SoCal Events

Freedom Ride | Entry fee: FREE Metrolink Weekend Day Pass: $10
Glendale, CA | Glendale Metrolink Station
400 W. Cerritos Ave | San Gabriel River trailSunday, July 12 | Start time: 6:30am
https://www.facebook.com/events/861473337222963/


Foothill 5k Challenge | Entry fee: $45
Glendale, CA | Glendale Sports Complex
2200 Fern Ln | Catalina Verdugo trailSunday, July 19, 2015 | Start time: 8:15am
http://la.backonmyfeet.org/5kchallenge

Spirit of LA 5k Run | Entry fee: $30
Los Angeles, CA | Elysian Park
1880 Academy Dr | by the baseball fields
Saturday, August 1, 2015 | Start time: 8:00am
http://thewccompany.com/spirit-of-la-run.html

Camarillo Duathlon Series | Run / Bike / Run | Cost: $85

Camarillo,CA

515 Eubanks Dr

April 12 | June 7 | August 2, 2015

http://www.camarilloduathlon.com/

Arroyo Creek Half Marathon

Simi Valley, CA
Start at Rancho Simi Park and Erringer
Sunday, August 9, 2015 | Start time: 7:00am
http://www.arroyocreekhalf.com/

CicLAvia ~ Culver City Meets Venice | Cost: FREE
Culver City, CA | Metro Expo Line
8804 W Washington Blvd | Venice Beach via Mar Vista
Sunday, August 9, 2015 | Start time: 9:00am
http://www.ciclavia.org/ciclavia_culver_venice

Hansen Dam Superhero Run | 5k or 10k | $30 or $40
Sylmar, CA
Hansen Dam Aquatic Center
Saturday, August 15, 2015 | Start time: 8:30amhttp://www.hdtri.com/Superherorun/

Tour de Lake Arrowhead | Cost:$60
Lake Arrowhead, CA | Blue Jay Village on HWY 189
27984 Hwy 189 | mile high elevation San Bernardino Mts
Saturday, August 22, 2015 | Start time: 7:00am
http://tourdelakearrowhead.com/

Hometown Heroes Honor Run | Cost:$40 for 5k, $50 for 10k
Riverside, CA
Arlington Sports Complex
Saturday, October 3, 2015
http://hometownheroesrun.com/

Long Beach Half Marathon | Entry fee: $100
Long Beach, CA | Long Beach Convention Center
300 E Ocean Blvd | Queensway & San Pedro Bays
Sunday, October 11, 2015 | Start time: 7:30am
http://runlongbeach.com/half-marathon


Mariachi 5k | Entry fee: $31
Montebello, CA | City Park
1300 Whittier Blvd | Live Mariachi music along the course
Saturday, October 17, 2015

http://www.mariachi5k.com/

CicLAvia ~ Heart of LA | Cost: FREE

Los Angeles, CA | Echo Park to East LA

More info TBA

Sunday, October 18, 2015

http://www.ciclavia.org/events

Ride 2 Recovery: California Challenge | Single day: $75
Ventura, CA | Crowne Plaza Hotel
450 Harbor Drive | Finishing at West Los Angeles Medical Center
October 24, 2015 (Day 7) | Depart: 9:00 am
https://ride2recovery.com/event.php?ID=709

Mission Inn Run | Cost: 5k $40, 10k $45, half marathon $60
Riverside, CA
3400-3700 Main St
Sunday, November 8, 2015
http://www.missioninnrun.com/


Citrus Heritage Run
Riverside, CA Arlington Heights Sports Park
9401 Cleveland Ave

Saturday, January 9, 2016
http://citrusheritagerun.com/

Surf City Half Marathon | Cost: $89
Huntington Beach, CA | Waterfront Beach Resort
21100 Pacific Coast Hwy | Pacific Coast Highway
Sunday, February 7, 2016 | Start time: 7:45am
http://www.runsurfcity.com/

Part of the Run Riverside Challenge
 http://www.missioninnrun.com/run-riverside-challenge.html
Part of the Beach Cities Challenge
 http://www.ocmarathon.com/for-runners/running/beach-cities-challenge.aspx

exercise vs exorcise

Last night a DJ saved my life.  Sometimes I forget how easy it is to let go and set yourself free.  I felt like I was releasing all the tension and stress in a positive way.  All the artists who wrote those lyrics and melodies were singing MY song.  And my friends were there dancing with me.

