11 Mile Run!

1/10/2010
Location: Boston, MA
Route: 11 miles along the Charles River

Saturday morning, the Boston Marathon coalition had an unofficial team run.  We met at the usual Revolution Gym in Boston.  Our route was along the Charles River, it was an out and back run to Weeks Bridge. At 8am, it was 21 degrees, sunny, with a brisk wind, which was stronger along the river. The route was narrow and many times icy, luckily I did not slip.  It was encouraging to see many other runners out for a morning run.   I got very tired around mile 9, probably because I was running faster than I intended.  The worry that kept going through my mind was that I was going to get another parking ticket because my meter ran out of time.  So, I ran a 9:50m/mile, when I was trying to run 10:30min/mile to reserve my energy. I wanted to run walk the last couple of miles, but once I slowed down, pain in my feet and any generated heat would just dissipate. After I finished, I had a migraine that lasted the day/night.  I drank so much water throughout the day, but it probably wasn't enough. I wouldn't say it was a bad run, it was really nice out.  It was challenging fighting the cold, wind, and blinded by sun.  I know I need to do more weight lifting in my legs and back because I was hunching over.  Bad posture leads to injuries.






A few days ago, I found out I got into the NYC Half Marathon on March 21, 2010! I ran it two summers ago and it was my very first half marathon.  Central Park has several inclines, which I didn't prepare in my training.  Now, I know what to expect with this run and can better prepare.  It was such a fun experience, I look forward to running it again, and hopefully beat my previous time!

Here are some photos from my run.

Starting my run on the Esplanade.

Somewhere between mile 9-10 along the Cambridge side of the river. The light was blinding!

Boston and the snow covered Charles River.

Running to the Revolution Gym at the end of my run.

Bostonian walking her dogs.

Comm. Ave

Public Gardens were barren.

Thank You Debbie Lee!

THANK YOU Debbie Lee for helping me be 1 step closer to the finish line! I appreciate your support and for asking your friends to donate as well.  My tally: $2676.00!!

Thank You Daddy!

Dad, I deeply appreciate your support in this endeavor, THANK YOU! I dedicate this run in honor of my family; and I hope someday we can do a half marathon together.  I hope to see you at the finish line of the Boston Marathon!   






“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”
Mitch Albom

Kick off the New Year on a good note

I received a lovely donation from John, Cynthia and Kai Speaker :-) I THANK YOU!!  This is starting off 2010 on a great note! Every dollar donated goes right to the students.   Winter training is tough-fight through cold weather, rain, and snow; but I know it will only make me stronger!  I will wear your medals proudly.  I will make a special one for Kai in the shape of a fish :-)

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop











Last night, I ran 5 miles on the treadmill.  I incorporated 3 miles of hills up to 4.5 grade. It was strenuous on my breathing.  Afterwards, I did some leg exercises: press, squat, lunge and wall sits.  Then I did abdominal workouts with weights.  It was a great work out compared to the other day. Perhaps hydration is key to a good work out.  

 Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. 

At my company, we are doing our own version of BIGGEST LOSER!  I installed a free iPhone App-LOSE IT.  

LOSE IT tracks how many calories you ate versus how many calories lost in my work outs.  It's another tool to keep me accountable on my weight gain/lost, eating and training.      

My New Years Resolutions

1. 2010 is the official start of my ambitious goal to Summit the Tallest Peaks in 50 States.  I will start on MA, VT, NH, RI, CT This year, I'll start on VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, and if I can make it up to Katahdin by the end of the summer, then I'll try for that too.

