marathon chronicles 12. reflection.

and just like that...it's over.

one year of running and 555 miles later, this year of fitness was a journey that will have a positive and [hopefully] lasting effect on my life. it's led to a healthier lifestyle that i've worked hard for, and i don't want to give that up.

training for a marathon is a huge commitment. i made a lot of sacrifices and learned a lot about the sport and about myself along the way.

what i learned about running:

- it truly is an individual sport.

it's great to have a running partner or group to keep you accountable, but there is this competitiveness inside of us that won't be held back. we understand the time and commitment it takes to train for a big race and wouldn't hold anyone back either. my friend and i train together but wish each other a great run on race day and take off at our own paces.

- you have to make it a lifestyle

as with anything else you do, you should be passionate about it. if you make it part of your lifestyle (vs a single goal you are trying to meet), the likelihood of you enjoying it and continuing on with it will be greater.

- there are no excuses.

you don't need someone to run with. you don't need a gym membership. just get out and run. i have a treadmill at home, so i couldn't blame it on the weather either.

- you don't need excessive gear or gadgets

as a new runner, it's easy to get caught up in the latest and greatest especially if you think it'll help you get through a run...the best socks, compression gear, running belts, supplements, tracking devices, etc. in the end, all you need is a great pair of shoes. i used non-running socks [from walmart!], the same top + shorts + hat for every race, a running app on my phone vs an expensive garmin watch that i still want, and shoved all my gels into my sports bra vs a fancy belt.

- flat running isn't always easier.

running is hard on the body, period. but flat running uses the same muscles over and over, and after an extended period of time, your body will feel it. after 10+ miles of flat road running in the marathon, the big hills were a welcomed change for my legs.

what i learned about myself:

- i can do anything i put my mind to.

(seriously, 26.2 miles?)

- i can wake up early.

i'm a night owl. i usually get to bed after midnight and hate waking up in the morning. i hit the snooze button more than i'd like to admit. but with 2am race-day wake up calls, i had to train myself not only to get up early, but to sleep early as well. by the end, i was waking up before my 2am alarm!

- i will go out in public without makeup...

when absolutely necessary.

i'm vain. i admit it. i usually don't leave the house without at least the bare minimum face. but, who'd take me seriously running with false lashes and bright lips?!

- i actually like running.

i used to experience shin splints that made running painful. after finding the right shoes, talking to other runners, and improving my running technique, i no longer get those nasty shin splints. now that i reached my goal for 2014, i still feel like i want to run...which means i must enjoy running, right?

- running is addictive...

i feel like i can do better.

this year was about completion. it was my first year running, so i didn't set any time goals for myself...i just wanted to cross that finish line. with a few races under my belt, i have a starting point from which i can now improve.

(AE shirt; Express denim shorts; love & sunshine bag; SPUN scarf via POPSUGAR Must Have December Box; Nike Air Pegasus (similar))

now that the marathon is over, everyone asks the question...

"would you do it again?"

maybe. running the marathon really wasn't that bad; it's the four month commitment during the busy holiday season that's holding me back at this point. i will definitely continue to do smaller races and even half marathons.

did i reach my goal of runner status?

i think so. i'm not the fastest, i don't have the best form, and i won't be winning medals any time soon, but i've come to enjoy the sport, i love the way i feel after each run, and look forward to the next time i can run...and by those measures, i can say i've reached runner status.

what did you accomplish this year?

do you have any goals for next year?

hello again.

just dropping in for a quick hello. i didn't intend to take a whole week off from the blog, but it was nice to slow down and enjoy the holidays. i had a nice christmas spending time with family and friends and look forward to ringing in the new year. there are a lot of changes at work and at home, and i'm a little anxious to see how everything plays out.

this cowl neck sweater from Oasis has been my absolute favorite sweater as of late. it's so soft and comfortable and just warm enough for the chilly weather we've been having. and you can't see it well here, but this long sparklepop necklace from my POPSUGAR Must Have december box layers perfectly over the neckline.

what was the best gift you received this year?

(oasis sweater (on sale!) c/o; american eagle denim shorts;

love & sunshine bag; converse shoes)

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if you still need inspiration for your holiday party outfits, check out the latest holiday edition of east vs west style.

east vs west style. new year's eve.

it's the final week of this holiday edition of east vs west style, and we're signing off with what to wear on new year's eve. most times (with kids) it's a night in with family, eating and drinking as we watch the ball drop in times square on tv. but when we do go out, you can bet i'll be in something sparkly.

last year i went with a pretty gold sequinned dress, so i decided to go with this silver beaded comoroso dress by parker this year. the looser fit lets you...er, let loose, without having to worry about sucking in your gut all night. best of all, this dress is a rental from The Stylist LA, a designer dress borrowing service. no need to spend loads of money on a dress you'll likely never wear again. with The Stylist LA, you have access to hundreds of dresses so you never have to worry about wearing the same dress twice.

east

Jackie / Living After Midnite / New York

Tiffany / Tiffany Style / Georgia

Tracy / TheRightShoes / New York

west

Ashley / Pursuit of Shoes / California

Danielle / Envision Pretty / California

Becks / oomph. / Hawaii

(Jamberry Deck the Halls)

these are clear nail wraps over a white polish.

