Bluestocking Runner

They Did it!

2010-06-08T17:59:00.003-04:00

Wow!!!! High Fives to the Medfield Fit Girls team who raised over $1,000 in order to "adopt" a village in Northern Ghana, Africa. The girls' fundraising efforts will allow Community Water Solutions to provide clean and healthy drinking water for children and their families. All the girls did a GREAT job at the 5k Trail Fun Run followed by a pizza banquet on the field. These girls rock!

2010-05-17T16:13:00.006-04:00

This spring the Medfield Fit Girls team will be "exercising their hearts" by supporting the Community Water Solutions in Ghana, Africa. Our goal for this community outreach project is to "adopt" a village which means we will be raising $1,000 for CWS! And how will the girls be doing this?? Lemonade stands, bake sales, bottle and can drives plus doing extra chores around the house are just some examples of the initiatives the girls take on in their fundraising efforts. One of the founders of CWS, Kate Clopeck, grew up here in Medfield and serves as a fabulous role model for my team of girls.

The mission of CWS is as follows:

To implement community-level water treatment businesses in communities of the developing world that:
1. are run by members of the community
2. provide clean water for residents of that community
3. generate economic growth and
4. empower women in the community.

The girls grasped on to the importance of clean water very easily, and they created this sign after one of our recent workouts.

So here's THREE BIG CHEERS for the Medfield team! What a great cause to support!

Boston Marathon 2010 Photos

2010-05-03T10:51:00.007-04:00

DFMC Pasta Party: Receiving "my chair" honoring 15 years with DFMC!

Hopkinton: With my fellow Trinity College runners - GO BANTAMS!!

Finish Line: This was a tough one, and boy does it feel GREAT crossing that finish line.

Finish Line: With Richard Laronde, the father of Stetson from whom I run in memory. He lost his battle with cancer when he was 7.

Recovery Zone: Where's the application for DFMC 2011?!

2010 Race Report: Short Version

2010-04-28T08:10:00.004-04:00

It wasn't fast, and it wasn't pretty...but I made it to the finish line. With all my hamstring issues, lack of long runs, weekly mileage and let's face it , MY AGE, I didn't have any expectations of a strong race this year. Nevertheless, I love running the Boston Marathon each year with the DFMC and I went into the race focusing on the event as a wonderful celebration of my 15th Boston Marathon and 30th marathon overall. It has been 15 years of wonderful races, great people, lots of laughs, plenty of aches, pains and frustrations, but I am SO HAPPY that I found my way into the fabulous running community here in Boston.

Race conditions were perfect. I pretty much guessed that the first half was going to be okay but that I would begin to struggle the second half. This was EXACTLY what happened! Lots of walking breaks in the second half, particularly on the hills and through water stations. Finally finished in 3:41, and I believe my qualifying time for over 45 years of age was 4:00, so I had some wiggle room. I guess that is one benefit to getting old!!

More importantly, this year I was thrilled be honored as one of the DFMC 100k Fundraisers, meaning that with the support of family and friends I've been able to raise over$100,000 for cancer research over these 15 years of running with DFMC!!! A very exciting lifetime achievement indeed.

So what's next?? I must be nuts, but I've registered for the Mt. Desert Island Marathon in Arcadia National Park in Maine (October). Super hilly (mile 20-15 is all uphill!) super hard yet a BEAUTIFUL course! These days I'm more about beauty and experience than speed plus it's always nice to have a new goal. Looking forward to long, hilly (and slow) training runs this summer.

Back Into the Woods...AGAIN!

2010-03-23T17:47:00.003-04:00

I might need to rename this blog The Bluestocking Hiker/Biker. The pain and tightness in my hamstrings and hips after last week's 9 miles gave me a MAJOR message....STOP RUNNING AND LET US HEAL!! If I hope to run 26 miles in 4 weeks I have to seriously rethink what I'm going to do moving forward. My efforts to train through the tightness are just NOT working. My last long run was at the end of February (20 miles) so this year I'll be having an unusually long tapering period in my marathon training - like 2 months of tapering! I'm going to take Jack's advice and hammer some arc trainer workouts indoors, but on the others days I will be biking and hiking.

I was all excited when I first bought my mountain bike two weeks ago only to realize that most trails are closed during the muddy, wet months of March and April. And because of the heavy rains recently it REALLY is a mess out there on the trails. Certain trails are completely impassable because of flooding. This forces me out on the roads which makes me very nervous as most of my friends who bike regularly have been hit by a car at least once. I am not at all comfortable with those statistics. So yesterday I decided to take a trip down to the Cape and ride the 22 miles back and forth (total of 44 plus) on the Cape Cod Rail Trail starting in Dennis and ending in Welfleet. What a blast!! Weather was kind of crappy, but definitely doable, plus I headed off trail a few times when I saw what looked like a fairly easy trail through the woods. I'm guessing I biked about 50 miles and after some research on the Internet I was disappointed to learn that this was only equivalent to about a 10 mile run. However, one BIG bonus was I FEEL GREAT TODAY!! No aches or pains and I had FUN.

While I'm really anxious to start running again, I'm also very excited about mountain biking this spring and summer. NEMBA is a great resource for finding good trails, and at this point I'm looking for ones that are mostly ranked as easy/moderate. I can hardly wait to explore the Myles Standish State Park (Plymouth) and the Shawme Crowell Forest (Sandwich) this summer.

At least my biker chick adventures and research serves as a distraction to my (non-existent) marathon training frustration.

Back On the Road

2010-03-14T18:20:00.002-04:00

After six days of NO RUNNING, I was back at it with the DFMC team in Lexington on Saturday. Ran 10 miles and felt good. Not great. Definitely still feel some tightness in the left hamstring, but I was happy to comfortably log some miles this week. Basically I've got 2 more weeks of training before beginning the wonderful tapering process. So my plan is to run easy this week tossing in a long run of 14-16 miles followed by a second week of easy running with a final long training run of 21 miles (Hopkinton to BC Annual Run). THEN I get to taper!

It is very doubtful that I'll be able to head out on the trails on foot or on the bike (Did I mention that I bought my first mountain bike this week??) due to all this rain. I actually bought a pair of waterproof pants at REI today - a necessary item for my upcoming "walking holiday" to Ireland with my oldest daughter after the marathon and an equally usefool article of clothing for wet and windy New England days. I tested them out today as I attempted to "trail wade" through Dover - what a complete mess!! But my legs remained toasty and dry thanks to my new REI pants. Gotta love goretex!

Marathon Training Robert Frost Style: You Come Too

2010-03-09T19:50:00.003-05:00

Forget the Galloway Approach to Marathons. This week, due to my hamstring/piriformis issue coupled with a nasty cold/sore throat, I'm using the Robert Frost Approach to Marathons which consists of lots of rest and lovely long walks through the woods. Clearly this will not result in any PRs, but I'm actually ENJOYING this week!

For the past couple years I've been exploring (running/walking/xcountry skiing) the great trails in Medfield including Rocky Woods and Noon Hill. And just recently I discovered that Medfield is one of the 20 or so towns on the Bay Circuit Trail which connects more than 85 areas of protected land from Newburyport down to Duxbury. How cool is that?! I've already traversed my fair share of trails on the Bay Circuit in our area and am looking forward to exploring more when the weather gets better.

This prompted me to do a bit of research for trails in town neighbors - Dover, Sherborn and Westwood. Today I had the most FANTASTIC walk in the Noanet Woods in Dover. Isn't it great to realize that adventure and beauty is in your own backyard?! At some point I hope to start running along these trails, but for this week I'll listen to my body and enjoy the slower moments in life.

"The woods are lovely dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleepl"

Pain in the Butt

2010-03-02T15:49:00.004-05:00

That is what forced me to only run 12 miles instead of the planned 17 scheduled for this past weekend. I was really looking forward to this long run after the successful 20 miler race on the Vineyard 2 weeks ago plus I had an early Friday night and was well-hydrated. At this point in the season I should be able to run 12-16 miles in my sleep, but very early on I started to feel lowsy. No energy and really struggling to put one foot in front of the other. And then I started to notice that my left hamstring and butt check were incredibly tight and sore which was REALLY affecting my stride as I tried to compensate. Things went from bad to worse and at mile 12 I had to call it a day.

So DFMC guru, Jack, suggests lots of yoga, stretching and long-distance walking (yea!) this week in order for those tight muscles to loosen up. After 15 years Jack knows how much I hate indoor workouts, so I was thrilled that he recommended long-distance walking in the woods. Somewhat frustrating, but I'm not looking to break any records or personal bests this year. Looks like a week of trail wogging and rolling my butt back and forth on a foam roller.

I'm also THRILLED to pick up my copy of the newly released Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson that Vikki from Titcombs Bookshop blogged about in a recent post. Any title described as "charming" and "delightful" taking place in a "small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills and thatched cottages" is SO up my alley!! Pour me a cup of tea and give me a bag of ice to sit on and I'll be more than happy this week.

Fundraising Letters are out!

2010-02-19T16:00:00.004-05:00

For the past 15 year’s I’ve had the honor of running the Boston Marathon with the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team. And each April there are many special people for whom I run in honor and in memory. This year I’d like to share the story of cancer survivor, Elisabeth Mann.

Many Medfield residents know Mrs. Mann as she has helped generations of children safely navigate their way to and from school. My son, Beau, has been a big fan of Mrs. Mann since he first met her in 4th grade. She was born in Germany in 1929 and moved to Medfield in 1954 with her husband, a Medfield native, where she continues to live today.

Mrs. Mann was diagnosed with cancer in December of 2008, and after 5 grueling surgeries and intense radiation she is now cancer-free and back to work. I think most Medfield residents will agree that Mrs. Mann is one of the most upbeat, friendly and endearing women you could ever meet. After hearing her stories about her childhood in East Germany during and after WW2 and her battle with cancer, I’m in awe of this COURAGEOUS LADY who chooses to embrace and celebrate life one day at a time. She is a gem of a human being, a real inspiration and I’m thrilled to be running in her honor this April.

(My son, Beau, with his favorite crossing guard)

My goal is to raise $10,000. And anyone who makes a donation of $100 or more will be in a drawing for:

Sarah’s Barefoot Contessa Dinner Party
(in honor of your DFMC donation)

10 names (couples) will be pulled at the end of April. The location and date of the dinner will be arranged at your convenience over the course of the year. Medfield or Sagamore Beach…there will be options! So what do you say to 5 Cheese Penne Pasta or Filet of Beef with Gorgonzola Sauce???

If you would like to support my run for DFMC, please click HERE to make a donation.

DONATE TO DFMC TODAY!!

20 miles in the bank

2010-02-17T09:15:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday, in honor of the 10th anniversary of what was probably my best race ever, I headed out to Martha's Vineyard to run the 20 mile race they host in February. It's a great event that brings people to the island at a time that typically is pretty dead. I was a bit nervous about the distance as my longest run this season was only 16 miles. Jack made a point of reminding me (and others who were considering the race) NOT to try and race it. So the pressure was off...this was going to be a nice, long run with great views of the ocean.

However, I really didn't take Jack's good advice. In my glory days of sub 3 hour marathons, 7:30 pace was a nice, easy training pace. Today that pace is pretty much tempo/race pace! I enjoyed running with DFMC Laurie (one of our fastest female DFMCers) and new friend, Melissa, and was thrilled to cross the finish line in 2:29:31 - JUST barely breaking that 7:30 pace! That was hard work for me, and it blows my mind that I was able to run that same course in 2:04 ten years ago! Oh...the good old days!

The kids are on vacation this week, and I'm "staycationing" here in Medfield while Brian and Hannah are down in Florida and Beau is skiing in NH. I'm home to supervise Kallie who is training for a divisional meet at the end of the week. My legs felt very heavy the first few days after the race, so I'm stretching and tossing in lots of cross-training this week. SO thrilled with the new, fresh snow we got yesterday and will be heading out to the woods for some skiing pretending I'm in Lake Placid! The ski will be followed by dinner in the "village" (Noon Hill Grill)!

A Fun Email

2010-01-26T14:57:00.000-05:00

Congratulations SARAH NIXON!

You’re eligible for guaranteed entry to the race of a lifetime—the ING New York City Marathon on November 7, 2010. You must claim your guaranteed entry by March 15. If you’ve already applied, please contact reghelp@nyrr.org with your name and entry number to have your file updated.

2009 Emma

2010-01-22T17:10:00.005-05:00

"People - their hopes, their dreams, their aspirations -there I am the expert"

Oh Joy! Oh Rapture! Masterpiece Theater will be presenting the BBC's latest film version of Emma beginning on Sunday night! For a sneak preview follow this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIDDka3X-LI&NR=1#watch-main-area

Cleansing Detox: The final hours

2010-01-12T09:01:00.011-05:00

I'm just a few hours away from completing my four days of my detox cleansing diet. While my goal wasn't to necessarily lose weight (although a few less pounds would always be nice!), it was more of a clean and healthy eating program and kick-off for the new year. Thank goodness I ran 16 miles the Sunday before starting the program because I found myself tired during my easy training runs (5-8 miles). Tonight I'm running the 9 miles of hills to Crossroads which might be a challenge, but the motivation behind this run will be PIZZA and WINE at Crossroads as my reward of 4 days of healthy eating! Here I come, Robert Mondavi!