Mt. Marcy, Adirondacks, NY at 5,305 ft  
Mt. Greylock, MA at 3,487 ft
Mt. Mansfield,  Lamoille County, VT at 4,393 ft above sea level. 
Jerimoth Hill, Foster, RI stands at an unimpressive 812 ft (247 m) above sea level.  
Mt. Frissell, Litchfield, CT at 2,380 ft 
Mt. Katahdin, Baxter State Park, ME


2. Attempt 8 at conquering my fear of being comfortable in the water: Go white water rafting. I never did it before. 


3. Stop making commitments/double booking myself/saying yes if I have doubt I won't be able to follow through.






Last night, I was feeling extremely tired and under the weather.  The last thing I wanted to do after work was go to the gym.  The gym was PACKED with new members all off to a good start on their personal New Year Resolutions (NYR)-whether it's get fit, lose baby fat, earn their pre-pregnancy body, get their sexy back, or run a marathon.  Every machine was being abused and a queue formed, NYR hopefuls eager to take the next available apparatus.  Two ergs opened up and I jumped on one for a 2000 meter warm up.  Then I tried running on an old treadmill in an undesirable location, but I couldn't focus and my body was dehydrated.  I was ready to give up, but I thought about all the people and STUDENTS counting on me. I had to find something last night that would work.  I got on a stair master and did 25 sets of hill intervals.  My legs were burning with pain, which was good, I was pushing myself.  I finished feeling satisfied with the work out.  Then I did weights for abs and arms.  


Today it is all about chugging water to get ready and hydrated for tonight's work out- 6 mile run.

Thank You to my Anonymous Donor!

Dec. 31, 2009 ended on a high note with a WHOPPING $262.00 from a generous anonymous donor!!!!  I wish to find out who you are so I can personally thank you.  Regardless, THANK YOU!!!  With your support, I was able to surpass my Birthmas goal of $2,500.00 and I actually raised through cash/check and electronic donations $2556.00!! 

 I know the next four months are going to go by so fast and time is ever so valuable. Which is why every single day will go to plan, prep and execute my fund raising events.  I am so fortunate to be able to raise over $2,500.00 in a short amount of time, but I have much more to raise.   

Happy new year!! I ran 10 miles today!

1/3/10 Retro: 

This past week was spent in a "Chateau" in Moultonboro, New Hampshire hugging Lake Winnipesaukee and enjoying all that Old Man Winter has to offer.  I was able to get in some skiing, snowshoeing, and of course winter running.  My legs were tenderized from skiing at Gunstock the day before my epic 10 mile run. 

Our corks found in the snowy wood not to far from where we celebrated the New Year.

New Years Day, I waited and hydrated until I recovered from NYE revelry to embark on my run. While all of my friends hunkered down with cups of hot chocolate around a 17 inch television to watch the Winter Classic broadcast at Fenway Park, I was wheezing while running up serpentine hills in the snow.  

The weather was perfect.  The afternoon was about 30 degrees with a continuous light dusting of flakes. The air was brisk and clean. 

Animal prints in the velvety snow reminded me of their existence.  

Snow left no tree branch nude.  I think I am getting used to running outdoors because 30 degrees is warm to me! At first I wanted to run on pavement, so I ran to the main road.  

The main road had its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that it provides little thinking-I can run in one direction until I decide to turn around. Second, my legs get used to the pounding on pavement. However, it proved to be more dangerous, since snow was plowed on both sides, there was barely any shoulder for me to run.  I was constantly crossing the meandering road to avoid being roadkill.  The cars on this main road were probably going 50 miles per hour.  I saw a car every 7 minutes or so.  The image of the totaled car flipped on its back like a turtle kept flashing through my mind.  We were driving back from Gunstock as the snowstorm was rolling in and an unfortunate car must have been speeding, which ended in the car looking like it was crushed in a compactor.  So, I went back to our rental house tucked in a quiet neighborhood and realized there were a lot of HILLS. 

The sun was going down at 4, the air got increasingly colder.  By the end of it, I grew tired and my legs couldn't handle another hill.  My lungs stung from sucking in cold air.  I ran back in just in time to see the final moments of the Bruins win in overtime! A sweet New Year!! 

Happy New Year! I hope that you squeeze the life out of 2010, embark on an adventure and reach your goals! 






Reading for today:

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost