Runner’s World Heartbreak Hill Festival Part 5: Final Thoughts

The Heartbreak Hill Festival was just one month ago. What's amazing is that I have thought fondly of the festival, races, experiences, drinks and laughs every day since then!

If you missed the first four parts of this series ;) please check 'em out: Selfies & More, Kids & Dogs Running, Five & Dime, & the Half Marathon.

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How could I not relive one amazing weekend when I had the pleasure of spending it with these fine - ummm serious - folks?

In case you don't know, the bloggers I had the honor of spending the weekend with were:

• Katie of Runs For Cookies
• Sarah of Sarah Fit
• Jason of  Strength Running
• Matt of No Meat Athlete
• Anne of Fannetastic Food
• Amanda of Run To The Finish
• Katy of Katy Widrick
• Caitlin of Healthy Tipping Point 
• Charlene of Fab Running
• Theodora of Preppy Runner
• Presley of Run Pretty
• Karla of Run Karla Run
• Heather of Relentless Forward Commotion
• Marnie of Run Street
• Sarah of Picky Runner
• Larisa of Larisa Dixon
• Jessica of Keeping Mommy Sane
• Julie of Peanut Butter Fingers

If you have free time, please check out their blogs as all are amazing, motivating and inspiring people.

Plus, there are even a few of them that will allow me to lead them on a seemingly endless walk  - at night - in Boston - to find the closest liquor store just so we can sit around a dorm room common area and talk running and blogging.

Never in a million years would this sound like an amazingly fun night/adventure ... but it was!

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During the four days, we had the honor of meeting my BFF Shalane Flanagan (PS she might not be in the loop on the whole BFF thing) and the outstanding Sarah Reinertsen.

While we had the good fortune to have a private meet and greet with both (Thanks Runner's World), the ladies could be found all weekend at various Festival events. Every time I saw them they were happily chatting with participants and posing for selfies left and right. These two women are gracious and down-to-earth ... just as I thought they would be.

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I am still not sure how I got on Runner's World's radar to be invited to the event as a blogger, but I am wicked thankful I was.

They offered a Scavenger Hunt for the bloggers to fight to the death over have fun with during the weekend. Can we guess that I took it rather seriously? Did I know what the prize was? Not at all, but I wanted to win. :o)

It gave me the opportunity to take obnoxious photos for a purpose. ;)

And trying to thank the sponsors all in one photo.

Sexy, right?

The Scavenger Hunt took my love of an Expo to the next level as some of the sponsors were kind enough to hook bloggers up.

Like The Stick!

That's Patrick, the brains behind The Stick, working out my knots with the Trigger Wheel. I already own a Stick, which I use on a daily basis, so I was interested in hearing about the other products he has.

The Trigger Wheel is easier to use on smaller muscle groups, close to the bone areas or on your head, as demonstrated.

Working the smaller muscle groups it does! I've had trouble with my neck since a college rugby injury and the wheel got deeper into the knots than I can on my own. I would HIGHLY recommend the Trigger Wheel if you need help in the neck and shoulder region. But, I was even using it on my legs since I had forgotten my Stick at home.

If you are looking for some pre and post race stretching, I highly recommend checking out The Stick. Plus they offer free shipping!

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Beyond the physical accomplishments, there were a couple of emotional lessons learned.

1) I am still working on inner confidence. During a portion of the weekend, I felt extremely self-conscious and hid from an activity in the bathroom. Umm yeah not normal. But I just had to remove myself as I could feel the anxiety building up inside. However, hiding in the bathroom with some tears, is not the answer. I need to learn to remain in a tough situation and find the positive. Instead of immediately telling myself I was not worthy to be there I needed to think of all the reasons why I most certainly did.

2) "Never take a finish line for granted." Courtesy Sarah Reinertsen. There are times I can get caught up in the training, the poor Finish times and the races where I felt like I failed myself. But, I need to take it back, to the days before I even considered toeing up to the Start Line. Recharge. Plus, you never know what can happen in life in both fitness journeys and life in general. This phrase crosses many phases of life.

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Finally, the life of the back-of-the-pack runner. In my first marathon, I finished third to last. I remember the race director driving up to me and letting me know the course would be closing in a couple minutes so I had to finish within 6 hours or the course would be done. I crossed the line in 5:59:27 with zero fan fair, no food, massage chairs deserted and a pretty lonely Finish Area.

But as my journey has progressed, I've slowly but surely moved to the front-ish middle-ish part of the pack. I normally don;t have problems with water stops or a lack of crowd support.