In general, the detox diet was a good idea. I feel rejuvenated and this has motivated me to be more "mindful" (love that yogi word!) of my eating habits. I purchased items from Whole Foods that I hadn't heard of before this week: agave syrup, almond butter, quinoa, flax seed, etc. These were some of the ingredients for the recipes suggested in the plan. Having a smoothie in the morning is a terrific way to start the day, but "NO THANK YOU" to the suggested leafy greens that were in some of the recipes. Adding kale and swiss chard to my fruit smoothies was just plain gross.

The lunch recipes, however, were great. The almond-crusted baked chicken (served over baby spinach leaves dressed with lemon juice) was delicious and I plan to make this for the family next week. The side glass of V8 was an added treat.
All the dinners were liquid...in the form of soup. Lentil soup was served up on Monday and Tuesday, followed up with a butternut squash/apple soup on Wednesday and today. Both these recipes were quite delicious and surprisingly filling. However, I was always hungry later in the night and went to bed early finding it easier to be asleep and avoid the temptation to snack. And let's not forget about the cups and cups of pomegranate green tea (in my Jane Austen mug, of course). It was an interesting experiment for 4 days. Moving forward I'll stick with the general plan, but allow myself dairy, cheese and the necessary whole grain carbs I'll need for training, along with a few other necessarily evils (coffee, white wine) on occasion. After all, we don't want to be too obsessive about this healthy thing!
"How quick come the reasons for approving what we like" - JA.

Cleansing Detox

2010-01-05T09:12:00.007-05:00

I've heard some of my friends talk about the detox programs. No dairy, no alcohol, no caffeine, etc. Sounds horrible, but I'm considering giving a four day detox a try. For the most part I'm dragging myself around in the morning, and I just don't feel the skip in my step during my daily runs. Just more dragging myself around.

The Nixon family recently has a whole new load of magazines delivered to the house as we supported Hannah's magazine drive this fall. One of the articles that sparked my interest in detoxing was a 28 day plan from Martha Stewart's body and soul magazine. I'm not sure about all 28 days of the plan, but I might be able to stick our the initial four day detoxing plan (and then resume my sinful habits!)

During my 4 day detox, I'll be sticking to liquid meals for breakfast and dinner consisiting of fruit smoothies for breakfast and soups for dinner. I'm allowed a solid meal at lunch which suggests low fat protiens (fish/chicken) and lots of veggies. One of my concerns is will this provide me with enough energy for my training? I'm going to start next Monday, and Jack has us running a fairly low-mileage week - long run at the end of the week is only 10-12 miles. Thursday will be my last day of detoxing, and I'm guessing that I'll have a difficult time finding something to eat/drink at Crossroads after "doing the thursday" 9 mile run. Perhaps my detoxing program will be 3.5 days!

After the fours days I'll begin making smarter choices regarding food, but allowing myself moderate intake on the sinful stuff (cheese, wine, coffee). Unfortunately the cleaning diet SERIOUSLY conflicts with my latest obsession with the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks! Tonight on the menu I'm making her Penne with 5 cheeses that looks incredible (a recipe she adapted from the chefs at the amazing restaurant, Al Forno, in Providence). There isn't a single ingredient in the recipe that will be part of my detox week. Let's just say I'll be gently easing myself into this detox mode. Hey, at least I'm drinking green tea right now!

An another article that grabbed was about Elizabeth Gilbert's (Eat, Pray and Love) new memoir - Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage. On one level these self-help magazines and books make me a bit gaggy. I overdid that kind of reading years ago. I found Elizabeth a bit high maintenance, self-absorbed and often completely irrational in Eat, Pray and Love, although I do enjoy her writing. And thank goodness she didn't have any children during her "journey of self-discovery"! It appears she's grown up a bit based on what I read in the article. "I bring an enormous sense of self-accountability to this (new) marraige. The way I was with my ex-husband, and all the men in my life, was that whoever was next to me at a specific moment was credited or blamed with whatever was going on with me. If I was happy, then that person was terrific. If I was unhappy, that person was a jerk." Gotta love self-awareness and emotional maturity! I might just pick it up and give Elizabeth a second chance.

Robert Burns says it all

2009-12-31T10:00:00.002-05:00

Below is a link to a FABULOUS rendition of Auld Lang Syne by the male acapella group, Straight No Chaser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUTeICtsQJA

My favorite verse of this traditional song celebrating love and friendships from the past is the last one:

So here's a hand my trusted friend

And give a hand of thine.

We'll take a cup of kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

Bring on the kindnesss in 2010!! Happy New Year!

Holiday Training

2009-12-25T15:09:00.003-05:00

The combination of the snow and the holiday festivities has definitely cut into my marathon training. While I actually prefer running in cold weather and don't mind the snow as long as I'm wearing yak tracks on my shoes, the snow has been a deterence because I'm choosing to cross country ski over logging miles. You never really know how long the good snow is going to stay around and skiing along the trails in Rocky Woods is heavenly!!

Unfortunately Santa did NOT drop off any running snow shoes. I might have to take advantage of the after xmas sales at REI and pick up a pair. I can only image how TOUGH jogging even a mile or two in snow must be...looking for new and interesting challenges and twists to my fitness training.

2 Days of Hills

2009-12-12T18:11:00.002-05:00

I've started to run the Thursday Night 9 mile run from Newton to Boston on a regular basis, but just today I ran those hills a second time this week when I snuck in a run while Hannah was at a volley ball clinic. The clinic was at Newton North High school, just .4 miles from the course at the base of the second hill. Once I dropped off the girls, I headed out on the course running down to the fire station, turned around and then ran back up past B.C., turned around a second time returning to Newton North. Today was my first official "long run" as I logged what Jack posted on our training schedule for the Dec. 12 long run. Here is this week's total mileage:

Monday: 8 miles
Tuesday: 8 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday; 9 miles (hills)
Friday: rest
Saturday: 10 miles
Sunday: To be determined - I have a couple holiday parties tonight!! Ho, ho, ho.

A Perfect Day

2009-12-06T22:21:00.004-05:00

Hannah ( my youngest daughter who is 11) took this picture of our backyard when she woke up early this morning. This is one of the many reasons that I adore living in a New England small town. The Nixons had a busy schedule today which included a local community 5k race (Angel Run) and an Advent Sunday Family/Friends Dinner - that I was preparing! The decorating committee of the Angel Run race was blessed! I was scrambling a bit

I headed off early for my first 2009/2010 winter walk in Rocky Woods before heading off to the grocery store. No pictures from the walk, but it was simply awesome. A very spiritual Sunday morning indeed.

In the afternoon 4 out of the 5 Nixons participated in the Angel Run 5k. My older two children were a "bit tired" from their high school Holiday Dance on Saturday night, but Kallie agreed to lace up her running shoes and run with her sister for this community event. (Beau was in the basement asleep in his clothes from last night!) I worked very hard to try and keep up with the top cross-country girls (and succeeded!) who were racing at the event, only to discover in the race results that I was wearing my husband's bib number! He is now one of the top 20 fastest males in Medfield!

The race was followed up by a wonderful tree-trimming and dinner with family and friends. Dishes are done. lights are dimmed, and I'm watching the final scenes from the Bishop's Wife (Carey Grant...love him!)

Life IS good!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T09:33:00.003-05:00

To all my friends, near and far...

"Friendship is the guise of love,
And love is friendship
Dressed up for a night out.
That we are here together, here at this moment,
Alive, one with another,
Is the most delicious treat;
I, for one, ask for no more,
I, for one, am replete."

(Corduroy Mansions, Alexander McCall Smith)

The Barefoot Runner

2009-11-24T15:07:00.006-05:00

No, I don't run barefoot. But I am a runner who has become obsessed with the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.

I used to love cooking when the children were small. Because I was a stay-at-home mom with my two oldest children only 17 months apart, I was kind of sick of them by the end of day and they typically were nestled in their beds (after stories, of course!) by 6:30. Cooking became a type of creative and relaxing outlet for me, and I usually had a couple hours before my husband came home as he often had evening appointments at this point in his career. In those days we ate some mighty fine meals!

However, as the children got older, stayed up later, and became picky eaters, the elegant and interesting dinners came to a halt. Cooking was no longer regarded as fun, but more of a chore and a task. "Do I have to feed these other 4 people AGAIN! I just did this last night!"

Fortunately, the summers are different. There is a lot more down time and slicing, dicing and sauteing as you look out at the ocean becomes FUN again! Some of my neighbors turned me on to the Barefoot Contessa books this past summer and my interest in cooking has been reignited. Today I just picked up Barefoot in Paris which now completes my set of Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.

So once a week for the next year I plan on preparing a Barefoot Meal for the family as well as toss in some Barefoot Dinner parties. Maybe I should start a blog and then write a BOOK about my year of cooking barefoot! Oh wait, that's been done before. But I DO KNOW where I'll be purchasing all my organic spices. Check out Jenny's (DFMC veteran) new organic spice business adventure at Smith and Truslow.

But will Cooking Barefoot make me run any faster?! Or how could I tie in Barefoot Cooking into a fundraiser for DFMC???? Hmmm....food for thought.

Running through mud puddles

2009-11-18T16:26:00.003-05:00

When Kallie and the rest of the Medfield xcountry team finished running their Divisional Meet at Franklin Park last Saturday, I didn't want her getting into our car to go home. The girls were a total, muddy MESS!! Some of the puddles they were forced to run through went up to their knees. Gotta love the wonderful world of xcountry running!!

I never ran in high school or college. In fact, I didn't start until I was 30 years old after having two children. It has been so much fun watching and supporting the girls in Medfield, and I know that after Kallie graduates I'll still be coming back for more xcountry spectactor fun.

I also see the same positive team bonding that I've experienced with DFMC. We all have our individual goals, but we are also excited when a team mate races a new PR. I know these girls will continue running, perhaps not at a competitive collegiate level, but they've got the heart, soul and guts to be future DFMCers!!!

Good Luck at States, Medfield!

The confusion of the college application process

2009-11-16T13:44:00.003-05:00

Kallie, self-portrait

Remember when the biggest decision of your life was WHERE I am going to college??? (Or perhaps, where will I be ACCEPTED to college???). Thank goodness my oldest daughter has the relief of her cross-country workouts to make it all bearable!

Fit Girl Race Buddies

2009-11-10T09:12:00.008-05:00

I'm thrilled to see how successful the Fit Girls volunteer "race buddy" aspect of the program has been working!! Basically how the race buddy program works is we recruit local runners and high school athletes to run/walk with a team of girls at their final 5k event. There typically is a wide range of paces. Some girls (a relatively small number!) actually try to jog the entire distance. The majority of them alternate between running and walking. And a handful of them creep along the course at a snail's pace...however they ALL make it to the finish line!! It is super helpful to have lots of volunteers along the course to motivate, inspire and cheer for the girls in order to keep their engines running. These volunteers are wonderful role models and mentors.

The little girls ADORE their older race buddies! And the volunteers seem to really enjoy the experience too. Perhaps the volunteers recongize a younger version of themselves.

So in this post I'm taking the opportunity to thank Abby and Brenda, DFMC marathon athletes, who helped at the Chelsea Trick or Trot race, and the 9 Medfield xcountry girls who spurred on my team of girls in Medfield. You're the best!!

NYC Marathon 2009 Results

2009-11-04T15:50:00.003-05:00

Hannah: "Mom, did you come in 40th in the NYC marathon???"

Me: "Not exactly. Try adding a couple more digits." (Actual overall place: 4128)

The New York City Marathon is an AMAZING event! However, the one thing I DO NOT enjoy about this race is the hours spent on Staten Island before the race starts. I was assigned to take a 5:30 bus from the New York Public Library only to arrive on Staten Island and sit around for 3 hours (in relatively cold, damp conditions) before lining up in my coral. While waiting in my coral I had the pleasure of meeting two young women, both strong half marathon runners, who were running their first marathon. They were shooting for a time between 3:30-3:45. I quickly identified these gals as great race buddies as I also was nervous about running too fast too early in the game only to crash and burn at the tail end. Starting out at an 8 minute pace was perfect!

As it turned out, even if we wanted to run much faster we wouldn't have had the opportunity as this race is REALLY crowded. Unfortunately I lost my new friends (one at mile 10 and the other one at mile 20) but these gals from New Mexico and Texas were fabulous running mates.
26 miles is 26 miles, regardless of how fast or how slow you run. The slightly sub 8 minute pace was comfortable, but at mile 20 I was ready to be DONE with all of it. In most of my marathon experiences, this is the point when things start to tighten up and it begins to hurt. I pushed through the next 3 miles, and at the 23 mile point I had a burst of energy to just finish. To my surprise I ran mile 24 at a 7:20 pace and my final mile at a 7:10 pace. My first negative splits EVER in a marathon, or any race for that matter.

Final time: 3:25:25.

What's next? Boston 2010.

My Race Buddy: NYC Marathon 2009

2009-10-28T12:54:00.005-04:00

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first."

"Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life."

"All right, then, I'll go to hell."

Gotta love Mark Twain! This week I was laminating a project for one of the 8th grade teachers at the Middle School, and I came upon some great quotes from MT. Then I started to think back on how much I ADORED his Diaries of Adam and Eve, a unique volume that demonstrates a very loving, sensitive side of Twain (along with the wit and humor that we expect).

So I've picked up a couple of other unusual books as MT reflects upon life, love and religion for my trip down to NYC including The Bible According to Mark Twain: Irreverent Writing on Eden, Heaven, and the Flood by America's Master Satirist. I look forward to mulling over irreverent thoughts through the 5 boroughs in New York on Sunday. Looking forward to the company, Mark! Anyone else want to share a favorite Twain quote?

