My Boston Marathon Recap!

It's been three weeks since the marathon, and I know I've been a HUGE slacker in writing this last post!! The marathon was an amazing experience and I loved every second of it. I was so lucky to have such a great support system - my family came up from Jamestown to calm me down before the race and hug me during it...Shaun's family was there for support... and even my clients were on the route with oranges for me.. I couldn't have done it without any of you!

All in all, I finished the marathon in 4:02, averaging about a 9:15 min/mile pace. I was pretty happy with that, given the late training start in February due to my sprained ankle.

So finally, without further adu, here is my race recap:

My awesome family came up to Boston on Friday night, and I took my parents to the race Expo on Saturday to pick up my race pack. My dad is a marathon runner too, so he loved all the free stuff!
Then, the night before the marathon, Shaun's sister Nicole had an awesome BBQ for everyone - including my family. We brought the pasta salad. =) It was great to have both families there to cheer me on!


I got a great nights sleep (right after my parents air matress broke - woops!!) and woke up the next morning refreshed and ready. Shaun took this pic as I was eating my power breakfast at 5 am on Marathon Monday morning. Clearly, I was distracting myself from race day nerves!

At 6 am, I met a Katie and Ally from the Melanoma Foundation Team, and we loaded the buses to Hopkington. I thought I could avoid the "jump off the bus and pee in the woods" issue from the year before, but I couldn't. About halfway there, the buses were stopped in traffic. Perfect time for a pee break!! The bus driver handed me a tissue and we were back on the road in no time.

We were in Hopkington by about 8:45 - which gave us time to do two more porta-potty stops, chill out on our tarp (ie; my shower curtain), apply sunscreen and move to the starting line by 10:15. It seemed like there were more runners than ever this year!!

My teamate Katie and I ran together for the first 12 miles. We were cranking out a 9min. mile pace - enjoying the crowds and the motivational signs. (Our favorite sign: "Remember why you are doing this.".) The crowds in Boston are enough to keep you going for hours. We felt great. My favorite runner's shirt said " There is a stronger person inside".

But around mile 15 I knew my 9 min mile pace was going to be tough to hold. Mile 15 boasts a huge downhill slope into Wellsley that is a killer on the legs. My quads were burning. I felt a little tendonitis in my knee, but I kept going. I knew my family and Shaun's family were only a mile up ahead.

To my suprise, just before mile 16, one of my clients from Healthworks, Ellen B, sprung out of the crowd with a huge bag of bananas and oranges for ME! That was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Up and over the hill I went, where I spotted Shaun's brother-in-law snapping pictures. He got this one of me:


I hugged my family and heard my dad yelling "GO GO! YOu are running 9 minute miles, don't stop now!!" So I didn't. The hills were next, and seeing my family was the perfect motivation to push it out.

I've never had a problem on Heartbreak Hill. In fact, I really love it. It was the downhill AFTER that killed me this year. You climb 4 miles of hills and the pound downhill for the last 6. Right around mile 23, I felt that twinge in my knee get stronger as I pounded the pavement down the last 3 miles - through BC and into Boston. I knew I had to slow down, or I could get seriously hurt. I took it down to a 9:15 pace, shortened the stride and tried to take it easy.

At mile 25, my endurance felt great. My knee did not. I tried to push it out, but ended up pulling over to the side of the road to rub my knee because I could barely bend it. Through crowds of people, I looked up at the sky and literally asked Brad to help me. I remember thinking, "C'mon, just one more mile - no limping to the finish line!". He must have carried me through, because I pushed through and was able to bend my knee a bit. Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston. I was home.


Crossing the finish line this year felt great. Mostly because I knew Brad helped me through the entire process - through an ankle injury, two great events, and into marathon day. I know was there and a part of it all. And we raised over $15,000 for the Melanoma Foundation. With his help and yours, it all came together.


The relaxing days after the marathon were much needed. We went to dinner, I took two days off from work to relax (ie' massage and icebaths) and then Shaun took me to Cranwell Resort in Lenox for a Spa weekend.

I felt healthier, happier and more accomplished than I had in months. Especially knowing that we have helped so many suffering from Melanoma with our donations! Thank you all again for your support. It was an amazing experience!!

Pinney's Pubcrawl and Marathon Updates!

It's been a couple of busy weeks with running and fundraising! Last weekend, we raised over $1500 at Pinney's Pubcrawl, I finished my last 20 mile run , and there are only 2 weeks left until the BIG DAY!! Oh, and did I mention, you have helped us successfully raise $15,000 for the Melanoma Foundation of New England?That is AMAZING!!

