Week in Vancouver

I recently spent a week in Vancouver for work covering two different tradeshows. I'm rarely gone for such a long stretch at a time and I'll be honest, it kind of sucked. Something that did NOT suck though was being able to run the Vancouver Half Marathon in the middle of my trip. Score!

I've decided to stick to my recent theme of photo blogging. A picture is worth a thousand words right? And let's be honest, I can blabber on for thousands of words .. and its much easier to just look through my photos to get a sense of the trip. :o)

Day 0 (Monday) - Leaving San Diego

Be back in over a week!

Day 1 (Tuesday) - Phoenix to Vancouver

Chupa Chups! Spotted in the PHX airport

Yay! Another Passport Stamp!

Solo Dinner Night 1 - Mussels for Apps

Solo Dinner Night 1 - Ahi for the Entree

Day 2 (Wednesday) - First Day of the Skincare Show

Street Meat! Tried Big Dogs Hot Dog Stand
(All organic, 80 calorie hot dogs. Inconceivable!)

With One of my New Tradeshow Friends 

(We Hung Out Wed Night)

Tradeshow Friends!

Walked Around and then hit the Top of Vancouver

Great View!

Revolving Restaurant = Killer Views of Vancouver

Day 3 (Thursday) - Second/Last Day of the Skincare Show

Walking in the Rain - BOOO!
Only made better by breakfast paninis at the show

Saw a Car2Go! Just like San Diego!

Alone Again - Hello Concierge Lounge

Cheeseless Pizza Dinner

Day 4 (Friday) - Half-Day "off" 

Concierge Lounge Breakfast

Rainy Run with Christina

(She came into town for the race. Yay! Company!)

The Picture of the Electrocuted Man Cracked Me Up

Look Who Helped Me Setup My Booth!

LOVE the orange vests they made us wear. Not. 

Patient Treatment Time at the Tradeshow

Beautiful Backdrop for a Medical Treatment!

Met Up with Coworkers for Dinner ... then Da Club. Oh Vey!
(Lightup Ice Bucket in the VIP Lounge)

Day 5 (Saturday) - Big Tradeshow Starts

Morning Coffee in My Room

Loving the Water View

View of the Marathon Finish Area Setup from My Room

Picking Up My Bib for the Half Marathon!

And then off to the tradeshow. Same convention center = awesome!

Day 1 at the Tradeshow
Feet already hurt. Jealous I wasn't in one of these chairs

Day 6 (Sunday) - Race Day! 

Breakfast with a View!

BRR! Gonna be a chilly race!

Vancouver Half Marathon

From Runner to Booth Babe in One Hour!
(Yep, wearing my medal .. for the picture! haha)

Finish Line Was Still up Post-Tradeshow -- Awww!

Day 7 (Monday) - Bye Bye Vancouver!

Last Breakfast in Vancouver

Bye Bye Convention Center!

Bye Bye Olympic Torch!

Bye Bye Marriott! Seriously ... it was time to break up!

Upgrade Both Ways on My Trip? Score!

Why yes, I can check three 75 lb bags!  But only had one. :)

Enamored With This Girl's Suitcase  Bear! Aww!

Vancouver Airport - Weird
Victoria's Secret, Hello Kitty Maple Syrup?!

Heading Back to Phoenix - UGH the Heat!

Fun Times with Jenna & Babies
My Phoenix BFF! Miss You!

After being in Phoenix for the afternoon and night I drove back to San Diego the next morning. O M G I was tired. So weird to be back in the office, but glad to be home! The trip to Vancouver was wayyyyy too long, but love the city and seriously, life could be worse. Had a great time seeing my Phoenix friends before and after Vancouver (drove there so my dear friend Diane could watch my dogs for a week), made some new SoCal friends at the show, got to run a race, and overall had a fun week in Vancouver!

Next up ... (for travel) ... Vegas (again!?!??!) in June.

