Lori Ran Boston

Here is part 2 of my final Lori Runs Boston blog! Since I kept my phone tucked away during the race, I don't have a lot of photos of anything other than me running, so I'm sorry if it's lacking visually.  Thanks to Alison, Reeves and Sarah for the photos they posted that I've used here...and yes, I forked over a small fortune and bought my official race pics :)

The Starting Line At Last!

FINALLY!  After months of training and fundraising and anticipation Team Victory headed off to the Starting Line of the 119th Boston Marathon!  I was so happy to have my fellow teammates by my side as we walked from the Athlete's Village to the official starting line.  We joked about the rain - it had just started to come down as we walked and we all debated whether to keep our throw away sweats on or take them off or to run with our trash bag raincoats on.  I decided to ditch the raincoat, but hold onto my sweatshirt until I warmed up a bit.

As we walked down the street there were families hanging out on their front porches and under tents set up on their front laws.  One family set up a tent and with signs offering runners hair ties and safety pins in case they forgot.  I didn't need anything, but told them how awesome they were for thinking of those small things that mean so much to the runners.  

As we approached the starting line it was a little chaotic and we weren't entirely sure where to go, but we just followed the crowd and before we knew it it was time to go!

Hopkinton to Framingham

My teammate Erica and I ran together for awhile, keeping pace and in shock at how many people were lining the roads.  Right off the bat, spectators were cheering for us and calling out our names that we had put onto our Team Victory jerseys.  It really set the tone early and got us super excited for what was in store!

Also shocking - how many people were peeing in the woods mere moments after the race began!  We passed an entire parking lot full of port-a-potties on the way to the Start that seemed empty, but less than a mile into the Marathon everyone apparently had to go! 

Just after the 1 mile marker, I saw my boyfriend's family camped out alongside the road and I was so excited to see them.  Mike's brother-in-law is a speedy Wave 1 runner and they had waited all that time to see me go by.  I popped off to the side and gave everyone a round of hugs before continuing on.  It was an extra boost of adrenaline seeing loved ones so early on.

During the first several miles Erica, Mike, Shawn and I were pretty much keeping pace with each other.  We hadn't gone for a run as a team at all up until this point and it was really nice to enjoy the camaraderie while we could.  I knew that at some point, we'd all work to our own pace and stretch out along the course so we took advantage of our time together.

Maickel Melamed (not my photo)

I had done my 20 mile prep run from the Framingham commuter rail station to Boston, so miles 1-5 were the only ones I hadn't seen yet.  When I saw Framingham station on the horizon I got a little giddy because I knew there were no surprises left.  It was all gravy from here.

As I ran through Framingham, I noticed a large group of people in the middle of the road with umbrellas and it looked like they were trying to keep someone dry.  I now know it was the last person to cross the finish line - Maickel Melamed - a Venezuelan college professor with muscular dystrophy.  It ended up taking him 20 hours to finish the race.  If you haven't read his remarkable story, click here.  He is truly and inspiration!

My teammate Shawn and I ran together for awhile through Framingham and passed a kind soul passing out paper towels to help runners dry off from the rain.  I stopped to walk for a moment as I used the paper towel to clean off my glasses that were splattered with rain.  It only really kept them clear for a short while, but I really appreciated it!

The Scream Tunnel

So sad I didn't get to see this in person :(

I was super excited to experience the Scream Tunnel - a very very very loud contingent of Wellesley College students.  I was sad that the rain had ruined almost all of the awesome posters the women had made over the past several weeks and that I never did get to see mine in person.  I am glad I at least saw it on the Facebook page before hand and have a photo of it to remember.  A virtual high five to all of the Wellesley gals that put so much work into them.

I had heard that the Scream Tunnel is so loud you can hear it from about a half a mile away, and it was true!  I'm sure the crowds are larger on a nice day when it isn't cold and soggy, but there were so many amazing students out there braving the weather and cheering everyone on.  Lots of the women had signs urging runners to kiss them - "Kiss Me, I'm a Senior" and "Kiss Me, I'm a Psych Major".

The Scream Tunnel was where I realized how much having complete strangers call out your name and offer support makes a difference! I ran the entire stretch of the Scream Tunnel not thinking about the fact that I was running.  I was just waving to anyone who called out my name, high fiving strangers and really enjoying the moment.  Those women were totally awesome!

Half Way There

Half Marathon -  Still have my gloves

Reaching the half marathon mark was awesome.  When I stepped over the sensors in the road I knew my friends and family who were following were going to see I was half way there!  Unfortunately, I also knew if I didn't hit a port-a-potty soon I was going to be in trouble.  I had tried to ignore it because I didn't want to stop - I had been keeping great pace this far - but when I saw a few along the road with only one person waiting, I decided I better just get it over with.

I had to take off my running gloves to use the bathroom and they were totally soaked through.  When I finished I knew I wasn't going to be able to get them back on my hands, so I tucked them into my FlipBelt and hoped not to lose them along the remainder of the course.

