i defer

This spring has been full of good weeks and not-so-good weeks. In regards to training, the not-so-good weeks outweigh the good ones. I've been battling sicknesses, over-tiredness, and busyness. It's led to a less than stellar training cycle.

Last night (while trying to fall asleep in between coughing fits), I realized that I am not going to make it to the starting line of Vermont City as prepared as I want to be when attempting the marathon distance. So I made the call today to defer my registration to next spring.

It's a hard decision to come to, but I think it's for the best. I want to feel strong when I toe that starting line, not like I've limped toward it. I'm going to settle on making it to the starting line of a few half marathons instead. Which, let's be honest...13.1mi is the most fun distance for a race.

Anyway, just for fun, here are some pics from some of the good training weeks:

rain + wind = a fun, wet run

wakefield is beautiful in springtime.

happily completed 9 miles!

insanity workouts kick my butt!

random musings

12 Days - You guys, there's only 12 days until the NYC Marathon. 12. Days. I know what you're thinking, only 5 days until our photo countdown.

Sidewalks - Do you ever wonder why runners are on the roads when there are "perfectly good sidewalks" for them to use? Here's why - on a recent run I encountered a motorcycle parked completely on the sidewalk, a man raking leaves ONTO the sidewalk, multiple cars half parked in driveways covering the sidewalk. Not to mention breaks and cracks and holes under those beautiful fall leaves!

Eggs - I love, love, love eggs! Buuut, I ate eggs before my long run on Saturday. Not cool. By mile 4 I had an upset stomach. I should know by now not to eat eggs... Ended up with 9 miles and tacked on another 5 miles on Sunday.

Baystate Half Marathon - Well, my friend, Lauren, TOTALLY rocked this race. She not only hit her goal but beat it by at least a minute. I, on the other hand, TOTALLY forgot to register and ended up not running with her. Which I'm quite sure helped her out - I wouldn't have been able to keep up with her!!

Packing list - What am I going to wear?! What do I need to bring? How will I pack everything I'll need during my hours long wait in the start village into the clear bag they give us? Long sleeves? Sleeveless? Tights or capris? Colored shirt or black shirt? Where will my fuel go? I'm definitely going to be overpacked, but I think that's okay.

Retreating - This weekend, I'll be helping out at my church's middle school retreat. Me, 10 8th grade girls, and a cabin in the woods - along with another 120 people. Should be a really good time - it's been a reeeeally long time since I've been on a middle school retreat. I'm looking forward to getting little sleep and eating lots of candy.

smuttynose

Time for another race recap! This one is from the past Sunday at Hampton Beach in NH. A couple friends and I did the Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon. Overall, it was a great race; and as usual, it was so fun to do it with friends.

I drove up on Saturday in the cold, misty rain to pick up Brenda's and my bibs, shirts and pint glasses (what else do you expect from a race sponsored by a brewery...). The whole time I was there I was hoping the forecast was right and we would not be running in this weather the next day.

before...

Sunday dawned clear and cool - not a cloud in the sky! After an early breakfast, Brenda and I began our drive up to Hampton just after 6am. Luckily, we arrived when we did because traffic was already backed up for a mile and a half. Thankfully, the wait was quick and we were soon parked - in a lot that cost us each $5... Part of me understands that they want to charge people, part of me thinks they should just let the runners park for free. While we were in the parking lot, I spotted my coworker, Jared! I had just found out he was running this race a few days before and out of 4000 people running, I was glad we ran into him.

We all headed to the baggage claim to check our warm clothes for later - then froze our noses off while waiting for the start in the corral. The starting corral is where we said good luck to Jared (in a faster wave) and found our way toward the back of the pack for our slower wave.

Once the race got going it was PACKED. The little street was flooded with 4000 people all running together, elbow to elbow. There was a lot of "sorry, excuse me, pardon me, whoops, sorry"as we made our way through the first mile. But the scenery sure did make up for all jumble of bodies! Most of the first half of the race was along the ocean at Hampton Beach. The sight and sounds of the beach made me wish summer would have lasted just a little bit longer.

...after!