2009-10-24T16:29:00.006-04:00

Next weekend I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my first NYC marathon. This marathon is special to me as it sparked a real shift in my life. What really stood out when I first arrived out in Staten Island on a FREEZING cold day in November of 1999, was that it truly was the city where "the world comes to run". There were thousands of runners from all over the world proud to be in the Big Apple representing their particular country. And I was thrilled to be a part of this global community of runners in an exciting, fast-paced city filled with adventure. I was Dorothy excited to be out of Kansas.

I was so pumped up at the start of the race that I went out really fast. But the pace felt good so I decided to stick with it. I reached the 13.1 mile mark in 1:23. At that point I told myself that either I was going to have the race of my life and qualify for the Olympic Trials or completely crash and burn. So I went for it.

As it turned out I crashed BIG TIME having to walk most of the last 2-3 miles. Those last few miles were long, slow and painful, but I actually felt fabulous finishing that race. What I found most exciting and exhilarating was the fact that I took the risk and put forth my best effort and NOT those numbers on the clock at the finish line (3:02). So I didn't qualify for the Trials, but at least I gave it my best shot. I also recall so many thoughtful and supportive gestures from the other runners at this race, despite the language barriers. When you're running along with the same person for 5 or 6 miles you actually begin to bond, even if there aren't any words. I wish I could meet and thank the Norwegian woman who handed me a grape licorice stick at mile 21 when she could tell I was starting to fade. My memories of this day will be always be precious to me.

I love coming back to New York. This year is going to be a slow one, but I'm still thrilled, honored and grateful that I will once again "be a part" of this amazing race and incredible city.

This year I've got a great itinerary which includes great reads on the train to and from the city, a ticket to Wicked on Broadway, Saturday afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, dinner with DFMCers in the Village, and oh yes, a 26 mile "jog" on Sunday morning.

A toast to all NYC runners past, present and future who embrace the positive spirit of what it means to come together peacefully and run!

2009-10-12T17:02:00.004-04:00

After a FABULOUS get-away wedding weekend with wonderful friends down in Kiawah island (below is the view from our balcondy), it was back to training as the NYC marathon is less than 3 weeks away - yikes! Today I ran the Tufts Health Plan 10k with the Babes Bookin' It team of women and high school athletes. About four years ago I created Babes Bookin' It as a fundraising event to support the literacy nonprofit, First Book. This was before I started working with the DMSE Foundation in order to bring Fit Girls to girls living in underserved communities in Boston. So for the past two years I've recruited 'babes' to run both the Falmouth Road Race and the Tufts event and agree to raise funds for the Boston Fit Girls Project. Today was particularly special for me as it was the first opportunity for me to run a 10k with my oldester daughter, Kallie, who also happens to be one of the captains of the Medfield cross-country team. We(Kallie, me and a dozen or so of her cross-country teammates) got stuck way in the back so we were basically running the first couple miles at a snail's pace. However, at about mile 3 Kallie started to kick and it was so great to run hard with her those last 3 miles. And I adore the rest of her team that also joined us at today's event. Catching up on the teenage gossip during our T ride to and from the race was entertaining, but I'm SO glad that those days are over! Thanks to those other adult "babes", Kristina, Teresa, Suzanne, Miranda and Mary who also ran with these pretty young things.

Summer Running...Had me a Blast

2009-09-09T18:06:00.004-04:00

My Summer Training Log:

Easy runs of 5-8 miles and long early morning strolls along the rocky shores of the cape cod bay.
No long runs, no hard runs, and one race (Falmouth). This is NOT great preparation for the NYC marathon that I will be running (and probably walking too!) on Nov. 1. I guess I was having too much fun at my beloved summer home and community. Besides, the older I get the more I really, really hate the heat.

Despite my slow time at Falmouth, I had a fabulous time as not only did my oldest daughter (a cross-country/track girl) join me, but my husband Brian also ran his very first road race!! The guy has become an exercise machine over the last 6 months, losing 25 pounds and actually enjoying his running workouts. Go figure!

While I was somewhat pleased that I could still run Falmouth under a 7 minute/mile pace, I suffered from the "throw up" stomach after pushing up the last hill...probably 1/4 mile from the finish. I took a short walking break at that point, clenching my stomach while gagging and desperately hoping that I wouldn't puke on the feet of runners or spectators. Not a pretty sight or pretty finish to the race, but I was able to pick up the pace for the last few hundreds BEFORE I saw Barry the Liver Guy at the finish who would have completely yelled at me to see me walking. Whew!
Very happy to finish that race!

Beach Buddies: Authors Pick Literary Partners for Fun, Sun

2009-07-02T13:43:00.003-04:00

This morning I came upon a fun article in the Washington Post where famous authors were asked which literary characters they would like to accompany them to the beach. Here is Jodi Piccoult's answer:

I'd spend the day with Mr. Darcy, from Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," naturally. Is there any other man who broods so masterfully in literature and who could benefit more from a spirited, lighthearted game of beach Frisbee? And of course, since we'd be on a beach together, I'd greatly enjoy seeing what's beneath that proper waistcoat of his.

I'd like to collect sea glass and observe the sealife with Mr. Rodchester from Jane Eyre and talk more about his issues with women. I was considering Atticus Finch. He certainly would be a gentleman, but it would probably be more fun to frolic in the waves with passionate Mr. R!

My second choice would be sipping pina coladas while watching the sunset over the ocean with Frederick Wentworth from Austen's Persuasion and discussing the art of the hand written letter. Gotta LOVE his letter to Anne Elliot -

"You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight and a half years ago. Dare not say that a man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant."

So who would YOU choose as a beach buddy?

Reads and Roots

2009-06-01T21:44:00.006-04:00

Okay. I admit it. I'm an Anglo/Scotophile kind of gal. Love their literature. Love their land. Love their history. These are my people and my roots, and although there is no sign of Scottish blood in the documentation of our family tree, I know in my heart and bones it is there somewhere! When browsing at bookstores, I'm most definitely drawn to novels based in the U.K. My most recent adult and children's favorites are:

The Sweetness of the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Mystery is not one of my favorite literary genres. Perhaps it was the word "pie" that caught my eye in the Wellesley Booksmith as the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (now in paperback) is high on my list of recent favorites. I typically don't eat pie, but I seem to enjoy reading about pie! The protagonist is 11 year-old Flavia De Luce - Harriet the Spy/Sammy Keyes meets Sherlock Holmes/Miss Marple. The characters in the novel are quirky and delightful. When Flavia discovers a dead body in the family's cucumber patch she wishes she could say she was afraid. "But I wasn't . Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life."

Death in the cucumber patch...gotta love it! So very British.

And then there is Julie Hahnke's fantasy novel for intermediate readers, The Grey Ghost.

When Black Duncan Campbell starts murdering his neighbors in 1526 Scotland, eleven-year-old Angus suddenly finds himself the sole survivor of Clan Macnab. Aided by a goshawk and a pine marten, and urged forward by a mysterious luna moth, Angus must uncover his clan’s heritage, reveal ancient secrets, and try to end the Campbell’s bloody rampage.

Julie also hosts AMAZING author/bookstore visits and presentations as she brings along her bagpipes (she is a superb piper) plus lots of historical /scientific information and slides about the animals and countries she writes about in her novels.

Great Stuff...So what would be the Scottish verion of "Erin Go Bragh"? Mel Gibson might know.

Walking on Sunshine despite the rain

2009-05-22T21:36:00.007-04:00

It all began when I purchased a pair of Mizuno trail running shoes. And these shoes were made for travelling!
After arriving in London at 5:15 A.M. on Thursday morning and a 3 1/2 hour train ride up to the Lake District, followed by an absolutely terrifying taxi ride from the train station, I finally arrived at Laurel Cottage in the town of Bowness where I would begin and end my 3 day walking holiday.

On Friday morning, after a typical English breakfast of eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast, I headed up the quaint street of Bowness into the village of Windermere.

And thus began Day 1 of my adventure: A 10.5 mile walk from Windermere to Grasmere

After about 30 minutes I arrived at Orrest Head for some fabulous views down on to the lake and village of Windermere. It was a rainy day, but even the lowsy weather couldn't cloud over the beauty of this piece of the world.

I was incredibly fortunate at this point in the trip to meet up with an older English couple walking to Ambleside, the half-way point of Day 1. After leaving Orrest Head there was no clear path whatsoever - just rolling hills, stone walls and lots and lots of sheep. They helped me navigate my way over stiles through these farms , and after 4 miles with these nice, helpful people I was becoming a bit more confident in my ability to understand the maps and directions.

Below is a view of Rylant Waters which leads to Grasmere, the home of Williams Wordsworth and where I was spending the night.

Before checking in to the guest house in Grasmere, I had the opportunity to tour Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's home.

It was great fun to meet some locals for an evening of Questions (their version of trivia night) at the pub in the Wordsworth Inn.
My view from the guest house in Grasmere was amazing!

Day 2: Grasmere to Coniston, 12.5 miles. After breakfast (same thing - eggs, toast, tomatoes and mushrooms), it was time to head up into the hills again.

And along sides of mountains:

At some point looking across the way I knew I was going to have to go up and over the mountain range to get to Coniston. Hmmmm...

And when I finally headed up and over, the views were again, AMAZING!

On the way back down, however, it started to get a little dicey. I took a picture of this charming stream (or "beck" as it is called in Cumbria). Shortly after snapping this photo, the beck lost it's charm and turned into what felt like a gorge to me as the path became very steep and rocky.

There also was NO sign of life at this point in the route. My directions told me I was supposed to come upon a minor road, but this is all I could see: Do you see any sign of a road????

As it turned out there WAS a road along side the wall in the distance and I was SO relieved when I saw a car drive by along that wall. Yes, civilization!! It literally was all down hill after that scarey moment.

Whenever I was walking through a wooded area, there were lovely patches of bluebells.

I was really pooped after Day 2 and was thrilled to reach my guest house in Coniston.

Day 3: Coniston to Sawrey - 9.5 miles
The morning walk out of Coniston was quite spiritual as church bells were ringing as I hiked up the hills. I couldn't help but start to sing (to myself as not to scare the sheep! ) a favorite hymn that brings me back to my high school days at Laurel School...."And did those feet in ancient time, walk upon England's mountains green." And believe me...there were lots of holy lambs too

The home of Beatrix Potter who left over 4.000 acres of land she purchased to the National Trust in order to preserve the beauty of the Lake District country sid

After visiting Beatrix's house and a quick lunch in Near Sawrey, I only had a few more miles of my walking adventure as I headed over to Lake Windermere where I would be taking a ferry back to Bowness, the beginning and end of my walking holiday.

Wild garlic was in full bloom this time of year and the smell was quite powerful when you walked through a batch.

And finally, waiting for the ferry to take me back to Laurel Cottage. I MADE IT! A magical and brilliant adventure indeed!

Walking Holiday in the Lake District

2009-05-13T08:30:00.004-04:00

I'm off for a 3 day self-guided walking holiday to the Lake District in England, described as one of the most beautiful places in the world by Wordsworth, Keats, Shelley and Bronte. The self-guided aspect of the trip is a bit frightening considering my horrible sense of direction, but there should be many other travellers/walkers this time of year and eventually I'll get to my destination inn/guest house by the end of the day. The distances range from 9 - 12 miles. I'd actually love to run most of this mileage, but I'll have to be checking my maps frequently in order to make sure I'm on the right path or at least heading in the right direction.

While most of the reviews of the guest houses where I'll be staying were okay/good, I did come upon these two that concern me:

"We spent 2 nights at this lovely little guest house ( it used to be a grammar school) and its winding corridors and steep staircases, - I bet the chambermaids are fit - and really enjoyed it. The room (8) was quite small but we did not have cat in need of swinging so was not an issue."

or even worse...

"The worst decision we have made, after being shown to our room/box via the very floral stairway we could not believe our eyes. The bedding was about the same age of the cottage and had many stains and human hairs on it, the carpet was stained and worn and very unclean."

I may need to upgrade when I get there!

Here's another description of one of the houses where I'll be staying:

"In 1961 the house and its grounds were bequeathed to the Society of Friends (Quakers) to be held in trust and used as a place for Quakers and others to come for purposes of religious worship, for rest, for convalescence after illness and for other activities of a charitable nature."

I'm assuming that there won't be any sort of mini-fridge with a pinot grigio for me at the Quaker guest house, so I'm hoping there is a lovely tavern near by for some post-walk refreshments. I'll be humming " Tis the gift to be simple" on this leg of the trip!

Race Stats

2009-04-21T18:00:00.003-04:00

14th Boston Marathon with DFMC

27th Marathon Overall

3:13 Official Finish Time

3324 - overall place

240 - gender

28 - division (over 40 - old lady category!)

What's next???

..I want to be a part of it....

Ready to take on Boston AGAIN!

2009-04-14T18:43:00.003-04:00

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything" - William Shakespeare

I love this marathon, I love the DFMC, and running 26.2 miles in April allows me to celebrate life, love, hope, community and spring.

Om Gal and Cara running Boston for Fit Girls!

2009-03-23T14:58:00.002-04:00

....because readers are leaders!

It is official! Yoga enthusiasts, Cara and Rebecca, will be running their first Boston Marathon and raising funds for the Boston Fit Girls Project (sponsored by the DMSE Children's Fitness Foundation!!!

Please come and support Cara and Rebecca at the Fit Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Event at the Lululemon Store at the Prudential on Tuesday, April 7 6;30-9:00.

DFMC and The Great Gatsby

2009-03-21T10:16:00.003-04:00

What began as a "tickle" in the back of my throat on Thursday turned into a hacking cough and sore throat late Friday night. I chose to sleep in this morning and pass on the 7:00 wake up call to get to Waltham by 8:00 for the DFMC group run. Jack has us running a relatively short "long" run (12-15) as our top priority is to feel strong and healthy for the BIG 21 mile run out on the course next week. At some point today I'll get outside and shuffle along for 12 miles or so.

In the meantime, I'm sitting here with a nice cup of Hazlenut coffee after reading through DFMC teammate, Meredith's, college senior thesis - In Pursuit of Fulfillment: Gardens and F. Scott Fitzgerld's The Great Gatsby. I had the pleasure of meeting Meredith on Thursday night as she shared some of her wonderful experiences, both in and out of the classroom, at Bates College (she is a recent graduate). We started talking about some of her English classes, and I was intruiged when she starting describing her senior thesis. She was a bit suprised when I emailed her the next day asking if she wouldn't mind sharing her thesis with me, but I really do care and enjoy these types of papers. Her thesis was a real literary treat for me this morning. Gotta reread the Great Gatsby this summer!

My oldest daughter, Kallie, is in the midst of the college search and Bates seems to be at the top of her list; at least for this month! One of the many great things about running for DFMC is the range of people you meet over the course of your training. And there are many smart, interesting and fun "young ones", like Meredith, each year. Not only has it been super helpful to hear their perseptive on college (i.e. Betsy and Katie from Bowdoin, Meredith and Sarah from Bates), but these gals are super fun and a challenge to keep up with out on the roads! And one day I hope they will show Kallie the ropes when she signs up for her first DFMC Boston Marathon Run!

So Sarah, what was YOUR thesis at Bates????

The Grossman Hill was my warm-up

2009-03-17T15:58:00.003-04:00

I wisely opted NOT to run long on Saturday as I was battling some sort of bug, and unfortunatley could not attend the DFMC group run on Sunday due to a family bridal shower. This time of year you just can't fool around with the long run schedule...you just gotta suck it up and do it despite how boring and lonely it can be to run 20 miles solo. I HAD to run on Monday. I decided to run on the course as that provided me with at least a slight possibility of bumping into other runners who might be training. The other plus about running on the course was all the potential water and bathroom stops along the way. I don't run with a fuel belt (just can't stand anything hanging from my waist) so it is super helpful when I can pop into the Wellesley Booksmith (mile 13) or the any of 3 Marathon Sports (miles 15, 23, and 26) stores along the course.

My 20 mile route started at the WoodlandT stop (mile 17). I proceeded to run back on the course (yep...I had to tackle the awful Grossman's Hill the first mile!) to mile 11.5 which is a bit past Wellesley College. It felt wonderful to finally turn around at that point and start heading in the direction of the finish line, only another 14.5 miles to go! The wind was tough but I finally made it to the official finish line on Boylston. After a quick stop into Marathon Sports #3 and a great deal of moaning and groaning, I hobbled over to the T to catch what turned out to be an extremely slow train back to Woodland where my car was waiting. After another 30 minutes of driving I was finally back to my home in Medfield...a very LONG day, indeed!

Because I'm loving every wonderful, horrible moment of this.

2009-03-10T07:19:00.003-04:00

These were the words on the poster that I just happened to glance at in the window of the Greater Boston Running Club (Lexington) after finishing a 15 mile long run on the Minute Man Path. It was an Adidas poster, and I'm guessing that this may be their theme for the 2009 Boston Marathon, as they've been the official merchandise sponsor for 21 years.

Because of the injuries this winter, the following weeks are going to be tough as I've got to throw in at least 2 runs of over 20 miles. Daily runs (ranging from 5-10 miles ) feel just fine, but the long runs are tough. And I'm guessing age might play at role in that discomfort too!

Gotta love my new mantra!

2009 Fundraising Theme/Campaign

2009-03-07T15:36:00.006-05:00

FOR THE

Initially I had plans to "go green" with my fundaising and do all my letters/fundraising campaign through emails. My philosophy was "save a tree; save a life" by making an on-line donation towards cancer research. The response has not been great. This does not mean that friends and family members do not want to make a donation. It's just because the email is easy to overlook when one's inbox is full and often gets lost. In addition, I don't have email addresses for many individuals who have made donations in the past. So I've been working hard in getting out what will probably be over a hundred snail mail letters with a self-addressed stamped envelope for donors to send checks. Because I've been running for DFMC for 14 years, most of my friends/family know all the basic facts about DFMC, and my letter is short and sweet as I added in some fun "life is good" graphics. Life IS good...and the funds we raise has the potential to save many lives. I recently found out that a dear friend from high school (a mother of three young boys) is batting some sort of bone/lung cancer which brights to light the NEED for MORE RESEARCH to work towards treatments and eventually a cure for this horrible disease that affects so many of our loved ones. So Show your LOVE and let the $$ rippling factor begin for DFMC!!!!

Hey, Hey, Hey, It's a FAT....

2009-02-25T08:33:00.003-05:00

...ANKLE!

(And now I'm REALLY dating myself with this reference to a 70's Saturday morning cartoon. Many of my DFMC team mates weren't even born at this point in time!!).

While the pain has been minimal, the swelling and bruising from the fall into the pot hole crater last Thursday has been bad. It doesn't hurt to walk on it, and I'm able to roll my foot around, so it can't possibly be broken or seriously sprained. The other good sign is each day it looks a little bit better. I'm going to try and jog a few miles this morning and I've purchased a ankle wrap at CVS to provide extra support. My biggest concern is that I will twist it again so I'm going to be extra careful about where and how fast I'm running for the next couple weeks.

I'm also looking forward to the Yoga Fundraiser (to benefit the Boston Fit Girls Project) that good ol' Barry The Liver/Yoga Guy (aka - "my manager" as Brian calls him) coordinated. The event is scheduled for this Saturday at the Exhale Mind/Body Spa in Boston followed by adult beverages at Rattlesnakes.

You're the best, Barry!

Those Darn Pot Holes

2009-02-20T08:50:00.005-05:00

I've been "Doing The Thursday" run for the past 14 years, and I've always been very careful when running that strip of road coming down from Heartbreak Hill to B. C. as it is loaded with treacherous pot holes. Last night I clearly wasn't being very attentive to the craters as I stepped into one running at a fairly decent pace and landed flat on the ground. Luckily I was able to get my hands out in front of my face, but the fall wasn't pretty. I comtemplated hopping on the T at that point, but decided to walk, or rather jog, it out the rest of the way to Crossroads. (probably about another 4.5 miles). This probably wasn't a great decision as my ankle was very sore and swollen when I reached my final destination. JJ was great and whipped together a bag of ice for me and I continued to ice when I got back to Medfield. It doesn't look good ("Oh Mom...that's gross!") but considering I could run on it after I fell I think I'll be okay in a couple days. Darn, just when I was beginning to log some decent mileage and long runs.

Brian and I will be cheering on Kallie (junior in highschool) who is running the 1000 meters event at the Division 3 State Championship Meet at Reggie Lewis tonight. She is hoping for a birthday PR as she is celebraing her 17th birthday today. Wow - they grow up real fast!

Update: Kallie ran a 3:12 at her meet coming in 8th. A 4 second PR.

Weekly Mileage

2009-02-14T13:47:00.003-05:00

Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 40 minutes - arc trainer
Wednesday: 5miles
Thursday: 9 miles (hills)
Saturday: 16 miles (finally able to run long WITHOUT ANY PAIN!)

Off to Sugarbush for family ski vacation!!!

(Kallie and I will be training up in "God's country" as she has a Division 3 State Meet on Friday, and I need to keep building my mileage. It will be nice to have a training partner.)

Running and babies

2009-02-08T13:06:00.003-05:00

I thought I was a bit deranged when I ran the 1998 Boston Marathon after giving birth to my youngest daughter, Hannah, when she was only 12 weeks old. But there is new DFMC runner who just gave birth on Friday (Nicholas Joseph) and has plans to run Boston in April, just 10 weeks after delivering her bundle of joy. I loved reading her "race report" this morning. Wow - she's got a great medal to show for all her hard work!

Just this past week she emailed coach Jack asking for any tips he might be willing to provide in her post-partum training, and Jack proceeded to put the two of us in touch. It really is amazing how doctors now allow and encourage women to keep up their level of physical activity, including running! I actually felt great running during my pregnancy and ran 4 miles on the hills at Newton the day before I went in for my c-section with Hannah. I wasn't fast and I don't remember running more than 10 miles during my pregnancy, but I was able to maintain a certain level of fitness that made it possible for me to run Boston that April. My expectations were low that year...just wanted to run and be a part of the DFMC team. And as it turned out I had a great race - finished in 3:02. This came as a HUGE surprise. Geez, at 44 I'd be thrilled to run that pace again!! Please note: I would not recommend getting pregnant as a race strategy!

Natalie has also been able to maintain a decent base (weekly mileage of 30 miles) AND put in long runs throughout her pregnangy. Jack and I both recommended taking it easy and giving her body the necessary time to recover, but my prediction is that she will run a great race in April.

I just discovered a new "sweet pea" pattern after reading through knitter/writer Susan Anderson's blog. This will be a great gift for the newest member in the DFMC family. Happy Birthday, Nicholas!

Taking advantage of the white stuff

2009-02-04T07:35:00.003-05:00

I may be in the minority, but I'm really, really enjoying all the snow we are getting this winter.
I'm still in every-other-day running mode and this week has been wonderful for snowshoeing and skiing on those cross-training days. The trails are fabulous in Rocky Woods and I love the cool, crisp air. Today I plan on running an easy 5 miles and then heading out on my skis to enjoy the new 4 inches of snow that fell yesterday. Love it!

And when I'm not running....

2009-01-30T08:42:00.007-05:00

...I'm usually reading or knitting. And I love making baby hats. They're fun, fast and relatively easy to create, and I'm having SO MUCH FUN experimenting with a new pattern weaving strips of ribbon in the hat. And the "rabbit ear" pattern is so sweet too!

The only problem is that they are beginning to take over the shelves in our family room. I need heads for these hats! Thank goodness there are a handful of DFMC veterans having babies this spring. (Again ...blurry pictures as I'm not very good at taking pics with my cell phone. But I wanted to post these for Om Gal after our knitting chat last night at Crossroads)

For FABULOUS baby hat patterns and ideas check out Itty Bitty hats by Susan Anderson

12 Miles and Starting to Fundraise

2009-01-28T13:38:00.004-05:00

Tuesday was my designated "long run" day of the week, and I managed to run the Medfield to Dover center and back loop (12 miles). This particular loop has a history. It was the same loop I ran in 1995 the morning after a dinner party discussion about someone who ran the Boston Marathon doing all of his training on the stairmaster. My two oldest children were babies in 1995, and the trip to the gym and dropping them off in the nursery was my only chance of having some time for myself. I worked out a lot in 1995, and I was a fiend on the stairmaster, cranking up the intensity to the highest level for my hour long workout. Before this fateful day in January of 1995, I was NOT a runner. In fact, I hated to run. Stairmaster training proved to be excellent pre-conditioning for running as I stepped out in aerobic shoes for my very first "run" in January of 1995. A few months later I ran my first Boston Marathon as a bandit runner...and the rest is history.

Of course the marathon experience took on a whole new meaning when I signed up with the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team in 1996. And this April will be my 14th running with DFMC. Times flies when you're having fun and giving back to a great cause. I recently sent out my first email to potential 2009 donors with my new "Save a Tree: Save a Life" theme where my fundraising with be paperless. My goal is to raise $10,000, and while I realize that we are facing financially difficult times, cancer does not care about the economy. ANY DONATION of ANY SIZE is greatly appreciated in our battle against cancer. To make a donation please visit my DFMC webpage.

On another note, last Friday I was honored to be presented with the Heights Award during the half-time of the women's Boston College basketball game. This particular award, presented by Boston College and the Massachusetts Lottery, "honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the development and advancement of women's sports in Mass. Through influence or personal achievement this individual inspires girls and women on and off the field." What a thrill!!!! My oldest daughter snapped this picture at the ceremony (a bit blurry but it's the only picture we have).

The Plan

2009-01-21T15:13:00.002-05:00

Now that I'm finally back to running, and actually feeling pretty good after a couple weeks of easy, every-other day workouts, I'm ready for a training plan. So here is goes:

The problem with my heel started back in October when I tried to toss in too many long, hard runs after months of summer, easy running ( typically no longer than 8 miles as I just don't deal well in the heat). That strategy didn't work too well as I had to bag out of running the NYC marathon. (That is now on the calendar for November of 2009!). So the first part of the spring training plan is to take it slow and easy. I'm going to stick with the every-other day plan for another month focusing on building up the weekly long run. I'm up to 9, and if I add 2 miles each week I should be ready for a 20 mile run in early March. Bascially my goal is to get to the start of the Boston Marathon feeling healthy and fit without any concerns regarding race pace. At this point in my life I can safely say that my PR days are behind me which really is okay with me. Staying injury-free is now my goal and focus.

I've been real lucky with all this great snow here in New England as I've been doing lots of cross-country skiing which is a great cross-training activity for runners. It keeps me outside and the my typical 90 minute workouts are tough yet SO enjoyable. I've been out every day this week (I doubled up on running and skiing on Sunday and Tuesday) as you never know how long the white stuff will be with us. So enjoy it while you can!

