One Step 4 (RED)

Mission accomplished!

Tweet
  Running and working out (well, mostly running) continues to be a part of my daily life. Even though my days as a competitive athlete are behind me, there is still something that working up a sweat and clearing my mind does for my quality of life. That will probably always be the case -- at least I hope it is.

  No one makes me run. And it's not like it was before, when I had to stay in shape for my professional livelihood (or in college, for my personal livelihood during the always-unpredictable Ceal Barry practices).

  I run when I want to. When I feel good, I run. When I need a day to rest, I take a break. Simple as that.

Not every run looked like this.

  Every once in a while, however, it feels good to have a tangible reason to pound the pavement (personal sanity aside).

  In early October, through Nike+, I pledged to run at least 150 miles by December 7th.

  Bank of America, (RED), and the Nike+ running community joined forces to bring us 'one step closer to ending AIDS'. For every mile run and pledged, B of A would donate 40¢ (or one day of medication that can help an HIV-positive expectant mother from passing the virus on to her babies).

  I was already a member of the Nike+ community, so all I needed to do was push the pledge button, and log the miles.

  150 miles; it wasn't an enormous number, but it would take a commitment to get it done.

One mile = one day of medication.

  I was going to do whatever I had to do to meet my goal: whether it'd be sneaking in three-to-four miles on my hour-long lunch breaks, running in less-than-ideal conditions (rain, wind, cold, dark, all of the above), logging several runs on the dreaded treadmill (read: dreadmill), or finishing a long day with short run in on tired, jello-y legs.

  I said I'd get to 150, so you better believe that I was going to get there. I liked having something holding me accountable -- it made it easier to get out the door.

  That brings me to my point: I ran a lot more during these past two months than I would have had I not committed to this campaign. During the cold days, I would have said, 'It's too cold to run,' and stayed in. When I was tired, that would have been a good enough excuse not to get out the door. And so on.

  If the commitment/motivation is there (in anything), we will find a way to get it done. The Nike+ community was committed to the cause, and we accomplished this with our legs:

  One million dollars towards ending the spread of HIV/AIDS: not bad for a bunch of runners.

  Get out, get involved -- you never know what will get you out the door!

Hood to Coast: Perspectives from Van 2

The whole squad at the finish. 

Tweet  
  From the mountains to the beach. Mt. Hood to Seaside. Hood to Coast 2014.

  They call it the Mother of All Relays for good reason: 197 miles. 12 runners. 2 vans. Little, to no sleep.

  Sounds potentially awful, doesn't it?

  In actuality, it was one of the most memorable team experiences I've ever had.

  The 33rd rendition of Hood to Coast was one I was finally able to participate in.

  As a driver.

  The Brownstars -- a team from Nike asked if I could drive one of their two vans for the race. I, of course, said yes.

We took a detour to get out of traffic to Clatskanie -- 

that turned out to be a time-saving move.

  People thought I was crazy for volunteering, but I've always been a sucker for a team -- especially ones committed to accomplishing uncommon things.

  Even when it's with teammates I'd never met.

  A lot happened in the span of those 24 hours, but it went surprisingly fast (officially, we finished in just under 24 hours).

  Maybe it was because my teammates were awesome runners --  some clocking in paces of 5:40 and 6:00 miles.

  They knew their bodies, knew how and when they needed to be fueled, and how hard they could push themselves. And they cheered their teammates til the end.

  So what, you ask, could be so great about staying up all night, while you wait for people you barely know, run from Mt. Hood to Seaside?

Van 1 at the start -- Mt. Hood.

  For one, being part of a team working as a group towards a huge goal is awesome.

  In those situations, every person needs to do his/her job to allow the team to succeed. Those are the things I've always loved -- and one reason why basketball was always so fun to me -- you needed every teammate on their game to make great things happen.

  And those are the experiences that make us, as individuals, better.

  Secondly, you're accomplishing things you would never dream of doing alone. Each individual running three different times, for a total of roughly 17 miles, in the span of 20 hours -- on no sleep -- who does that? Not something your average Joe is willing to do.

Van 2 -- making a pit stop.

  But surround them by like-minded, motivated teammates, and they'll put themselves on the line, and push through tired legs and injury to run their fastest pace ever -- even on their third run of the day.