 

The Heartbreak Is Real

Heartbreak - Not my most flattering photo

Leading up to Mile 17, I was starting to feel tired.  I was told that this is the part of the race where people hit the proverbial wall.  I did start to feel a little fatigue at this point and I knew what was lying just up around the bend...Heartbreak Hill.  3 miles of rolling hills in Newton that are the biggest test of the 26.2 mile course.  Since I had done Heartbreak a few times before, I knew what I was in for.  I knew I was tired, but if I could just push through, it was all down hill from there.

During my 20 miler, I was really proud of myself for not walking at all through Heartbreak Hill in Newton (aside from my 1 minute walk that was part of my run/walk plan).  Today, however, I just couldn't quite keep it going.  Oddly enough it was the first hill that seemed the hardest and I stopped to walk for an extra minute getting up over the hump.  Once I got over the top, with the encouragement of amazing strangers along the route, I knew I could do it!

The last two hills weren't as bad and before I knew it, there was the inflatable arch at Boston College proclaiming "The Heartbreak Is Over!" Woohoo!

6 Miles of Rockstar Treatment

Wearing my big goofy grin

After Heartbreak was behind me, I knew we were in the home stretch!  There were only 6.2 miles left to go and we were headed into the part of the course with the most crowds and onlookers and it felt like every single person along the way had your back.

People kept calling my name - "Come on, Lori! You got this!"  "You're killing it, Lori!"  "Lori, how do you look so sexy after 20 miles!"  IT WAS AMAZING!  Every time I heard someone call my name I couldn't help but break into a huge grin, which I think inspired more people to call out my name!  At one point a whole bunch of college students just started chanting "Lori! Lori! Lori!"  It was the most amazing feeling of my entire life!

Who are all of these incredibly supportive people?!  These are my fellow Bostonians.  These are the people who make my city great and make the Boston Marathon the single greatest athletic event of the year.  Any time i felt tired during this final leg of the race, there was someone on the sideline cheering me on and inspiring me to keep going.  These incredible people were standing in the cold and the rain for hours, just to give people like me the momentum to keep moving forward.  I wish I could hug every single person who yelled out my name and let them know how much it meant to me.

I was so excited to see Reeves!

Along that stretch of Beacon Street I saw my friend Emma, my friend Reeves who snapped some great photos of me (thanks Reeves!), my former colleagues Sam and Harvey and my boyfriend Mike and his roommate Diana.  Mike brought his camera to try to get a photo or two of me coming, but he told me he got so excited when he saw me, he totally forgot to take any pictures.  How cute is that?  I stopped to hug all of my friends and seeing them only added to my excitement!

Sarah and Ellen - Amazing Signs!!!!

I also had a ton of friends along the route who I unfortunately didn't get to see.  It was so loud at times, with so many people calling out my name, I didn't always get the chance to see where the shouts were coming from.  I'm sorry I missed you James, Chris, Ryan, Ashley, Heather, Paul and Frank (and anyone else who I wasn't able to hug in person).  Very special thanks to my friend Sarah and her mom Ellen for sporting these kick ass signs for me.  I can't believe I didn't get to see them!

Hey, Alison!

When we went through Kenmore Square, I really knew we were almost there.  I saw my former Victory Programs coworker and friend Alison and ran to give her a hug.  She seemed as excited to see me as I was to see her and was really grateful that a friend of hers was able to snap a photo.

Around the bend of Kenmore Square was one of the most beautiful signs I had ever seen.  Official BAA flags declared that there was "One Mile To Go"!

 

 

The Big Finish

As everyone made the famous right onto Hereford Street, you could see people finally taking off their ponchos and trash bags so they could look good for their big Finish Line photo and it was funny to see all of the bags littering the short block and a half before making the left on Boylston Street.

Once I made the turn, I worked my way into the middle of the street so I could take in the crowds and the noise and see the finish line up ahead.  My mom, brother and brother's girlfriend were supposed to be on Boylston and my mom had shown me her polka dot umbrella so I would know if I saw her.  I scanned and scanned the crowd and finally saw the umbrella and could see my brother's girlfriend waving to me.  I ran to the side of the street and gave Lydia a hug, but my mom and brother were nowhere to be found.  I assumed I must just not have seen them and knew they'd meet me after the finish so I just kept going so I could give them a great big hug at the end.

For so many months now, I had day dreamed of the moment where I crossed the finish line.  How would I feel? What would it be like? The reality is that I kind of can't remember it!  I made sure to wave at the official photographers in hopes of a good picture and I remember smiling my head off, but it was all kind of a blur.  All I knew was that I had finished under 5 hours like I had hoped and that I felt pretty damn good.

After crossing the finish, volunteers were on hand to give us water and our medal, which were placed ever so gently around our necks.  Lastly, we were given our heat shield blankets.  Considering how cold and wet we all were, I think this was the most important post-race moment of them all!

Instead of remembering the feeling of crossing the finish line, I remember the volunteer who helped me with my heat shield.  My hands were so cold, I had a hard time moving my fingers so the volunteer came up to me, helped guide my arms through the arm holes, put the hood up over my head and gently affixed the Velcro to keep it on.  It was such a gentle and kind moment and I was so grateful to her for helping me and providing me that moment of comfort.  It was an unexpected moment of grace from another person and I so wish I could find her and thank her.

Seeing My Family

I had given my family a meeting spot so we could find each other after the race. When I turned onto Clarendon St. to get there I saw my mom and brother right there on the sidewalk!  I smiled and waved my arms to get their attention and it was all hugs and tears and happiness!  Unfortunately, my mom wasn't able to see me run down Boylston, but having her be there just steps from the finish line was the best feeling in the world.

My mom told me she had been nervous to see me because she kept seeing runners - men and women - limping and struggling to walk and she was terrified that I was going to look like that too.  It was a huge relief for her to see me happy and smiling and in good health and spirits...even if I was cold and moving a little slowly.

When I got home, I finally took my phone out of my FlipBelt and turned the Airplane mode off and it went crazy!  So many texts and Facebook messages it was kind of overwhelming.  It took about two days for me to finally respond to every message and I hope I didn't forget anyone.  It was also awesome to see that two people made donations to my fundraising page while I was on the route!

Final Thoughts

I can't believe it's over! It's been a few days since the Marathon and I can't believe it has already come and gone.  All of the training in the snow and cold, all of the knee pain and nerves, were completely worth it.  Last week, I had told people I was never going to train for another Marathon again, but now I'm not so sure.  I think if given the opportunity to do it again, I'd be a fool not to.  Besides, now I have to beat my time, right?

I also want to thank EVERYONE.

I want to thank everyone who donated to my fundraising efforts for Victory Programs, to everyone who listened to me talk nonstop about the Marathon for months, to my friends who still love me even though I missed nights out and brunches because I had long runs.

I want to thank my beautiful and talented friend Marta for designing my awesome "Lori Runs Boston" logo!

I want to thank my co-worker Shauna who organized every aspect of Team Victory and rooted us all on for months.  You're the best!

I want to thank every single volunteer who made the Marathon amazing - especially those who stood out on the course during the cold and rain to pass out water and Gatorade.

I want to thank every single stranger who lined the course and yelled words of encouragement to me and my fellow runners - you guys made the Marathon FUN.

Of course, I want to thank everyone who read my blog - that's you - I hoped it kept you entertained :)

Most of all I want to thank my mom and my boyfriend.  These two amazing people got the brunt of everything Marathon for months.  They are the best people I know and I never would have made it through without their unending love and and support. 

 

So...where do I sign up for next year?

Lead Up to the Starting Line

Before getting in to this post, I decided to split it up into two - the lead up to the Marathon and a full recap of the race.  There was just too much to say to fit it into one post, so this seemed like the best way to deal with it.

I also want to thank the following people for their kind donations to my Boston Marathon fundraising page: Justine B. Tracy D.G., John O., Sage, Sora and Sally, Sarah R. and Marc D.  I will still be able to accept donations to my page until mid-May, so if you're inclined to make a gift you can do so here.

Marathon Expo and Bib Pick Up

Everything got really real on Friday when I left work early to head over to the Hynes Convention Center to pick up my Boston Marathon Bib, runner swag bag and check out the Expo. My boyfriend met me in Copley and I think he got a kick out of how excited I was.  The volunteer who handed me my bib was really nice, wished me good luck on my first marathon and posed for a photo with me.  I am guessing I wasn't the first or the last person to geek out like this.

The BAA gave strict instructions to runners to NOT post photos of their bibs on social media to prevent people creating fraudulent bibs so I didn't even get a chance to show these photos off until after the race was over.

After picking up my bib, we walked to the t-shirt pick up area where each runner picked up a bag with a bunch of goodies in it.  Clif Blocs, a long sleeve BAA Marathon tech shirt, a Sam Adams Boston Marathon pint class and some other goodies. 

Then it was off to the Expo, where I made a purchase at the second table I stopped at!  The weekend before, I overhead a girl talk about her FlipBelt and how awesome it was and so when I saw the table I decided to see what exactly it was. I wish I had known about this item a long time ago!  It's the most simple running storage belt I had ever seen and most importantly the woman at the counter told me it wouldn't ride up over my hips.  This is a consistent issue for me and why I won't like wearing fuel belts or fanny packs when I run.  They tend to ride up over my hips and are really uncomfortable and get in the way of my race bib.  I bought a pretty coral colored belt and decided I would test it out at the 5k on Saturday and decide if it would work well enough to wear during the Marathon on Monday. 

I also picked up a Boston Marathon SparklySoul headband and my boyfriend bought me a BAA Marathon pint glass to add to my pint glass collection.

One of the coolest freebies from the Expo was the Marathon poster. It was the same design from the Adidas Official Marathon apparel brochure (pictured), but layered on top of the design was the name of every since runner participating in the 2015 Boston Marathon.  I totally geeked out when I found my name on the sample posters they had open on the table.  It is currently still rolled up and protected in my closet until I can get it framed to hang on my wall.  Very cool.

I could have spent a fortune...and the entire day... just hanging out at the Expo, but after an hour and half of wandering around and exploring, we headed home.  I had the BAA 5k the next morning and wanted to keep my legs as fresh as possible.

BAA 5k Shake Out

Saturday morning was gorgeous!  My brother's girlfriend Lydia and I went into Boston together to run the BAA 5k.  The sun was shining and it ended up being a lot warmer than I anticipated, but it was really nice.

