Race Report - First Half

Below are my splits for the first 14 miles.  All I could think of as I ran over the start line was "don't go out too fast.....don't go out too fast......don't got out to fast....."  So I did my best to start out slow.  It actually wasn't that hard to do.  When I signed up initially I told them my finish time was 6hrs not knowing how fast I ran, so I was with some people who actually ran slower than me.  I was actually with a whole group of people who were doing the 2 min run/1 min walk thing.  Almost as soon as we crossed the start line, groups of people were walking all over the place.  So it slowed me down to get around them.

The first 2 miles of the race are over the Verrazano bridge so it's just you and 1000's of people, but no spectators.  At the start in the corral, I was pretty quiet and just sort of lost in my thoughts of "holy crap am I going to be able to do this?"  On the bridge, there was this mid-60's Italian guy who was running around yodeling.  I think he was running with a woman who may have been his daughter.  I mean I made up this whole back story in my head.  Anyway, he wasn't crazy, but just seemed like he was having the best time.  As we got into Brooklyn and the crowds of people started, he would smile at all the spectators and go say hi to them.  This guy really had an impact on me because I realized that I just needed to have fun and not stress about it.  So I just totally changed my mindset and decided to enjoy it.  I may only do this once, so I am going to take in every second.

And I did....I had my name on my shirt and I tried to acknowledge every person who cheered my name.  I'd smile back or say thank you or give them a wave.  The first 13 miles of the course are in Brooklyn and the crowds there are great.  After a few turns just after getting off the bridge, we ended up on 4th avenue that is pretty much a straight shot until mile 8.  The crowds here were amazing.  At about mile 6, I came upon a guy with a 5:00hr pace sign on.  I was so surprised.  I thought, hey if I can keep this up, I might be around 5 hours which would be awesome.  So I kept that guy in my sights for a while and then lost him at one of the water stops. (a few more of the 5:00 hr pace people would pop up again around mile 10.)

I pretty much just plodded along walking through the water stop when I got there and then running again as soon as I finished the drink.  I alternated by taking Gatorade at one stop and then water at the next.  I was taking the gels ever 45 minutes or so and would have water with that.  It's amazing how fast some of the miles seemed to come up and also how hard it is to remember if you had Gatorade or water at the last stop.  I mean it's not like there's a lot else to think about. 

Well at mile 8 as I was about to make a right turn onto Lafayette Ave, I saw some familiar faces from way far out.  I definitely saw them before they say me.  It was my Dad and Mary.  I don't think Mary was expecting the humongous bear hug I gave her.  Both her and my Dad had their Go Lisa shirts.  As I ran away I definitely was choked up after seeing my Dad.  He was so excited for me and that just meant a lot.  This is a picture of another crew of folks that I would see with the same shirts.

It's amazing what a boost seeing someone you know can give you.  Mary said James and Emma are up ahead, so I instantly started looking for them.  The next stretch of Lafayette Ave was crazy.  It reminded me of the hilly part of the Tour de France where the people are all coming into the street and it looks like they are going to swallow up the bikers.  That's how many spectators there were.  It was awesome.  I was looking for James and Emma so much that I was almost getting motion sickness trying to find them in the crowd.  And then all of a sudden I heard the bellowing voice yelling my name and there they were up on a fire escape on the second floor.  Another blue shirt.  Love it!

Mile 10 was pretty quiet as we went through Williamsburg, but I knew that another crowd was waiting for me around mile 11.  Again, I saw them way before they saw me.  Can you see me below?

Donna had carried 2 more gels for me and I took them and stuffed them in my pack.  I had a little bit of a headache that had crept up, so I thought about taking Advil, but decided to wait. 

As I came up on mile 12, I had a big dilemma of to pee or not to pee.  I thought I should stop, but didn't want to take so much time in line.  I had passed two stops already that had really long lines.  I wasn't sure what the porta potty situation would be in Manhattan, so I thought if I had to stop, I should stop before then.  As I came up just before mile 13, there was a stop without too long a line, so I stopped.  I just watched my watch tick by as I waited in line.  My splits don't really reflect it, but I think I was there for about 5 minutes.  I was still with the 5:00hr pace group just before that, but I lost them at the pee stop.. Man!  

The 1/2 way point is in the middle of the Pulaski bridge on the way to Queens.  There were all kinds of clever signs along the way.  Here there were signs saying bye from Brooklyn and others saying welcome to Queens.  We really weren't in Queens that long.  I was still feeling pretty good at mile 14 and was just enjoying the people and the view of Manhattan in the distance.  Just before the 59th street bridge which is the bridge to Manhattan, there was a DJ tent that was playing Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z.  Couldn't have been placed more perfectly.  I definitely sang along and put my hands in the air.  Why not?  I was loving it.  Just as I rounded the curve to go onto the bridge, someone had a sign that said "Make the bridge your bitch".  I did my best to do just that.  Well in that I mean I ran it instead of walked it which was a feat in itself because there were a ton of people walking it.

Lisa

NYC Marathon Race Day

Race Day is finally here.  It was so weird for November 6th to actually be here.  I managed to get some sleep the night before even though I woke up a few times.  When my cell phone alarm went off, I quickly shut off my phone so I wouldn't wake everyone up.  I got ready as quietly as I could, but of course within 15 minutes, Kara, Donna, and Melissa were all awake.  I mean, that's what you get when three Mom's are in the room who all are used to getting up with each of their two kids.  I'm not sure they can even sleep late if they tried. :)

As part of being with Fred's Team, there was a lot of "special treatment" on marathon morning.  I really can't say enough about Fred's Team.  They were all really great people and were extremely organized.  Breakfast was from 4:45AM to 6:00AM, team picture at 6:00AM, and board the bus at 6:15AM.  Luckily I was also staying in the hotel with all of those activities, so all I had to do was go downstairs.  After getting some last words of encouragement from the girls, Donna actually came downstairs with me for breakfast.  We got a bagel and banana.  This picture was of me with my clear bag of goods just before breakfast. 

After breakfast, we lined up for our team picture.  Here's what the picture looked like from Fred's Team. 

After the picture, we all filed into the bus.  The Fred's Team buses have a police escort to Staten Island.  It was like we were the President.  Even with the NYPD escorting us to Staten Island, it took about an hour to get to Fort Wadsworth.  When we finally got there, we all filed off the bus to go into the fort.  For Fred's Team, the top 450 fundraisers got a wrist band to go into the special tent in Charity Village.  It was basically a tent like for a wedding reception with a blue tarp on the bottom.  We had special green wristbands that let us into Charity Village.  The best part was that we had our own porta potty's in the village.  It's amazing how much this race prep can become about peeing and where to pee.  I was definitely obsessed with how much I was drinking and making sure I peed so that I didn't have to stop during the race. 

