One week from today

Seems hard to believe that my "blogging" is winding down. A week from today, I'll be on the plane en route to Cali!! I can't believe how fast these four months have gone. Seems like just yesterday when I started training. And now, here I am, less than two weeks from race day. I am enjoying my taper time, although I will admit, it is making me a bit ancy. It's so weird to do thses little 4 mile runs during the week. Around miles 4 and 5 on my long runs is when I start to warm up and feel loose. I ran 4 miles this morning before it got too hot. Glad to have it out of the way. I'll be running 8 on Sunday and then that's pretty much it. I'll be doing very little next week up to race day!! The real countdown is on...

Number 27396

I got my number yesterday, I guess it's official. I'm number 27396. Looks like there's supposed to be close to 30000 runners! Holy Cow! I don't think I have ever run with that many people. Between all the people and the bands at every mile marker, there should be plenty of adrenaline pumping to keep me going. If you'd like to keep tabs on me during the race you can sign up to receive updates as to where I am along the course on race day via text messages to your phone. Just visit this website to register: www.competitorwireless.com. Pretty cool. Tonight we have our "Send-Off" party at the Atlantic Beer Garden in Boston. We will be picking up our packets for race weekend and receiving our singlets. Exciting stuff. My runs for the last two weeks are pretty minimal. It's "taper time." I ran 4 miles yesterday, I'll run 4 tomorrow and 12 on Sunday. Before I know it, I'll be "leaving on a jet plane..."

Marblehead to Wakefield

Well, the longest of the long runs is over. I ran 18 miles on Saturday! I started out on the neck in Marblehead and ran to Wakefield. It was such a beautiful day and the course I ran was great. I started about 6am and finished a little after 9. My dad was with me every step of the way. What a great guy for getting up so early on a Saturday! He followed me along with water and made sure I was ok the entire way. He has been so instrumental in this process, I don't think I would've made it this far without him. Hard to believe that 3 weeks from today it will all be over. It's been a crazy ride but I am looking forward to that finish line. It's taper time now, so for the next two weeks, I'll be taking it "easy" just doing some shorter runs and light cross training.

12 miles...piece of cake...

Never thought I would actually look forward to a 12 mile run as a "break" but that's what it felt like yesterday. I ran 12 miles and compared to the 16 I ran last weekend, it felt like nothing. I never thought I'd see the day that I'd say 12 miles wasn't that bad. Hard to believe how far I've come in 3 months. The team run was actually cancelled on Saturday due to thunder and lightning so I didn't miss running with them after all. Joe came to support me on the course yesterday. He was there to give me water and GU when I needed it. He even ran out and met me to run the last two miles with me. It was nice having him with me. My back started feeling sore again and he was there for support to keep me going to the end. Thank you to him for getting me to the finish both mentally and physically. Not sure I could've done it without him there. Had a nice afternoon post-run. I treated myself to some steak tips on the grill and a glass of wine. YUM! It was delicious. Now, back to business. Lots of cross training and minimal running this week as I prepare for my last "long run" before the marathon...20 miles Saturday. WOOHOO! They will be dropping us off in Marblehead and we'll be running back to Wakefield...God help me!!

Let the Countdown Begin...

Seems hard to believe that I will be running my first marathon a month from today. Feels like just yesterday that I began this journey. Today is also Gina's "chemo graduation" day; she is receiving her last chemo treatment today. I can't believe how quickly the time goes. This week's training is going well so far. I cross trained Monday and Tuesday and got in a nice 5 mile run yesterday morning. I'm going to do some yoga after work today and another morning run tomorrow. This week I will be doing my long run on Sunday on my own. I have to work Saturday so I am not able to run with the team. I think Joe and my dad will be out there on the course with me giving me water and gu. I'll be running 12 miles this week and then the biggie next weekend...20 miles!

