18 weeks of training

Race day is October 17th in Newport, RI

Gulp…

Along with marathon training, I also have to worry about…

• working
• attending a blues festival
• 3 weddings
• attending 2 blog conferences
• running the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon

I’m sure I’ll have to change this plan a few times.  Depending on what life throws at me! 

But I’m going to try to follow it as best as I can so I’ll be prepared to run my 1st marathon later this fall.

I don’t know what was more exciting: Running in Harpoon Brewery‘s 9th annual 5 mile race or wearing our team t-shirts for the world to see!

I ate a Blueberry Raspberry Bran muffin before leaving for Harpoon Brewery.

We arrived at 9 for the 10 am race so there was plenty of time for pictures.

What?!?!  Jared and I are never on time for anything so this was amazing.

“If you brew it, we will run”

Great beer decorations!

Knee socks were an optional part of the team uniform.

Our 2nd year running the Harpoon 5 Miler together.

The starting area was really small.  We were pushed forward to the 7 minute mile pace and ended up being passed by quite a few people.  I wasn’t upset: More people passing by meant more people saw my awesome t-shirt!

A warning for the residents of South Boston?

The race was out to Castle Island and back.  Even though it wasn’t overly sunny while we ran, it was still hot and muggy.  Good preparation for our night race in Disney this fall.

At least there weren’t thunder storms!  I was nervous, but by race time, the rain had passed.  (And by the time we crossed the finish line, the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day!)

I didn’t wear my Garmin because I wasn’t running this race for time.  I didn’t run with Jared during the Shape Up RI Half Marathon so I promised to stay with him during this race.

He had been having various leg pains over the past few weeks so he really needed encouragement to get through this race.

Jared did great!  We took 1 short walking break during a water stop and then jogged our way back to the Brewery.  We held hands when we crossed the finish line!  Awww.

After chugging water and changing into flip flops , I was ready for some lunch.  Bertucci’s provided salad and pasta.

Oh yeah, I had some beers too!    I enjoyed a refreshing UFO White and a UFO Raspberry.

Promise my friends and me some beers and we’ll run just about anywhere.

Yesterday I completed my paperwork.  I have a job!

I’m so excited to be working as Membership Sales Advisor at HealthWorks in Chestnut Hill.

I had a tasty breakfast.  An English muffin with Barney Butter and a banana.  I needed something filling to get me through Day #1 of job training.  I also packed a Luna bar so I could snack late morning.

I spent the morning training at the Back Bay HealthWorks.  I learned more than I can remember.  So I’m really glad that I have 13 days left to learn everything before I get let loose to do my job.

When I got home, I made a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with turkey, Laughing Cow cheese, and spinach.  I also had a few pita chips and some baby carrots on the side.

I snacked on one of my homemade granola bars, topped with a little bit of Maple peanut butter.

I had a Luna protein bar before meeting the group for the SEAC Fun Run.

We jogged from the SEAC on Tremont Street to the track at the Fens.  We ran 200s/400s while jogging and sprinting, did some drills, and then jogged 2 laps around the track.  It was a great track workout, and of course the beers after were also a lot of fun.

I was so hungry by the time we wandered home from the SEAC.  Pasta is always my go-to meal.

I made whole wheat fusili pasta with orange peppers and grape tomatoes, topped with olive oil and Parmesan cheese.  I inhaled my bowlful and now I’m planning to bake some cookies.

I can’t stay up too late baking cookies.  It’s important to go to bed early and be well rested.  I have more job training tomorrow, including a Body Pump class.

I’m so excited to take all of the HealthWorks classes in order to be a better employee.  I was a HW member for 8 months before joining the team.  I’m glad to be part of a company I really believe in!  I think I’ve finally found a career path that will really make me happy.

My alarm went off bright and early at 5:30 am.  I got up after only one snooze.  Today was an important day.

Race day!

I fueled for the half marathon with an English Muffin with peanut butter and a banana.

Stretching out and waiting to head to the starting line.

Becky’s group and our group agreed to meet at the 9 minute pace sign.  Jared, Becky, Adam, Danny, Auntie Carol, Uncle Jon, my aunt and uncle’s friend Dan, and I counted down the final minutes til the starting gun fired.

Crowded at the starting line!

Mile 1:  Becky and I planned to run the race together.  Several training runs had proved that we run at a similar pace and would be able to keep each other company.  We wove our way through the crowd.  She wore plaid lululemon shorts so she was easy to keep track of.

Mile 2:  Still crowded, still going strong.  Becky and I were in front of our little pack of runners.

