So it was raining this morning. Relentlessly raining. And I was supposed to do a long run. I've run in the rain many times (including 20 and 22 milers), but it tends to leave my feet all blistered. And I only have three weeks til my next race. Gotta keep those feet in good condition.

And I was scheduled to do a long run with a friend. A friend who hates running in the rain even more than I do. So we decided to hit the gym and run on treadmills instead. I thought I was all ready with my handheld waterbottle, iPod, towel, and phone. I was hoping to do at least 8 miles, since my last long run was only 6.2. Eeek!

But my iPod was dead. So to pass the time, I listened to Pandora stations on my phone, people watched (there are some interesting people at my gym), and occasionally tuned in to CSI on the TV (no, I've never watched CSI in my life, but I was desperate, ok?). I ended up running 9 miles. (Okay, so I ignored the 10% rule. Shhh!) Unfortunately, my pace is a little slow, and I'll need to do a little foam rolling tonight. I really, really, really want to PR, and that means beating my 2:04 half marathon time. I'd really, really, really like to PR and finish in under 2 hours, but that's looking pretty unlikely at this point.

Anyone else do a long run this weekend? Inside or outside?

Yeah, so I've never done a Three Things Thursday, but today's a good day to start, no? :P

1. Today, unbeknownst to me, my coworkers put a cardboard cutout of Taylor Lautner in the bathroom. So when I walked into the restroom with the lights off, and I glanced in the mirror, it looked like there was a person lurking in there! I yelled, "What the--," realized what it was and yelled, "Thatscaredthecrapouttame!" And then I started laughing hysterically. I love scaring people, so I thought the whole prank was hilarious. Ahh, my coworkers are awesome.

2. The gym was a crazy place. Yesterday some guy was staring at my friend so hard we complained to management. And today some guy at the gym comes up and grabs my side while I'm on a stationary bike, getting something out of my gym bag. I flinch and look at him, and he looks surprised and says, "Oh, I thought you were Ashley." Um, no, I'm not Ashley, and you should probably keep your hands to yourself unless you're 110% sure who you're touching. Just sayin'.

3. I'm consuming wayy too many Subway's cookies and Jamba Juice smoothies. They serve the cookies at school, so it's easy to just buy one.. or two... during lunch. Too easy. And Jamba Juice has been having buy one get one free coupons a lot lately on their website, so my friend and I have been going there at least once or twice a week. Because their Pumpkin Smash smoothie is HEAVENLY! If you haven't tried it, you need to.

So what's up with all y'all?! Are you having a crazy week, or has it been pretty chill?

Things had been rough this week. My calves were finally starting to feel better after getting beaten up by Hood to Coast, and I was doing weightlifting classes at my gym, but I hadn't been running much, and I definitely hadn't been sleeping enough or eating well. But Pints to Pasta 10K is one of my favorite races, and several of my awesome Hood to Coast teammates were going to run it as well.

I haven't run a 10K race since last November, so I really wanted to PR, even though I wasn't sure if my body could handle it. I tried to pace with some of my friends for the first three miles, but realized I couldn't keep it up for the last three. One of my friends paced with me for the last three miles, and we managed to keep each other from walking. I knew that I was close to PRing, but I was feeling kind of nauseous. (Having three drinks the night before and quesadillas was probably not the best idea...)

I threw up about 100 meters from the finish line. Fortunately, I was next to the edge of the road, and puked without getting it on any other runners, or on myself, and while still running! (You know you're a runner when you keep running while puking, so you can PR). And I managed to PR, finishing the 10K in 57:56. My running friends thought it was all pretty hilarious... I think I'll be getting ribbed for awhile. (I told my non-running friends and they said, "That is DISGUSTING." Sometimes I forget that runner talk is not appropriate for most audiences...)

We had a great time at the post-race part too. Beer, Jamba Juice, pasta, bread and salad were all in abundance :) And it was sunny! What more can a gal ask for?!

Overall I was in the top half, and I was in the top third for women and my age group. So I'm pretty pleased.


Why Pints to Pasta is my favorite race ever:

• I love the fact that they have real food at the end (not bagels! They have pasta, salad, and a roll).
• I love the fact that the entry fee includes TWO beers!
• I love that Jamba Juice hands out free mini smoothies. And I love that they had plenty this year (last year, they ran out pretty quickly).
• I love that the course is fairly flat and fast. And it's a nice course that goes along the waterfront.
  
• I love that they always have male and female shirt options, and the women's shirts actually fit! (I hate women's shirts that are too short, too small, etc). And the shirts are cute.
• It's a 10K. I don't have to train that much :P

Anyone else run a race this weekend?

Review of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
$5-6 for 16 oz.

When Ryan at Pom Wonderful asked me if I'd like to try a case of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate juice, I was super excited. I only drink juice now and then, but when I do, I like to drink the good stuff (which is usually expensive).

POM's website says, "POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice is a little bit sweet, a little bit tart and a whole lotta healthy. Bursting with superior levels of naturally occurring antioxidants it’s 100% authentic, 100% delicious and 100% pure, meaning there’s no added sugar, colorants or cheap filler juices. We have also provided over $34M in funding to support scientific research on POM products at top institutions around the globe so raise a glass to life. And the pursuit of healthiness. All of POM Wonderful Juices contain no added sugars, preservatives or colors; are a good source of potassium; are gluten-free; are flash pasteurized to retain both flavor and nutrients; are certified kosher."

My thoughts: I like their company philosophy, I like the adorable packaging, and I really like the product. POM's 100% Pomegranate juice is definitely sweet yet tart. It's level of tartness is similar to that of unsweetened cranberry juice, though the flavor is obviously different. It's delicious! I really enjoyed the tart aspect, although not everyone will. This juice is a bit spendy, but because of it's tart flavor, I savor it rather than guzzle it.

Next time I go to the store, I'm definitely going to try POM's Pomegranate Nectarine juice, and their Pomegranate Lychee Green Tea.

Lipgloss and Spandex rating: