Have I told you I have a friend named Tina who also has a blog?! It’s called Carrots N’ Cake and you should really look it up 
Anyway, she’s super into Crossfit and is in California for the Crossfit Games.
Tina is staying in Long Beach and I offered to show her around.
I don’t know if you realize this, but I am the unofficial ambassador of Long Beach after Snoop Dogg. I’m basically Snoop’s right hand woman. 
(source)
I take this LB Ambassadorship very seriously and made sure to show her the highlights of the LBC. I actually sang Summertime in the LBC to start the show. I think after she got over the embarrassment she had a good time?
Tina is staying in a hotel very close to the start of the Long Beach Marathon! It was weird to be here since I am currently contemplating running the Half vs. the Full and can’t decide!
Our first tour stop was, um, interesting…
This is where I poop pee before the race:
Seriously though.
I scooped her up from her hotel and we walked around Shoreline Village. 
This is actually part of the LB course! Specifically, it’s the beginning when you still feel good and think you’re going to PR. But that’s neither here nor there.
Long Beach and I go way back. I spent most of my free time here in college because of some guy I used to know.
Then, after college I moved here for a year. I ran this path all the time. Miss it. 
Anyways, my Long Beach tour is 99% me talking about where I ran and peed.
But there’s also the Queen Mary. 
And we saw some great north American cats in the wild! 
Apparently they don’t have these in Boston and Tina was impressed!
The highlight (or lowlight, really) of the tour is my reenactment of my great fall of ‘09.
After that we needed a drink 
and food!
We had a drink at the Yardhouse, but the wait was ridic for dinner so we left.
We ended up at the Mexican place next store. 
I ordered the combo plate with a fish taco and chili relleno. Hit the spot. 
Finally it was time to call it a night. 
But I am available for hire through the summer. Long Beeeeeach!
I will have to check her out.
I went to college in LB and worked at the Aquarium there for a few years. Those are my
old haunts too. Although I didn’t run much back then- spent many an hour inside 24 hour fitness there. What was I thinking passing up on ocean views. Now I live inland and I run outdoors as much as possible.
I will be doing the long beach half in october! Super excited!
That is one intense kitty. And an intense fall re-enactment!
Starting to think Long Beach might be too much for me 😉
Awwwww, i love long beach. I took a mini vacation there a while ago and i fell in love (i was surprised by how cute it was). I wanted to run long beach this year as my first full, but it falls in between a million weddings so instead ill be running CIM in Sacramento, its local so no travel and logistics to think about! love the blog!
I’ve never been a fan of the long trip to CA, but after this post I may have to add Long Beach Marathon to my bucket list! You make it sound like so much fun, and the wild cat cracks me up! How did that huge pile of food end up on those rocks???
There is a lady that bikes around and feeds all the stray cats.
That photo of me taking a picture of the cat is hilarious! Haha!
Looks like so much fun! I have never been to CA but I am doing the Disneyland half in sept! I am super excited! Will you be doing it again this year?
She brought the humidity with her ;0)
That picture of the homeless or feral cat is really heartbreaking.
I grew up in Carson, CA. Long Beach is a lot nicer than it use to be! 🙂
Awe…this post brings me back. I ran the Long Beach Marathon just days before we moved back east. It was bitter sweet. My last hurrah! It was a perfect ending to our 4 year stay in SoCal.
You need to be my tour guide of lb! I’ve barely spent any time there and live twenty min away! When i get back, yeah?!
I wish I lived somewhere awesome like that – but nope, I live in the boring suburbs! Looks like a great day!
Good luck to Tina. You live in a beautiful place.
The Kidless Kronicles
Wokie…you shall be my LB tour guide when I head there!
Glad I stumbled across your blog! Looks like you and Tina had a great time 🙂
Glad you stumbled over here too 🙂
You are hilarious! I think you should totally, definitely, absolutely MUST tweet the link to this post to Snoop Dogg. I think he would be proud ot be associated with someone like you!
Lovin your blog and your sense of humor. I will definitely be back for more! 🙂
It’s like National Geographic on here! 😉
Love Carrots ‘N’ Cake! So fun that y’all got to spend some time together!