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: 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?

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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... :)

Will You #RaceToTheRow With Me? *Race Entry Giveaway*

AND THE WINNER IS.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to everyone that entered! If you didn't win, I still hope you will register for the race!! :)

***

Amazing Race is coming back to Somerville.

Wait wait! That sounds misleading.

THE Amazing Race the show is not coming back to Somerville, but AN Amazing Race is.

The Somerville Road Runners are putting on the 2nd Annual Race To The Row 5kon August 24th at 9:30am!

photo (63)

YAY!! 

I had a BLAST at the inaugural race last year. If you didn't just click on "last year" and read the race recap, let me tell you it is the race where I set my current 5k PR of 21:59. Umm yeah so this race means A LOT to me. Plus it is less than a 5 minute walk from my house.

Since Assembly Row was under construction last year, I know the course will be even BETTER this year since Assembly Row is open and thriving. Here is a sneak peek at it.

row

The race is a run or walk and is open to runners and families of all ages and abilities.

Additionally, there will be a Children's Fun Run (age 9 and under) before the race with all kids getting a medal! Can I pretend to be an 8-year old? ;) I love a medal.

I will say the Fun Run was adorable to watch pre-race last year.

But more about the 5k:

The Race to the Row will run through the Assembly Square District and along the Mystic River, ending with a fun-filled post-race party with food and drinks served from the newest local restaurants and live music supplied by the IT Band! All proceeds will benefit the East Somerville Main Streets program (funding East Somerville business visibility and bolstering the community at large) as well as Somerville TrackPAC (provides college scholarships for Somerville High School students).

row2

Following last year's race I enjoyed free Harpoon beer and food courtesy of Burger Dive. I know they will be offering free food and drink to participants again this year, but details have yet to be released.

The Assembly Row and race area are easily accessible via public transportation and offer ample parking options for those choosing to drive.

***

Now that I have you all drooling over the fun ... it is time for the best part:

I have a FREE race entry to give away!

Lucky me!!

So here’s how to enter:

The giveaway will run from Monday July 28 (10am ET) through Friday August 1 (10am ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Friday!

My Latest Boston Area Date Night Find: Legoland Discovery Center

Dinner dates are overdid. Movies can happen any day of the week.

Next time you need to plan a more creative date for your significant other may I suggest...

Legoland Discovery Center Boston

Now technically Legoland is located in Somerville at the new Assembly Row shopping area. This just happens to be across the street from my house. Why yes location is great when picking a date night. ;)

Normally Legoland requires adults to be accompanied by a child to enter the Discovery Center, but this location is now offering an Adult Night once a month.

July 16 marked the second at the Discovery Center Boston location and it worked out perfectly as the wife's birthday is July 18. I couldn't have planned it better if I tried. :)

I jumped at the invite to attend the Adult Night and you can guess it didn't take much convincing of my lego-loving other half.

We got there just after 7 to find quite a line of adults waiting to get in. We weren't the only excited ones.

After snapping a quick picture in front of a green screen, which had a couple options for which Lego background you wanted, we headed up the stairs to the Discovery Center.

I had no idea what to expect, but I figured it would be awesome.

We hit the top of the stairs and were immediately in mini Boston (aka MINILAND) ... made entirely out of Legos.

 

I can't imagine the level of patience this takes to get everything juuuust right.

The lights would rise and dim as the "day" would pass in mini Boston. When the lights went out, fireworks would go off on the walls above the Esplanade.

After taking in mini Boston, it was finally time to explore the rest of Legoland.

The Discovery Center for the most part is a large open space with different pockets of games and rides.

Check out the Master Builder's Office - Tori wanted to break in!

We headed straight to the first ride - Merlin's Apprentice.

They had each adult take their own cart to even out the weight. In order to keep your cart afloat you needed to keep your feet peddling. It was fu to be soaring above the Center seeing all of the people playing and laughing.

We had been there maybe 20 minutes or so, but the wife was itching to play with the Legos so over to the Racers: Build & Test we went.

She was so proud of her Lego car that survived the test track.

While she played with Legos, I took a lap  around to check out the snacks/alcohol situation. :P

I really wanted this to turn real!