  It was being surrounded by people, who, when we were stuck in miles of traffic, offered to hop out of the van and run twice the distance their scheduled leg called for.

  Those same people, readying towels and water for teammates as they came in from midday (read: hot) runs.

  It was seeing another teammate run the toughest leg of the relay -- through brutally hilly, dusty (gravel) roads, in the dark of night (or 5am) -- even when they were coming off a stress fracture and hadn't trained.

  Those were my teammates, and that's what made it special.

The 197 mile course.

For those wondering about specifics, here's how Hood to Coast worked: Van 1, with six runners, started at Timberline Lodge (Mt. Hood). Each team member ran one leg of varying lengths (ranging from 4 to 7 miles).

  At the end of leg six, near Sandy, Oregon, Van 2 entered the fray. The six runners in Van 2 then took to the roads to log their legs, while Van 2 had several hours to make their way to the next van exchange.

  Since we were still near Portland, many vans chose to go someplace (someone's home, a hotel, etc) where runners could clean up, and if they were lucky, take a little nap.

Van exchange 2 -- at the Hawthorne Bridge along the Willamette river.

  The second van exchange was under the Hawthorne Bridge on Portland's Eastside, where Van 1 reclaimed the reins, and Van 2 was free to clean up and get some rest.

  There were five van exchanges over the course of the 197 miles, and at the end of the 36th leg, everyone was united at the beach in Seaside.

  My teammates talked about how lonely it was while running their first leg. It was dark, quiet (no headphones allowed), and since we started fairly late in the day, there weren't many other teams around. As the race progressed, and we caught up to slower teams, it got more and more crowded along the route, and loneliness was no longer a concern.

Awaiting one runner to come in and pass
the baton (slap bracelet) off to another runner.

  The one downside that was widespread: traffic. As I mentioned before, we had a couple runners who had to log significantly longer runs than they initially were scheduled for.

  As vans piled up at exchange points (for miles), the runners would pass the van up as we sat idling.

  In order to keep the team on pace, the 'on-deck' runners jumped out of the van, finished the leg with their teammate, then took over the baton as they both crossed into the exchange. Then, in turn, the runner who just finished their leg would turn back and run towards the van until meeting it.

  After van exchange four, my van made the decision to bail out of who-knows-how-many-miles of sitting traffic, and go north to Clatskanie, west to Astoria, and then meet back up with Van 1 in time for van exchange five.

  It was an amazing experience -- even just as a driver. You're reminded how team plus sport allows for amazing things to happen. That has always driven me and inspired me, and it was awesome to be a part of something like that once again.

  Next year, if I'm able, I'll be running.

Brownstars

Seaside, Oregon.

The always sunny Oregon Coast.

The finish line.

Run Club with Nike Portland

Nike Portland Run Club.

Tweet
  May and June in the Northwest can be frustrating. Summer is near, but the weather may not always reflect what the calendar says.

  Of course, there are teasers on occasion. But usually the warm, sunny days are scattered between week long bouts of gray, drizzly days.

  In the two weeks that I've been home, I've caught myself feeling like it's mid-July or August on several occasions, but obviously that isn't the case.

  What the summer-like weather has allowed me to do is get a jump on a few summer activities. 

  One of those activities is the Run Club at Nike Portland. It's something I've been wanting to do for a while now, but haven't gotten a chance to participate in.

  I've written before about my fondness/obsession with running.

  More often than not though, running is a solo act for me. Running gives me a chance to clear my head, plan out my day, think through whatever might be running through my mind, and just get outside into the fresh air. No matter how the day is going for me, after 35-45 minutes of pounding the pavement (or the sand, when I'm lucky), the day always gets that much better. 

Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

  But there are definite benefits to a run club.

Run Club Plusses

  For one, it makes running social.

  Portland is an active city, and Oregon in general, is a state that runs. So there are a lot of runners, each with their own interesting story throughout the Rose City. Who knows who you might meet at run club!

  It's been said that the toughest step is a runner's first step out the door. Sometimes that is absolutely true. There are days when you just don't want to get out there. Where you're tired, or don't feel like running. If you do make it out the door, the run usually gets better after those first tough steps or those unmotivated thoughts. But the key is getting out the door.

