Crafts and Puppets!

Its been a loong time since I've updated my blog! After I did the marathon I spent the next 2 years recuperating, and making stuff! Here is my latest creation:

A pillow inspired by my friend Wendy. She no longer has red hair, but she's always looked amazing in  with her red hair and bright lips.

It is official...I am a marathoner!

Its been two weeks since the marathon, but I'm still feeling the runner's high.

Doing this marathon was the most difficult thing I have ever done. The first 13 miles were a party. I was smiling, waving at spectators, cheering on the bands and giving cheerleaders high fives.

I made a quick friends with a guy from Hermosillo, Mexico when we were both trying take a picture of a girl running in front of us with shorts soo short half her butt-cheeks were hanging out! There were more laughs around mile 4 when we saw runners (men and women) not-so-discreetly peeing in the bushes.

Around mile 7 I had a little bit of pain, but nothing major, and all the commotion helped me forget it quickly. The bands were ok. Honestly, you only hear them for a few seconds and then you're gone, not that I was going super fast! The best musical performance had to be a guy in the middle of downtown jamming on his guitar and a little mini amp. 

Running on the 163 freeway was awesome, except for the fact that the road gest really slanted in some areas, and it would hurt my joints. That is why I was running on the shoulder. 

Its right around here that  I yelled at some guys drinking beers on the side 

of the road..."not fair!"

I think around mile 20 is when the pain really started to get worse. Everything from my waist down was hurting. Some people say their body just gets numb, yeah right! I wish my body had gotten numb.  I tried to keep my 15 minute run and 5 minute walk system going, but when I would walk, my body would hurt even worse! So I kept running...well it was more like hobbling. 

This is my friend from Hermosillo in the green shirt. I have no idea what his name is.

I wasn't going fast, but I was going waaaaay faster than the girl sitting under mile marker!

 If you see the videos above of miles 24 and 25 you will see the exact same guy keeping up with me..he's walking!!

There is no picture at mile 26 because my dad was too excited to take a picture, and I haven't bought the official finishing picture yet.

I do have this picture. I'm talking to Alfredo on the phone, because they didn't let him on the base, because he had a bike with him.  

As soon as I crossed the finish line, I completely broke down emotionally. I had pushed my body way past the anything that I had expected  I could do. A friend once told me that when he saw the Grand Canyon, his brain had to literally expand in order to understand this new meaning of what BIG could be. That is the way I felt when I crossed the finish line after 26.2 grueling miles and 6 grueling hours. My brain had changed. I have a whole new understanding of what my mind and body are capable of. I am forever changed. Finishing a marathon had seemed super-human, but its NOT! I can do it, and I did.

If you feel inspired: We are still accepting sponsorships for Young Actors Theatre Camp! The Rock and Roll marathon is over, but our summer camp still has several miles to go, and we can't get there without your support.  Please check out the sponsorship levels on the right, and send in your check today. Thank you!

Map of Sunday's Marathon!

4 hours and 17.74 miles!

This is a map showing the distance I covered yesterday. I ran two hours out from Main street Chula Vista to the Coronado Rec Center, and two grueling hours back. It was intense!

I've been doing a combo run/walk where I run for 15 minutes and walk at a fast pace for 5 minutes. The first hour and a half I felt pretty good. When I was running I kept my pace up, and my lungs felt great. Swimming has really helped me learn how to control my breathing. It was a pretty warm day, but running by the ocean in San Diego is spectacular. When I got to the Coronado rec center, and was really tired my hips were starting to hurt, and then I realized I still had two hours left to go! 

On the way back my legs felt like jelly, my hip joints hurt, and the bottoms of feet started throbbing. The only thing I could do to keep going was to zone out, and not think of my body. So I wrote a play in head! I'll definitely share it later, once I iron out the details. 

But that crazy little story kept me going for about an hour. That last hour, I did a whole lot more walking, because my joints were just killing me. 

 My body is still recuperating from yesterday, but  my mind and spirits are wide awake and kicking. I can't believe that two weeks from now I'll be doing and additional 8.46 miles! 

Craziness. 

Sunday's Run...ok Walk

Sunday was one of the worst runs ever.

and yet i feel like a million bucks, or half a million since i ran half a marathon .

i discovered chafing, insoles which gave me blisters, a water pack that wouldn't sit on my hips, and I got a horrible sunburn!

I ended up taking off my water pack and hiding it in the bushes, and then a few miles later i took off my insoles and hid those in the bushes too!

Running without insoles was fine until the stiching on the inside of the shoe started giving me blisters in new spots. 

 

All in all, it was probably one of the most uncomfortable runs ever, but I did it! I got out there and gave it everything I had, and I am pooped.