I was able to meet up with my two running buddies on Fred's Team who I had done a few training runs with.  We hung out in the text and chatted and took turns watching each other's bag.  I was in Wave 3 which started at 10:40AM.  There were lots of announcements in the tent for each wave.  It was either when people had to drop off their bags or when they needed to get to the starting corral.  It is amazing how I was so caught up in the logistics of the day and the weekend that the actual running of the marathon sort of took a back seat.  It was actually a great distraction.

At 9:20AM, I finally had to load my bag onto a UPS truck and then about 10:10AM we had to head to our starting corral.  You hang out in the starting corral for a 1/2 hour then.  The longest 1/2 hour ever!  They sang God Bless America and then the starting gun!  I was in the Green Wave which went on the lower level of the Verrazano bridge.  As we crossed the starting line, someone sang Sinatra's New York New York.  What an amazing moment.  Definitely gave me goosebumps.  I was next to this really loud group of people from France who started this rocketts like kick line to the music.  It was really obnoxious, but fun at the same time.  I mean at least I didn't get kicked.  And I was off and running!

Lisa



Pre-race dinner

OK sorry I've been slacking with getting the marathon updates out there. It's been a busy week.

We left off mid-day on Saturday before the race.  The plan was to have a big pasta dinner on Saturday night before the race and my whole family was going to join the rest of us in the city.  Late Friday night, I asked my stepmother if she thought I should call the restaurant again just to confirm the reservation for 14 on Saturday at 6PM.  I've already confessed by self-diagnosed OCD I think, so being responsible for dinner for that many people of course had me concerned.  Mary said "I guess you could...couldn't hurt"  Well wouldn't you know that the restaurant had cancelled our reservations.  Nooooo!  I won't get into the annoying conversation I had with a Mad Italian Guy at the restaurant, but the end result is we didn't have a reservation anymore (even though this was the 3rd time I had called to confirm with absolute confirmation the other two times).  Like I said...OCD.

My Dad, Mary and I trotted down to the concierge in the hotel to ask about recommendations.  They suggested this Italian place around the corner.  We went there and the only reservation they had was at 11:30PM Sat. night.  No good!  Luckily Mary knew of another place close by, St. Andrew's Cafe.  We went there and the super nice woman had room for us.  Of course there was no pasta on the menu, but they had pizza on the bar menu and rolls which worked fine. :)

Cut to Saturday at 6:00PM.  We all got to the restaurant and it was great to have everyone there.  I so appreciated my stepbrothers, sister in laws, and the rest of my friends making the trek into the city.  It was great.  When we went up to our seats, Kara, Melissa, and Donna were lagging behind a bit.  When they finally got up to the table, they had these amazing shirts on.  These are them in the shirts the next day.

The funniest part was that Melissa started pulling out all of these shirts and saying....Tom, you were a medium right?  They had written to my entire family and got all their sizes and everyone had a shirt.  I don't really have words for how happy that made me and how thoughtful it is.  I loved it! 

The best part about going to St. Andrew's cafe is that they have Sticky Toffee Pudding on the dessert menu which is Malcolm's favorite and definitely pretty good.  So let's recap my pre-race meal.....2 rolls, calamari, 3 pieces of pizza (I would have quit after 2, but everyone at the table pretty much forced me to eat the third), a sticky toffee pudding all to myself.  Does that sound like an athlete's meal or what? :)  I also got my favorite words of encouragement after dinner from my sister in law.  As she was leaving, she said (with a smile) "Good luck, you'll do great.  Don't f*ck it up." 

We went back to the hotel and I packed up for the next day.  I got all of my clothes laid out for the next day and my bag packed.  The alarm was set for 5AM.  Time for a good night's rest.  Big day tomorrow.

Lisa

Saturday in NY

Saturday started with meeting my Dad and Mary for breakfast.  When I went to walk over, the NYRR 5K had just started and happened to be running right down 5th Avenue in front of my hotel.

After breakfast, my friend John from DC came over and we went to check out the finish line.  I wanted to see how it looked all built up with the grandstands and also to find a spot where I could meet up with everyone after the finish.  It was crazy how long the finish line chute went on for.  It was hard to tell where the runners actually existed after the race.  As part of Fred's Team, I had a sticker on my bib that allowed me to go to the Cherry Hill area after the race.  Basically, just after I got my medal and bag of snacks, someone from Fred's Team pulled me out of the line of walking zombies and brought me to a special area where we had our bags waiting.  Here's a shot in front of the finish line.

We settled on meeting at the Starbucks at 73rd and Columbus Avenue which turned out to be a great spot. 

It was such a beautiful Fall day in Central Park and the city in general.  I can't even believe how lucky we were with the weather all weekend.  After checking out the finish area, we headed back to the hotel to get off our feet a little bit and wait for Donna and Melissa to arrive.  It was so fun having so many friends in town.  Saturday became a day of "How many fun things can we fit in?"  After Melissa and Donna got to the hotel, we met up with Raul who is another friend from Grad school who also happened to be running the marathon.  The five of us went out to grab lunch at Sarabeths.  I would definitely recommend it if you are in the city.  

OK much more to come with dinner and a report of the race.....

Lisa 

Friday in NY

I know I'm behind in posting about the weekend.  First of all, the entire weekend was so amazing, but I'll break it down into a few posts.  I got to the city around mid afternoon.  I checked into the Hilton and then met up with my Dad and Mary to head to the Expo.  Here's a picture outside the Expo.  Can you find me?



I still was a little shocked when they actually had my bib number after I handed them my registration card.  It was weird.  Seeing my number for the race after so many months of build up was awesome!  After getting my number and my bag of goodies, we went through the store.  When I was listening in on the Fred's Team coaches call, I remember Coach Jeff saying that you should leave your wallet at home.  I get that now.  I ended up buying a short sleeve shirt, a sweatshirt, and another zip up hoodie.  After the Expo, we went for a great dinner of fish and chips.  Lots of carbs!

Lisa

Bags are packed and I'm ready to go

Can you even believe it's finally here???  I can't really and it sort of doesn't feel real.  I don't remember the last time I waited so long for one weekend to get here.  Here's the plan for the weekend:

Friday - drive to NYC and get there by mid-afternoon.....meet up with the folks...hit the expo... dinner...lots of rest

Saturday - breakfast...spend the day checking out the finish area...meeting up with my friends and getting bagels and other supplies for race day...pasta dinner with the whole crew.

Sunday - 6:00 AM team photo...6:15 AM get on the bus...6:30 AM bus leaves for Staten Island...wait on Staten Island with crazy amount of anticipation...10:40 AM start...4:00 PM hopefully finished!

Monday - wake up....hopefully can still walk....buy a finisher t-shirt.....head back to Boston.


Sounds like a plan to me!  I will be sure to post lots of details after the weekend.  Be back next week!

Lisa

The Folks

I will hopefully be on Staten Island ready to start the marathon one week from today.  I have already started to pack a few things and get ready to leave for New York on Friday.  I don't want to get too sappy, but with a week to go, I just wanted at least write one post about how much this has meant to me and why I decided to start in the first place.  Training for this race has been so great and I can't begin to thank everyone for the support.  I initially decided to sign up because I wanted to run a marathon to see if I could do it and loved watching my Dad run the NYC marathon in 2002.  I decided to run for Fred's Team and raise money for Sloan-Kettering because of my Mom.  Training for this race has helped me in some way stay connected to her and help to do something to contribute cancer research. 

For those of you who didn't know my Mom, she was a great person with a great smile, a lot of fun to be around and a great sense of adventure.  My Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was a sophomore in college and she was in treatment and remission, but then she eventually passed away my senior year from brain cancer.  Both of my parents were such fighters through that time and also kept their sense of humor through it all.  Even when you are 19 or 20, I don't think you realize how amazing your parents are and how lucky I am to have them.  I definitely have realized that as I've gotten older and looking back, they were so strong through such a tough time.  My Mom will have passed away 15 years ago in January which is a really long time.  There are so many moments I wish I could have shared with her over that time, but over my long runs training for this I've thought about her a lot.  And even though she hasn't been around for things in my life over the past few years, she has so much influenced the person I am.  I also have gotten a chance to talk about her through raising money for Sloan-Kettering either because of people asking about her picture on my fundraising page or by sharing stories of why I'm running with other people on Fred's Team who seem to have a similar story.

When I'm running the marathon, I'm sure I will think about my Mom and how I wish she could see me run, but I know she is watching.  I am so grateful for the family and friends that I have now and so glad they will be there to have a pasta dinner with me the night before and to cheer me on.  I'm so thankful for all the generous donations from people in support of my run who have helped me to feel like I am making a small difference against a disease that often seems so unfair.

And I swear if any of my friends reading this think of saying something like "your Mom would be proud" when and if I finish, please don't!  I will probably lose it and no one needs tears on a fun day like marathon day!  So just say "way to go Lisa" and I'll know that my Mom would say the same.  I will try and have a big smile on my face just for her as I cross the finish line.

Lisa

Timing

Who's so glad that the snowstorm hit this weekend instead of next weekend?  I AM!!!!!  Can you imagine?  I am about the stalk the weather report for the next week and so far it is looking ok for next Sunday....knock on wood.

Lisa

Tale of Two Cities

So this week feels a little like the beginning of a Tale of Two Cities....It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  I am so pumped for the marathon and then I had to put my cat Jasmine to sleep.  It's so annoying how pets become a part of your life and routine and you get so attached.  I got Jasmine the first weekend after I moved to CT after college in 1997.  Donna and Kelley can tell you the story of the day we picked her up.  It's pretty hilarious to hear them tell it and it gets more entertaining each year I think.  They still aren't sure why I insisted on getting a Siamese cat and even more unbelievable that I paid $150 for her.  Jasmine definitely made an impression on people who met her either because she hissed at them or sat on their lap without letting them pet her or just by having such a personality.  To me she was my buddy waiting for me when I got home from work and would sit on my lap watching cheesy TV shows.  She also was the pet I needed when I first moved out on my own after college and was missing my family. 

She ended up not eating much over the past few days and seeming pretty weak on Sunday and Monday.  When I took her to the vet yesterday, they ran tests and confirmed that she was in kidney failure.  The most humane thing to do was to put her to sleep.  I am glad that she only spent a few hours at the vet without too much pain, although she didn't like the IV.  I was able to hang out with her at the end and the best part was that she was letting me pet her and lean on me although she was growling the entire time just to make sure we all knew she was still there and had her defiant personality intact. 

It's a sad thing to put your pet to sleep and I never had to do that personally before.  It is sad, but it was the best thing to do and she had a great life.  Bye Jazzy.

Lisa

Thank you - Reached my goal!

My fundraising goal for Sloan-Kettering for the NYC marathon was $5000.  As of today, I've received $5,422 in donations towards Sloan-Kettering in support of my run. There really aren't words for how thankful and appreciative I am for everybody's generosity.  I received my first donation on April 10th and over the past almost 7 months, I've received donations from my friends, family, coworkers, friends of family, and family of friends.  Everyone has been so generous and I've heard so many stories from people along the way of connections people have had with Sloan-Kettering specifically or someone close to them who passed away from cancer. 

Thank you to everyone!!

Lisa

Last long run in NYC before the marathon

I went down to NYC again this Saturday to do one last long run with Fred's Team before the marathon.  Today we ran on the last 1/2 of the course which I really wanted to see before the big day.  The weather was perfect for running and it was great.  I met the other Fred's Team runners at 1st Avenue and 61st.  We started by running over the Queensboro bridge to Queens and then back to Manhattan.  Then we followed the course up 1st Avenue, into the Bronx for a bit, and back into Manhattan to finish in Central Park.  It was "only" 13 miles today and I can't tell you how that actually feels like such a treat after running longer that that over the past few weeks. 

It was so fun to run the course and try and picture what it will be like on race day with all of the crowds.  Most of the Fred's Team runners had on their orange shirts so we were easy to recognize.  About 5 or 6 times in the Bronx and then Manhattan, random people on the street let out a cheer saying "Go Fred's Team".  It's not even the marathon day and there are people already cheering for us.  One woman rolled down the window of her car and cheered out the window.  How cool is that?  I have to say that the second part of the course definitely has it's hills.  There's no heartbreak hill like the Boston marathon, but running south on 5th Avenue for a few miles definitely has a gradual incline.  There is also one hill just before the finish line just to stick it to you one last time.  We finished the training run with a few of the Fred's Team coaches standing on the location of what will be the actual finish cheering with pom poms.  It was great.  They are already setting up the bleachers for the finish area too even though the race is still two weeks away. 

My training schedule listed a 12 mile run for next weekend, but the coaches said I should actually only do 5.  Only 5 miles...awesome.  Looking forward to it.

When I got home, my Dad had gone to Dunkin Donuts and got my signature "post long run meal". 

Boston Creme donut and an iced coffee.  I have the best Dad in the world! 



Lisa

Ask the Coaches Info

On Monday night, there was a session called "Ask the Coaches" for Fred's Team.  It was a get together at MKSCC in NY, but for those who couldn't make it, we could call in.  The coaches had a lot of information about what to expect and then everyone was able to ask questions.  Here is some of the info I gathered from the call:

• There are 775 people overall running in the marathon with Fred's Team this year.  Most of them are first time marathoners.
• The bus leaves from the Hilton on the day of the marathon at 6:15AM and is one of the last buses to get over the bridge before it closes.  We have a police escort to Staten Island.
• Race advice - Go out slow, run slow at the beginning, don't let your adrenaline kick in and make you sprint, don't try and weave through the crowd....I can't tell you how many times they said to go slow at the start.  "If all the people around you are running crazy fast and weaving through the crowd, let them go".  So I'm going to do my best to start slow. 
• Start - Fred's team has our own baggage truck.  Bring warm clothes to wear at the start and then pack and also bring throw away clothes to strip off as I run.
• Food - bring food to each at the start.  Bagel and a banana probably.
• Fuel - bring 3-4 GU gels.  They also said to make sure to drink water when taking the gel which I knew.  But they also said not to drink Gatorade with the gel. 
• Don't wear my fuel belt.  There are water stops every mile and I don't need the extra weight.
• Chaffing - there was a lot of talk about preventing chaffing....enough said.
• Bring extra toilet paper for the start.  I guess it can't hurt to have a little extra TP just in case they run out.
• Prep - make sure to hydrate for 3 days before.  Sip Gatorade and or water during the day.
• Finish - a volunteer will pull me out at the finish after I get the heat sheet to go to the Fred's Team Cherry Hill tent at the end.  They said that the volunteers will "take very good care of you".  They said it could take up to an hour to get all the way through the finish before meeting up with my friends and family and that there are post race massages available for the Fred's Team runners at the Hilton.

So all of that is related to logistics.  The other part they talked about what some of the amazing parts of the race.  They talked about coming over the Queensboro bridge around mile 16 into the crowd on 1st avenue and how it just erupts.  At mile 17 is Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where the patients and staff will come out on race day to cheer us on.  To be involved in fundraising for them and just to think about how hopefully those funds are going towards research to prevent some cancer some day is just amazing.  Fred's Team has raised over 3.3 million doallrs just this year so far.  Coach Ann talked about how beautiful it is to run through Central Park with all of the leaves changing color.  And to hear Coach Jeff trying to describe the feeling when you cross the finish line completing your first marathon seriously just gave me chills.  I can't believe that it is this close...only 18 days to go.  I just really I hope I make it to the finish line. 

I am planning to go to NYC again this Saturday for a last training run there.  For this run, we are going to go over the Queensboro bridge and back and then run the last 10 miles of the course ending in Central Park.  It's a little over 13 miles total.  I am dreading the drive again this weekend, but I just really want to know what to expect that second half of the race.  Instead of actual crowds when I'm running this Saturday, I will just have to picture all the people cheering and pretend to hear the cowbells ringing and imagine how it will be two weeks later....

Lisa

Hills of Newton

Saturday was my last 18 mile run until the race.  We ran 10 of those miles through the "rolling hills of Newton" on the course of the Newton Chilly Half Marathon.  It was definitely a good workout and there was a lot of running up the rolling hills.  It was a beautiful fall day though and the perfect temperature to run.  I felt a little shaky again after mile 14 like I did after 20 last week.  I had 1/2 a can of Coke before I finished up the last few miles and actually felt a ton better.  I need to figure out how to take in more sugar, salt, or something towards the end of the run so I don't crash.

3 weeks to go!  I am getting daily tips emails.  They sure do know how to psych you up for the big day!


Lisa 

Columbus Day Weekend

It was a 4 day weekend for me this weekend and I managed to pack in a lot in just 4 days.  My family was in town and Friday was a great day for a golf tournament.  On Saturday I had my longest training run to date...20 miles.  I'm so glad that's over and I can focus on tapering down to race day.  On Saturday we also managed to squeeze in a tour on Fenway Park and lunch at the Top of the Hub.  Did you know that there are a lot of stairs to walk up and down on the Fenway tour.  You may not have noticed that unless you ran 20 miles in the morning.  Here's a picture of my Dad in front of the scoreboard.

Today was the Tufts 10K for Women.  It was my first time running it.  Since I had to run 7 miles for my training run today, I figured a 10K would be a perfect way to get that in and have water stops along the way.  It was a great race.  Probably one of my most fun ever.  I never thought running 6.2 miles would be a treat, but it is when you just ran 20 miles.  Anyway, I was going to take it easy and see how I felt.  It was 80 degrees today, so I didn't want to push it.  But, when I started running and felt good, I decided to try and break an hour.  That was my long shot goal.  I almost did it too finishing in 1:00:48.  A pace of 9:48 per mile and I finished 1793rd out of 7500 people.  I'm pretty psyched about that.  And I had a great cheering section of the Wells so that helped my finish too!  At the first two water stops, they had run out of full cups, so I had to pour my own water which definitely slowed things down by the time I got a cup and some water.  I'm convinced if it wasn't for that, I would have beaten an hour.  Next year for sure!

Lisa

Running in Phoenix, AZ

So my conference was in Phoenix and I had my plan to keep up with my running schedule while I was out there.  Well let's say I veered off the schedule a bit.  Here was the plan:

• Thursday 5 miles
• Saturday 16 miles
• Monday 8 miles

Here's how it went:

• Thursday - nothing
• Friday 3 miles
• Saturday 8 miles
• Monday - nothing

Not quite by the book.  So why the change?  IT WAS HOT!  I don't buy the "dry heat" thing.  It was 105 degrees on Friday.  I went out to run by 6:30AM and IT WAS HOT!  I don't know how people run out there.  I die in the heat. 