So I was drawn to a post by fellow blogger Heather about her experience in the back-of-the-pack at Heartbreak Hill Half. I'm proud of Heather for sharing her thoughts and the discussions that happened among runners and race directors as a result.

Everyone deserves the same race experience and I applaud Runner's World for addressing the issues brought up in the blog posts.

I hope this only enhances the next Heartbreak Hill Festival. If you are interested in participating in this event next year (you know I will), be sure to sign up for email notifications.

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So once again I thank Runner's World and my fellow bloggers for a weekend that I will never forget... the laughs and medals will live on.

Just watch out for the RA when drinking in a dorm - even if you are over 21! ;)

Dani Dishes 7-7-14

On this episode of Dani Dishes, it is time to do a life/job update, share about Half Ironman worries, talk about getting Back On Track & a F.A.S.T. virtual 5k/10k announcement! More F.A.S.T. race info!

T-minus 2 months 'til that little Half Ironman

Soooo remember when I decided to go waaayyyy out of my comfort zone and sign up for that teeny tiny race they call a Half Ironman? Yeah that teeny tiny race is just 2 months away.

Ahhhhh ... commence freak out!

Prior to signing up, I have completed two Sprint Triathlons. Yup - that's it. I guess I was going for a go big or go home type situation there.

I felt lost at the beginning of training. I wished I could afford a coach, but it wasn't in the cards.

Thankfully NYC Running Mama suggested the book pictured above.

This book offers a ton of different training plans from the beginner to someone trying to land on the podium at their next Sprint to Full Ironman. All levels and distances are covered. Phew!

I'm not really sure what level I am at so I went with intermediate for now. I thought it was a decent guess. Right?

Can you tell I am getting wicked scientific in this training cycle? :)

So let's break down the different parts of the Half Ironman?

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SWIMMING

I owe a HUGE thanks to my parents for starting my swim lessons as a baby. I may not be fast in the water, but I feel comfortable there. I love getting into the water, tuning out the world and feeling light as a feather. There is no weight issues in the pool or ocean. Now, I know weight, etc affects the speed and outcome, but I don't feel self-conscious when I am in the water. It takes that anxiety away from me ... even just for that small period of time.

I am quite the sophisticated swimmer as I jot down the workout on a sweet post-it note that is usually soaked through by the cool down. ;) The book does a great job of breaking down the purpose and benefit of each type of swim exercise. Am I 100% sure I am doing it correctly? Nope. But I am trying my hardest and I know that the meters adding up is the most important thing I can do.

Trying to condition my body to get ready to swim 1.2 miles before doing those other two little sections.

While at the Heartbreak Hill Running Festival, Sarah Reinertsen - one of the most inspirational athletes around - shared how she exhausts her arms on the swim during her Ironman because you don't really use them the rest of the race. I am trying to take that to heart during practice swims by using the arms as much as possible and resting the legs. It is giving me something to focus on and improve.

So far in training I have swum at least 1 mile straight and felt comfortable. On race day, I will need to swim the 1.2 miles in less than 1 hour to continue on in the race. Those time limits are always looming in the back of my head.

BUT, I know pool swimming and open water swimming are very different so I am working on putting on my big girl pants and getting out into the open waters...

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BIKING

By FAR my weakest portion of the triathlon. Well it is also my least favorite so those two things could go hand in hand. :0)

I made a pledge to work on my biking this winter so I set up the free-to-me (thanks old tenant) bike trainer. :)

It was a great way to cross train for the marathons when I didn't want to leave the house. Or a way to watch a show I wanted to watch, but be productive while doing it.

I am working on following the training plan, but tweaking to fit my needs and plans on the weekend. But in May I started taking the bike outside.

I get very worried about falling off the bike and getting a flat tire. I am still not used to shifting the gears and now clip pedals. Last month, I purchased new pedals that have clips on one side and are flat on the other so you can still bike in sneakers if you want. I want to have the options. Ya know?

Thankfully my friend Darcie is a more experienced biker than I so she and I have gone out on some long rides together.

On July 4th came the biggest bike ride of my career, over 30 miles while working on clipping, hills, shifting, riding in traffic and inclement weather. And you know what? I survived.

Now I know for the race I will need to up the speed. I think we figured that we will need to keep at least a 15.0 mph. Now on this day, we were dealing with stoplights and people on the bike path so I think we were going an appropriate speed outside of those moments. But, speed is something I need to work on.

Hey, I am happy with the progress I have made thus far.

I tested out the camelback on the ride and it was perfect. I am not comfortable enough taking my hands off the handlebars to take a drink - damn balance - so the camelback allowed me to stay steady and hydrated.

