Team BMC Party

On Friday, a group of us from the team that trained together on Saturday mornings got together to eat, drink, laugh, and share marathon stories. It was great!! Jeff and his wife had us over to their house for dinner, which was so wonderful of them and the lasagna was very yummy!

Although its only been 2 weeks since the marathon, it was great to see everyone again. Most of us didn't get a chance to see or talk to each other after we finished the race so it was a great way to hear every one's stories. I just felt bad for all the non-running spouses that were there and had to listen to us talk on and on about running!

We all chatted about what's up next as far as running....some are focusing on shorter distances, triathlons, or fall marathons. I hope our group can continue to get together since we all seem to have a lot of fun together (Kevin....you can always make me laugh!!) I am going to miss our Saturday morning long runs so let's try to keep that up too!

Boston is over.....so now what?

Now that my first Boston Marathon is over, I find myself asking "so now what?" It's a strange feeling to go from almost everything in my life being dictated by the marathon.....my eating, running, and socializing was all determined by my training....to not having to run. I could have a beer on Friday night for the first time in months because I didn't have to get up early and run on Saturday!

I've been out running a couple times a week since the marathon. Nothing too long or too fast.....although I feel recovered, I know my body needs more time to fully recover from the stress of running 26.2 miles. I absolutely plan on running another marathon and I am in the process of looking into various fall marathons. Once I recover, I plan on spending the beginning of the summer working on my speed. I hope to run some shorter races to try to get faster. Then I'll start my marathon training with a strong base and hopefully more speed.

So, if you are interested keep checking my blog as I will continue to write about my training and racing. Now I just need to think of a new title for my blog......My First Boston Marathon doesn't really apply any more. Any suggestions???

One week later....

It's now one week after the marathon and I am feeling good. Tuesday was extremely painful and I stayed home from work. It hurt to sit for too long, it hurt to stand for too long, and it really hurt to try to go down the stairs! My quads and hips were the worst...probably from the downhill running. By Wednesday I was back in work (and of course I sported my marathon jacket all day!) I still couldn't go down the stairs properly and had to side-step down them or take the elevator. Plus I needed to use the handicapped bathroom so I could use the bar to help me sit down.....sorry if that's too much info for you!!

By Friday I was itching to run so Bryan and I went out for an easy 3.5 miles. It felt so good to be running, but my quads were definitely still pretty fatigued. It was so nice out this weekend so we went for a 4 mile run on Saturday and I was feeling even better. On Sunday it was about 70 degrees and Bryan and I went skiing.....yes, you read that right.....skiing on April 22nd!! It was so nice outside and we skied in t-shirts! My legs were definitely tired, but it was an amazing day.

Today was 85 degrees and I was so happy that the marathon was last Monday and not today! I would much rather run 26.2 miles through a Nor'easter than run in this heat!! It was a beautiful day (of course I spent it inside at work) but just not marathoning weather. Since the last three days were pretty active, I am taking it easy today and heading to yoga tonight. Can't wait to be back out running tomorrow!!

I FINISHED BOSTON!!!

WOW......what an amazing experience yesterday was!! I don't even know where to begin in writing this (I warn you now that this will be a long one). First, congratulations to all the other runners and to my Team BMC friends that ran yesterday....you all rocked!! Bryan had a sign that said "You are stronger than Mother Nature!" and I believe we all were yesterday. The rain held off for most of the time I was out and the headwinds weren't as bad as they could have been.....although they weren't nice!

After a rocky start getting on the buses in the rain, I finally got out to Hopkinton at 9:25am. The rain was still heavy and the entire village was a big mud pit. Luckily I had a throw away pair of shoes so I could save my running ones. Because of the weather, it took my mind off of the actual race and it wasn't until we were walking to the corrals (with plastic bags wrapped around my feet and a Red Sox poncho) that it actually hit me that I was about to run the Boston Marathon!

The entire thing was just amazing......all the fans, seeing my family and friends, and just taking the whole experience in! I didn't think the hills were bad, but it was the downhills that started to get to me after a while. Janette, Steph and I ran together and Janette had her Garmin so we really tried to hold back for the first half to save enough energy to make it down Beacon strong. I saw my family at mile 3.5 and I started jumping up and down while waving my arms in the air....not the best way to conserve energy, but I was just so excited to see them. The "screech tunnel" at Wellseley College was amazing.....you could hear the girls' screams from almost a mile away and all the men moved over to get their free kisses from the girls!

I saw coworkers at mile 15 and mile 17 which pumped me up and gave me the encouragement I needed to tackle the hills. After the first hill at mile 18 I came across about 15 of my family members with signs and cowbells!!! I was so happy to see them.......it meant so much to me to have them there. Bryan jumped in and ran about half a mile with us. He told me I looked good and how proud he was to see me. He gave me a kiss and wished us all luck. It was just the push I needed to help me up Heartbreak hill.

Miles 22-25 were extremely painful and I just kept repeating to myself "mind over matter.....it doesn't really hurt!" The three of us ran together until mile 23 when we lost Steph at the water stop. We waited for her but we both started cramping so we had to move on. Soon after that I came across my other friends from work with big signs and cheers. A few of them started running with us telling me that I looked so good and strong.....I needed that encouragement because I wasn't feeling strong right then.

Coming through Kenmore Square and seeing the sign announcing 1 mile to go was amazing. I felt like a rock star with all the people screaming for us and yelling my name (it was written on my shirt). As we turned onto Hereford Street and then onto Boylston, I started to get teary eyed and choked up......the finish line was in sight!! Plus my family was there on Boylston for their 3rd spot of the day with huge smiles on their faces. Janette and I just looked at each other in awe as we picked up our pace and sprinted (well, it felt like a sprint but who knows how fast it really was!) All of a sudden the pain went away and I focused on the finish line.

Now I can say I finished my first marathon and that I have run THE Boston Marathon (something that fewer than 300,000 people in the world can say!).....in a Nor'easter no less!! I finished in 4:11:01 and I couldn't be happier with my time given the weather and the difficult course. Besides at the water stops, I didn't stop to walk at all! Bryan and my family met me with warm clothes and my sacred Boston Jacket that I couldn't wait to put on! I celebrated with my family and some champagne before they needed to head home. I took a really hot shower and then went down to Boston Beer Works to meet some friends to continue the celebration. I ate a big cheeseburger and fries....and of course some beer! All my friends were surprised that I was still standing and not in bed, but I had so much adrenaline in me! And of course I wore my medal and jacket out to the bar :)

Sharing this experience with my family and friends was so special and I could not have done this without your support. To my girls......Janette and Steph......I don't know how I could have done this without you. You kept me running when I wanted to stop and made me look forward to our early morning runs! And of course Bryan.......having your support and love kept me going. Seeing your face on the side of the road made me push harder!

I have learned so much about myself during this journey. I found strength and confidence that I never had before. I truly loved every painful moment and I look forward to my next marathon!! I'll be sure to post some pictures when I get them so make sure to check back soon!!!

Ready, Set, Run!!

It's here.....MARATHON MONDAY!!! Am I nervous, yes. Am I excited, absolutely. Am I ready to get wet, I hope so! I don't have much time before I have to head out to Hopkinton, but I wanted to write quickly to say thanks to everyone who has read my blog and supported me the last couple of months. I have a feeling the majority of this marathon will be mental strength, not physical strength. I plan to think of each of you as I run today to motivate me to keep going!

So this is it....what all these months of preparation are for. I read in my book last night, that we do all this "just to run over a painted line!" That line means so much more though. That line means conquering something I thought I could never do. That line means building confidence I never thought I had. That line means facing my fears. That line means over $200,000 for BMC patients.

When I cross that line in a couple hours, I don't know if I will scream or cry....maybe both. I am ready for this!

0 more days......here I go!!

Marathon Expo and Bib Pick-up!

Janette and I both took off work a little early today and headed over the the Hynnes Convention Center to the Boston Marathon expo. We met on the T and both of us were so excited about going to get out bib numbers. As we tried to find our numbers, we walked past 20,000 other packets of bib numbers waiting to be picked up.....it seems like so many people I can't imagine what Monday is going to look like! We found our numbers and with huge smiles on our faces picked them up.

We then entered the vendor booth area of the expo.....it was huge!!! We started with the Adidas area because they have all the official marathon merchandise...I already bought my Boston jacket (its been in the bag and won't be worn until I cross the finish line), but we both filled up on some additional marathon clothes. Adidas also has a tradition of posting a blank wall where the runners can hang their reasons for running the marathon. I filled mine out and posted it on the wall with all the other bibs (mine's on the right!)

We spent the next 2 hours or so wondering around the expo looking at all the vendors. There was anything you could possibly need at this thing....and some stuff no one needs! We pretty much stayed away from the free samples because we were afraid of what they might do to our stomachs...I mean no one should be drinking an egg white smoothie 3 days before running a marathon! After tracking down a new pair of gloves that are water resistant (think I might need those!) we decided to head out.

When I got home, I spent some time going through my bags of goodies. Then I headed out to the supermarket to get some things for the weekend. I don't think I have ever bought so many refined carbs in one sitting.....bagels, rice cakes, granola bars. I got other stuff for my family to snack on (cheese and crackers, chips and guacamole), but I think I'll stick to the carbs.

It's starting to feel real now! I have gotten over the weather forecast.....so now all that's left is to enjoy the weekend with my family, relax, load up on carbs, and run. Sounds simple enough, right?!?!

3 more days......

I'm Stalking the Weather!