Last weekend, the pubcrawl was a blast. We had almost 70 guests - friends, family, friends of friends, who drove in from everywhere around New England. The Wilbraham crew represented, our Vermonters came down, the New Hampshire and Connectictut crews came in. We can't thank everyone enough. It really was a great party.
I remember at one point at the end of the night, I looked around at everyone dancing and laughing and thought "Man, there are a lot of people here to support us!" That is what life is all about..right?

A big thank you to Adirondack Screen Printing for printing our t-shirts, Norma S. for making us a sweet logo, all the bars and everyone who donated!


After 5 hours of drinking (ok,ok, I only had 2 Magners =)), I managed to finish my 20 miles on Sunday morning. It was a tough one, but I actually think I was coming down with a little cold, which may have affected me a bit. I ran in 3 hours - putting me at a 9 minute mile. The hardest part was running it by myself, plus a nagging knee pain towards mile 18. That's the thing about Boston, half of the course is downhill - 10 miles of pounding downhill after a 4 mile climb is never good for the joints. But, I've been icing and resting and everything seems fine. Possibly just a mild tendonitis in the knee, but nothing that will prevent me from running on April 19th!

It's crazy to think about the last 4 months - yes, the training can be overwhelming at times, but what has been more motivating is the support. We've had our friends and family come to two events, and I get emails and comments everyday with encouraging words of support. I am not sure I could've done it this year without that.

So now - 3 weeks of taper - pure relaxation. Ok, not TOTAL relaxation. But my mileage drops considerably in the next few weeks, so it certainly feels like that. I am doing an 8 mile long run today in the sunshine. Next week, I'll do some spinning, some short 3 mile runs, and some yoga...ahhh..I LOVE tapering!

With that said, I guess the next time you'll hear from me...it'll be on race day!! Woo hoo!

Boston Marathon Training: The 18 Mile Road to Recovery!

I was instructed by Shaun that I better not fluff this week's blog with smiles and lines like "Oh, yes 18 miles done and feeling GREAT!". He mentioned this as I was immobile on the couch with a bottle of gatorade wrapped in my hands like a teddy bear, a bottle of ibuprofin and icy hot strewn about the room. Damn him for calling me out!

So yes, 18 miles DONE. And, let's be clear..it was not an easy 18. However, I AM feeling great and psyched that the marathon is only 4 weeks away!

This weekend, I decided to do the long run on Saturday morning with my friend and client, Kerry, who is also running Boston. I usually run on Sundays, but the forecast did not look good for Sunday and there was no way I was going run in flash flood conditions. Therefore, I woke up Saturday morning at 6 am, lubed up the feet, filled the feul belt and headed to FitCorp. FitCorp organizes group runs every Saturday morning for Boston Charity runners, and on this rainy Saturday, about 50 runners came ready to brave the windy, wet roads.

We started at 8am downtown at One Beacon Street, and ran 9 miles out to Newton and back, hitting Heartbreak Hill on the second half, just in time for the rain to pick up. Kerry and I chatted for the first 10 miles and I was feeling strong until about mile 15. The wind was wipping and we were soaked. The hills rolled on, and although I was running stronger than last week, I could tell my heart was breaking...more mentally than physically (obviously). I was honestly ready to be done with the rain and done with the run.

At one point, I was running alone and feeling the mental pain so much that I literally said outloud to myself "C'mon NAT - GO!". It worked for a while (and so did the Billy Joel song "Second Wind" that randomly started playing on my iPod) until the last few miles. Around mile 16, my hip decided to cease up. I felt like I ran the last leg on one leg (pun intended). But I finished, and Shaun picked me up at 11 am soggy and sweaty, but accomplished.

I know I sound a bit negative, but honestly, I really enjoyed the run despite the part about the rain and the minor hip issue. I LOVED it actually. There is nothing more exhilirating than knowing you're up at the ass crack of dawn to push yourself past your mental and physical limits. Not to mention, doing it for someone I care so much about and a cause like Melanoma makes it all worth it.

So it goes, I spent my entire Saturday afternoon stretching my hip, foam rolling and sleeping. By Saturday night I was feeling great (SEE SHAUN, I was feeling GREAT!!) and we headed out for a delicious dinner at the bar at Chez Henri. After a run like that, the.wine.was.awesome. =)

And thus, Sunday started my road to recovery. I headed to Baptiste Yoga to get some healing heat into my crampy hip. Then, I got a lower body massage from my favorite girl at Healthworks, Michelle B. As a runner, I recommend yoga and massage for anyone doing long distances. Massages used to be considered a luxury for me, but have now turned into a necessity.

