Marathon!!!!!!!!!!

This weekend I ran my first marathon in Newport Rhode Island!!! If you don't know a Marathon is 26.2 miles. I have to say Newport is a gorgeous area but boy oh boy is it hilly!!!!! I loved running through this ocean town  with lots of cool views and the biggest most beautiful mansions I have ever seen!  It was an awesome time and I feel blessed to have been able to do it with out injury!  If you were to ask me yesterday I would have said NEVER AGAIN but today I am saying hmmm maybe!

My shirt and map! It was cool because I would be running and people on the sideline would cheer for me because I put my name on the front...also other runners commented because of what I wrote on the back (26.2 because 26.3 would be crazy) and that would turn into a conversation...and we all know how much I like to talk. Really helped to pass the time.
 
Some views. I really did want to take more pictures but I was enjoying the views and just plain forgot or the pictures came out blurry :( sorry! It was SO SO SO windy and we were beaten up by the sand! When we were at the start line it started to rain a little but we were quite lucky that it never rained. I was wicked worried about that :)
 
My baby at mile 15!! Bill and I had made a plan to meet at the half way point (13.1) but when I got there Bill and Chase were not there. It was crowded so I just figured they got stuck in traffic or could not find it. I was totally bummed...then I turned the corner at mile 15 and there they were!!! I could not have been happier! I stopped and hugged them both and chatted for a couple minutes :) Seeing them was the boost I needed to keep going!


I took a few pictures of mile markers! Tell you what I never really hit a wall but I did hate running between 18 and 21. I feel lucky because I only had minor aches and pains: Tail bone area was really tight and my left Achilles was tight and achy  but nothing that made me feel like I had to stop!!
 fun fact: I decide to enjoy my run and views so I ran with out music all the way to mile 18 and only listen to it to mile 24. It was really cool! ALSO, I have never ran with out my GPS watch to monitor my pace and distance but when I woke up and started getting ready my watch battery was DEAD!! I was so upset but as I was running I feel like it was a blessing because my pace and time was one less thing for me to think about. I am sure it affected my finishing time and was one of the reasons I finished a little slower than I wanted but it was nice not to worry about it at the time.

A few pictures of me running. I was VERY surprised by how hilly this run was. Everyone told me it would be but I just did not expect this. I just need to learn that these beach towns ARE HILLY! my half marathon a few months ago on the Cape was hilly too. Between the Hills and the heavy wind I just could not go much faster.

My friend Michelle ran the Marathon with me too and she rocked it!!!

 

Done and wind blown!

Finished and so happy!!! This was an amazing experience and I feel very lucky to have been able to do it.
 

After the Marathon Michelle and I went and got a yummy cheese burger and a beer before coming home. I swear it was the best burger I had ever had. hehe

4 days!!!

4 more days until the Marathon. I feel ready but really nervous and scared. I do feel a cold coming on so I really hope that passes before the big day. Just checked the weather for Sunday and it says low of 56 and high of 63 Sunny which in my mind is PERFECT!!! To tell you the truth I can't believe I signed up to do this as I never saw my self as a go getter... wish me luck...26.2 miles on Sunday.
 here is the course map. GOING TO BE A GORGEOUS RUN!!!

My friend Ruthe mad me this...cute right?!?!?!?!

Spirit of the Marathon

I watched this documentary the other day while running on the treadmill. WOW! What a motivating movie right before I run my own Marathon. It is about 6 runners, a couple running a marathon for the first time to Elite and Olympic Marathoners. It shows challenges and triumphs.

last long run

Yesterday was my last "long run" before the marathon. I am now suppose to do "short and easy" runs. I have 13 days until the big day and I am very nervous since my 20 mile run went so badly due to being sick. I seriously can't believe I am going to run a Marathon...
My goal is to finish in under 5 hours other than that I just want to have fun and enjoy my self.

I am always surprised when someone calls a 5k (3.1mile) a marathon :)

 It will be interesting to see how I feel...

ahhhhh

I only have 28 days until the big MARATHON...26.2 miles baby!!!!

Diva Dash

Last weekend I did the Diva Dash. it is 3 miles with 11 obstacle courses. Though I did have fun with my friends doing this I was disappointed. I found it to be too easy and I really wanted to be challenged...and MUDDY! I might do this again just to do with friends but I really hope they make it more difficult and dirtier. Here are a few pictures.

MARATHON!!!

I finally decided to sign up to run a marathon. I am going to run the Newport RI Marathon on Oct 14th. I am so excited but very nervous. http://amicamarathon.com/index.html Course Description The Amica Marathon and UnitedHealthcare Half Marathon cover a rolling course on scenic Newport and Middletown roads. Starting by the water in downtown Newport, the course runs through some of the most scenic spots on Aquidneck Island, including along historic Thames Street in downtown Newport, around Fort Adams State Park, past Hammersmith Farm and the Newport Country Club, around scenic Brenton Point and Ocean Drive and past the famous Bellevue Avenue mansions. After the marathon I will need to start thinking of what crazy event I want to do next :) any ideas???

