It’s Been Too Long-Part 1

I cannot believe that it has been well over 4 months since I sat down to write. I love writing about our travels and adventures so I am not sure why I have been absent. In any case, we are about to embark on a new year, a new decade and another year on the road. My goal for this coming year is to continue writing a post once a month, no matter how busy I am or how tired I am, I commit to writing. This blog started as a way to keep a “journal” of our vanlife adventures and I don’t want that to disappear.

So, my last blog post was about our summer in Colorado, and what an amazing summer it was. We have been to so many places since then, had epic adventures, made new friends, visited with old friends, seen family, raced and volunteered. Our first stop after Colorado was Ketchum, Idaho. A place that neither of us had visited before, even though it is only about a 12 hour drive from Seattle.  We spent almost a month in Ketchum, racing, David raced the Big Potato (100 mile gravel race) at Rebecca’s Private Idaho and I did the Cirque Series Sun Valley (10 mile mountain race), training, and exploring. We had a short visit with friends from Seattle, Jonathan and Victoria, and a visit with my parents. It was such a joy having all of them visit us on the road and we hope to have more meet-ups in 2020. So, if you want to take a trip somewhere, look us up, you never know what adventure awaits. We fell in love with the beauty of Ketchum/Sun Valley and put it on our list of many places we would like to go back and visit someday.

                                                               

We left Ketchum at the beginning of September and headed to Salt Lake City, Revel Big Cottonwood was the next race on our schedule. This was a big race for both of us, one last shot for a BQ for 2020 and 2021 (the only weekend that will qualify you for both years). This was a Powered by Hyland’s team race which meant spending some quality time with our Hyland’s family and meeting some new members of the team. I had some lofty goals for this race. My BQ time was decreased by 5 minutes after the incredible amount of qualifiers for 2019, this meant running a PR to have enough cushion to not only qualify but actually have a chance of getting into the race. After a summer of trail running and not much of a focus on speed, I really wasn’t sure how that was going to happen. I went into the race with a solid plan and was determined to stick to that plan for the duration of the race. I  had studied the course elevation map, there is an out and back section where the elevation flattens with some small rolling hills between miles 18-22, and I knew I needed to bank some time as I was going to need to walk a good portion of that section. My plan was to run the first 3-4 miles of the course at a pretty fast pace and then begin my run/walk segments. This would hopefully give me the time cushion I needed before the out and back section. I carried all my own hydration and nutrition, as I had no time to stop at aid stations and I hoped that I would not have to stop at the porta-potty, as I really had no time for that either!! It had to be perfect conditions, on a perfect weather day, with my body feeling great and my mind totally focused on the task at hand. The stars must have aligned that day, the first 4 miles went by in a flash. I started my run/walk with more of a run/slow jog so that I was moving a bit faster during my rest portion of my intervals, I thought to myself, anything to bank some time for that out and back section that everyone talks about being so sucky. The miles ticked away seamlessly and before I knew it I was at mile 18 and making a right turn on the out and back section of the course. I looked at my watch, although any type of math during an endurance event is not easy, I calculated that I was ahead of pace at mile 18, this meant I had some cushion to walk some of those “hills”. I say “hills” because they are really quite insignificant compared to all the hills I was climbing in Colorado but at miles 18-22 after running steep downhill for all those miles, flat and small hills felt like a mountain to me. I ran when I could, and I power walked in between. It was on this section that I saw David (several miles ahead of me) and a handful of my other Hyland’s teammates. A smile and wave and a shout here and there does wonders, a boost of energy and motivation to keep pushing despite the discomfort and desire to slow down. I got through the out and back section and knew it was all downhill to the finish line, no really it was all downhill. I made another right turn, back on the main road with a little more than a 5K to go and about 35 minutes to cross that line under 3:50. The faster I ran the next 3 miles, the better chance I would have at getting a spot on the start line in Hopkinton in April 2020. I took one more walk break and then I ran those last 3 miles with my heart, my legs were burning and tired, my body was screaming at me to stop but my mind was totally focused on the goal at hand. I crossed that finish line in 3:47:48, my best marathon time ever and a BQ. David was there waiting for me at the finish, with a hug and a smile and tears ran down my face as I realized I had hit my goal. David did not achieve a BQ that day but we were both proud of the race he had as it was only 4 weeks after his first 100 mile trail race. We collected our race bags and sat down in the shade to celebrate with our Hyland’s family, as many of them qualified and were able to register for Boston right then and there!! It was almost surreal to me. Me, the person who grew up being unathletic, who tried everything to get out of gym class in high school, who was sedentary until the age of 30, had just qualified for the Boston Marathon for the 3rd time, what an incredible weekend!!!