I was super excited to participate in this race because it goes across the Marathon finish line and it was crazy to know the next time that view came into sight it was going to be because I was finishing 26.2 miles.  Crazy!

This race was also my first time running without doing the run/walk  technique that I had been using for my long runs.  I had skipped a lot of my shorter runs during training because of my knees so it had been a while since I had just run straight through.  It felt great and I was really happy clocking in at 28:47.

Pre-Marathon Jitters

Sunday was such a crazy day!  I couldn't seem to get a hold of my emotions.  Little things like watching the news caused me to burst into tears.  I decided it must be PMS - Pre Marathon Sensitivity!

AWWWWWWW

Watching the weather reports didn't help matters either!  It felt with every new update, the forecast got more and more grim with the rain starting closer and closer to our 11:15 am start time. The more I heard about the weather, the more nervous I got. I was second guessing my clothing choices and was afraid my feet would get blisters from running in wet socks and the more I thought about it, but more freaked out I got and then came the waterworks.  I was really lucky to have my boyfriend Mike by my side the whole day.  He's an incredibly calming presence and was able to talk me off the proverbial ledge every time I started to freak out.  He kept reminding me that I was prepared, that I had run 20 miles in the snow, that I was ready to tackle this challenge.  I don't think I could have made it through without him!

That evening Mike made a lovely pasta dinner for me and his family (his brother in-law also ran on Monday) and I got an incredible pre-race gift from his niece.  She is three years old and made me a good luck card.  When she gave it to me she told me she wanted me to win the whole marathon.  It was the sweetest gift I have ever received and I have the card proudly hanging on my refrigerator.

THE BIG DAY!

Team Victory (minus Ashley)

And then it was Marathon Monday! I woke up at 5:30 to get ready and have some breakfast before meeting my friend Amy at the train station to head into Park Street to catch the BAA shuttle buses.  The time passed way faster than I thought and I found myself rushing to get out the front door.  I was a bundle of nerves - I had put my pants on inside out and my socks on the wrong feet.  It was crazy!  Mike gave me one final pep talk and out the door I went.

Amy and I went into town and met up with almost all of my other Team Victory teammates at Park Street before getting on the bus to Hopkinton.  At this point, nerves were gone and excitement started to take over.  The bus ride felt like it took FOREVER!  We finally arrived with about an hour and a half before our start time.

It was C-O-L-D and I wished I had brought warmer sweats to wear at the Athlete's Village.  Volunteers passed out coffee and we just held onto the cups to keep our hands warmed up.

Then it was time to go!

To be continued....

Final Long Run Before Boston

This week brought another round of amazing donations from friends, family and colleagues and I am so thankful for their support!  A huge high five to Jonathan S., Jim P. & Thom K., Amy P., Noelle and Nicholas (and Lauren and Nick) L.F., Holly and Jaci S, and Linda M. for their donations!!! 

I can never say enough that these donations don't just indicate support of me, but to the 2,300 men, women and families Victory Programs serves every year.  I work for a wonderful nonprofit that does amazing work and your kind gift help us keep on going!

If you'd like to make a donation, please visit my Crowdrise fundraising page, here.  Donations will continue to be accepted until May 30.

Team Meeting & Singlet Day!

First off, I want to come right out and say, that I stuck with my friend Ian's advice when he said, "If your knee hurts just stop running."  I did do my final long run on Sunday (more on that in a bit), but I took the week off to allow my knee to feel better.

Team Victory L to R: Mike, me, Brian and Ashley

On Monday, our amazing Team Victory coordinator, Shauna Helton, gathered the team together for dinner at one of our programs - the Boston Living Center - for dinner and to pass out our singlets.  I was so excited to meet a few more members of the team and to get my hands on my Team Victory jersey!  I couldn't wait to see it - and even more importantly - couldn't wait to wear it on my final long run.

4 of our 7 team members were able to make the dinner, but it was so great to spend some time chatting about our training and getting advice and support from each other.  It doesn't take runners long to become friends - especially when you're all on this insane journey at the same time.  There's talk of long runs and KT tape and sneakers.  It was really fun.

Shauna presented us with our singlets and I love the bright orange color!  You'll definitely be able to see us coming AND it will go well with my purple/orange/white 2015 Boston Marathon jacket :)

How to Keep Tabs on Me on Marathon Monday

The Boston Athletic Association and AT&T have teamed up to offer text alerts on Marathon day.  All you need to do to follow me (or any of your friends/family running the race) is text my bib number - 28145 - to 234567 and you'll be alerted when I cross the 10k, Half Marathon (13.1), 30k, 40k, 45k and Finish Line.  Text messaging rates may apply.

The charity runners are in the 4th wave, which begins at 11:15 am.

I think this is a really great program.  I'm glad my friends and family who will be out to cheer me on will be able to know when I'm close by so they don't have to wait for hours scanning the runners trying to find me.  And of course anyone who can't make it to the route at all will be able to stay notified as well!

Final Long Run!

Like I mentioned earlier, I didn't run a step this week until my final long run on Sunday.  I had 8 miles planned as dictated in the Hal Higgdon plan, which I have been trying to follow.  I also knew I wanted to run the monthly Slumbrew American Fresh 5k fun run at 11am on Sunday so my plan was to do 5 miles on my own before hand and then meet up with the group at Assembly Row for the last 3 miles.