Mile 3:  Becky and I ran by my parents.  Smiles!  Photos!

Mile 4:  Danny and Adam moved ahead and passed Becky and me.  It was ok.  We let the boys run at their pace and stayed around an 8:30 pace that was comfortable for us.

Mile 5:  Becky and I ran by her cheering section: my Auntie Pam, Uncle Gregg, cousin Jonathan, Becky’s friend Lolly, and Becky’s Grammy.

Mile 6:  Halfway through the sixth mile, there was a water stop.  Once I got a sip of water, I broke into my pack of sports beans.  I wanted to make sure I had energy to keep my pace up and finish strong.

Mile 7:  Running, running, running   And some occasional conversation cuz Team Cousins likes to talk.

Mile 8:  The course featured a weird double back so Becky and I, still staying strong together as Team Cousins, ran back by her cheering section.

Mile 9:  My parents waved and took pictures as we passed them for the 2nd time.  I asked my mom to keep an eye out for Jared.  He was running alone so I wanted to make sure he was having a good race.

Mile 10:  Becky and I were feeling brave and decided to break out our cameras for an action shot.

Look at my splashes from the last water stop.  It’s tough to drink on the run.

Up until this point, I had been carrying a scrap of paper with the splits necessary to complete a 2 hour marathon.  I knew were on track to finish so I put the paper away.

Mile 11:  Becky and I caught up with Adam and he told Beck to just “go!”

Mile 12:  With less than a 5K race to go, we still maintained that a steady under 9-minute-mile pace.

Mile 13:  The final push!  We passed my cousin Jenna sitting on the curb.  I had to yell to her because she didn’t even notice we were going by.

Mile 13.1:  As the Finish Line came into view, I told Becky to push hard and go go go!  People were yelling and cheering!  We both sprinted across the finish line!

Team Cousins!  (Proof that racing with family is great)

I was SO happy that I met my goal.  I finished my 2nd Half Marathon in less than 2 hours.  I thought my time was around 1:53ish, but after checking the official race results, I clocked in at 1:54:31

Danny has crossed the finish line 1 minute before Becky and I did.  Adam finished a few minutes after.  My Auntie Carol and Uncle Jon crossed at 2:02 and Jared made it in at 2:04.

Struggles!  Poor Jared needed a drink and a meal.

Pizza to help the runners refuel.  Yup, I had a slice in the name of Race Recovery.

Family love:  Becky, me, Adam, Auntie Carol and Uncle Jon.  We were just a little bit sweaty.

And of course Jared was happy to head over to the Harpoon area to get our free beer.

Jared passed out while icing his knees.  And proudly sporting his Half Marathon medal.

Running and sweating buckets made me so hungry.  I had a turkey sandwich for Lunch #1.

I ate leftover lasagna for Lunch #2.

*Thank you to everyone for wishing me good luck as this race approached.  Thank you to all of the friends and family members who came out to cheer.  And of course, a HUGE thank you to Becky.  She set the pace the entire 13.1 and I couldn’t have done it without her*

But the highlight of my morning was a drink I made for pre-race hydration.  I mixed a small container of G2 Gatorade, a splash of pom juice, and water.  Hydrating!

I was running late and after finally getting to my parents’ house, I rushed through lunch without snapping a photo of my chicken sandwich.

Becky, Jared, and I headed to Providence, RI to pick up our Half Marathon race packets.

Apparently the race name changed.  When I registered, the event was called the Willow Tree Half Marathon.  Now it’s the Cox Providence Rhode Races and my race is called the shapeupRI Half Marathon.

#2006

Ready to run!

Becky took us to Thayer Street to get frozen yogurt at Juniper.

Such a cute little place.  They offered original or blueberry froyo along with the usual assortment of toppings.

I ordered the original with strawberries and bananas.  Mmm, loved it!

I’ve been waiting all day for dinner time to roll around.  I ate a salad.

And a hunk of my mom’s lasagna!  Yum!  She makes hers with ground turkey and cottage cheese so it’s lighter and easier on the stomach.  The best meal I could think of so I could eat some carbs and protein before tomorrow’s race. 

I decided on some pre-race relaxation and took an Epsom Salt bath.

Epsom salt is rich in magnesium and sulfate.  Both magnesium and sulfate are easily absorbed through the skin during baths.  Epsom salt baths are good for so many things.  They help reduce stress.  They also improve circulation, reduce inflammation, help flush toxins from the cells, regulate electrolytes which improves nerve functions, etc. etc.