I also knocked off my first fall. Now it wasn't a huge fall. Okay it happened while I was at a stop, but I got it over with. :) I successfully clipped the right shoe out, but forgot about the left and over I went into a nice piled of mulch. Ha. Darcie was the only person who got to witness it.

It felt great to tackle such a big ride. I know I have a long ways to go, but I am going in the right direction.

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RUNNING

Let's just say I never thought I would be least worried about running. ;) I have been battling a left hamstring injury for a while so the running hasn't been my main focus. I think my body is pretty conditioned right now and I am trying to focus on the swimming and biking as much as possible to keep the cardio up.

I know once the leg feels better I will need to get back into the BRICK workouts - 2 parts of the triathlon back-to-back.

I'm hoping by now no matter how tired I will be I can make it through a half marathon. (Again never thought I would write something like that)

***

The timing scares me the most. You must be out of the water in 1 hour and done with the course in 8. So when my music died in the water the other day, I spent the entire time working out "worst case scenarios" in my head.

Okay if it takes me 1 hour to swim and 3 hours to run that gives me 4 hours to bike. Etc Etc.

While I work on the physical training, I know the mental needs even more help. The confidence needs to be there on race day since there is no music allowed in triathlons. So for most of this it will be me and my thoughts together ... alone ... for hours. I will need to stay positive and focused. Oh and singing to myself. That is a given.

So with two months to go, I will continue to improve, to study, to learn and to push my limits.

Adios comfort zone ... hello Half Ironman!

Dani Dishes 6-30-14

On this episode of Dani Dishes, it's time to reassess the first half of 2014 and what I want to accomplish in the second half! I challenge you to do the same!!

Monday Musings: Carb Friday, Travel & A Wedding

How is it Monday? How is it the final day in June?

How does Shakira get her hips to stop lying? (Anyone?)

I can't solve all of life's mysteries in one post, but I can share a little bit about my past weekend.

***

On Friday, I  woke up bright and early to take this little Scrunch and her dad to the airport. Only someone that cute could get me to wake up at that hour... ;)

I also brought back the weekly series Face It Friday to the blog after attending my Weight Watchers meeting. Once that post was written and I was feeling positive, it was errands time: walk with Laney while Molly was at the groomer, stop by CVS to get necessities for my 34 hour trip to Pennsylvania for a wedding.

I was eating well and knocking the Good Health Guidelines out like a champ ... and then the wife suggested getting fresh french bread with our dinner. And the night went to carb hell. I had bread, boboli pizza and delicious beer.

Thanks for the gift Kelly!

Did I need all those carbs? Not in the slightest. But the slipper slope was there for me to slide down. But I went to bed forgiving myself for the slip-up, tracking it and moving on.

Feedback not Failure - I assured myself as I drifted off to sleep.

Well there wasn't much sleep happening as we stayed up late being all caught up on the latest season of 24 and my alarm was set for 4:45 on Saturday morning to catch my 6:30am flight.

I really wish I had a travel agent to be mad at for making a flight at that hour, but I scheduled it myself. So -- booo Dani!

Thankfully the wife dropped me off at the airport by 5:30am and I was looking forward to some Dunkins.

But that wasn't in the cards.

For some reason my flight was taking part in a part of the terminal that had just 3 gates ... and no Dunkins.

C'mon now!

In order to keep myself from gorging on a bagel so early in the morning, I spent just over $8 for a Liter of water and a fruit cup. Absurd prices, but my conscious was clear.

We had a quick 55 min flight, where I slept the whole time.

As I headed to the car rental place I learned that the Dollar where I rented my car had lost power so we were being shuttled to the Thrifty (apparently they are really the same company).

After waiting an hour to get my rental car, I happily took the 5 minute car ride to the closest Dunkins.

Oh sweet nectar.

I plugged in the hotel address, turned up the tunes and took the 45 minute ride to the town where the wedding was happening.

I parked at the Holiday Inn (Saayy whhaaa???) and headed inside to check-in.

Except the Holiday Inn had another idea.

They were at capacity and wouldn't have a room for me until 3pm.

For those playing at home, the wedding ceremony was starting at 4pm.

Ummm yeah!

So I went into panic mode and tried to find another way that I could shower for the wedding.

Could I use their fitness center shower? They didn't have one.

Could I use an employee shower? Nope.

Did they have a gym close by that I could shower at? Yes.

The woman had a guest pass to LA Fitness!

SCORE!

I happily drove around the town of Fort Washington, PA, which seemed to have little to offer, as I made my way to the LA Fitness.

I headed in ready to pass a couple hours there, shower then head back to hotel to check-in.