See y'all at Crossroads tomorrow night!!!! (I can't wait to run the hills!!!)

Heathcliff makes a GREAT distraction

2009-01-15T20:30:00.005-05:00

Okay, so I might not be able to run 15 miles this weekend with the rest of the DFMC group (I'll put in 8-9) but the viewing of Masterpiece Classic's Wuthering Heights this coming Sunday night will be a great distraction.

"You know I could as soon forget you, as my own existence" - Heathcliff

This should be great fun, and no school/work the next day due to the MLK holiday, so I might make a of party out of the showing. Heathcliff's emotional immaturity tends to bug me...his passions are so intense that he pretty much destroys everyone around him..even the woman he loves! But, hey, like most of us, he is a complicated guy. I think I'll give him another chance and see how I feel after the latest PBS presentation. I may even get my daughter, a junior in highschool, to watch this with me. She suddenly is in a bit of a panic that she is turning into her mother based on the fact that she now loves to run (captain for the Medfield cross-country team next year) and likes literature and philosophy...go figure!

Words from Hawaii

2009-01-11T10:20:00.004-05:00

Aloha Sarah,

The weather outside's delightful (to the "Let it Snow" tune:) - at least here on Maui.Just read on your blog that you ran 3 - 4 times this week, including 2 consecutive days. Do you want to run now or in April? as long as you run on a painful foot, it will only get worse, or not get better and the amount of running you can do now won't help you get fitter anyway.Did you get my info on the Alter-G treadmill? If you were to live on the Arc Trainer 3 - 4 days / week and get on the Alter-G 1 - 2 / week, I believe you could get real fit with no stress to your foot. It will eventually heal but you shouldn't be running on it now - my $.02 worth.Stay warm -

Aloha - Jack

Even on his vacation our DFMC dedicated coach can't resist tossing out running wisdom! (I actually ran 6 miles on the trails on Saturday too. If felt good! But Jack's right...the next couple days will be filled with cross-training activities. Heading out to cross-country ski in a short bit to enjoy the new snow here in New England!

Weekly Mileage

2009-01-09T16:41:00.005-05:00

Tuesday: 3 miles on treadmill (no pain)

Thursday: 5 miles on the road (not great - some discomfort at the run)

Friday: 3 miles on the trails (felt good!)

Not exactly what one sees in Jack's DFMC training guide for the second week in January, but it is a start.

After an MRI, bone scan and CT scan, there still is no real answer for the discomfort I've been having in my heel. No stress fracture, that's for sure. The word "stress reaction" has been tossed around which seems to be another term for overuse. So I've been given the thumbs up to run again and see how it feels. The treadmill and the trails are more foregiving and I've felt pretty good after those two workouts. The longer distance on the roads caused some post run aches and pain and I'm not sure if it was those extra 2 miles or the pavement. I really love strapping on the Yak Tracks on my new Mizuno trail running shoes and heading out onto the trails in Rocky Woods and I was thrilled that today's run (more of a jog as I don't want to sprain an ankle tripping over a rock or root) felt good. My plan is to try a longer distance on the trails and see how that goes. Heck - maybe a majority of my training will be repeat loops on the trails in Rocky Woods this marathon season! Just as long as I'm outside enjoying the great oudoors.

And just MAYBE I'll be able to run around the river next Thursday night in order to join the regular Thursday Night post-run gang at Crossroads. I miss those teeny tiny wine glasses!

Wanderlust

2009-01-06T19:00:00.008-05:00

I started making plans for a trip to the Lake District as a means of battling the dark days of a running injury. My training for Boston is a bit stalled, to say the least, and I'll be happy if I can just slowly jog those 26 miles in April as part of the DFMC team. But hiking and walking seems to feel okay at this point in time. I've heard wonderful things about the Lake District - home of William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. I LOVED the Renee Zellweger movie, Miss Potter, and boy, she did A LOT more than just paint bunnies. Wordsworth described the Lake District as "The loveliest spot that man hath every found."

The trip begins and ends in Windermere (south part of the Lake District).

Here is the itenary
Day 1: Travel to Windermere where your first nights accommodation has been booked.
Day 2: Windermere to Grasmere. 10 ½ miles (17 km).

(This is a picture of Dove Cottage in Grasmere, Wordsworth's home)
Day 3: Grasmere to Coniston. 12 miles (19 km)
Day 4: Coniston to Windermere. 9 ½ miles (15 km)
Day 5: Depart from Windermere after breakfast

Mileage is a piece of cake! And I like the self-guided aspect of the tour as I'd go crazy in a bigger group with amblers! Independence and Adventure - what a great combination!

And here is what is included:
4 nights accommodation in en-suite rooms with private bathrooms (where available) in selected hotels, inns and guesthouse

Breakfast each day.
Door to door luggage transfer along the trail
A set of maps with the route marked on and route notes describing the trail.
An information pack containing an itinerary, detailed instructions on how to find your accommodation each night, town plans, information about facilities and places of interest along the trail and a kit list.
Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it.
Emergency Assistance ( I guess that is a good thing considering I've got a horrible sense of direction!)

All this beauty and adventure can be YOURS for a cost of 250 Pounds - that's only $372 American Dollars - not bad at all! Okay, so I'm sure the accomodations aren't exactly 5 star hotels, but with these types of views....sounds like a trip of a lifetime!

Cross Training Activity #1

2009-01-03T15:20:00.004-05:00

Indoor workouts are boring! You can definitely get a great workout and build up a real sweat on the indoor machines, but I can't stand the stationary aspect of the workouts. You're working hard and going NO WHERE! So I'm developing a program where I alternate indoor and outdoor workouts. We did a bit of organizing closets over vacation, and I uncovered a pair of hiking boots. There are many wonderful trails in Medfield and the surrounding towns, and I'm really enjoying my outdoor hikes. And when there is snow I strap on my cross-country skis and head out onto the trails. Today I decided to dig out an old pair of snowshoes (barely used) and try some snowshoe jogging. I'm hoping that this sort of "running" is okay for my heel considering it is fairly low impact (?). At least it adds a bit of zip into the exercise routine.

Let me tell you, trying to run/jog in snowshoes is HARD and a great workout! I definitely had to toss in walking breaks. I've done some research and they do make snowshoes specifically designed for fitness and running. The snowshoes I was using were pretty clunky, but if I can keep up this routine of snowshoe jogging I'll feel like Tinkerbell by the time I can actually run on the roads in my orange Mizuno racing flats!

I'm also getting the itch to travel, so I'm beginning to make plans for a 3 day hiking/walking/jogging adventure in the Lake District in England sometime in May. I've been given the thumbs up from my husband, and I have plans to discuss my UK adventure with my good friend and summer neighbor, Mary, who lives in London and Scotland. More details to follow.....

Blessing for a New Year

2008-12-31T17:06:00.003-05:00

"May you have warm words on a cold evening,

a full moon on a dark night,

a smooth road all the way to your door

and an injury free year!" - adapted Irish blessing

Happy New Year!!

(illustration by Mary Azarian)

Injury Update

2008-12-22T16:30:00.004-05:00

Last Friday I had a follow-up appointment with my podiatrist who, after a brief examination and an xray, told me my heel pain is due to problems with the mechanics of my foot and there wasn't much we could do about it, so running days were probably over. I proceeded to burst out in tears. What could this guy be talking about?! Did the mechanics of my foot and stride suddenly change after 26 marathons?! If I overpronate LETS DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT...like order orthodics!! And what about the on and off shooting pains in the foot?? That certainly isn't normal and can we please try and find a way for this to heal itself?? The physical therapist with whom I would like to begin working made me promise to insist on further tests to get a more indepth look into the injury. Reluctantly the podiatrist made arrangements for an MRI. Those results came back today and there does seem to be some "stress" related issues. As strange as it may sound, I am actually hoping for some sort of stress fracture diagnosis. Most runners with stress fractures in the heel are put in some sort of boot for 2-4 weeks. It also appears that they are not allowed any weight bearing cross-training activities, which includes the eliptical and standing up on the stationary bike. If I do indeed have a stress fracture in the heel, my daily routine of walking around and cross-training at the gym MAY be interfering with the healing process...which is why I'm haven't seen much improvment for the past 2 months. So the day after Christmas, he (podiatrist) has ordered two new tests, one of which is a bone scan.
I'm not really clear on how all these tests work, or what NEW information the bone scan will reveal...I just want to RUN AGAIN SOON!

Happy Birthday, Jane!

2008-12-16T06:59:00.003-05:00

Jane Austen was born on December 16th, 1775, in Hampshire, England, and began to write for recreation at the beginning of her teens. Her best known works are Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), and Emma (1816). For her time, she was extraordinarily talented at pointing out the ironies of middle class life in turn of the centurylate 18th and early 19th centuryEngland. To this day, her observations are often still relevant, and for this reason Jane Austen continues to delight many. Her wry and charming insights have inspired several contemporary films of her novels as well as several very active communities of fans throughout the world.

Gotta Run

2008-12-14T09:20:00.005-05:00

...BUT CAN'T RUN!!

This heel injury started to bother me in mid-October when training for the NYC marathon, and it just doesn't seem to be getting any better! Okay, I must admit that I'd lose patience with the injury every 7-10 days and go out for an easy 3-4 mile run just to "feel it out". That plan didn't work so well. So now I am committed to absolutely NO running for the month of December. My concern is that simply walking around and my daily routine also irritates the foot. Do I need some sort of boot for proper healing?? This will all be discussed when I meet with the podiatrist on Tuesday. In the mean time, taping the foot provides a certain amount of relief and stability.

"When the foot is taped properly, the fascia's movement becomes limited. Often times, athletes may tape their feet during certain times to help prevent strain during exercise. By limiting the fascia's movement, it becomes a way to keep the ligament from moving abnormally or stretching excessively and thus preventing tears from developing in the tissue. "

Recommendation of the Week

2008-12-10T13:21:00.008-05:00

My new favorite novel and holiday gift recommendation is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows. I realize that the title is quite a mouthful, and I get a lot of raised eyebrows when I first mention this title to friends, but this is a literary gem of a novel! Part Jane Austen, part history lesson, it is a novel in letters and telegrams exchanged over the course of nine months shortly after the end of World War II. The novel celebrates community (you will fall in love with this eccentric, charming set of characters!) and is a tribute to the magic and healing power of great literature. Everyone I've recommended this to LOVES it!

I did a bit of research, and it appears that there is also a strong running community on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel! The Guernsey Island Amateur Athletic Club coordinates track workouts every Tuesday and Thursday, and during the winter there are races every weekend ranging in distance for 1-23 miles. Non members and visiting athletes are welcome to compete in their races or join them for training. Boy oh boy, I would love to squeeze in a workout with the GIAAC this winter!!

I'm particularly intruiged by their All Terrain Challenge, a series of 7 races over 7 days, including a 5 mile cliff path race. All the races start at 6:30 at night, and results are posted at a local bar (the English Channel equivalent of Crossroads!). This would be an absolute blast!! I'll have to look into their overseas membership.

Nurture your community this holiday season!

2008-12-08T12:41:00.008-05:00

Did you ever see the movie You've Got Mail? Remember that great little bookshop that Meg Ryan owned? Did it break your heart to see her go out of business?? This holiday season let's help those real life small, independent bookstores. Working at the Wellesley Booksmith for 5 years made me a HUGE fan and loyal supporter of the independent bookstore business. I’ve had additional experience working at Eight Cousins in Falmouth, and I spend many hours in the summer at Titcombs Bookshop in Sandwich MA located a few miles from our family summer home on the Cape. Unfortunately it is VERY HARD for these charming little guys to stay in business and compete with those corporate BIG (BAD) BOYS. In May of 2008, the American Booksellers Association launched the IndieBound campaign (replacing BookSense) in order to generate some new enthusiasm and support for the local business world. And now we need YOU, as the consumer during the holiday season, to do your literary patriotic duty and support the Indies!

And it gets better...not only do you have the opportunity to support local bookstores, you can also support the Boston Fit Girl Project for girls from low-income communities when you shop with the Bluestocking Runner. Here's how it works:

I've signed up to be a part of the Indie Affiliate program where I can create links from my blog and website to IndieBound and earn COMMISSIONS when you order books from the family of independent bookstore registered with IndieBound. Wow – what a cool way to raise funds for the Boston Fit Girls Project! It is important that you begin your literary on-line shopping after linking from the bluestockingrunner blog site, otherwise they can't track the purchases and it won't count towards any potential commissions.

You will be directed to the Indiebound site anytime you click on the Indiebound logo. You will be asked to enter your zip code and they will present you with a variety of independent bookstores that offer on-line sales. The Indiebound site has lists of great recommendations from booksellers around the country. There are MANY wonderful indies to support. Do you have a favorite independent bookstore that you'd like to support? Tell us about it!

Runners Meeting #2 and Tennyson

2008-12-05T10:47:00.003-05:00

Last night I attended the second DFMC runners meeting for the 2008-09 season. One of the things I enjoy most about these meetings and our group runs is that it brings together individuals from all walks of life who are working towards 2 common goals: running 26 miles and finding a cure for cancer. We are no longer teachers, CEOs, massage therapists, doctors, firemen, lawyers, musicians or students. We are runners and fundraisers. I love the energy, the excitement, the camaraderie, the passion for the challenges...

“That which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.”

I can’t wait to get out there and pound the pavement with the new team, however I’m still plagued by this mysterious heel injury. I’ve seen a sports orthopedic doctor, a podiatrist, even a reflexologist. (Not sure the holistic energy healing approach works for me, but I liked the foot rubbing aspect of the treatment!) It’s not a stress fracture, and doesn’t seem to show the classic signs of plantar fasciitis, yet there is tightness and pain in the heel/achilles tendon area that just won’t go away. My next step is to work with a local physical therapist for some deep tissue massage and cross-training tips. I am hoping for some holiday miracles to be performed by the team of angels at the Sports and Physical Therapy Associates in Wellesley. Patience, patience….

"This is quite the season indeed for friendly meetings." - Mr. Elton

2008-11-28T12:29:00.002-05:00

An early reader for senior marathon runners!

2008-11-24T16:07:00.007-05:00

Oh...how exciting! I just adore Cynthia Rylant's Mr. Putter and Tabby series. And today I realized that her latest title in this marvelous collection of early readers is Mr. Putter and Tabby Run the Race. Here is a little preview:

It was April.

Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby,

were full of April energy.

They always got extra energy in April.

Flowers were blooming,

birds were singing,

showers were showering. April!

Mr. Putter and Tabby felt it.

Mrs. Teaberry next door must have felt it, too.

She called Mr. Putter one April morning
"There's a race," - she said.

"A race?" asked Mr. Putter.

"A marathon!" said Mrs. Teaberry.

Uh- oh, thought Mr. Putter

He was sure Mrs. Teaberry was going to ask him

to run the race with her...

"Aren't we too old to run a race?"

asked Mr. Putter.

"It's a senior marathon," said Mrs. Teaberry.

"Nothing but old people!"...

"I have not run anywhere in thirty years,"
said Mr. Putter.

"I don't think I remember how to run."

And so continues the dialogue between enthusiastic Mrs. Teaberry and reluctant Mr. Putter.

I think this would be a sweet book for any (older) or retired marathon runner who might have beginning readers (children or grandchildren) in their homes.

And PLEASE consider supporting your local independent bookstore!

Boston Fit Girls

2008-11-23T16:35:00.004-05:00

This weekend the O'Hearn School team (Dorchester) participated in the Milton Best Buddies 5k race event which wraps up the season for the Boston Fit Girl teams. Race conditions were hardly ideal; very cold and windy. And while most adult runners are accustomed to discomfort and running through horrible weather conditions, I was very concerned that these 9 and 10 year-olds might be miserable out on the course. Fortunately the girls were troopers. They bundled up with hats, mittens and scarves and persevered through the 3.1 miles. There were also plenty of teachers and parents along the course cheering for and encouraging the girls to keep up the good work. Because of this darn heel injury, the 3 mile distance is about all I can run before the pain starts to really creep upon me. At least I was able to be out there on the course with the girls and see the smiles on their faces as they crossed the finish line. Congratulations O'Hearn Fit Girls and THANK YOU to Kim, Leah and Erin who were GREAT coaches!!

I must have met Keats on a long run

2008-11-20T17:21:00.001-05:00

"I have met with women whom I really think would like to be married to a poem and to be given away by a novel" - John Keats

What is this blog all about?

2008-11-19T08:55:00.007-05:00

Initially when I started the bluestockingrunner blog, my goal was to share tips and stories about my training and fundraising for the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. There were many other (young) runners who already had blogs, and I was entertained by their posts and thoughts. I must admit that I felt silly starting my own blog as it seemed a bit narcissistic..I mean, who really cares about my weekly long run or what I ate for breakfast that fueled me for the day? Nevertheless, I found that I enjoyed the process of creating a post as it became a sort of writing exercise. While I consider myself a good reader and critic of good writing, I am not at all confident in my writing skills. And the only way to get better, whatever the activity, is practice, practice, practice!

Very early on in my blogging life I discovered that I couldn't resist posting about books (mostly children's literature) as I'm a former children's bookseller and currently work part-time as a Middle school librarian. I spend LOTS of time reading kiddie/young adult lit and just LOVE it.
So of course I want to share (or at least express for myself) thoughts about current favorites.

For all of you who are passionate about running and marathons, there are an equal amount of individuals who love to share their thoughts about great books for kids. I'm not sure how often these two passions overlap, but I can identify at least a handful of writers who are avid runners including Printz Award Winner, Laurie Halse Anderson (Chains, Fever, Speak), Wendelin Van Draanen (Sammy Keyes mystery series), Coleen Murtagh Paratore (Wedding Planner's Daughter), and recently I discovered Alison McGhee (author of one of my new favorite titles, Julia Gillian and the Art of Knowing) is also a runner, although she has not YET run a marathon. Gee, I wonder how many more of my favorite writers are also runners?

In addition, I can identify a few Dana-Farber runners who work in publishing and are lovers of literature, including Kristina (aka: the marathon mama) and Abby (see abby run). Although their passion may not be the children's literature genre, Kristina may have an interest in the picture book recommendations for her little reader, Henry. And who knows....there may even be a couple librarians, booksellers and/or writers on our 2009 DFMC team.

There are also occasional posts about my Fit Girls running/reading program and stories about the joys and frustrations of raising my 3 children (Kallie 16, Beau 15 and Hannah, 10).

Basically my blog is a mish mash of thoughts, comments and recommendations that represents the wide range and variety of my interests, hobbies and responsibilities, all of which are important and special to me in their own unique way. And I sheeplishly admit that I find blogging somewhat therapeutic (and fun!). So I think I'll try to get back to both blogging and blog reading on a fairly consistent basis. Trying to write a review of a new book title , sharing a passage from a beautiful poem, moaning about an injury, or best of all, reading an account of a friend's recent PR half-marathon ( Congrats, Abby!) is A LOT more interesting than folding laundry - and now the basement is now calling me for one more load! Ugh!

A River of Words: A Story of William Carlos Williams

2008-11-07T17:32:00.008-05:00

so much depends

upon

a unique picture

book

glazed with exquisite

illustrations

beside my night

table.

This fabulous new picture book biograpahy of William Carlos Williams is a treat for poetry fans of all ages! Oh, I do miss my days as a chidlren's bookseller when I was actually paid to read, shelve and sell so many wonderful literary gems that celebrate both language and art. Thank goodnes I am a faithful reader of children's literature blogs to stay on top of what's new and remarkable in the wonderful world of picture books. A River of Words will be featured in this Sunday's NYTimes as one of the best illustrated books of the year. Thank you, author Jen Bryant and illustrator Melissa Sweet for sharing your gifts and talents with the rest of us!

Cortisone Shot

2008-11-05T14:14:00.006-05:00

While the cortisone shot was painful, I was not at all prepared for the AGONY I experienced a couple hours after leaving the doctor's office. Yikes! I couldn't even walk on it and was almost in tears due to the pain. When the motrin finally kicked in I began to feel better, but I still can't put any weight on the foot. After some internet research I believe I am experiencing a "cortisone flare":

There is approximately a 20% chance of an increase in pain the day after the injection. This is known as a "cortisone flare" and is almost always a good sign. This is poorly understood phenomenon which lasts only for 24 hours and has no significant meaning. It usually resolves spontaneously although rest, ice, Tylenol or aspirin will help you to "grin and bear it". It is my subjective opinion that people who have this pain flare-up almost always will get an excellent long term result.

I'm going to try and look at the bright side and stick with the hope that I will have "an excellent long term result".

Little Town Blues

2008-11-02T15:55:00.004-05:00

Today I SHOULD be down in New York running what would have been my 6th New York City Marathon. But unfortunately this plan came to a halt when I came down with a mysterious heel injury a few weeks ago. The injury didn't come as a huge surprise as I really didn't do any long runs over the summer, and then beginning in September started to add in long and hard runs. Too much, too soon...and now I'm paying for it.

I've been to the sports orthopedic doctor who ruled out a stress fracture, and I'm not experiencing the classic signs of plantar fasciitis. It just HURTS when I run/walk more than 3 miles. So I"m off to the podiatrist this week...what a pain! And this is my absolute favorite time of year to run! The gym is a horrible place to be on a beautiful fall day.

I've been trying to track fellow DFMC runner and Austen reader, Young Jeff, as he is running his second marathon down in the Big Apple today. He had a pretty amazing debut marathon in Boston last April finishing in 2:52. Race conditions looked perfect and I have no doubt that this will be a PR day for YJ.

Despite not being able to run in NYC, I did have the pleasure of "wogging" the Watertown Boys and Girls Club 5k race with a Fit Girls team from S. Boston. These gals did an AWESOME job at today's race ,and I just loved to see them cheering for one another on the course chanting "Let's go, Fit Girls, let's go!" My teenage daughter and cross-country runner, Kallie, was also out there as a "race buddy" supporting and encouraging girls as she ran/walked the course with the girls. I am really excited to develop and grow the "race buddy" aspect of the Fit Girl program that pairs up young girls with local runners and high school athletes. The little girls just LOVE the company and support of the older gals. DFMC team ates Brenda and Abby were also TERRIFIC as they volunteered at the Chelsea Boys and Girls 5k last week.

Anyone interested in volunteering as a "race buddy" at the Milton Best Buddy 5k on Saturday, Nov. 22?

I'm going to a ball!

2008-09-12T15:52:00.003-04:00

Okay, so it's not really a ball, but there will be Austen-themed country dancing at the“Afternoon in the Assembly Rooms: A Program of Austenian Enlightenment and Entertainment.” The event is hosted by the Jane Austen Society of North America (aka JASNA) Massachusetts Region which I will be a member of in the very near future!

The gala event will be held Sunday, September 14, from noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Henderson House Conference Center in Weston, Massachusetts. It begins with a lecture from Peter Graham on “Jane Austen’s Tangled Bank: A Darwinian Look at the Development of Sibling Personalities in Austen’s Novels.” This will be followed by dancing ("Do you like to dance, Mr. Darcy?")in Regency costume, and these performers will be encouraing us to learn the dances as well. (oh boy!) The event concludes with an elegant, formal tea.

All the Victorian excitement and adventure can be yours too at a price of $60 per person. I'm not sure if I could even pay my husband $600 to attend an event like this! But I think this will be great fun. I'm not exactly sure what to wear as I don't have a great deal of Regency style frocks in my closet, and it will be most interesting to see who else actually shows up at this event. Will there be anyone else with a bumper sticker on their car that reads "Jane Austen for President'? How old will the average JASNA member be?? And will the event actually last for 5 hours???? More to follow...

In Love Again

2008-08-20T20:35:00.005-04:00

It's been months since I've last posted. I've had the most wonderful (and relaxing) summer with my family at our beach house here in Sagamore Beach. This community is filled with families who return year after year. My mother spent every summer of her life coming to Saggy Beach, I've spent 44 years of my life here, and now I've had the pleasure of bringing my three children to this unique and beautiful seaside place where anchorage, community and family remains a priority. Oh yes, and my daily run along the Cape Cod canal is another bonus!

And today I had the pleasure of finishing one of the most charming, warm novels I've read in a long time. Atticus Finch, Colonel Brandon, Mr. Knightly, and Mr. Rodchester - move over. I'm in love with a new fictional male...Dawsey Adams!! (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer) How could any reader resist a character with this description...

"While we were laughing about that, Dawsey was seeing to my bags and making sure that Kit didn't fall off the pier and generally making himself useful. I began to see that this is what he does - and that everyone depends upon him to do it."

In addition, Dawsey loves poetry (Charles Lamb in particular), flowers and honest, hardworking people.

I have lots of room for fictional men in my life...for let's face it - could only one man really meet all my literary needs? I adore and value all of them!

Home Sweet Home

2008-05-22T11:50:00.003-04:00

The Trek Adventure ended on Sunday as a majority of the relay runners crossed the Boston Marathon finish line. Three of the runners ran all 10 days, but 5 was MORE than enough for my tired legs. Running 15 miles a day for 5 days was a REAL CHALLENGE! However, the overall experience was wonderful as it gave me the opportunity to meet a great group of people, support an important cause, and run through beautiful towns in New England.

TREK USA: DESTINATION NEW ENGLAND

2008-05-12T17:29:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow after work and Fit Girls I will be commuting up to New London with two other Trek runners as we prepare to run the last 5 days of the Trek Relay to benefit the DMSE Children's Fitness Foundation. I've been scrambling around all day to get myself packed and ready as well as do my best to organize the homefront. I'll be more relaxed running the daily 15-20 miles!!

Here is the 5 day schedule:

Day 1: New London NH to Northampton MA (135 miles)

Day 2: Northampton to Charlestown RI (151 miles)

Day 3: Charalestown to Hyannis (137 miles)

Day 4: Hyannis to Ptown and back to Sagamore Beach (136 miles) followed by a night in the Nixon/Fagerburg family summer home (aka "Saggy Hotel")

Day 5: Sagamore Beach to Boston (84 miles) with the final 26 miles on the Boston Marathon course.

Fun, fun, fun!!! This should be excellent for my post marathon recovery.

Evening Reading Material: Mr. Emerson's Wife by Amy Belding Brown

It is the story of Lidian, the fascinating woman who was loved insufficiently by Emerson and perhaps too much by Thoreau. The line between historical and fictional is said to be murky in this nineteenth-century tale of love among the Transcendentalists, but I've heard it's a page turner!

Walk around Walden Pond

2008-05-08T08:43:00.002-04:00

Today we (Medfield Middle School Library Staff) finally got around to rewarding all the students who read all 35 books (okay - it is a ridiculous high number; we are redesigning the incentive program for 2008) from the 2007 Summer Reading List. This entailed a beautiful hike around Walden Pond (our attempt to keep the field trip somewhat literary based) plus I loved tossing in the fitness aspect!

Our hike was followed up with lunch at the Colonial Inn and finally a trip to the fabulous independent Concord Bookshop where each student was allowed to purchase one paperback.

Overall, a great day for both students and faculty. Below is a picture of some of the 32 kids from the group.

TREK USA goodies

2008-05-04T21:14:00.004-04:00

Check out all the great stuff that Saucony donated to all of us who will be running the TREK USA:Destination New England beginning on May 9 and ending on May 18.

I'll be running the last 5 days of the event (15 miles each day). I'm particularly excited to run along the CT and RI coast followed by a run to PTown and back to Boston.

My very loyal and patient husband will be managing all home, school and sports schedules while I am away. Here he is with our youngest "fit girl" and TREK fan sporting some of the latest fashions provided by Saucony and the DMSE Foundation.

So What's Next?

2008-04-30T20:28:00.005-04:00

(cue Frank Sinatra: "I want to be a part of it - New York, New York!!)

Marathon Photos

2008-04-27T19:56:00.005-04:00

I recently checked out the 2008 Boston marathon shots from marathonfotos.com. Gee - no wonder I rarely ever order any of these prints! I'm clearly feeling okay at this section on the course...but then the head starts to tilt...

and I'm clearly fighting hard to put the whole race behind me~

FINALLY - the finish line!

Recovery, Relaxation, and Reading, of course

2008-04-25T09:44:00.003-04:00

The day after the marathon I drove down to one of my most favorite spots in the world - our family summer home in Sagamore Beach - with my youngest daughter, Hannah, and her best buddy, Holly. Brian and Beau will join us on Friday, as they had to stay in Medfield for Beau's baseball season, and Kallie (the spoiled brat!) is on a beach in St. John's with a friend for the week.

The weather has been amazing, and I've been able to catch up on new literature we are considering for the Middle School summer reading list. My most favorite read of the week was Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass. A great coming-of age novel with wonderful, warm and witty characters. This has great potential as our upcoming all-school read this summer. Here is a review from Publisher's Weekly:

"What is the meaning of life? Mass (A Mango-Shaped Space) introduces a winning narrator who attempts to answer this question and ends up accomplishing much more....Much of the novel's charm derives from Jeremy and Lizzy's unique friendship.…Jeremy and Lizzy find what they are looking for and more, but not where or in the way they expected. This exquisitely executed plot twist, combined with an ending that requires a few tissues, makes this soulful novel one not to miss." —Publishers Weekly *starred review

At the end of the novel, Jeremy begins his own collection of life lessons that he will most likely share with his future children with this wonderful gem: "From the day I realized that love is stronger than death and that people you barely know can amaze you - age 13".
This particular lesson hit home as this reminds me of why I run with DFMC and the wonderful people I've met over the years.

I strongly believe that the world would be a much better place if people spent more time reading quality children's literature and Austen!

Austen for Arbeit

2008-04-22T07:28:00.004-04:00

It is a truth universally acknowledged...that Young Jeff will indeed be reading Emma and Persuasion as I WON our bet by crossing the finish line before the speedy novice marathon runner!

Okay, so I was given a 30 minute lead as I started in wave 1, but believe me, I was working hard yesterday!

Arbeit - 2:52

Nixon - 3:05

Plus, the bet was reported on the Publisher's Weekly website!

Bippity Boppity Boo Update #2

2008-04-20T19:51:00.002-04:00

Hooray!! Fairygod Friends, Sue and Bob Parente, made a donation that pushed me over the $10,000 fundraising level!!! THANKS TO ALL MY DONORS for all your generous support of my Boston Marathon Run with DFMC.

Now I just have to run the darn race and try and cross the finish line before Young Jeff in order to win my literary/running bet!

Bippity Boppity Boo Update

2008-04-19T20:54:00.001-04:00

Fairy Blake Student and Dana-Farber Middle School Challenge runner, Rose, brings the grand total to $9,614
with her donation of $330. Way to go, Rose!!

Bippety, Boppety, Boo

2008-04-19T10:41:00.006-04:00

My Fundraising Goal:$10,000.00

Your current amount:$8,515.00

This is what you will see on my current DFMC fundraising page. And this morning I sent in another $769 which brings the grand total to $9,284.

I am wondering if there are any fairy godmothers (and fathers) who will help me reach the $10,000 goal by race day????

Shoe Distribution

2008-04-18T14:39:00.008-04:00

It was great having Shonda Schilling join me in a pre-season visit to the Condon School Fit Girls team in South Boston yesterday. This was a particularly special day in that Shonda was able to donate Reebok shoes to all the girls (in addition to the shirts and water bottles we provide for them).

It really is wonderful for the girls to meet "every day" local runners who are able to participate in one of the world's most prestigious marathons simply by putting in the time and hardwork. We want these girls to realize that THEY CAN DO IT too as we are here to support them on and off the track.

However, the REAL highlight of the day was when Shonda brought out the World Series rings - WOW!!

Dedicated to all the non-running spouses

2008-04-17T22:52:00.007-04:00

I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to meet and hear Alexander McCall Smith (author of No. 1 Ladies Detectives and Isabel Dalhousie series) in Cambridge last night. The time I spent waiting in line to get my book signed was equivalent to the time it will take me to get to mile 6 on Monday.

I adore his Isabel Dalhousie protagonist who is a "moral philosopher" living in modern-day Scotland. Isabel inspired me to travel to Scotland and run the Edinburgh Marathon (June 2006). I wore my Edinburgh marathon t-shirt hoping that might encourage further conversation with the author after the signing, but this may have back-fired as he appears to know other marathon runners and their focus....

"Ben had become an enthusiastic jogger and spent most of his spare time running. He had finished fifty-second place in the Edinburgh Marathon and was now talking about competing in the next New York Marathon.

He has met Ben for a meal at Henderson's Salad Table, and the conversation had largely been about calories, energy levels and the benefit of Arnica cream for soft-tissue injuries.

"I've got a really interesting story to tell you..I was running about two weeks ago - or was it three? Hang on, it was three because it was the week before I was due to do the Peebles Half-Marathon with Ted and the others. Anyways, I was doing a circular route up Colinton Road, past Redford Barracks, and then down into Colinton Village...."

Matthew had looked at his pasta and at the ceiling, and tried to remember what it was he saw in Ben all those years ago. He had liked him. They had been friends, and now this thing - this running -had come between them."

(Love Over Scotland - A 44 Scotland Street Novel)

Marathon Jump Roping

2008-04-13T18:56:00.004-04:00

Today I volunteered at the Jump Into Spring event supporting the fabulous Strong Women, Strong Girls program that Harvard graduate Lindsey Hyde started when she was a freshman. Lindsey is a dynamite young woman, and I love her program.

This first-time event was coordinated in the DownTown Crossing area right outside Macys where over 200 strong girls and their college mentors gathered for an afternoon of fun, fitness and fundraising. It was quite fitting that they assigned me to the Marathon Jump Roping Contest to see which girls could jump for the longest period of time. It's been a long time since I've skipped rope, so I'll log this as a cross-training day.

And I was particularly excited to run into two of my Condon School (S. Boston) Fit Girls at the event who also participate in the SWSG program.

Great event, great program, great women, and great girls!

PR for Kallie

2008-04-11T07:54:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was a PR day for Kallie...

She ran the mile in 5:52 (coming in third in the meet against Westwood).

PLUS, the top Medfield Male Mile Guy ( who clocks a sub 5 minute mile) was at the finish with flowers and a poster asking her to go to the PRom.

Kallie said "yes" after catching her breath.

So cute!

Erin Brockovich in Medfield

2008-04-10T08:50:00.008-04:00

It has been very exciting to see Fit Girls featured in the Real Runners section in the latest Runners World. I pulled my youngest daughter and five of her friends (who are all on the Medfield Fit Girls team) for a photo shoot which was great fun for them, although the session ran a bit long for them. The library setting (representing the literacy aspect of the program) works great.

The official Medfield Fit Girls training season kicks off the week after spring vacation, and there are 55 girls on the spring roster. In the past we have been running our laps around the pond (which is exactly a quarter mile) at the local cemetary which is a safe and pretty location where I can keep an eye on all the girls at all times. However, "someone" complained last fall. Evidently this "someone" didn't feel it was appropriate and respectful. Now, I certainly wouldn't have my girls run laps during a burial, and I do understand the need for quiet, reflective time, but there are lots of people who walk dogs, run, fish, and even go sledding in the winter. Yes, I have a large group but we limit our workouts to the space around the pond that is somewhat removed from the actual plots. And over the course of the year we are only there for 15 hours or so.

I tried to discuss the matter with both the principal and superintendent and was basically brushed off and told it was "non-negotiable". No discussion. They wouldn't even give me the opportunity to present my case or ask any questions. The lack of dialogue is actually what offended me the most as I work very hard to make the program a positive and up-lifting experience for all the girls. I don't think the superintendent has a clue what I do with the girls PLUS as an intramural it brings in a heck of a lot of money for the school system! At this point the Erin Brockovich started to come out which makes me wonder who has the legal right to make this decision? Isn't it town property? I'm a tax payer and so are all the parents of the fit girls? And who complained? Can we work out a compromise after discussing the matter from BOTH points of view? Some of the parents of the girls suggested I create a petition for them to sign, but it seems a bit silly and over the top to go down that path. This may require legal advice and representation from our DFMC law students!

Off to town hall for some research...

"I think very highly of him -that I greatly esteem him."

2008-04-07T10:01:00.006-04:00

Who is your favorite Austen leading man? Click here to meet the Men of Jane Austen.

I’m swept away by Colonel Brandon, and was very satisfied with the BBC’s latest portrayal of him. Some see him as old, serious and not very glamorous. But I share Marianne’s opinion of him when she finally grows up and recognizes the wonderful guy he really is…

“Colonel Brandon is an exceptional man. He kept faithful to his first love, even after she had been torn away from him…even after she was dead. He is the true romantic, I think. It is not what we say or feel that makes us what we are…just what we do…or fail to do.”

(Okay..so maybe it's just a bit creepy that Brandon is 35 and Marianne, the object of his affection, is 17. Nevertheless, he is quite the gentleman - loyal, patient, honest and humble)

Mr Darcy? I like him, but definitely don’t love him. After all, he really is pretty much of an arrogant, uptight twit for most of the novel, even if he is rich and handsome.

Edward was looking pretty darn good in the wet t-shirt too!

Speedy DFMC Men

2008-04-06T13:01:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to our fastest DFMC male runners as Jeff, Tyler and Matt placed in the top ten at RJ Crowleys 3 mile race yesterday!! Your teammates are proud of you!

Jeffrey Arbeit 16:15.4
Tyler Hart 17:39.2
Matthew Whitcomb 18:29.7

And congratulations to race director, Shifter, on another FABULOUS fundraiser for DFMC.

It all comes together...

2008-04-06T12:00:00.002-04:00

I ran the last 13 miles of the course with a handful of other DFMC ladies on Saturday morning. These gals did a great job of kicking it in for the final mile at a 7:30 pace. (I hope Jack doesn’t yell at you!) There is most definitely qualifying talent in this group.

I also love the fact that the finish line of the Boston Marathon is right in front of the Boston Public library….a physical spot where two of my greatest passions come together!

I highly recommend a visit inside the BPL. It is a BEAUTIFUL building with fabulous murals by John Singer Sargent. Great courtyard too – a place for quiet reflection (and a cool down!) in the middle of a busy city.

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” ~Cicero

Final 2 weeks

2008-04-04T10:50:00.003-04:00

DFMC coach and guru, Jack Fultz, was a real peach in taking the time to visit with the Dana-Farber Middle School Challenge Team yesterday. There are about 20 students who signed up for the first-time event as they help me train for the Boston Marathon (on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons they jog a 2 mile loop with me) and fundraise for cancer research.

I was also able to arrange for a photo shoot (I'll post some pics later today) and interview with our local press when Jack was visiting with the kids. It was very exciting for them to meet a REAL LIVE BOSTON MARATHON WINNER!
Later in the day I ran the Thursday 9 mile hill run with Tall Sarah, who is running her second marathon and shooting for a 3:15. The lady is on FIRE and all of us at Crossroads were strongly encouraging her to hold back (NO 20 mile run this weekend!) and save it for race day.

There is only one more “doing the Thursday” hill workout on the 2008 Boston Marathon Training schedule, which is always a sad thought as I just adore the DFMC family filled with runners young and old (Steve – thanks for the reminder last night that we are, in fact, old!).

I do hope to squeeze in an occasional run around the river in the late spring to stay in touch with all these wonderful runners, readers and philanthropists!

A Bet with Mrs. Robinson

2008-04-01T09:58:00.005-04:00

We've got a real speedster on our DFMC team this year - young Jeff - who recently ran a 5k in 17:03 and cranked out a 1:18:07 at the New Bedford Half-Marathon. He's also smart (recently graduated from Brown) and well-read (loves the classics). And at this point I will remind myself I am a happily married mother of 3 and old enough to be his mother!

This will be Jeff's first marathon, which means he will start with the rest of the charity runners back in the 22nd coral (Wave 2). My qualifying time from NYC places me in the 6th coral this year (Wave 1). This means I will get a 30 minute start on young Jeff PLUS the time he'll spend trying to manuever his way around thousands of 12 minute mile runners in his attempt to start his sub 7 minute race pace. I am guessing that he will finish (chip time) around 2:45...and my goal is around 3:15. And now we have a bet.