Go the Distance

I just realized that I haven't posted anything since our team 10K last Sunday. Must've been because I was so busy training last week that I forgot to report in on how things were going. So, first things first...I had a great week of training, I got in a couple runs, did some interval and hill work and some cross training as well. All in all, it was a pretty good week of training. Yesterday we had our weekly team long run. The schedule called for us to run 18 miles or 3 hours. I ran for 3 hours and covered about 16 miles. That's the farthest I have EVER ran in my whole life!! While I was a little hard on myself for not completing the 18, I was able to look back on the run and feel an extreme sense of accomplishment. The course wasn't easy! We had hills in the beginning(to simulate how the course will be in San Diego) and then we ran through Breakheart Reservation again. The hills in there were definitely challenging but easier than the last time I attempted to run them a few weeks ago. My lower back got pretty sore toward the end of the run but I kept going and powered through to get to that 3 hour mark. Andy(my coach) taught me some good stretching and strength training exercises for my lower back that I am going to try this week. Hopefully they'll help. I got through the run blister free and even treated myself to a very relaxing pedicure after. It was great!! I can't believe the marathon is 5 weeks from today. It's getting so close. Looking forward to a week of great weather and being able to do all my runs outside. Our long run next week is 12 miles and then the big one on the 15th....20 miles!! YIKES!!

Team 10K

In place of our long run this week, we did a team 10K in Swampscott, MA (Gold Star Run for Honor). It was to honor a fallen Swampscott soldier, Jared Raymond, who was killed at war in 2006. Brandi and Steve (B & S Fitness) were the race organizers so it was nice to see them as well as many other familiar faces. The course wasn't too bad, a little warm and a few hills but nothing too tough. I was happy with both my time and the way I felt during and after the race. Definitely a MUCH better week than last week. It was fun to do a race as a team and get a feeling of what things would be like on our respective race days. I can't believe that the marathon is only 6 weeks from today. It's coming so fast. Next week we are doing 18 miles!! God help me...

Moving forward

Here we are on Wednesday and so far, this week is going a lot better than last (knock on wood). I did some strength training Monday and today. I found some great routines and exercises on runnersworld.com that have been working out pretty well. I am hoping they help me build a stronger core so that some of the lower back pain I have been experiencing during long runs will subside. I ran 6.5 miles yesterday morning and it felt great. I ran sub 10 minute miles which I was also very happy with. It was a good indicatior of how my 10K will go this weekend. Instead of our "long run" on Saturday, we are running a 10K road race as a team in Swampscott. It looks like a pretty good race. It is actually being put on by the same people I trained with for my triathlon last year (B & S Fitness). I am looing forward to seeing Brandi and Steve and some other familiar faces. I will be doing interval and hill training tomorrow and more strength training on Friday. Here's to hoping that I continue to have a good week!

Sometimes you just have a bad day...

Well, Saturday's long run didn't exactly go as I had planned. I wasn't even going to do a post about it but the bad days are a part of this journey just as much as the good days so here it goes... Dog/house sitting for my friend in Marblehead took more of a toll on me than I ever imagined it would. Being out of my normal "routine" really threw me and my body for a loop. I got very little sleep, didn't do much training and my eating habits were definitely not what they should have been. When the alarm went off at 5am on Saturday morning and it was dark, dreary and rainy outside, I had no idea how I was going to psyche myself up to run 16 miles. After being awakened at 2am by the monster in my bed, aka Zeus, I barely fell back to sleep. But, I decided I couldn't give up without at least giving it a fair shot. So, I dragged myself out of bed, laced up my sneakers and off I went to meet my team in Wakefield. We set out on our run and I was quickly left in the dust by the other three members on my team. I knew then that it wasn't going to be a good run. At about mile 6.5/7 we entered Breakheart Reservation in Saugus and had to run through to Wakefield. I saw my dad there as I turned the corner. He came out on the course to surprise me and cheer me on and to snap a few "action shots". It was nice to see him there. Anyone who has been in Breakheart knows about the brutal hills that lie hidden between the trees. They took every bit of energy I had, which wasn't much to begin with. As soon as I got to the parking lot on the other side, I saw Lisa, Kelly, and Bran waiting for me with Gatorade. I knew I couldn't go on anymore. I nearly fell to the ground from exhaustion and dehydration. I had a bit of a mental and physical meltdown. Everyone was great and they were right there for me. I guess that's why we call them "mentors." Thank God my dad was there though. He was definitely there when I needed him most. He took me home and gave me a nice little pep talk on the way. So, instead of 16 miles on Saturday, I only got through 8. Needless to say, I spent the rest of Saturday and much of yesterday, sleeping and relaxing. I am now back home and back into my normal "routine" and it never felt so good. I was back at the gym this morning and I am looking forward to a great run tomorrow. I was bound to hit a bump in the road on this crazy journey, now it's time to get up, brush myself off and race for the finish!! I'm so close...

