Heather Runs Boston

20 Minutes

2010-01-31T11:53:00.001-08:00

I was pretty nervous to get out and run yesterday. I didn't want the pain to come back and realize that marathon training was over this year. I knew that I had done a good job resting my little injury, so that gave me some confidence.

Last weekend during the slightly warmer weather I had been craving a run. Of course the day I finally get to run it looks like this outside...

We're at the part of the year that sucks the most in Boston. It's that February/March stretch where winter has gotten old and spring isn't close enough. Marathon training at this time of year is BRUTAL. The 2 times I ran the Boston Marathon it would, of course, be that freaky 90 degree day in April. You can imagine how prepared I was for that!

I decided to walk to the gym and warm up on the bike for 5 minutes before running.

Since I don't have any fun running routes to take pictures of, I thought I'd share my super exciting walk to the gym (yes, that's sarcasm).

Up the hill

Down the hill

There's the Y!

It's much better in the daylight than at 5am in the pitch dark, like I usually do it.

The walk there was so painfully cold that I figured this "run" would be interesting.

I kept it on flat flat road around the gym.

The first few minutes were tough since I couldn't keep my mind off the thought of shooting pain in my leg. I kept anticipating for it to come.

Thankfully another fear took over my mind: FROSTBITE.

I was fricken COLD! My hands and toes were going numb. I looked down at my watch and I was only at 8 minutes. I did not think I could last another second. But then, I turned into the sun. My hands started to burn as feeling came back. I wish I could say the same for my feet.

Before I knew it, I was at my stopping point and pain free :-)

Woo hoo! I definitely felt tension in my calf and hardly consider myself home free, but this is a start.

I stayed at the gym to get some more of a workout in (bike, weights) and then went home to foam roll the muscles.

And ice while watching some quality programming

I love my housewives :-)

The plan is for another 20 minutes on Wednesday and 40 on the weekend. I would typically take things slower, however I don't have the luxury of time.

Here's hoping for another pain-free Wednesday!

Tomorrow...

2010-01-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will attempt to run again. I couldn't have picked better timing with temps below freezing?!

I'll be doing a very light 20 minute jog on flat ground around my house and gym. I plan on doing some foam rolling exercises beforehand and the same afterwards.

I haven't experienced any pain at all since the run 2 weeks ago, however I can't say my calf feels totally normal. It's definitley still tight at times and ironically feels best after light physical activity. Go figure that sitting at a desk all day is very unnatural for the body.

I'm nervous. If tomorrow doesn't go well, then I'm obviously not going to continue training. I won't have enough time to heal and then restart. However, I am STILL raising money for charity and psyched to be at 20% of my goal!!!

Any creative ideas to raise money are welcome and encouraged so comment away!

In the meantime, check out my fundraising page:

www.firstgiving.com/heathercanner

Tight Muscles

2010-01-21T13:49:00.000-08:00

I wonder if some people are just more prone to tighter muscles than other. If this is true, than I am definitely one of them. I've never taken my warm-up/cool-downs or stretching seriously. I suppose I'm learning this the hard way.

I haven't ran since the disasterous long run on Saturday morning. I knew it was a simple case of "too much too soon." I'm airing on the side of cautioun and waiting to run until next weekend. This week has been full of my old friend, the bike. I don't mind it when it comes to a spin class, but when you're just on the stationary and counting the minutes, it can be even more hellish than the treadmill! I've also been getting back into weights and today finally stepped on the elliptical. I felt great, but still stopped myself at 20 minutes and hopped on the bike to finish up.

Not running is killing me, but running and getting hurt again tomorrow would be worse.

I'm trying to focus on what I CAN do to help my leg.

First up, and probably the best thing ever, the foam roller!

(By the way, that's not me). After using this bad boy for just a few minutes, my calves felt so loose and relaxed. A far cry from after yesterday's bike/weight workout where I felt as if I had rocks in my legs.

Second, I'm icing at night. It makes me feel like I'm actually doing something productive while watching my favorite bad boy on TV. On a side note, 24 rocks this season!

Third, thanks to a coworker of mine, I bought this soothing, anti-inflammatory gel which is supposed to work wonders. Even the gentleman who helped me find it at Whole Foods raved about it.

I've found myself gazing longfully at other runners, wondering how they're doing it. I'm jealous. I want to be out there too. Patience is a virtue I have NEVER possessed. I'm trying real hard.

I'm considering an endurance bike ride on a stationary this weekend. I realize that won't help my running endurance, but it might help my mental sanity and make me feel in the game. I also want to make sure I don't do more damage by crosstraining. I hear water running is excellent for injuries, but I don't have a nifty aqua belt. Anyone want to lend me there's???

Setbacks

2010-01-16T13:14:00.000-08:00

I suppose it's normal to get over zealous about training when you're excited about an event. Ironically I toned down every marathon training plan I had read up on because I knew my legs couldn't handle more than 3 days of running a week. I also didn't jump the gun on distances, at least I didn't think I did. I guess I was wrong. I'll fill you in on the gory details in a bit (I'm a tad bit dramatic, so bare with me)...

Since I've been busy at work I've been doing my long runs on Sundays, however this morning I chose to wake up super early and get my 10 miler in before my day. I've found that the busier I've been, the more on top of my training plan I've stayed. I haven't missed a single workout and I think the focus from work has translated over to my focus on training. I don't think I'm alone in that though. I think many people find that they are more accomplished the busier they are, and the opposite is true. Boredom is the devil's playtime!

I got some coffee ready the night before so all I would have to do is flip a switch when I got out of bed.

I made some quick whole wheat toast with almond butter, a banana, and some honey on top.

It was delicious, even at 6am!

After watching a DVRed episode of "The Real Housewives of OC" since 6am is the only time I can sneak in some of my guilty pleasure, I got dressed for the run.

And acted silly as usual.

Last night I downloaded a whole bunch of new music off itunes and decided to bring the ipod along for the run.

So now I had my tune belt

and my fuel belt

I found this amusing.

I got out around 7am and the sky was still in its beautiful sunrise form.

I was also able to dress a bit lighter today since it was a "balmy" 27 degrees.

It was a whole 10 degrees warmer than my 7 miler on Thursday morning and I felt it. It felt amazing!! I almost hate days like today because they give you glimpses into spring that won't come until a few more months. Dear January, stay cold and don't give me false hope. February, maybe towards the end. And March, go for it!

I decided to incorporate running along the Charles River for my run today since it wasn't too cold. I ran down towards BU campus, crossed over the T tracks

Crossed over the BU bridge

Got a cool look back west towards home

and ran along the path by Memorial Drive.

I think these are some of the best views of the city.

I definitely remembered why I loved running in college. I used to run here a few times every week and forgot how much I missed it!

I crossed back over the river at the Mass Ave bridge

You get some stunning views from up here.

This bridge is measured in "Smoots."

I suppose this is an MIT folklore story of some kids who measured the length of the bridge in a student's body lengths. The "Smoot" distances mark the distance from Boston to MIT campus, spanning the Charles River, and have been there ever since I started college.

With Panera, Upper Crust, and all of these other chains being spewed across my alma mater's campus in recent years, it's nice to know that some things haven't changed :-)

And then all hell broke loose. Well, not really, it kind of crept on gradually and I chose to ignore it.

My right calf started to feel tight while crossing the bridge and it only got worse and worse. I kept running (like an idiot) because this has happened before and I've stretched it and then it's subsided. (And because I'm super stubborn).

Anyway, it didn't subside, it only got worse, and by mile 7 after stopping to walk and stretch 5 times I gave up and phoned home.

To keep running would only make it worse. I knew finishing today's run was not seeing the big picture.

And here I am now in all of my pathetic glory...

I did NOT want to write anything about this today. I'm not going to lie, I'm really bummed and worried that I might not be able to run the marathon. There's a chance I can rest for a week and my calf won't bother me again. It might also recur over and over again and I'll have to stop. I just know that I have to be careful and rest before I do more damage.

I figured that this is also a part of the training. Injuries are real and they happen often when training distance. To write only about the good isn't very accurate, so here's the SUCKY!

Good news is I have a gym membership, I can ride a bike, take sping class, do intervals in a few days on an elliptical, I love to lift weights...basically, I'm not nervous I'm going to fall out of shape. I've had this injury before and got into better shape than ever by being creative. I just might not be able to do the marathon.

And then I turn on the tv, see the devastation that is Haiti, and remind myself that if this is the worst thing that can ever happen to me, then I'm a LUCKY girl. I've dwelled and now I'm done.

I still will definitely be raising money for an amazing charity so please don't stop the love from coming...

www.firstgiving.com/heathercanner

Now time to go thank my husband for cleaning the entire house today since all I've done since getting home from work is sulk and complain. I know, I know, me complain??? Never!!

Difficulty Breathing

2010-01-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Perhaps going for a 14 mile run in below freezing temps wasn't the best idea this morning, but what other options do I have? These long runs have to be done outdoors and unless it's pretty catastrophic outside, I should suck it up and go. I think a lot of other runners felt the same, b/c I was not alone out there today.

Last night we had JP's lab's holiday party which is usually held in January. I'm also usually coming from work since it's our busy time in January.

Work on Saturdays + Long runs on Sundays = Unhappy Heather

Reason being I have to get up at 6:30am on a Sunday morning just so that I don't kill the rest of the day. After my nap which I just woke up from at 4:30pm, I managed to kill it on my own.

I started up the coffee right away and had some banana oatmeal with, YES, half a chocoloate chunk cookies. Wanna know what? Because I can and I felt like it. (I have to give myself perks about running 14 miles somehow).

When I checked weather.com this morning and saw that it was 3 degrees and felt like -9 outside, I knew I had layer.

First off, Under Armour top, leggings, and a dry fit running top.

Next up, a fleece

After that I had two layers of gloves, my headband, and I almost brought my neck wrap which I regretted not bringing later. It can be annoying to wear, but it would have come in very clutch today.

I also decided to bring along some nutrition since the run would go over two hours. On the list...

1 packet Vanilla GU Energy Gel

1 bag Luna Bar Pomegranite Moon chews

I also brought along the standard gatorade/waters in my fuel belt. And today, since it was nice and dry out, I could also bring along my camera.

Ready to run!

I swear, how these teenage girls do their selfies in the mirror I will never know. I guess I'd be a horrible sexter.

Once heading outside I realized, crap, I have to run 14 miles. The start of a long run, while I realize it's going to be tough physically, is so mentally challenging.

The watch is at zero and you have a LONG ways to go. I probably don't get truly into a long run until at least 5 miles. Those first 5 are pretty depressing, especially alone, but after that I'm usually on such a high it makes it all worth while. I guess it's like having kids?

I started my FRIGID run around the Resevoir right by Boston College.

HELLO!!

A very distant Boston in the background.

My run today would take me beyond those buildings (The Pru and John Hancock) and to the theater district and back.

The beginning of the run, aside from being cold, went by rather quickly to my surprise. It wasn't until 45 minutes in, when I hit the Citgo sign on the horizon...

that I realized things might get intersting.

When you're running in nature's freezer that means that everything in it can freeze. Bye bye fluids, hello icy slushies.

I was so distracted trying to pick the slush out of one of my bottles, that I forgot to restart my stop watch. Soooo, I had no clue how long I had been gone for exactly for the entire run. It usually helps track my progress and mileage, so I had to say goodbye to that.

Aside from the cold, itwas beautiful out this morning. The lovely Back Bay

The mandatory Cheers photo

A minor snafu in my planning, not realizing that taking Beacon St. all the way down would mean running UP Beacon Hill.

I actually met those runners in the distance when they were on a break. They were part of the L- Street running club, one of Boston's biggest running clubs based out of Southie, and helped keep me encouraged. I needed it!

I'm in the city!

I decided at this point to take a GU and some water. Unfortunately my plain water bottle had frozen shut so badly, I couldn't open it up. A gatorade slushy it would be.

The Gu actually tasted much better ice cold and did not freeze.

I figured I had to prove I was actually in the Boston Commons today and got there by foot.

I got some photographic inspiration and snapped up some pics.

Now it's time to head back! But uh oh, I have to pee. I've had to pee the entire run, but it's at this very moment where I HAVE to pee.

Thankfully this hit around Comm Ave. and Mass Ave., an area I lived in for a couple years in college. Nearest Starbucks, no problem!

When I stepped inside I felt like someone had laid a pound of bricks on my chest. I could NOT breathe. The air inside was so warm and unbelievably heavy. I couldn't stop hacking up a lung in the bathroom.

I got back on my way quickly, but my chest was hurting a bit. I wish I never stepped foot in that starbucks but I didn't have a choice.

My run back was full of pain, but not the usual pain that accompanies a long run. My legs are usually sore and the main focal point of my aggrivation. Today it was my breathing and the bitter cold.

As I'm thinking these thoughts in my head, this girl runs by me.

SERIOUSLY???

I typically applaud the short-wearing runner in the winter, however this chick was crazy!

I ran back along BU campus

I got a kick out of this sign at the Paradise Rock Club

Only 2 more miles, which went in slow mo. I forgot about my Luna Moons since I never felt hungry or thirsty on the run. Not normal! I decided to just try one since I wanted to test them out.