I put on my race day outfit - Team Victory singlet and a pair of capri's my friend Heather lent me (thanks Heather!) because they have two pockets on the sides and I had been stressing over where I would carry my phone, fuel and inhaler (a precaution just in case) without my big ol' running jacket that had accompanied me all winter long.  I wanted to make sure everything felt good and comfortable and would work for me on the big day. One of the biggest rules of thumb in racing - no matter what the length - is never wear something new because you don't know how it's going to feel.  I made this mistake once before and ended up having to pull my pants up every quarter mile for four miles ::eye roll::

I decided to run to the Somerville Bike Path through Davis Sq. and to the Mass. Ave. intersection and back for my 5 mile run.  I figured that would bring me back to my house with about 10 minutes to spare and I could walk to Assembly for the 5k.  Welp, I kind of missed the mark.  I ended up at the Mass. Ave. intersection right as scheduled - 2.5 miles in, but I got a little distracted on the way back.

The Somerville Bike Path has been in the process of expanding and for the first time I noticed the construction gates were open and people were walking around!  I couldn't resist the urge to go check it out.  After all, what harm could it so since it was the direction I was headed anyway?  Turns out, the path extension loops around at the end, so I ended up having to go back before heading home.  When I hit mile 5, I was on Broadway with 5 minutes to go before the 11am start time at Assembly. 

I stopped and walked for a bit to decide what to do.  Should I just do the last three miles alone and skip the run?  What is they start a little late and I can still make it?  I decided to turn Run Keeper back on and run to Assembly and meet up with the group wherever they were.

A mile later, I caught the Slumbrew crew and they had pretty much just started!  I knew this meant that my 8 miler was going to be a 9 miler instead.  That was ok since I hadn't run a step all week and my body needed a little reminder of what I am asking it to do in just a handful of days :)

Per tradition, our team leader Dani took a group photo.  Ain't we good lookin?  It was amazing to run in truly beautiful weather and I was heartened by the fact that I did not need my inhaler.

7 Days to Go!

Today is Monday, April 13 and although this day should technically end up in next week's entry, I am including this one little item here.  A few months back I saw on Twitter that Wellesley was taking requests for personalized signs for the Scream Tunnel on Marathon day.  I am told this is an epic experience and that you can hear the Wellesley students yelling and cheering on runners for up to a half mile before you actually see them - this phenomenon is known as the Scream Tunnel. A group of the women from the college also make signs - personalized for runners who request them - to hold during the race.  I cannot think of a more selfless, fun and inspiring tradition!  When I saw the call for requests, I couldn't help but put one in.  I know I'll need that extra motivation come Wellesley! Today, I saw mine of Facebook!  I am over the moon at how great it is and I cannot wait to see it on the big day!

Thanks, Wellesley ladies!  This means so much!Also, the cat looks just like my Yoda :)

So friends, this is it.  My next recap will come after Marathon Monday.  I have Tuesday off and will spend my time letting you know how it all went.  I want nothing more than to finish the Marathon on my feet with a smile on my face and representing Victory Programs and making them proud.

Thanks for following me along on the insane journey.  Only 26.2 miles worth of steps left to go!

Week 17 - The Terror of the Taper

Before I go into my weekly recap, I want to share a column from the Sunday, April 5 issue of The Boston Globe regarding the shortage of women's addiction treatment beds in the City of Boston.  I pitched this story to the wonderful Yvonne Abraham at the Globe with the emphasis that when the Long Island Bridge closed in October, 70% of the City's addiction recovery beds for women were lost.  It's been almost 6 months since the Island was evacuated and none of those beds have been restored - and recently released statistics show an increase in women's overdoses in the first three months of 2015.  Getting these beds - including the 47 that were held by Victory Programs' Joelyn's Family Home - need to be a bigger priority for the City of Boston.

I am grateful to Yvonne for writing such a stellar column and helping give voice to women in our community who are in need of recovery programs like the ones we run at Victory Programs.

I am running the 2015 Boston Marathon of them, and the 2,300 other men, women and families Victory Programs serves every year.  If you'd like to support this incredible agency with a donation to my Marathon fundraiser page, please click here.

Taper Time and Ailing Knees

When I finished my 20 mile run and knew I was headed into the taper for the Marathon I was sooooo excited.  Now I had the opportunity to rest my much beleaguered knees and not feel guilty about it.  I knew I could do a few short runs a week without pressure on saving them for a massive weekend long run.  It was a relief.

Of course, once you actually start tapering it doesn't feel like a relief at all.  Instead, you just feel terrified that between now and race day you will forget how to use your legs and how to breath properly and just languish on the course a half-mile in.  Obviously, that's not what's going to happen but it's a fear I think a lot of my fellow runners face.

I am happy to report that me knees felt better this week than they had for a long, long time.  I was bopping up and down stairs like a kid of 33 again!  It made me feel really hopeful that they would be in good fighting shape on April 20.