OK well there may have been one other reason why I cut it short on Saturday.....I might have wiped out.  Yep, had my first fall running.  I wish I could say it was because I was running on a really rugged trail and slipped gracefully and fell.  Nope.  Tripped on a very flat, perfectly level sidewalk in a really embarrassing way.  It was one of those slow motion falls.  I must have been enjoying the scenery and all of a sudden tripped.  I had my arms waving trying to regain my balance and couldn't pull it out.  I fell on my right side, rolled off of the sidewalk and almost hit a cactus.  Dirt flying everywhere.  I stood up as quickly as I could and looked around to see if anyone saw.  If anyone did, they weren't close enough for me to see them.  I ended up with bruises on both my knees, my elbow, my shoulder and lots of dirt all over my pants.  Oh and I was only a mile into the run.  I won't say that the bruises were preventing me from finishing 16 miles, but I may not have needed much of an excuse to cut it short.

Anyway...after icing my knees and elbows, I am back in tip top shape and hope to never have to run long distances in the desert again.

Lisa

Sedona, AZ

I am way behind on this blog so I'll do my best to catch up.  I spent a few days in Arizona for a work conference and got to take a day off to spend in Sedona.  I flew out on Thursday 9/29 and came back on the red eye on 10/3.  On Friday, we drove out to Sedona for the day.  It was beautiful.  Loved the red rocks.  We took a pink jeep tour which goes out on the rocks and is a great way to see the views.  Here are two shots from the jeep ride.

A storm blew in when we were out on the jeep ride which was very exciting.  It started pouring and the wind was crazy!

Lisa

Fall is Here

Why is it that we all complain about the weather?  It definitely falls into the category of "things we can't control, but everyone still complains about it".  So just to add to the list of things we complain about that we can't control...this getting dark earlier thing is really messing up my routine.  I definitely think more people would like the winter time if it just were light out until a reasonable hour.  Because it's dark by 7PM now, I need to get a move on out of work by 5PM so I can get a run in, but even then I am barely getting it in before dark.  So I went out for a run on Monday morning at 5AM to try a different approach I have to say I was a little creeped out with the morning dark silence.  Don't worry I had my reflective gear on and was staying in lit areas and not wearing headphones, but still it is a little freaky to be running in the morning before anyone is up.  Where were all the runners?  I am starting to be resigned to the fact that I may have to hit the treadmill at the gym soon, but I am fighting it with all that I have because it is so much more boring.

On another note...since I have been running somewhat shorter runs during the week (about 4-4.5 miles) I am trying to get more quality than quantity and pick up the pace.  Today after work I actually ran sub-10 minute miles for the entire 4.3 miles and was even at an 8:40 pace for the last mile.  Hello speed demon!!  I mean it's all relative right.  I definitely can't keep that up and will be back to my 11 minute mile pace this Sat. for my long run, but at least I know I have it in me for a shorter distance.  I wish I could see a video on me running (I mean not really) because I feel like I am the least graceful person on the planet and probably scare people when I get "up to that speed".  They must hear this pounding coming up behind then combined with somewhat heavy breathing and wonder what the hell is coming their way.  Who cares though right?  My Mom did call me "Grace" when I was a kid and I don't really think I've changed much.   

Lisa

Running Plans

What's with the muggy weather?  I thought we were supposed to have cool mornings now.  Saturday was a hot 14 mile run, but I had company for 6 miles, so that was a huge help.  Thanks Zido!  I was supposed to do 15, but quit at 14.  I also spent a few minutes hanging out in an air conditioned Tedeschi's chugging gatorade to cool down a bit. 

I still have 41 days to go to the race, but I've been asked a few times about what I will do after the marathon.  Will I run another one?  Will I keep running?  Well here's my thought which is totally premature given that I haven't even run the race yet.  I'm not sure about another marathon.  I give so much credit to anyone who has trained for one before because I never realized how all consuming it can be.  I have loved training for this, but it has been sort of like having a part time job on top of my "real" job.  I don't know how someone does it with a family and kids to look after.  That must be tough.  I know it will be worth every second if I make it to the finish line though, so running another marathon may not be out of the question, but we will see.  As far as running in general, I definitely am hooked on that on a regular basis.  I plan to try and keep up with running still a few times a week as much as I can, but I will definitely cut down the long runs.  No need to run over 6 or 8 miles unless there is a race on the horizon I don't think. 

I am headed to Phoenix on Thursday for work and will be there through Monday night.  Thanks to mapmyrun.com, I found a few routes already mapped out from my hotel.  There's a 4 and 7 mile loop that look like they run past lots of cacti. (Is it cacti or cactuses?)  Since it also looks like it will be 106 degrees in Phoenix on Friday, we will see how far I get with the long run this week.  I'm not sure even a "dry heat" of 106 sounds like fun although I am looking forward to the change of scenery!

Lisa

Starting Info

Well I had my longest run so far this past Saturday.  19.3 miles.  I know it's not quite 20, but that's what it was when I got back home and I was done.  Running for close to 4 hours by yourself can be SO BORING.  I mean I don't have that many that are that long to do, but it's essentially running for 1/2 of a work day.  Enough complaining....

The really exciting stuff is that there is more info posted about the start!  This is stuff that I am getting so excited for and probably bores the crap out of the rest of the world.  I got my registration card which says my start time is officially 10:40AM.  Based on my corral I am also in the Green start.  This means I am definitely on the lower level of the bridge, so a poncho will be needed.  :)  I did read in one post that being in the green wave could be better because the incline on the bridge is slightly less and the course at the beginning has less turns.  You know...less turns will be important when I'm running at lightening speed. 

I am sort of in countdown mode.  I have 3 more long runs before the staper starts.  Are you excited yet??  I am!

Lisa

We're at 18 People

18 miles this past Saturday in Central Park with Fred's Team.  Holy Crap.  I had done 16 miles 3 times and then I just stepped it up this past weekend.  I actually was a little faster too.  I finished 18 miles in 3 hours 15 minutes with three stops for water/walking.  If I can keep that up, I could actually finish in under 5 hours, but we will see.  I was definitely grinding it out in the last mile. 

In another development this week, I found out today that I most likely have GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease).  Awesome.  It actually is a relief given that I thought I had all kinds of other bad things that were going to ruin my marathon run or mean I had to bail.  Now I just have to lay off the acidic foods, take some meds, and try not to stress, but running is totally fine.  Considering I have been eating acidic tomatoes like crazy, I guess it makes sense that they are fighting back.  The other ironic thing about this is now I am pretty much on the same medication as my cat.  For those who don't know, I have a 14 year old evil cat named Jasmine who has asthma as well as kidney issues.  As a result, I give her a Pepcid before her meal every day.  I mean I have to laugh because it's so ridiculous.

