I’m all about that base, ’bout that base…

START TRAINING!

Yes, Poodles. It’s time. Time for your old, tired, haggard pal Colby to get her shit together, hunker down and GET SERIOUS about running. It’s base building season. And dare I say I’ve cannonballed right on in. A good base is like a nice solid granite foundation, which will support the demands of marathon training with Hanson’s Marathon Method. Ahhh. My beloved Hanson’s.

I love to despise this plan. However, it really works for me. Of course I cry, sweat, and curse the heavens because of it, but who am I fooling? I love the discipline. I mean, I am a recovering Catholic School kid who had 13 consecutive years of nuns, this broad breathes discipline. I love the training. I love seeing the progress. I love the work. Sadists. Runners are sadists. And I am a card carrying one.

In my quest to get my body and head set for marathon training with Hanson’s, I’ve begun slowly ramping up my running. Mostly easy-effort runs with some intervals and miles at marathon pace thrown in for good measure. I’ve never stopped running, but I’ve definitely been throwing in more trails and stair mill workouts to mix things up a bit. I haven’t been running mega miles, but I am increasing my mileage weekly. I have an ankle with some hardware in it. Girlfriend likes to build slowly. Or she goes on strike. And limping isn’t cute.

Regular HIIT workouts have also been contributing to my base. HIIT workouts involve intense bursts of high-intensity exercise intervals followed by periods of low-intensity active rest- or even total rest. And they’re efficient. Like, 20 minutes or less. They also kick your ass upside down in your own living room. I found this chick on YouTube. Zuzka. 15 minutes of sheer hell. As they say in the biz, she is FIERCE. She had me at- I made it without vomitting. Yes. That’s the title of one of her HIIT workouts. Yes. Of course I immediately tried it. And, yes. I made it without puking. Although I may have dry heaved a little.

Go ahead. Try it. Report back. She’s no joke.

So now for the head set part of base building. Last you found me, I was in the throes of a Sunday night existential crisis resulting in me registering for the Vermont City Marathon and joining a Bikram Yoga studio. I know, what happened to a bottle of wine and an online shopping skin and hair products binge? I am pleased to report that I have been attending class 3-4 times per week like a good sweaty little yogi. WHO AM I?!? I’ll tell you who I am. An unbalanced, tight, hot mess.

Me. Dripping mascara and all. 

For the love of namaste, I suck at this. Which is precisely why I must go. They don’t call yoga a practice for nothing. I am seeing progress. Although it’s not getting easier. I think that’s the hook. To keep at it. Bikram builds strength, flexibility, balance and, at 105 degrees, mental and physical stamina. Some days I’m stronger. Some days I’m more balanced. Some days I’m more flexible. All days I’m focused. Grounded, even. So I guess that’s a very good place to start- right at the base. Bottoms up, Friends! ☺️

Have you ever tried Bikram Yoga? Do you base train prior to kicking off marathon training? Did that HIIT workout make you puke? Want to run the Vermont City Marathon with me in Burlington, Vermont Memorial Day Weekend? Register with my link- HERE!

The Sunday Night Existential Crisis

Damn you, Weekend. Where have you gone? And for the love of all things Sunday, why do I get an insta-stomach ache when it gets to like, 8pm and I get the I DON’T WANNA GO TO WORK 3rd grade hissy fit going? It’s usually followed by a super dramatic stomp to the laundry room only to realize that I haven’t thrown my favorite running duds in the washer and what’s in the washer smells like dirty moldy feet because it’s been there since Friday, soaking wet.

WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?!?!

*throws self on hardwood floor, clutches knees, and yells WHHHHHYYYYY a la Nancy Kerrigan circa 1994 clubbing*

Hello, Sunday Night Existential Crisis! It’s that moment each and every damn week where I question the very foundations of my existence. We’re talking frenzy, Poodles. What does it all mean? What’s the point of all this? When I am long gone, will I have left a teeny tiny mark, ON ANYTHING? Oh, yeah. We’re talkin’ DEFCON level 10 drama.

This shit more often than not follows a great weekend that I don’t want to end. This time it was a quiet weekend with My Other Half and the pups, running, hiking, exploring and relaxing together in Vermont. Nothing mega fab. Just quiet. No TV. No WIFI. Just books, beer, blankets and each other. Simple. Paired down. Together. I love weekends like that. I usually come home and rant about downsizing, camper van adventures, tiny homes and living off the grid.

These kind of weekends really do make me question my life choices. From lifestyle to work to what goals I am setting to what race I’m running to why aren’t i doing yoga to…..EVERYTHING. And then I stomp around like Grouchy Smurf instead of actually doing something. Totally crippled by my own ridiculous inertia. Such a brat.

So. Now that I’ve called myself out on my petulant self, here’s what I just did.

1. Registered for the Vermont City Marathon
2. Bought an unlimited month of yoga
3. Re-Washed my damn running clothes

Boom. DONE. There. Take THAT Existential Crisis. NOW I have a plan. Because if I can bitch and sulk and stomp around yelling GAAAAAHHHH all Sunday night, I can damn well sit my ass down, be grateful for a lovely weekend, be thankful to have been surrounded with all that I love and decide what the fuck I am running this spring, sign up for a yoga class tomorrow and do my damn laundry.

Enough. GET IT TOGETHER, COLBY.

I feel better already. ☺️

Do you have an occasional Existential Crisis? Or are they just reserved for major life changes? What are you doing with your life? 😜

Runventure Awaits! Enter to WIN!

I’m sitting here weather stalking the weekend. Like a deranged polar bear.  Mind you, I am totally NOT complaining about the weather. I live in New England for frigid’s sake. And after all, it IS November. It should be chilly. I should be wearing cute boots and a puffer vest whilst sipping pumpkin spice beverages, like the basic broad I was born to be. Instead I’ve been wearing tank tops while running- all through October and even up until a few days ago. It’s been crazy.

My weather stalking isn’t for a big race or anything. It’s because we’re heading to Vermont this weekend and it’s supposed to be super duper cold. Like, singlet to snow suit cold. And besides, my Other Half, Drunk Otis and I are looking to get our run on in the Green Mountain State and I need to know if I’ll be rocking my new Janji Duds.

Full Fall Janji

 

The new Janji Collection is off the chain- both Fall and Winter. I will be rocking my new Nepal Hoodie and new Nepal Crop Tights for sure this weekend. That is unless it is single digits. Then I’ll be all sorts of layered up a la Janji.

CONTEST ALERT!!!! 

Speaking of my beloved Janji, they’re doing a BIG PHAT RUNVENTURE GIVEAWAY in conjunction with their first ever Janji Travel Series! Nomadic Run: Mexico City. You can win a FREE trip to run around Mexico City with other crazy adventure loving runners! I love that Janji is doing a Travel Series. I think it dovetails so super well with the company’s mission-  funding clean water projects in various countries throughout the world.  10% of the sale of each piece of running apparel does just that. But back to Nomadic Run: Mexico City.  Here are the cliff notes:

Janji is proudly teaming up with Aire Libre to host our first ever Nomadic Run trip to Mexico City. Join us on this fully-guided, fast-blast excursion as we experience the amazing culture, food and, most importantly, the running scene of one of the largest and most dynamic cities in the world. We will venture from the busy streets to the vast surrounding nature, running our way through a volcanic crater and thick forest trails as we explore this striking terrain and throw back a taco or two. Or a dozen.

Running. Adventure. And tacos. See why I love this company? Discover the details and enter to win via my link: Janji Travel Series! Nomadic Run: Mexico City and win an all-inclusive spot on the trip and a whole bunch of Janji apparel. *Flights not included*  Do it quick! The contest ends at midnight on November 9th, 2017! Click the link for the date, itinerary and all of the details!