I pushed myself on the bike, including sprints, jumps, hills and repeats, before walking a casual 22 minutes on the treadmill.

It was about 1pm so I headed to the shower.

But as I paced around the locker room, I didn't spot a single shower.

Ummm...

I went to the front desk - none.

Apparently, they keep their monthly costs down by not offering towel service.

Well, there goes my idea of showering at the gym.

So I was back to square one.

I headed to a little pub to have lunch, while trying to devise a new plan and not turn up as the sweaty girl at the wedding.

At 2:30, I decided to head back to the hotel and the woman at the front desk remembered me. She must've felt pity on me because she moved some things around to get me into a room around 2:45. Hey that 15 minutes came in handy.

I was in and could finally get ready for the 4pm ceremony. I drove myself over and was in the church with 20 minutes to spare.

My friend Joann, who I've known since 7th grade, looked radiant with her husband Mac. It was great to see the other six friends that were in attendance from high school. I think it was the first time we were all together since either High School or early college.

We would have a great time catching up at the reception. But first I had to get my car back to the hotel and prepare for the shuttle.

And by shuttle I mean school bus. ;) For some reason I was the only person on it from my hotel. It was like private transportation until we made it to the next hotel. :P

For those that took part in the "Which dress I would wear to the wedding?" poll on Facebook and Instagram, dress #1 won!

It is still a great feeling when I can slide into a dress without having to squeeze into a pair of Spanx first. I felt lean in this cut and even made it all night in the heels, which is a feat in itself. :P

We all danced the night away, laughing, reminiscing and having a great time ... but first #LetMeTakeASelfie with the bride.

I couldn't get over how beautiful the centerpieces and bouquets were. The Sunflowers were a great choice.

It was tough having the wife at home. The slow songs were sprinkled in and I was on the sidelines. A relative of the groom was taking candids during the reception and during the first slow song where everyone at my table was dancing, he looked at me sadly, gave the "aww single girl look" and snapped my photo. 1) who does that, but 2) I wanted to be like I have a wife she is just at home. Ha.

Soon it was 11pm and it was time to wait for the late shuttle to head back to the hotel. I grabbed a nightcap at the hotel bar to bring to my room and snuggle into bed.

My feet couldn't wait to have the heels off.

Before I knew it I was out like a light and happy that I didn't have to set an alarm.

I woke up Sunday wanting to get out and run, but I didn't bring enough KT Tape so I chose a nice lazy morning catching up on bad TV. We don't have cable at home so I was sucked into a nice Law & Order marathon.

Just like that it was time to pack up and head back to the airport. Of course there was a stop at Dunkins before hitting the road.

When I went to return my wheels, I realized I drank quite a bit of water in such a short time in the car. :P

Hydrating for the win.

Since I am a worrier especially when traveling, I was at the airport and through security with 1.5 hours to go before I had to board. This allowed for a relaxing lunch watching World Cup soccer at the airport before doing laps around my gate to get some steps in.

After watching more Law & Order on the plane (I love you Jet Blue), I decided to have a lazy afternoon laying in bed with the wife and the pups.

There is always a to-do list, but on that day I needed some snuggling for the soul.

And that is exactly how we finished out one whirlwind of a weekend.

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Have you had a crazy or frustrating travel day before?

Face It Friday ... Bringin' It Back!

Truth Tuesday. Face It Friday.

When I was focused on losing weight, every weigh-in day I would post about the results or just how the week was going. It was that extra accountability I needed ... and allowed me to use some alliteration! ;)

But once I hit goal and then Lifetime - they stopped. Why? Because I wasn't weighing in on the regular any more. Instead of attending my meeting, I was leading it. There was a shift. So away went the posts.

Now I am not necessarily back to weighing every Friday, but I think this can serve as a space to reflect back on my week. Make note of the good and the bad. Face "it" where the "it" is myself rather than the number on the scale.

There is that whole changing with the times thing I mentioned in yesterday's post.

So let's get right to it.

The past two weeks I have been focusing on what helped me get to goal and what works to keep me there. I got back to tracking - because I still can't control portions when I don't own up to them with a point value - and focusing on the Good Health Guidelines.

It has worked. I feel better. The bloating that was going on has gone away and I am seeing more positively.

It's like the design says up above. You feel good when you exercise regularly and when you exercise regularly you eat better... etc! Everything relates to each other.

And it pays off on the scale as well. Adios bloat!

Now this tracking wasn't perfect but I focused on progress. I know I indulge Friday-Sunday - it's life! So I tracked as best I could those days and stayed true to my 28 DPT Monday-Thursday. :)

I also made sure that I focused on getting in the Good Health Guidelines - all of them - Monday-Thursday and as many as possible Friday-Sunday.