We are racing gun time, not chip time. That is, whoever crosses the finish line first is the winner. If I finish first, then he must read Jane Austen's last novel, Persuasion. (the Austen novel of my choice - I'm guessing that at some point in highschool he had to read Pride and Prejudice ). And if he finishes first, I will read Gravity's Rainbow (his favorite novel) byThomas Pynchon.

Now, let's compare the two synoposis:

His book (mature readers only): Tyrone Slothrop, a GI in London in 1944, has a big problem. Whenever he gets an erection, a Blitz bomb hits. Slothrop gets excited, and then (as Thomas Pynchon puts it in his sinister, insinuatingly sibilant opening sentence), "a screaming comes across the sky," heralding an angel of death, a V-2 rocket. The novel's title, Gravity's Rainbow, refers to the rocket's vapor arc, a cruel dark parody of what God sent Noah to symbolize his promise never to destroy humanity again.

Hmmmm....not typically something I would pick off a shelf.

My book (general audience): Persuasion follows the romance of Anne Elliot and naval officer Frederick Wentworth. They were happily engaged until Anne’s friend, Lady Russell, persuaded her that Frederick was “unworthy.” Now, eight years later, Frederick returns, a wealthy captain in the navy, while Anne’s family teeters on the edge of bankruptcy. They still love each other, but their past mistakes threaten to keep them apart.

Now, doesn't that sound romantic!?

Runners and readers...on your mark, get set, GO!

Comfort Books

2008-03-31T15:16:00.006-04:00

I'm a big fan of the Scottish writer, Alexander McCall Smith, who pens both the No. 1 Ladies Detective and Isabel Dalhousie series. It's not exactly high art or great literature, but it typically fills the reader up with "warm and fuzzy" good feelings - a type of "comfort read for the soul". The Miracle at Speedy Motors, the latest in the No. 1 Ladies Detective series, will be released on April 15. However, my dear friend Mary, who lives in the London and Glasgow, presented me with the U.K. version of the latest title when a group of us had lunch at the Isabel Stewart Gardner museum (which could be referred to as a "comfort museum for the soul").

Here is the book jacket of the UK edition:
I actually prefer the Random House book jacket designs they will use for the U.S. edition:

Mr. Smith will also be speaking at the Harvard Bookstore on Wednesday, April 16. And I am hoping to FINALLY have the opportunity to hear him speak. (I am very drawn to the Scottish culture/history plus I like men in kilts!). Of course it would be a thrill to meet the man (who inspired me to travel to Scotland and run the Edinburgh marathon) but I can only imagine that there will be hundreds of people at the event.

I love his description of the "Old Botswana ways...where people looked for and valued those invisible links that connected people, that made for belonging. We were all cousins, even if remote ones, of somebody'; we were all friends of friends , joined together by bonds that you might never se, but were there, sometimes every bit as strong as hoops of steel".

"Mr. Smith reveals with all his brilliant storytelling skill that there are very few troubles that cannot be solved with kindness, and very few dry seasons that do not end with welcome rain.

Okay, Jeff, it's not exactly Moby Dick, but it is VERY sweet! And sweet, simple and real works for me.

FINAL LONG RUN FOR BOSTON

2008-03-29T14:38:00.006-04:00

At the Boston Marathon Start (Hopkinton) with Suburban Strider, Michelle, and DFMCers Mary and Lynn.

Celebrating our 21.4 mile FINAL LONG RUN at Dunkin Donuts. Mary was fortunate enough to be offered a lay at the Children's Hospital Cheering Section.

Followed by another type of run: A run to the dump (at least I was able to take a quick shower before the "reminder" to attend to this chore )

Good Luck to the rest of the DFMC Team on their long run tomorrow! I hope you are able to avoid heavy trash lifting after your workout.

"Have a Holly, Jolly Taper...It's the best time of the year"

Reality

2008-03-26T23:55:00.004-04:00

Yep...looks as if the event is really happening and I'm signed up to do it:

The official 2008 marathon banners are posted around town

My official bib number and packet arrived in the mail today.

My 2008 bib number is 6066 - take out the "0" and I'm a running devil!

TREK New England

2008-03-24T16:33:00.004-04:00

I'll try and give myself a break from running (4-5 days) right after the Boston Marathon. The timing is great as it allows me to spend quality time limping my way through family adventures during April vacation. However, after the short break I'll be bumping up the milage again as I have yet another fundraising/running adventure in May: 2008 TREK New England

The 2008 TREK USA Charity Relay for Kids is a 10-day running adventure through the six New England states from May 9 to May 18th, starting and ending in Boston, MA. The purpose of the annual TREK event is to raise money for The DMSE Children’s Fitness Foundation (DCFF), which supports non profit programs that use running as a primary vehicle to promote physical fitness in children.

There are four team levels (Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze) for TREK 2008 ranging from 3 days to 10 days. As in years past, each runner will be hand-picked and committed to running an average of 15 miles a day. In addition to the mileage commitment, each runner is required to raise a respective dollar amount depending on his or her team member status. All TREK team members will receive an online account through Active.com to assist in fundraising efforts.

We are not expected to run 15 miles all at once, but rather 3 small runs of approx. 5 miles each day. So it's kind of like 10 days of Reach the Beach (or in my case 5 days of Reach The Beach as I'm only doing half of the event). DFMC runner, Judith Forman, is a veteran treker who ran down the East Coast (Boston to Palm Beach) in 2007.

The REALLY exciting part is that Fit Girls has been selected to receive matching funds through the TREK USA Matching Funds Program. All this fundraising gets a bit tricky, but in this case I will be looking for local business and corporate support and not friends and family who have been so generous to my DFMC run (grand total is now over $7,000!)

It should be an interesting adventure!

And Life Goes On

2008-03-22T14:27:00.004-04:00

I've been running and training for too many marathons over the years to expect any sort of special treatment from the family after my long runs. After 13 years of weekly long runs, the minute I step in to the house it's back to business of living in a busy home with three kids. I didn't do the group run with the rest of the DFMC gang in Waltham which would have required at least one hour of commuting time. That is precious time as I've got a grocery store trip and Easter Bunny duties on my list of chores today. So I ended up running two loops of 8 miles around my home in Medfield, allowing me to swing back home for a couple water breaks. Upon my return there were no high fives on yet another solid run, but instead a request to take the garbage to the dump. Great - can I at least take a few minutes to stretch and grab a gatorade! (Of course I'm VERY careful to keep those little gripes to myself!)

This reminded me of last November when I collected my running bag after finishing the New York City Marathon. I was soaking in the accomplishment with some of the other finishers wrapped in mylar blankets when my cell phone rang. When I picked it up the first order of business was, "Do you know where the top of the crock pot is?"

I finished New York in 3:12. And my children had beef stew for dinner.

Do Unto Otters

2008-03-20T14:29:00.007-04:00

Ah...the first day of spring. A time to let go of old baggage and negative patterns and start fresh.

And as our family prepares to celebrate Easter, I've been thinking about changes I can make to improve my personal health and well-being - physically, emotionally and socially - with the well-being of my family, friends and community.

I think it all comes down to at least trying to live by the GOLDEN RULE. Quirky author and illustrator, Laurie Keller, wrote a hilarious book featuring the Golden Rule with the title, Do Unto Otters (ha!)

In her story Mr. Rabbit is concerned about his new neighbors, the Otter Family, who recently moved into town and he just doesn't know ANYTHING about these strange animals. Mr. Owl advises him to just "Do unto otters as you would have otters do unto you". This includes the saying please and thank you, sharing, being honest and "co-otter-ating". This book would be a great addition to child's Easter basket. (And there are a fair share of adults who need a reminder about the golden rule too!).

And here is Keller's list of "office otter-quette":

Charlotte Bronte runs Boston

2008-03-18T21:00:00.006-04:00

There are so many far-fetched Austen/Bronte related titles out there that maybe some day I will pen a novel about Charlotte travelling through time to run the Boston Marathon (raising funds for DMFC, of course).

The Secret Adventure of Charlotte Bronte is the latest title for Bronte obsessed fans to add to their collection . Here is the review from Book Sense:

Laura Joh Rowland's newest book may be a departure from her San Ichiro mysteries, but this ripping good story is sure to delight her steadfast fans and win her legions more. In this fun and fast-paced story, the author of Jane Eyre tackles a mystery, which includes a charge of plagiarism and murder." -- Karen Keyte, Books Etc., Portland, ME

I love the idea of Charlotte romping around with Anne and Emily trying to solve mysteries PLUS an exciting romance with a Mr. Rochester type of guy. Silly, yes... but Reader, I'm buying it!

20 Mile Run Number 2

2008-03-16T14:03:00.006-04:00

Because of the Yoga Fundraiser I co-hosted with Barry this weekend (to benefit the Fit Girls Grant Program) I chose to add on 11 miles to the regular "Doing the Thursday" 9 mile run and get the long run out of the way for the week. I was hoping to have DFMC runner Mary's company on that day, but unfortunately Mary was sick and had to cancel. Bummer...running 20 miles solo is long and boring!

So a little after 5:00 on Thursday afternoon I headed out of the Woodlawn T stop running back on the course to mile 11.5 (Natick/Wellesley line). That leg of the course is really depressing as you're getting farther and farther away from the final destination (Crossroads Tavern). My spirits started to pick up when I could finally turn around and focus on heading into Boston and it was helpful to be able to pop into the Wellesley Booksmith and Marathon Sports for water/power gel stops. My timing was just perfect as I managed to hook up with the some of the Thursday Night Hill runners (Yea...running friends!), and Alison was a peach in pushing me to run those last 9 miles at a steady sub 8 minute pace.

And it's ALWAYS wonderful to finally finish a 20 mile run (2 down; 1 more to go before tapering). I know this picture is lowsy and blurry, but I think it captures how psyched I was to finally reach Crossroads as it was starting to get cold and windy ( and while I was excited to show off the Dana-Farber Middle School Challenge short sleeve t-shirt, I was beginning to freeze when the temps dipped into the low 30s.)

The Yoga Fundraiser at Exhale was terrific, and I can't thank Barry enough for coordinating the event. We were able to raise over $2,000 which will allow 35 new girls to participate in the Fit Girls Grant Program for girls in underserved communities in Boston. You're the best, Barry - Namaste!

Dana-Farber Middle School Challenge

2008-03-11T17:32:00.006-04:00

I’ve been working part-time at the Medfield Middle School library for the past year. It was somewhat difficult to walk away from my other part-time job as a children’s bookseller at the fabulous independent bookstore, Wellesley Booksmith, located at mile 13 on the marathon course. (It’s great to have a personal cheering section on race day as well as a rest stop on training runs!) I adored my customers (mostly parents) and the staff at the Booksmith, and my work day was filled with lively dialogue and conversation about the latest and greatest books.

Don’t get me wrong - the staff and faculty at the Middle School are wonderful, and the kids are great too. Plus, the commute is only a 100 yard walk across the street. However, for every one student who is excited about a new title we recently purchased, there are about 50 who could care less. While my children aren't exactly bookworms, they do read, and I don’t ever remember my two older children bringing home a book from the school library. I’m guessing that also may be due to the fact that their mother has a personal and extensive home collection of literature ranging from picture books to young adult novels. They are robbed of an excuse NOT to have a book to read every night. Most of the students (including my children) enjoy reading, it’s just that they are very busy with all their classes, their friends and after-school activities to spend much time chatting about literature with the woman behind the desk at their school library.

So to add a little zip into my job at the library, I’ve coordinated the Dana-Farber Middle School Challenge. I’ve "challenged" students (and faculty) to run 26 miles over a period of 4 weeks. This works out to be an average of 6 – 7 miles per week. Run, walk, skip, dance jump…it doesn’t matter. Just keep moving and log the miles! DFMC runner and graphic designer, Jenny Ross, designed this AWESOME logo that will be screened on bright blue t-shirts:

Group runs (a safe 2 mile loop) will be on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and perhaps there will be some sort of final celebration at our last workout (5 days before the Boston Marathon). The kids wil also have the opportunity to help me fundraise for cancer research by making donations to DFMC. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that DFMC coaching guru and Boston Marathon winner, Jack Fultz, will join us at one of our workouts…but Jack, let’s pass on the skirt for this workout! (see Men in Skirts Post)

Windy Nights in New England

2008-03-09T15:07:00.006-04:00

The alarm went off at 8:30 this morning (feeling like 7:30 considering it was the first morning of Daylight's Savings) and while the wind outside sounded pretty fierce, I looked forward to joining the other DFMC runners in an "unofficial" group run in Arlington. I grabbed a quick cup of coffee, checked my emails, printed out directions to Tyler's house from Mapquest, then headed out the door. And THIS is what I discovered in our driveway:

"Um, honey...can I borrow your car this moring? There's a tree on top of the Tahoe."

As you might imagine, this jolted Brian into action for the day. I felt a bit guilty leaving him with the natural disaster in the driveway along with the mess in the kitchen left over from Saturday night fun with the Sullivans. But hey, this is March, and the long run is a priority - at least for a few hours. Despite the early morning shock and trauma, the 16 mile run along the Minute Men Trail through Arlington and Lexington was fabulous. A nice, flat out and back course followed by a quick brunch hosted by Tyler and his bride, Angie.

The "tree guy" should be able to come over tomorrow and remove the mess, and until then we're the talk of the neighborhood. Men just love to gather around and admire fallen trees on vehicles!