Verdict, yummy but very very chewy. It took more energy to eat them than they probably provided me. I only had two because, like I said, I was not hungry at all.

Finally I was at Chandler Pond, the best backyard every, and time to walk.

Some fun with shadows.

A well earned 14!!!

This run really tested me today. I don't think it can get much worse than this. My lungs were on fire and my chest hasn't been the same all day. Every deep breath has been accompanied by a hacking cough.

I literally had to force some Thai leftovers down because my appetite was non existant.

We also went out to Shabu Zen for Japanese hot pot since all I wanted was hot tea and soup.

My normal post run cravings are meat, burgers, greasy anything. Today, tea and soup? I'm not myself.

I just crashed for a two hour nap and now it's dark out. Long runs suck away your day.

At least next week's run is back down to 10.5.

And then I remember why I'm doing it all...

www.firstgiving.com/heathercanner

Good Morning Boston

2010-01-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

This morning I had to get in a 6 mile run, but I'm so sick of the treadmill and know that I can't do all my middle of the week runs on one. I decided to suck it up and head outside.

I figured if I left my house at 6:30am it wouldn't be that dark out for too too long. I would also bundle up and stick to a populated route. I was pretty nervous though.

I'm the biggest baby and scaredy cat ever. Of course I'm not scared of the normal things that involve running in the dark, like slipping on ice and freezing my butt off. When JP asked me what it was that I was so scared of, I replied "coyotes and rapists." What I really meant was wild animals and strange men, but that's how it came out.

I typically wake up hungry and this morning was no different. I scarfed down half of a YUMMY White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Luna Bar. I highly recommend this flavor!

I also bundled up to an obscene extent. I wore my under armour, a fleece, and then a windbreaker. The fleece was overkill the first half of the run, but on my way band running directly into the wind I changed my mind.

When I finally stepped outside, it was already 6:45 am and looking like this...

I guess I'll be a little late to work today, whoops!

By the time I hit Brighton Center at 5 minutes into the run, it was pretty light out.

My run had me traveling down 3 miles towards BU campus and then back. It's not the most exciting route, but the safest and least hilly by my house.

Good morning Boston!

At the BU Bridge I turned around after snapping a quick shot and getting stared at by commuters.

What a gorgeous morning sky!

The run was pretty uneventful. 6 miles isn't exactly short, but it starts to feel it after running longer distances on the weekend.

By the end of my run it hadn't exactly HEATED up...

My favorite street since it's mine, but it also means time to walk and cool down :-)

The rest of the morning was a giant hustle to get to work, but totally worth it.

The next few weeks are going to get insanely busy at work and the mornings will be essential if I plan to get any workouts in. I'm also going to start switching my long runs to Sundays for the time being. I'll be working Saturdays and I doubt running 14 miles before a full work day is a good idea, unless I get a power nap at my desk.

Thanks again for all of the donations so far!! It means so much to me that people want to support me in my efforts and help such a wonderful charity out.

Remember, you also get a tax deduction!

www.firstgiving.com/heathercanner

11.5 Mile Snowy Run

2010-01-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

Running in the snow is like running on sand, but it's not a beach and you're freezing cold and sopping wet. Sounds enticing, doesn't it?!

I woke up at what I thought was 7am, checked the fitcorp weather hotline to find that the run was still on, and then noticed that the clock on my tv said 6am. Whoops! Back to bed for an hour!

When I woke up I flipped on the coffee machine and made me a quick breakfast...

Whole wheat toast with almond butter, a dash of raspberry preserves, and a banana.

My husband was outside cleaning off the car so that he could drop me off at my Team's meeting spot.

What a lucky lady I am!

While JP was doing that, I was inside layering up and gathering all I'd be taking with me on the run. Below I have my fuel belt with some half gatorade/half waters, a cliff bar in case of a hunger emergency (I typically prefer a Gu energy gel, however all stores were closed yesterday due to the holiday. My bad!), key, ID, Debit Card, phone and some cash.

I also always run with my Road ID.

This way, if someone finds me in a pile of snow they will know to call JP and tell him that his wife is in a pile of snow. It does make me feel better just wearing it though.

Unfortunately, once again my camera would have to stay behind. It was just too wet out to risk bringing along. It was quite a shame since there were some awesome picture worthy moments. Oh well, next week!

I did a quick distance check on http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/.

