Hollywood Half Marathon, Hollywood, CA Registration is $39 off of Facebook Deals for Los Angeles, CA. Offer valid for a couple of days.

Originally, I blogged about the inaugural 2012 Hollywood Half Marathon, Hollywood, CA back on May 27, 2011.  Click here to see what I wrote.

Event date:  April 7, 2012


Currently, there's a limited time offer off of Facebook Deals for this half marathon.  It's $39.  Must have a Facebook account to make a purchase.

For more info., on the Hollywood Half Marathon, click here.

Quiznos Deal: Pay $6 for 2 Regular Subs or 2 Salads (A $12.98 Value!) - Nationwide Deal

A nice and delicious Quinos sandwich!

Some Fine Print:

1.  July 28, 2011 is the last date to purchase in to get this deal.
2. Expires Oct 30, 2011 (This is the last date to redeem offer.)
3. Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 additional as a gift. Limit 1 per visit. Not valid for chips and soda. Valid only in continental US. Valid only at Quiznos locations that accept Groupons.

To see which Quiznos locations accept Groupons, click here and then enter your ZIP code.


To get in on this deal, do the following:

1. Click here.
2. Make sure you are located in the Groupon San Francisco, CA area.  (This is actually a nationwide deal, so if you select another location, it will also work.)
3. To see this offer, you  may or may not have to got to the center and top of the screen and click on "All Deals."

Happy dining!!!

Ran 4.13 Miles, including 2 Big Hills, Some Trail and Some Very Sandy Areas. July 26, 2011

I have a love/hate relationship with hills.  On one hand, I know I need to work on them more, but it doesn't make me like them that much.


Ran 4.13 miles @ 0:52:21

The route included 2 big hills and some trails, including some very sandy sections.  I am not found of the sandy sections.  I keep thinking my body would keep moving forward while one foot gets stuck in the sand, possibly propelling me onto the ground.  I took it slow on the sandy parts and managed not fall face forward into the dirt.


In addition, walked 1.65 miles

Guestimate calories burned for the day:  553

Ran 3 Miles, Walked 1 1/2 Miles and 30 Minutes of Weights. July 25, 2011

I managed to mixed things up today.

1.  3 miles @ 0:33:28 (This is what a tortoise's speedwork looks like.)
2.  Walked 1 1/2 miles
3.  30 minutes of weights at the gym

Guestimate calories burned for the day:  562

A Run, A Few Walks and Weights at the Gym.

Had a busy day and managed to get in a mix of things in.

6.32 miles, including some hills and a trail @ 1:20:53
4.32 miles walked
Weights at the gym @ 0:30:00

Guestimate calories burned:  1,100

5.04 Miles of Speedwork and 2.34 Miles Walked

My activities of the day:

5.04 miles @ 0:55:27 (This is what a tortoise's speedwork looks like.)
2.34 miles walked

The day's mileage:  7.34 miles.

Guestimate calories burned for the day:  761

3.15 Miles and Weights.

Got in an easy wog of 3.15 miles with intermissions @ 0:44:32.

Also, went to the gym and went thru a series of weight machines @ 0:30:00.

Guestimate calories burned for the day:  488

1st Easy Wog Post Sick: 4.4 Miles and Walked 2.34 Miles. July 19, 2011

So far, the food and fluids have been staying down.

Wogged:  4.4 miles @ 0:54:37

Walked:  2.34 miles @ 0:54:00


Guestimate calories burned for the day:  642

2012 LA Marathon Friends and Family Promo: $20 Registration Discount, 25% KWISS Coupon and a Free Training Plan. Ends: July 21, 2011 at 11:59 am PST.

Having completed the 2010 and 2011 LA Marathon, I really do love the Stadium to the Sea course, running from Dodgers' Stadium thru Hollywood, WeHo, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Century City before finishing along the beach in Santa Monica.

There's a 48 Friends and Family Promo for the 2012 LA Marathon with the code:  HLAM2012

For registering with the code, you get the following:

1. $20 off registration for the 2012 LA Marathon
2. 25% online coupon for KSWISS
3. free online training plan to try to get you to the finish line of the race

The code begins on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 12:00pm (PST) and ends on Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 11:59am (PST).

Registrants do be aware of the following:

1. The owner of the LA Marathon and LA Dodgers had filed for bankruptcy, admist his messy divorce and struggle with MLB regarding ownership and control of the baseball team.  The LA Marathon folks are saying it is business as usual for them; it will be the Stadium to the Sea course; and that they are moving forward with the 2012 event, but come race day, who knows who might be owner or what may happen to the marathon and baseball team, whose facilities host the the start of the race.
2. The 2011 LA Marathon's gear check pickup area was left in total chaos.  The forecast for rain was up for over a week, and on race day, not a single tent was to be found over the gear check area.  No volunteers were manning the gear check.  Spilled contents were left strewn on the ground in the mud, gravel, sand and who knows what else.  It was a total find your own bag situation amidst the mix of bags and spilled contents.
3. The T shirt design and medal logo wasn't that great is an understatement.
4. The LA Marathon organizers said they would create a finisher's shirt to commemorate the crazy cold, windy and rainy weather that runners had to endure thru for the 2011 LA Marathon due to runners' interest, where news articles mentioned thousands were treated for hypothermia.  But, just one month later, they did a 180. 

