $35 discount for both girls. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Here’s to a fabulous summer ahead of fun, fitness and flower power!

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My “Run In” with McFarland USA

McFarlandUSAPosterAnybody who knows me, knows that I’m a total sucker for feel-good, underdog movies. If they also happen to be true stories, you’ll witness me melting into an inspired puddle of happiness in need of a box of tissues. You can imagine what I was like when I saw the movie, McFarland USA, one of the most uplifting running movies I’ve seen in years.

For those of you who have not seen McFarland USA yet, do yourself a favor and rent it on NetFlix. Yes, it’s a running film, but it’s so much more.

Here’s the official film synopsis:

Track coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) is a newcomer to a predominantly Latino high-school in California’s Central Valley. Coach White and his new students find that they have much to learn about one another, but things begin to change when White realizes the boys’ exceptional running ability. More than just physical prowess drives the teens to succeed; their strong family ties, incredible work ethic and commitment to their team all play a factor in forging these novice runners into champions.

While I would definitely encourage you to check out this film, this post is not meant to be a movie review. Rather, I wanted to share a fun moment of serendipity I experienced last weekend, related to McFarland USA.

On Sunday morning we held our final gathering of our Coyotes youth running club. Our team of thirty-six kiddos, ages 4-12, all gathered at the starting line of the State Street Mile to compete, and afterward celebrate our team’s effort for the season.

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It was pure joy watching these kids soar and give it their all, many competing in their first race ever. It’s truly what this coach lives for—witnessing that sparkle of confidence as they cross the finish line.

 

 

 

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After the race, we reveled in our team’s accomplishments, handed out awards and enjoyed a sweet treat. Near the end of it all, the team surrounded us coaches in “running love”—hugs, thank yous, gifts, etc. It was incredibly sweet and humbling.

MileageBoardWhile this was all going on, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a stocky, fit looking guy studying our team’s mileage board with the intensity of a detective. I figured he must be a relative of one of our kiddos whom I hadn’t yet met.

When I turned to say hello, he said, “I’m looking at your board here. I think I’m going to steal your ideas. I’ve been watching what you’re doing. This looks really great. I also saw you at the beginning of the race honoring your runners.”

I immediately barked, “You can’t steal our ideas!” which made his eyes grow big as donuts and sent him taking a step backward. That is until I laughed and said, “Because you can’t steal something I’m happy to share with you. We’re all one big running community after all, right?”

He let out his breath and laughed.

I went on to share many of the details of our program, then I finally asked who he was and what he was about. He didn’t say his name, but simply said, Continue reading →

Popsicles for Nepal Challenge

The news from Nepal is devastating. More than 7,000 people have been killed in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck on April 25th, and thousands are still missing. Having been to Nepal and spent time reveling in the warmth and beauty of this special country, it’s particularly heartbreaking to see what has happened. That’s why I wanted to do something to help.

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The friendly faces of Nepal…monks having tea in the Thamel area of Kathmandu. This was taken during my visit there, long before the earthquake.

Since I’m not related to the Rockefellers or the Bill Gates Family, I had to focus on a more homespun approach. That’s when the “Popsicles for Nepal Challenge” popped into my head.

It started with our Roosevelt Elementary School Running Club. I simply brought four boxes of healthy’ish Popsicles to practice last week, emailed the kids’ parents in advance, then “sold” the Popsicles after practice on a donation basis. I told them that ANY amount was welcome, and if some kids didn’t bring money, I donated for them. This little running club (and their parents) knocked my socks off with their compassion, generosity, and their desire to help the people of Nepal. In less than 10 minutes, we raised nearly $200 for Direct Relief (www.directrelief.org), a humanitarian aid organization based here in Santa Barbara, ranked #1 on the Top 10 List of charities.

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After starting the Popsicles for Nepal Challenge, our Roosevelt Running Club then challenged the Kids Corner Coyotes, another team I help coach on Saturdays. I have goosebumps as I type this….drumroll please…the Coyotes raised a whopping $420 for Direct Relief, thanks to one parent who doubled the kids’ efforts through his company’s matching contributions program. Thank you Kevin! And the topper? He also just matched our Roosevelt Running Club (and then some), so our combined efforts come to over $900–all in 10 minutes time–seriously. The best part of this whole process is showing the kids that small acts of kindness, when combined with others’ small acts of kindness, can turn into something much bigger.