I had a busy first half of the week so I wasn't able to get a short run in until Wednesday.  The weather was lovely and I was able to do a quick 3 miler around the Mystic River.  I normally follow the inside path around the River (it's prettier and involves looking at fewer cars), but I wasn't sure if the gravel and dirt portions of the path would be dry or snow free yet, so I stuck to the outside edge. 

I am so glad to have this favorite running spot back to normal after this horrible winter.  I can't wait for the grass to start growing back in and the trees to sprout new leaves and start spotting the adorable rabbits that start popping up along the path.  That's when I'll really feel like spring has hit Boston!  Although, seeing these little guys sprouting up on my street helps too :)

Since I hadn't been running a lot over the past month or so because of my knees, I knew I needed to keep my miles in check.  It would have been easy for me to run my usual 20-25 miles in smaller increments throughout the week if I didn't pay attention.  If I did that, I wouldn't really be tapering the way I was supposed to.  So, I took the good feelings from my Wednesday run and let them take me into my Saturday long run.

I DID NOT WANT TO RUN ON SATURDAY.  I cannot express to you how much I wanted to just  hang out in my pajamas and watch TV all day long on Saturday.  It's been awhile since I've felt the pull of the couch so severely.  This is why I am keeping this blog.  If I skipped it, I would have to justify it to all of you and I couldn't.  I was just being lazy.  So, when the clouds dissipated and the sun came out, I finally dragged my lazy butt out of the house for a 12 mile run.

The Mystic River swans are my favorite (after the bunnies)

I didn't feel the desire to run into Boston or the Minuteman trail like I usually do for long runs, so I did a few loops around the Mystic, Assembly Row and over by the Wellington T station.  It involved some loops and back and forths resulting in one of the weirdest looking GPS maps I've ever seen.  Try to make heads or tails of the route I took and I'll give you a prize :)

Whaaaa?

Wind swept and ouchie.

The run was actually fine with the exception of a tremendous amount of wind from time to time, but the sun shined for most of it and it was warm enough to just run in a t-shirt and capri pants.  The one big problem with my run on Saturday was that I ran out of KT tape last week and forgot to buy more.  I thought I'd be fine without it for a shorter run...and I wasn't.  A little more than half way through I knew my left knee was going to hurt.  And it did.  And it continues to.

I am so mad at myself for making such a bonehead move.  I should have gotten some tape before my run and not taken such a stupid chance on my knee heath.  I'm especially furious that I allowed myself to go from feeling the best I'd felt in months to going back to a week of ice, ibuprofen and rest.  Dumb, dumb, dumb.

So for this week, the big focus is on healing the ol' knee.  My boyfriend's brother-in-law is a seasoned marathoner and he told me flat out to just stop running until race day and focus on getting my knee as healthy as possible.  I don't know that I'll be able to stop all together, but I am going to take his advice and be as cautious as possible so I don't make any more dumb mistakes between now and then!

Week 16 - 20 Miles to Taper Town

Before I get into my weekly recap, I want to talk a little bit about the charity I am running the Boston Marathon for - Victory Programs.  If you've been reading my blog from the start, you know that I am the Communications Manager for this incredible agency for over two years.  This Tuesday, March 24, Victory Programs held its annual Gratitude Dinner, a yearly gathering of our clients, staff, alumni, board and special guests to pause, reflect and celebrate what we are grateful for.

VPI President & CEO, Jonathan Scott

The highlight of this event are the Messages of Gratitude, when clients from across our 18 housing and health programs share their stories.  This year we heard from a women who was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS just 10 months ago.  She talked about how scared she was and how becoming a member of our Boston Living Center gave her peace and community when she was at her most terrified.  We had a clients from our Portis Family Home talk about her struggled with heroin addiction and how for the first year and a half of her baby's life, she wasn't able to take care of him and leaving him in the custody of her mother.  Today, both mother and son live together as she seeks permanent housing.  We heard from a client whose alcoholism gave him a DUI and court ordered enrollment in our Victory House program.  He is now sober and about to move into our new permanent housing program, Serenity Supportive Housing in Topsfield.  All of these individuals credit Victory Programs for helping them get to the new, healthy part of their life.

This event is an yearly reminder of why the work I get up every morning to do is important and valuable.  It's also a reminder that people who are struggling with homelessness, addiction and chronic illnesses are just that - people.  Every one of our clients is worthy of love, respect and a second (third or fourth) chance at a healthy and happy life.

To help support me AND this amazing agency, please click here today.

Marathon Runners Packet

All week I had been checking the mailbox, waiting for my Marathon packet from the BAA and it FINALLY CAME!  It was pretty funny because all in the same day my Facebook and Twitter feed exploded with photos just the like one I took and posted.  It seems everyone, no matter if they've run the Marathon a million times or are doing it for the first time like me, posted a nearly identical photo.  The packet included all kinds of logistical information, a map of the John Hancock Fitness Expo, our ticket to the pre-race dinner at City Hall Plaza the night before, the ticket to the post-race party at Fenway Park and MOST importantly our bib pick up slip!

I'll be picking up my bib (#28145) and runner's swag bag during the Expo, which begins on Friday, April 17 at 2pm and is free to EVERYONE.  If you're a runner, come by the Hynes Convention Center and check it out!

The Big Test

This was a big week in my Marathon training, friends!  On Saturday, I embarked on my last truly long run before the big day.  Due to nearly constant knee pain, I did next to no running during the week, which was less than ideal for a variety of reasons.  I did make it to the gym a few times to do some weight work and a whopping 1 mile on the treadmill.

To be 100% honest with all of you, I was pretty much terrified on this 20 mile run.  For me, this was a big test.  If I made it through the 20 ok, I felt like conquering the Marathon was completely within reach.  If I couldn't make it through the 20 miles...well...I'd be up a creek.  My stomach just wasn't right all week thanks to nerves and I couldn't wait to get it over with!

I woke up to rain and snow and pretty cold weather.  Up until this point, I had been really careful working my long runs around bad weather, going as far as taking a day off of work to do my 18 miler, but there was no getting around this.  In a way, I felt like I was finally earning my stripes by braving the weather like a good Marathon soldier should.

I joined up with my friend Dani and her charity runners from Tedy's Team to run the 20 miles from Framingham to Boston.  This is a big day for almost anyone running the Marathon.  Runners from all different charity teams all get out and run the course this day, making it a mini-Marathon day.  I met Dani at her house at 6:30 in the morning, got a ride into Kenmore with our friend Page and got on the buses to Framingham.  Everyone was chatting away on the bus and as we rode, my eyes started to well up.  I don't know if it was nerves or what, but I was so overcome with emotion, I had a hard time keeping it inside.  This was it.  The test run.

The bus dropped us off in a parking lot across from the Framingham commuter rail stop and off we went.  I was excited to run the actual Marathon route. Up until this point, I had only run miles 21-26 (the base of Heartbreak Hill to the finish line) so it was cool to see what to expect on April 20.  I kept my regular game plan in place, checking in on my cadence (180 foot strikes per minute) and sticking with my run 9 minutes, walk one minute approach.

One of the awesome parts of this run, was how many volunteers were out on the course manning water and Gatorade stations.  A lot of the stations were run by volunteers from different charity teams (but they provided care to everyone) and some were just run by companies and groups from the towns on the route.  There were also a lot of police officers on duty throughout the route to make sure runners were taken care of.

Around mile 4, there was a water station with a LOT of people stopped at it.  I decided to keep going since it looked crowded and it wasn't until I was actually running past it that I noticed why do many people decided to stop.  TEDY BRUSCHI WAS AT THAT STOP!  I looked right at him as I cruised past and wished I had had the courage to turn around and get my picture taken with him.  I decided to keep going instead, which I now kind of regret.  It shouldn't have surprised me to see him, since I rode out to Framingham with HIS charity team, but it did. Sidenote: He's my all-time favorite Patriot AND is as handsome in person as he is on TV!

I found myself cruising along, taking in the sites and watching all of my fellow runners and I was really happy at how good my knee was feeling.  If it wasn't for running into the wind and snow it would have actually been a beautiful day to run.  Around mile 10, I took my first Clif Energy Gel and kept moving along.  Finally, I found myself in a familiar place.  I was at the base of Heartbreak Hill.  Oh boy.  Here we go.  I made a deal with myself.  I was NOT going to walk any part of Heartbreak except for my usual 1 minute walk break.  You guys, I totally did it!  The best part was that one of my minute walk breaks coincided with a red light at a crosswalk AND the chance to have my photo taken with Heartbreak Bill again!  You can really see how big the snowflakes were in this photo.

Since I had done the final stretch of the route, I knew what laid ahead and it suddenly felt so easy to finish the last handful of miles.  As I headed took the right onto Hereford and the left onto Boylston everything felt amazing.  I had done it.  I felt GOOD.  I AM TOTALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS ON APRIL 20!

I crossed the finish line and stopped my watch.  20.23 miles in 3:39:30 averaging a 10:51 mile.  I walked over to Marathon Sports, where there was a final water station set up, helped myself to a cup of Gatorade and took a finish line selfie.  When one of the water stop volunteers saw me, she asked if I wanted her to take my photo, which was so nice.

After 3.5 hours in the snow, I was pretty wet so I hopped into Marathon Sports to get warm for a minute and one of the employees saw how wet my glasses were and brought me a paper towel.  This race really brings out the kindness in everyone!  I was so appreciative of his thoughtfulness.

I called my boyfriend and we decided to have lunch in the city, so I bought a t-shirt from Marathon Sports so I could wear something dry to lunch and spent the rest of my recuperating.

Saturday's 20 mile run was one of the best things I've ever done.  There was such a great spirit around it.  I made sure to thank every volunteer at the water stations I stopped at - I mean these people volunteered to stand around in the snow for hours so we could have water. They are so amazing!  I made sure to thank the police officers who helped us get through busy intersections and chatted with us and wished us luck.  I never thought I'd be so happy being outside in crummy weather!

Taper Time

So folks, this is it.  We're three weeks out and this means its time to taper.  Shorter long runs, shorter short runs and taking the time to let our bodies heal before Marathon Monday.  We're in the home stretch and for the first time I am really really excited instead of being nervous.  If I can run 20 miles, I can run 26.2.  Let's do this.  Let's run this race!

Week 15 - One Month To Go!