  Having a run club to go to, makes those first steps easier. It's scheduled. You're going to meet people. Even though they'd run even without you there, you're being held accountable to a certain extent.

  Run club also gives you a change from your usual routes/routines. Every route gets tiresome and boring at some point. Why not find a few new ones?

I got to take the Flyknit Lunar 1 out for a spin!

  One benefit is unique to the Nike Run Club, and came as a surprise to me: you're able to test out new shoes and products during the run club. 

   For three weeks at a time, Nike Portland has new shoe models and products available to try out. If you're thinking about a new pair of shoes, or a new gadget, your local Nike store might let you test it out. If it's a new product for you, you can test it to see if it's to your liking before you plunk down the money.

  I tested the Flyknit Lunar 1. And just one test run was all it took for me to decide they'd be my next runner. 

  Finally, Run Club is free, and I'm betting you'll gain more than you lose from participating. Though I did have to pay for parking. 

  Specifics of the Nike Portland Run Club:

  Portland run club meets twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:30, at Nike Portland (on SW 5th & Morrison). They have four different routes they cycle through (Waterfront left, Waterfront right, Terwilliger and the Waterfront Esplanade). Since Portland's downtown sits on the Willamette River waterfront, most of the runs have some pretty scenery.

  Depending on how you're feeling that day, you can choose between a 3, 5 or 7-mile run. All the runs are led by numerous pacers, so no runner will be left behind!

  The warm, sunny Wednesday I went to Run Club there were about 10 other runners. I was told that as the summer weather becomes more and more consistent (usually July thru September), there can be as many as 30-35 runners.

  The out-and-back went quickly for me that day. It was nice chatting up new people, hearing about what they do, what they were training for, what event they had just run, and anything else that might have come up over the course of a 5-mile run. 

  After we made our way back to SW 5th and Morrison, there was water, coconut water, recovery gels and protein bars if we wanted. I've never tried coconut water, so again this gave me the perfect opportunity to test out something new. Can't say I'm a fan, however, so I'll just stick to water.

It's looking a lot like summer in Portland.

A Few Run Club Minuses

  A few things I didn't like: getting out of the city center. It was constant stop and go at crosswalks and lights the first five-plus minutes. Though, once we got to the waterfront, it was fabulous.

  And for me, since I don't work downtown, it's a little difficult to get into the city during the busiest time of the day. But it makes perfect sense for people who already are working downtown, or live close by. 

  There are different run clubs all over the country. They don't always have to be associated with a worldwide corporation like Nike. Sometimes they can just be a group of friends who plan to meet a couple times a week.

  Finding various run clubs in your area can be as easy as googling it, or maybe even check Facebook for a group.

  If running is your thing, or you want it to be your thing, check one out! You won't regret it. I know I'll be going back to the Nike Portland Run Club as often as I can!

Stronger Every Run

Tweet

  Nike's Stronger Every Run campaign -- benefiting the Challenged Athletes Foundation in support of athletes and families affected by last April's Boston Marathon tragedy. 

Triumph Through the Run

Tweet

Something that keeps me going as I run up those hills -- physical and otherwise

Keep pushing,                                      

Adventures in Maui

All geared-up, and ready to zip line!

Tweet
  Apparently I'm weird. I went to Hawaii alone.

  I guess if there's something you want to do, something want to see, you have to be willing to go it alone.

  After a long winter and spring filled with cold, windy days in Dunkerque, and potentially (or more-than-likely) a gray and wet spring/early-summer in Portland, I needed some sunshine and some heat.

  So I off I went to Maui.

View of Lanai, from my lanai.

  I've traveled solo to all corners in Europe. And never with any issue. I expected nothing different in Maui. I had been twice before, was familiar with the area, and unlike places I've visited in Europe, I could even speak the language!

  The entire island of Maui is filled with gorgeous sights and thrilling adventures. I only had a few things in mind though: go to the beach, lay by the pool, go paddle boarding a time or two, and maybe find a zip line adventure to partake in.

  Sure there were other things I had in mind, but my must-do list was short.

Lahaina.

Lahaina Town
  I stayed Lahaina. Probably the most popular, most tourist-laden town on Maui. But that was fine by me.

  After several weeks of searching, and dozens of websites visited, I found a fabulous oceanfront condo (that didn't break the bank either).