And now back to my regularly scheduled weekend weather stalking. 🙂

To Adventure!

5 Years a Blogger

So this happened.

TODAY IS MARATHON AND A SPRINT DAY! Imma hashtag the snot out of that! #marathonandsprintday Yippeee! Lobster rolls and IPAs for everyone! FIVE YEARS.  I can’t believe it. Tina and I started this blog 5 damn years ago on this very day.  What a fun day! I’ll never forget it. She called me on the phone.  The actual phone. As in, my land line. We weren’t wildly texting every 7 minutes like we are now.  Or using emojis. That’s how long ago it was. The internet existed. That much I know.  Anywho, she telephoned me with a crazy little idea….

Colby. It’s T. How’s about we start a blog? You’re bored. I need a creative outlet. We both run. We love it. We both ride. And. We both think we’re goddamn HI. LARIOUS. I love to write. You love to swear…. COME ON!!!  Whaddya think?

-Tina

And voila! Our fun, little, irreverent, snarky, sassy adventure blog was born. Thank god I started blogging again and reset my wordpress password. I would have totally missed this shit.

When you run Boston with your best friend 💛💙

The posts. Oh, the posts. Some silly, some serious, all in our own voices. I never look at blog stats. I’m sure that statement rescinds my Blogger Card, but I really don’t. Until tonight. I sifted through our “top” posts- a lot of which aren’t even my most favorite. *See my face plant and Tina’s allergic reaction below.* Those are two of my faves because they were 100% real. Real Colby and Real Tina. Uncensored. That’s not to say the others are #fakeblogs. They’re not. Those two were a couple of the MOST hysterical and memorable moments from the past few years. Christ. I had plastic surgery. ON MY FACE. Tina blew up like a puffer fish, put on her sunnies, took a handful of Benedryl and ran a marathon 4 hours later. Who does that? Of course Tina’s First Boston and selfishly my first Boston posts pretty much make me cry with joy every time I reread them. Those are biggies. Here are our top 10 most popular posts from the past 5 Years according to the numbahs.

1. The Importance of Meeting Ernest
2. Top 5 Reasons Why You Need to Do the Fenway Spartan Sprint
3. Jellybeans: The Next Superfood?
4. And then I exhaled.
5. Is Anyone Ever The Biggest Winner?
6. Top 10 Moments Riding in the Pan Mass Challenge
7. Trader Joe is a crack dealer.
8. An Open Letter to the Lady in the Way Too Huge Cotton Tee
9. The Secret of the Pan Mass Challenge
10. Brighten Up! 6 High Visibility Items for Running in Low Light

So, in summary, reviewing our past 5 years T-Bone and I have…

• Run dozens of half marathons together. Seriously. So many combined.
• PR’d in every damn distance- 5k, 20k, Half Marathon and Marathon
• Run Marine Corps, Vermont City, New York, Philadelphia, Big Sur, Baystate, BOSTON (!!!) and more!
• Met Bloggers in Real Life- and consider them friends! ❤️
• Ridden several thousand miles all in the name of kicking cancer’s ass
• Run a snowshoe 10k in sub-zero temps up a mountain in Vermont
• Run an Ultra Marathon (Colby)
• Run Spartan Races and Warrior Dashes galore!
• Wound up in the ER (Colby) with stitches after face planting during a 20 miler
• Discovered Hanson’s Marathon Method and both wept with pure joy and absolute exhaustion at the discovery
• Would up with a massive allergic reaction (Tina) from ingesting no-frills-low-budget nuts the night before a marathon
• Ran, rode, traveled, trained, reached goals, cried, complained, crashed and burned and qualified- together. I love you, T-Bone!!! ❤️
• Had a hell of a lot of fun meeting a fantastic community of other Crazies (You) who are passionate about running, friendship and living life loud. Muahhhh! ❤️

Here’s to 5 more years! We may blog. We may take time outs. We may rant. And we may rave. But odds are, we’ll do it together. Thank you for follow along. ☺️ CHEERS, POODLES!!!