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The Coyotes have now challenged the Santa Barbara Track Club via Facebook and I’ve also challenged the Moms in Motion Running Team, as well as several friend’s and family’s hiking/running/workout groups here, and in different parts of the country. The ball is rolling!

Two hundred dollars (or even $20) here or there may not seem like a lot, but when sending resources to a country that had little to begin with, please know this money will go a long, long way. And Nepal needs A LOT right now.

This challenge takes very little effort. Simply bring some popsicles to your next practice or gathering and see how much people will donate in exchange for a cool, tasty treat. Popsicles are especially refreshing after a good workout! I hope whoever is reading my blog right now will take this challenge, then challenge another group (Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, book groups, cycling or triathlon groups, theater or dance groups, church groups, people in your office…the list goes on and on). Tweet it, post it on Facebook, and share this simple idea. Together let’s take a small idea and make a big difference in helping get the fabulous people of Nepal back on their feet again.

Photo of prayer flags in Kathmandu, NepalPhoto of the Monkey Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal

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#PopsiclesForNepalChallenge #HomespunPhilanthropy #RunnersMakingADifference #PeopleHelpingPeople #KidsRock

Thanks for considering! Please let me know if you take the challenge. I’d love to celebrate your effort! xo

PS: Some of you may know that my husband, Jeffrey, is a professional photographer. He is also raising money for Direct Relief by selling one of his photographs of Nepal on his Facebook page. Here’s the link if you’re interested: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeffrey-Aaronson/108650762509168

UPDATE: This fabulous 3-person team in Hood River, OR took the Popsicles for Nepal Challenge and raised $124 for Direct Relief, taking us over the $1K mark. Way to go Tate, Abby and Anna!

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Run for Ike 5K in Palm Springs on April 4th

One of my goals this year is to participate in new events to keep racing fun and fresh. After all, there’s nothing like a new challenge to get you fired up, right? I’ve already competed in three new races this year, and have several more slated for this spring. My favorite so far has been the Red Carpet 5K in Palm Springs, put on by race director, Molly Thorpe, and the Palm Springs Marathon Runners (you can read my blog post HERE if you want to know why I loved this race so much).

RUNFORIKEREG.IWhen Molly emailed me recently to let me know about an upcoming race she was organizing, the Run for Ike 5K, I immediately did a happy dance because I knew my family and I were planning to be in Palm Springs visiting my in-laws that weekend. Yay! Another chance to do a new race and run in an event put on by Molly.

My experience from the Red Carpet Run told me that any race Molly put on was bound to be special. She’s a “details” gal–something that takes a typical race up several notches so that it’s not only fun and well-organized, but memorable.

The Run for Ike 5K on April 4th is sure to be no different. The race is named in honor of Ike, a police K-9 who was killed in the line of duty, and it’s benefiting the Palm Springs Police Department K-9 Fund. The organizer’s goal is “to provide an awesome race experience with all the trimmings.”

For starters, every runner receives a tech quality t-shirt at packet pick-up. The first 200 people to sign up also receive an Ike plush. Then once you cross the finish line you receive a “Top Dog” trophy. Age group awards are handed out three deep in 5-year increments. After the race there’s a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Palm Springs Lions Club, which is included in your registration. There’s also pet adoption, K-9 demos, SWAT and first responder vehicle displays, photo ops, and a BBQ.

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Ben & Jerry’s at The River is also sponsoring the JR. IKE Dash for kids 10 and under. The kids will each get adorable t-shirts along with a floppy eared doggie cap and finisher button. Their registration is only $5, and they’re also giving each Jr. finisher a coupon for a free scoop!

Most events offering all these things would charge a big nickel, but registration for this event is only $35 until April 2nd. If that’s not enough, Molly is offering a $5 discount for any of my friends who want to join me for RUN FOR IKE 5K on April 4th. You simply have to put in the code RUNPALMSPRINGS on racewire.com.

I hope you’ll join me for what is sure to be a fun Saturday morning in Palm Springs! By the way, this race is runner, walker, stroller and doggy friendly. REGISTER HERE!

I’m sure my big guy will be there cheering me on! xo

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Kids Running Fun Ahead This Spring and Summer

Spring is in the air and tons of fun things are on the horizon with all my kids running teams! It’s going to be a busy few months, but this is the kind of busy I like!

The Roosevelt Running Club toeing the line during last season's Magic Mile race.

The Roosevelt Running Club toeing the line during last season’s Magic Mile race.

First, our Roosevelt Running Club is kicking off its spring season next week. Yay! With 36 kids, it’s the biggest team we’ve ever had, which is exciting because it means more and more kiddos are catching “fitness fever.”

About half the team will be veterans, returning for their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th season of Running Club. The rest are first timers. Most interesting is that a third of the team will be made up of 1st graders! Oh boy, it might be time to fasten my seat belt! Thankfully, I have several parents who will be involved in helping wrangle and motive our youngest athletes. Can you imagine if these kids stick with the program all the way through 6th grade? Our school could be sending some fine cross-country runners off to junior high school!

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The Roosevelt Running Club is a family affair. Jeffrey has been my awesome sidekick coach from day one, and our daughter Olivia has become a team leader, having participated on every team we’ve coached. I’m so lucky to be able to share my love of running with these two!

Once again, my hubby, Jeffrey, will be coaching with me, and our daughter Olivia, will be taking part too, as one of our most dedicated runners. She’s the only member of Running Club who will have been on the team all 7 seasons (and no, not because we make her; she truly wants to be there, even though ballet is really her “thing”).

The other exciting news is that I’ve been asked to start a running program at Montecito Union School this spring. My schedule is already packed to the gills, but I couldn’t resist getting more and more kids turned on to running. If all goes according to plan, that program will launch in mid-April and will take place on Monday afternoons all the way through early June. I can hardly wait to feel the energy from this new adventure!

One of my mom friends from this school, Ashlee Mayfield, set the wheels in motion for this program to happen because she is passionate about health and fitness for kids too! She’s a fabulous runner (she just ran the super tough LA Marathon in 3:39), and has been involved as I’ve helped coach her sons on our Coyotes team. Thank you Ashlee! It takes a village, right?

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A fun Saturday morning with my fellow Coyote coaches, Nash Jimenez and Monica DeVreese.

On top of those two fun things, our spring session of Kids Corner Coyotes (the team I just mentioned) will start on May 2nd and go through June 7th. This is one of my favorite teams to coach because we have so many kids who return season after season. Their spirit brings a special electricity to our Saturday mornings, especially since many of their parents love to run too.

It’s also fun to coach with Nash Jimenez and Monica DeVreese. They’re both the epitome of fiercely competitive, top-notch athletes (understatement) who know how to nurture, challenge and support the kids they coach. What’s also fun is that my daughter, who has run on our Coyotes team for many seasons, is now finding joy in being Monica’s helper for the Kinder Coyotes (ages 3-5). She loves helping take care of “the little ones.” We’re still in the middle of sign-ups for Coyotes (click HERE if you’d like to know more or register your child), and it’s looking like it’s going to be another record full team.

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Last, but not least, I’m putting together a Girls in Motion running and fitness summer camp, which will take place in mid-July. This camp is all about “Girl Power” and embracing our “inner amazing-ness” through fitness and teamwork. I’m putting this camp on through the awesome organization, Moms in Motion. Our intention is to get girls ages 6-12 fired up about a lifetime of health and fitness by providing a supportive environment for them to thrive. It’s so much fun to be putting all the details together like an itinerary filled with fun running and fitness challenges, yoga, strength, nutrition, as well as a list of amazing guest speakers, and goal setting ideas. I can hardly wait for this camp to take place this summer! If you know any girls who might be interested in taking part (July 13-17 from 9:00-12:00), please email me for a registration form: runwithbecky(at)hotmail(dot)com.

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Here’s to sharing the beach, road and park trails with all these amazing young athletes. They continue to inspire me every day in many, many ways.

Do your kids like running? What’s in store for your spring?

A Generous Slice of Humble Pie + A Speedy Running Tribe = A Super Recipe for Getting Stronger and Faster

While sucking air at the track yesterday, and dragging ass far behind my three speedy running buddies, Jane, Jen and Vanessa, I kept chanting to myself, Just…keep…going…this is so flippin’ good for you…Just…keep…going.

Under normal circumstances yesterday’s workout would have been challenging, but not one that left me reeling, and mumbling, “Holy crap, I have a long, long, loooooong way to go.” What took it up a notch was pushing the pace by running with faster chiquitas.

It’s definitely not easy on the ego, but pushing outside your comfort zone and running with speedier people is fabulous for your mind and body—especially if your goal is to get faster. As we all know, most good stuff happens outside our comfort zones.

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Yesterday’s workout consisted of a 1-mile warm-up followed by intervals of:
1 mile
1200m
800m
400m
200m
…cooling down with a half or three-quarter mile jog (at least I think that’s what it was. I can’t remember—I was in a bit of a fog at this point).

