Racecancer’s Boston 5k Summer Series: Race #5

You know that Fall is approaching when the Racecancer Boston 5k Summer Series in winding down. I started this race series in May and can't believe that Race #5 has come and gone. May: Race #1 – 23:29 (7:34 min/mile pace) June: Race #2 - Did Not Start (Hamstring Injury) July: Race #3 - 24:19 (7:50 min/mile pace) August: Race #4 - 24:57 (8:03 min/mile pace) September (1): Race #5 - 22:39 (7:18 min/mile pace) September (2): Race #6 - September 18

My times are not what I have wanted, but I have given my all at those times, which is all I can ask of myself.

I had been disappointed in myself until Race #5, which took place on September 4. My original plan was to take the race super easy as I had my big big race just three days later.

But when the stars align on race day you need to take advantage.

The women's only 5k was set to start at 6pm. With the early race start many of the female racers were not in attendance - meaning a smaller field ... and many of the super speedy ladies wouldn't be racing.

Hmmm... my goal was to take advantage of that. ;)

So I lined up sort of near the front, but reminded myself to run my race.

The horn went off, I clicked on my Garmin and the game was on.

It was crazy being in the top 5 at the beginning of the race. As we took our first loop, I was in a small pack of runners (after 1 girl took off ahead of everyone) and I turned to the woman next to me and said "Wow! This is what the elite women at the Boston Marathon must experience!" Umm yeah not really a response or laugh. Ha. Oops. I guess not everyone likes to chat during a race. :)

It was exciting experience trying to keep up with the two girls just ahead of me.

When I saw the first water stop (thank you race for having 2 on the 5k course), I spotted the Mile 1 marker.

Mile 1: 6:55.

Ummm friends let's take a moment to reflect. The first mile buzzed with a pace with a 6 in the front. Holy crap! I almost teared up when I saw it. Yes I am that dorky. But how could I not? I remember when I started running in 2005 and could barely bust out a 14 min/mile pace. To see that kind of change over the years gives me chills.

Now I was feeling good, but I could tell my body was slowing down a little. Not sure if it was the heat or just tired legs. But I knew the last two miles wouldn't be as fast... and I was okay with that.

I just tried to keep the 2 girls within eye distance. I knew they were gaining ground, but I liked seeing them.

The second mile is pretty boring scenery wise - you have the Charles River on one side (yay) and a boulevard on the other (boring).

Mile 2 marker was met with another water stop ... and a girl flying by me! :P I was holding down 5th place until she came out of nowhere. But she was cooking it so I didn't get too huffy. ;)

Mile 2: 7:25

Off quite a drop. I tried to keep the big picture at the forefront.

The good thing about running the same course over and over again is familiarity. You know the ebbs and flows of the pavement and when you need to give the final kick!

It was kind of an odd experience basically running alone for the final mile. The few girls ahead of me were about a minute in front of me so I didn't see them through the twists and turns of the final mile. I also couldn't hear/see the girl behind me.

Just had to remind myself: One More Mile. You can do it.

So I tried my best to finish strong.

Mile 3: 7:31

When I passed the Mile 3 marker, I could see the Finish and hear folks cheering for someone else. I assumed she was right on my tail so I kicked in everything I had. I wasn't about to get passed in the final stretch of the race!

Final: 22:39 (7:18 min/mile)

I was ecstatic! It was 40 seconds slower than matching my 5k PR (21:59), but I felt proud of my overall performance. I thought I ran the best I could and had a great time being part of a small intimate race.

And holy crap! I finished 6th overall and 2nd in my division. Little 'ol me. I wanted to savor the experience since it will probably never happen again.

Now you may be wondering about the lack of mid-run selfie. Well I was wearing my glasses and I despise running/pics in glasses so there were no pics taken. Until...

I was given the great responsibility of sending off the co-ed 5k race with the bullhorn.

Hey-o! I am hitting the big times. ;)

I meant to head out to get home for dinner, but I ran into a friend Nacole. Nacole attends the Nike Run And Walk Club in Somerville on Wednesday nights. I took the time to catch up with her while she waited for her friends doing the co-ed 5k. She had already rocked the women's only 5k.

It was great to get to know her better and her friends.

While they all headed off to the post-race party, I ventured home for food. I promised that I would attend the post-race party for the final race on September 18.

If you haven't made it to a Racecancer Boston 5k Summer Series, you have one final chance - September 18 (women's only at 6pm and co-ed at 6:15). Feel free to register here.

***

Have you ever shocked yourself mid-race with an amazing split?

RACE RECAP: 2nd Annual Race To The Row 5k

How many races do you participate in that take place across the street from your house? Oh is that next to none?

Yeah I feel you on that...

... except when the Race To The Row 5k comes around!

That's right. It takes the wife about 5 minutes (more if there is a stop at Dunkin' Donuts for her) to get to the Start Area of the Race To The Row 5k, which is at the new Assembly Row area in Somerville, MA.

When the inaugural race took part last year, the Assembly Row area was still under construction so the race course lacked a lot of visual beauty. But with Assembly Row in full effect this year, I was ready to enjoy the beautiful new buildings and shots of the Mystic River.

Since the race didn't start until 9:30, I was 1) able to sleep in and 2) could do bib check day of. Woo!