I am a feeling great today and happy that I have only one long run (The big 2-O!!) in a few weeks. I can't believe it is almost here. The training has seemed quick, but the running community and support from everyone has made it easier. A big thank you to the people that came out on Saturday and gave us gatorade and jellie bellies on the route - I assume you were much colder and wetter than we were!

Boston Marathon Training: Paranoia Paranoia!

Those of you who've run long distances before know this is just about the time when race day paranoia sets in. With just over a month to go before the marathon, I need to make sure everything feels ok. So, today, it took me forever to get ready for my 16 mile run. Here's why: (with peak into my psychotic brain):

1. Clothing Catastrophe: "It's 50 degrees -yay!. But, if I wear shorts, I can't wear my ankle brace because then it's going to rub for 2 hours and slash my shins open. But if I wear pants, I'll collapse of heat exhaustion!" Solution: Capri pants, no brace.

2. Ankle Brace Dilema: "If I don't wear my ankle brace, what if I step on a rock and I re-sprain my ankle??!". Solution: Chucked the brace,since I've already been doing short runs without it and I won't want to wear it on race day either..Ankle feels fine!

3. Blister-tastic Trauma: "I should probably rub my feet with a pound of petroleum jelly AND Aquaphor, because it's really hot out." Solution: Took 20 minutes to slather my feet, and still got some blisters. Dang it!

4. Ga Ga for Gu: "Crap, I only have one Gu packet left, and City Sports doesn't open until 11 am!" Solution: Frantically checked 2 stores before asking some runners on the race route for the nearest sports store. Lucky for me, one of the guys had an extra Tri-berry, and hooked me up. How's that for good kharma?

5. Music Mania: "I hate the songs on my ipod. Maybe Shaun will let me use his. Wait, maybe I can just download 10 new ones to get me revved up! Wait, what? iTunes is undergoing an error today?! When does that EVER happen?". SOLUTION: I borrowed Shaun's ipod and asked him what to listen to, specifically something "Cheerful", and he replied easily "Vampire Weekend." Done and done.


All in all, the 16 miles went incredibly well, considering how nervous I was in the morning. I finished at about a 9:00 min mile pace and had no problem with the hills (I thank training in Vermont for this!). The sunshine seemed to melt away my paranoia throughout the run, and the Gu gesture from a fellow runner really made me happy.

However, by mile 14 I was unusually dehydrated and my body ached. Next time, I'm bringing more water in my Fuel Belt... Next week, add "WATER PARANOIA" to the growing list! Oh well, 18, here we come!

ps- One thing NOT to be paranoid about? Raising enough money for the Melanoma foundation! So far, we've raised over $13,000! Let's go for $15,000! Thanks for all of your support =)

Boston Marathon Training: Mardi Gras and Mountain Views

Here's one awesome thing about running: you can do it anywhere. So I had no promblemo accepting the invite for our annual ladies weekend at Tara's new house in Williston, Vermont! Williston is about 15 minutes from Burlington (which happens to be the healthiest city in the country and one of my favorite places, ever!)..Did I also mention it just so happened to be Mardi Gras weekend in Burlington? Oh, the beauty of marathon training ANYWHERE =)

The ladies started the weekend off with some serious Mimosa's on Saturday morning. And yes, I had one! I am not a big drinker anymore, and tend to take it down during my marathon training, but, one was fine! Especially considering I wouldn't be running 12 miles until Sunday...

One mimosa later, we headed to the Mardis Gras parade dressed in our yellow, green and purple feathered garb. Our favorite float? The Where's Waldo crew. You may not have been able to find Waldo, but you could certainly recognize our crazy crew!

At night, we hit Nectar's, where I enjoyed one Vodka Soda for BP, and then retired to water. Twelve miles never feels good with a hangover!

That's why it was easy to wake up bright and early Sunday morning to run. This week was a lower mileage week, to prep for my 15 miler next week. On this fine day, the sun was shining, the weather was 40 degrees and I had my route all picked out. Williston has some great bike paths, open roads and amazing homes to look at. I was also lucky enough to climb atleast 3 miles of hills and see some sweet mountain views. And just as I rounded the 10 mile mark, panting up one of the hardest hills I've climbed in a while I saw Mt. Mansfield ahead of me and went to grab my camera for your viewing pleasure.. And right there, my camera died. Oh well, I guess you had to be there =)

And of course, what weekend would be complete without the foam roller?