For more info. about the LA Marathon, click here.

 Good luck!!!

Walked 5.77 Miles and Hit the Weight Machines at the Gym. July 18, 2011

Today was my 1st post sick outing.  I was on an unintended upchuck diet.  Am now several pounds lighter.

Walked:  5.77 miles @ 1:43:38
Weights at the gym:  30 minutes


Originally, I wasn't planning to walk that much and that far today, but there was a delay in the bus system.


Guestimate calories burned for the day:  438

4.53 Miles including Hills

And, hill practice continues onward.  Oh, joy!

The famous Lyon Street Stairs.

Thankful for the brief intermission along the Lyon Street Stairs.

The Fort Mason Hill.  It's the 2nd hill on the Nike Women's Marathon course.

4.53 miles @ 1:00:55
Calories burned:  568

Chocolate Agave No. 9 Energy Gel Sample Offer. Mentioned in Competitor, July 2011 issue.

I was skimming thru the Competitor, July 2011 issue and noticed there was a free gel trial pack sample offer.

At first, I was a bit skeptical because the website had a date that the offer was valid thru 9/30/2010.

But, after waiting a short while, the gel sample trial pack of 1 did arrive in my mailbox.

My Chocolate Agave #9 sample.

To request your free sample, click here.

Happy sampling!!!

Western Pacific Marathon (Trail) Mini Race Report, Fremont, CA. Event date: April 16, 2011

Me, frying around Mile 13 or Mile 14.  Pic taken by Endorphin Dude.

A bunch of running crazies very happy we had finished.  From right to left, me, Diane, Endorphin Dude, Ultra Woof, Mattsaurs, David and Chriss Bliss.

 Overall:

1. This was my 1st trail marathon.  I generally prefer road events.
2. Although most of the course was flat, the gravel kicked my behind.  I don't own any trail running shoes, so I couldn't tell if it would have made a difference or not.
3. The weather also changed quickly from cold and windy to very hot past the 12.25 mile turnaround.  There was also no shade.
4. I have the BMO Vancouver Marathon 2 weeks after this one, so I didn't want to messed things up for the event in Vancouver.
5. Happy I finished and saw some familiar faces.  Very happy I finished!

The Course:

1. Quarry Lakes Regional Park, Fremont, CA
2. Initially, I jumped on this one because the course was flat. What I didn't expect until I was on the course was that the gravel made it way more challenging to run on.
3. The only "hills" along the way were the descent and ascent underneath bridges where vehicles passed over from one side to the other side.  There were quite a few of them along the way.
4. The multiuse paths were not too crowded.  I saw a few horses along the way.  A few folks were walking their dogs.  Once, I had to stop running because a dog decided to sniff me out.

 Weather:

1. Windy and cold early on.
2. Then, suddenly, it got very hot.

For this course next time, I'd shoot for a Half Marathon instead.

DSE 6 Hour Distance Classic Mini Race Report, San Francisco, CA. Event date: July 10, 2011

My 1st ever DSE finisher's ribbon for completing the 6 Hour Distance Classic.

Overall:

1. I was very happy with the number of laps completed and my mileage.  Mentally, I was fried completing 22 loops (1.061 mile per loop).  It was the first time I had gone around in circles that many times for a single event, so I really didn't know what to expect going in.
2. Had I had another 3 minutes, I could have completed another lap.
3. My wallet was also incredibly happy my event registration fee was $10, not including the pesky Active.com fees.

Course wise:  23.34 miles completed  (22 x 1.061)
Garmin:  24.25 miles completed


Course:
More than 50% dirt trail.  It was a 1.061 mile loop around part of Crissy Field in the Presidio.  It was relatively flat with 1 very tiny hill.

Along the way, some pebbles fell into my shoes, but I didn't stop to empty them out.  I will definitely wear gaiters next time


Scenery:
The Golden Gate Bridge, the Palace of Fine Arts and Alcatraz were in the backdrop.

.
Course Highlights:

1. A caterpillar crossed my path during 1 of my laps.  Usually, I wouldn't be that excited, but being mentally fried from completing so many laps, it was a highlight along the way.
2. Also, because it was a loop course, I passed and got passed by a few familiar faces, including Endorphin Dude and Ultra Woof.

Conditions:
It was windy on one side, while it was hot and congested on the other side.


