Race Day Eve, June 26th

With less than 24 hrs. until Race Time, the excitement sure is building up. The participants are hydrating, running their last warm up runs and posting on Face Book.

I did a 2 mile easy run with my new water bottles that attach to my fanny pack; think they'll work just fine. A quick last dip in the pool before a shower, load the car with the essentials and off to Boston. We are meeting Team Challenge New England plus other Team Challenge participants from all over the country. Kind of weird being the host team and it being my first time to run a half marathon. Can't wait to meet everyone.

Got to get there by 3pm for Race packet pick up, a team meeting and then a pasta party dinner! We'll see how this going to bed early thing works, LOL. Have to be in the hotel lobby for 4:30am for team pics, then load the bus to get to Hillside St. in Milton for 5:45am. This should give us plenty of time to stretch, etc. for a 6:13am start time. I expect to finish in about 2.5 + hrs. I did not factor in any potty stops, well see how that goes;)

My Husband, my Sons, my Sisters, Niece and Nephews will be cheering me on! Go Team Challenge, We are Ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the link to 13.1Boston if you want more info:
http://www.131marathon.com/13_1_Boston/Travel/Directions_Parking.htm

Carson Beach Pics - June 19th, 2010

Everyone takes a turn sharing why they are participating!
Darlene is awarded best bandana
Running out to gazebo

Week 16 - June 19th

Carson Beach, Boston for our last Team Training. Only 6-8 "easy" miles planned because we are tapering. That's really funny because I think 6-8 miles is still hard.....especially when your shorts ride up and you have to keep pulling them down. Wont be wearing them on Race Day!

After our run we shared pot luck, some laughs, some awards and the reality that we are all going to run 13.1 miles in the Blue Hills. I get best bandana award, lol.

Week 15 - June 12th

Battle Road in Lincoln. I was so looking forward to seeing the "Red Coats" but that was not in the cards as half the trails were closed for maintenance. A little yellow tape here or there would never stop us though; just made the run more like an obstacle course.

We set out thinking this would be our biggest run of the training period; a whopping 12 miles. Something got a little messed up as we seemed to go in 3 directions. Our group was looking for the light colored house with the crossed guns on the side. It seemed like we went too far but actually didn't go far enough by about a half mile.

The return was just as nice....Historic homes, farms, birds, marshland, wooded and open trails, wood paths, a tunnel and old rock walls. One of the things I enjoyed was not being able to see too far ahead so you didn't really know how far you had left to run. In fact, Cindy and I came upon the parking lot and couldn't believe we were back. We thought we had another mile and a 1/2 to go.

With a mix of sites, smells and sounds this was definitely the most beautiful, peaceful run I've ever experienced so far. I'm going back for sure. Somehow I must've missed that field trip as a kid.

Back to Blue Hills- June 5th

Team Challenge New England is lucky to be able to train part of the course we will experience on race day. I hear there are other Team Challenge's that don't have hills to train on much less the actual course. Man are they going to be in for a surprise!

The Team endured 11 miles of hot and humid when we all thought it was going to rain. This was one of the toughest yet.

Saturday, May 29th

Couldn't make training this morning so I figured I'd just do a run on my own. Sure no problem, I mapped out a 10 mile run and included the hills, what the heck, I should be ready for them. We are starting week 13 after all. The 2 mile, big hill stretch has to be up there with the Blue Hills we are going to be doing on race day.

I left at 5pm with tunes in my ears and a water in my hand with Nathan promising to bring me a vitamin water an hour into my run. The computer screen showed MapMyRun.com just in case he forgot where I was headed.

The long steep incline wasn't that bad but the downhill felt off...a little too much impact. The rest of the hills were a breeze after that one though. Nathan did find me:) Mile 8+ got a little sloppy and felt like I was pushing it.

Definitely pushed it....2 days of the most soreness I've felt so far. Ice? yes, please! I can no longer deny the fact that I have shin splints. Needless to say, I was way too happy to sit on the common on Sunday with my Townsend Fire EMS friends and rest my legs!!!!!!!!! They served BBQ chicken dinners to the parade participants and spectators while I raffled home baked cookies for my fundraiser. I got $110.00 closer to my goal!! The winner will be announced Friday, June 4th!!

Sunday, May 23rd

The Team is starting Week 12 with a 10K. We are registering for the 10th Annual Evan's Run 5k/10k road race, starting and ending at the Norwell High School. Evan Henry was an 11 year old child from Norwell, MA who was diagnosed with Autism and who accidentally drowned in July 2000. This year there are over 1000 participants.

It's only 8:37am and the race doesn't start until 10:30am. I get racing bib number 549, my chip and a tee shirt and head back to the car to wait and people watch. With an hour and a half left to go, I contemplate a nap since I'm going on only 4 hrs of sleep. With my luck I'd actually fall asleep and miss the race. Oh, wow, never knew my front seat reclines back this far, cool.......resting the eyes, ah! I think there is something about racing that phychs(sp) me out!

30 minutes to go, time to eat yogurt. Seeing some other Team Challenge mates. Now to play with safety pins, bib and sneaker chip and find potty one last time.

So much for cloud cover, the sky is blue, darn. The temp is creeping up a little higher than expected but there is lots of excitement and energy. The line up is crowded and getting smelly I might add....need to get this show on the road. We've got some Team Challenge in the front, some in the middle and some toward the back.

We're off! Some start off with a light jog, some sprint, some dart through and around others and it takes a little while for the crowd to thin out. It's so hard to get your pace with others around you. I have no idea how I'm doing, it's hot, people are passing me and I want to stop thinking about it. From about half way through, I have the same few people around me. Most seem to run a little faster than me but keep taking walk breaks. Lots of people along the course sit out front of their homes with the kids or dog and cheer you on; one guy had a hose for us to run through. Lots of water stops, too......the little kids really got into it.

Even with all those distractions, it still seemed to take forever, lol. I think it was the heat. Eventually the Finish line does come in to sight though and your friends are there telling you its just around the corner. Love the home stretch with the band playing and all the people. The screen reads 1 hour, 6 minutes, 11 seconds.

May 15th- Week 11

Well, I may have missed Team Training today but I challenged myself to a similar workout and DID IT!!! 9.26 miles

Pepperell center to Groton center on the rail trail. Sunny, 70 degrees, with a nice breeze - perfect except for the snake that scared the crap out of me and the black fly I ate. I bet those bikers wished they had a video camera.

Contemplating the 10k in Norwell next weekend - thinking I can!

Midweek and Midyear

Got the 5 miles in on Monday morning before my flight to D.C. Planned a 6 mile on MapMyRun.com to do while at the National Association of Realtors® Midyear Legislative Conference. It's was a 3 mile out and back from the Omni Shoreham hotel to the Lincoln Memorial via the Rock Creek Trail.

I met a new Realtor® friend, John. John runs Marathons. We talked about the run I had planned the next morning and he seemed interested, after all it is so less boring when you have a buddy. Well, I told John (it felt more like disclosure and a warning) I run REALLY slow and....more importantly, don't like to talk. We meet in front of the hotel and guess what?....... he had already done a few miles in the neighborhood. Ok, fine. We take off and since we really don't know one another, John has lots of questions. Oh, and he's incapable of slow running, lol. Finally, I say to John, "I thought you didn't talk a lot when you run". He laughs at me. A little farther, I tell him that he's sucking up all my energy and he laughs again.

We stopped for Gatorade at the Lincoln Memorial because John was thirsty; go figure. It's a beautiful day with awesome surroundings so change of plans. We continued by the Washington Monument and up Madison Dr. to Union Station and ride the Metro back. It was a hot day and I never got in my zone but I truly enjoyed it all the same.

Check out the route:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/dc/washington/965127334442790348

May 8th - Starting Week 10

Do you know what time Townsend folks have to wake up to be in Canton for 8 am? My alarm didn't like it either because it never went off. 6:22am, oh sugar;) No shower, no problem...it's kind of dumb to shower before you plan to run 7.5 miles anyways. Oh, crap...all my car windows were left open overnight. Nothing a few beach towels can't absorb.

Today's training is to give us a taste of part of the course we are doing on Race Day. The Blue Hills, which should be somewhere between mile 4 and 10? Oh, boy!

Yippee, not raining at Houghton's Pond in Milton. It's a little chilly so most of us decide a light jacket is in order even though we know it's going to be around our waists shortly. The coaches tell us the plan/route and warn/encourage us about the BIG hill and remind us to look at the view of Boston. Sure, I'll try to remember as I am panting my lungs in and out. We are doing Hillside St. to Chick a boomba something or other St.

It's single file, shoulder of the road this morning. Legs are fine, breathing is OK except for the BIG hill; had to walk the very tippy top part, just for a minute. We get to the water station and turn around. There's 4 of us, we feel pretty darn good, then its starts to drizzle which turned to rain. Its quite alright with us, we like it. I think actually run better in the rain; not sure why but I don't need to know.

We cruise right back in to that parking lot to join the people ahead of us and stretch and wait for the people behind us. Ooooh, someone made cookies! Great run with some great people! Next time I will put on some dry clothes before the trek home. I was soaked to the bone and when my body temp came down, I had goosebumps on my goosebumps.

Being in the middle of training the weekly runs are increasing in mileage as well. Now I'm contemplating how to get those runs in next week while in D.C. I promise, I will. Go Team Challenge!

P.S. I know there's a soggy pic somewhere. I'll be back when it's posted.