Last week the Boston Marathon bib numbers were released - lucky number 28145 - and this week, we hit the one month mark until the big day!  If you're interested in following my progress on April 20, you can text my bib # to 234567 and you'll get text alerts at milestones along the route - 10k, 13.1, 30k, 35k, 40k and the Finish Line. 

I am so excited at how many amazing friends and family members have told me that they plan on being there to see me cross the finish line and I am happy that this service exists so they don't actually have to wait FOREVER to see it happen.

Why Am I Sick NOW!?

I am telling you, it seems like there has been something getting in the way of my training every step of the way.  Whether it be my knee (more on that later), asthma attacks or overall sickness.  This week it was the latter. I took Monday off as my usual rest day after a race and I took Tuesday off as well because I was meeting one of my boyfriend's best friends who was visiting from out of town.  I fully expected to get back on the proverbial horse on Wednesday after work and try to get at least two short runs in during the week before my 19 mile long run on Sunday.

When I woke up on Wednesday morning, I knew my plans were in big trouble. I couldn't breath out of my nose and I had such a bad headache and so much sinus pressure, it felt like my face was going to cave in. I called out sick from work and spent nearly the entire day in bed.  Fortunately, I had these two little housemates there to help take care of me :)




On Thursday, the sinus pressure had gone away which was a huge relief, but breathing out of my nose was still not an option.  I did go to the gym after work to do some weights and try to get a few miles in on the treadmill, but I only managed to get one mile under my best before exhaustion set in.

Friday, I was feeling a lot better - just a lot of nose blowing typical for the end of a head cold.  My boyfriend wanted to cook me dinner at his house (he's such a great cook) so we decided to go to his gym (Gold's Gym,Twin City Plaza) together beforehand.  We did some stretching and some planks and then he hit the weights and I hit the treadmill.  I had never been on a treadmill like this one before and I thought it was cool that it came with a "5k Run" option.  I had hoped to do 5 miles all together, but decided I'd start with the 3.1 and go from there.  AND HERE IS WHERE I MADE A BIG MISTAKE. Since it was a new treadmill experience, I felt like I was going too slow, so I sped up a little and before I knew it, I realized I was running much much faster than I usually do and finished the 3.1 miles in less than 30 minutes.  Now, this isn't really fast - I've run 5ks that fast before - but I have been averaging a 10/10:30 minute mile while preparing for the Marathon so I just kind of threw my sick body into a speed workout it was NOT ready for...and I felt every step of it in my knee. 

We left the gym and I knew I made a big ol' boo boo.  I had a little limp in my walk on the way home and as soon as we landed in my boyfriend's apartment I knew I was going to have to rest it good in order to do my long run on Sunday.  The upside is that my knee felt good as new on Saturday so no major damage done, but an important lesson was learned.  I am too close to Marathon day to blow out my knee on a 3.1 treadmill workout!

19 Miles Done!

By Sunday morning I was feeling great.  My knee didn't hurt at all and my cold was on it's very last, spindly legs.  I woke up early to get through my routine long run meal of homemade oatmeal with dried fruit, coffee, water and a small juice glass of Gatorade.  I watched some TV and relaxed before taping up my knee and getting out the front door for my longest run to-date.

It was a cold, windy Sunday but at least the sun was shining.  It was weird because when there was no wind, I actually thought I was way too overdressed and was going to be too hot, but as soon as the wind would blow, I was thankful for every blessed article of clothing on my person.

Warning:  This part is kind of icky. Around the third mile or so I was running through Porter Square and had to pause for a minute.  Those first several miles where were I realized that when you are stationary, you think your cold is over, but when you are being active, there is no end to the mucus.  I'm sure anyone who saw me hunched over, coughing like crazy must have thought I was the saddest, out of shape person on earth, but really I just needed to expel all of the mucus that was hanging out in my lungs.  Although this was the only time it was so bad I had to actually stop, this issue plagued me for the first 5 or 6 miles of the day.  Yuck!  End of gross part.

I followed the same route I took last weekend and followed the same fueling plan, but holy cow did it feel so much harder this week.  Maybe it was because I had been sick or maybe because I hadn't logged enough miles since my last long run, but for whatever reason by mile 13 I was exhausted.  It just became a matter of getting the job done for the last 6 miles.  Dig deep, occupy my mind with other thoughts, count my cadence and keep going. 

The worst part of the run was crossing the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge.  On a nice day, this is one of my favorite places to run.  You can look out over the Charles River at our beautiful city and it's a lovely distraction.  On this day, however, I was running directly into the wind the entire time.  It was hard to keep my breath and I was afraid my little yellow hat was going to blow off my head and end up in the river.  Just running that bridge felt like it took an eternity and every ounce of energy I had.

That being said, I still finished my run.  All 19 miles.  And I was exhausted.  I walked in the front door, took off my damp clothes, put on my bathrobe and laid down on the couch for a good 30 minutes before doing anything else.  I was proud to have finished it, but wondering how on earth I am going to add 7 more miles to that length in less than a month!



Next week is my longest long run until the Marathon!  21 miles along the course from Framingham to Boston.  This will be the big test.  I feel like if I can finish that run, I'll be ready for anything come April 20.