  Every morning was spent watching the daylight come up over the Pacific during breakfast, and nearly every night, watching the most amazing sunsets over dinner. The three-hour time change to the Hawaiian time zone made early mornings and early evenings the norm. The only time awaking before the sun is easy and painless. If only it could always be like that!

  I really had everything I needed and wanted at the condo's ocean side pool. During my seven days in Lahaina, most of my time was spent either there, or overlooking the pool from my lanai. I couldn't have asked for more!

The famous Banyan Tree.

  Lahaina is a great little town. The historic center is a fun area to explore: walking the shoreline, shopping, or finding a treat to spoil yourself with.

  I thought May was a great time to visit. Warm, sunny weather like Hawaii is known for (yet not too hot or humid), but not overrun with crowds like you can find during other months.

  During the winter, Maui is great for whale watching. Over the course of my stay, I didn't see any whales, but when I paid close attention, sea turtles were all over the place. I could never snap a picture of them -- they must have a camera radar! 

Me & my instructor, Chyna.

Paddle Boarding
  Otherwise known as Stand Up Paddle, or SUP, I had been wanting to give paddle boarding a shot for over two years.

  At home, it's a common sight on Lake Oswego in the summer. And during my two seasons in Dunkerque, you'd see a brave soul bearing the cold North Sea water on a paddle board on occasion. It was constantly around me, tempting me, and I wanted to give it a shot.

  I called up Maui Wave Riders and booked myself a lesson. I was a little nervous for my lesson. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to do it. Here I am, this professional basketball player, and what if I couldn't even get up on the board? I had no idea what to expect, but was determined to give it my best shot!

  My instructor, Chyna, gave me a quick run-through on land of the stance, the paddle stroke, how to turn, and of course how to get up on the board. Before I knew it, I was up on the board, paddling away. She joined me on a board of her own, and off we went.

Always looking for a basketball court. Not a bad backdrop.

  I had a blast on the water. It was tough on your body -- your lower legs and your feet -- but it was also very calming. Chyna pointed out different things to be on the lookout for: ranging from eels and coral below us, to wind changing direction and how to maneuver through waves, to potential sharks off in the distance.

  Paddle boarding was unlike anything I had ever done. I loved every second of my first try, so much so, that I went back out on my own a few days later.

  My second time paddle boarding was a little rougher than the first. Since I had to carry the board about a quarter mile to the water, I wanted a lighter board. So I grabbed a shorter board. That turned out to make all the difference in the world. I could feel, from the second I got on all-fours to stand up, that the shorter board was much less stable. As a result, I found myself in the water a time or two (or three or four).

Hanging out by the pool.

  The first day, I didn't fall at all. The second day, no doubt, I gave passers-by a few laughs as I tumbled into the water.

  Even with a few falls, I still had fun. I learned a little more, and got more comfortable on the board. Having a shorter board, coupled with rougher water, definitely required more focus on my part. But I had a blast, and am officially a SUP fan! 

Zip Lining
  Zip lining was the second, and last, adventure I really wanted to do while on Maui. The weather had turned a little rainy and blustery on the island for a few days, so zip lining had fallen off my radar a bit. But with just a few days left in my vacation, and with the weather clearing back up, I found a zip line company nearby. I called up Paradise Eco-Adventures and booked myself a last-minute zip line tour.

Just off the platform.

  The tour was atop the hillside overlooking Lahaina, so the views and scenery were amazing. Paradise Eco-Adventures is also associated with an organic farm that you tour prior to zip lining. It was interesting to hear about the farm and what they grow -- dragon fruit, pineapple, bananas, papayas and sugar cane. While the farm tour was nice, I was there to zip line!

  Each person got four runs down the 450 foot long zip line (but the group I was with was given an extra run for free). I really don't do things like zip lining (in fact I remember saying that to the guy who helped us get geared up). The last time I could remember something like that was on the playground in elementary school.

Pretty awesome view from the zip line platform of the farm and the ocean.

  But zip lining was a blast. I loved it.

  The first few runs, I came in way too fast and felt like I could go flying off the end of the platform. So after adjusting my technique (from cannonball style to a 'starfish'), I felt like I had a little more control. (I have video, but haven't been able to get it to upload!)

