Running - Before & After Boston

I admit I've been delinquent in updating the blog...though I actually had started a draft about my last race before the tragic events that unfolded in Boston, I had not posted it.  As the week unfolded I ultimately decided it would be more appropriate to include Boston in my next post...so, this post evolved.

My last race prior to Boston was the Dorchester YMCA Crab Run.  It was a small town event in nearby Cambridge, MD.  I'd already completed the state but not within the last 365 days, so it helped towards my Sun Status in the Half Fanatics, it's just a short drive, and it was cheap...plus the crab brought me back to my roots.  I'd asked Sherry if she had MD, she didn't so she decided to join.  I then realized George would be running the Cherry Blossom 10 miler the next day with Sean so I asked him to come in a day early and join us.  He did!  The only downside was Sean was unable to join us.  After all of the arrangments were made, I began to get a little nervous...Cambridge is REALLY small, what if this race ended up being a joke and I had my friends come in for it??  Ultimately I pushed those negative thoughts aside, knowing that regards of how the race turned out we would have fun and enjoy our time together. 

In the week leading up to the race I found myself ridiculously busy.  The birth of a new nephew who teased us with a false alarm led to me driving the 4 hour each way trip from my current home to my hometown (which run directly through Cambridge) 4 times that week.  By the time I left work Friday afternoon to pick George & Sherry up from the airport I needed the break with friends!   Of course, once we were in the car and on our way things QUICKLY became our familiar race road trips....

I guess I wasn't the only one that was tired!

While I've driven through Cambridge hundreds of times I've never ventured off the main road through the heart of it, so upon our arrival we relied on the GPS to get us down the back roads and to the YMCA for packet pick up.  While many of the sites were VERY familiar to this shore girl, I found my friends' perspectives on them quite enlightening...things I'd take for granted as 'normal' were so interesting or amusing to them.  I was happy to be sharing a little of my upbringin' with them.  Packet pick up went smoothly, the volunteers were friendly, and we headed to our hotel.  We were all tired and the options for dining in Cambridge are fairly limited anyway, so we opted to hit a grocery store and possibly grab a pizza.  When we checked in we had VERY low expectations for the hotel, but it was clean and served it's purpose so we had no real complaints...though George did hit the nail on the head when he said, "It's the dollar store of hotels."  It was connected to a pizza joint though!  So, we ordered take out pizza and chicken parm sub and enjoyed dinner in our room in our jammies.

While we were eating, Sherry pulled out her latest Runner's World and commented on Kara Goucher being on the cover and an article inside focusing on both Kara and Shalene with their impending race in Boston.

We chatted and ate.  And, of course, I had grabbed some watermelon while at the grocery store...so I enjoyed that as well!!

During our conversation I browsed Facebook on my phone and saw that Meb had pulled out of Boston due to injury.  I shared it with the group and we briefly talked about Boston and who would be there.  Sherry mentioned she was going to support her friend who was running it this year.  The conversation turned back to our daily lives, and eventually we wound things up and caught some sleep.

Race morning was like many others, we headed to the start line, took a few photos

And met a few people.  The race was definitely a small town event and we drew a lot of attention and even a few comments such as "professionals" - which we couldn't help but to laugh over.

To us, the professionals are the elites....we enjoy running, but are no where near that level! 

We lined up and chatted with a few folks; and then we were off.

We'd all decided to run our own races that day as Geo and Sherry were both feeling like going for time and I was so exhausted from the week before I was just looking to hang in around 2:20-2:25, so we set out on our solo races.  The course was an out and back and the first couple of miles went along the river, so there were beautiful views to distract and remind me of home at the same time.