And you know what. I went to a BBQ, I had beer, I moved a lot and I lost. I even used all WPs and half of my APs. And you know what? The scale still went down.

So many members are scared to use the WPs and APs, but what is the harm in trying? You earn 'em - use 'em. Weight Watchers gives them to you - use 'em. That's my motto. And if it doesn't work - tweak it.

There is no rhyme or reason to weight loss week in and week out. The body may forget that it should be it's lightest at the moment you step on the scale. So think about how you feel.

Today, I feel happy and healthier than two weeks ago.

That's what matters.

So as I look at myself in the mirror today and Face It, I know I put out my best foot this week. Was every choice spot on? No of course not. But, I paused and thought about the consequences before I ate or drank something.

My question for this past week and future weeks will be:

"Will X help me achieve my goal?"

And you can bet your booty that occasionally I will say: "Will this beer help me achieve my goal?" Hellz to the yeah.

Balance is what I found this week and I will continue to strive for in the future.

Watch out folks ... Dani got her groove back!

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WIN of the week

Attending and winning my first Flywheel Boston Spin class taught by my Tedy's Team teammate Melinda!

(Note: your first class is FREE so definitely check out a Flywheel near you!)

Reconnecting With Why I Started Blogging

"Why do you blog?" "What do you blog about?"

"Why would people read your blog?"

Probably the top three questions I get when I share with someone why I blog. Now it's actually only recently that I start to lead with blogging when I am asked what I do for a living. I usually never brought it up because it's not like I am making money from it so it technically isn't a job.

Maybe more of an obsession ... joy ... a thing that gives me life?

None of those seem to fit. So I normally say I am a Weight Watchers Leader and leave it at that.

But, the more I hear folks enjoy reading and relating to Weight Off My Shoulders, the prouder I get. Plus, I LOVE talking about the amazing adventures and sweet races I have completed thanks to this little slice of the internet.

Lately however I've felt like I am getting away from why I truly started this blog: as a space to share my ups and downs about weight loss, the struggles I've had with eating disorders and depression and learning to make maintenance work.

Now those pieces are still here, but recently I've felt like I was in a long stretch of race recaps and product reviews. Outside of my Dani Dishes vlogs which are a great outlet for me to ramble through a topic plaguing me that week.

I don't want to feel unappreciative of those opportunities, but it was taking over my mind space that how I was truly feeling inside was being hidden.

Exactly what happened BEFORE starting this space.

Thankfully I am all caught up on race recaps (I know this wouldn't be a problem if I didn't race so much ;)) and am ready to get back to sharing the experiences that have molded me to be the person I am today and how I still fight to overcome negativity, the comparison game and more.

Bringing balance back to the blog will bring balance back to my life. I think. Well it's worth a try, right?

***

I need to take a moment to thank you all for sharing this journey with me. I never thought when I started this blog three years ago that anyone would even read it or it would morph into what it is today. I am honored to be given the opportunities I have and I can't wait to see what else awaits.

A blog must evolve as the person writing it evolves. I just think I allowed some aspects to overtake others. It happens. I'm human and still learning about how this whole social media thing works.

All I know is that I love it and I couldn't imagine not having Weight Off My Shoulders and @IrishEyes1982 in my life.

***

So be ready for more consistent posting here on the blog. But you can always check me out - hey not my booty please ;) - on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Race #2 in the Distance Medley: #BAA10k

Bring on the 2014 Distance Medley!

I love The Boston Athletic Association and all races associated with them. For the most part, they are the most well-organized races I participate in.

For those that don't know, the Distance Medley includes the BAA 5k in April (recap),  the 10k in June and the Half Marathon in October. If you complete all three races, you get an extra special medal. Pictured to above on the right. Due to conflicts, I couldn't participate in 2013, but did for the inaugural Distance Medley in 2013. With nothing in my way this year, I signed up immediately in January.

June 22nd brought race #2 of the Medley: the BAA 10k.

The race began at 8am in Boston Common so we left the house just after 7. The wife was kind enough to drop me off so I could eat my wheat toast with peanut butter on the way there.

I was hoping to make it to the race by 7:15 to make the Team Run Disney photo and chat with friends before the race.

Always fun to stand around and chat with these folks! While hanging out, I even bumped into Slumbrew teammate Amy.

Time once again slipped away from me and 10 minutes before the race starts, I realized I hadn't used the port-o-potties. Ahhh! I went to get in line and they were just all too long to wait in. I took a gamble to hold it.