A big thanks to my girls for an awesome weekend, and a yummy pancake breakfast when I got back from my run!! Couldn't have asked for a better weekend <3

The First Annual Brad Pinney Wine Tasting and Silent Auction!

The weekend finally arrived! On Friday, we headed to Wilbraham to get ready for The First Annual Brad Pinney Wine Tasting and Silent Auction. And, I am proud to say the event went off without a hitch!! We had an amazing night, with 118 guests and over $8,000 raised for the Melanoma Foundation of New England! SO many of Brad's friends and family came out to celebrate his life and support this cause in his honor. With over 20 different wines, samples from Opa Opa Brewing, tons of prizes, awesome food, a delicious cake from Cordis Confections and jazz piano from our good friend Dustin -what could be a better way to spend a Saturday night??

A HUGE Thank You to all of our vendors, donors, guests and friends who helped make the night so special. Thanks to my favorite gals, Ashlee and Jori, for working the door. You girls rocked it!

I think my favorite part of the night was standing back and watching guests and old friends reunite. To see people sipping wine, chatting, laughing and catching up was exactly what Brad would have wanted.

Hosting this event only reinforced how important it is to have a strong support system in life. This was something that Brad was good at and passionate about - creating a community of friends and family for support. It was so nice to have my parents and sister in Wilbraham for the big night. We had a sweet Lasagna dinner (thanks Chris)and for the first time, I felt like my two families were together at once.

So today, as I ran my 14 miles, I snapped the "Entering Wilbraham" sign above. I finally understood why Brad had lived in Wilbraham all his life - the amazing people and the strength of the community. And when I entered the house, exhausted after 2 hours of running, I was greeted by applause from 12 family members having lunch in the living room. Just another reason why I know Brad is definitely around..the support of family! =)

Boston Marathon Training: The Things You Do For Love.

Happy Valentines Day, all! Yes, it's the day of love and all things cupid, but training must go on! Today, I ran 12 miles out on the Charles, before a delicous Valentines day dinner cooked by Shaun. I finished at a 9 minute mile pace, fighting a relentless wind on the Storrow side. Seriously, the wind literally did not stop blowing for atleast 8 miles. I have pretty sweet wind burn to show for it. Oh, the things you do for love =)

Last week, I got a pretty sweet response to my Breakfast of Champs post,(Quiche recipe below)..and today, I started my morning off with another Power Breakfast: Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal! This is a heavy hitter. Loads of carbs for energy and protien for recovery,so make sure to eat it a few hours before your run. All you have to do is mix 1/2 cup of Quick Oats, 1/2 cup water, 1 smashed banana, and a tablespoon of PB. Microwave for 2 minutes. YUMMMM.. It's my favorite!

As I was getting ready for my long run this morning, I started to realize the effort that really goes into a long run. Here are my top necessities to get the job done:

Petroleum Jelly: I slather it on my feet, arms, wherever to prevent blisters and chaffing. Last year I had a chaffing scar on my neck so huge, that everyone thought it was a hickey. I'm trying to prevent that this year.
Foam Roller: The second love of my life. I roll right before and right after my run to release muscle tension
My Fuel Belt: H2O is critical, so I fill my fuel belt with Nuun, my favorite electrolyte drink. This belt is also wicked fashionable.
My ipod Today I started off with tunes from MGMT, then moved to Jay Z. About halfway through, I thought "I wonder if Beyonce ever gets mad about Jay's old songs.."Girls All Over the World? Hustler?!"...Yup, music is always a good way to kill time.
Gu - Sticky energy, nuff said.
Aquaphor's Eucerin Ointment: I slather this on my feet after every run. This stuff heals any and all blisters, open wounds, the works.

All in all, a solid V-day and a solid run. Next weekend is 14 miles and the big Brad Pinney Wine Tasting & Silent Auction. Get ready for lots of pics!

And lastly, here's last weeks Egg Quiche recipe!
Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
3/4 cup liquid egg substitute (or regular eggs!)
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup diced onion
3 drops hot-pepper sauce (optional)
Directions
1.Microwave the spinach for 2 1/2 minutes on high. Drain the excess liquid.
2.Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups. Spray the cups with cooking spray.
3.Combine the egg substitute, cheese, salsa, onions, and spinach in a bowl. Mix well. Divide evenly among the muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out.

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day. Thanks for reading!