There were not a lot of spectators along the course, but there were some and they were all very supportive.  The volunteers were also great!  Though not numerous, they were there because they WANTED to be and they were enjoying it and making it more enjoyable for us.  We made our way through a residential area, then a bit of a paved 'trail', and back out onto the road.  Along the way I witnessed runners assisting other runners, police officers monitoring traffic and ensuring our safety, friends/family of runners cheering them - and the rest of us - on and calling out encouragment, and volunteers steadily ensuring everyone had fluids and offering up whatever support they could.  There were running groups with matching shirts.  There were charity runners.  There were those struggling to complete the distance for the first time ever.  There were those that made the rest of us look like we were standing still.  There were even Marathon Maniacs!   This might have been a small town race, but it definitely had all of the hallmarks of a world class event. 
Just before I reached the turn around I began scanning the crowd for George...soon enough he came into sight, we cheered for each other, he snapped a picture,

and we went on our ways.  Not long after Sherry ran by and we did the same (sans the picture because we weren't carrying cameras).  Then I hit the turn around myself and began my journey back.  The spectators were still there, still cheering - despite it being a bit chilly for them and the time wearing on.  The volunteers were still there, still handing out water and supporting us however they could.  The police officers were still there, still keeping us safe.  And finally, the finish line came into sight.  I crossed in 2:07:20,

had a medal placed around my neck by the Mayor,

and met up with George and Sherry.  On the way to the hotel to shower and then the drive back we discussed the race and how well organized it had been.  We all agreed that despite being a "hometown" event it was actually on par with much larger events and none of us had any complaints.  We will likely return to run this event again.

As the next week ticked by, like many runners my thoughts turned to Boston.  I have no delusions, I know a BQ is MANY years and A LOT of hard training down the road (if at all) for me; but like many runners I kept an eye on it and the runners that would be there.  On Monday I occasionally did a quick check of the news on my computer to get an update while working.  Just after noon I read the elites and finished, saw the standings, and let Boston drift to the back of my mind while finishing up my daily tasks.  A bit later my sister emailed me and asked if I was running Boston.  She is NOT a runner and frequently tells me "I.  KNOW.  NOTHING.  ABOUT.  RUNNING.  PERIOD."  So, I was a bit amused as I explained (via email), my running times and qualifying times - and the fact that I will likely never run Boston unless as a charitable entry.  Her response caught me somewhat off guard.  In addition to her typical quote (see above) she said, "Mom was worried about the IEDs."  Immediately thereafter a message popped in saying "bomb in Boston, 3 dead, many missing limbs".  I quickly pulled up the news as my head swam with what was happening.  I immediately thought of Sherry and realized given the time she'd likely be at or near the finishline waiting for her friend.  Thankfully George got word relatively quickly that she was save and called to let me know.  It never crossed my mind that anyone would be worried about me being there...I'm just not that good frankly, not to mention the fact that I've yet to run a full.  As the news unfolded over the evening my heart sank and I felt quite ill....an 8 year old boy...how many times has my own 8 year old boy been at a finish line cheering for mom??  So many spectators...how many nameless spectators have offered me words of encouragement, cheered my accomplishments, and been happy to do so???  The volunteers...how many volunteers have given up their time to make my event(s) be more special???  And of course the runners....we help each other (even complete strangers) through rough spots and to finish lines but this was just beyond my comprehension. 

The days following the events in Boston flew by with updates constantly in the news, the victims always in the back of my mind, and social media a buzz with alternating encouragment and news.

Group runs and support organized everywhere.  I wanted to run.  I felt like I needed to run. 
But at the same time, I just didn't want to.  My heart was heavy. 

Garret had been wanting to try the rubber track since he'd first heard me mention it.  We'd talked about it here and there, but it had never worked out because of his swim practice, run club, baseball practice, etc.  The day before Boston we'd planned to do it Wednesday as it would be the first chance.  By Wednesday I'd hoped he'd forgotten.  Literally the first words out of his mouth when he got off the bus were rubber track.  We stopped home to change and headed out there...I convinced myself to put in an easy 5K to work on breaking in my Newtons.  He wanted to run alone, but once on the track we both just felt the need to stick together (me with thoughts of the 8 year old in Boston, him just wanting to spend time with mom).  The track is 3/4 mile.  We put in a lap and he needed a break (I'd been intentionally pushing his pace a bit), so I told him to walk a lap and I'd keep running then we'd do it again when I caught up to him.  I popped in my ear bud, picked up my pace, and started leaving a little of my emotion on the track.  I met him at the halfway point, pulled out my earbud, and slowed down a bit.  He fell into step beside me and we chatted easily for another lap.  We decided to repeat the cycle again and I sped off as he slowed up.  About a quarter of the way around the track I spied him eyeing the playground as he slowly walked past.  I pulled out my earbud and yelled across the track to ask if he wanted to stop now and go play...off he went.  I'd planned to finish up a 5K, but the miles were doing me good.  I figured I'd make it 5...then it turned to 6.  By then it was getting late and I had to get dinner, so I pulled off the track and joined Garret on the playground.  We walked over to the track and jogged easily back to the car, talking about our pace and upcoming races.  This was running...running is connecting, healing, overcoming...they couldn't take that.