I jogged my way over to the Start corrals. Let me just say WAAYYY less crowded than on the day of the 5k. Thank you for limiting the entrants for the 10k - allowed for more control.

I decided to line up around the 8 min/mile pace, but couldn't find a sign for that. There was an opening around the 7 min/mile pace so I hovered around there so I could jump in when I found a gap.

I happened to come up next to Kate - another Slumbrew teammate. I wish I had taken a photo, but we were too busy talking.

Before I knew it the National Anthem was over and we were shuffling up to the Start Line. I wished Kate good luck and we split ways.

With the sore hamstring and the Rock And Run obstacle run the day before, I wanted to run smart and enjoy myself.

The temperature was reported as 62 degrees, but on the streets it felt warmer for sure. Thankfully we had some shade while running through the streets of Boston towards Boston University at the beginning of the race.

Mile 1: 8:09

As we ran past the start of the Boston University campus - it spans two miles of Commonwealth Avenue - the course started to come back to me. Again I ran it in 2012 so maybe I had blocked out what was coming up for us.

Mile 2: 7:57

This second mile might have been faster than the first as I was trying to escape a woman who had a very odd breathing pattern going on, while talking to herself. I wasn't sure if she was really okay or not. Someone else asked her and she snapped at him. Glad I didn't decide to ask her. But the breathing and talking was getting into my head. I was once again running without headphones for practice. Here was a test. What do you do when the breathing and annoyances around you start playing with your game plan?

On that day - I ran away from them. I sped up to lose her in the crowd.

After making our way around the backside of the first BU dorm, we took the right onto Comm Ave in all its sunny glory. That is right. That part of the course I blocked out? Oh that would be the miles on Comm Ave, where you have zero shade and a whole helluva lot of sun.

Plus a little incline. But there is a great way here to distract yourself. This is where the down and out starts so you have the pleasure of watching the wheelchair and elite athletes come blazing past!

I love this. It is so motivating and inspiring. I will never be as fast as these people, but they make me want to push myself to the best that I can be.

Not a bad photo while I was on the move in the opposite direction.

I was yelling and clapping for them.

I played the game smart and made sure to stop and walk through every water stop.

Mile 3: 8:21

The incline isn't horrible heading up Comm Ave, but it seems to go on forever. But as you push up you see the folks on the left coming towards you so you KNOW there is a downhill coming your way. :)

5k Mark: 26:08 (8:25 min/mile)

After my mid-run selfie, I took the pleasure in scanning the crowd of runners coming towards me for familiar faces. And I saw a ton!! Not sure if runners thought I was just shouting out random names or what, but most of the people I cheered for were too in the zone to wave back. I probably looked like a nutcase. ;)

It is always amazing to see so many friends out dominating the streets of Boston so early on a Sunday morning.

But with the turnaround came a downhill. YAY! Celebrate the downhill. Embrace the downhill.

Mile 4: 8:27

More importantly celebrate the shade, which we finally got once we made it through Kenmore Square heading back to the Commons.

Just before we reached the shade a spectator yelled to me: "Number One costume award today goes to you!" Awww yeah! Sparkle Athletic skirt for the win! ;)

Mile 5: 8:06 8k Mark: 41:38 (8:19 min/mile)

As we pushed towards the Finish, I kept repeating "less than 1 mile over and over." While also forcing myself to relive the Boston Marathon and how I felt on that day when running or rather run/walking down this same stretch. It helped put a little extra pep in my step.

We took a right onto Arlington Street to start our two left turns into the Finish shoot. Just after I took the right, I saw a mom and her son. I heard the mom say: "Look she's a super hero." O.M.G. That lady made my day. WIN for the Wonder Woman socks!!

That totally made me dig deep and pull whatever out I had left.

Mile 6: 8:01

Just after passing the Mile 6 marker, I heard my friend Haley yell for me! Ahh I love extra and unexpected cheers. As we were coming down the shoot, the volunteers were directing us all to the right lane. I couldn't tell why. Then just before the Finish Line I saw the medics working on a man. I tried to send out as many good vibes as I could his way.

Arms up! Finish line crossed! Water me!

But first - medal me.

I was so happy to pick a volunteer that was excited to put the medal around my neck. Her smile was infectious. :)

After grabbing my water, I headed to the Marathon Sports tent so I could get my free BAA 10k bumper sticker. Yeah I am a sucker for those things even if I don't actually stick them anywhere.

I took a few minutes to stretch and compare race stories with some friends before heading to get my Dunkin Donuts fix.