The Cafe was offering snacks, as well as beer and wine! Just remember to bring cash folks!

I believe the cash only thing is for Adult Night Only.

With just 5 minutes before the next movie showing in the Lego 4D Cinema, we opted to wait for that before checking any other areas out.

We watched Spellbreaker in the theatre and it was really cute. When snow happened in the movie, they released foam from the ceiling to replicate the snow effect. I love a good 4D movie - it really makes the film come alive. There were three different Lego movies on rotation throughout the night.

But with our two hours going quickly, we wanted to take in as much as we could. So we were off to Kingdom Quest Laser Ride.

If the name doesn't give it away, your goal is to hit as many of the targets with the laser. Normally you can fit four folks in a chariot, but being a date night each couple got their own chariot. Bring on the competition.

My wife is the video gamer so she was slightly miffed in Disney when I kicked her booty on this type of ride. BUT she got her revenge on Kingdom Quest. I just couldn't get in a rhythm.

With time running out, we bypassed the Factory Tour and Model Builder Academy. Now we have something to check out the next time.

We did take a minute to watch folks compete in building the tallest structure while using one arm and not allowing their tower to tip over.

The energy was intense. Folks were taking it VERY seriously.

And just like that it was 9pm and the Adult Night was over. We took our time walking back to the stairs, soaking in the atmosphere and the cool craftsmanship of MINILAND.

We will definitely be checking this adult night out again as we missed some of the fun.

Keep an eye out here for more info on the next Adult Night.

***

So if you have a Lego nut in your life, I highly recommend checking out Legoland Discovery Zone Boston. Hey you can even make a whole date night out of it: American Fresh or Papagayo for dinner, Adult Night then J.P. Lick's for desssert. All in the same complex.

Come on over to Assembly Row and make some memories!

Monday Musings: Tori's Birthday & Iron Girl Triathlon Weekend

The weekend started off just the way I wanted it to ... with a happy result on the scale.

Despite being in the negative with my Weight Watchers Points, I still shed 1.6 lbs. Woo!

Now I have been consistently going to the Friday 8am WW meeting since my temp job ended, but Friday I had to skip. Now know I had a good reason AND I had promised to go on Saturday at 8am instead.

Why did I have to meet my meeting?

For a nice long bike ride with my friend Darcie. I'm so glad Darcie and I could connect for another long bike ride. Since the ride began in the city, I had a lot of clipping practice (clipping my bike shoe in and out of the pedals) as well as biking with traffic (cars, changing lanes, etc). We also tackled some big hills, which at the time I didn't know how handy that would be for later in the weekend.

I am still pretty new to biking outside so I was proud of my improvement ... and fell off the bike for a second time. Again it happened while at a complete stop. The first fall was into mulch and this time into grass. So at least both falls had some cushion. ;)

It's crazy how long a long bik ride takes when you count travel time to the ride start, actual ride time, breaks while riding and then traveling home. I left at 7:15am and returned home just after Noon.

Once the bike ride was out of the way, I could focus on the real highlight of Friday ... the wife's birthday!

She turned 34 on Friday. We started the celebration early with a trip to Legoland Discovery Center Boston (which is actually located at Assembly Row in Somerville) on Wednesday night. There is an adult night once a month and July's ended up during Tori's Birthday week. Hello Birthday Gods! It was a BLAST. I will be sharing more details and pictures of the event in another blog post.

On her birthday itself, we met for a nice dinner at Pizzeria Regina at Station Landing in Medford before she used her new birthday gift cards at the Lego Store.

Not sure her smile could get any wider. And yes I was the mastermind behind the Birthday Message. It is pretty much the peak of my Lego skills.

We headed home after the Lego purchase to share a bottle of our favorite wine - Door County Peninsula Winery Sunset Splash - and watched Spaceballs.

It was a great low-key night.

***

I woke up Saturday and decided to walk to and from the Weight Watchers meeting. It was fun to sit in on a new group, especially since I would be subbing in as Leader for the very group next week. It should definitely be a fun time. Plus, my friend Heather is the Leader so I love checking out her meetings.