Boston Ruckus June 2012

The Boston Ruckus is an exciting military style obstacles (over 20) compacted into a 4 mile run. The courses are designed for a wide range of participants and almost 100% of runners finish. Ruckus events are demanding enough for the elite, but achievable for all. It is all about having a unique, rewarding experience, that is as much fun as it is a challenge. I HAD A FRIGGIN BLAST!!!!! The pictures you see are only about a mile/mile and a half of the race. The rest was in the woods through the trails and fields. I have never done anything so hard but so fun! Also I am very surprised that I was able to do some of the obstacles...I must be in better shape than I thought! I can't wait to do this again next year. I really enjoyed pushing my self to do things I thought impossible and pushing myself to do  things that I very scared of. climbing a 10 foot wall DONE! gorilla bars Done. running and jumping through mud pits DONE. Wish I had a list of all the fun crazy things we did....BTW the cute red head with me is my team mate Claire! she and I kept together and cheered each other on!

Climbing this scared the crap out of me!

 

this was fun!!! and I fell :)

I actually really enjoyed climbing the walls!

DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Abington Half Marathon

Abington Tricentennial Half Marathon 

Plus side i finished ( 2hr16min) and Bill and Chase were at a few places around town to cheer me on! Negative I rolled my knee at mile 5 by tripping on a rock and the tendinitis in my feet flared up at mile 8. But i still finished! !!!!!!


Mile 1
 
Mile 4 and feeling great!



Mile 6. I was hurting here from tripping over a rock.

Mile 6


Mile 10 Chase was so cute waiting for me so he could give me a bottle of water! At this point I tossed the idea of stopping because the tendinitis in my feet had flared up but decided that I had gone this far and there were only three miles to go...

I am rounding the corner to the finish line!

Running to the end! 2hr 16 min...not to bad for being in pain for most of the run!

Abington Tricentennial 1/2 Marathon

I signed up for another half marathon.
Abington Tricentennial 1/2 Marathon on June 3rd. so exciting!

Brief Description

A 1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles) run through the roads of historic Abington, Whitman, and Rockland in celebration of their founding in 1712.
It is pretty cool because I will be running past my street!!!!!!!!

To prepare I not only have been running but I am doing boot camp 3 days a week and kickboxing 1 day a week.

Cape Cod Half Marathon

 1st half marathon (13.1miles)  2hr 6 min ...average of 9:40 min mile. (ish)

 

On April 15th I completed my first half marathon. Loved it. I can't wait to sign up and do another!
The night before the race Erin and I drove down to the Cape and had dinner at the British Beer Company (we had pulled pork sliders and buffalo chicken nacho's)and then headed over to Paula's. Paula is my husbands Aunt. After we got there I set my alarm and went straight to bed. I did toss and turn a bit but for the most part slept really well! Woke up about 5 min before my alarm went off to the yummy smell of BACON. Paula woke up early and made Erin and I a pancake breakfast! We ate and then got ready to leave.We arrived about 45 min early to the start line to get our bibs and packets.

 

 It was a beautiful morning when we got there it was 49 degrees. I ended up starting the race wearing a t-shirt and a long sleeve over top to take off when I got hot. good thing I did because it was mid 60's when I crossed the finish line.

The race started at 8 am. I think everyone pretty much ran together for the first 2 miles and then people really start to pick up there pace. The course was pretty hilly and a good part of it as a long the water so a bit sunny! I really enjoyed the course! 

My 1st 7 miles I ran at 9min a mile and then I started to slow down a some because I was getting hot.

At mile 7 I ran up to a girl and started to chat her up. lol we talked about different road races and Reach the Beach. She said she ran it last year too and so we shared stories really made that time go fast she was much fast so she took off after about 15 minutes. 

At about mile 8 I took a GU and continued on at about a 10:30min mile...by mile 12 I was ready to get to the finish line so I picked up my pace and just RAN! As soon as I saw the crowd I sprinted! (can't even believe I had the energy to but I did)

Bill, Chase and Erin were at the finish line waiting for me! 

 

 

The time was done manually...my GPS watch said I finished 10 sec faster that the clock they had set up. 2:06:26.

 

So I just have to brag on my self for a second! About a month a go when training  I  averaged 11 min miles. So I decided to try to work on speeding up. I ran 11 miles at 2 hr and 2 min then the following week 12 miles at 2hr and 2 min. RACE DAY 2hr 6min. I took almost a min and half a mile off of my time.

                                                       Erin and I after the race!

The Climb 2012

We did it again!!! 789 stairs straight up. I am so proud of our team "I did it my way". 2 of our team mates placed. Kara took 3rd for her age group and Gaelin took 2nd for his.
I did manage to beat my time by 2 min and 15 seconds! very proud of that! I can't wait for next year!

motivated again!!

Things to challenge my self and motivate me again. I have been training very hard!!! I am currently up to an 8 mile run. soon to be running 13.1!!!!!!

April 15th
2012 Cape Cod Half Marathon---so excited to finally be doing this!

June 16th
Boston Ruckus- 4miles of 20+ obstical courses.
http://www.runruckus.com/ruckus-boston-2012.html