Be Good was actually giving out a free burger to each participant, but I don't eat hamburgers so I passed on the offer. If only the wife was there, she would've gladly eaten it for me. ;) But instead she was on her way to pick me up. I'm spoiled I know.

Overall, the race was well-organized, the water stops seemed plenty stocked with water and the post-race meeting space was spacious. Unfortunately BAA cannot control the weather or the lack of shade on Comm Ave so that is something out of their control and something participants just have to remember when devising their race strategies.

Personally, I was not the biggest fan of my results. I was two minutes slower than when I did the BAA 10k in 2012 and 4 minutes slower than my 10k PR. Grrr... I wanted more. I did have to put it in perspective - I have a sore hammy and I did an obstacle race the day before. But, I also have gotten away from focusing on speed and time recently so maybe I need to. It is a decision I have been going back and forth about - what am I trying to get out of my races? Speed? Fun? Time? Consistency? It's an ongoing discussion in my head in case you are wondering. ;)

But I would recommend the BAA races to everyone. Maybe you will want to join me in October for the BAA Half? Be ready! These races sell out quickly.

Now, the BAA races do not offer post-race beer so I had to go out and find my own. I chose the Pretty Things Meadowlark IPA at Mystic Station. See Pretty Things loves me too??

***

Did you participate in the BAA 10k?

RACE RECAP: Rock And Run Boston

Obstacle courses scare the crap out of me! I have little to no upper body strength so whenever I have the opportunity to sign up for an obstacle run I go for it ... but with a lot of fear!

In July 2013, I completed the Urban RAID Boston obstacle race with these lovely ladies above. I was psyched after that race. We had a great time with lots of laughs and I managed to tackle each and every obstacle on the course. I was worried and shaky on a couple, but I pushed through and did it.

Now they weren't Tough Mudder or Spartan Race type obstacles, but for me they were nerve-wracking.

Flash forward to this past weekend and enter the Rock and Run Boston obstacle 5k at Assembly Row in Somerville.

This was actually put on by the same company that organized Urban RAID Boston.

Introducing Rock and Run, Presented by Radio 92.9! Rock and Run is a brand new event featuring an awesome 5K obstacle race, live music, views of the epic Boston skyline and okay…Beer (21+ only). Don’t miss out on the only race around that features unique challenges, live music checkpoints, urban and water views, and one kickin’ after party featuring a live performance that you won’t want to miss!

Racers can participate in the Rock and Run as a solo artist or grab some buds and start a band. Plus, in addition to the a soon to-be-announced national recording artist at the Finish Line, the Rock and Run will feature three bands along the course and is sure to be unlike anything you’ve competed in before!

When I was offered a complimentary entry for a friend and myself, I couldn't turn it down. The race was literally across the street from my neighborhood and I was ready for the challenge.

(Note: I did receive complimentary entry, but all thoughts are my own!)

Our wave was kicking off at 10:15am on June 21st so we left the house around 9:35 so the wife could stop at Dunkins. She needed some coffee to be the great spectator that she is. :)

We headed over to the pre-race area where Polar Springs and Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars were handing out samples.

The DJs from 92.9 were pumping up the crowd, while Kel and I tried to shake off the pre-race jitters. Remember obstacle course races freak me out!!

Why of course pre-race pictures help squash the nerves!

Plus a little eye black goes a looong way.

There were three waves ahead of ours. They were sending the first groups by gender and age. So 2 waves of guys then 2 waves of ladies before the teams would take off.

It was finally our time! The butterflies were coming out of my stomach and up through my throat. I just tried to focus on how much fun Kel and I would have together and push the fear out of the way. I had made it through all the obstacles the previous year - I would do it this time too.

The countdown started - 10 ... 9 ... 8 ... 7 ... 6 ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1!

GO!

And we were off with our other Females 30-39.

Right out of the gate we saw our cheerleader! I had left my phone with my wife so this would be a race-free of action shots and mid-run selfies, which made me sad. But I didn't know what to expect and didn't want my phone to be injured at all. :P

I regret leaving my phone with the wife now. I could've tucked it into my shorts during the obstacles. Next time.

We started out on the course and got into a little running rhythm. I have done a 5k around Assembly Row before so I am used to the inclines and downhills. We came across our first obstacle - Cone Bar Hurdles, which was hopping or walking over a PVC pipe laid across traffic cones. An easy way to check off the first obstacle.

Once over that, we headed towards the Tractor Tires and Bridge. Kel and I opted to flip the tire together. You flipped it over then back and you could move on to the Bridge. The Bridge had two choices - either pull yourself up the rope like in gym class or up the rope ladder. Kel and I both opted for rope ladder. Once on top of the bridge you had to walk down the slanted wall backwards holding on to a rope. This obstacle froze me during the Urban RAID run so I tried to be rational this time. Thanks volunteer for calming me down. :)

Once over these hurdles, we encountered our first BAND stop. Nice little addition to the course.

