Wow…. I did it!!!

Never posted this one……

Yes I did it…… I ran the 2011 Boston Marathon. Wow… so much to share.

The week prior to the marathon I was very emotional. I was about to fulfull a childhood dream……running the Boston Marathon. I have been fortunate enough to fulfill many childhood dreams but this dream took on new meaning when I signed up with the Dana Farber team. This dream was no longer just about me. I carried about 100 lavendar ribbons and ran with everyone one of those names in my heart. I read each name before tying them onto the anklet I wore the entier race. I also reached my goal of raising $5,000 for cancer research.

Okay the run…… it was tough. Tougher than I had ever imagined. My training runs were good, no issues until  the last couple of  miles of each, so I never expected pain to set in on mile five but it did. Strangley enough in my feet, they hurt a sore achy pain. I was able to control that with some ibuprofen but then I felt blisters forming on two of my toes. That was also a new one, it never happened in a training run.  The only thing I can think of that may have caused this is the downhill running at the beginning of the course. I never did the beginning of the course during my training. Regardless of why… the aches and blisters made the run long and slow.

Long story short for now, I finished in 5:28 official time. I was hoping for closer to 5:00 but it is what it is. Would I do it again, when asked on marathon day NO FRICKIN WAY, but now…. if I become a stronger and faster runner I would like to give it another try.

Time to Taper

Ooops… never posted this.

So the 20 mile run was a success…. tough but a success. I struggled with the first few miles. I was running alone which I hate, into the wind and having difficulty breathing due to the “virus” I have had for two weeks. Luckily things got better. The wind lessened and I got my breathing under control. I also caught up to a fellow DFMC runner, Christine and ran with her for the next 3 hours.  It was nice to get to know her. Thanks Christine!!!! Then we got to the hills, which I ran the prior week with no problem. This week was a different story. I reached the last hill at mile 18ish with an unusual pain in my foot. So I walked some and ran some. It was disappointing because I really wanted to run the hills but it is what it is. As far as that foot pain… not sure what it was I just hope it does not return on marathon day.

Fundraising update…… I am at the $3500 mark, YAY!!!!! My friends and family have really supported my efforts and I couldn’t be happier. I have sent out 100 letters and contacted every one of my Facebook friends with an invitation to donate.

20 Tomorrow

I had originally planned on running two 20 mile runs but with losing two weekends of training that is just not going to happen. The DFMC coach suggested that I run 18 last week and 20 this week and leave it at that. Last week’s 18 mile run went really, really well. I ran with the DFMC team for the first time. What a great group of people from the runners, to the coach, to the volunteers. It was such a positive experience. I am looking forward to running with them again tomorrow. I met a few women that were running my pace give or take a little. Chatting with someone definitely helps the time to pass on a long run. The first 13 miles felt great but lately around mile 13 my stomach starts churning and cramping. Once I got that under control I was good again until about mile 17 where I just seemed to run out of steam. I walked-ran the last mile or so. I was happy with that though because I can see that I am get stronger with each week. Each week I add a mile or two of good running on. I remember struggling to run 13 miles… now that is considered a short run. This marathon training has really taught me a lot about how important having the proper perspective is in my success and overall happiness.

Fundraising milestone!!!! I hit the $3,000 mark. So very excited about that. I am still pushing for the $5,000 mark though. I have a few more things planned so I think it is attainable.

Well, 23 days until Marathon Monday!!!! I was nervous but know I am just overwhelmed with excitement. I have wanted to run the Boston Marathon since I was a little girl and my dream is coming true. The reality of this run though is much better than any dream I could have dreamt because I am running it for more than just my own fulfillment. I am running it for every one of my friends and family who donated and  filled out that lavender ribbon with the name of a loved one. Remembering those that battled cancer, and running in honor or memory of them makes this experience so much more meaningful. I am truly honored to have been given this opportunity to run for DFMC.