Halfway we wound through some neighborhoods, and up over a couple of hills before heading back down to the beach for the final few miles. We had maintained a pretty good pace, one that might have been a bit on the fast side for Brenda. Over the last few miles I told her I wouldn't tell her our pace anymore - if it felt good, just keep at it. And she did!! The last mile was one of our fastest miles and she crushed her previous PR by 5min!! We crossed the line in 2:13:44, a 10:13min/mi pace.

Our next priority was getting our warm clothes, and then beer! It was a race sponsored by Smuttynose after all... We met up with Jared - who ran an incredible 1:42 for his first half - and enjoyed some tunes by the most punked-out 80's band I've ever seen and a couple of well deserved adult beverages.

Thankfully, we had amazing weather! The past three years have been cold, windy, and rainy. I'm a little nervous that I'm due for a really gross day of running...I'm just hoping it's not in NYC!!

the ho-hums

The past few days in the Boston area have been grey. We've had rain, cool temps, and cloudy skies. Any my attitude has been much like the weather. Dull, unmotivated, blah. I've got a case of the ho-hums and I just can't shake it.

I've been feeling less than motivated to do any kind of working out, let alone go for a run. I've just got no pickup, no drive, no mo-jo! Monday I worked my way through a T25 with a coworker, Tuesday was actually quite fun - zumba with a friend. And Wednesday, I modified the entire T25 speed workout - with the thought that I'd run 6-8mi in the evening. Well, in the evening it was raining, so I talked myself into folding laundry and watching Netflix...I'm such a pushover.

Last night, I knew I needed to run even if I didn't want to, even if I had to drag myself out there. Which I did. And I pushed myself farther and faster than I wanted to go (6mi at an 8:55pace). I'm glad I did it, but man, it was a bit of a battle.

I'm hoping with a break in the weather will come a break in my mood. Sunday is the Smuttynose Half Marathon - and (hopefully) a sunshine-y day. I am considering tacking on 7mi later in the day to get a daily total of 20...but we'll see what my motivation is like that day!

For now, it's back to work. Ho-hum...at least it's Friday.

wicked

This past Saturday was the Wicked Half Marathon in Salem, MA. Despite the ridiculously early start time (7am), it was a great race! Well executed, friendly volunteers and a beautiful course.

The day started at 5am when I woke up to make breakfast, consisting of two small sweet potatoes and coffee. (More on why it wasn't a bagel or some other carb-loaded bread-y food in another post.) Steve picked Jayme and I up at 6am and we were on our way - just as the sun was coming up.

The race started and ended at Salem Willows. The course took us into downtown Salem, up Rt 114 into Marblehead, past Devereux Beach, and around Marblehead Neck. If you look to the right when first entering the Neck, you can see a beautiful skyline of Boston and the coast over the ocean. The Neck is a bit hilly and this proved to be the toughest part of the race for both Steve and Jayme.   

Luckily, we had some fans waiting for us at different spots. Kirsten, Jon-Mark, and Nevaeh showed up at a few different spots to offer some high-fives and encouragement. That is always much appreciated!! 

I stayed with Steve for most of the race; until the last half mile when Jayme caught up to us. I ran the last half mile with her - and she jumped right in front of me at the last minute to beat me... - then headed back onto the course to run in with Steve. Somehow, I must have gotten too close to the timing mats too many times because I do not appear in the official results. :( There is photographic proof that I was there, though!

I would definitely consider doing this one again. Even though it was such an early start. I loved running this loop (I often have for training runs) and I loved running with friends!! Up next, on Oct 5th is Smuttynose with Brenda! Can't wait!

Here's a little before and after:

i'm so glad it's fall

Don't get me wrong, I love summer. I love going to the beach, I love the hot sun on my face, I love tank tops and flip flops. But I don't love to run in the summer. The heat, the humidity, the getting up at the crack of dawn to try and beat both of those things... It is miserable. I'm not one to complain too much about that kind of stuff, but I really do dislike those three things - in regards to running.

