Number Two: Run a 10k

Is this picture like Where's Waldo? That's me in the I heart Sweat t-shirt, in case you couldn't tell. Pictures of people running aren't very flattering - I look even goofier in the official "finish line" photo than I do in this one that Pete took.

So back in August I registered for the Boston Firefighters 10k, which is organized by the Local 718 IAFF, whose union hall is located just off the bike path that we used to run along back when we lived in Dorchester (and which I miss, A LOT). I wasn't expecting to set any records and I've never raced this distance before, but I figured it was something to work towards. Something that would keep me running consistently and would push me beyond the mileage I was used to. Well, it worked! :) I ended up keeping my usual week-day running schedule and adding in a longer run than I was used to on the weekends. I even managed to stick with my training schedule for the most part, which surprised even me! I felt better on my longer runs than I anticipated, and I even convinced Pete to join me on my first six mile run - a distance record for him, too. Unfortunately, that's where he capped out. When it came time for my seven miler, he ran the first three-ish miles with me and then turned back home while I kept going. Slacker!

As for the actual race, Pete played the part of sherpa for the day and carried a bag so I didn't have to worry about what to do with my warmer layers from before we started or about carrying anything with me while I ran. Thanks, Pete! The weather was pretty perfect - low 60's and sunny, although the wind could have been a bit less...windy and it would have been okay. The course was pretty scenic - following Gallivan/203 to Morrissey Boulevard, looping around UMass Boston, and then returning along Morrissey Boulevard and Gallivan/203. Nothing fancy, but nice views of Dorchester Bay for most of it (and there were a lot of flashbacks to my 3 Day training walks, as well!). I think there were around 1,200 runners total which meant the course wasn't very crowded except for the first few minutes after the gun went off and that was really nice. The start was a free-for-all - no corrals or signs to line folks up by pace - and it turns out that I'm not even remotely good at guessing people's pace by sight, haha! I figured I would try to line myself up to start near some folks that looked about my pace...and I failed miserably. :) In the end, I passed plenty of people and plenty of people passed me, and I finished close to my goal pace. Which is far more than I can ask for when I spent most of the previous day nursing a migraine and alternating between sleeping and nauseous instead of hydrating and relaxing.

I guess the long and short of it is that it was a fun day, I did what I wanted to do running-wise, and I'm looking forward to running this race again next year!

Number 9: 2011 Harborthon 5k

I have been running consistently lately, and it is in large part due to the folks in the photo below. I found a local running club on Meetup last fall, but it was mostly inactive. I emailed the organizer about allowing me to post some runs because, well, I was going to be running anyway, I might as well see if anyone wanted to go with me. There were about five of us who got together semi-regularly in the fall to run (or have drinks...kinda the same thing, right?), and a few who stuck it out during the cold and very, very snowy winter. Spring time came, and suddenly I was getting half a dozen emails each week from new folks asking to join our running club, The Quincy Running Dawgs.

Our numbers are growing slowly, and we now have about a dozen folks that run with us on a regular basis, a few of whom have quickly moved from running buddy to friend. I keep telling people that my favorite thing about my running peeps are that they meet me at my grossest - struggling through runs and sweating up a storm - and they like me anyway. They also seem to think I'm funny, which doesn't hurt! ;)

I have two friends (both runners, but not from the running club) who run the Harborthon 5k on Long Island together each summer (I say that like this year wasn't only the 3rd annual race...it's a new tradition, but it's a tradition all the same), and they convinced me to sign up this year. Then, of course, I posted it on the calendar for the Running Dawgs and convinced some of my running peeps to do it, too! Come on - great race location followed by free b.good burgers, free Sam Adams, and an 80's tribute band? If that's not the perfect recipe for a super fun race night, I don't know what is!  Bonus: this also checks off number 9 on my Summer To Do List - visit a new-to-me Boston Harbor Island (even if I didn't realize that until three and a half days after the fact). Double bonus: it's an island that isn't regularly open to the public!

The Harborthon was Matt (in yellow) and Carla's (in white) first race ever, and they both kicked butt, despite a nagging injury of Matt's. Post race, we had an awesome time watching the sunset, eating tasty food, and listening to awesome music. If only we didn't have to wait another year to do it all again!