(Comoroso Dress - rent for $75 from The Stylist LA; LANY bag;

Lulu's shoes; Max & Chloe bracelet)

in case you missed it:

east vs west . holiday party

east vs west . holiday shopping

east vs west . holiday hostess

the little black sweatshirt.

when i saw this sweatshirt (thanks rowena!), i knew it would make a fun addition to my growing sweatshirt collection. paired with [pencil] skirts or pants, i love how sweatshirts can dress down your look, or how you can dress them up with a statement necklace depending how you look at it. either way, it makes the perfect juxtaposition for our casual lifestyle.

starting to feel the pressure with only three days until christmas. i still have a few names to check off my list. even though i start early, i always end up at the malls the week before christmas.

christmas shopping done?

(banana republic sweatshirt (similar);

charles david pact pump c/o; patty's closet skirt)

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marathon chronicles 11. marathon recap.

the day before the marathon, my friend and i went to the marathon expo to pick up our race bibs and have our photo taken by the wall (above)...uncomfortable smile as everyone is watching you as they wait their turn.

honolulu marathon

5am, 12.14.14

it was a typical race day morning...up at 2am, hydrating with nuun + breakfast. we made it down to the starting line with enough time to use the bathroom (twice) and meet up with other friends for a before photo.

the weather was expected to be very windy. add to that the unexpected rain, and it was a cold and wet experience. not complaining, though; i'll take wet clothes and sloshy shoes over the hot sun any day.

photo: honolulu marathon FB page

with 22,000+ runners it was crazy crowded, but exciting. there was a nice fireworks show followed by the starting gun. we shuffled like cattle through the staging areas until we reached the start line and then it opened up enough for a slow jog. 

muscle cramps are always my main concern, so the game plan was to take enough walk breaks early on and throughout the course.

mile nine and running with the masses.

the first 12 miles went smoothly. you are running with the masses the entire time, so it was easy to keep a slower pace if you wanted to.

by the time i hit the 10-mile stretch of flat highway, the rain was much heavier, and my shoes and socks were soaked. my feet were starting to feel uncomfortable, and all i could think about was the potential blisters i would have afterwards. luckily, my sister and her family came out to see me and brought a pair of socks. sitting for just 30 seconds was a nice reprieve. i felt refreshed with a dry pair of socks and took off for the last 10 miles.

swapping socks at mile 17.

around mile 19, my legs and left knee were starting to feel the effects of all the flat road running. it was painful to run, and just as painful to walk. my body reminded me that this was the longest distance i had run in my training, and by mile 22, i hit the wall. i wasn't physically exhausted. i still had gas in the tank. but my legs were done. i did the most walking here, and it was mind over body (and a lot of praying!) at this point convincing myself that i was only a few miles away from the finish....that in less than 45 minutes, the marathon and all the training i put myself through would be done.

the final three miles over the big diamond head hill were a welcomed change for my muscles. i did shorter run/walk intervals the next couple of miles and put all my energy into running the final mile to the end.

hearing my name announced as i came in and the last beep as i passed over the final timing mat was such a huge relief.

i did it. my first marathon in the books.

official time: 06:11:36

overall, i was happy with my time. i estimated 6-1/2-7 hrs, so 6:11 was awesome. i ended up making one bathroom stop around mile 20 and swapped out my socks at mile 17, which probably cost me 5-8 minutes.

race gear: adidas top; roxy siren top ; fabletics running shorts; new balance 890 v4 shoes, nike dri-fit hat

race fuel: honey stinger gold energy gel (brought 6, used 5)

the good: excellent water stations and volunteers, the cool weather, the hills, no muscle cramps, the amazing spectators along the way who passed out treats to the runners.

the bad: the rain (wet shoes and socks), sore knee, my music playlist was on the worst loop  (300+ songs and i swear it kept playing the same 10 fricken songs over and over), many miles of flat running.

in the days following: i took an ice bath and threw on my compression socks for the rest of the day. i was already sore and knew the next day would be worse. the next morning, every inch of my body was in pain, and i could barely walk on my left knee. but by the third day i was feeling great and almost considered jumping on the treadmill. haha, i didn't.