Net guestimate calories burned:  1,222

3.82 Hilly Miles Recovery Wog/Hike. July 12, 2011

It's 2 days after my 6 Hour Distance Classic, and I was brave enough to head out the door.

Along the way, I snapped a few pics.

Top of Lombard Street, the most crookedest street in San Francisco.

Cable Car heading up Hyde Street.  I am so glad I was going downhill and not uphill.

The Hyde Street Cable Car turnaround.

Went by Ghirardelli Square.  I always seem to get a craving for chocolate when I go by.

Went up the Fort Mason Hill.  It's the second hill along the Nike Women's Marathon course.

Alcatraz hiding in the fog.

I am generally not fond of hills, but I know I must work on them more.


3.82 miles wogged and hiked @ 0:53:13
447 calories burned

Beard Papa's Deal: 50% off, Sanford, FL (Greater Orlando, FL area)

Anyone likes Beard Papa's cream puff pastries in the greater Orlando, FL area?

There are actually 2 deals going on at the Beard Papa's in Sanford, FL, and they are the following:
• For $10, you get $20 worth of cream puffs and other treats.
• For $20, you get $40 worth of cream puffs and other treats.

Delicious Beard Papa's cream puffs!!!

Some Fine Print:

• June 9, 2011 is the last date to purchase in to get this deal.
• Expires Oct 11, 2011 (This is the last day to redeem offer in-store).
• Limit 1 per person, may buy 2 additional as gifts. Limit 1 per table. Limit 1 per visit. Valid only for option purchased. Not valid for mochi ice cream.
• 25 is the tipping point for this offer to become valid.

Offer is valid ONLY at the following location:

Beard Papa's - Sanford
4922 W SR46
Sanford, Florida 32771
Get Directions

To get in on this deal, do the following:

1. Click here
2. Make sure you are located in the Groupon Orlando, FL area
3. To see this deal, you may or may not have to go to the center and top of your computer screen and click on "All Deals"

Happy dining!!!

Harry Potter Sport Silicone Wristbands and a Free Movie Ticket Offer. Free Movie Ticket Offer Ends: July 14, 2011

Any Harry Potter fans out there?

EFXUSA has created a line of officially licensed Harry Potter Signature sport silicone wristbands.

In addition, for a limited time, if you purchase a Harry Potter sport silicone wristband without any discounts, you will also receive a ticket to see the movie.  (Offer valid from July 7, 2011 thru July 14, 2011.)

The Harry Potter Signature Series Hogwarts School Sport Silicone Wristband

A couple of my running friends have EFXUSA sport silicone wristbands.  They swear their wristbands work and gave them more energy on their runs.

For more info. in the Harry Potter energy wristbands and/or to order, click here.

Anyhow, hope to see you at the movies!!!

$10 off Portland Marathon Registration, Portland, OR. Event date: October 9, 2011

Anyone want to run in the Portland Marathon on October 9, 2011?

Here's a code:

$10 off
Code:  MARATHON10


For more info. on the Portland Marathon, click here.

Good luck!!!

Literally Left Outside, lululemon San Francisco Run Club Kick Off Event. June 30, 2011

I had been looking forward to checking out the revamped lululemon San Francisco Run Club, but I was disappointed at what occurred.  I was literally left outside after finishing my run, which has never happened to me ever before anywhere else.

The Start - lululemon on Grant Avenue.  I had been looking forward to the event.

The run itself was at times very hilly, very windy and sometimes scenic, but I was fine with the run itself.

I even came across a couple of famous spots along the way.  Here are a couple of pics:

Lombard Street, the crookedest street in San Francisco

The Palace of Fine Arts

At the end of most of my runs, I am usually happy, feeling that I had made it to the finish line for that day.

Today, I felt the same way until I got to the Finish, which was the lululemon store on Union Street.

When I approached the Finish, I saw a bunch of runners outside the store.  I thought it was kind of odd that there were that many people outside the store.  Also, normally, I usually would see smiles after a run was over, but everyone seemed sad and too quiet today.

I didn't find out why until I got to the door of the store why.  The lady there was turning everyone away.  She wasn't rude and certainly wasn't mean.  She was turning everyone away because there was a yoga class in session inside the store, and they were not allowing anyone in until the class was over.

I was stunned.  They did mention there would be a yoga class at 7:15 pm, but no where did they mention that everyone would be left outside until it was over.

Another disappointment was that it was a warm day, and I was thirsty along my run, thinking of a nice cup of cold water to drink just after I finished.  I didn't see any drinks outside.

I told the lady I was thirsty.  She went inside a couple of feet away from the front door and got me a cup of water to quench my thirst.
 
I thought the saddest part of it all was when I went down the street to some other store to change my clothes.


Add on:
I did receive an apology from someone at lululemon.

"Dear Mae, so sorry we weren't prepared with water outside the store for our runners. We'll be sure to have water readily availbel next time! Thanks for coming out to the run club event and hope to see you soon:)"