race report — Page 3

2016 Finish at the 50 Recap

July 8, 2016 by Michelle 36 Comments

Last weekend the family and I headed down to Gillette Stadium to take part in the Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50. I love when the whole family gets in on the act, and this one was extra special because it was my youngest’s first ever 5K! He rocked it! 🙂

He was so proud of his medal!

The 5K was scheduled to start at 6 p.m. and the 10K at 7 p.m., so we decided to head to the race around 3:30. Parking was a breeze and we found a great spot where we could watch the fireworks later. There were no lines for either the bibs or t-shirts, so we were done in no time leaving a bit of a wait until the start of the race. We milled around Patriots Place, seeking shade and trying to stay hydrated and cool. As we inched closer to 6 p.m. and the temps were still hovering around 78, I was once again cursing myself for signing up for the 10K.

Side Note: OK, so I just have to put this right here and say that I really have a love-hate relationshp with this race! I love how well-organized it is and that it has really turned into a great family-friendly event. But the combination of the heat and the late start are just uber challenging for me. Earlier in the week I had, in fact, thought seriously about switching to the 5K and joining my son and husband – actually who am I kidding, that thought went through my head right up until the moment I got my bib! But, the RC coaches and I agreed that the 10K fit better with where I am in my training plan, and that I should just treat it as a hard training run.

Soon the 5K was off! I had positioned myself where I could easily catch my husband and son in two spots along the first part of the course. I cheered them on and then headed back to the main plaza to listen to the music and wait from the 10K to be called to the start. My husband J sent me texts and selfies so I knew how they were making out. No sooner did I head the start area then I spoted them on the ramps of the stadium closing in on the finish.

Now it was my turn. There were significantly fewer of us running the 10K, and several of us joked that all of the 5Kers knew something we didn’t. Just after 7, we were off. We followed the same loop around the first parking lot the 5K did, but then turned away from the stadium heading for Rte 1. I was thankful we were not on Rte 1 sharing the road with cars for long, as the route quickly took us off into the residential neighborhoods behind the stadium. And, this is where the rolling hills began. A downside of this race (for me at least) is the general lack of spectators – some residents were out in their driveways and front yards and did their best to cheer. The kids were the best and I high-fived as many as I could. The burst of energy I felt during the first mile was short-lived and by the time I reached the long, slow climb that was mile 4, I had hit my heat wall – there was some walking involved. I locked in on a woman in a t-shirt with a fireworks burst on it and promised myself I needed to keep her in my sights. “Follow the fireworks” became my mantra.

As we returned to the stadium, we could hear the music and the announcer, but it was a cruel tease, because instead of heading into the stadium loop, the course veered away again for an out and back across the parking lot. I did not love this part of the race course at all – seriously, who wants to run through people tailgaiting?! Miss Fireworks and I leap-frogged each other and I passed a couple of runners I hadn’t seen since mile 2. Finally, I was back within the stadium, and heading for the final tunnel and on to the field. There were lots of people in the stands and on the field, and I love that the announcer calls out each runner by name and the finish line is shown on the jumbotron – so fun!

With our races done, we headed back to our car for well-deserved picnic and to wait for the fireworks – always a good show!

This race is really well done and a fun way to spend part of a 4th of July weekend. The volunteers were really friendly and encouraging, and all of the water stops were well staffed and stocked, (though some Gatorade would have been a welcome addition). I really was not a fan of the out and back thrown in at the end – I think it would have been better to add that extra mile to the neighborhood section of the course. I’d also encourage the race organizers to offer a better selection of post-race food – while I love KIND bars, KIND bars and water was not much of a post-race selection.

I’m sure my family will be back again next year, and I’m most certain that I’ll be sticking to the 5K 😉

Did you run a 4th of July race? Do you avoid summer racing or embrace it?

Filed Under: 4th of July, family running, Finish at the 50, race report

2016 Run to Remember Race Report

May 30, 2016 by Michelle 20 Comments

I know I have said this so many times, but must say again Boston’s Run to Remember is one of my all time favorite races!