 

My training did not go as planned. There are many distractions that kept me from staying on top of my training. Some of those distractions I should have over-come. But there were also some sacrifices that I was just not willing to make. Alfredo hurt his back and could barely walk for a few weeks. My number one chearleader, coach and best friend was out of commission and he needed me right when I needed to kick my training into high gear. But I couldn't even think about running when my partner, the person that had helped me get here,  needed my help. I was just not willing to make that sacfrifice. 

So I'll walk a good portion of the marathon. I know that covering 26.2 miles on my own two legs (running or walking) is a huge accomplishment all on its own. I'm very excited. 

And not at all ashamed of walking a large portion of the marathon. I understand the circumstances that kept me from training properly.

This is a huge lesson for me. I want to do this marathon again, and run it.. 

Sponsorships and Training

I'm back!! After two weeks off of my legs because of numbness in my feet and shin splints, I am back on my feet. I felt great on Sunday when Alfredo and I went on a hike and a trail run in Mission Trails. Then I ran 4 miles on Wednesday and although there was discomfort, my lungs felt strong. Yoga, cycling and strength training has really helped me out. I'm a little nervous for this weekend's long run, but I'm gonna take it easy and cover the distance.

This is the first time I have attempted to run a marathon, it is a big scary task. Sometimes I think about the distance (26.2 miles!) and I am truly petrified. But then I think about the support I have been receiving from friends and family, and I get a boost of energy, lace up my shoes and get out there to pound the pavement. 

I know everyone is struggling right now, which is why every donation I've received is so extremely valuable and appreciated. In a time when every financial investment seems to be going down the tubes, its great to know that an investment in a child's art education is never EVER going to lose its value.

Over to the right I have a list of our wonderful sponsors, they all deserve a  jump double high five!

There is also a meter where you can see how close (or far) we are from our goal. As you can see, we still need more sponsorships, so send in your donation today!

Click on the link below, scroll down and click on "DONATE FOR CRYSTAL MERCADO'S MARATHON HERE"

http://www.yasandiego.org/support/donate.html

Or send in a check with "Run for Arts" in the memo to

Young Audiences of San Diego

4007 Camino del Rio S. #212

San Diego, CA 92108

Thank you again for all the support you have given me...it feels awesome!

Crystal Mercado, Assistant Education Director Extraordinare is running 26.2 miles for Arts Education!

Just in case you didn't know: 26.2 miles is approximately the distance between Balboa Park and Encinitas

Help her get there by sponsoring her run. All donations will go directly to funding Young Actor's  Summer Camp. 

About Young Audiences of San Diego (YASD)

Founded in 1963, Young Audiences is the oldest and largest non profit charitable organization solely dedicated to enriching the lives and education of San Diego County's youth, educators and families through arts education.

learn more at www.yasandiego.org

About YA Summer Theatre Camp

We are excited to be partnering with the City Heights Educational Collaborative and San Diego State University's Theatre department to present Young Actors Theatre Camp: Waking up California History for 4th and 5th graders. Students will learn about our state's fascinating history through theatre and storytelling  right in San Diego State's Experimental Black Box Theatre.  

Why we need your help

YASD's  dance, literary arts,  music, theatre, and visual art  programs ignite creativity in thousands of children in San Diego,  and they depend on the support of those who understand the value and necessity of arts education..like you! We cannot continue inspiring young people without your help.

"The flat world is overflowing with students who can do the routine work of production, and do it much more cheaply than Americans can. How can our young people and, by extension, our nation succeed is such an environment? The answer is through creativity and innovation"  --YA National Annual Report

 

How you can help

This is your chance to show how important the arts are to you! Our goal is to raise at least $2,500, and we need your help.

SPONSOR MY ART RUN!!

Help me warmup during the first 3 miles with a $30.00 sponsorship 

Lets keep the momentum going for mile 6 with a $60.00 sponsorship

Get me half way through (13 miles) with a $130.00 sponsorship 

Push me past "the wall" at mile 18 with a $180.00 sponsorship

Full marathon (26. 2 miles!!) sponsorship is $262.00

Checks should be made out to Young Audiences of San Diego and sent to: 4007 Camino del Rio S. #212, San Diego, CA 92108

Please write: "Run for Arts" in the memo

or go to 

http://www.yasandiego.org/support/donate.html

and scroll down to "Donate for Crystal Mercado's Marathon here"

All full marathon sponsors receive a Young Audiences T-shirt to rock out at the Marathon.

Don't forget to show up on May 31st to see Crystal run, walk, or crawl her way to the finish line of San Diego's FULL Rock and Roll Marathon.

Stay tuned for fundraiser goal updates, and check in to see how Crystal's training is going.

 

http://www.rnrmarathon.com/home.html