Throughout the day I bounce back and forth between weather.com, accuweather.com, and the National Weather Service checking and comparing forecasts for Monday. Between my obsession with the weather and all the e-mails between my teammates, its amazing that I get any work done!

Well now I am starting to freak out about it.....why do we have to get our first Nor'easter of the year on Marathon Monday? The CBS weather man this morning actually used the phrase "storm of epic proportions" when referring to Monday's forecast and made a comment about the BAA maybe having to postpone or cancel the race!! In the 111 years the Boston Marathon has been run, it has never been canceled for the weather.....of course its the media trying to sensationalize the story, but not what I want to hear first thing in the morning!

The BAA then put out this news release:

Weather Alert - Monday's Boston Marathon

Wednesday, April 11 - As the Boston Athletic Association continues to make preparations for Monday's Boston Marathon, we are monitoring the upcoming weather conditions forecast for this area. Based on the National Weather Service's most recent report and in cooperation with the Executive Office of Public Safety (Commonwealth of Massachusetts) and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, together with the eight cities and towns along the 26.2-mile marathon route, we are planning for likely heavy rain and windy conditions on race day. However, all race day plans remain the same. The Boston Athletic Association advises participants in Monday's race to plan accordingly for their run, bringing with them gear and apparel to suit the conditions. The B.A.A. will continue to update this web site as necessary.

Looks like I will be getting wet and running through a pretty strong head wind....great! I'm also really concerned for my family and friends that will be outside cheering me on. My parents and grandparents are driving 6 hours from Philly for this....my in-laws are coming from upstate NY. I'll warm up from the running, but I'm so afraid they are going to be miserable watching.

With 5 days to go, I am praying that this storm either slows down and gets here on Tuesday, speeds up and gets here on Sunday, or takes a turn and stays far away!!

A Day of Lasts

This morning I ran my last "long run" of 8.5 miles along Comm Ave in Newton. I have run this stretch of the course at least once a week for the past 3 months, but today it was different. Today was my last time running those hills before Marathon Monday. It was a slightly unsettling feeling knowing that the next time I will see Heartbreak Hill I'll have a bib pinned to my shirt, thousands of other runners around me, and hundreds of people cheering for me. I used to be afraid of those hills.........I mean Heartbreak Hill is arguably the most famous hill in the running world! But they don't scare me anymore. I have been up and down those hills so many times over the past few months and I have learned as much as I can about each and every turn, incline, and step I will take along that road. I have left my blood, sweat, and tears on those hills and I refuse to let any part of that pavement take this experience away from me! I still have a bump on my chin from those hills!

After I finished my run, Bryan and I got ready for church to celebrate Easter Sunday. I felt especially blessed today knowing that I have been given this amazing gift and the ability to run this marathon. To add to that, my running has helped raise almost $3,800 for Boston Medical Center.

Getting dressed for church, I traded in my running tights for a skirt and my sneakers for high heels and realized that today was the last day I plan to wear heels before the marathon (I need to rest my feet so it will be flats all week!) After church we went out to brunch in the South End at a place called Masa. I had a mimosa with my meal and realized that this was the last drink I will have before the marathon. I know these "lasts" aren't quite as significant as the previous one, but it fit with the theme of the day so we'll go with it :)

I think its just making it all seem so real -- all these lasts. Sure, I wish I had a few more weeks to train.....get in a few more long runs, hill repeats, or interval workouts. But the fact is that I am ready for this......8 more days until I see those hills again!!

Back from Skiing....Ready for Taper!

I am happy to report that I am back from Killington injury free! Bryan and I headed up to Vermont early on Sunday morning since the sun was shining and it was supposed to be 55 degrees out. We had a great day of spring skiing and I even got to work on my goggle tan :) The snow was really heavy and it felt kind of like skiing through mashed potatoes. Because of this, most of the trails we were skiing had moguls on them by the afternoon....my tired legs were really starting to burn! We enjoyed the hot tub and went out to dinner before crashing early on Sunday night.

Monday was cloudy and rainy, but still fairly warm. We found one trail on Bear Mountain that we really liked and had pretty good snow on it so we skied that all day. We got wet, but still had fun just being outside and skiing together. By about 3pm my legs were screaming and ready to quit so we headed back to the lodge to enjoy an apres ski beer. As we took off our skis, Bryan says "I am so relieved right now!" When I asked him why, he told me that he was so nervous both days that I was going to hurt myself and not be able to run.....he didn't want to feel responsible or have me blame him if anything happened to me. I was very relieved too.....I consciously took it easy and skied a little cautiously.

We headed back to Boston this afternoon and I hit the gym for a 4 mile run. My legs felt heavy and were tired for the first 2 miles, but felt good towards the end. I am starting to get a little antsy about the taper, knowing that means Boston is getting close! People say its normal to feel this way and I apologize in advance if I am irritable these next two weeks!!

13 more days to go.....