YMCA Poster Model and Road Runner ADVENTURE RUN!

 'Tis the crazy season full of Christmas cards, social events, and baking.  However, my first international distance triathlon (Desert Tri in March) is less than 3 months away, so I'm also working out like crazy!  After a short 4 day vacation, I got back to my gym (Palomar YMCA) to find TWO POSTERS OF ME up all around the Y... and matching program flyers on the counter!  Soooo... I am the face of the "Lazy Man Triathlon" and the "Holiday Training Program."  I am actually doing the Lazy Man Tri... I'm doing an Ironman (2 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run)... one workout at a time.  Since the challenge goes for 10 weeks, I've challenged myself (and the YMCA Tri Club) to complete TWO IRONMANS in the 10 weeks... if I stay on track, I think I will do 3, but I'm giving some leeway for the holidays! :-)



Road Runner posts a HUGE map and the
name/location of each of the stops. 



For one of my running workouts, friend and YMCA Fitness Director (Hi, Briony), told me about the Adventure Run at Road Runner Sports, San Diego.  THIS... RUN... WAS... SOOOOOOO... MUCH... FUN!  First, it is a free event... and was only held in 4 cities in the US in 2011 (expanding to 12 cities in 2012!)  Here is the scoop... you show up around 5PM to get through registration and check out several sponsor companies, many with give-a-ways and product samples!  (We put on sample Asics shoes for the run and Fuel Belts.)  At 6PM, they reveal a HUGE map showing several different ticket stops.  The goal is to find/run to as many stops as you can in 60 minutes to collect raffle tickets... but you HAVE to be back within 60 minutes!  We were running like crazy into a Bowling Alley, Subway, LA Fitness, and Tommy's Burger (yes, getting weird looks from the customers of these places!).  We would collect our tickets and could earn extra tickets by doing the physical challenges at many of the spots. 



Anna, Briony and me... making sure we have all the information we need
from the map so we can START RUNNING!



At 7PM, you grab your free beer (running and beer... OH, YEAH!) and get ready for the raffle... $5,000 worth of prizes for this month's run!  The raffle was just as much fun as the run... high energy... music... crowd toss prizes... and we won several prizes, too!  Even Jeff and Anna were there (Anna was 1 of 2 kids that did the run, but she and Jeff ran about 2 miles and did several physical challenges in the 60 minutes... and she LOVED it!)

We had an AWESOME time and we can't wait for the 2012 Adventure Run season to start in March!  I was even more excited that Anna and Jeff joined us...  running is the one thing that is keeping Jeff from joining me in triathlons (due to chemo nerve damage in his feet)... and I think he was pleasantly surprised that he can do the run (I always knew he could!)... he can do the swim and  has been cycling for 40 years... NO PROBLEM!  I may have a new triathlon partner in 2012! 

Who knew... I am becoming my husband's girlfriend (again), and my fit husband [may] become my racing partner... no matter what, I love him.  Enough said! :-)