 

In preparation for Halloween, I am thinking about the scariest movie I ever saw.  OK, it is a tie between Event Horizon and The Exorcist (and a close third is Nightmare on Elm Street).  But I felt like last night I was a woman possessed.  Like a revival tent, I shook and shouted and sang my way back to emotional stability.

An exorcism involves driving out (an evil spirit) from a person or place.  An exercise involves activity requiring physical effort, carried out especially to sustain or improve health and fitness.  I would say that last night on the dance floor, amid swirling disco lights, I achived both.



There are many forms of dance, but the simplest way to start is tapping your toe. Nodding your head "Yes," is an affirmation. Shrugging your shoulders as if to say, "nobody's watching." Then start marching in place. Loosen up your torso. Roll your head. Wave your arms. Kick. Jump. Listen to the music.

"Lowered heart rate, better sleep and lower cortisol levels — a signifier of reduced stress — are all responses to listening to music. 'Accepting that compulsion to move, and not only that, but going with it and completing that cycle. Instead of just modelling it in your mind , you are actually … bringing that to life through your body.' "

Research in small studies has observed "positive effects from the music therapy, including positive trends in improved memory, lowered levels of stress hormones and improved caregiver reports for neuropsychiatric symptoms such as irritability and depression."

http://ubyssey.ca/features/this-is-your-brain-on-music587/

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is only beginning to reveal how music and dance recruit our whole brain, which in turn rewards us with dopamine. Music "activates pleasure and reward-related regions of the brain" so go ahead and shake a tail feather.

http://scientopia.org/blogs/scicurious/2011/01/31/this-is-your-brain-on-music/

SoCal Running & Cycling Events 2014

5k Foam Fest: Southern California, Temecula Galway Downs, Price: $60 Registered!

Saturday, July 19th ~ Start time 9:00am

38801 Los Corralitos Rd, Temecula, CA
http://5kfoamfest.com/Location?locId=35

Salinas Valley Half Marathon, Price: $110

Saturday, August 2, 2014 ~ Start time: 8:00am
36641 Fort Romie Road, Soledad, CA

http://salinasvalleyhalfmarathon.org/

Tour de Big Bear, Price: $75 for 9 more days
Saturday, August 2, 2014
The Village" at Big Bear Lake - • Village Dr. & Pine Knot Ave.

http://www.tourdebigbear.com/Tour_de_Big_Bear.html

Chula Vista Challenge Duathalon/Triathlon, Sprint Price: $75

Saturday, August 9, 2014 ~ 500Mtr Swim, 10Mi Bike, 5K Run ~ Start time TBA
999 Bayside Parkway, Chula Vista, CA

Registration closes Friday, August 8 @ 7:00 PM US/Pacific
http://www.chulavistachallenge.com/sprint/

Tour de Lake Arrowhead Century Ride, Price: $50 before Jul. 25
Saturday, August 23, 2014
2728 State Highway 189 Blue Jay, CA
http://tourdelakearrowhead.com/

Mariachi 5k, Price: $40 before Aug. 11th

Sunday, August 24, 2014 ~ Start time: 8:00am
1836 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA

http://www.mariachi5k.com/#!about_us/csgz

Ventura Marathon bike 30/62/100 miles, Price: $45-120
Bike: Saturday, September 6th ~ Start time: 7:00am

Ventura Beachfront
http://www.venturamarathon.com/

Ventura Marathon 5k/half/full Price: $45-120

Run: Sunday, September 7th ~ Start time: 7:00am
Ventura Beachfront
http://www.venturamarathon.com/

10th Annual Spirit of LA 5k Run, Price: $30

Saturday, September 6, 2014 ~ Start time: 8:00am

Elysian Park 1880 Academy Dr. Los Angeles, CA
http://thewccompany.com/spiritrun.html

2k/5k Mutt Strut Los Angeles, Price: $30

Saturday, September 13, 2014 ~ Start time: 9:00am
3901 Dunsmore Ave, La Crescenta, CA

http://www.firstgiving.com/CaliforniaCounciloftheBlind/mutt-strut-2014-los-angeles

Girls on the Go Los Angeles 2014, 5k/10k/half, Price: $35-80

Sunday, September 21 ~ Start time 7:00am

120 Via Verde, San Dimas, CA

http://www.active.com/san-dimas-ca/running/distance-running-races/girls-on-the-go-los-angeles-2014

1st Annual LA Dodgers Foundation 5k Run, Price: $45 until Jul. 31
Sunday, September 21 ~ Start time: 8:30am
Dodger Stadium
http://dodgers.race-mlb.com/