We decided to leave the house just after 8:30 to stop at Dunkins and give us enough time to chat with friends before the Kids Race would start at 9:15.

There were a lot of great local businesses set up near bib pick-up and day of registration.

Somerville's own Runfellow gear

Runfellow also hosts a Tuesday night run club, which changes venues each week, but always takes place in the Somerville-Cambridge area.

b Positive Project out of South Boston

After browsing the booths, we made sure to get a good spot for the Kids Race. It was just about a 1/4 mile and each participant received an adorable Finisher's Medal. (Side Note: I really wish I had entered ;P)

My favorite was this tiny tiny boy with a big Superman cape on. I really wanted to borrow it from him, but he seemed attached to it.

Once the kids and their parents cleared the Start Area, it was time to line up.

I had no idea what kind of time to expect. My body was tired from the workouts the day prior - 1.5 mile swim, 30 mile bike and 5k run - so I didn't expect a PR.

I actually PRed at this race the previous year pulling a 21:59.2... yeah that wouldn't happen again. But I was ready to give it all I had.

The Sun was out and ready to shine out on the pretty shadeless course.

Now the Somerville Road Runners, the group organizing the race, had changed the course from the year prior. We would now be doing 2 loops, which was intriguing.

As we lined up, I distracted myself by chatting with a fellow Nike Run & Walk Club and Somerville resident, Ben. He was coming off an injury so also unsure what sort of race he would have.

The goal as always was to enjoy the run ... and hurry to the beer! ;)

The horn went off and it was a blaze of color in front of me. I tried to keep myself in my own groove and not worry about the folks around me. Which is always easier said than done at the beginning of a race for me.

Since I am working on racing without music in prep for the Half Ironman, I spent most of the race listening to my own breathing and the breathing of the folks around me. Ouch! Not the best soundtrack for a run.

BUT there was a slight out and back portion of the race so I could cheer for my friends after rounding the first turn. YES! I love being able to do that. Plus, I could marvel at the lead pack. Man those guys were flying!!

Mile 1: 7:29

I may or may not have picked a couple near me after that first mile and set a goal to get ahead of them at some point in the next mile. Sometimes it is a fun game to play and a way to push yourself in a race.

As we hit the end of the first loop, I waved to the wife, gave Jillian (creator of Runfellow) a high-five (pictured above) and checked in with the body. I was hot and I could tell the legs were slowing down.

I picked myself up by posting my halfway mark selfie to the interwebs before bearing down and finishing off the race.

Not one of my finest mid-run selfies

At least with the double loop you know when the Finish is coming.

Mile 2: 7:38

Now I never actually saw the Mile 2 marker, but when my Garmin buzzed I tried to dig deep and give it everything I could for the final mile.

I was back-and-forth with a couple of girls during Mile 2 so I kept them in my sights during the final mile.

I can't tell you how many times I repeated to myself Beer Beer Beer during that last stretch.

The volunteers did a great job directing and cheering on the runners.

I definitely won over the water stop with my Sparkle Skirt! ;)

Oddly enough not so many comments on the BEER socks, which surprised me.

Oh and yes these were thoughts during the final 1/2 mile of the run.

Mile 3: 7:40

Just get me to the BEER!

Final Finish: 23:46

Sweet. I was definitely happy with that. The quads felt good and the left hamstring was a bearable dull pain. ;) Baby steps.

According to the results I finished 79th overall and 10th in my division. Yeah! I never end up in Top 10 of my division.

After crossing the Finish Line, I headed right into the post-race party for some food and beer.

Thanks to Harpoon Brewery and J.P. Licks

I can't pass on mint chocolate chip ice cream at 10am.

Oh and Ernesto's pizza - great crust!

The post-race party was treated to the musical stylings of the IT Band.

It was a great vibe and always fun hanging out with my fellow Slumbrew Happy Soles.

The Race To The Row 5k is such a great local race and I cannot wait to see the race flourish over the years.

I will see you at the 3rd Annual race in 2015.

***

Did you Race To The Row? What was your favorite part?

Monday Musings: Weekend of Workouts & Wedding Wonder

Weekends this summer have been full of workouts, laughs, love, friends and family ...but not a ton of rest! So you can imagine this past weekend was right along those same lines. ;) My wife actually got up early on Sunday to get her 4 mile run in before we walked over to my 5k race and she quipped later that day: "Wow, I don't know how you do this getting up early to workout thing all the time."

It made me smile to myself. Now she appreciates the early mornings I put in so that we can have more time to spend together. :)

Sunday marked just two weeks until the Pumpkinman Half Ironman. Wow September 7 will be here before I know it. This weekend I needed to really buckle down and focus.

The workouts started bright and early Friday after a great weigh-in. Did you hear I am happily back in the 150s?

My goal on Friday was to get 4 hours in on the bike, but that didn't happen. Between a Recycle Studio Spin workout and a bike tide out to Bedford from Somerville - I spent about 3 hours in the saddle.

But I still haven't gotten 56 miles in on the bike and I need to do that before the race just to show myself I can do it. So guess what is on the docket for this upcoming week?

The bike is so mental for me. My body knows it can do it, but the mind gets nervous and overwhelmed. Time to shut the brain down.

The rest of the Friday called for relaxation and blogging. Isn't that what all the cool kids do on a Friday night? :)

I had an early morning on Saturday. I wanted to hit up the 8am Weight Watchers meeting and claim my Ace Your Summer Challenge bling for having attended 10 of the last 11 weeks of meetings. Woo!

It is such a nice and welcoming group. I am happy to attend their meetings and occasionally sub before I return to long run Saturdays this Fall.

I was smiling from ear to ear as members of the group talked about the fun they had attending the Nike Run & Walk Club that I have been helping to host. They talked about feeling welcome without thought of pace or fitness level. Exactly the kind of group I have been trying to create. :)

Full of motivation and inspiration, I headed to the pool to get my 1.2 mile time trial swim done.

During the entire swim I felt strong and like I could keep swimming for days. :) I guess that training is paying off. :P It was a great morning in the pool full of entertainment from the kids' swim classes going on on the opposite side of the pool from me.

Once I was out of the pool, I had to race home, quickly change and head to my cousin's wedding dress appointment. How cute are the cards our friend Lauren made to judge the dresses?

They are so my cousin. :)

Since I never did the wedding dress shopping thing myself (maybe some day), it was a complete learning experience. It really is a live version of Say Yes To The Dress. My cousin found a style she liked, but didn't say yes to a dress at the first location.

My cousin & I working the duck lips

She inevitably found her dress at appointment #2 of the day, which I wasn't able to make.

While my Saturday afternoons were canceled last minute, I wouldn't waste the time by getting in my BRICK workout with my #1 supporter the wife by my side.

She humored me while I blabbered on about nothing for two hours on the bike trainer and then jumped on her bike while I knocked out a quick 5k (26:34) to shake the legs out.

She also listened to me curse out the wind for blowing in my face for the entire run. Not sure I could've said: "Are you serious wind?" any more than I did. Haha.

We decided to cook in on Saturday night and enjoy a lovely meal outside in the backyard, while the pups played.

Please note: it is the wife who is drinking Pumpkin beer in August. #TheShame 

The wife made Skinnytaste's Weeknight Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders and it was delicious!! We paired it with our once a month treat of yellow rice (yum) and steamed broccoli.

After a fantastic dinner outside, we finally watched Muppets Most Wanted. It was cute but not nearly as good as the Muppet Movie from 2011.

Now while the wife got up early on Sunday to run I slept in until 7:15am - woah! Late I know. ;) But it was great to lounge around and snuggle some pups until she came home.

The Race To The Row 5k I was running on Sunday didn't start until 9:30am AND was located across the street from my house which meant a late departure time. Boy I wish all of my races were that close.

It was a fun morning with lots of friends. I will post a recap of that race shortly.

I wasn't sure how my body would handle the race since I had done a 1.5 mile swim, 30 mile bike and 5k run the day before.

But as you can see it was pretty speedy. I ended up 79th overall and 10th in my division. Woo! I never reach the top 10 in my division so that was exciting.

Following the race I had a couple of hours of downtime before we headed to a wedding celebration for my friend Nicole and her partner Melsen. It was a lovely afternoon in Brookline with friends.

They had a great spread and a make your own burritos area, which totally was up the wife's alley. I ate most of the large salad they had available. :P

Our crew has gotten older and maybe more mature? Okay not at all more mature, but it was fun to come together to celebrate love and friendship.

With a busy weekend in the books, it was great to come home and just vet out for the rest of the evening.

I went to bed Sunday night with a happy heart, a complete Weight Watchers food tracker and renewed energy for the week ahead.

***

Since we know I am - for now - just enjoying adult beverages on the weekend, here are a couple of the local brews I tried:

Berkshire Brewing Company

Tap Brewing Company (Haverhill, MA)

Both were full of hoppy goodness...

***

Two other notes for this week:

1) I have a $10 off discount code for the Max Performance Buzzards Bay Sprint Triathlon on September 14.

Use code: WOMSBUZZ14 (code expires Friday, August 29)

2) I am holding a giveaway for a free entry into the inaugural South Shore Half Marathon in Norwell, MA on November 2.

Feel free to enter here.

***

How did you stay active this weekend?

#Giveaway: 3 Free Entries to take on the Big Bad Wolf

Annddddd the winners ARE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Because Eddie O is such an awesome race director he is letting me give away not 3 but 5 entries to the race! WOOHOO!!

Thank you to everyone that entered. You can still register for the race! I hope to see you all there.

***

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

Okay what if I say the Big Bad Wolf is ACTUALLY a 5-mile trail race in Ipswich, Mass?

Don't worry there aren't any actual wolves or animals involved in the running of this race - just fun, trails, friends, laughs, and beer!! Well there might be a wolf or two on sight because...

The Second Annual Big Bad Wolf 5-Mile Trail Race will take place on Saturday, September 13 at Noon at the Wolf Hollow, a wolf sanctuary, in Ipswich, Mass.

Registration includes a great VERT shirt + free food & beer at the after-party (sponsored by Notch, Slumbrew, Downeast Cider & Ipswich Ale).

That's right folks! Like all Cambridge 5k and VERT Races there will be an EPIC post-race party after the 5-mile trail race with a dance-off and great brews from four local breweries.

Slumbrew Happy Soles love a good post-race party

Oh and there may be a costume contest too...

Run in your best wolf or wolf related running costume and you could win a great prize in our post-race costume contest!