So while part of me is miffed that it has turned so cool so quickly, part of me is doing a dance of joy inside. Today's run was after work; cool and cloudy. I noticed the small amount of people walking, running, and biking around the lake and thought to myself, "People, where are you?! You're missing the best weather!" But then I realized not everyone thinks cool and cloudy is the best time to be outside. Weirdos. ;)

I'm looking forward to a crisp, cool half marathon this Saturday. I love when the air is cool, but the sun is nice and bright, the sky is a brilliant blue, and the leaves have yet to fully turn. This is my very favorite time to run. And that's a good thing, too. Only 6 weeks to Marathon Day!!!

5 in 9

If you ask me to run a race with you, chances are high I will say yes. I love running and I love my friends, combining the two is a winning combination!

This is the reason I'll be running three half marathons in the next nine weeks:

• Wicked Half Marathon on Sept 20th in Salem, MA. With my buddy, Steve.
• Smuttynose Half Marathon on Oct 5th in Hampton, NH. With my friend, Brenda.
• Baystate Half Marathon on Oct 19th in Lowell, MA. With my girl, Lauren.

They all seem to fit well into my training schedule so the question is not, "Why run them?" The question is, "Why not?" Another race that fits right into my schedule is the Cape Ann 25K. I wasn't going to run it, but after thinking about it, I decided it would be easier for me to commit to 15.59mi with all the other runners doing the race, than to try to grit my teeth and gut it out on my own - I tried that last week and ended up running 10mi and walking 5mi. Not good. The race is on Monday in Gloucester with many, many hills. I've run it twice before, the last time setting a PR on the course by 12 minutes. I expect no such thing this year, I'd just like to finish!

And finally, the last race of the year will obviously be the NYC Marathon on Nov 2nd. I am giddy just thinking about this race! Two friends are running it as well, and plenty more are hoping to be at the finish line. This race is 5years in the making, so let's all hope and pray I get to the starting line healthy and happy!

If you're keeping track, that's five races in nine weeks. Ambitious, yes. Exhausting, yes. Do-able, yes. 

evolution of a half marathon

Your Race Photos are Ready for Viewing! said the email subject line. I'm always half excited, half nervous to open those emails. I try to smile for the camera, but inevitably it turns out as a grimace. Sometimes I miss the camera altogether and I end up with a lot of concerned-face photos.

In addition to looking at your race photos for a limited amount of time, one also has the option to purchase them - for the bargain price of at least $35 per photo. I have only purchased one - crossing the finish line at my very first marathon in Chicago. The others have never been worth a good chunk of change.

This past half marathon, they were offering free HD downloads of the race photos so you could print your own copies. Awesome! Thanks, Twin Lights Half Marathon race directors! I received my email (subject line above) today and was pleased with some of the results, not so much with others. And since the downloads were free, I got a bunch. And am happy to walk through the experience with you below. I present the evolution of a half marathon in pictures, with thought captions.

mile 2 - I see you, camera man!

mile 5 - Downhill is the worst. Wait, I have to go back up that hill? Uphill is the worst.

mile 9 - I just passed a whole buncha people. I'm planning to pass a bunch more.

mile 11.5 - so cold, so wet. so cold and wet.

mile 13.1 - wahoo!!!!!!!

wedding and a half

I talk a lot about my friend, John. We've known each other for about 12yrs. We have run a LOT together, we've shared many good beers/wine, and had lots of laughs. John is one of the most generous, kindest, supportive people I've ever met. But when I first met him, I didn't like him very much. :) It took a while to get to know him, and once I did I knew he'd be a lifelong friend.

Well, a couple of years ago, John met a really great girl named Karla. They were perfect for each other and this past weekend, they got hitched! It was a really fun wedding that totally reflected both of them in all the details. John honored me with the chance to read scripture during the ceremony and it was so fun to be a part of their big day. Below are a few fun pics from Saturday:

This was just before John began dancing a jig while the bagpiper played. Yes, there is video footage.

John and Karla make their own wine. This was just one more detail that reflected who they are. Also, we ran that race together in November. I thought it was so fitting that they sat me at the Feaster Five table. :)

Brenda, Becky, and me

Finally got a chance to snap a picture with the groom at the after-party. Karla can be seen just over John's shoulder. She looked AMAZING.