Gran Fondo Italia Beverly Hills, Price: $190 (for a 2 rider team) through Jul. 14th

Sunday, September 28 ~ Start time: 7:00am
Beverly Canon Gardens, 241 Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA

http://thegranfondoitalia.com/event/beverlyhills/

CicLAvia: Heart of LA, Price: FREE
Sunday, October 5, 2014 ~ 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Echo Park and East Los Angeles, parts of downtown LA
http://www.ciclavia.org/events/687/heart-of-la/924/about

Ride 2 Recovery California Challenge, Price: $75 (one day)

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Ventura to West Los Angeles

https://ride2recovery.com/event.php?ID=555

Run Long Beach Bike Tour

Sunday, October 12, 2014 ~ Start time: 6:00am
Long Beach Convention Center
http://runlongbeach.com/bike-tour/

30th Annual Run Long Beach 5k/half/marathon
Sunday, October 12, 2014 ~ Start time: 7:30am (half), 8:30am (5k)
Long Beach Convention Center
http://runlongbeach.com/course-information-half-marathon/

5k/10k Gladiator Rock & Run, Price: $60/$70 until Sept. 19th

Saturday, October 25, 2014 

Pasadena Rose Bowl

http://www.gladiatorrocknrun.com/event_oct_25.html

Hard Rock Cafe 5k, Price: $45 until Sept 15th

Saturday, November 8, 2014 ~ Start time: 7:00am

6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA

http://runhardrockcafe.com/details.html

37th Annual Mission Inn Run, Price: $45 or $40 per person for a team of 5

Sunday, November 9, 2014 ~ 10k Start time: 8:30am
Market St, near the 2nd St intersection, Riverside, CA
http://www.missioninnrun.com/

CicLAvia: South LA, Price: FREE

Sunday, December 7, 2014 ~ 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
including connections to Metro Blue and Expo Lines

http://www.ciclavia.org/events/873/south-la

LA County Half Marathon, Price: $90 (half) or $35 (5k)

Sunday, December 14, 2014 ~ Start time: 7:30am
Fairplex, 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA

http://www.runholidayhalf.com/half-marathon/

Coming in 2015

http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/05/28/open-streets-slated-for-sfv-sgv-pasadena-long-beach-santa-monica-and-more/ More open streets events where you can run, walk, bike, or skate, totally CAR FREE!

I found the events listed here using laraces.com and active.com and through other social media outlets that I follow (and real-life friends).

Whether you "B on a Bike" or whether you prefer to "B Running" there are fitness events for everyone in Southern California at all fitness levels and for all prices.  Some of these events have the added benefit of music: the Mariachi 5k, The Gladiator Rock & Run, and the Hard Rock Cafe 5k.  Others have the added benefit of a bunch of mutts (see our post about pet therapy)!  Races highlighted in yellow are those I would like to do.  Hope to see you there~!

karaoke

This past week, we found a new karaoke spot!  We got to sing the night away with a group of Filipinos at Noypitz in Glendale.  There were a variety of songs, including some in their native language, old crooner tunes, and modern stuff by Gaga and Justin Timberlake.  A crowd favorite was Whitney Houston.

It brought to my mind the idea that singing is a part of the human condition, singing in groups is an activity that human beings have been doing since the dawn of civilization.  There's something deeply connecting about call-and-response in song.  Some of the songs I love the most are working songs.

One other singer that night admitted to us after closing that she used to be terrified of singing in public and her husband encouraged her to overcome her fear.  She lit up that stage like a 20 year old, despite being 71.  She said "we've just extended our lifespan" by doing something so fun and freeing: singing!

There's a person at my school who made a face like he had just smelled poo when I admitted to loving karaoke.  It's not rocket science, I heard a recording of myself, and true to form I did not sound like a professional singer.  But that's the beauty of amateur performance, it's raw and uncoached.

What I love is the ability to express what I'm feeling using songs.  If real life were a musical, and we were all dancing under bright lights, I am glad to be a part of the ensemble.  In a directorial role, I would be sure that anyone who wanted to make a joyful noise gets a turn at the mic.  Sing it loud, sing it proud!

Thanks to Noypitz and the Big Fish for giving me a voice in our community.  I know not all of my notes sound exactly like Diana Ross or Al Green, but I love singing it with feeling and jazzing it up with a bit of dancing.  With the Pointer Sisters singing backup, I said "Jump (For My Love)" and I meant it.