San Diego -- drink it in with 4 Feet Running! It always goes down smooth. This Part 1 of a 2-part San Diego extravamarathaganza! This week:

- Nik runs her fifth 26.2-miler, the San Diego Rock 'N' Roll Marathon

- Nik and Dan take a little pre-race jaunt around downtown San Diego, where they do some jogging -- or maybe it's "yogging," it may be a soft J

- Where's all the good weather at? And how'd Dan's beard get so gray?

- They stay at a "haunted" hotel, and as predicted they never hear or see anything

- They run by Petco Park and they don't see or hear anything there, either

- Nik and Dan see tens of thousands of people on race day in Balboa Park, including famous running bloggers Maddy (Maddy Runs) and Alisa (Ambitious Aspirations)

- Nik never ends up making the switch to Pacific time -- it's quite amazing, actually

- But she DOES make the switch to Ininji toe-socks, which feel terrific with sandals

- A little corral-side chit-chat with Nik, Alisa and Maddy about tea, toenails, and "emergency" iPod playlists

- Experience the music of the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon as Nik runs by

- And stay tuned for the next episode where we meet Nik out the race chute, get her race report, and more!
(6.14.09)