Two days later I was on a plane to Albuquerque for a new state.  On the way to the airport that morning (at 3AM), news had broken that there was a gun fight with 2 suspects in Boston.  Airport TVs were lit up with the same reports of one suspect dead and one on the run.  Sherry, Krissy, and I met up in Albuquerque and fell into our pre-race routine.  Despite hectic travels and issues getting there, we all made it safely.  Packet pickup had gone well, we'd checked into our hotel, and we headed out to grab dinner and catch up.  We got to bed early, and woke up rested and ready to hit the start line. 

This was another small town race, but not nearly as well thought out and organized as Cambridge.  I'd not scoped out parking because the startline was at a school.  I'd mistakenly assumed there'd be plenty of parking.  The lots were all chained shut as the start/finish area.  We were directed to park in the dirt alongside of the road and did as we were told (along with A LOT of other people).  We walked over to the gym and had started to get our bearings, found the finish line, and wondered where the startline was when we saw a group of people heading off to the far corner of the lot and heard a person on a bullhorn.  With only 10 minutes to go until our start and no visible "group" or startline we ventured in that direction.  After crossing a little/narrow footbridge we found ourselves on a dirty/dusty path with a large group of runners headed towards a larger group of runners.  When we met the group there was pure confusion...two large groups stood facing either other, with a row of cones between them, many wondering which direction the race was going to go, and most assuming it had to be continuing out as it couldn't go over the narrow bridge we'd just crossed.  One of my biggest concerns was not getting bumped into the deep, rocky ditch fills with water right beside us!  One guy in particular stood with his hand on his Garmin, bouncing about to stay loose, and looked as though this wasn't his first rodeo.  I approached him and asked if he'd done this race before.  He confirmed he had and I responded, "I guess we're going this way then?" and pointed in the direction he was facing (back towards the bridge), he confirmed it, and we fell into the crowd behind him - after snapping a quick picture.

The start ended up being a man standing atop a box with his bull horn in his hand and counting down.  Then we were off.  We quickly realized we would be running to the bridge, turning, and running back on the other side of the ditch - also a dusty path.  I wondered if the spectators standing over there knew that as the lead runners came charging around the corner and these folks were just standing in the middle of the path.  They didn't seem phased and cheered on the runners all around them!  It just reminded me how great crowd support can be. 

One thing I've become increasingly aware of lately is my tendency to not really think about the locations I am running in until the race is smacking me in the face.  Who knew it's cold in Little Rock in March?  Who knew it's REALLY cold when you run a half in MA in mid March?  Who knew DC had so many hills?  Who knew running in New Mexico literally meant running in the desert????   The first two miles of this race were horrid!  They would likely be a nice solo run, or even a fun group run with a couple of friends.  But 2 miles of 2000 runners barreling down a dirt road made for one HUGE, continuous cloud of dust.  You couldn't escape it.  My lungs hurt.  My eyes were gritty.  I was wishing I could blow my nose.  It was awful. 

We finally hit the road and I couldn't wait for the first water stop.  Much like Cambridge had been, the water stop was small, but the volunteers were very attentive and careful to ensure they supported us however we needed.  As we came back past the school, spectators lined the streets cheering us on, happy to be there for us.  Shortly after we came to the first of many intersections manned by uniformed officers, directing traffic and keeping us safe as they always do.  I frequently thank these folks during races (the volunteers, the spectators, the police); but today those thanks went a little deeper as the events in Boston really brought to light just how special they are to us and to the events. 

The course continued past stables, pastures, a winery, and all sorts of sites I was happy to have the opportunity to take a 13.1 mile foot tour through.  This was definitely New Mexico and I was getting to experience it first hand. 