what's next? a little break for the holidays!

east vs west style. holiday hostess.

while i love visiting friends and seeing their decorated-for-the-holidays homes, sometimes the responsibility of hosting a holiday get together falls in my lap. i love to entertain and love [even more] the idea of everyone getting dressed up...BUT ask hawaii people to dress up and they'll show up in their "good" t-shirt and shorts. #TRUTH

so here i am in my "good" tee and shorts. the material of these jacquard snake print shorts have silver fibers which are really pretty and festive. i'm wearing these ah-mazing tailored boots 'cause it's my party and i can wear them if i want to (plus you have to be prepared to make an ice or wine run!). and when the air gets cooler at night, i'll layer up with this faux leather vest.

what do you wear as holiday hostess?

east

Jackie / Living After Midnite / New York

Tiffany / Tiffany Style / Georgia

Tracy / TheRightShoes / New York

west

Ashley / Pursuit of Shoes / California

Danielle / Envision Pretty / California

Becks / oomph. / Hawaii

i've never had boots that fit my calves. at DUO, you can tailor your boots to fit. it doesn't get any better than that. oh wait, it does....they are super comfortable, too! LOVE.

(Jacquard snake shorts c/o Oasis; LANY bag c/o; Karen Kane vest c/o; DUO boots c/o; tank via local boutique; Blu Bijoux gold crystal double pyramid bracelet c/o Max & Chloe)

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in case you missed it:

east vs west . holiday party

east vs west . holiday shopping

gift guide. beauty under $25.

gift giving doesn't have to break the bank. if you have a beauty lover in your life, here are some great products that they would love to use as well as some cute things to decorate their vanity. best part is that they are all under $25! and when you are ready to wrap, check out these simple gift wrapping ideas.

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have you entered the $200 Amazon GIVEAWAY?

east vs west style. holiday shopping.

during the holidays, it's all about multi-tasking to get things done. if i'm having drinks or dinner with friends after work, i'll try to meet up at a restaurant at the mall so that i can grab a few gifts before or after.

i've been loving comfy sweatshirts lately, and this pretty blue sequined one is equally sporty and festive. it's likely i would be wearing black pants or a pencil skirt at the office before swapping either out for something more comfy like these leather shorts. after cocktails when i'm ready to shop, i'll pull out the crossbody straps from my clutch, throw on my sneakers, and power shop before heading home.

how do you get things done during the holidays?

east

Jackie / Living After Midnite / New York

Tiffany / Tiffany Style / Georgia

Tracy / TheRightShoes / New York

west

Ashley / Pursuit of Shoes / California

Danielle / Envision Pretty / California

Becks / oomph. / Hawaii

(Blu Bijoux Silver Crystal Link Chain Bracelet c/o Max & Chloe)

(Show Some Spirit Blue Sequin Sweater & Elsi heels c/o Lulu's;

UO leather shorts; LANY bag c/o)

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in case you missed it:

east vs west . holiday party

audible.com + $200 amazon GIVEAWAY.

i found myself in the book aisle looking for a gift this weekend, and i realized something...i miss reading. especially this time of year when the weather is cool, i just want to snuggle in bed with a great read. but with all my extra time spent running and training for the marathon, i just haven't had the time. then it hit me. i put in a lot of mileage. during my longer runs, i often find myself tuning out or even turning off my music, tired of listening to my playlist on repeat. why not engage in a great audiobook? i even heard that having to stay focused on something (like details of a story) keeps your mind off the mileage!

runner or not, audiobooks are a great resource any time of the year. Audible.com has over 150,000 titles in every genre imaginable; you are sure to find books to suit your ever-changing interests.

kids will love listening to stories during the holidays. throw on a christmas classic while you decorate the tree together.

 

need extra help sticking to those new year's resolutions? grab a few self-help books to provide inspiration and to keep you motivated.

 

if you're like me and have a long commute to and from work, grab a few of your favorites to get you through the daily rush hour traffic. i personally love sci-fi and murder mysteries!

 

and come spring and summer break, you'll be happy to have a few audiobooks on hand to get you through the airplane rides and layovers. dive into a deep novel or keep it light and fun with comedy.

 

with a yearly Audible.com membership, you will always have access to audiobook resources no matter what the occasion. click here for an Audible discount code that gets you 50% off the first three months of your subscription (only $7.49/month).

have you tried Audible.com?
if so, when and on what device do you listen to your audiobooks?

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and since Audible.com is an Amazon company, these lovely ladies and i have teamed up to give one lucky reader a $200 Amazon e-gift card.

giveaway prize: $200 Amazon e-gift card

open to U.S. residents, ends 12/12
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