After Kel and I conquered the first three obstacles, we came across the first Mile marker. Wow, that happened quickly.

We continued along Assembly Row to the Monkey Bars and Chainlink Crawl. I almost bit it on the Monkey Bars with one to go, but thankfully I took a deep breath and regained the flow. I wanted to say something to the woman behind me who couldn't wait a moment for me to finish and came up behind me when I stopped for a moment. Next time lady give the person in front of you space. It's not like we were all fighting to win the race.

But anyway, the Chainlink Crawl was made of chainlink fences attached to the top of traffic cones. Rock and Run was nice enough to put this crawling obstacle on a grassy part of the course. Much appreciated!

We had a break from the obstacles as we twisted our way through Assembly Row to the waterfront. It was a welcomed breeze and a much-needed water stop. It was hot and sunny so the water was refreshing.

This path along the water is part of my normal running path so I liked the familiarity of that. As we hit the turnaround point of this little out and back, there was the Mile 2 marker to greet us. 2/3 of the way there.... and the next obstacles.

We hit the Cargo Crawl and the Agility Tunnels. The hard part of the Cargo Crawl was my bun getting stuck. I said out loud: "This is built for men especially bald men" and BAM! Out of nowhere came this bald guy buzzing past me. Hello! Not fair. :P

The Agility Tunnel was a quick crawl through a big plastic pip cut in half. Easy peezy.

We had already tackled over two miles and 7 of the 11 obstacles.

The second band - a solo guy - was rocking some country tunes. A little Taylor Swift if memory served me correctly.

With a left hand turn we were on to the 8th obstacle: Slackline. This looked harder than it was. You walked across a wide strap that many use for moving companies, etc - while holding on to a rope above you to help with balance. If you angled your feet, it made the balancing a lot easier. Well that and probably my ripped core from my #plankaday. ;)

Once through the Slackline, we took another run through the Assembly Row shops. It was great to see so many folks out shopping and enjoying their Saturday morning. But since the course wasn't closed, we had the extra joy of bobbing and weaving through the families that had no idea what was going on. :P

We were instructed to meet a volunteer in a green shirt at the base of the parking garage. We were instructed to run up the five floors to the top of the garage where our next obstacle awaited us. It felt like Amazing Race a little.

We jogged up the stairs to reach the garage roof, where we put on a 35 lb fireman oxygen tank. Once we had the tank on we ran across and back on the roof top, where the third band was playing. They even complimented me on my skirt. :)

After dropping the pack, we went got to run back down the five floors to the street. Wow! We were just two obstacles away from the Finish.

We hit the Street and could see the Finish area. We had less than a 1/4 mile to go. As we entered the Finish Area, we spotted the Mile 3 marker.

What stood between us and the Finish? Oh just a Cargo Climb and the Finish Wall.

And just like that it was over. Kel and I finished hand in hand. Woo! I love a good Finish Line.

Now I didn't have any race photos, but the wife is the best and put together a little video of what she saw us accomplish during the race. Check it out!

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You know I finished and headed straight to the Sierra Nevada Beer Garden for my post-race brew.

I had been told each participant got two free beers, but I only had 1 tab on my race bib. Not sure what happened there? I am waiting on clarification from the race organizers. The post-race beer situation was messed up at the Urban RAID Boston race in 2013 too. Not good. I take that seriously. :P

But the crowd looked happy and enjoying the festivities.

I'm so proud of Kel for pushing through this race. I could tell she wasn't happy during points of it, but she didn't give up. She pushed a bad experience on the Monkey Bars behind her and powered through.

We didn't do too shabby in the rankings either.

Overall the race was a fun way to spend a Saturday morning and I love a race close to my house. :) It was well-organized with great volunteers. I wish the shirt was a tech shirt rather than a cotton t-shirt. Especially since folks were paying $65-70 for the race.

I know this was the first year it took place at Assembly Row so I think the organizers will take the feedback from the participants and improve for next year.

I would definitely recommend this course for all fitness levels. It really worked to make everyone feel comfortable and the volunteers at the obstacles were encouraging and ready to lend a helping hand if needed.

So yeah I rocked and ran through Boston Somerville!

***

Did you take part in this inaugural Rock and Run race?

Dani Dishes 6-16-14

On this week's episode of #DaniDishes, I swam a consecutive mile AND let's did the world of the words "just" and "only!"