Running Again

So the MRI showed no damage…..YAY!!!! I was so excited that I was cleared to run again. My leg still has a little pain but not enough to hinder my running. I got back on my treadmill Wednesday night and ran 17 on Sunday. I am a week behind schedule but that is okay I will just skip this weeks fall back run and continue increasing my milage. So the plan is 19 this weekend and 20 the following. Wow… 20 miles… I would never had imagined.

 

 

 

Long Time no Blog

Well it has been a long time since my last blog. The MOST exciting news is the checks continue to roll in quite consistently at this point. Usually one or two a day. I get so excited every time I see the self-addressed envelope on the kitchen counter. The donations I have received have been unbelievably generous. I am overwhelmed by the support. What great friends and family I have!!!! Then there are the lavender ribbons that I have been receiving. Every day these ribbons remind me of the reason I am running.  I am privileged and grateful to be able to run in their honor.

Hmmmm…… now to my running. I injured my leg on Friday. I over extended it and something pulled at the back of my leg behind my knee. The good news it is feeling much better and I am going to the orthopedic doctor today so he can check out my MRI. I am hoping he tells me that I can run without doing any further damage to my leg. I have been playing it safe and not running on it until I hear from him. Prior to that I was doing pretty good. Keeping up with my weekly runs and pushing myself on my long runs.

So with less than 6 weeks to go I am excited. I am excited to be running for such a great cause and I am excited that my wonderful friends and family have given me so much support. I am a lucky girl!!!!

 

Didn’t Want to Do It

I did not want to run 16 miles this week. My head was not in a good place for this run. I had concern for my safety on the roads. The snow banks are too high for cars to see runners and the roads grow more narrow with every snow fall pushing me further into the road and on coming cars… it worries me. So finding a route that I would  feel safe on was the challenge this week. I was torn between a wide well traveled road by speeding cars or a lightly traveled narrower road in a quiet country setting…. I chose the quiet road and looped it to get my miles in. The only incident I ran into was when an oil truck was coming behind me and a trash truck towards me. I took refuge in a driveway as did the oil truck (different driveways) to make room for the trash truck to get by. The trash man apologized for inconveniencing me; I thanked him for not running me over =)

I was well prepared for this run with my water and energy bar. I sipped every couple of miles and ate at mile 5 and 11. I stopped at my house at mile 13 for some gaterade and to reset my iPod; I use the Nike + iPod. I broke my run down into two smaller runs, a 13 mile and a 3 mile run, back to back of course. I was feeling overwhelmed by the number 16, breaking it down helped.  Not only did I reset the iPod but I reset my mind. I tried to forget that I had just ran 13 miles. In my mind, I was just out for a 3 mile run. I am glad I had my mind on board because my body really needed the support. My legs were tired and heavy. All said and done I was very happy with my run.

Today I hit the $1,000 mark with my fundraising efforts. I have $2,250 more to raise to meet my minimum fundraising commitment and $4,000 to meet my personal goal. I am overwhelmed by the generousity of my friends and family. I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.

10 Weeks to Go

Wow I can’t believe that in ten weeks. I will be standing at the start line of the Boston Marathon or even better….. crossing the finish line.

Training has been going well. My fifteen mile run was tough… really tough. I did not hydrate properly during the run and paid for it by not feeling well at the end… and the rest of day. I won’t be making that mistake again. My ten mile run went really well yesterday. I hydrated well the day before, that morning and carried water with me. I also took my run to the beach. I ran Rte 1A from Salisbury to Seabrook and back. It was nice to be in a different but familiar place. The family went along which was nice. They walked the beach and hung out at the arcade while I was running. Afterwards we all went to Markey’s for lunch and Tripoli’s for desert…. YUM!!!!

This week is 16…. 16 miles… 16 very long lonely miles. Since we have family plans this weekend, I will have to run it during the week by myself…. so sad. I have planned out a 3 mile loop in Belvidere, an 8 mile loop to Andover and then another 5 mile Belvidere loop.

The fundraising money is coming in slowly. However, I am overwhelmed with how generous the people that have returned a donation have been. I have some amazing friends and family. So another 30 letters went out this morning, hope to get another 30 out next week.

Don’t forget donations can be made online too. Just click the donate tab above to get to my personal fundraising page.