On Saturday morning my husband J and I headed in town for packet pick-up, and as always it was a breeze. There were a ton of volunteers manning the tables, so getting our bibs, t-shirts and commemorative coins took no time at all. I chose the coin honoring the police and J selected the one for EMS. We did a quick loop around the expo, and while I eyed the Oofos, I just couldn’t bring myself to spend $45 on flip flops! On our way out, we stopped to take in the banners acknowledging all of the fallen law enforcement.

Just too many names on this list

On Sunday morning, the race started at 7, so we were up and moving by a little after 5. After facing heat and humidity on Saturday (90’s), it was a relief to wake to cooler temps (60’s). The outdoor parking lots were quickly filling, so we decided to opt for parking at the Seaport Hotel (the host hotel). Yes more expensive, but the clean indoor bathrooms were a huge win in my book!

There was a moment of silence for State Trooper Clardy and Officer Tarentino, both recently killed in the line of duty, followed by the National Anthem and then we were ready to go. I was so glad the race organizers opted for the wave start – we were in the 3rd wave and crossed the starting line in just about 12 minutes. The first mile was still thick, but we managed to find space to run comfortably. I knew I was a little amped up at the start and definitely went out faster than I probably should have. I told J I needed to slow down and encouraged him to go ahead, but he had told me he was planning to run with me and was happy to go at whatever pace. We saw a friend at the first water station and stopped for a quick hello.

The miles clicked along, while we chatted up other runners, and thanked volunteers and police officers working the course. My left hip/knee woke up shortly after we passed the mile 3 marker, and got more cranky as we went along. I paid no attention to time though, this race was all about enjoying the experience and the camaraderie of runners. Before I knew it we were back on Atlantic Ave and getting ready for the final turn over the bridge to the finish. I will say the climb up the bridge felt l-o-n-g, and I was grateful for the enthusiastic spectators. The best part is once you crest the bridge, it’s a nice downhill into the finish. J and I agreed to push it into the finish – and just like that we were done.

Post race, boys scouts were handing out medals and there was an abundance of water, bagels, bananas and various snacks (I do urge the organizers to consider adding chocolate milk and Gatorade). We knew our boys would be up by now and waiting for us to get back for breakfast, so we took a few photos and headed for the car.

From start to finish this is a well organized race! The pre-race communication was excellent (including switching from the half to the 5-miler), packet pick was a breeze, and the along the course there was plenty of water, Gatorade and enthusiastic volunteers. If you get the chance to come to Boston over Memorial Day weekend, you should run this one.

Overall I was happy with the way things went – while I can see improvements thanks to the new strength training routine, there’s still work to do, and I’ve got lots of notes to share with Trainer Stacy this week. I’ve got plenty of time until my fall races, and am getting the details on my training plan finalized (more on that later). For now, I’m happy that my long hiatus from races is over.

Linking up once again with Holly and Tricia for the #WeeklyWrap

Filed Under: Boston's Run to Remember, race report

BAA 5K – A Family Tradition

April 21, 2015 by Michelle 17 Comments

On Saturday, my husband J, our oldest son and I were up and out early to run the BAA 5K. This was our 2nd year all running together (my 3rd time overall) – it’s quickly becoming a fun family tradition!

Just like last year, it was perfect running weather, as we gathered with 10,000 of our closest friends. Yes 10,000 runners for a 5K. So to say it was crazy crowded would be an understatement.

Courtesy of the Boston Herald

With so many runners, the BAA is still trying to find the best way to get everyone to the start line – especially a challenge when the winners are crossing the start/finish line within 15 minutes of starting! Last year volunteers had to quickly move corral barriers to get runners moving as the elites closed in on the finish. So this time around, they had us line up along Beacon Street and split the start/finish line so the elites had a clear path. There was also a pulse start. Once again, we were still shuffling to the start when the elites came in, but at least we got to see them this time!

What I love about this race is the vibe – there’s just a great feel about it. People just seem to be having a really good time, high-fiving and encouraging each other on the turn-around; there were lots of kids running with parents, and overall the crowd support along the course was awesome. Since my son had done absolutely no running beyond sprints for basketball and lacrosse, and one trip to the track with me, we decided to try a run/walk approach. We talked about doing set intervals, but in the end we just kind of did whatever we needed to when we needed to – which worked just fine. With our names on our bibs, I loved all the shout-outs my son got and it was really fun to see him enjoying the whole experience. I’m really proud of the effort he put in!