Xoxo,

Colby

It starts with one.

One blog post. After 6 months of not posting.

One trail race. After running the race of my dreams.

One goat yoga class. After realizing my hip flexors were so tight I could play the opening chords of Stairway to Heaven on them. (And because baby goats. Let’s be honest.)

One amazing dirtbag adventure. After months of planning with The Gang.

One 200 mile bike ride across the great state of Massachusetts. After committing to kick cancer’s ass in my 13th Pan Mass Challenge.

One week spent in Wellfleet eating oysters and drinking delicious IPAs. After riding said cancer fighting bike like a Cancer Fighting Boss.

One time out.
To regroup.
Reset.
Reassess.
And say…
Now Fucking What?

I think there comes a time after accomplishing a goal when you’re left a little dumbfounded.  Maybe dumbfounded isn’t quite right. Stunned? Stupefied? Dazed? All of the above?!  You may even find yourself a little lost. Funny. You think the momentum of achieving a goal would buoy you into setting another. But alas, Poodles. It did not. Not for me. The tide did not work that way for Colby. I stayed kinda still. Sure. I basked in the achievement. I even did stuff. Athletic stuff. And then I wandered around my own head a bit.

 

Boston was the cherry on the tippity top of my sundae. A big old exclamation point at the end of a long run on sentence. Even though I didn’t have the race I trained for, I had the race of my dreams. I felt so damn fulfilled afterwards. Like, if I never ran another step I would be OK with that. I felt like I had come so far. That my training was the best I had ever done. I felt like I was in The Fittest I had ever been. And it would have been ok if I never ran again. Hung up my Hokas and sat the eff down.  Because I felt like I was at the top of my game. And that wasn’t even with a PR. 

That was really how I felt. About running. About where I was at that point and time. I was all set. I know. Crazy talk. But true. And seeing as how I’m being honest and all, my body was honestly beaten down to a goddamn pulp after Boston. Totally broken. I was exhausted. I needed a time out. Big time. So I put my Hansons Marathon Method book back on the shelf- where I could still see her- and ran when I wanted to. Not because I had to. And I rode my bike. A lot. I hiked a ton and even managed to do some yoga. I even have been hitting the trails. But now, I’m getting a lil’ antsy.

It’s time.

I think I’ve asked myself – So now what, Colby? About a million times since running Boston. I’ve run, raced, yoga’d with baby goats (EPIC!), traveled, ridden, laughed with My Other Half and tooled around town with Drunk Otis Brown for months. But now. I think it’s time to jump back IN.  Into what,  I’m not sure. A kiddie pool of unicorns and BQs? A race in another part of the world? A half marathon PR?  Another stab at an ultra?  I’m not sure yet. But I’m ready. Stay tuned.

To being back! Cheers, Friends!

Have you ever found yourself semi-paralyzed after achieving a goal? Or, do you set another one right away, raising the bar higher? 

RACE GIVEAWAY: Jump into a Spartan Race and Reap the Rewards!

It’s been a month since my running of the Boston Marathon and I’m officially stating that I have Post-Marathon Withdrawal Syndrome.  It’s real, Poodles. And I’ve got it. Bad. I even blogged about it some months back. Read about the condition HERE. It’s only a matter of time before it pops up as a legitimate affliction on WebMD.  You’ll find it under the “Hysterical Conditions for Insane Runners” tab. Watch. It’s coming. And you can say you heard it here first.

Since running Boston, I’ve been doing the whole Reset and Recharge thing to get back to loving running again. I know it sounds crazy, but I hate when running becomes a chore. After a marathon, that’s exactly what it becomes to me. I always find that after a marathon I need to reset my ‘Love of Running’ button.  So, during the post-26.2 recovery period I always mix things up with my training.  I dig shaking things up a bit. Spin, cycling, goat yoga (OH YES I DID! And it was glorious! Recap to follow!), boot camp, trail running and a whole lot of: “Hmmmmmm…..what can I conquer next?”  Which brings me back around to one of my old favorites: The Spartan Race. As you can see below, I loves me a Spartan Race!