Serenity

Bet you never thought you would see the word "serenity" on a running blog?! Well, I think I found serenity this morning when I was running. I am dogsitting for my friend, Kathleen, in Marblehead this week. One of the perks of my staying in Marblehead is that the ocean is so close. I woke up before the sun this morning at 5am, took Zeus(Doberman) out for a walk and then I set out on my morning run. I ran 5 miles along the ocean and it was amazing! I saw the sunrise right over the water. It looked like a big ball of red fire. It was truly breathtaking...or maybe it was the hill I was running up simultaneously that took my breath away...I'm not exactly sure which. :) Five miles along the ocean as the sun was coming up was SO much better than my usual Tuesday morning run on my "lucky" treadmill. I can't wait till Thursday morning when I can run again!! I'm not going to want to go home on Sunday. Between running along the ocean and spending time with Zeus, I'm not sure what I'm going to miss more!

It's official, I'm halfway there...

Well, today was a GREAT day. I successfully completed my second half marathon!! WOOHOO!! The best part is that I did it in a MUCH better time than my first half marathon back in 2006. My mom, dad and Joe all came to support me today. It was really nice having them there pumping me up at the start and high-fiving me on my way into the finish. Thank you all for being there, it meant a lot. What a gorgeous sunny day! It was a little warm out there on the course especially with the sun beating down on us at certain points. I think the temp reached 70 degrees. But, I'd rather it be a little warm than pouring rain...so I won't complain too much. :) Actually, the temperature is probably very similiar to what it will be in San Diego on Marathon day. The course was no walk in the park though. There was a lot of rolling hills over the first 6 miles and then miles 6-9 had a few pretty good, steep hills for us to tackle. It wasn't easy, that's for sure. I thought of Gina a lot as I was out there and what she was probably going through at the very same moment I was battling those hills. She had a chemo treatment on Friday and the weekends following are usually pretty tough for her. I thought of her and there is no doubt she kept me going and got me to that finish line! I fought for her and with her today. She's my motivation, no question about it! So, I am now officially halfway to the San Diego finish line, hard for me to believe! In less than two months, I'll be doubling what I did today. That makes me tired just thinking about it! I'm off to relax now and put my feet up. Boy, am I pooped...

Calm before the storm...

I had a good week of running this week. I felt strong on all of my runs and was able to get through all of them pain and blister free. Maybe I do have this running thing figured out after all?! I'll be taking it easy today in preparation for my half marathon tomorrow in NH. I am excited and a little nervous. It'll be nice to run in new territory with a bunch of people. I am sure the crowd and excitement around will be a good prep for race day...which is less than 2 months away!! I can't believe it. Joe and I will going out for a nice "carb loading" pasta dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant, Petrillo's in Peabody. Should be yummy and give me just what I need to have a great race tomorrow. I'll be sure and update tomorrow night with how it goes.

Run, Booze, Fun

Boy, was yesterday a hectic day! I worked, then I had to squeeze in a run and then we had our team fundraiser at Tavern in the Square last night. First things first, my run went well; I ran 5 miles and felt pretty good, just a little tired because I ran in the afternoon after I worked. We all know I prefer to run in the morning. No pain and no blisters, so thank goodness for that! I did 5 miles yesterday, I'll be doing 4 tomorrow and 3 on Friday in preparation for my half marathon on Sunday. I am very much looking forward to doing some yoga today and stretching out some of my tight spots. I always feel great after I reconnect with my mat. :)
Our team fundraiser was a big success. Thank you to everyone who came out to show their support. It meant a lot having all of you there. We raised some money and had some good laughs all while supporting a great cause. Congrats to all of you who won some of the fantastic raffle prizes. I hope you enjoy your winnings. Thanks again! :)

Bye Bye Blisters

What a great day it is! Sunny and warm, couldn't ask for anything more! Spectacular morning for running too! I ran 12 miles this morning with my TNT group. There weren't many of us today; only 2 full marathoners and 2 half-marathoners. We had lots of mentors out on the course which was great. Kelly, Lisa, Patricia and Andy were all out there cheering us on and providing us with water and Gatorade. Joe even came for a little bit at the beginning of the course. They were wonderful motivators! I felt strong the first 9 or 10 miles and then my back got a little sore towards the end. There was quite a few hills on our route today which may have had something to do with it. I finished in about 2 hours only having to walk a little at the end. I know I'll be ok, nothing a little rest and some ibuprofen won't cure. More importanly, I tried the old vaseline trick for my feet today and I got NO blisters. YAY!! The vaseline helped to prevent the friction that would've caused the blisters. So, my feet are as soft as a baby's bottom and blister free. Hard to believe 12 miles is behind me and next week I'll be doing an actual half marathon in Newmarket, NH. Wish me luck!