Running down Boylston St definitely brought a range of emotions that I still find hard to put into words two years later. It’s always something to watch people’s reactions to crossing over the Marathon famous finish line. Soon came the final turn back onto Charles Street and the finish line. Getting our medals, post race food and race shirts was easy-breezy, and we took some time to hang out on the Commons and enjoy the atmosphere before heading off to grab breakfast.

Despite the crowd, this is becoming a family favorite and I think my youngest son finally wants to give it a try next year. Let the family tradition continue!

Filed Under: BAA, family running, race report

Friday Five: Run to Remember Race Recap

May 30, 2014 by Michelle 12 Comments

Over Memorial Day Weekend I ran what has really become one of my favorite races – Boston’s Run to Remember!

I’ve been trying all week to get around to writing a race recap but it kept slipping further and further down my to do list. So instead of my typical recap, it’s coming at you Friday Five style….

Oh the Humanity! – I think the first time I ran this race in 2011 there may have been 7,000 runners total running both the half marathon and the 5-miler. This year there were 12,000 of us hitting the streets! The race announcer said if you totaled all the human mileage we’d reach half way to the moon!

Public Garden

Sights and Sounds — Police cadet chants as they ran, “Boston Strong” cheers and cow bells, high-fiving police officers lining the route and super enthusiastic volunteers! Passing Faneuil Hall, Beacon Hill, the Public Garden and Boston’s waterfront.

Keep it Simple — My runs have been so schizophrentic lately that I really had no idea what to expect from this race. My goals were simply to have a solid run and enjoy the race. Coach Bennett suggested that I just run by effort and not worry about a specific pace. For half a second I considered not even wearing my Garmin, but I knew I’m just too Type A for that! I did manage to not really look at it until I hit the final mile.

New Distance — While it was my third time running RTR, this was my first time running the 5-miler. I like this distance – it’s not quite the all-out gut-wrencher that a 5K can be. And I think it (or a 10K) makes a better pairing with a half marathon than a lot of the 5Ks I typically see (oh race directors are you listening?!)

Camaraderie and Community — From the expo the day before to volunteers throughout the course and at the finish line, I saw many friends and familiar faces — and I know there were so many more out there that day that I didn’t get to see! Despite the large crowd there’s something about this race that makes it feel very “local” if you know what I mean. I loved how encouraging runners were to each other and especially appreciated the older gentlemen who ran next to me in the final stretch. He must have sensed I was tiring – we chatted for a brief minute and then he urged me to get going and finish this thing…and I thanked him and I did!

This is race is really well done. If you ever plan to be in Boston on Memorial Day weekend, I highly encourage you to register for this one!

Do you have a favorite race you’ve run again and again?

Filed Under: #14in2014, Boston's Run to Remember, Friday Five, race report

BAA 5K Recap

April 22, 2014 by Michelle 11 Comments

What a beautiful day! And, what an emotional day!

On Saturday I ran the B.A.A. 5K with my husband J and our oldest son. It was a beautiful morning for a run – a little chilly, but picture-perfect clear blue skies. Because there were going to be so many more runners this year, we decided to park a few blocks from the start and walk over. Not only did it make a breeze to get in and out easily – but the parking garage also had a very nice lobby with clean bathrooms! (Always a score to avoid the porta-potties!)

As we made our way over I could tell my son was a little nervous but excited. This was going to be his second 5K and with a much bigger crowd than the local race we did last summer. And there were so many runners – in an effort to let more people participate in Marathon weekend, the BAA had increased the field of the 5K from 6500 to 10,000. (8,640 actually ran – but still an awful lot of people for a 5K on Boston’s narrow Back Bay streets!) Given the chilly temps and crowds, we decided to keep our extra layers on and skip the bag check. We snapped a couple of quick pics and then heeded the call to head to the corals.