If you are a follower of our Lil’ Blog, you know that Tina and I have engaged in several Spartan Sprints and have had a kick ass time.  Relive our experience HERE and see why you need to do a Spartan Race. In fact, our friends at Reebok Spartan Race reached out to us to tell us about an exciting new partnership with Marriott Rewards and provided us with a race to giveaway! WE’RE GIVING ONE LUCKY READER A FREE SPARTAN RACE ENTRY! I may love giveaways more than Spartan Races.  Combining the two is like riding a unicorn whilst eating a taco. Perfection.  The Free Race is good for entry into any Spartan Race in the US. And in case you have to travel, this just in:  Marriott Rewards is now the official Hotel Partner for Spartan Race! I know, I know.  You’re all like: So what?  Here’s what- If you join the Marriott Rewards loyalty program, you’ll get:

• 20% off Spartan Races
• FREE VIP bag check
• $5 off of Spartan gear at the races

Cool, right?  And once enrolled, you’ll reap all the bennies of a Rewards Member. (That’s “benefits” for all the non-cool kids out there, myself included.) So if you’re a lover of all things Spartan and sweet hotels, join Marriott Rewards! There’s much more to gain by joining. Read more about the Offer Terms & Conditions HERE!

In the meantime, enter our Spartan Race Giveaway by clicking the link below! The giveaway ends on May 31st at 11:59pm.  Good luck!!! AROOOO!!!

CLICK HERE to enter the Reebok Spartan Race giveaway

The Return to Earth

I’ve been floating waaaay above the atmosphere post- Boston Marathon, riding a unicorn in a straight up stupor with Drunk Otis in tow. Wondering if it all just happened.

Source: GIPHY.com

What just happened? Was it all a dream? Did I really just run Boston? YAAAAASSSSSSSSQUEEEN. You did. And I’ve got the pics to prove it! I never usually buy the “official” marathon pics. Because:

1. I usually look like a sweaty boy with a gigantic face and 17 more teeth than a normal human boy should have in their mouth. And,
2. They’re expensive AF.

I usually despise every race photo, critiquing every square inch of myself. I’m never happy with the boy girl I see.  I am too… *insert rotten adjective here.*  Why is that? It’s terrible.  I am way too hard on myself with race photos. In my head I never look “athlete” or “fit” enough.  It’s the whole candid camera thing. The “Oh my god. That’s what I look like???” candid shot. I never like what I see. A selfie you can control. A race pic is a crap shoot. Uh, yeah. Issues much, Colby? However with this being Boston and all, I figured I’d suck it up, search for a coupon and buy them. I’m glad I did. While I didn’t have a ton of pics, I did have one that was special. I had one that I actually loved.

This picture sums it allllll up. That’s how I felt. Right there. On Boylston. Just before the finish. Tears in my eyes and a smile from my core with all 49 teeth visible. Complete pure, honest, JOY. Ahhhh! The thrill of the done! That’s it right there! The work. The tears. The moment. Every time I look at this picture I’m sent back to that exact second and I smile that same smile. That, Poodles, is a feeling I will never forget. To the Marathon Foto photographer who took this picture: I can’t thank you enough. Thank you for capturing this special moment. I see one strong, happy girl right there. One who is so grateful for running.  This time, I love the girl I see. And I’m so happy that girl is me. ❤

Do you usually buy the race pics? Have you ever gotten one that truly captured the moment?

My First Running of the Boston Marathon

Pure Joy.

It was everything.

And more.

I have spent the past several days ruminating.  Chewin’ the cud, so to speak. Compiling my thoughts. Sifting through my emotions. And riding the wave of an unimaginable runner’s high. I am on Cloud Freaking 9.  Or 10.  I suspect I will be for quite some time. It wasn’t because I nailed my goal after months of training with Hansons Marathon Method. SPOILER ALERT: I didn’t. I didn’t PR. I didn’t BQ again. I guess I should be disappointed.

But I’m not.

It wasn’t because Hansons failed me. It didn’t. Not by a long shot. That plan works. I have never felt stronger. Or faster. Or more “runner” than I do right now. My 45 year old self can kick the snot out of my 25 year old self. Then run a half marathon, throw on heels and go out for cocktails right after. I used to strictly believe that perfect results require perfect conditions. I still believe that to be somewhat true. However, I think I need to redefine the terms a bit. “Perfect” comes in many forms.

This was my 10th marathon. I will go on record saying that I trained my heart out to run Boston. You know it. I know it. I worked. I wanted to prove to myself that I belonged. Crazy, I know. I qualified and all, but I’m just being honest. I also gave this race EVERYTHING. Everything I had. This is The One Marathon that I gave everything I had to give. Period. Physically. Mentally. All. I finished Depleted. I’ve never felt more spent in my life. Or more accomplished.  I ran the last 5 miles on The Edge. You know what I mean about The Edge, right?  It’s that point.  The limit. Your limit. That threshold. It was foreign ground to me. I reached my body’s limit. I toed that line, willing myself to go faster.  “This is BOSTON, Colby.  And this is YOUR fucking day. GO.”   Over and over in my head I shouted. And my legs? The wouldn’t. They wouldn’t go. They revolted. And cramped. It was so, so hot. So I backed off. And toed that line. That Edge. For the rest of the race. And soaked in every single drop of Boston. It was epic.

I’d never pushed myself that hard. Ever. At a point when I should have felt defeated, I didn’t. It was quite the opposite. Forget the goal. Forget the time. Embrace the effort. The work. The accomplishment. In that moment I have never felt stronger. It chokes me up thinking about it even now, 1 week later. This journey has taught me so much about myself.  I am so much stronger than I think I am.  I love what running has done for me. It has built me back up. Running has made me believe that anything is possible.  Anything.

The heat was oppressive last Monday. It was way hotter than I think anyone anticipated. And it was run mostly in full sun. Brutal temps with no lead in to acclimate. That’s a death sentence for me. Hot weather runner girl, I am not. I dumped roughly 22 cups of water over my head. I’m not even kidding. And drank even more during the race. And I’m still thirsty. Even without the heat, the course is relentless. The down hills. The down hills tear your quads to shreds. To me, they were far worse than the climbs, which were ample, long and steady. Cresting Heart Break Hill and thinking about all of the running greats who have crested before me made my heart swell.

It’s a course so rich in history. You feel it with each mile. As grueling of a road race it is, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I adored every hot minute of it. I did. I ran a 4:04:40 last Monday. And I am so goddamn proud. Right on Hereford. Left on Boylston. Then soar. Honoring those along the way and sopping up every ounce of emotion with a smile as big as the sun. I ran right down the center. Like I belonged. Fists pumping, tears falling. Such gratitude.  What a moment. Sometimes you may not run the perfect race you trained for, but somehow it still winds up being the perfect race of your dreams. ❤

The Thrill of the Done

 

I can’t thank all of you enough for all of your warm wishes! And of course for following along on My Journey. I’ll post a more detailed recap next. But honestly. This week post-marathon has been so special. I’ve been replaying the race over and over in my head and soaking it all in all week. What a day!
xoxox,
Colby

One more sleep…

The Boston Marathon is mere hours away. I’m laying here in my snuggly hotel bed with a belly full of pasta getting my head set. I just felt like writing….