May Day - Week 9

Holy Guacamole, 8 miles!!!!!!!!! Drove the Vette to Lexington, really fast because I was late but we never really start til 8:20am. Took the ticket from the guy in the little building at the entrance to the lot, felt like I had a minute to spare so put up the top, ate a yogurt and ventured to the meeting spot.

Oh crap, they were just there! Me and another girl crossed the street got our names checked off and took off to catch up. What a way to start off. So much for an easy starting pace. Ok, so what, you're in the back, just go slow, pace yourself, who cares. Once that mindset stuck, the feet seemed to get their pace, the breathing was right on....... a mile in, very cool, no problem, I can run ALL day.

Oh, oh, I didn't get a chance to stretch. No biggie nothing hurts, stop thinking about it. Pass a couple people, can't help it, feet are on auto pilot. Cool, water stop, nice!

Must be close....yup, starting to wave to the return runners, woot, woot, they say 10 more minutes. I see the Bedford train, Ok, where is everyone? I don't want to stop, pad around the building. They were all pottying and drinking water from the fountain, lol. They are ready for the return now so we take off. Ok, I know it's a rail trail but it really is an incline ALL the way back. Where the heck is that water station, I need it bad. Gatorade not helping, I'm pooped and now the feet are getting slow and sloppy! The return us brutally long. I really need to pee and all I think about is my nasty friends jokes. I can definitely finish now.

Yeah, there's the end and not only that but there's a porta potty right there because of the event in town today. What luck!

After some stretching and some high fives, I take off for Wellsley. Time to deal with Marathon Sports and the new sneaks that have not gone back on my feet since the 5 miler. I am so hoping that they will exchange them for something that is a better fit. Park the Vette, bring in the box. Got my old sneaks on so I can show them what works. Yeah, like I just ran 8 sweaty miles, too, lol. The girl almost died when I took them off and handed one to her. They were very accomodating. I got some new Asics and they just happen to have some purple in them :)

April 24th, Week 8 - The Half Way Mark

I am completely amazed at the progress I've made, especially when I think back to when I thought walking 3-4 miles deserved a pat on the back... or at least an extra cookie. The Team got together and tackled the hills around Waltham Woods Corporate park on Winter St. Every single one of us, including the walkers, completed the 6.9 miles (mix of wooded trail, paved road along reservoir, and office park roads).

Starting to be able to concentrate on form- tall, slight lean forward, and using the arms on the inclines. The breathing is whole other thing. Most of the other runners can talk the whole time, not me. I'll listen thank you!

The Team Challenge spirit is growing each week with everyone getting to know one another. One of our Mentors, Lauren Remmes, shared her inspiring experience from just having run the Boston Marathon. Another of our mentors, who would much rather be running with us, helped out with a water stop. She's been recuperating from an exacerbation from her illness. So many of our participants are not just running for someone they know but actually have Crohn's or Colitis.

After our run, Coach Jenny invited us over to her studio where she teaches Yoga. About 20 of us went and enjoyed an hour session. Another first for me. Thank goodness for my pilates experience. Although yoga is quite different there are some similarities.

Patriots Day Run

Week 7

Training was AWESOME today! At a chilly 41 degrees with a light mist in the air, we did hill training at Waltham Woods. The morning started with with a Chi clinic by Ryan Miller who works for New Balance. This guy eats, sleeps and breathes running.

Ran a little with Ryan and then with some different Team Challenge participants this morning so learned a few more names. We think we got a little lost because we returned in about 45 minutes so someone decided we'd run down to Winter St. and back....all downhill and then ALL uphill. I learned a new mantra, "Hills can be your friends". Pump those arms...........

Did 70 minutes, not sure of the mileage and I feel GREAT! Went with the old sneakers today so now I'm convinced my bad week is due to the new sneaks. I think the new ones have too much support that I don't need. Going to have to make time to get back to Marathon Sports and see if they'll exchange them for me.

Think someone got some pics? be back later with those...........................

Week 6 was a bummer!

Boy has this been a tough week; been sore most of it. Had trouble with a 3 mile run on Tuesday, after a day off. Decided to take Wednesday off thinking I needed more recovery time. Still feeling it on Thursday so did a 2 mile brisk walk with the dog. Wondering if my new sneakers might not be right for me; after all I've done 5 and 6 mile runs already.

Feel bad because I should've done 2 4 mile runs this week but did do 60 minutes on the elliptical today. Hmmm, think I'll go to training tomorrow in my old sneaks and see how that goes. Starting hill training in Waltham, oh boy!

Week 6

April 11th - Starting week 6 and signed up for The Love of Sports 5 miler. I must have been the 145th person to sign up. Learned how to put on a racing bib on and a time tracking thingy on my new sneaks. It was a little harder than I thought it would be with the wind resistance.













Almost there!














"And here's Darlene Sodano, from Townsend, crossing the finish line" What a riot!

Week 5

April 3rd- Week 5 Team Training at Lexington again. Did 6 miles