Yes someone was being goofy 🙂

The corals were jammed and it was a challenge to stay together and find anywhere to slide in. As we stood waiting you could just feel the energy – I mean obviously runners are always pumped up at the beginning of a race, but this was different. We chatted with other runners and many joked that there were so many of us that the elites would be finishing before we crossed the start. Well in fact that almost did happen!

As we shuffled our way to the start, the announcement of the lead man’s first split was 4:3X. Yes they were flying…and we were soon going to be in the way! No sooner was the announcement made than volunteers started moving corral barriers to open up the street and get us moving faster to the start – so much for self-seeding! It was chaotic but we were finally off.

We tried our best to stay together while also trying to find some open space to run – at some point I ended up ahead of J and my son and pulled up to wait for them. They caught up but my son wanted to take a walk break so they urged me to just keep going so I ran on. I knew even before we started that this was not a day for chasing a sub-30 – this was a day for taking in the moment and I did. I thanked volunteers, marveled at runners with prostetic legs gutting it out and enjoyed the spectators chanting “Boston Strong” along the course. When we reached the turn-around, runners were hooting and hollering and high-fiving – we were all just having so much fun! I came across J and my son – he was slapping hands with so many runners. It was great to see him see the running community at its best!

The route took us on the famous “right on Hereford, left on Boylston,” and as we reach the corner of Boylston there was an enormous American flag hanging over the course from a firetruck ladder. As I turned on to Boylston it hit me, I hadn’t been back here since the bombing…consciously or unconsciously I hadn’t been back here since I ran last year’s 5K – before everything that happened happened. I wasn’t prepared for the rush of emotions that only got stronger as I passed the Forum, site of the 2nd bombing. I’m not sure I can even put into words what I was feeling as I ran down Boylston and across that famous finish line – it was a lot to process. Soon came the final turn back onto Charles Street and the finish line. The finish area was more chaotic than the start so unfortunately I missed seeing my husband and son finish but heard the race announcer give them a nice shout out as they came across the line! We collected our medals and race shirts and, at my son’s urging, headed off to breakfast.

All-in-all a great morning – the B.A.A. does such an awesome job (though I do hope they return the field to its original size next year)! It was a great event to be a part of and I especially loved how in awe my son was of getting to cross the Marathon finish line. He’s already talking about running it again next year – and that’s just fine with me 🙂

Filed Under: #14in2014, BAA, family running, race report, running community

First race and a Tweeked Knee

February 17, 2014 by Michelle 12 Comments

My quest for #14in2014 got underway this weekend. My training plan called for some race pace miles for Saturday’s long run so it seemed like a perfect time to put some of those miles towards the Stop Stroke Shuffle 5K. I had so wanted to do this run on the road but after taking a quick trip in my car to survey the roads there was just too much ice.

So I headed to the gym – not to self NEVER go to the gym on a Saturday at 9! I finally got a treadmill, did a quick warm up and then got started. It was a fairly uneventful run until the final half mile or so – that was when I felt the first twinge in my left knee. It was soon followed by another that lasted longer than the first. Not good….and I knew by the time I finished my knee was really unhappy. I still had miles left to do but when I tried a cool down run it was pretty clear that I just needed to pack it in.

Since then there’s been a lot of ice, a compression knee sleeve and rest. I passed on Sunday’s recovery run in favor of more shoveling as cross training.

Race #2 is just two weeks away and at this moment I’m not feeling very confident about making it to the starting line – it’s a 10 miler and thanks to cutting Saturday’s run short, the longest run I’ve logged so far is just 6.5 miles. While it’s not a goal race, I’m not loving the idea of heading into a race under-trained….on the other hand, I’m not crazy about passing up the chance to run this 10-miler. I’ll be checking in with Coach Bennett this morning to get his take on it.

WWYD – Would you run or sit this one out?

Filed Under: #14in2014, left knee, listening to your body, race report

BAA Distance Medley – Half Marathon Recap

October 21, 2013 by Michelle 11 Comments

The last race of the BAA Distance Medley is done! And it proved to be the hardest of the three races. I had originally hoped that this race would be a goal race – a chance to chase a PR. Then I took a tumble a week before the race and all bets were off. In the week leading into the race, the most my right foot and knee would tolerate was a 4-mile fartlek run.