                                                                                     

While in Salt Lake City, we had a chance to hang out with a friend of a friend’s son, Scott. Scott is a 20+ year old endurance cyclist, skier, climber, and all around athlete. We didn’t know him very well prior to our visit but we spent a few days hanging out with him and had such a good time. He is down to earth, has a great work ethic, is a big outdoor enthusiast and genuine. He offered to take care of Mira while we raced and gave us a warm place to hang out, shower and do laundry. We love these connections we have made with people which may otherwise not have happened. We will certainly swing by SLC again for a visit.

From SLC we headed to Arizona where we would spend the next 6 weeks (with 2 side trips, Virginia and New York City). We had an incredible time in Arizona, visiting with friends, an epic crossing of the Grand Canyon, exploring Sedona and Flagstaff, and racing.

Sedona is one of my most favorite places we have been on this journey. The weather in the fall is perfect for running/hiking/exploring, the trails are varied and plentiful and the scenery is breathtaking. We spent as much time there as we possibly could (in between all the other adventures) and it still wasn’t enough. We explored the trails everyday, sometimes with Mira, sometimes without, and never got tired of the views, the terrain or the perfect temperatures. It was a great place to train for all the adventures that lay ahead in the coming weeks.

               

We spent quite a bit of time in Flagstaff as well. We did not enjoy it as much as Sedona but it is still a beautiful place to explore in the fall, plenty of good trails and cooler temperatures than Phoenix. We climbed Mt. Humphreys on a crazy, cold windy day, walked through an Aspen grove at the peak of the color change, joined a fitness center so we could work on some strength training and have a place to shower!! In total we spent about 3 weeks in and around Flagstaff and Sedona before and after our epic adventure in the Grand Canyon.

                                                                             

One of our bucket list adventures, something on our list for a long time, is the Rim to Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon or R3. R3 is a traverse of the Grand Canyon from one rim to the canyon floor, back up to the opposite rim and then you turn around and go back to where you started, all in one day! Depending on the route you take, it is a 46-50 mile trek with over 10,000 feet of climbing and descending. It is completely self supported and no one is coming to rescue you unless it is a true medical emergency, and even then rescue is hours away and can be difficult. We had been planning this epic adventure for 10 months and we were so excited that it was finally here. We posted about our idea on Facebook and asked anyone if they wanted to join us. We had quite a lot of interest but after it was all said and done we had 6 people arrive at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on the evening of October 5. David and myself, our friend Joan from Phoenix, friends from Sacramento, Bonnie and Jerry and a fellow Orange Mud ambassador whom we had met briefly (several weeks prior) at the Big Cottonwood Marathon. Carrie is from Alaska and expressed interest early on and never wavered. She was all in on the idea even though we had never met, and yes, she was coming all the way from Alaska!!  We sat around the dinner table that night looking at maps, talking about logistics including water and pace and expectations and made plans to meet at 4:00am the next morning to begin our epic trek. We piled into Joan’s car and Russ drove us to the South Kaibab trailhead. Trekking poles in hand, headlamps shining bright and full packs, we set off into the darkness for what would be an amazing adventure. It was slow going at first, and some of us were a little more cautious as it was very dark and steep as we made our way down the trail onto the canyon floor. The weather was cool and crisp and as the sun emerged over the horizon the canyon lit up. It was more magnificent then I could even imagine, being in the canyon, seeing it up close, there is no substitute. As we approached the 7 mile stretch across the bottom of the canyon, we split into 3 groups. All of us had a buddy, Joan and Carrie took the lead, David and I in the middle and Bonnie and Jerry at the back. The 7 miles felt almost effortless as the temperature was cool and the terrain was an ever so slight uphill grade. We regrouped with Joan and Carrie at the last water stop before the climb up to the North Rim. The North Kaibab trail is another 7 miles of steep, sandy and rocky terrain. As we started to climb Joan began to struggle and as we topped out at the North Rim she knew she needed to call it a day. There is no room for ego in this type of event. You need to know your limits, you need to know when to bow out, you need to know that your safety and the safety of your teammates is more important than anything else. She was able to catch a ride with some other R3 hikers that had decided to end their day at the North Rim and get a ride with a buddy back to the South Rim.  David, Carrie and I were all feeling good, we ate, refilled our water and headed back down, just in time to beat the mule train. On our way back down to the canyon floor we passed Bonnie and Jerry (they were less than a 1/2 mile to the rim). Jerry was struggling a bit and they decided to call it a day. Ultimately, they would take the rim shuttle back to the South Rim, a 4 hour bus ride and $90/person. We were down to 3 of us now, meaning we could move a bit faster, but only as fast as our slowest person, me!! So, I took the lead and we kept a nice pace all the way down the North Kaibab trail. It was quite warm by this time but we had plenty of fluid. As we made our way across the canyon floor the sun started to drop behind the canyon walls, it was perfect timing, we had shade during the warmest part of the journey but plenty of sunlight left in the day.  We made it to Phantom Ranch around 4pm but the canteen had just closed for the day, the lemonade that we talked about all day was not going to happen. We sat for a bit, ate some snacks, refilled our water and off we went, the last 9 miles of our trek, most of it climbing up the Bright Angel trail. Our goal now was to make it to the restaurant before closing time at 10pm. As the sun set and the temperatures cooled, we pushed through our fatigue and soreness. We made one last stop at the 3 mile rest house to refill our water, and then pushed to make that 10pm deadline. As we approached the South Rim there was a big group waiting for some friends (they had seen us earlier in the day), they began to shout and cheer and congratulate us for completing the R3. It was 9:45pm and all we could think about was real food. We headed straight for the restaurant and had one of the worst meals you could ever imagine, but it didn’t matter, we just spent 17 hours crossing from the south rim to the north rim and back to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. We had an incredible, epic adventure that we will treasure forever. Carrie was an acquaintance, a fellow Orange Mud ambassador, when we began this journey but we finished as friends. We were inspired by the courage she showed by committing to such an adventure with strangers and so glad she took the chance on us. We hope to share more adventures with her in the future, but in the meantime we will at least get to share the experience of the Boston Marathon. Carrie qualified for Boston at Big Cottonwood (just as I did) and was accepted onto the Hyland’s team as a legacy member!!! I can never say it enough times, this journey is all about the people.

                                                

While in and around Phoenix I ran 2 races, both with Joan, both Aravaipa Running races and both at McDowell Mountain  Regional Park in Scottsdale. The Javelina Jundred 100k was on my schedule for months. The plan was to run the entire race with Joan and for David to run the last loop, approximately 20 miles, with us as a pacer. This would be my 2nd 100k and Joan’s first. Joan had mentioned that there was a night run, on the same course, a few weeks prior, Javelina Jangover Night Run 50K. We were in Sedona but decided to make to trip down to Phoenix, it was a good opportunity to run on the Javelina course, run at night and run with Joan. I struggled with both races and realized that it was temperature related. I have a pretty good tolerance for the heat and have never had too many issues running in the cold, but this was different. It wasn’t exactly cold once the sun went down but it wasn’t hot either. It was just cool enough to be chilly when walking but then it seemed like I would overheat when I was running. My heart rate would soar and my face would feel like it was on fire, I would slow down and walk and get cold. During the day at Javelina I was absolutely fine, no issues in the hot sun, I was staying hydrated and had on plenty of sunscreen. As soon as the sunset and the temperatures cooled I started to struggle. Ultimately, I finished both races with the help and encouragement of Joan and David and I have yet to figure out what the real issue was for me during both of those races. This is something I will work on as I would like to avoid the same issue in the future.

            

   

After our epic Grand Canyon adventure we took a quick trip to Virginia (yes we flew) for the last IGNITE SwimRun race of the season.   We were excited to see our IGNITE family and support all the athletes at the race, the National SwimRun Championship. It was great seeing a lot of familiar faces and ambassadors out there racing on what proved to be a fun and exciting course. The water level was low enough to allow for a new section to be added to the race, a race where there is a mix of urban trails, roads, big river rocks, ladders and pipelines. David took photos while I supported the racers on land throughout the day and swept part of the course. It was a quick trip but a great end to a fun SwimRun season. We are looking forward to the IGNITE 2020 season and I have plans to actually race this year along with supporting the athletes!! I am looking for a partner for Maryland and Minnesota, any takers???

                                                                            

We made one other trip by plane from Arizona. One week after completing Javelina 100K I ran the NYC Marathon. Many months ago, my friend and fellow Hyland’s teammate, Stephanie, asked me to accompany her the 26.2 miles through the streets of NYC. She has MS and has used a guide for her past several marathons (NYC was her 12th marathon). I was honored and delighted that she wanted me to be her guide for this incredible race. I had raced in NY twice before but this time would be different. This wasn’t about me or my race, this was about Stephanie, making sure she was safe and that she had an incredible experience.  We met up at the expo to pick up our race bibs and talk about the race and logistics. Race morning arrived and the weather looked like it was going to be perfect. We met up at the AWD (athletes with disabilities) bus and enjoyed our hour or so ride to Staten Island. We were dropped off right near the AWD area, where there was a warming tent, food and bathrooms set up for athletes and their guides. It was inspiring seeing all the AWD athletes, wheelchair, push rim, blind, amputee, etc… all lining up for the most exciting one day event in NYC. We milled around, then sat down and waited to be called to the start line. At around 9:40am, we approached the start on the bottom level of the Verrazano Bridge in Staten Island and off we went. For the first several miles we had the streets to ourselves, as far as runners go. AWD athletes start at the back of the first wave, so it took several miles for the next wave to catch us. From that point on, it was crowded with runners the rest of the race. I found myself grabbing Stephanie’s arm a few times, making sure no one got in between us and protecting both of us from being plowed down. There were some very large pace groups that came from behind, all whom were very serious about keeping on time with their goals and no one was going to stop them. We didn’t let that deter us from keeping a steady pace, we listened to the roar of the crowd, we stopped for a few bathroom and stretch breaks and found ourselves turning into Central Park before we knew it. I knew it would be an emotional day for me, but I didn’t realize how much of an impact it would really have. I became teary eyed as we ran through the park, so proud of Stephanie and so honored that I could accompany her in the biggest marathon in the world. What an incredibly humbling and rewarding experience it was to help someone else accomplish their goal. We crossed the finish line together and then walked hand in hand through the shoot, picked up medals, took some photos and headed to meet Jeff and David at the AWD finish area. We went our separate ways to shower and then had a plan to meet up for dinner later that night. Although we waited forever to sit down for dinner and it was extremely loud, we chatted about our day, about racing and training and life in general. I felt a new connection with Stephanie that we did not have prior to this experience and an even greater respect (if that is possible) for her perserverence and drive to continue to run despite the challanges she faces. I will forever be so grateful that she asked me to be her guide that day and we already have plans to run together in Sacramento in December at the California International Marathon.

                                                                        

                         

In addition to spending time with Stephanie, we were able to get together with several other Hyland’s teammates who were racing. We all got together on Monday for a post race brunch, where we got to hang out, catch up and enjoy some post race food!! David and I were also able to meet up with some Seattle friends, that now live in NY. We met up with Stella and Brannon for dinner 2 nights before the race and they came out on race day to cheer for Stephanie and me. We are sad that we didn’t get to spend more time with them (we could have stayed at dinner all night talking), we will have to make a point to get back to visit them again.

                 

We flew back to Arizona and left the next day for California. I would be working at the Hyland’s booth and David at the Orange Mud booth at the Revel Big Bear Marathon. In addition to helping at the expo, David would be running the marathon. This was a last minute decision for him, a chance for a guaranteed entry into the Chicago marathon and by passing the lottery.  I had recently signed up with a guaranteed spot (my BQ qualified me), so we thought, why not. Well, David had not been seriously training for a marathon, he had a very big race season and was running for pleasure and with me, certainly not to try and qualify for anything. We had fun at the expo and at dinner with our Hyland’s teammates, both old and new. Race day proved to be a hard day and at mile 17, David decided to pull the plug. He wasn’t on track to qualify and he wasn’t feeling prepared for another 9 miles. So, he hopped in the car with Mike (Hyland’s coach) and I to cheer on the team at the finish line. It was a great training day for him, and the right decision.

                      

From Big Bear we headed to Las Vegas. We were on our way to help Orange Mud at the Rock N Roll Marathon expo. We worked the booth last year and had so much fun, plus we wanted to spend some time at Red Rock Canyon Natural Conservation Area and Valley of Fire State Park, 2 treasures in the Las Vegas Valley region. We spent a week in and around Las Vegas before heading north. Our next scheduled destination was Sacramento for the California International Marathon, where we would work the expo and support the Hyland’s team throughout the weekend. We had several weeks to get there, so this meant plenty of time for some more adventures.

                                            

Thank you for sticking with me this far and stay tuned for part 2 of this extremely long blog post. This is what happens when you don’t sit down and write for months on end !!! And I promise, part 2 is coming very, very soon.

 

 

 

BOSTON MARATHON 2019

As we pulled into Boston a feeling of excitement, anticipation and a little bit of sadness came over me. Don’t get me wrong, I was so thrilled to be in Boston for the 2019 Boston Marathon but I wasn’t going to be running. David and I had tried to qualify during the final weekend in September but neither of us had what it took that day. We were both so disappointed that we wouldn’t be making a 3rd trip to Boston but we both thought, hey we could go somewhere different, somewhere we haven’t been. Several months went by and I was a bit jealous reading about all my Hyland’s friends who qualified and all about the new team of Hyland’s Healers. Of course I was super excited for all of them but also wishing I was joining them. Then came the email from Lisa, asking if we would join Hyland’s in Boston as support staff. As I read the email out loud to David, tears flowed and my voice cracked. I was honored and delighted that they would ask me to be a part of a very special experience. They wanted me to be a part of a team of dedicated Hyland’s employees who make the Boston Marathon an amazing, unforgettable experience for their team. I looked at David, and although I knew he didn’t have a great desire to drive back to the east coast, he didn’t hesitate to say, “of course we have to go, how can we pass on such an incredible opportunity”.

      

The weekend started out with an employee team dinner.  We got an opportunity to catch up with people we had met in years past and meet new people that would quickly become our Hyland’s family. Margot spoke about the Boston Marathon, what it has meant to her and what the future of the relationship between the marathon and Hyland’s looks like. We had such a great time and felt really welcomed, as always.

Friday was an extremely busy day for me. I worked for a few hours in the morning, David and I went to the expo and walked around and then I worked the Hyland’s booth for a few hours. It was extremely busy throughout the afternoon and into the early evening. I educated athletes and non-athletes about our products, talked to people about the race, encouraged first timers and met some really inspiring and dedicated athletes. I was also able to meet some of our incredible Hyland’s Healer and legacy team members for the first time. David and I then went to dinner with Mike (Hyland’s coach) and Mitch (employee) and had a terrific meal over fantastic conversation. We walked back to the hotel to sleep as we knew Saturday would be just as busy.

   

Saturday started with  the BAA 5K. This was the first big event for the Hyland’s team, as a team. We all met at the athlete hotel where there were lots of hugs and smiles and conversation. David and I felt like we had known these people for years (some we have known from previous years) even though we were just meeting in person for the first time. I mentioned in a previous post that some people feel that friends you make on social media are not real friends, but I disagree. We had all become acquainted through discussions on our Facebook page and a few emails, over the course of many months. Following each others training and the ups and downs that come along with that, as well as other happenings in their lives, I felt as I was seeing old friends that I had not seen in a while.  The race was crowded but the energy was electric. I lined up with David’s pace group but quickly lost sight of them as they pulled away from me. I had a great time taking pictures and video and despite all that I was extremely happy with my performance. After the race was a team brunch at Margot’s house. This was a fun filled event for the team only where there were lots more hugs, smiles, laughing along with good food. Margot gave a heartwarming welcome speech and I am pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. David went off to the Red Sox game at Fenway with a bunch of the team while I went back to the expo to work. Although it is a lot of talking and repetitive information (for me), I found it so rewarding to feel like I could potentially save someone’s race come Monday. I again met some incredibly inspiring athletes.

                                                

Sunday we woke early and walked to the meet up location of the 7th annual #BostonRun. This is a run lead by Zoom Multisport. It is approximately 4 miles and we run so it spells out Boston on your watch app and Strava. There was a huge turnout and a few us there sporting our Hyland’s gear. We had a nice easy run, enjoying the conversation and the company. After the run we were off to the team and family brunch where we had another chance to spend time with the healers and legacy teams and meet their families. We had a very special guest join us as well, Dave McGillivray (Boston Marathon RD and runner extraordinaire). He spent time saying hello to each of the athletes, chatted a bit and took a picture with every one of us. He is a humble and genuinely nice person and we were all so thrilled that he took time out of his very busy schedule to meet all of us. Then it was off to the expo for the final day of packet pick up. We were busy right until the very end, giving out the last of our product samples and wishing everyone a great race day! It was off to dinner and bed as we knew race day would be another long but rewarding day.

                       

Race day, Monday, Patriot’s Day started out with a repeat of the weather from 2018, with the exception of the temperature. It was windy and pouring with thunder as the athletes boarded the bus which would take them to Hopkinton. As they drove away the weather started to clear and we were crossing our fingers for no more rain. David, Mitch and I drove the van to the University Club where we unloaded all the athlete bags into the club for them to have after the race. We then met up with Catherine (Hyland’s pharmacist) and drove to several of the aid stations on the course to make sure our product was placed correctly for the athletes. Once that was done we headed back to Boston, parked the van and headed to the University Club to wait for the first of our 65 athletes to arrive. It is so hard to describe the atmosphere in the University Club. It is electric to say the least. This is how it works, the athlete crosses the finish line and is met by Margot or Lisa or Elyse and escorted to the University Club where they are escorted inside, down the hall into a room full of more Hyland’s employees, families, friends, other athletes, all who are screaming and cheering and yelling and hollering for you (the athlete who just finished the Boston Marathon). There is a DJ with music playing, an abundance of food and drink, a professional photographer (to take some amazing post race pictures) and the best showers and locker room you have ever seen. You are escorted with your bag into the locker room so you can shower and change before returning to the party to eat, drink, dance, sing, mingle, tell war stories and cheer on your fellow athletes finishing. This year, David and I got to be a part of the cheering section, a job we took very seriously as we had no voice by the end of the evening. We cheered and laughed and ate and drank until the last of the team arrived and then continued to have fun until well after 10pm.

                                                                                                                                                    

The weekend was  everything we had imagined and more, being on the other side, supporting a team of dedicated, compassionate and passionate health care workers and legacy team members was such a fulfilling experience. Being a part of big goals, lifelong dreams and memories and friends that will last a lifetime is absolutely priceless.

                        

“Surround yourself with people that reflect who you want to be and how you want to feel, energy is contagious” -unknown

 

Boston Marathon 2018

It has been over a month since the Boston Marathon and I thought it was about time that I sit down and write about a race that was one for the record books. My Boston 2018 journey actually started the day after Boston 2017. I always thought that running the Boston Marathon would be a one and done. It took a tremendous amount of work and sacrifice to get to the starting line in 2017 and I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that again. I loved the challenge it presented but I also love trying new and different adventures. But, the weekend was such an inspiring and emotional experience that I felt I needed to come back again. So, I signed up for another qualifying race, the same race I used to qualify for 2017, Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon. I had so many big races in 2017 so all I really needed to do was keep training, maintain my fitness, not get injured and have a perfect race day! I wasn’t asking for too much, was I!! Well, my training was on par, I stayed healthy and I had a perfect race day. David was running the same race, to try and qualify, but did not have a great day. He eventually waited for me and we met up at mile 22. I was really hurting and seeing him was exactly what I needed. Despite the fact that he was not having the day he wanted, and he was hurting, he encouraged me, pushed me and ran with me to achieve my goal, not only another qualifying time but my best marathon ever, a huge PR.

                                              

Since David and I were on the Hyland’s Boston Marathon team for 2017, I was invited back for 2018. This time I would be joined by 17 truly inspiring teachers (as well as other participants like myself, who qualified, known as legacy runners). Teachers who really care about their students, who really want to make an impact on future generations, who are so passionate about teaching, the type of teacher that students never forget. I was introduced to the team and had the privilege of getting to know all of them all via social media. They had “homework” assignments each week, which allowed the entire team, as well as the rest of the world, get an up close and personal look at each one of these amazing educators. We also had a private Facebook page where we were all able to share our training, our fears, our excitement and our journey to Boston 2018. David and I even had the opportunity to meet some of the my teammates for a run in the hills of LA.

                                        

Fast forward to marathon weekend, we flew in to Boston, met my parents and arrived at our hotel and ran into some Hyland’s teammates, people whom we had never met but felt like old friends who had not seen each other in a while. As more of us started to filter in the excitement started to build. The chatter quickly turned to the weather and race day clothing options, as the forecast for race day was looking less than desirable for a marathon. The weather is one thing that we have no control over, so I was trying not to focus on it and instead stay in the moment and enjoy a first-class weekend. Saturday started with the BAA 5k followed by a team brunch. This was a great way to really get to know each other on a more personal level and socialize. Margot (President and Chief Strategy Officer of Hyland’s) and Mike (Hyland’s Head Coach) talked about what an honor it has been to be a part of this experience and all I could think about was how lucky I was and how honored I was to be a part of this team. After brunch we had some free time and then it was off to the Red Sox game at Fenway Park, courtesy of Hyland’s of course. We couldn’t pas up the opportunity to see a game at the iconic Fenway Park. Then is was off to the marathon expo to  check -in, pick up my race bib and shop at the expo.

                                     

Sunday morning the team and our families were treated to an amazing brunch at Margot’s house. It was there that we got to meet and mingle with the man of the Boston Marathon, the race director, Dave McGillivray. He is such a humble, sincere guy who, even with the marathon the following day, found the time to spend with our team. I was a little star struck!!

                       

The rest of the day was spent back at the marathon expo and relaxing with my feet up, until dinner. My go-to pre race dinner is always sushi. Some people think I am crazy, but for me it works great, a perfect combination of protein and carbs, it does not sit heavy in my stomach and is super easy to digest. My parents and my father’s cousins joined us for dinner, cousins we had not seen in a year (last year for dinner the night before the race) and prior to that many, many years before. As the day turned into night the weather progressed from sunny and moderate temperatures, to cold, windy and snow flurries.

Race morning we woke to rain, 30 mph winds and temperatures in the mid 30’s with the wind chill. David and I dressed and walked to get some coffee, and it was raining but a normal rain. I thought well, if it rains like this during the race, well that wouldn’t be too bad, I have run in rain many times before. I felt prepared for the weather, tights on bottom, thin long sleeve base layer on top covered by a heavier jacket, a jacket that I have worn in the cold and rain before (little did I know what rain really meant). I had 2 hats on, my thin smart wool on bottom with my new Hyland’s headsweats on top. And then to top it all off I had a throw away sweatshirt and a free poncho, both of which I planned to discard at the start of the race. They were just for some extra warmth and protection while I walked to the starting line from the bus. As part of our first-class treatment with Hyland’s we have our own private bus to the start line. This means we get our own bathroom, on the bus, and we don’t have to sit and wait in the athletes’ village for hours before the race starts. I was able to sit on the bus, staying warm and dry until the last possible minute, this (I quickly learned when I got off the bus) was such a gift. The mud was so thick, so slick and everywhere, the wind and cold were so relentless with little to no protection out in the staging area. It got so bad and the rain was so heavy that the race organizers abandoned the corrals and just told everyone to start moving toward the start line, to start as soon as possible. They didn’t want anyone waiting around any longer than they needed to. There were already medical tents that were filled with participants, runners who never even had the opportunity to start as the time spent in the staging area lead to hypothermia.

                                                            

I quickly dropped my throw away sweatshirt, it was rain soaked, heavy and now making me cold, but I kept on my throw away poncho. It wasn’t keeping me dry by any means, but I felt that it was keeping me a bit protected from the wind. Maybe it was all in my head, but somehow keeping the poncho on meant I would I be warm. I thought I would take it off, I thought, when the rain dies down, when the wind improves, when… That when never came and that once throw away poncho stayed with me for the duration of the race. Once I faced the fact that the weather was not going to improve and I was keeping that poncho on, I moved my race belt and number to the outside, this was a good move as it would keep the poncho from becoming a sail in the wind.