I love this website and have been using it for years! It allows you to map out your runs and figure out the exact distance. I would be participating in an organized run from Newton to downtown at an exact 10.5 miles, however I had been considering running to around mile 8 and then turning around to run home. I was going to see how the team support aspect of the run was going and determine if it was worth sticking it out with the team or ending conveniently at my front door.

Ready to roll!

Here we are on our very snowy drive to the starting point in Newton.

Here are other crazies just like me out running!

And here I am waving goodbye to JP and about to take off.

I was pretty excited about this long run since I would get to meet the rest of Team Brigham and have some company on the roads. Man was I disappointed! Most of the runners came from downtown and got off the T at the meeting place and literally bolted the second they stepped off. I had to ask myself is this a training run or a race??

I figured that I better start running!

The initial running was challenging since I was getting used to running on the snow. I found it helpful to follow in the footsteps of other runners, however it was still difficult. The muscles you use to push off and stabalize in the snow are so different then a normal run. My calves and my butt were killing me!

The first 4 miles of the run were basically uphill and along the hardest part of the marathon route. I got into my groove at around mile 5, stepped in a puddle and soaked my foot around mile 6, and eventually got back into the swing of things. I decided to turn around at my designated spot, but not without a lot of inner debate. I didn't feel that I needed to complete the run with the group for the companionship aspect, however turning back meant running uphill.

Eventually I decided just to turn around since finishing the run at home and being able to immediately shower and have lunch was so much better than trekking on the T home.

At around mile 9 I was famished and feeling pretty tired. I decided to have some of the cliff bar which I discovered was practically frozen. I gnawed off about half, but man was it worth it! I had so much more energy. It's amazing what just a little bit of food can do to calm your hunger.

The rest of the run was filled with me thinking about walking into my warm house, eating real food, and taking a hot shower. Essentially daydreaming about the little things we take for granted, like warmth and nourishment.

I made it home in 1 hour, 50 minutes and ran what I thought was 11 miles.

TEN

+ ONE

That's 11!

Snowy feet!

When I mapped the exact distance again at home I realized that I had actually ran 11.5 miles. So that's 9:30 min/mile in deep snow. Not too bad!!

I hopped into the shower and made myself some lunch. I was very grateful to have taken home some leftovers from my cousin Kim's house the night prior.

My Uncle's homemade chicken soup

Some boiled chicken, chiabatta bread, and salad

And some propel water

I also ate the rest of the cliff bar and after writing this I'm already hungry again.

I don't even want to think about the pain my body is going to be in tomorrow judging by my muscles right now. I'm just so happy that cold and snowy run is over and excited for my nap!

Don't forget, visit www.firstgiving.com/heathercanner and please support my efforts!!!

Choosing Your Battles

2009-12-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

Leave it to the treadmill to zap every ounce of fun out of running. It's no wonder us cardio machine users take any means necessary to escape the present reality (tvs, ipods, books, magazines, and I've even seen crossword puzzles). After complaining about it to a fellow runner downstairs in my work gym he just said to me, when you live in Boston you have to choose your battles. And when the forecast outside is 18 degrees with a "Real Feel" of -10, you run on the treadmill.

My training plan called for an easy 6 miler just to get some miles in. I set the treadmill to 6.5 for nearly the entire run and the incline to 1.0. The longest I have ever ran on a treadmill was 10 miles back in 2005 when I was training for Boston. It was a blizzard outside, I was out of options, and I paid the price with terrible back pains for a week.

I spoke with the trainer downstairs at my work gym who told me I might be able to avoid back pain by increasing the gradiant a bit more. He said that running outdoors uses more hamstring muscles, however on a treadmill one overcompensates with hip flexors which can hurt the back. Unless I'm trying to simulate hill intervals I will normally keep the gradiant at 0, but running at 1.0 seemed to help.

I consumed my lunch in less than 5 minutes. I totally forgot just how ravenous running can make you.

I'm following a 3-4 day/week running plan with cross-training as filler. I know my body and I know it can't handle 5-6 days/week of running. The rest of my week should look something like this:

Wednesday - Spin class and 20 min. strength training

Thursday (New Years Eve!!!) - 4-5 mile interval run (hopefully outdoors) followed by BR's big bash where I will try not to undo all of my hard work, but have fun while doing it :-)

Friday - 45 minutes of light elliptical and some strength training if I have time or feel like it after New Years Eve

Saturday - 10.5 mile long run with Team Brigham. I'm finally going to meet the team I'll be training and fundraising with!