 

All along the course we encounter much more of the same smiling, cheering spectators, volunteers, and police officers.  The course took us along many streets that were still open to traffic, with us running on the shoulder of the road.  I never hug the shoulder on a run, but I do keep a safe distance and give traffic plenty of room.

As I ran along the last few miles of this course, we encountered an area with more traffic than the rest.  As a large diesel truck pulling a camper came by, despite there being no oncoming traffic, he hugged our shoulder so tightly that another runner literally pulled me out of harms way as I tried my best to squeeze to the side.  I have no doubt I would have been hit by the truck had it not been for the other runner, I could not have gotten out of the way quickly enough.  To me, this was just another example of how other runners are always looking out for each other and helping them through. 

As I knocked out those last few miles we again had to run through a dust cloud before finally ending in the school parking lot.  My shoes, legs, and entire body were covered in dust and I was hacking like a smoker as I crossed the finish line in 2:10:47.

I soon found Sherry and shortly thereafter Krissy also finished.  We snapped a quick group photo before heading back for showers.

After our showers, we headed out to a nice lunch,

followed by a quick stop at the Hard Rock Casino for Sherry to get a shirt and me to get a shot glass.  While there we decided to throw a few dollars in the penny slots.  Although I'm not a gambler, I put $5 in the machine and pushed a few buttons.  Four button pushes later I decided to "cash out".

We then headed out for a drink, dinner, and conversation.

After a good night's sleep I headed to the airport.  On the flight home I really had the time to think about the impact of Boston on running.  If the intent of the attack was to scare off the runners, volunteers, and spectators, then the attack failed miserably.  While the affects to the victims and their families will be felt forever, runners will continue to line up for races, spectators and volunteers will continue to cheer them on and support, police officers will continue to attempt to keep them safe; and they will continue to support each other in every way possible - and all of those people (and many more) will continue to support Boston and the victims of that horrible day. 
Run * Now
BOSTON 04.15.13

Decisions, Decisions

When the Competitor Group announced the Rock 'n' Roll Lexington to be held in 2013 the decision was easy - REGISTER!  I did not have KY and it was a RNR event (and would count towards my Rock Idol!).  Months later, when they announced they were pulling out of Lexington and the race would continue in the hands of the previous race director I was faced with several decisions - keep my registration and run the race anyway, request a refund for the registration, or transfer the registration to another RNR event.  I'd registered so early that I'd gotten an amazing deal, and I still needed KY, so I kept my registration. 

Given that the race was scheduled for Easter weekend, this was to be a quick trip.  Drive 8 1/2 hours Friday, packet pick up, fuel, sleep, wake up, run, shower, drive home.  The "expo" felt more like a local wares/craft show than an expo, but it was quaint and a change of pace from your typical expo.  It was also held at the start/finish area, so it gave us a chance to get a bit of a feel for the area.  A lingering cough (that had been going on since RNR NOLA) in the 8 year old left another decision...when we returned on Saturday night there would be nothing opened, he was leaving for my mother's house the next morning for a week for Spring Break as well, so unless we went to a doctor Friday evening he would not be seen for over a week.  This left us with an impromptu visit to the urgent care where he was diagnosed with bronchitis (which later proved to be a misdiagnosis - it was actually post nasal drip from his allergies).  We finally settled in for the night.

Access to the venue on race morning was backed up a bit, but not as bad as some events I've attended.  If you accessed the venue through the second gate the line was much shorter, however you were closer to the start line than the finish.  If walking a little longer after a race is less appealing than walking it before the race you should plan to wait in the longer line.  Personally I didn't find the walk very long either way so the second gate was fine.  I was dealing with some stuff personally so it did not make for an ideal race morning, but I showed up at the start line for the 50 states club picture and was greeted by many 'friends' I'd only met online.  It was nice to actually meet everyone in person.

After a few laughs and group shots we headed to our corrals to prepare for the start.  Once in the corrals I met a few Half Fanatics.  The Fanatics picture was scheduled for the exact same time as the 50 states picture but in a complete different location.  As I've been in many Fanatics pictures and this was my first 50 stater pic, I opted to skip it; so it was nice to actually meet some new Fanatics as well.  A few more pictures and we were ready to run.