Lastly, my official registration card is available to download on the marathon website now.  Apparently the start times are all messed up, so that could change, but my bib number is correct.  My number is #64628 which puts me in corral 64.  My start time right now says 9:40AM which is the first start, but apparently, my start will mostly likely be 10:10AM or 10:40AM.  I don't really have a preference except that my start time could determine whether I do or don't get peed on while running across the Verrazano bridge.  The bridge is right at the start and depending on what corral you are on, you either end up on the upper or lower deck of the bridge.  I guess everyone takes a quick break to pee on the bridge and if you are on the bottom and it's windy...well..you get the idea.  I mean, like I need another thing to worry about that day.  Anyone got a poncho?

This Saturday we are kicking it up to 20 miles.  Yikes!

Lisa

Visit to CT

This past Saturday afternoon I went down to CT and visit some of my old friends.  It was great to visit Mystic and see my friends.  We went to Skippers Dock on Saturday to listen to some music.  Here's a picture of the view.

I think we figured it out and I may not have visited for almost 5 years now.  I definitely won't wait that long to go back!!

Lisa

Two Saturdays in Newton

I've been a little bit of a slacker with the posts, but that doesn't mean I haven't been running!  The past two Saturdays I ran 16 miles.  Well 16.2 and 16.1 if we're being exact about it.  I mean I am definitely counting every 10th of a mile at this point.

These past two weeks I have done the same route where I run about 7 miles to Kara's house in Newton, we run about 5-6 miles together, and I then I run home to Brighton.  It helps so much to break it up!  I have to say that running down Comm Ave in Newton is a much different experience than running around the Charles.  I love them both, but you have to know the running etiquette to really fit in.  If you are running in Newton, you can't be the same self-absorbed snotty self that you are in the city.  Here's a few things I picked up:

• Be prepared to say hi to the person headed your way.  If you are used to running in the city, you may not be prepared for this.  I am talking about the people who are out on the street at 7AM on a Saturday, so I can't speak for all times of day.  You may or may not get a "hi" depending on the person headed your way.  If it is a group of runners approaching you, the odds are over 50% that you'll get a hi, so be prepared to say hi back.  If it is a person with a dog...hi.  If it is a couple walking...hi.  If it is a person running by themselves....eh could go either way.  If it is a woman power walking like she is on a mission to walk cross country....don't expect a hi and pass her with some distance.
• Be prepared to duck if a minivan comes up behind you chucking Wall Street Journals out of the window.  That guy has a wicked right hook with his left arm to launch the paper over the car.
• Be prepared to see a turkey crossing the road.  It happened.  I was a little scared I have to admit.
• Be prepared to get lapped.  There are multiple running groups out there on a Saturday morning who run way faster than I do.  I'm over it, but do my best to draft off of them a little on their way by.
• Be prepared and check out the BC football schedule.  I'm probably the only person out there who lives two blocks from the stadium and has no clue when there is a home game.  I need to get on that one.

Next Saturday the schedule is kicking it up to 18 miles.  Oh man.  I am headed down to NYC again early Saturday morning to meet up with Fred's Team, so I'm looking forward to that.  The big day is two months from today exactly.  Can you believe it??  I can't!

Lisa

Running Gear Purchase Update

I had listed what I purchased at the beginning of my training.  I figured I could give you an update of what I think of them now that I've put some more miles in. 

• GPS watch - Garmin Forerunner 210.  Love it.  Get one if you run at all.  It's so much easier to know the distance and not have to map it out ahead of time.
• Fuel belt water holder - I've used the dorky belt a ton.  I guess there's no way around it.  The one I have is good because there is a pouch to carry my phone and the gels. 
• New sneakers - I'm wearing Brooks.  I just bought my 3rd and 4th pair since I started.  I read that you are supposed to get new sneakers after 300-500 miles.  Kind of a wide range.  I can totally feel the difference though when I start using the new ones.  This last weekend I bought two pairs and decided to alternate them to have them last longer.  I got two of the same kind in two different colors.  One of them will be the ones I run in on race day.  I'll have to see if it feels like a blue or a purple day.
• New running socks - using the same socks.
• Sweaty band headbands - Out of the 5 I bought, I pretty much wear the same black and white one.  Figures.
• Books on running - I read the Kara Goucher and Jeff Galloway book, but haven't been able to get into Born to Run.
• New running clothes - mostly been working on trying to find a better sports bra.  I think I'm on my 3rd brand since I started.  It's surprising how many of them have really uncomfortable seams that rub on my shoulder or sides at longer distances and of course the better ones cost more.  I think I finally found a winner from Lululemon.  The style that seems to work is called Ta Ta Tamer.  Catchy right?  But really, $58 for a sports bra?  How is that possible?
• GU Energy Gel - Orange is my favorite flavor.
• Visor - Now I have two visors.  I actually wear the visor a lot.  It's so much better than wearing sunglasses.

I still check out everything at City sports or Marathon Sports whenever I get the chance, but mostly everything I bought so far I have gotten a lot of use out of.

Lisa

Day with the Chitticks

Yesterday was a 16 mile long run.  I was up and out at 7AM to tackle the run.  For some reason about 3 miles in, I just didn't have it in me yesterday.  I wasn't feeling like I had a lot of energy and decided to turn around and head home.  That's the first time I've done that and I decided I was allowed a pass for a day.  It's weird how sometimes I have a ton of energy and then some days it's just not there.  I still have another 15 and 16 mile week before I go up to 18, so I will just need to get through the 16 miles this next Saturday no matter what.

After the morning, I went up to North Andover to hang out with the Chitticks for the day.  It was a fun day of picking raspberries and tomatoes, flying kites and eating yummy food.  Here are a few pictures from the day.

Jen and Ainsley

Sam with his raspberries

This last picture is of Ruby.  The newest addition to the family.  It was hard to get a picture because she wouldn't stop moving.  Definitely a fun day!

Lisa

Grilled Cheese

This past Thursday night, my training schedule had me running 11 miles.  11 miles on a Thursday night?  Really?  Well I actually went 10 which I figured was pretty good for a weeknight.  

But this is about grilled cheese.....So there is a food truck that has been parked in my neighborhood (Cleveland Circle) recently.  It's Roxy's Grilled Cheese.  I've seen the truck parked on random nights when I come home from work, but haven't made it over to check it out yet.  I also saw it in a segment about Food Trucks making a comeback in Boston on Chronicle.  By the way...I am totally hooked on watching Chronicle (which is like a fluffier version of 60 minutes) and 60 minutes for that matter.  I used to be so bored when my parents watched 60 minutes when I was a kid, but now it's probably one of my favorite shows.  I guess I am sort of a contradiction because Real World is also one of my favorite shows.....whatever....back to the food truck.  Anyway, when I finished up my 10 mile run on Thursday night and got back to Cleveland Circle, the Roxy food truck was there waiting for me.  I ended up getting a "rookie melt" which was a standard grilled cheese with tomato.  It was awesome.  I am definitely going to head there again to get a more daring choice next time which has something like lamb or guacamole in it.  If you are in Cleveland Circle, check it out or see where else they are stopping by checking out the website.