When I checked in with Coach Bennett that Friday morning he actually asked me if there was another race I could do and take a pass on this one. But not completing the BAA Distance Medley that I started back in April was just not an option I wanted to entertain. I also really wanted to be out on the course with my running buddy E as she took on her first half. So in the end we agreed that I would run a very conservative race, taking walk breaks as needed and if necessary stopping if my foot or knee wouldn’t cooperate. So my race goals were simple – to finish and to not do any further damage.

Es husband dropped us off so we just had a short walk to the start. As soon as we picked up our race shirts, I got a text from Nicole and we caught up with her at the bag check. After missing each other at the first two Medley races this year it was great to finally see Nicole!

The three of us faced the crazy long lines for the port potties and then worked our way towards the front of our wave. Soon we were off. Within the first half mile, Nicole started to pull ahead and knowing that she was targeting 2:30 I had hoped to just keep her in my sights. E & I were moving well until about 3.5 miles in when my right foot made it clear it wanted to slow down. Around this point Amy & her husband had caught up with us – Amy was also injured and had planned to do a run/walk in hopes of finishing. I would end up leap-frogging back and forth with them throughout the course which really helped keep me going. I told E that I was going to need to slow down and she should keep going. I slowed and just as I started walking a guy passed me encouraging me to join him and keep going. I started again and just tried to focus on staying just off his right shoulder. It was funny for a while we didn’t talk at all – he would just check over his shoulder to see if I was still there. We ran that way for a bit and then I just needed to walk again so I let him go.

I kept plodding along, soaking in all of the encouragement from the volunteers (BAA Volunteers really are awesome!) I shuffled passed the water stop just after the 7 mile marker and heard someone call out to me – it was Jose who volunteering! Thank goodness for friendly faces! I soon came across the guy I’d been running with – this time we introduce ourselves (he was Charles) and started chatting as we ran. We picked up a woman named Rachel along the way and the three of us ran together for a bit. Having them to chat with and seeing Amy & her husband off and on were all great distractions from the growing soreness in my foot and now my right knee had joined the angry party!

Run, shuffle, walk is how I continued to make my way. E & I passed each other on the last out and back and high-fived. We were back in Franklin Park now and soon I spied my cheer squad! At this point I knew if I could just get through the last killer hill that was mile 11 it would be a fairly flat loop through the zoo and then into the stadium to the finish.

Walk, shuffle, run and finally the finish! E had finished about a minute before me and was waiting. I’m so proud of her!!

Once I had completely stopped moving it really hit me just how much my right knee and foot were hurting. I couldn’t wait to get home, get a shower and become one with the couch 🙂 Race #11 for this year done!

(Awesome double bling – one for the half and the other for the Distance Medley!)

The BAA Distance Medley was a great series of races – as I’ve said before the BAA does not disappoint! If you’re looking for some great courses through Boston and crazy-well organized races I encourage you to check out the Distance Medley.

Filed Under: #13in2013, B.A.A. Distance Medley, blogger meet-ups, injuries, race report

Wicked Half Marathon Recap

September 25, 2013 by Michelle 7 Comments

On Saturday I headed up to Salem for the Wicked Half Marathon. This race was to be a training run for me – a chance to make sure that the stomach issues which have plagued me during races this year were behind me and a chance to test my race pace.

Well nothing about this day went as planned.

Given the fact that I’m still sick a couple of days later, I can now say that I was battling some kind of bug during the race. The wheels came off the wagon at mile 5 – for the first time ever in a race I made a porta potty stop and struggled to keep running/walking through mile 10. Just after the 10 mile marker I was only walking. My stomach was a nightmare – I was really nauseous and had the continual feeling that I was going to be sick. I seriously thought about packing it in and taking a DNF but what kept me going was my kids out along the course.

Since the course was open to traffic, J and the boys were able to leap-frog me along the course, so I saw them multiples times. They cheered their hearts out and it really kept me going – the boys even came and ran along with me a little bit. I wanted them to know that even when things don’t go well that you don’t give up! So when I just didn’t think I could manage a shuffle any more, I walked.