After walking home, I made sure to clean my bike up since I would be racking it that day - the day before the race rather than the day of. This would be the first time I would leave Roxie alone at a race set-up so I was nervous. But I knew Iron Girl would have the space secured.

The Iron Girl Webster Sprint Tri that I would be competing in with Got Chocolate Milk was just over an hour away from the Boston area so we started the trek West early. Thank goodness we did as there was bumper-to-bumper traffic all over the Mass Pike. But, my neurotic need to leave the house early paid off as we arrived at the Expo just in time. Phew! The last thing you want to do it be late to an Expo that you are speaking at.

That's right. I had the pleasure of taking part in a Q&A Panel with Chocolate Milk Captain Chrisann Dalton. She is one amazingly energetic, compassionate and fierce human and athlete. She completed Iron Man Kona last year with Hines Ward. Yeah, bad ass lady! :)

Following the panel, which was super fun, we hosted a mile Shake Out run. It was great to see so many ladies coming out to stretch, shake out the nerves and refuel with some low-fat chocolate milk with us.

I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. Many of these women were coming out for their first triathlon and hearing the excitement in their voices got me even MORE pumped up for the following day.

Once the Shake Out run was over, it was time to quickly rack my bike at the race site, which was less than a mile from the Expo, before making the trek back home.

I wish we could've stayed out in Webster, but we needed to take care of the pups. So our afternoon/evening was light with a quick lunch at a mall's food court (salad wrap from D'Angelos for me) and some wheat pasta/sauce for dinner.

At the Expo we learned that the water would be too warm to wear our wetsuits. I slightly freaked out as I hadn't raced in just my tri kit yet, but I was ready to give it a whirl. But first I needed to get more comfortable in it. So yes I put it on and wore it around the house for awhile. Just to get the feel.

It was hard to NOT be self-conscious in it as it is designed to be fitted, but I was trying to push those negative thoughts out of my head.

With a glass of red wine, my Zensah compression shorts and socks on, and some Netflix, I spent Saturday night relaxing and making sure I turned in early because...

***

... the alarm went off Sunday morning at 4am. Yes folks you read that right. The race began at 7am and we had about an hour drive ahead of us. So out the door by 4:45 was the game plan. Since it was so early in the morning, we thankfully hit little to no traffic and pulled into the parking lot at 5:52. Woo! We hopped on the shuttle and made our way to the Start area so I could get my stuff set up in transition.

I will share more details about the race itself in a separate recap post, but here are some pics to enjoy in the meantime.

The race was a great experience. There are plenty of things I need to improve on, but I am taking away how strong I felt, how much fun I had high-fiving and cheering on the other ladies during the race and the amazing feeling I had crossing that Finish Line.

After the race, we had to walk my bike the mile back to the car, which was a nice little cool down. But, when I got to the car it was only about 10:30am. Ha! I really thought it was 2pm by then. I guess that is what happens when one gets up at 4am.

We hit a Dunkins before getting back on the high way home.

How did the rest of Sunday go?

Lazy. 100% lazy.

I wore compression. I snuggled puppies. I lounged. I stretched. I watched Netflix. I celebrated with a delicious beer. I read comments from other Iron Girl Finishers. I smiled.

And it was awesome!!

***

Every Monday I say how I wish the weekends were longer, but it is true. The adventures are amazing and I wouldn't change anything I need to go through to make them happen.

So now I turn back to my training plan and write out the next week. No racing this week so all practice all the time.

***

How did you celebrate your weekend?

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?

Upcoming #Boston Area Races

Looking for a local 5k or obstacle course race in the Somerville or Cambridge area? Check out these two June races! ***

It's time to represent my hometown of Somerville for the inaugural Rock and Run Boston on June 21.

Yes I know the title says Boston, but technically it is Somerville - hey on a day with zero traffic I hit Fenway in about 7 minutes from my house. So close enough... :P

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!

This 5k obstacle run is hitting the Assembly Row area on June 21 and will feature a post-race Sponsor Village, filled with activations, samples, demos, live music and Sierra Nevada Beer Garden (21+ only).