Lisa

Wedding/Clarkson Reunion

I did get my 13 mile long run in on Saturday morning, but the real fun of the day was the wedding later that night.  Of course I didn't take a single picture (if anyone else did, definitely share), but I have to say it was a such a fun wedding and I couldn't have been happier for the happy couple!  It was quite a Clarkson reunion and so great to see everyone! 

Lisa

Running in NY...90 days to go

This past Saturday I went down to NYC again to participate in one of the Fred's Team training runs.  It was great!

Turns out that Park Avenue is closed for 3 Saturdays in August from 7AM to 1PM as part of Summer Streets.  We started at the intersection of 72nd and 5th avenue and ran over and down Park Avenue all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge.  The far side of the Brooklyn Bridge was 6 miles.  After getting back to where we started, we ran a 4 mile loop around Central Park.  This is a view coming back over the bridge to Manhattan.

All along the street there were tents set up where you could rent rollerblades or bikes.  There was a tent for Whole foods and lots of other places giving out samples of something.  We even passed a table with two huge piles of cookies....that was just mean.  There were also water fountains along the route where we could fill up.

Here's the view from running back up Park Avenue towards Grand Central Station.

It was great to be running in the city and I ran with two great women who made the time by much faster and we had lots to chat about.  We finished the 16 miles in about 3 hours which is around 11 minute miles.  Not too bad.  The only tough part about driving down and back from Wappingers to run is the 1 1/2 hour drive back to my Dad's after the long run.  I felt a little like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz when I got out of the car.  All in all it was a great run on Saturday and a great weekend seeing the family.  I'm hoping to get down to NY at least one or two more times before the actual race!  90 days from today I will be back running in the city and I can't wait!

Lisa

Random Thoughts

Here are a few things that I was thinking of today on my run.  This is probably more than I should share because it's pretty random, but oh well...what else am I going to write about? :)

1. When I run from my house out to Newton and around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir I always run a loop counterclockwise, but when I run around the Charles I always run a loop clockwise.  I guess I'm one of those people that once I pick a direction on a route, I always run it the same way.  Sort of get in a rut and don't change.  I guess that's similar to how I can get hooked on eating a tuna sandwich for lunch for months at a time and then have to quit because I get sick of them all of a sudden one day....ok a little off topic.  P.S. - I'm on a tuna sandwich kick now. :)
2. I've been filling up my water bottle in two drinking fountains on the Charles on my long runs and filled up today because I brought my hand held water bottle instead of wearing the belt.  Is the water from those fountains ok to drink?  I mean I haven't gotten sick or anything (knock on wood).  Even though I have a Brita, I go by the philosophy that tap water is fine.  I mean that's all we used to drink back before cell phones and internet.  (That's my old person equivalent of walking to school up hill both ways in the snow).  The only thing that made me question the water fountain was on Saturday, I was filling up at the fountain by Community Boating and a woman came up next to me with her dog.  There is a tap on one side of the drinking fountain that has a little bowl for the dogs.  She filled up for her dog, but didn't drink out of the water fountain herself.  Have I basically started drinking the same water that only dogs will drink?
3. When I'm running and carrying a water bottle, I always have to carry it in my right hand.  If I have a longer distance like today, my shoulder actually starts to hurt a little from carrying it.  But no matter how hard I try, I can't manage to really run with it in my left hand.  I always try to switch it up, but I get all off balance and have sometimes almost tripped.  I tried again tonight, but couldn't do it.  I mean the water bottle thing ways 2 pounds, but I am just so uncoordinated that I can't carry it in my left hand.  Why is that?
4. Do all car salesmen smoke?  I run past a car dealership on Comm Ave and the salesmen are always out front smoking.  I think it's a thing that there isn't a lot else to do while you're waiting for people to come in.  I don't think it's an official prerequisite for the job, but it might be.
5. OK last one...There were a pack of about 20 people running in a group towards me today on the street.  About 1/2 of them were wearing yellow tepees on their heads and most wearing knee socks with their shorts.  They were like those cone party hats, but only about an inch tall and kind of flattened.  2 people in the group had whistles.  What was with the yellow tepees?  Were they pledging some fraternity?  There were girls and guys though?  That one had me stumped.

I'll be running down in NY this Saturday for a Fred's Team training run.  16 miles.  Yikes.

Lisa

15 miles down 14 weeks to go

Finished 15 miles yesterday morning. Crazy!  It was definitely hot by the end and was tough the last few miles, but I got through it in under 3 hours.  Having a little extra encouragement on the last 6 miles definitely helped too.  It's a little overwhelming to think about running 11 more miles than that, but I am trying to just focus on the next training run and not worry about the full 26 miles yet. 

Looking at the training schedule, there are 14 more weeks until the race and 13 more long runs.  I am definitely not wishing away the rest of the summer and fall, but it's crazy to think that November isn't really that far away.  I also love the warm weather, but would really love for it to be about 15-20 degrees cooler during my runs.  Who knows...maybe I will run like a speed demon if it were just a little cooler?!

Lisa

Back on track

The past two weeks felt a little off with training because of the heat mostly.  But I also think I finally hit a few days where I didn't really feel like going out to run, but dragged myself out anyway. 

This week I feel like I am back on track.  I was off from work for 3 days at the beginning of the week and was up in the Adirondacks.  I got in 3 miles total in the pouring rain up at Racquette Lake on Monday.  I had planned on the 5 in my schedule, but I had to abruptly book it back to the campground when I hear thunder.  On Wednesday I ran 5.6 miles with Melissa up at Saratoga Spa State Park.  It was such a great place for a run with great company.  Tonight I got in 8 miles which felt pretty good too. 

The real test will be Saturday when I have to run 15 miles.  Yep that's right.  15 miles.  That will be my longest run so far and would also push me over 30 miles for the week which would be a first for me too.  The plan is to run a 14.2 mile loop on the Charles between North Beacon and the Science Museum.  I am going to add a trip over the Mass. Ave bridge and back to get up to 15 miles.  I will have a running buddy for the last 5.7 miles which will be a help for the last bit too.  After this run Saturday, there are only 13 more long runs until the marathon!