Now Ipswich may seem like a trek from Boston, but it really isn't. With a Noon start for the race, you won't have to wake up early to grab the commuter rail. Eddie O, race director extraordinaire, also has a free shuttle set up from the commuter rail to the race start.

If you are nervous to check out your first 5-mile race or first trail run, the Big Bad Wolf is a great way to break into either! There is a great support system amongst runners, volunteers and spectators.

The course map is a loop so you never feel alone and see familiar faces all along the route.

Here's a description of the course:

Fast & flat course over grass fields and dirt roads. The course starts & finishes @ Wolf Hollow and follows the Maplecroft Trail from Essex Road to Argilla Road and back. The course is well marked with signs and course marshalls. There is a water stop near the halfway point (polo field).

There are some slight inclines on the course, but nothing too strenuous like other trail runs might have. It truly is a course for all fitness levels.

I can't wait to take on Big Bad Wolf for a second year with the Slumbrew Happy Soles.

So now that I have you psyched up for the trail race and party of 2014, it's time to make it even better...

I am giving away not 1 but 3 entries!

Sayy wwhhaaa??? Raise the roof! Woo Woo!

I know.

So here's how to enter.

The giveaway will run from Thursday August 14 (2pm ET) through Friday August 22 (10am ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Friday!

Join Me Weekly At Nike Run AND Walk Club at Assembly Row

Are you in the Somerville area? Have you been looking to get extra accountability to get out and run or walk?

Then look no farther than the Nike Run AND Walk Club every Wednesday night at 6:30pm at Assembly Row.

What a sweet looking crew right? :)

Each Wednesday the group tackles a 5k loop near the Assembly Row area in Somerville. The entire course is on a bike path so there are no street crossings. There is also a water fountain available twice on the first half of the course.

The group offers pacers for those running, run-walking or strictly walking.

ALL PACES ARE WELCOME!!

As I like to say no person is left behind.

One week I had the pleasure of pacing the group and made sure each person had a great time complete with high fives along the way.

Following the 5k, which starts and ends at the Nike Factory Store, Nike offers water and granola bars to refuel.

Once Slumbrew's American Fresh opens up at Assembly Row, I know I will be heading over there for a beer or two. ;)

My fellow Slumbrew Happy Soles and I! #SportTheFort

There is also free parking and at some point in the fall the orange line stop at Assembly Row should open, but Assembly Row is easily accessible via the orange line stops at Sullivan and Wellington.

So if you are a runner, run-walker or walker and want to meet some new workout buddies then join us each Wednesday at 6:30pm at Nike Factory Store at Assembly Row! :)

***

Will I see you one Wednesday?

Monday Musings: Forced Rest, #IceBucketChallenge, A Wedding & Beer

Mondays can be seen in one of two ways: the start to a week of endless possibilities or the worst thing in the world as the opening to the work week.

Let's make this Monday our b&%ch! ;)

I love using Monday as a time to reassess the previous week and come up with a game plan for the next seven days. But also to celebrate the good times. :)

This past week was full of ups and downs.

Let's get the downs out of the way ... quad injury! :(

On Thursday morning I received a shooting pain through my right quad. It was scary and was paralyzing (mainly from fear). The pain happened while I was stepping out of my house on the front steps. I am very lucky that the wife was there to calm me down and help me get past that first step.

After talking with my doctor/PT friends, it was dictated to take rest days. Eek! No I didn't want to especially with a sprint tri on Sunday. Well I listened to their advice.

Do you want your own Run All Day shirt from PavementRunner - order here!

Since then it has been a steady stream of icing, foam rolling, Zensah compression shorts, stretching and adhering to doctor's orders. It has been tough. Taking a DNS (Did Not Start) at the tri was frustrating, upsetting and difficult, but I know I need to be 100% for the Half Ironman on September 7 and a race now isn't worth risking that.

Ace Bandages + Compression Shorts = One Sexy Look

Thankfully each day the quads seem a little better and I am hoping I am on the upswing.

Now while I am having a hard time with the rest, I think the pups are really enjoying it.

Once again my nurse Laney sleeping on the job.

***

Now it was a tough eating weekend wise. I let some emotional eating in after the unexpected gain on the scale Friday. But really I had some cravings and I filled them. But my stomach let me know that I filled too many at one time. It was a little gut check that I needed. I was right back on track today and feeling good and more in control.

Go me!

***

On Friday, I was challenged by my cousin Jen to take part in the #IceBucketChallenge to raise awareness for ALS. Luckily I had an ice bath on the agenda any way so it was a good segway. :P

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***

As we know I have been keeping my craft beer drinking to the weekends the past couple of months so let me share the finds from this past weekend...

Lefty's Brewing Company out of Greenfield, MA

The wife and I obviously love Slumbrew, which is out of my hometown, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on the latest brew... and it was worth the wait! Delicious and how could you not enjoy it with the description:

Fresh air and the aromatic essence of Calypso, Ella and Pacific Jade hops fill the air  and lighten our hearts while this golden ale lightens our mood.

Somerville's own Slumbrew Island Day

***

The highlight of the week was my uncle's wedding in Western Mass. I even got to show the wife some of my favorite spots in Hampden, MA, including this lunch spot from my childhood. Mmmm french fries!

It was a gorgeous day Saturday for a beautiful wedding.

I was also able to spend the day with my Gramma, my Stroke Hero. She is the reason I am part of Tedy's Team and raise the money to #FightStroke! :)

It was a great day with family ... and I don't think anyone figured out that I was wearing compression shorts and ACE bandages under my dress. ;)

***

I would LOOOOVVEEE your daily vote in the following two Got Chocolate Milk contests… each ends on August 15!

Chocolate Milk Contest

^I have finally broken in to the Top Three!!! 1st prize is valued just over $5k, 2nd prize just under $1,900 and 3rd prize around $775. Holy cow they are sweet.

and

Team Chocolate Milk

^The prize? $500 in sponsorship money, which I will use to fund my first Ragnar Relay experience, new training gear and free race entries. Each time you vote $1 is donated to the Challenged Athletes Foundation. How awesome is that?

Thank you all so much!!!

***

What did you learn from this past week?

How To Take The Perfect Mid-Run Selfie ... And Post It!

"How do you take selfies while running?" "Wait did you just post a selfie to Instagram during the race?"

"Don't you trip or fall while taking those mid-run selfies?"

Have you thought or actually asked me any of these question on social media or in real life?

Well, it's finally time for me to share my secrets...

Get ready internet, you are about to be FULL of mid-run selfies!

Well well well where to start?? Do I need to define what a selfie is? I'm hoping I can gloss right over that part.

Let's start with...

Why

Why did I start doing this? There were a few reasons.

I hated waiting for official race photos to come online to include in recaps/sharing on social media.

I was bored with pre and post race shots - it was getting boring. Plus, I can only pose so many ways before and after a race. ;)

I wanted something to compliment the twitter/Facebook updates I was doing mid-race.

I needed extra motivation during a run and posting a picture allowed my online friends to send in some encouragement!

Mile 5 of a very hot & humid Finish At The 50 10k (2014)

Or letting everyone know how much fun I am having mid-race :)

Mile 4 of the 2014 Boston Run To Remember Half

It is also a great way to showcase who I am running with...

Mark Remy from Runner's World at Heartbreak Hill Half 

Once I got the hang of it, it became really fun and now I just feel weird if I don't have some mid-run selfies happening.

When

This can vary from race to race and practice run to practice run.

I started by taking them at significant points in the race: 5k mark, 10k mark, halfway, new distance record, etc.

2014 Boston Athletic Association 10k

Or if you want to announce to your followers that you are actually running the marathon rather than the half marathon you said you were. :P

2014 Rock 'n' Roll Nashville Marathon

If you are also near a famous landmark either from your own life or for the city/race you are running in then you would want to capture those scenes with a selfie.

Speedway during 2014 WDW Marathon

If you happen to come across a famous person or a couple of friends and you want to document the experience, selfie it.

Patriots HOFer Tedy Bruschi & I during 2014 Boston Marathon

Ladies of We Run Disney during 2014 WDW Marathon

How

The real reason you are tuning into this post. Now there are action mid-run selfies and stationary mid-run selfies. I'll speak to both below.

Also, I take my photos with my phone. I have some talented friends out there (Fannetastic Food) who takes mid-race seflies with a real camera. I'm not there yet.

Step One: Look around at your surroundings

Safety first my friends for action selfies. Make sure you don't have any potholes in front of your or a group of runners that you could potentially bump into or trip over. Let's keep a clear area around us.

For example, a downhill may not be the best place to choose to selfie IF you are doing it on the move.

If taking a stationary mid-run selfie, be sure to get over to the side of the road and out of the way of other runners. Let's not piss off 20,000 of our friends because we caught a hilarious race sign we just needed a pic with. M'kay?

Step Two: Have the phone at the ready

I used to run with my phone in an arm band, but realized I was taking it out so much for texting/tweeting/Facebooking and pics that it was becoming a nuisance. So for the past few months, I have been running with my phone in my hand or tucked into my running shorts, which ever was more comfy at the time (and depending on length of race).

For shorter races I definitely say keep the phone in the hand as the opportunity for the mid-run selfie is less than a longer run. But if you absolutely cannot run with a phone in hand then armband or waistband it up folks.

Since REALLY the focus is on the race and not the picture ... or so I've been told.

Just make sure the phone is handy since photo ops can happen at any point in time.

Step Three: Take the password protection off the phone

This is something I have yet to remember to do. That's right folks. Every time I go to take a picture mid-race I have to enter in my stupid iPhone code. Please be smarter than me and dismantle pre-race.

Now I know you can take a picture without doing the code on the iPhone BUT if you want to post it right after taking it you would still have to enter the code. But more on posting the pic on the move later.

Step Four: Remember to switch the camera view to selfie

I can't stress the importance of having the camera actually looking at YOU for the selfie. Hey! Things can happen mid-race and the brain isn't thinking straight.

Step Five: Clue in your running partner

If you are taking an action photo with a friend or celebrity, be sure to give them the heads up so they to are looking at your phone.

Heather & I during Nike Run Club

My friends know the drill well enough that they suggest when we should snap them. :)

My BFF & I during 2014 Old Port Marathon

Step Six: Hold the phone just above your head and angle towards you slightly

Now I normally use just my right hand/arm while taking the pics, but if cold or having a hard time gripping my phone then I will use the double arm tactic. I find that if I do the two arms it does hinder my running. :P

Snack break during Black Cat 20-Miler (2014)

Step Seven: Snap 3-5 pictures

Rarely does a mid-run selfie come out on first take. Since you don't want to risk ending up with a dud while rocking the peace sign along the water, take some extras - moving the arm ever so slightly during the "photo shoot." ;)

Note: Fitsnap was added to this photo POST race

There have been some SERIOUS duds on my phone over the past year, but those thankfully don't see the light of day. ;)

And there you have it!! Seven quick steps to your own mid-run selfie.

PointOneMiles & I during 2014 Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half

Since you have the shots, you can go ahead and save those to enjoy post-run oorrr....

you can take it to the next level:

Posting While Running

Now that I have my great pic, I want to share with my friends and family, which can take a little more skill.

Step One: Get a handle on texting/tweeting/Facebooking while running

Typing while running is NOT an easy feat. The iPhone autocorrect feature can help or seriously hinder a post. :P Practice running around your apartment or neighborhood to get used to looking at the phone and at the ground. Again we are focusing on safety first friends.

Step Two: Use the hashtags BEFORE the race starts

If you are looking to tag a certain race or fitness group then you need to have the hashtags already stored in your Instagram!! As long as you have used the hashtag prior and Instagram has managed not to crash in the meantime, you will have an easier time pulling up a hashtag on the move.

Step Three: Make sure Instagram is connected to Twitter

If you like to add a nice filter/border before posting then uploading the photo right to Instagram will help with that.

2014 WDW Marathon

Next up will be posting it to Twitter and you can do that right from Instagram.

Now many folks will post a photo to Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr from Instagram. I use Instagram for Twitter and Tumblr.

So if you have your short message ready in Instagram, you are good to hit send and out it goes to Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook.

I do Facebook separately. I will select all then copy the message on Instagram then paste into my blog's Facebook page.

And there you have it!!!

You now have the main tips and tricks to taking and posting your own mid-run - action or stationary - selfies.

Please remember the number one rule: safety first!!

***

Have you dared to mid-run selfie before?

Monday Musings: Relaxing Weekend, Team Chocolate Milk Voting & Fit Plus Wear Review

Weekends make the weekdays bearable, right? Then whhhyyy must they zoom by? Each and every time! But I am thankful for whatever time I can have with family and friends. :) It is such a blessing to have the time to be with them.

So how did this past weekend look?

***

Let's start with the workouts:

Friday - a tough tough run, which ended with a mini meltdown. I must remember that the bad runs make the good runs even better. :0)

Saturday - a ego-boosting swim ... I felt great and was excited for the longest-consecutive swim in training!

Sunday - a 3-hour training bike ride ... I did it all by myself and wished the entire time I was out running. :P Maybe someday I will learn to love the bike.

I am thankful that this upcoming week is a "recovery week" on the training plan, which means workouts are a little less intense and I might have a full on rest day! Yay! :)

***

For the past 7-8 weeks, I have been saving my beer and wine for the weekend - aka #DrinkEnd! Here are the two delicious brews I enjoyed this weekend.

Somerville's own Pretty Things Beer

Port Brewing Mongo IPA out of my Old Port Half mug

***

Unfortunately the wife injured her back on Sunday morning during a run so we had a low-key rest of the weekend. Really the weekend as a whole was pretty low-key outside of the workouts and I kinda loved it. Such a rare sight for us to not be running from event to event. I know so popular right? Haha. JK. :0)

But Saturday we did make it over to Assembly Row to check out Assembled and Pet Palooza. It was overcast and rainy, but seeing the pups compete was worth it. :)

***

Final three random thoughts/asks from the weekend:

1) I would LOOOOVVEEE your daily vote in the following two Got Chocolate Milk contests... each ends on August 15!

Chocolate Milk Contest

^I am currently in fourth place (by a lot I know), but the top three vote getters secure the prizes. 1st prize is valued just over $5k, 2nd prize just under $1,900 and 3rd prize around $775. Holy cow they are sweet.

and

Team Chocolate Milk

^The prize? $500 in sponsorship money, which I will use to fund my first Ragnar Relay experience, new training gear and free race entries. Each time you vote $1 is donated to the Challenged Athletes Foundation. How awesome is that?

Thank you all so much!!!

2) There are just 6 spots left in the F.A.S.T. (Fighting Against Stroke Together) Virtual 5k/10k run/walk/bike!! Registration ends August 10... :)

3) Thanks to my friend Larisa from 0to26point2 I was able to test out the Fit Plus Wear Sound Solution compression capris (Value $88).

I love that the Fit Plus Wear company is led by a power duo of two female athletes and moms. They want to reach every woman and offer sizes from XXS-3XL. I am wearing size Medium in the picture below.

These moisture wicking and antimicrobial slimming compression capri pants offer a revolutionary way to carry your cell phone or MP3 device while you workout! Equipped with a sweat-proof, bounce proof, fall proof pocket you now can walk or workout hands free and worry free! It’s our Sound Solution- a pocket with a plus!

If you want to check out these awesome pants, use code 2HE90CGR5Y4U at checkout.

***

Oh oh oh one more thing ;) I guest posted over at my boy Nathan's blog - The Fotographing Fat Kid - about my Top Threeve Weight Loss Lessons. Check it out!

Now back to my regularly scheduled Monday ... where did I put that training plan? :P

A Saturday At Assembly Row: #Assembled & #PetPalooza

How much do you love shopping? Aren't puppies just the cutest things you've ever seen?

Do you love spending a Saturday in Somerville with your family and friends?

Well, next Saturday you have free you should head to #Assembled at Assembly Row (11am-4pm)!

If you are a Boston area resident and HAVEN'T checked out Assembled then you are missing out.

The Handmade Arts Market at Assembly Row showcases arts and crafts by local Somerville artists, Etsy artists, and some of New England’s top creative talents! Visit the market every Saturday, now through September 13 for an ever changing selection of local art ranging from soaps and candles to gifts and prints.

Totally cool, right? Well it is.

I'm pretty lucky that Assembled is a mere 5-7 minute walk from my house. Hollah!

So we tend to frequent the local arts market with our pups and Dunkin' Donuts coffee in hand.

This weekend's Assembled featured some pretty amazing jewelers.

Yes I walked away with these 3 gorgeous bracelets for $10 total from Chappy Girls Jewelry.

I tried to get the wife to buy a bow, but she wouldn't bite.

But they are wicked cute! ;)

Then I came across the Swiss Bakers tent with mouth-watering homemade pretzels. Ohhh it took all my will to resist. So instead I decided to treat the pups...

... we picked up a little variety pack for them ($10 value) from Brownie's Barkery out of Maine. Let me just tell you the pups appreciated my sacrifice! ;)

After walking and checking out the 10 or so tents that made up Assembled, it was lunch time for the wife. Tough choices for her as always. With three food trucks to pick from, she went with...

BON ME!

She dined on the rice bowl with coconut-braised chicken (extra meat) which came to $8.50 and smelled amazing!! I had my grapes in my backpack so I made sure to have something, while drooling over the choices at the trucks. ;)

After grabbing her food and our purchases, we headed over to an Assembly Row special for the weekend - Pet Palooza. Pet Palooza was a two-day family-friendly event with pet-centric events including demos, training seminars, pet adoptions, and DockDog’s Northeast Regional Championship Competition.

Despite the rain, there was a great crowd on hand to watch the Dock Dogs competition.

We made it JUST in time to see a round of Extreme Vertical.

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This was INSANE. Dogs were jumping off the dock to knock off the bumper toy hanging from magnets off of the adjustable arm. While we were there the arm rose from 4'7" from 5'10"!! Can you freakin' believe that? These dogs were jumping off the dog to knock a toy down that was higher than me. It was awesome to watch.

After taking in part of the competition (which had different types of jumping all day long), we walked through the Pet Palooza, which featured local dog trainers, dog snack companies, a dog masseuse, a portable dog groomer and of course rescues. Oh was it tough to leave without adopting another dog, but our wallets were happy. :)

It was a great afternoon despite the weather. Folks that attend the Pet Palooza on Sunday (August 4) were met with much better weather.

But as we headed out we had to stop by the Slumbrew booth as they were handing out frisbees and other swag to attendees. Boy I can't wait until American Fresh opens up at Assembly Row and I can have a nice draft Slumbrew Porter Square Porter after a nice 5k run with the Nike Run Club (Wednesdays at 6:30pm).

***

So if you are ever in the Somerville hood on a Saturday between 11-4 before September 13, come check out Assembled. You never know which local artist will be there... :)

Monday Musings: Sun, Fun And Of Course Training

This Summer ROCKS! Okay I am not sleeping as much as I would like or having as many lazy weekends or trips as my wife would like.

But we are definitely doing more than we did last summer.

Last summer on July 19, my wife had her ACL replaced, which led to a pretty uneventful summer.

Thankfully this year she is healed and we are taking advantage of it.

The weekends have been full of adventure and something I'm looking forward to recapping every Monday. :)

***

Friday kicked off with a phenomenal weigh-in, where I finally shed the weight I had gained during my temp job and I am feeling AMAZING.

After attending my Friday morning meeting, I subbed the Noon meeting for a coworker. I love meeting new groups and hearing about people's journeys.

When I got home from work I had a present from Misfit Wearables!!

I am wicked excited to try another activity monitor and report back all my thoughts. I am going to give it a couple of weeks before I write a post on it. It has the feature to track your swims so I already love that it is waterproof. :)

Once the work day was over, I had to turn my attention to the training plan. Which called for a 2 hour and 15 min bike ride. Now the weather was forecasted to be crappy and I was waiting for the wife to get home to enjoy dinner so I opted for a ride on the trainer.

But how could I be in my living room for that long without going crazy?!?! A movie would do the trick.

Yay Frozen to the rescue.

After a grueling training session - Hello Sweatfest - it was a low-key evening in our household: Zensah compression, pizza, wine and snuggling in bed. Success since I was getting up early Saturday morning.

***

I must've gotten up early for a training ride or run on Saturday? Nope! The alarm went off at 6am so I could sub two Weight Watchers meetings for my friend Heather. I had attended the 8am meeting as a member in the past and I knew it was a fun group. I was looking forward to see the good times that most Saturday groups convey. :)

Now I made sure to adjust my training plan accordingly so I could work and keep my afternoon free to spend with the wife.