But....the decision was made to postpone the start for 15 minutes due to heavy fog.  The law enforcement course support felt the fog was thick enough to pose a danger in portions of the course.

There was restless energy and chatting in the corrals as everyone tried to keep warm, but soon enough we were off.  Still dealing with a bit of emotional turmoil my race did not start so well.  I wasn't focused on my run and was just going through the motions, and hating it.  Around the 2 mile mark a group of horses suddenly came racing across the field (in their enclosure) but alongside the course.  It was beautiful.

Shortly thereafter, a lone horse stood at the fence literally waving us wildly on with its head.

I began to focus a little less on my thoughts and a little more on my surroundings.  This course was really beautiful, but the only energy was from the runners and the horses - of which there were plenty!

The course ran through back country roads, surrounded by farms and pastures; and I began to realize logistically this could not have been a Rock 'n' Roll race.  There was no where for bands or cheerleaders; and very few points that spectators could even access the course so no real place for the crowd support of a RNR event. 

The course stayed interesting and was quite challenging with constant rolling hills.

As the miles ticked off I slowly began to shake my funk and despite a really rough 7 1/2 miles, by mile 8 I was attacking the hills, enjoying the course, and amused at each new discovery. 

I'd never before run a race where I had to dodge horse poop.

And I can't say I'd ran so closely with horses - or chickens for that matter!

A lone cowboy stood at his fence as our 'crowd support'...that was a first.

And as we neared the final miles we were encouraged but a single humorous sign.

Somewhere in the later miles the crowd randomly started parting and folks were cutting left and right quickly trying not to step on/trip over something...when out of nowhere a little terrier came running up the center of the road directly into the mob of runners, completely unconcerned with whether or not we would avoid him.

I was completely enjoying this course and already considering running it again.

Though the finish line was a welcome site!  I crossed the line with a chip time of 2:21:15, slower than previous races but given my rough start and the hills I was fine with it. 

I met a few Fanatics and Maniacs at the finish and exchanged contact information.

Then I headed off to watch Garret's race.  His .9 mile race had 1 big hill in it.  I'd warned him about the hill, but he tackled it, and as he rounded the final turn he made a move on the inside to pass a half marathoner (the finish was shared).

Oblivious to the 13 miles she had just finished, he was determined to "beat" her.  After the race, we stopped for a quick picture against a trying race specific backdrop before heading back to the hotel for showers.

Despite the entire trip being less than 40 hours it was an awesome experience with quite a few great decisions!  I have to say that RNR made the right decision to pull out of the event; and the current race director made the right decision to put the event on as they had in the past!  This truly is a homegrown race, it had a great feel with nature and your fellow runners as your support while other courses are best left to crowds, bands, and cheerleaders for support. 

St. Patty's Double

St Patty's weekend 2013 was my first double of the year.  I head to DC Friday afternoon for the Rock 'n' Roll USA Half Marathon.  On the way I decided I REALLY wanted a white Lululemon skirt for the race.  I called my usual Lulu store and found they were out of my size.  I called one in DC and found they had it so I asked about parking - not much, but close to the DuPont Circle Metro stop.  After checking into the hotel I headed to the Metro.  Using my iPhone I found the store was .7 miles from the metro exit and began my walk...immediately wishing I'd changed out of my dress shoes.  As I approached the store I noticed the Whole Foods across the street and IMMEDIATELY decided I needed a watermelon and this could be a dangerous place for me to live - Lulu & Whole Foods!!  In a matter of minutes I'd bought 2 new skirts and a headband and was standing admiring the fruit in Whole Foods...

I soooo wish we had a Whole Foods nearby!  I purchased a whole watermelon and started heading back to the metro.  It didn't take too many odd looks on the .7 mile trip back to realize I had CLEARLY not thought this through!  But, I still had no regrets in purchasing the watermelon...though my arm did get tired by the time I finally reached my hotel! 