I will be at the starting line in Hopkinton tomorrow morning nervous, teary eyed and just so damn excited. I can’t believe it. Me. Running Boston. And yet, here I am… 

When I started running longer and longer distances 9 years ago I never, ever thought I would run Boston. It wasn’t on my radar. Like, at all. Not because I hadn’t dreamed of running it. I had. But to me, it was fantasy, a Legendary Beast, a Unicorn that I never thought I’d catch. I never thought I would be fast enough, good enough or runner enough to qualify. No one told me this. No one told me any of those things. I had told me. In my mind, I had decided it was so. And so it was. I believed it. Until last year…

When I decided I was going to try. Really try. I mean, give it all I had. In my head I thought it was going to be a one shot deal. I’d give it a go and if I failed, at least I’d do so trying. Hold head high, move on along to the next adventure. But then it happened.  Lo and behold I’d qualified. I had the race of a lifetime. And I was elated. Until now…

I have just pinned on my bib, laid out my clothes and crawled into bed with a belly full of pasta and a smile so large it will carry me all the way to Boston. My heart is so full. I have learned so learned so much about myself along this journey. 

I AM fast enough. I AM good enough. I AM runner enough. And no matter how tomorrow goes, that is simply good enough for me. 

Much love,

Colby

The Weekly Running Recap: And now, the end is near, and so I face the final tempo run…

My friend, I’ll say it clear. I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain…

THANK EFFEN GOD THE TRAINING IS OVER. 

No offense Hansons, but I am STOKED. The work. The stress. The tired legs. The “No thank you. I’ll just have water” is fucking done-zo. I couldn’t be happier if I tried. Week 17 of training with Hanson’s Marathon Method ended not with a bang, but with a gentle, exhausted whimper. And maybe also with a firm fist pump. We have arrived. Welcome to Taper Town. The speed limit is 3mph. Don’t over do it. I’m overwhelmed. I’ll admit it. In fact I’ll save my hysterical thoughts for another post. For now, here’s how the final week of Colby’s Magical Boston Marathon training went! 

Monday: Easy Run. 6 miles. 9:13 pace with my chocolate monster, The Incomparable Drunk Otis Brown. This has become the routine. And he knows it. He grabs his leash and puts his face in my lap, both drooling and completely prohibiting me from lacing up my kicks. He’s a mess. But I love him. 

Tuesday: Strength Intervals. 6 x 1mile, 400m recovery. 11 miles total. 8:10 pace. AND THAT’S A WRAP!!!! Best I’ve felt this whole Strength Interval section. For reals. Brought a tear to my eye and everything. Ahhhh. Done. 

Wednesday: RESTFUCKINGDAY. Zero miles. Pace 0mph. Absolute. Zero. 

Thursday: Tempo Run. 10 miles at marathon pace, 8:35. 12 miles total. There is NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING like running your final tempo run. My legs were TIRED. My glute was not happy. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But I finished that shit like I broke the tape on Bolyston. WINNNNNNER! It was ugly. But it was done. And now I must rest. 

Friday: Easy 7 miles. Ummmm. No. Instead, 60 minutes on the elliptical followed by a deep tissue massage. My legs were not happy. They were miserable. So instead of slugging through 7 painful miles, I cross trained and went to my gifted massage therapist. When I got there she said:  Looks like I’ve gotta clean this shit up. And then I burst into a sweat. 

Saturday: Easy Run. 8 miles. 9:01 pace. New. Legs. I’m not kidding. So much better. Find a good massage therapist. Someone who gets it. They will change your life. And keep you moving. 

The Thrill of the Done

Sunday: Easy Run. 8 miles. 8:58 pace. New Legs Act II: Shut up and Taper. 

• Total Number of Miles Run: 45
• Number of Hours Spent On The Elliptical Because I Felt Broken: 1 hour
• Number of Times I Had To Pinch Myself Because I Still Can’t Believe I’m Running Boston: 6  

When is the last time you’ve been genuinely, legitimately excited about something? How do you celebrate a monumental occasion? When is the last time you cried from pure joy?