I’m excited to run 13.1 miles tomorrow, but I might be looking forward to another Epsom salt bath a little bit more.  I can’t take baths at my apartment so it’s a luxury while I’m at my parents’ house.

I’m also REALLY glad to be at home because Boston’s water is contaminated.  All Boston residents have been warned to boil water for 1 minute before drinking.  Yikes!  A water main break in Weston caused the problem.  I hope it’s fixed by the time this thirsty runner heads home tomorrow night.  Otherwise I’ll have to bring in bottled water from Southern MA because all of the stores in and around Boston are sold out.

Today was the 114th running of the Boston Marathon!

I’m so grateful to live in Boston, 5 minutes from the finish line.  The city was crowded with runners, spectators, crazy college kids, and more.  The atmosphere was electric.  You could really feel the energy and excitement everywhere!

Becky came back to Boston, and brought my Auntie Pam with her.  We all headed to Boylston with minutes to spare before the elite runners crossed the finish line.

Ryan Hall raced by!

Tons of people lined Boylston to cheer on the runners.

Runners climbed the last little hill on Comm Ave.  It looked so painful and difficult; it was great to watch people push themselves and refuse to give up.

I was so inspired while watching all of the runners.  Look at them go!

And weather wise, it was a pretty nice day in Boston.

We moved further from the finish and watched the runners at a spot just after Kenmore Square, now with about 1 mile to go.

I was so wrapped up in watching the runners that I didn’t even notice I was hungry for lunch.  We headed to UBURGER in Kenmore Square.

Mmm, my UCheeseburger.

My absolute favorite burger in Boston.  I love the UBURGER sauce.

We hung out in Kenmore and watched more runners for a while.  This is something you really need to see in person.  The crowd was behind each and every runner that went by, routing them on and telling them to keep pushing to the finish line.

Check out the man in the white shirt pushing a wheel chair, just left of the center of the photo.  Team Hoyt!!!

I was so excited to catch a glimpse of Dick and Rick Hoyt.  They are an amazing father/son team.  In 1992 they biked and ran across the US.  I’ve know about them for years, but this was the first time I got to see them in person.  The 2009 Boston Marathon was Team Hoyt‘s 1,000th race and they’re still going strong!

I wish could’ve stayed longer to watch the runners!  But it was breezy and I got a little chilly and felt the need to get moving.

After spending the day outside, I was in the mood for some frozen yogurt from Red Mango.

POM frozen yogurt with strawberries, blueberries, and coconut.  Mmmm!

Homeward bound via the Southwest Corridor.

I wanted to buy a pair of compression socks so I grabbed Miles and took him for a walk to City Sports.  The store was located just after the finish line.  Tired runners received blankets, drinks, and food.  It was really amazing to walk next to so many athletes who had just completed an amazing feat.

*Big Announcement*

I really was so inspired by the Boston marathon runners!

Becky and I have decided to run the Amica Marathon in Newport, RI in October 2010!

26.2 miles or bust!

We spent the afternoon discussing registration fees, training plans, matching running outfits for race day, and how determined we are to conquer the 26.2 mile challenge ahead.

Go Team Cousins! 

I was glad I live SO close to the starting line of this morning’s Boston Athletic Association 5K.  The race started at 8 am and we didn’t have to make our wake to the starting line until 7:40 am.

Getting my Garmin set and ready for the race!  And rockin my new Bondi Band.  The tiara makes me feel like a princess! 

Boston, on Marathon Sunday.  1 more day til the big event!

Laced up and ready to run!

Loved the blue and yellow BAA colored banners hanging from the church on Boylston.  The entire city gets into the spirit of the marathon.  It’s such an inspiring atmosphere!

Go Jared!

The course was crowded with over 4,000 runners.  At the start of the race, Becky, Jared, and I did more side to side running, trying to get out of the crowds.  We ran a great race, going as fast as we could through the throngs of people, and had a lot of fun trotting around the streets of Back Bay and Downtown Boston.

Almost at the finish line!

I can’t even imagine how exciting it would be to reach this point after running 26 miles.  I was psyched and I only ran 3!

Moments from finishing the BAA 5K!

It was really cool to run across finish line.  And gave me a lot of aspirations for next year’s 115th running…

My Garmin’s race stats:

• Mile 1 – 9:05 mph
• Mile 2 – 8:24 mph
• Mile 3- 7:48 mph
• Mile 0.1- 7:19 mph

Average Pace: 8:22 mph

Total Time: 26:25

After the race, the BAA provided lots of drink and snack options.

It was great to have my cousin with me on race day.   And we’re plotting some exciting future races together!

Yay for drinks and snacks!