As I sat having a snack while waiting for Sherry and Raf to join me at the hotel (they were both on their way) I couldn't help but get irritated by the slamming, banging, yelling, and running from the children in the room next to me and across the hall from me.  By the time Raf arrived just 15 minutes of so later the look on my face said it all...he immediately went to the front desk to request our room be changed.  I was ready to give the parents a lesson in parenting as their children played tag up and down the hallway.  Settled into our room - separate from the children by several floors and on the opposite side of the hotel - we got ready to head to the expo.  Sherry arrived within mintues and we were off.

At the expo we took a few photos, did a little shopping, and visited with many friends.

Afterwards we headed to the hotel to drop our stuff and then off to Olive Garden for dinner.  In bed by a decent time, we woke up groggy and Raf decided to be a spectator for this one.  We headed to the start and visited with friends.

Then took to the course.  I'd liked the Rock N Roll USA in 2012, but had believed the course could have been a little better given the landmarks, etc.  Rock N Roll believed so as well and the improved 2013 course was amazing!  I really enjoyed the beautiful and variety on this course and am already looking forward to 2014!  I am, however, still not sure where all of those hills came from!!  They were challenging and though at times I felt like canning the race, they spurred the competitve sdie of me to accept the challenge and beat it!  Still not totally well and given the hills, I was thrilled with my 2:18:13 finish.

A quick bit of time visiting with friends after the race; and I headed back to the hotel to shower, pack, and take a nap!  I managed to get about 45 minutes before Sherry and Ethan were back, showered, and ready to go.  We checked out and hit the road to Massachusetts.  Along the way Sherry slept while Ethan and I chatted.  When we hit NJ we hit horrible weather with freezing rain and icing roads.  There were several BAD accidents and we had to slow considerably to be safe.  From NJ to MA we went through waves of bad weather/driving conditions mixed with not-so-bad rainy conditions.  The drive was not amazing and I was thrilled to arrive safely, check in, and get to bed. 

The New Bedford Half Marathon has a start time of 11AM - to allow it to warm up!  Sleeping in a little was nice, but also stressful because I knew after the race I face an hour drive to Boston to drop off Ethan and Sherry and then a 9+ hour drive home, not to mention time to eat.  I was already stressing about not getting home until after midnight and driving tired - I hadn't noticed the 11AM start time until Sherry mentioned it Saturday.  We arrived at the start line a little late, grabbed our numbers, and got separated for a bit; but fell back into step and got to the start line minutes before go time.

Sherry gave us a few words of warning as she'd run this many times...I heard - hills in first few miles, cold wind off water and we were gone.  The first few miles were miserable.  It was colder than I'd imagined and my coldest race to date.  The wind whipping off the water cut right through you.  The hills...yup, Sherry was right...there were hills.  My hamstrings were tight before I got started, I wasn't feeling a race, and the negative mental chatter was running rampant.  Around the third mile I made myself suck it up and quit with the walk breaks.  Around the fourth mile we turned into a residential area and the hills subsided and the wind was blocked.  I started to take a look around and enjoy the race.  I realized the crowd support was phenomenal.  There were people everywhere and for the first time I realized it had been like this the entire way.  That never changed.  It may have been a small town race, but it definitely did not lack in crowd support!

People lined every street we ran down and cheered us all the way.  There was also a large number of participants invovled with various charity organizations and teams.  I really began to take stock on how fortunate I was to run this race and enjoy it.  As we approached the last few miles we came back out on the water.  I was simultaneously happy to see the sites and dreading the cold wind.

The last few miles were indeed very chilly - ok nearly brutal - and also hilly, but the crowd support never waivered and the scenery was amazing.  As I approached the finish I realized this was my 50th half marathon in 3 years.  I finished strong in 2:18:05

and took a moment to celebrate number 50

Then I headed into the Y to grab my New England clam chowder and warm up!

After a quick shower we hit the road to Boston where we had dinner at the Hard Rock, then began a disasterous evening/night that resulted in enough negativity to ruin anyone's weekend - but I refuse to allow it to ruin mine as I had 2 great race experiences and will likely repeat both of these events in the future!  I recommend both to everyone - and assure you the chaos that was my Sunday night/Mondy morning had NOTHING to do with the races and everything to do with a combination of idiots and dumb luck.  If you are looking for a St. Patty's Day double, this one is a bit of a drive, but well worth it!