Maui Eats & Treats
  I had a whole list of Maui Eateries that I wanted to try. Unfortunately, there's only so many times you can eat in a day, so I didn't get to them all. The local places I did try, were awesome. If you go to Lahaina, the following are highly recommended:

• Aloha Mixed Plate - Great location. Great food. Great prices. 'Authentic' Hawaiian food and combo plates.  
• Honu Beach Seafood & Pizza - Next door to Aloha Mixed Plate, so same great location. I'm

  

  One of the many gorgeous sunsets. From Honu Beach.

  not sure why, but I was craving pizza. Lucky for me, there was Honu down the road. Awesome pizza, with a little asiago flavor on the crust. Prices were more expensive, but they gave me free macaroons for having to wait (like five minutes).
• Star Noodle - Off the beaten path when it comes to Lahaina because it's on the hillside that overlooks the ocean and Lahaina Town. It's an Asian fusion place that specializes in Pad Thai -- which is what I had. Good stuff!
• Shark Pit Food Truck - I had to try a local food truck, and I'm so glad I found the Shark Pit in Kaanapali. Chris, the owner/chef, cooks everything himself on-site. He has an organic farm on the hillside, and all his dishes come from his freshly-picked farm items. I had the Eggplant and Mushroom Burger on a taro bun. Delicious.
• Ono Gelato - Who knew I'd have to go to Maui to get authentic Italian Gelato!?! Believe me, this is the real deal. And I have to admit, I went here more than a couple of times. Initially, I went because I wanted to try their 'Big Island Mac Nut Crunch'. But it was sold out, and wouldn't be ready for another two hours! So I settled for a 'Maui Mokka' and Coconut swirl. Both were fantastic. Later in the week, I eventually tried the Big Island, which was great as well.

Rainbows galore on Maui.

Maui's Spendy
  Vacations are expensive. That's why they're vacations: they don't happen every day, they're special. But Maui is especially pricey.

  My first day on Maui, I went to Safeway to get food for what I thought would be the week (but actually turned out to be a couple days), and walked out with $76 of nothing special. The bill on trips to the grocery store adds up much more-quickly on Maui. But I didn't want to eat out every day, as that adds up even quicker, so the grocery store was a must!

Walking into Lahaina.

  Entertainment in tourist destinations will obviously cost you a pretty penny. The list of potential adventures to go on in Maui is endless. But unless your pockets are bottomless, you have to put a limit on what you actually do. 

  Outside of the things I did, there's also: snorkeling, scuba diving, trips to Lanai or Molokai, sailing, jet skiing, biking Haleakala, and so on. The idea of doing everything is a good one, but you're made to put a value on the things you really want to do.

Etcetera
  Other random highlighs of my week in Maui:

• Runs in the humidity - I think adjusting to high-humidity is just as hard as adjusting to high-altitude runs! 
• Kapalua Coastal Trail - easy, trail to hike right along the rocky coast in Kapalua. Awesome views.
  

  

  Along Kapalua Coastal Trail.

• Failed beach attempts - Every time I tried to go to the beaches north of Lahaina, I ended up turning around immediately because the weather turned bad, roughly five miles outside of Lahaina. I guess I was destined to stay in Lahaina! 
• Solar eclipse - I was lucky enough to be in the only part of the world where the solar eclipse was visible on May 9th. I saw it on the reflection of a DVD. 
• Sunsets - One of my favorite things about Hawaii, is that each and every day at sunset, everyone seems to stop what they're doing and take in the beautiful scene.

Zip lining!

  There were a few things I wanted to do, places I wanted to see, but some places I didn't feel were okay for a woman traveling by herself to go. That's one of the downsides of traveling solo. Watching the sunrise and biking down Haleakala, the drive to Hana, more-remote hiking, or snorkeling in a cove all would have been awesome. But I guess there's always next time!

  My final day came, and it was time to leave. Always the worst day of vacation. You never want to go. But I did exactly what I set out to do, and had a blast every second I was there.

Mahalo Maui!

Lots and lots of pictures below! 

Condo view.

And at sunset.

Looking towards Kaanapali.

Lahaina.

Kapalua Coastal Trail.

Kaanapali Beach.

Kapalua Bay.

Dragon Fruit Farm.

View of Lanai.

Banana plant.