Each participant receives entry to the obstacle race, a shirt and two free beer tickets.

Care to join my girl Kelly and I at the race? Then register here!

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Want to run through the historic Harvard Square in Cambridge? Then check out the Tory Row 5k on Sunday June 29th.

Race Director Josh put it best:

"It is a fun event for all - serious racing if you want it… or just a nice stroll through historic Cambridge. Afterwards plenty of adult beverages from local breweries and some good tunes. There is also a really fun Team Event which I think will make the race - friends, families, colleagues can be on your crew."

Can't pass up a race with fun, tunes and beer, right?

The Tory Row 5K isn't just a race, it's a full weekend of festivities. Your $40.00 registration fee guarantees you a spot in the race as well as admission to the pre- and post-race parties.

Pre-race number pick-up party is Friday June 27 : "Come pick up your number, meet other runners, and have a beer and snacks, on us! Tory Row will be closed to the public during The Pickup Party, so bring your teammates if you have them (the more the merrier!). Team members may also pick up full team packets."

The Race is Sunday June 29: "The whistle blows at 9:30 a.m. sharp, Sunday, June 29, on Church Street in Harvard Square. The race will be held rain or shine, so plan accordingly."

The Row Party (aka after-party): "Join us for The Row Party immediately following the race, with beverages provided by some of the best local breweries and light fare provided by yours truly. Your bib is your ticket. We'll be presenting laurel crowns to the overall make and female winners, as well as prizes to our top finishers, top teams and our first ever team spirit award. We hope you'll come out and join us!"

Your registration fee also includes a Tory Row 5K t-shirt and a drawstring backpack, as well as complimentary beverages and snacks at the Pickup Party and the Row Party.

The race also benefits the Cambridge Camping Association.

All of this for $40 sign me up ... if I wasn't going to be out of town.

But for you all I offer a 10% discount by using code: tr5kfiend10

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Happy Running Friends!

Celebrating AMC Assembly Row - Enjoy The Show!

Let's all go to the movies! Let's all go to the movies!

Or let's all go the lobby ... and get ourselves a treat.

Okay I totally had myself at treat.

The wife and I had the honor of attending the VIP opening of the AMC Theatres at the new Assembly Row in Somerville (aka across the street from my house).

Please no autographs right now. I will set time aside for that at a later date. ;) #Baller #JK #DidSheJustHashtagInABlogPost #YesIDid

We arrived in time to take a nice leisurely tour around the 12-screen theatre.

1 that is IMAX.

There is a large and well-stocked self-serve food area at the top of the stairs to the theatre.

Oh yeah we have some fun and fruity frozen drinks going on.

The wife enjoyed the endless soda and Icee choices.

And you know AMC is thinking it through with a bar as well.

Who doesn't like to go to a Disney movie in IMAX and enjoy a glass of wine at the same time? I know I do ... and now I can.

We even got to sample some of the food options: pizza, waffle fries and cheesecake.

Mmm...

As we were perusing the snacks - with a complimentary wine in hand - a worker said: "Snacks are free so make sure to try as many as you want."

Ohhh folks - it was like she said I won the lottery. The wife and I tried to sample as many as we could ... responsibly!! I have a waist line to watch.

Once the snacks were selected the next choice was which movie to see.

I immediately wanted to pick Maleficent and the wife agreed. Easy choice; however, I would've loved to check out the IMAX theatre. Oh well, I can see that on another day.

The theatre was gorgeous. Grand seats as seen in the first picture in this post. On the sides of the theatre there are "date boxes."

Which are amazing. The middle armrest lifts up for perfect "snuggling" conditions. Wide outer armrests with enough room for a large drink holder.

And the best part? The chairs recline. Oh yeah that's right!!

Soooo comfy.

Perfect date night conditions.

It really felt like we were alone in the theatre (well part of that is from being a private event), but the "date box" really offers nice privacy.

The seats at AMC Assembly can be reserved ahead of time online so you don't even have to wait in lines waiting to get a seat hours before the latest movie gets released.

I think AMC is making this movie going experience easier and like you're watching a movie in a luxury living room.

So come on over to Somerville and enjoy the show!