Marathon Maniac #4986

You may have noticed in the pictures for my last two half marathons that I was wearing a shirt that said "Marathon Maniacs". For those of you who aren't marathon runners, you probably thought this was a cute shirt that clearly explained that I was crazy. BUT .. that is not all that it is!

The Debut of the Maniac Shirt

Marathon Maniacs is a running club that I first heard of a little over a year ago. In order to qualify you need to run a number of marathons in a short period of time. The full requirements and qualification levels can be found here, and for me - I was able to qualify at the minimum level of Bronze by completing 3 marathons in less than 90 days. Um, that's the minimum requirement? That was barely achievable!

Being someone with an insatiable need to achieve, I'm always looking for the 'next' goal. First it was to run a marathon, then to run one under 4 hours, then it was to qualify for Boston (which I've given up because to be honest I don't want to train as hard as I'd need to to qualify), then it was to do a triathlon... but then, what next? When I heard about the Marathon Maniacs and what it took to qualify, I knew this was something that I wanted to do.

Last year I ended up running four full marathons after previously having sworn off marathons for good. Oh marathon running, I can't quit you! I ran the OC Marathon in May, the San Francisco Marathon in July, the Marine Corps Marathon in October, and the California International Marathon (CIM) in December. The CIM race was a last minute addition when I realized that the Marine Corps Marathon would be a slower race that David and I would run together. I was itching to do a race and try to PR, and signed up for CIM in October. 

2011 Marathons - All in Tutu!

 Tutus Courtesy of Glam Runner

Once I was signed up for CIM though I realized that my July, October, December races were pretty close together, but not close enough to qualify as a Maniac. I looked at a race calendar though and realized that if I completed another marathon in January, my October, December, and January races would qualify me. Hmm ... what race to do in January? Hmm, but what race to do? The Carlsbad Marathon was in January and local, but it was sold out. I looked around online a bit though and found  a bib for sale on the Tri Club's classified ads. Before I could think twice, I was registered. Maniac status here I come!

Running four marathons in 2011 and then a fifth in January meant that I was basically in marathon training mode for almost a year straight. I really started getting tired of weekend after weekend after weekend of long runs towards the end of the year. Every single Saturday I had to get up early and get out and run for hours. I love running, but sometimes I was just tired and wanted to sleep in. I cut myself a lot of slack towards the end of the year and skipped a few long runs here and there or cut them short, and in the end it didn't really hurt me.

Running Carlsbad with Tara

As the Carlsbad Marathon approached and Tara and I started doing long runs together, we decided that we would run together and I'd try to pull her into the finish with a sub 4:30 PR. I knew the pace would be pretty comfortable for me and my goal for Carlsbad was to just finish. I didn't care what my finish time was, I had already just PR'd in my previous race, and if I crossed the finish line I would be a Maniac!! We ran the whole race together (in tutu!) and had a lot of fun, and I'm so happy to say that as of January earlier this year I qualified! I was a Marathon Maniac!!

Pure Joy & Happiness Crossing the Finish Line

I don't have any full marathons scheduled until July when I run the San Francisco Marathon. I'll be doing San Francisco, Marine Corps, and CIM again this year just like last year. I'm just starting my training for San Francisco this week, and I can't wait to get started with my long runs again. Next weekend I will be running the Vancouver Half Marathon and will of course be wearing my obnoxious yellow Marathon Maniac shirt. 

Marathon Maniac Shirt & Custom Glam Runner Tutu

I feel so proud to have earned Maniac status (even if its at their lowest level), and love all of the greetings and cheers from fellow Maniacs that I see along the course. When my cousin and I ran the Hollywood Half a few weeks ago I felt like a celebrity! I had so many other Maniacs or Half Fanatics yell out "GO Maniac!" or they'd say Hi and shout out their number to me. I felt like I was in a special club of fellow crazy and friendly people!  

 Making Friends at the Hollywood Half Marathon

Upon being accepted you are assigned a number, and I'm proud to say I'm #4986. To date there are over 5000 crazy runners out there who have also qualified and applied. Go Maniacs!