Lisa

Death by Treadmill

OK so there was a crazy heat wave last week here in Boston.  My schedule had me running 14 miles on 7/23.  Well as we know heat waves and running don't necessarily mix.  As a result, I decided about mid-week to run on the treadmill on Saturday.  I managed to run 7.2 miles on Wednesday night, but it was definitely a hot one.  

In addition to a pool....it turns out I have a gym membership that I pay for each month.  Of course I haven't run inside since January, so I haven't used it in a while (I know I should cancel it), but I busted out the membership card just for this past weekend.  I was at the gym at 7AM sharp and I managed to get through 10.1 miles on the treadmill total.  I got through the second hour mostly because Kara showed up at the gym at 8AM to run next to me.  I can't tell you how much it helps having someone to run with.  I basically counted down the first hour to how many minutes until Kara got there and then had someone to chat with once she got there.  If anyone has any questions about what was headline news in Boston on Sat. morning between 7-9AM, I can definitely fill you in too because I watched WAY too much local TV news during that time.

I don't plan to ever have to run that far on a treadmill again.  I think 3 or 4 miles would be my max, but I managed it and hopefully won't have to do that again!

Lisa

Melrose Place and Dunkin Donuts

The plan for this Saturday's run was 12 miles.  My route was to go from my house, to the Charles, down to the Museum of Science, and back.  I made a slight miscalculation and that ended up only being 10.5 miles and not 12 as I thought.  Oh well.  Next Saturday is 14 miles and I have that one down for sure, so I figure it's ok.

I tried the run/walk plan for the first time on a long run.  I set my watch to run 7 minutes and walk for a minute.  I have to say it made the running a little choppy.  I think it is supposed to make me run faster since I have the walk break, but I think it actually made me want to just stop and walk all the time.  I am going to extend the time to 8/1 for next weekend and see how that goes.  I think I just need to get used to it.

I added something else to my "post long run" routine this week.  So it turns out I have a pool at my condo! I actually knew this already, but I never use it.  Well we might as well call it Melrose Place.  I didn't go in the pool all last summer, but went for a swim for the first time yesterday.  You would think that going to Melrose Place would be annoying because it is crowded and you almost gag from the smell of all the oil.  Actually no!  The huge benefit of Melrose Place is that no one is actually in the water....they are all roasting in the sun by the side of the pool drinking 40's of Coors Light.  What a benefit for me!  The only important thing to keep in mind if you want to swim at Melrose Place is you have to go early enough before they bust out the Beirut raft.

One other fact that I noticed this past Saturday morning.....I think if someone did an official study, they would see that 99.999% of people walking on the sidewalks in Boston between the hours of 8AM-10AM on a Saturday morning are carrying the most delicious looking Dunkin Donuts Iced coffee.  I mean really people.  I think I passed about 50 of them before the end of my run when I was actually able to drink one.  I know this seems like a stupid thing to obsess about, but what else is there to think about when you are running for almost 2 hours?

Lisa

Ok it's getting serious now....

This Sat. was a 13 mile training run.  And it's the beginning of running at least 13 miles for the next 15 of 17 Saturdays. Really?  Yes.  I guess this marathon training thing finally hit me this week.  I mean I've been looking at the training schedule every day, but the long training runs just finally sunk in.  The 13 mile run yesterday actually went pretty well.  I ran around the Charles the loop between North Beacon Street and the Longfellow Bridge.  Kara was able to join me for the last 6 miles which was a huge help! 

My time for the run was 2:28.  I am hoping to run the marathon in around 5 hours or a little under, so I'm pretty on track, but we'll see how the rest of the long runs go.  For the next long runs, I need to work on the walk break part too.  I had intended to do the run/walk Jeff Galloway method for the long runs, but haven't really gotten into it yet.  I got some advice from my friend who runs faster than a speeding bullet (you know who you are :)) and she said I need to get on track with the run/walk.  The exact words may have been "do I need to get on your case about the walk breaks?"  Apparently my GPS watch can even be set up to beep when it's time to walk and run again.  So I got out the watch manual and I think I'm set for the next long run.  I have the intervals set up so I can run for 7 minutes and then walk for 1.  That's going to be my plan for next weekend, so we'll see how it goes!

One last thing...I also discovered my favorite part of my "post race routine".  Getting a Boston creme donut!  I mean I always get an iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts, but when else are you going to go for the donut except after a long run.  Nothing like a shot of empty calories to make you feel like a million bucks after running!

Lisa

Got the Uniform

I picked up a great package from UPS today.  Included in the package was a letter stating that enclosed was my official Fred's Team uniform which included a short sleeve shirt, long sleeve shirt, and a pair of shorts.  Here's one of the shirts.

It's so exciting to have the "official" outfit and be part of the team!

Lisa

4th of July in Washington, DC

It was another great 4th of July in DC visiting John and Jay.  This was the 4th year in a row that I've gone down for a visit over the 4th!  Since I had to run 11 miles on Sunday, which was my longest run so far, John helped to map out a great route that went by all the monuments and he biked while I ran.  Here's where we went.....we started around V and 15th street, down to Pennsylvania Avenue, up and around Capitol Hill, down next to the mall past the monument, around the Jefferson Memorial, over Memorial bridge to Arlington National Cemetary, past the Lincoln memorial, past the white house and back up 15th street.  What a great run!  On the 4th, I ran down to the White House and took this picture.  And then had great food, with fun people and saw fireworks that night. 

Lisa

Collecting a Few BAA Medals

Today was the First BAA 10k.  The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) is the same group that puts on the Boston Marathon and they also have a 5K and a 1/2 marathon.  This year they added a 10K to the list.  It was a great race that started on Charles Street in the Boston Common and goes up to Babcock Street on Comm Ave and then back to the Common.  Since it was the first one, they invited the Boston Marathon winners from this year to participate.  Geoffrey Mutai who won the Boston marathon this year and the race today, did it in a very speedy 27:19.  Yep, that's right....6.2 miles in under a 1/2 hour.  He did the first mile in some ridiculous speed in the 4 minute range.  Since it was an up and back course, we saw the leaders on their way back before we had even reached the 2 mile mark. 

My finish time was a 1:04:50 (10:26 pace).  I was definitely happy with that.  I was hoping to run faster than 11 minute miles and I managed to do that.  And this gives me a goal to try and beat an hour next year!  It was fun to have Linsey and Kara running the race today too! 

Here are the BAA medals from a few races (1/2 marathon from 2006, 5K from 2010, 5K from 2011, and the 10K from today).

Lisa