Great run today! No joke!

Was it great to finally see the sun today or what?! I know I was happy to see Mr. Sun. It meant that I could finally get outside and go for a run without having to worry about being swept away. Today was gorgeous and especially great for running. I ran 5 miles today and it felt pretty good. My blisters are almost fully healed thanks to a little new skin and blister aids I found at REI. They did just the trick. I lathered my feet in vaseline before I hit the road to prevent any friction and new blisters. It worked quite well. Looking forward to a the great stretch of weather we have headed our way over the next few days. I will be re-joining my team on Saturday morning for our group run. We'll be doing 12 miles with quite a few hills sprinkled in. I am looking forward to the challenge; it will be good preparation for my half marathon next weekend in NH. :)

So much for my pretty pedicure...

It hasn't been an easy few days, that's for sure. My blisters are pretty painful but I am hoping they are on their way to being fully healed. Today my schedule called for me to run 5 miles. Based on the way I've been walking the past few days, I had no idea how I was going to do it. After reading several articles online about what to do for blisters, I decided to try tape. I spent about a half hour last night taping up my feet and all my toes to make sure there was zero friction. My feet looked silly but when I got up to walk, there was very little pain. I slept with my feet in their little cocoons and woke up at 5:30 to attempt my run on the treadmill. My feet didn't feel too great but I had to at least give it a shot. My dad gave me a little pep talk as I was leaving the house and told me to "Go easy, and not push too hard, only do what you can do." I got to the gym, got my lucky treadmill, popped on my tunes and said to myself, "You CAN do this." After running about 2 miles, the discomfort started to set in a little. I thought of my dad telling me not to push it, so I decided to listen to the advice of my "old man" and I decided to just run 4 miles vs the 5 on the schedule. Overall, it wasn't too bad...taking the tape off was probably more painful than the actual run. I guess I'll have to accept the fact that my feet aren't going to look too pretty for the beginning of this year's sandal season...:( My next running day is Thursday...I have the day off and the weather is supposed to be stellar. I'm hoping my feet are just as stellar as the weather and I can run 6 miles...outside. We'll see I guess, I've got my fingers...and toes (OUCH!)...crossed! Hopefully April Fool's Day doesn't fool me!

11 miles and 2 blisters later...

My preparation began last night when Joe treated me and cooked me a delicious pasta dish for my carb loading meal. It was quite good. Having an Italian boyfriend is going to come in very handy during this training season. :) I have lots of pasta in my future!! I set out to run this morning about 9am...the weather was great, low 40's with very little wind. Joe came with me this week to support me on the course. I wasn't able to run with the team yesterday because I had to work...again! So, it was nice to have him out there giving me nutrients when I needed them. He was at miles 3,6,and 9 to give me whatever it was I needed. A speical thank you to him for being there for me. He's been really great through this whole process. The first 6 miles, I was cruisin and then I started to feel a little something funny on my left toes and right foot. I knew instantly that blisters were forming...uh-oh. I kept going and tried to focus on my new tunes from my bro rather than the pain I was starting to feel. I powered through the pain and the last 5 miles and finished in an hour and 45 minutes. Pretty good/consistent timing so I was happy about that. It wasn't until I got home and took off my shoes and socks that I discovered how big those blisters really were. I have one on each foot, so I am walking a little funny right now...they are extremely painful. Did I mention that they are both broken blisters...ya, well they are and they're not little!! OUCH! Needless to say, I won't be doing very much tomorrow other than hoping they heal real fast. I'm supposed to run again on Tuesday...

Today really was "easy"...