I had a race plan and I decided to stick with it. The goal was to just keep moving forward and never stop, because I knew once I stopped it wouldn’t take much for me to become hypothermic. I don’t do well with being cold and now I was also wet from head to toe. I just focused on one mile at a time. I tried to stay in the moment and not think about how long this race would take or how much harder it could rain, or how much windier it could get or how much colder my hands could feel. I tried to relish in the fact that there were spectators out, yelling and screaming and cheering for us, despite the weather. I began to notice that the heavier the rain became the louder the crowds got. They wanted us, the runners, to know that they were there for us, they were out there despite the rain and the wind and the cold and they were happy to be a part of the most iconic marathon in the world. I hit a low point at mile 11, negative thoughts started to fill my head, I was cold and wet and shivering and knew this was how it would be for the next 15 miles of the race. I texted David at that point, told him how cold I was, he offered some words of encouragement and made sure I knew that he was there for me, cheering me on every step of the way and how proud he was of me. I pushed on and would text him every once in while to let him know where I was and how I was doing. He always answered, with an upbeat, morale boosting sentiment, something that would keep me going. Mile after mile I kept moving forward, the crowds never diminished and neither did the rain or the wind. At some point I actually started to let myself enjoy the suffering and I became extremely emotional. I hit heartbreak hill and knew that I would finish, I would finish a race that would make history for being one of the wettest, coldest and windiest Boston Marathons.

At mile 26 as I was running down Boylston street, I could see the finish line in the distance and then I spotted my parents. Standing there in the cold and rain, waiting patiently to see me and cheer me to the finish. I know my parents are my biggest supporters and I know how much they love to see me race, but for them to be standing out there in that weather, waiting for me, not knowing if they would even see me, it was such a  heart warming and touching moment. I got a huge smile on my face, I forgot about how cold I was or how hard it was raining or how I was hurting, (after all I did run a marathon) and it was the last little boost I needed to get across that finish line.

I crossed that line, got my medal, and just kept moving. I didn’t stop for water or for food. I was on a mission to get out of the weather as quickly as possible. I spotted the amazing Hyland’s cheering section and was escorted by Margot into the University Club. (For those not familiar with the UC, it is an upscale athletic club, right around the corner form the Boston Marathon finish line.) Inside, waiting for me was a room full of people, including David, who were screaming and cheering for me like I was a superstar, a champion, a winner of the race. They waited on me, got me warm drinks and towels, took my amazing post race pictures, then showed me to the locker room where I could sit in the sauna, take a hot shower and put on dry warm clothes. What followed was a celebration of food and drink and music and celebration for every single Hyland’s runner. Despite the weather, every one of the teachers and the legacy team crossed that finish line that day, a day that will be written into the records books of the Boston Marathon.

                                                                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boston Baby!

Fifteen years ago, when I was overweight and out of shape, I never would have imagined that I would be 12 weeks away from my second Boston Marathon.  Just to say that, my 2nd Boston Marathon, makes me so proud of how far I have come.  I earned my place at that starting line in Hopkinton on April 16 because of hard work, consistent work, dedication and desire. I had a lot of help along the way; family, friends, coaches and my best training partner and husband, David, who truly believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.

I have also had the honor of being a sponsored athlete for the Boston Marathon. Again, to say these words, sponsored athlete, when 15 years ago I couldn’t even run 2 minutes on the treadmill, makes me extremely humbled  for the opportunity. Hyland’s, a major sponsor of the Boston Marathon, invited me to join their team for the second time. Last year  David and I had what we both thought was a once in a lifetime opportunity, but with qualifying a second time, I was invited to join the team again. They provided us and my family with a world class experience, brunches, baseball game, more brunches, VIP treatment to the starting line (a private bus with a bathroom in it), and an amazing after party where we, the runners, were the guests of honor. They are an exceptional company, who believe in the power of healthy living and it was (and will be again) a privilege to represent them in Boston.

So, with 12 weeks to go my mileage will increase, my time will be filled with more running, swimming, crossfit and mobility and my husband, my family, my friends and Hyland’s will be by my side every step of the way.

A wise man once said “You can not do great things without the support of great people surrounding you.”