Let's briefly cover the topics I will discuss:
1- My comeback
2- Vacation (this includes a photos of awesome mountains and cute animals, nature in general really so stay tuned)
3- 21 miles (this will be separate from my comeback solely because it is awesome)
4- I will highlight other folks' awesomeness
5- Anything else that I think of as I type this ridiculously long post that I hope you read thoroughly.
*I will spare you some detail, since this will be a lengthy post.
Chapter 1: My Comeback
I have started this sentence about 10 times. I don't even know what to say. I got so used to feeling crappy that I wasn't sure if I was going to feel right again. Honestly, I don't even want to blog about it because I am so over it. Sinus infections suck. Horribly. While the rest of my team was averaging 20-30 miles a week I was averaging 0 and feeling incredibly anxious. My first real weekend back I ran 10 miles. My team ran 13 (and had run 18 miles the previous weekend; I ran 0). The next weekend was the 19 miles. While my 10 was so-so, I was not feeling ready for 19. It was a dreary week. As the long run approached, I resolved to run 16. Todd and I devised a plan. I would meet him at his apartment, we would run 9.5 miles up the marathon route, we would then turn around and we would part ways when we arrived at my apartment and he would continue on to his. Me running 16, Todd running 19.
This was the run that I considered to be my comeback. And wow... was it crappy. It was POURING. POURING RAIN. Did I mention it was POURING?!
*Note the Jimmy Johns cups in the background.
Chapter 2: Vacation
My main vacation this year was a ski trip/visiting friends in Colorado. I was nervous about a) running at a high elevation (Boulder ~5,400 ft., Dillon ~9,100 +/-). I was also a bit worried about my sinuses because when I was there in May I had some serious allergy issues and ended up begging a pharmacist for the strongest over-the-counter meds available. So, I was sure to pack a serious med kit before traveling (who doesn't spend $80 at CVS before vacation?)
We flew out on the Monday following my 16-miler. During the flight it felt like someone was chiseling away at my knees. Needless to say I was sore. I was also sore on Tuesday, but with the wonderful company of Liza & Meghan I went out for 5 miles. Now, anyone whose run with me at sea-level can attest to the fact that I tend to blab a lot during runs. Well, at 5,400 feet blabbing proves to be an incredibly difficult task.
Wednesday was St. Patty's day. Who runs on St. Patty's day? Apparently, not me. Thursday/Friday were ski days. As well as much needed hot-tubbing days. Thursday evening I was a bit sore due to the ridiculous number of times I fell on my butt, knees, side(s), face, etc. But Friday I did much better. I was sad that Colleen was unable to witness my amazingness on the blue blacks since she had to put up with my not-so-amazingness on the blues on Thursday. It's not like I had to take off my skis and slide down the mountain on my bum... oh wait... I did.
On a mountain! At Keystone (I think).
My next run didn't come again until Monday. I was having a difficult time feeling motivated, especially since the end of my vacation was drawing near. Liza accompanied me on the first half of my double-digits and for the second half, I let myself take it easy stopping to take pictures of nature as well as my many obstacles.
That, my friends, is a prairie dog!
I will now continue to post some more pictures from vacation (via Matt's iPhone & Liza)
Tuesday night we saw Band of Horses in Denver. Amazing.
The view in Rocky Mountain National Park. Also amazing.
The Continental Divide. I viewed this from the car. It was freezing.
Again, I'm leaving out a lot of fun details. There was also a ridiculous amount of beer drinking, Jameson drinking, margarita drinking, $1 well drinks drinking (yikes), sushi, lasagna, laughing (mostly at each other), merciless taunting, wishing-there-was-a-karaoke-bar-in-Boulder (ok that was me), spending too much money, and of course riding in the car, but I'll leave it all for another day.
Chapter 3: What was chapter 3 again?! I have to scroll up and check.... OH RIGHT, 21 miles!
This Saturday I ran 21 miles. It was the peak of our training. It was the furthest we'll run until April 19. It was my first team run in ohhhh a month and a half or so. It was also my first trying actually trying the walk/run method (more on that in a bit).
I originally did not plan on running with the team for this run. I was unsure that I would be ready for this training run since previously the furthest I had ever run was 16 miles. Now, this wasn't just any team run that I could choose to attend or not, it was one of two Children's Hospital runs, the first covered the second half of the Boston Marathon route, which I missed. The second covered the first half from Hopkinton all the way through Heartbreak Hill. The reason that we had to decide weeks ahead of time if we were going to participate is because Children's Hospital provided bus transportation to Hopkinton to the official start line. I decided the day before that I was going to run. Finally, doing something nice paid off and in exchange for a favor I did for the folks over at Children's Hospital, I was free to hop on a bus that chilly morning provided there was room for those who had previously signed up. I did have a back up plan, but it is long and confusing and I doubt you want to hear it.
Although, I wasn't on the same bus as the BPE staff crew I found a fellow BPE runner, Lisa and we had a nice chat allllllll the way to Hopkinton. It felt like a really, really, really long way.
*Interestingly enough, when I looked up driving directions from my house to Hopkinton (specifically the intersection of the start line) for my back up plan it was 26.2 miles away.... well, I thought it was interesting.
Lisa and I met up with Erin, Kelly, Laura and Todd and away we went. I kept pace with Erin, Lisa, and another runner who I hadn't met and whose name I unfortunately cannot remember... Todd was also with us at times. As I mentioned before it was my first real experience with the "run/walk" method. Run/walk you ask? Why would you walk during a marathon if you don't have to, you ask? Well, as it turns out since you are using different muscles when you are walking than the muscles you are using when you are running the walk provides recovery time for your otherwise worn out running muscles. You run for 9 minutes and then walk for 1 minute. And if you do this from the very beginning and continue over the course of your run, your legs will be very happy. Mine were. It was incredible. At mile 19, and maybe this was just the runner's high, I stated that I felt "good, happy even." It really was an excellent run. Perfect weather, plenty of water stops, enough people to make it feel official - it was happening. Now, don't get me wrong... I felt the hills that begin at mile 17 and stretch over the next 4 miles. I was sore for the next two days. I still can't really believe it. 21 miles. Done, check, complete. And the best part is, I KNOW that if I had to on that day keep going and complete another 5.2 miles, I could have done it. I am so frickin ready for April 19!
This is Erin & I finishing up. See that truck? It was pretty much coming right at me as I was about 3 seconds away from the finish line.
More running action.
Look how happy we are.
My comeback is complete.
Chapter 4: Thank you!
I owe a lot of thank yous. Here we go - huge thank you to:
Kelly Strauch!
Jayne Dissette!
Don Inman! *Who, might I add I don't even know! You are awesome!
Lee & Betty Van Ginhoven!
Mike Scannell! *Who is also running the Boston Marathon - good luck, Mike!
Krissy Van Ginhoven!
Nick Crawford!
Liza Briggs!
Brian Moriarty & Lisa Cohen!
Sharon Warner!
Pia Bagni!
Virginia Frederickson!
David & Barb Van Ginhoven!
David & Barb Van Ginhoven!
A super special thanks to those who helped me plan my most recent fundraising even - Buster & Gerry and all of the awesome folks at the Legion! Also to everyone who attended, especially Tom Ricketts & Matt VanGinhoven who both donated all or part of their winnings.
With your help and the help of all of the rest of the amazing people who have donated to my Marathon fundraising efforts I have raised: $3,511.80 for Boston Partners in Education.
My goal is $5,000. I have 20 days left!
Oh, I have one last thank you. I received a very special gift a couple of weeks ago. It made me cry. Thanks Laur for the very special pair of running shoes that I will wear to complete the Boston Marathon on April 19. Best. Gift. Ever. Also, my hair straightner recently broke, so if you are also interested in purchasing me the second best. gift. ever.... just kidding (sort of). Love you!
I have nothing for Chapter 5 (I'm sure you're all thanking goodness for that). I wrote this all in one sitting, very excitedly... my apologies for any embarrassing grammatical errors that I will surely find tomorrow when I re-read. I'm going to bed now.
Ooh, one last thing. I have to make dinner reservations for Marathon Monday. Any restaurant suggestions? We'll have a large group and I'm thinking entrees priced up to $20-$25 a plate. Tasty suggestions only.
I promise right here and now that my next blog post will happen BEFORE the marathon. Not in a month. Thanks to all who got me in gear to write this novel.
