The week before LA Marathon

Monday I started the day feeling kinda ill. I was worried it would develop into something worse and the timing was awful, but by lunchtime I was feeling much better. By the end of the day I felt 100%, just in time for Bar Method!

Tuesday I went down to Village Runner to get a form analysis done by a Newton rep. She gave me some tips on my form and let me try out a pair (third time now) for Village Runner's weekly fun run. I met some nice people but ultimately ran with Ed who has run 30 marathons and planned to run his 20th LA Marathon on Sunday. He told me about the four Rs: Relax, Rhythm, React, Resolve. I listened as he shared his wisdom and before I knew it we had run 5.5 miles at a sub-9:00 pace! I definitely felt like the Newtons helped me fly up the incline from the beach path to the street and finally felt ready to take the plunge and buy a $175 pair. Especially since the rep assured me that they last longer than regular shoes and don't wear down the same so can be worn for walking and running. I figured I'd keep an eye out for them at the marathon expo to see if they offer any deals.

Wednesday I joined iRunMB for their weekly fun run which was sponsored by New Balance. I didn't win a pair of shoes but I did win a towel and I got to see Monica who is one of their awesome reps who conducted a gait analysis at Fleet Feet Encino a while back and introduced me to some running concepts like posture, cadence, lean and and midfoot strike.

Thursday I took a rest day but Friday I got one last workout in at Bar Method and tried to take it easy so I wouldn't be sore on Sunday. That night I got to bed around 9:30 because I was so tired and figured I wouldn't get a full night's sleep the next day.

Saturday Andreia, Kasia, Lauren, and Mayra came over and we went to the expo for the LA Marathon. We got there just as they were running out of supplies so Mayra and Andreia didn't get any goodies in their goodie bags and a few minutes later they even ran out of bags and people were asking us where we got ours! There was also an issue with information on the bibs being printed incorrectly and we all had a good laugh with Kasia who was one of the victims.

After picking up our bibs and race shirts, we headed to the Asics shop to look for LA Marathon themed gear. I got a shirt that says "Los Angeles is for runners" and a running tank. Then we walked around the expo a bit and I stopped at the Newton booth to buy the shoes I tried on Tuesday. They were 15% off and I even got free socks!

After the expo we got lunch then went shopping for dinner. Kasia had to leave but the other girls were spending the night so we rented a couple movies and made an early dinner of pad thai, Blue Dog's Happy Cow salad, and a steak and potatoes dish (I didn't partake in that one). We watched The Perks of Being a Wallflower as we ate and then prepped our gear for the next day. Our goal was to be in bed by 9pm but it was about 10 by the time my head hit the pillow.

This week was amazing for donations! I got 16 donations from friends, family, and even Mike's coworkers (who I may have bribed with baked treats). It was a great last push and got me all the way to $2,960 as I went to bed Saturday night. Up next... LA MARATHON RECAP!!!