 

Fundraising Letter

The letter is done….the first batch has been mailed. I am hoping to get 100 letters out within the next month.  I have enclosed a self-adressed envelope with each letter hoping the easier I make it the better the response will be. I have also include a lavender ribbon which symbolizes all cancers. I asked my family and friends to write the name of someone they would like me to honor as I run the Boston Marathon. My plan is to take all of the ribbons that are returned to me and make them into something that I can wear comfortably while running… possibly a bracelet.

My training is going very well despite all of the snow. I have taken my short runs onto the treadmill, which hasn’t been so bad thanks to my DVR. I have also incorporated an interval run once a week which the treadmill is ideal for. For my long runs, I have been going outdoors. The eight mile run was good but the 13 mile run after the almost two feet of snow was difficult. Poor road conditions and temperatures in the teens wore me down. The last couple of miles were tough. However, I must say I was feeling pretty darn good after the run. I was sore but nothing like I was after the Baystate Half. This was a real confidence booster which is what I really need heading into milage that I have never run before. The weekend after next will be a 15 mile run and I feel ready!!!!

3 months, 11 days, 23 hours, 18 mins

Well, it has been quite a while since my last blog. I was so disappointed that first week.

Great news…..I am feeling better and back on track. I have been running at least three times a week shooting for a consistent four and feeling great about my runs. Saturday was my long run with Victoria and Sue….. 10 miles. I love my long runs with them. I have such a different mentality on these longs runs. I go out not thinking about the distance or the speed of my run. I go excited about being able to spend a couple of hours with two great women. As a working mom of three kids with their own busy schedules, I very rarely get any time for myself. So these long runs are a breathe of fresh air, literally I guess, from the sometimes nonstop chaos that my family life brings.

More great news….. I have refriended my treadmill. I so love to run outdoors. Being outside and taking in the sites, sounds and smells fills me up. It feeds my love of running. With the short winter days, my family’s hectic schedule and my lack of desire to get up at 5am to run in the cold and dark with Victoria, the treadmill is my only option. It is so difficult for me to get back on the treadmill in the winter. It sits and collects dust from spring till winter as my husband’s personal clothes rack. What I ended up doing was tricking myself into running on the treadmill. Is it weird that I have to negotiate with myself?  Regardless it works. So what I do is I tell myself if I am not going to brave the outdoors then I must walk the scheduled miles on the treadmill. Walking on the treadmill sounds less miserable than running. So I agree with myself  and suit up. Well once I am on I have no desire to just walk….. I run. Last night I did my first speed workout???? Intervals???? Still not sure what is what but my version which I took from the local running club’s website was 400m at my desired 5K pace and a 200m jog x8. This is a 10 week program so in the weeks to come the 5K distances get longer.

Even more great news…. I have continued with my weight loss, one more pound off. Although the pounds are not dropping as quickly as I would like my body shape is changing. I finally fit into my pre-Jack pant size. Since Jack is 8, my pre-Jack clothes are long gone. I am so not sad about that though, shopping is another one of my favorite activities. I am hoping by Marathon Monday I will be my pre-Emma size….. she is now 10.

Saturday – 10 Miles

Tuesday – 4 Miles

Wednesday – 4 Miles

Week One =(

This week did not play out as I had planned. Monday was the first day of my  first week of Marathon training. Since I have been unofficially training prior to Monday it was a scheduled rest day. So Tuesday was my first official run, an easy 5K…… done as scheduled. Then comes Wednesday…. I came home planning to run but had a pain in my back that got progressively worse as the afternoon went on so I opted to skip Wednesday’s run. Well, come Thursday morning the pain was pretty intense. So I took a trip to see my doctor. It appeared to me and my doctor that it was my kidney. So I am currently on antibiotics for a kidney infection. Now here it is Friday and the pain is not much better and tomorrow is suppose to be my first official long run, which I don’t see happening either. I know it is not detrimental to my training…… especially since I have been running consistently since my half but I really wanted to start the first week off like gangbusters… all charged up…. starting off on the right foot….. sadly it didn’t happen that way.