The Great Race of Agoura 2020

If a woman runs a cancelled 5K during a pandemic, did it really happen?

Running a 5K is no small challenge for me. I hate running. Every step of the way, I think to myself “Why am I doing this?” which is why I listen to podcasts or audiobooks during my training runs to take my mind off of how my body creaks and groans. But I do well with challenges, so I did my first 5K on my birthday in 2018, and then I did the Great Race in 2019. I signed up again right away because it was fun, and I thought I’d try to beat my time this year.

Alas, the Great Race of Agoura was cancelled in the first wave of cancellations back at the beginning of March. I figured I’d run the course anyway. The cancellation took the urgency out of my training, so I’ve been running just a few times a week. By March 28, the originally scheduled date, I wasn’t ready to run all 5 of the K’s, so I dragged it out. I told myself that as soon as I was able to run the whole distance without feeling like I’d collapse, I’d go out and run the course. By last week, I had gotten up to 4K.

But this morning, Memorial Day, our cat George woke me up early and I couldn’t go back to sleep. I had a sudden urge to just do it. So I did. I opened the package holding my race day shirt and medal that I’ve been saving for this moment, packed a bottle of water for the car, and added a new audiobook to my phone. (The Secrets She Keeps, something easy to listen to.)

I left a car at the finish line and had my husband drive me up the hill to the start. On normal race day I would have walked and used that time to warm up, but it was almost 8AM and I wanted to do it before it got too hot. It was weird running a race without any other runners, with the streets open. It was like any other training run, except at least I saved the course for my own “race day.”

I sprinted toward the “finish line.” The cool balloon arch they usually put in Chumash Park wasn’t there, of course, but I guessed, and I ended my run around where I thought it might be. And in keeping with the tradition of getting pancakes from a booth at the park after the race, I picked up some lemon ricotta pancakes from The Royal Egg. They were delicious.

My final time was between 38 and 39 minutes. It may seem slow, but it was the best I could do. And thank God it’s done, because I’m sick of running. Back to my delicious morning walks and hikes in our gorgeous hills. I hope others will be able to join me for the Great Race in 2021!

Sipurbia 2019 – Get Tickets Now

Mark your calendars for Sipurbia 2.0 – Saturday April 27, 3pm – 7pm at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas!

Last year, the first Sipurbia happened at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills. Billed as a full day of wine and beer tasting, dancing to live music, and fun in the outdoors for adults, Sipurbia delivered. My husband and I attended as guests to experience the magic, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely.

RIP Paramount Ranch. It burned down in the Woolsey Fire and although it’s said that the old western town will be rebuilt, this remains my last memory of frolicking there. At least it is a good one.

For Sipurbia 2019, we will frolic at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas. We can do all the things we loved about last year, including:

Set up camp for the day under gorgeous old-growth trees for shade.

Smooch your lover. (This is not me or my husband.)

Browse the vendors selling cool stuff or get your beer and wine tastings.

Enjoy quirky side activities like cornhole and getting your photo taken inside a van.

Did I mention the wine tastings?

Bop along to the beat of some fantastic local bands.

 

Notes from our experience last year to make your Sipurbia the best:

-Definitely bring lawn chairs or a blanket to make your little picnic spot.
-Eat! If you focus only on the beer and wine tasting, you’ll surely get too messed up to have the best time you can.
-Don’t rush. You might not be able to cover the whole festival ground, but that’s okay! You’ll learn about wines and beers that are new to you, and maybe find a new favorite.
-The festival is awesome on its own – VIP entrance isn’t really necessary, but you do get early entry, extra goodies, and access to a private bathroom.

Get your tickets now! Visit the Sipurbia ticket website. Use code AHM20 for 20 percent off for a limited time. See you there!

The Dime Picnic: a Wine, Beer, and Food Festival

The Dime Picnic

The people who brought the SIPurbia Wine and Beer Festival to Paramount Ranch are back with a new plan: a “daycation,” if you will. The Dime Picnic, with tastings of local wines, beers, spirits, and food, will be held at a private estate in Hidden Valley on October 14. But this time, there are only 1,000 tickets to be sold!

sipurbia dime picnic logo

Ticket prices are $100 each for the first 100 tickets, and $200 each for VIP (only 50 of these available). All tastings AND food are included in those prices! Spoiler alert: there’s a discount code at the bottom of this post!

Where’s Hidden Valley? Well, it’s so hidden that I had to Google it: it’s basically across Potrero from Westlake Elementary School. In other words, a beautiful area for guests to mingle with friends, check out the vendors, and enjoy live entertainment.

This is good news because SIPurbia was so much fun. Allow me to tell you about it in pictures:

A gorgeous location


Cute photo booth

For a good cause

Interesting (and tasty) vendors

sipurbia dime picnic

…and friends around every corner.

In case you hadn’t noticed, sundresses both short and flowing, flowery jumpsuits, and hats were the most common fashions seen at Paramount Ranch that day. So get your tickets now, and don’t put away those stylish summer digs yet. It’s bound to be nice and warm in October in The Bubble.

The even better news is that if you use the discount code AHM25 when you buy your tickets you’ll get 25% percent off! That is a great deal! Pass it on, friends, and I’ll see you in October. I might be wearing a floppier hat. The cowboy hat makes my head hurt, even though it’s cute.

The Dime Picnic
DATE:  SUNDAY OCTOBER 14, 2018
TIME:  3 – 8 P.M. (last call 7:30 p.m.)
ADDRESS:  1350 W. POTRERO RD., THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91361
CAUSE:  A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER CONEJO VALLEY