It was just a short 5.5hrs after I got home from the wedding and after-party that my alarm went off for a cool, rainy Twin Lights Half Marathon! I was exhausted and feeling somewhat dehydrated but looking forward to a long run along the coast. I realized once we got to Gloucester that I had forgotten my watch so I ran totally by feel. I held back a bit on the first half but was feeling strangely great by the time I got to the halfway point and kicked my pace up a notch.

I crossed the finish in 2:06:30, which is my second fastest half time and only 2 minutes off my PR. Just think of what I might have been able to run had I had a good night's rest! One of these days I hope to break the 2hr mark in a half...first I might have to stop training for marathons!

My half marathon buddy and small group leader, Mike and me at the starting line.

the last three months

It's so cliche - but time seems to speed up as we get older. I have no clue how the last three months slipped by but here we are, approaching May!

It was a long, cold winter here in the Northeast and while we did have snow on April 16th (seriously.), I believe spring has finally taken hold. Lots of flowers sprouting up, buds on the trees, and sunshine-y days.  I spent a lot of the last three months running about 1-2 days a week, and doing Insanity or T25 3-4 days a week. Even with that little bit of running, I ran a PR at the Hyannis Half Marathon (one I was not even expecting to run but did so at the last minute). My new time-to-beat is 2:04:19. Wahoo!!

This weekend I have another half marathon, this one is the Twin Lights Half Marathon in Gloucester. A few others from my Life Community group from church are doing this one with me, I'm very excited! I'm not expecting to run a PR, but it should be a great day and a beautiful course!

In two and a half weeks time, I have marathon number 6...whoa. Writing that, it just got way too real... A week or so ago, John and I went up to check out the course. Parking at the finish we ran the course backwards - he went out 10mi, I went out 7mi. It was cold and windy, but at least I know what the end of the marathon will look like, I know that'll help at the end - when I think I might die.

This past Monday was the Boston Marathon. You're sure to have read on some media outlet or another that it was a glorious day and went incredibly smoothly. I will admit that while watching coverage, I shed more than a couple tears. Tears of joy, sadness, remembrance, celebration, especially when Meb won the men's race. It seemed incredibly fitting somehow, that an American won this year.

I was out on a long run of my own that day, the last one before Maine Coast. Even though it was in the low 60's when I went out the door, I still wore my long-sleeved Boston Marathon shirt. It felt right.

Well, that's caught you up on life, training, and upcoming races! I'll try not to let another three months pass before checking in again. ;)

photo a day

Last year during the month of January I followed a fun photo-a-day challenge on Instagram. Each day a prompt is given for that day's photo. You can then post your photo to Instagram (or another social media outlet) with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday. It was fun, but I didn't want to keep going after the month was up. There was too much pressure (that I probably put on myself) to be creative and I just didn't feel like it. Ha!

It came up again this January by someone I follow on Instagram. I decided it would be fun to do it again, but I didn't want to just post the pics to Instagram. I wanted to share them with you! And since this is a running blog, I am trying to make sure each photo has something to do with being active, if not running specifically.

With that intro, I give you the first 9 days of #fmsphotoaday!

1. Lunch - Often at lunchtime I'll try to sneak in a run. It's been awfully cold here so I did a T25 workout in the basement of my office building instead. (Truth be told, I took this one on Jan 2nd.)
2. Starts with G - My friend gave me this shirt for my birthday. It's a reminder of why I push myself and who I'm taking care of my body for.
3. My Town - You all know how much I love where I live! This is heading thru town towards Lake Quannapowitt - my favorite running route.
4. Words to Live By - I saw this on runnersworld.com. A good mantra for running, and for life.
5. Found - Last Sunday I found time to run 3.6mi (the mileage is a little off on my watch here, for the record).
6. Happens Everyday - Coffee, coffee, coffee! Even on race day (especially on race days!), I always have a cup of coffee.
7. Upside Down - When stretching with T25, this is how I always see my feet... I wore leggings tucked into my boots all day, that's why my ankles look wrinkly. They don't look like that for real.
8. Favorite Number - My favorite race distance is a half marathon, hands down.
9. Natural - I drink a lot of green tea. A lot. I prefer mine with a natural fruit flavoring - this one is raspberry.