I ended up connecting with a woman named Dawn whose ITB had her walking since mile 4! We stuck together and encouraged each other and the other “walking wounded” we encountered along the way. As we passed the 12 mile marker, we talked about trying to run it in. Dawn really didn’t think that she could but she knew I really wanted to try (I just couldn’t bring myself to walk across the finish line!) so she encouraged me to give it a shot. I did and ran/shuffled to the finish. I waited for Dawn to cross the finish and we gave each other a big hug! Isn’t it amazng how quickly you can bond with another runner over the course of just a few miles?!

Best moment – my son telling me he was proud of me! Doesn’t get better than that!

Every race experience teaches you something about yourself right? So I take this experience and dig in for the next couple of weeks and get ready for the BAA Half.

Filed Under: #13in2013, kids, lessons learned, race report, Wicked Half Marathon

My Inadvertent Trail Race

September 9, 2013 by Michelle 14 Comments

On Saturday I set out to run race #9 of the year — the Race Wellesley First 10K.

Coach Bennett had suggested that I run a couple of “tune-up” races this month — the primary goal to see if my race stomach woes are hopefully behind me. The other goal – run a solid, consistently-paced race. Simple enough, right? Well that was until I got to the starting line.

There was both a 5K and a 10K race – starting together, which didn’t worry me much because this was a very small race. Just before the start, we gathered around to hear final instructions from the race director. The 10K course was a double loop of the 5K course so the director was explaining who should go where as we completed the first loop…and then he said the words that struck fear in my heart. “So just be careful on the trails, it could be a little slippery.” Wait…what? Trails?!? As I listened to the comments of some of my fellow runners I was clearly not alone in my surprise about the “trails.” But before complete panic could set in, we were off.

20 feet from the start we turned into the woods – hello trail. Did I mention that I have never run on trails…never!

The course was a mix of trail, fields, crushed gravel…and yes some pavement as we wound our way in and around the campus of Olin College. In truth it was a beautiful course…but it was hard people! Running the trails and across the fields took so much out of my legs that when I hit the pavement it was hard to pick up the pace – that and the fact that a good stretch of the pavement portion were hills. As I climbed the two hills towards the end of the first loop I may have been cursing between gasps as it was suddenly very clear to me why most people running this race were only doing the 5K!

The small crowd around the finish line was very encouraging as the handful of us made the turn back out for the 2nd loop. I heard someone call my name and spotted my friend Kathleen who had just finished the 5K. I had no idea she was running this race -turns out it was her first 5K!

The good thing about the double loop course was as least I knew what was coming and had a better sense of how to approach the trails. The second loop was harder though as we were all strung out along the course and so I was running some sections completely alone. As I hit mile 5, I was so happy to be done with the trails but knew the worst hills were coming – I was so ready to be done!

While I would encourage the race director to be a little more explicit in his course description in the future, there was really nothing to complain about this race. The course was well marked, there was good on-course support and indoor bathrooms at the start/finish line! For me, on the good side I had no stomach issues! And while I was a little too tentative to hold a solid pace on the varying terrain, I did get my first taste of trail running and came through it relatively unscathed – I may even try it again 🙂

Filed Under: #13in2013, firsts, race report, trail run

My Best 5K

July 22, 2013 by Michelle 14 Comments

Sunday morning I ran my best 5K yet!

And there was no PR or great bling involved. The race itself was full of logistically glitches typical of a new race (mis-measured course, not enough porta potties…you get the idea).

It was the best 5K because I got to run with my son as he completed his first 5K!

I watched him push himself to go further than he’d ever run before (and in very warm conditions!), watched him experience both the “I can’t believe I’m about to do this!” moments, along with the “what if I can’t finish” moments.

We had a great conversation along the way – none of which I’ll share here…stays between Mom and son. Except that I will say about half way through he started talking about his next race – “it should be in the fall when it’s cooler and I’ll be better trained” – at that moment I knew that despite the heat and walk breaks, he was really enjoying himself!

I especially loved seeing the look on his face when he knew the finish line was close and watching him sprint to the end! It was a proud mama moment for me from beginning to end – and I can’t wait to do it again 🙂