So, today I had to do 4 "easy" miles and it actually was pretty "easy." Getting up at 5:30 wasn't even that bad. Got to the gym, got on my lucky treadmill, tuned into channel 7 news and I was off and running. The first two miles went by surprisingly fast and the last two weren't bad either. A special thanks to my bro who sent me a ton of new tunes for my iPod...they definitely made a huge difference. They might have even taken a minute off my mile. HAHA Thanks Ant. You're the best! I felt very strong this morning. I hope I have the same energy and strength on Sunday when I set out to run 11 miles...

Runnin' Against the Wind...

Wow, was it windy today or what?! Combine that with running by the water and I thought I was going to be picked up and carried away. Needless to say, today's run was a bit challenging. I felt like I was running in place at times because the wind was so strong. I was able to run 5 miles outside this morning (thank goodness the rain stopped). One thing to my advantage was that I did an "out and back" route so the wind was against my back on my return and it pretty much carried me with it. The tough part was the first 2.5 miles. Overall it was a good run, nice to be outside. Tomorrow is cross training, Friday is an "easy run" and Sunday is 11 miles! Weather for Sunday looks perfect for running. Let's hope it stays that way...

Over the hills and through the woods...

I did my first "cross country" road race this morning at Olde Salem Greens in Salem. It was a 5K and we ran all over the golf course and cart paths. I have a whole new appreciation for all the men out there who play golf in summer heat and lug golf bags up and down those hills. I think it's fair to say that this 5K was harder than my 10 mile run yesterday. Some of those hills were brutal! But, I did it. I finished in a little over 30 minutes which wasn't bad considering the difficulty of the course. After 10 miles yesterday and running all those hills today, my legs need a break.

A special thanks to my dad...

I had to work today so I wasn't able to join my team for the "long" run this morning. I had to conquer 10 miles on my own after working all day...not an easy task. I am definitely a person who prefers her workouts/runs in the morning. As always, I thought of Gina and the the fight that she faces each and every day. Her legs hurt so much lately that sometimes she can't even get out of bed or off the couch. So, she gave me the motivation I needed to get out there. Not to mention that the weather was absolutely perfect for running! My dad was such a great support system for me today. He was out on the course cheering me on from the car. He was waiting for me at miles 4 and 8 with Gatorade, Water, Gu, Blocks and everything else I may have needed to give me an extra kick. He even took along his camera and got some great "action shots" and mini videos. Those are the pictures you see here. A special thanks to him for supporting me on the course today; not sure I could've done it without him. Another successful long run is come and gone. I can't believe I just ran 10 miles!! In three weeks, I'll be running a half marathon. I just can't believe it. I am really surprising myself and doing things I never thought possible...

Ah, Red Wine...

Well, this morning didn't go quite as well as yesterday morning. Alarm went off at 5:15 and was very quickly shut off. I knew I should've stuck to one glass of wine last night! So, needless to say, I'll be doing my 40min of cross training (swimming) after work this evening. It's probably going to be hard to muster up the energy after working all day but I know I've gotta do it! I have a tough weekend of running ahead of me this weekend and I know that cross training is such an important part of my training. Can't wait for the gorgeous weather forecasted for the next couple days. Definitely going to be a great running day tomorrow. 10 miles tomorrow afternoon and a 5K in Salem on Sunday morning at Olde Salem Greens. Should be lots o fun...I hope...

I hate the dark...

I was just getting used to morning sunlight and being able to log my miles outside before the day started and then Daylight Savings hit. It's been almost a week since we changed the clocks but my body is still in denial. I'm wired at night and can't get myself out of bed in the morning. Today was especially tough, but I dragged myself out of bed at 5:30 and headed to the gym to log my "easy" four miles on the treadmill. One thing's for sure...the treadmill is certainly easier on the knees but not on the mind. I felt like I was running forever and I only did 4 miles!! Not to mention that I think I have my "running" playlist memorized so I can predict exactly what song comes next. I think it's time for some new tunes...suggestions welcome.

Long Run, Saturday 3/13

I hope everyone survived the weekend and the rain ok. What a mess!! Well, we got lucky this weekend. We were able to get our training run in before the nasty weather hit. We did 9 miles on Saturday morning and everyone did great. Our coach threw a little curve ball at us and threw in some hills but we all overcame them just fine. I finished in about an hour and 20 minutes and felt great through the whole run and even when it was over. It was probably my best "long run" to date. I hope the rest go just as well. Next weekend we will be doing 10 miles...we're into double digits now....YIKES!! Stay tuned for how it goes...