We walked the the Sports and Fitness Expo to pick up our race numbers.

Registration and t-shirt pick up!

Odwalla samples, and a fun employee who wanted to be featured on the blog.

Mmm, loved the Odwalla smoothie sample.

The Hall Steps Foundation!

Here’s some info from their web site:  “The Hall Steps Foundation aims to empower the running community to use the energy and resources that fuel runners’ athletic achievements for social justice efforts. Currently in its first year of operation, the Steps Foundation funds initiatives that tackle structural causes of poverty such as chronic lack of access to basic entitlements including clean water, shelter and physical security.”

Really interesting and I’m hoping to become more involved!

The Sports and Fitness Expo was SO crowded.  We had to fight our way through the people to browse and grab samples.

I ran into my former coworker Mary and was able to wish her luck on Monday.  I hope I can find her somewhere along the route to  shout and cheer as she goes by!

(A lot of vendors wished Becky and me luck.  We must’ve looked like marathon runners, but no…just participating in tomorrow’s 5K.  But Becky and I have goals to complete a full marathon by the end of 2010.)

Becky searching for Bondi Bands.

Clif Bar samples.  The Rocks, one of their newest products, are post-workout protein snacks and they’re really tasty!

Disney medals!

The Wine and Dine Half Marathon medal wasn’t featured because the race is brand new.  I wonder what type of bling I’ll earn after completely the race?!?!

Becky and I had so much fun browsing and shopping for running gear.

I came home with tons of free samples, lots of papers and info, a running belt, 2 new Bondi Bands, and a poster I created for the Boston Bloggers who are running in Monday’s race, especially Meghan and Patricia.

So while everyone else did hills, sprints, and other drills, I took the dog on a photography tour around the Gardens and the Boston Common.

Entering the Public Gardens.

He’s SO embarrassing.  Miles will stop, drop, and roll multiple times during a walk.  Pretty much whenever he finds a smelly spot on the ground.

It took Miles and me a while to make it there.  But eventually we found the SEAC Run Club at the Common.  Run Jared run!

Runners in action!

I can’t wait to join in next week.  I really need this type of workout so I can improve my speed.  Sprinting on the treadmill just doesn’t cut it.  The guys at the SEAC ran track for Boston College so they’re great resources for running tips and information.

Miles wanted to join the group SO bad.  When the group jogged back to the SEAC store on Tremont Street, I finally let him.  My fat little corgi ran at least 3/4 of a mile without stopping.  I’ve seen him run quick sprints and he loves to run in circles, pretending to herd something, but this was the most distance he’s ever covered in one shot.  Go Miles!  You can bet I was  proud Dog Mother. 

While we prepped dinner, Jared insisted I photograph the literal freeze on my credit cards.  Both of us are working hard to increase our savings and reduce our debt.

Taco Salad!  Spinach, cheddar cheese, cucumbers, carrots, ground beef, salsa, and Ranch dressing.

Raspberry sorbet for dessert.

Last night I carbo loaded for the 10 mile I had planned for this morning.  Penne with olive oil, broccoli, and corn.

I packed the car with 2 bags of laundry, winter clothes, the corgi, and the boyfriend and made the evening drive to my parents’ house in southern MA.

My pre-run fuel was an English Muffin with peanut butter and a banana.  I haven’t had an English Muffin in such a long time so I was really glad that my parents had stocked the fridge!

Jared, Uncle Jon, Auntie Carol, Becky, and I met at the bike path in Woonsocket, RI.

We ran along the Blackstone River which was running really high after all of the rains earlier this week.

And powered through 10 miles.  Becky was really psyched to hit her new distance record!  Double digits!  I’m impressed with our time considering we talked nonstop!   We agreed to talk a little less during the actual race. We don’t wanna annoy any of the other runners.  Oh yeah, and we have some race goals that we are hoping to achieve!

Total Distance: 10 miles

• Mile 1 – 9:13/mi
• Mile 2 – 9:21/mi
• Mile 3 – 9:02/mi
• Mile 4 – 9:28/mi
• Mile 5 – 9:36/mi
• Mile 6 – 9:56/mi
• Mile 7 – 9:48/mi
• Mile 8 – 9:40/mi
• Mile 9 – 9:54/mi
• Mile 10- 9:53/mi

Average Pace: 9:35/mi

Total Time: 1:35:57

Jared was tired and thirsty after finishing the run.

Though I still have hamstring pain, I felt surprisingly great.  This was a great training run to get me excited for the Half Marathon on May 2nd.  The weather was great, my pace was good, I ran with family…