Sunday - Rest

And please please visit www.firstgiving.com/heathercanner to contribute to breast cancer research. Anything is better than nothing!

The First Long Run

2009-12-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

Last night we drove back to Boston where I had my Team Brigham package waiting for me. Inside were the official Boston Marathon entry forms and a cool new training shirt.

It gave me a bit more motivation to get my butt out of bed early on a Sunday morning. I fueled up on some coffee and yummy banana, walnut, and flax oatmeal. YUM!

I broke out my old friend, the fuel belt. Since it wasn't going to be a very long run I didn't take along any gu's and just filled up two bottles with half gatorade and half water.

I got dressed and was on my way...

No camera was coming with me today since it was pouring rain outside and I doubt that's very good for electronics. Here's a depressing look from my door.

It was a very wet 9 miles this morning. I was nervous I would be too cold, but I actually began to overheat at around mile 3 or 4. I think I had mentally prepared myself for such a long run, that it felt quite short. My legs didn't feel the same though. Getting back into the long run training is tough and my muscles were hurting. It also didn't help that I chose one of my hardest running routes through Newton and up heartbreak hill where the actual marathon is run.

It felt so good to finish and average 9:13 minute miles despite feeling like I was DRAGGING!

I wish this picture could truly show just how sopping wet I was.

Here's a nasty shot of what happens to my hair when I run in the rain. I have to tie it up like I used to do when I was 12 years old in gymnastics, however it's the only thing I can do to prevent my hair from gnarling up even worse.

After my shower it was a delicious recovery shake full of apple, banana, peanut butter, skim milk, and some honey.

Now it's off to run some errands with my husband and put our house back together after being away for over a week. And with temps expected to dip very low again this week I'll probably have to become friends again with the treadmill. How do people run on those things every day? They zap every ounce of fun out of running.

Next week's long run will hopefully be done with Team Brigham! I'm excited to meet some of the other people I'll be running and fund raising with.

I'm Officially In

2009-12-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

After getting back from Miami for one of my high school friend's weddings which involved lots of fun and not so much running I received an email saying that I had officially been accepted to run with Team Brigham for the Boston Marathon!! A wave of excitement and panic rushed over me simultaneously. I kept thinking, how will I be able to train and raise $3,500 in time?! After I calmed down I realized the best thing I could do for myself would be to go out for a run.

On Christmas morning my sister and I decided to start the day off right with a 5.5 mile run before kicking off the festivities at my in-law's house. My sister is one of the best running buddies I have, however she lives in NY and I live in Boston which leaves little time for us to run together. Whenever I'm home we make sure to get in a good run or two which involves lots of talking and being ridiculous. The camera only added fuel to the fire.

Here we are pre run being the obnoxious morning people that we are.

Some more on the run...

And we're back at the house and all done! Time for some breakfast!

Our family tradition is to cook up some Hawaiian pancakes, eggs, bagon, and sausage, which can truly be enjoyed after a nice long run. Not exactly the healthiest, but well deserved and a Christmas morning tradition for this Jewish family.

This run reminded me of how much fun I can have while running and got me psyched to start training, fund raising, and blogging about my progress. I only wish I had my sister here to train with me for every run. She's much more naturally gifted than I am when it comes to athletics and I find I push myself harder when we run together. For now she's focusing on her boxing and will just have to give me kicks in the butt over the phone as opposed to in person (which I prefer since she's ridiculously strong)!

Long run on Sunday!

Why I'm Running

2009-12-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

In 2004, my senior year at Boston University, I got tired of watching everyone else run the Boston Marathon. The energy and electricity of Marathon Monday in Boston is indescribable and awe inspiring. That year I decided that I was also going to run. I wanted to quit many many times, however by that point I had told too many people and would have looked like a fool. Thank god for my pride because that day changed my life.

Since then I have run Boston once more and completed the NYC Marathon in 2006, several other half marathons, 2 triathlons, and have a strong love for fitness which drives me to the gym 6 days a week.

I was given the opportunity by a friend to run Boston again, an idea that I had been toying with for a long time. After running Boston twice as a bandit runner (no number or official entry) I decided that it was time to do this thing right. I would not only run as an official participant, but now I will be part of a team raising money to support breast cancer research. If that’s not motivation, then I don’t know what is!

I hope this blog will inspire myself to stay on track and inspire others to donate to an amazing cause and perhaps run your own marathon (or any race) one day!