So I wore my bathing suit underneath my work clothes to keep me accountable. I walked straight from the Weight Watchers Center to the gym, which was easy since it is on my way home. :P

The swim workout was easily laid out: 300 WU, 2000 meters and 300 CD. To my knowledge that would be my longest consistent swim.

2000 meters = 80 lengths of my pool = 1.242 miles

The Half Ironman swim distance is 1.2 miles and has a 1-hour cutoff.

The 2000 meters took me 40 minutes and 55 seconds. I was happy with the outcome. I felt strong and consistent the entire time. I knew I could've pushed it more, which made me happy. The plan wanted you to swim it at moderate pace and I think I kept it that way. Besides some bursts when I needed to change lane mid-swim and my lane mate wanted to chat briefly. Ha!

With work and the workout done, it was Date Afternoon time. For the wife's birthday, I gave her a Date Afternoon consisting of Stand Up Paddle Boarding and dinner at the Boston Burger Company in Davis Square (Somerville).

Neither of us had done Stand Up Paddle Boarding before so it would definitely be an experience for both of us.

I have seen the Charles River Canoe & Kayak kiosk on countless runs.

Finally time to step on up and try it!

After taking a brief quiz - of course we got 100% and a smiley face on it - we signed away our lives and hid our stuff in the car to keep it safe and dry. I had no idea how many times we would potentially end up in the water. :P

The SUP boards were $15/hr and we were figuring one hour would be a good starting off point for us.

We were fitted for our life vests before having the oars properly lengthened for our heights.

In order to shimmy on to the board, we headed down the dock where the dockhands were ready and waiting. Thankfully I trusted the 15 year old (if that) to hold the board steady, while I slid onto the board.

You start on your knees and work your way to standing up once 10 feet from the dock.

I don't have the best of balance so I was hoping for the best.

Success!!

We started our trip upstream. It was a beautifully sunny day in Boston and perfect to be out on the River. We were boarding among canoers, kayakers and even some boaters.

Now the boaters can be tricky as they leave wake behind ... which is why my love ended up in the water! ;) I wish I had pictures of it. :P

She did a great job quickly getting back on to the board and reclaiming her balance. Go babe!

After that little blip the rest of the hour was smooth sailing. It is a good upper body workout as well as a lower body workout to keep balanced.

Once we hit a boat house along the water, we decided to make the turn and head back to the dock.

We started upstream- against the current - which proved to be more of a workout than downstream. I know a Duh sort of moment. But both were fun.

We returned to the docks and the dockhands helped us shimmy back on to land and check out.

The service was great and the payment process quick. They did take credit cards, which was nice.

Now I will say I didn't bring the camera with me on the River. We actually went back to the dock so I could run to the car, retrieve my car and snap some action shots of us. :)

I kept the phone in a little pocket on the life vest in between pics.

It was nice to just enjoy time with my wife away from technology and the real world. I even said to her during the trek that I would've never imagined doing something like this when we first met. I am thankful for so much from this weight loss journey - including a more daring personality.

We actually finished up paddle boarding just before 4, but we ready for an early dinner so straight to Boston Burger Company we went.

This restaurant features my wife's favorite burger: The Killer Bee.

Can you tell how happy she is?

I am not a burger person so I opted for a Garden Salad with chicken and french fries.

We both cheered her birthday with our favorite Slumbrew beers on tap: Happy Sol for her (right) and Porter Square Porter for me (left).

What a delicious meal!

It was one perfect Summer Day in Boston. I could've asked for a better time or person to spend it with.

I was getting sleepy so we called it an early night to watch some Netflix, snuggle some pups and turn in early.

Okay I fell asleep before anyone else ... it happens!

***

Sunday I made sure to get up early to get my 5-mile training run in before the wife and I headed to New Hampshire for my friend's daughter's baptism.

It was great to catch up with college friends. The original party would've been outside, but with inclement weather coming down on us the festivities were moved inside. After some baby snuggling, we all headed home.

We caught a little bit of weekend vacation traffic, but thankfully not too much.

I was home, changed and on the bike trainer by 4pm. I could've ridden outside, but I wanted to spend more time with my little family so I hopped on the trainer for the 90 minute ride.

Luckily the trainer isn't so loud that it drowns out the conversation. :)

But if you haven't caught on with the pattern so far, the night was low-key and I tried to recover with my compression and bed.

***

Once again the weekend was superb (and I tracked every delicious bite of it), but ended on a tough note. I have signed up for something in 2015 (which I will reveal soon), but now I am nervous that it was a bad choice. I need to listen to my gut so instead of regretting the decision I am going to accept the challenges.

I spent a majority of Sunday also glued to my iPhone as I tracked seven people I knew attacking Iron Man Lake Placid. It was a phenomenally inspiring day. 6 of the 7 were able to Finish after battling tough weather conditions. But all 7 are winners in my book as they had the heart to sign up, train and show up on Race Day!

A DNF (Did Not Finish) is better than a DNS (Did Not Start)!

Now I must recollect myself and get back to my own training plan... six weeks until Pumpkinman Half Ironman. Eek!

***

PS. There is still time to sign up for my virtual fundraising 5k – F.A.S.T. (Fight Against Stroke Together) 5k/10k. You can click here to find more information about how you can help Fight Stroke AND get a sweet Finisher’s Medal.