What else took it up a notch was Continue reading →

An Exercise in Character Building

Today’s long run was a toughie. I felt “off” from the get-go. I’m fighting off a cold, got terrible sleep last night, and am still a little sore from yesterday’s yoga-pilates class as well as last Sunday’s 5K, something I jumped into with literally 5 minutes to spare before the gun went off….wah wah wah.

The worst part about this morning though, which I realize will sound ridiculous, was that I couldn’t find my iPod–one of my favorite gadgets when I’m out on the road for a couple hours. I tore the house apart for a good 20 minutes before I finally gave up and kicked my butt out the door sans music before I lost motivation. Grumpy doesn’t even begin to describe my mood.

As I parked my car on this cool, gray day, I told myself that 13 miles could either be great or suck, depending on what I made of it.

“Listen up creaky body, just take one step and one mile at a time. You can do this! No whining. Just freaking get it done!”

And so it went…from Hendry’s Beach up the steep hill on Cliff Drive, then into the Douglas Preserve and around the Mesa. I won’t lie, it was not a magical run by any stretch of the imagination, BUT I did get it done.

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The view from the Douglas Preserve with Hendry’s Beach below.

 

The best part? Because I didn’t have my iPod to distract me, my mind was clear to think. It pondered several things that have been jumbled in my head in the midst of my busy life. And the funny thing is that after about 4 miles, I suddenly remembered where I put my iPod–in Continue reading →

The Magic Ingredient for a Happy Long Run

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Today was one of those “magic” long run training days–when the weather, pace, scenery and effort all swirled together to make it seem like the day was meant just for me.

Lord knows I’ve had my share of challenging long runs just like everybody else, when every step feels like a struggle, so when days like this come along, I have to take a few extra minutes to breathe deeply and appreciate it. Aaaah…perfection.

Music pushed my pace this morning, making 12 miles zoom by in the blink of an eye. Hills along the way didn’t even faze me–for the first time in long time. As I glided along a mix of grass, dirt, and pavement, I watched a slew of happy surfers riding huge waves, saw dolphins playing, and butterflies flitting from flowers bursting with color. It was the quintessential Santa Barbara run (sorry all you East Coast friends–don’t hate me).

After my run, I kept wondering, What made this run feel so right? The overriding word that popped into my head was “flexibility.”

Before I’d started, I’d made a preplanned route, then promptly veered from it, not only altering my course slightly, but the distance. Simply turning left instead of right added a whole new jolt of inspiration, and prompted me to add an extra mile because I was having so much fun.

Flexibility has never been my strong suit as a runner, and it has often gotten me into trouble with injuries. I’m always one to stick to the plan instead of listening to my body, even if that plan is pure nonsense for where my body is at on that particular day. I’m working on shaking things up a little with my training and trying to roll with things during my workouts, especially in the midst of life’s messy schedule.

Today’s run was the perfect reward for flexibility last weekend. My family and I had driven to Palm Springs for a few days to visit my in-laws. Thirteen miles was slated on my marathon training schedule, and lo and behold, there happened to be a half marathon taking place while we were there. Perfect, I thought, even though I knew my body wasn’t ready to “race” that distance. My Type A runner’s mentality pressed hard against my reason, but thankfully, I came to my senses at the last minute and opted for the 5K.

Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the race, but I won my age group, and more importantly, I didn’t suffer from having to sit in the car for 3 1/2 hours right after the race as we headed back home.

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Spending time with my family and traveling also threw in a couple forced rest days, which usually make me nuts. Knowing that certain miles are being neglected leaves me fretting about getting “sooooo behind on my training.” This time I was too busy enjoying myself and being in the moment to think twice about it. It was what it was. Period.

Not only am I trying to work on my mental flexibility, but my physical flexibility, which has been rapidly declining in the last couple years. My hammies are perpetually tight, as are my calves and rigid feet. Don’t even get me started about my back, which is stiffer than a 90-year old’s. It’s pathetic, BUT not impossible to remedy.

gumby_twistedYep, this creaky chiquita is finally starting to drag herself to yoga-pilates every Monday. And she’s loving it. The best part is that today’s run showed me that it’s starting to help. Small steps. Who knows, maybe now I’ll be inspired to add a Wednesday yoga class to see if that helps even more. My hope is that by adding a little “Gumby-ness” to my life, every run will feel like today’s.

Here’s to staying flexible and keeping it happy!

xo