My Fourth Of July Weekend

Hurricane Arthur rolled into town during the Fourth of July weekend here in Boston, which altered the non-existent plans I had for the weekend. Ha! This year the wife and I had zero invites for BBQs. Not sure if I need to take that personally or count it as a blessing.

For my little ego, I will go with the latter. ;)

The weekend started Thursday with the Finish At the 50 10k.

While the race wasn't what I expected, I still love starting a long weekend off with a run.

***

On July 4th itself, I met my friend Darcie for a long bike ride outside. It was my first 30+ mile bike ride and we had the pleasure of experiencing sun, cold and rain while out on the bike. But I made it through...

... even when we had to carry our bikes over trees that were down on the path.

The rest of the day was spent snuggling in bed with the wife and pups. It was raining, thundering and blistering outside so it was great to hide away inside catching up on Netflix. I needed a serious chill day and it was perfect.

***

Saturday proved to be a nicer day so the wife and I took the dogs for a little walk so that we could get coffee.

After attempting to tire the dogs out, the wife and I piled into the car and headed to Ogunquit for the day. It is one of our favorite places in Maine. Plus, it is a decent 80-90 min ride from Boston, which is doable for a day trip.

Once we parked the car, it was time to get some steps in before lunch.

Marginal Way spans about a mile from Ogunquit Beach to Perkins Cove and is a great way to see the ocean.

Plus it helps to work up an appetite. Even though I ate my grapes while on the walk, I was ready for pizza.

Every trip to Ogunquit includes a trip to Corner Stone Pizza, our favorite restaurant in town.

I mean YUMMM!!

And yes I tracked every single delicious bite of pizza and sangria. :)

Following lunch, we popped down to Ogunquit Beach to walk along the ocean. I mean is there anything better than walking along the ocean, hand-in-hand with the person you love?

The beach was full of families, friends playing games and of course the occasional seagull eating a dead fish. The wife attempted to skip rocks, while I opted to just dip my toes in the ocean.

Looking at the water made us wish we were there for a full vacation, but I will take an afternoon whenever I can.

When I arrived home from a perfect New England Saturday, I was met with a great gift from my cousin Jen - a wine glass asking me to be one of her bridesmaids. :)

Jen on the left & me on the right

How creative? But, she forgot to include the wine. Silly girl.

***

All weekend I was looking forward to Sunday.

"But Dani, why? Sunday just means Monday is the next day?"

I know I know. On this Sunday however, I would be running with my girl Sarah from Mom Running On Empty and her husband Rob. I picked them up from their hotel at 7:15am and we headed to the Charles River for a fun 10-mile run.

Thankfully I know the Charles River pretty well from endless training runs so I mapped out a two loop run so we could stash water at my car for a mid-run pitstop.

Oh hey, mid-run selfie masters

It was a great way to catch up with out-of-town friends and took care of the indulging I had done the day before. :)

I <3 balance!

The rest of Sunday was designated for meal prep, blog catch up and prepping the launch of the F.A.S.T. virtual 5k and 10k.

The F.A.S.T. virtual 5k and 10k is taking place July 27-August 3 to benefit Tedy's Team and the American Stroke Association.

If you want more info on the virtual race, please read more here.

***

All in all it was one amazing long weekend with my wife and friends. :)

How was your Fourth of July weekend?

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!

Finish At The 50 10k Recap

The Finish Line of any race is a sweet and special spot... ... but imagine it was moved to the 50 yard line of your favorite Football team.

Yeah, exactly!

That would be freakin' sweet.

Well the Finish At The 50 race did just that.

The Finish Line was at the 50 yard line of Gillette Stadium, aka the home of the New England Patriots.

Sign me up.

Oh it's the 5th anniversary of the race so you are going to add a kick ass medal on top of it all.

Where do I hand over my $$$$???

:)

On July 3rd, the wife and I took the drive down to Foxboro. With it being the day before a holiday weekend we got wicked nervous about traffic and proceeded to leave Boston at 1pm. The wife's 5k was taking place at 5:30, while my 10k went off at 6:30. Expecting hours of traffic and bib pick-up, we hoped we had plenty of time to head South.

It took us about an hour. Well then...

I'd rather spend a few hours at the race site, which had stores, restaurants and Dunkin' than cutting it close to race time.

We quickly picked up our numbers and shirts and proceeded to find coffee and air conditioning. Other racers had the same idea we had and Patriot Place (the shopping area next to Gillette Stadium) was bumping. Especially with families as there was a Kids Race prior to the 5k-10k.

Now normally there are fireworks after the races, but with a Hurricane heading our way it was canceled. Boo, but understandable.

There were plenty of booths set up so we had enough to entertain us.

After finding the wife a place to change, having a few snacks, hiding in the Patriots Pro Shop for air-conditioning and catching up with Molly, CEO of Blue Trailer Mobile Lockers, it was time for the wife to stretch and line up for her 5k.

Molly, brains behind the operations, and I

The weather was hot so we both made sure to take the race easy. I was hoping to find lots of water on the course as the race had warned folks to stay hydrated. They also offered 10k runners the choice to drop to the 5k if they needed to due to temps.

I waved to the wife as she headed out and met up with Erin and Kelsey,who were both running the 10k as well. I dropped my stuff in my Blue Trailer locker and we all headed to the Start Line.

Thanks for the pic Erin!

(Note: if you squint, you can see the 5k runners running up and down the ramps behind us)

Thankfully the corrals were in the shade. I was trying to soak up as much shade as possible because I could only guess how hot and sunny the course would be.

While hanging out around the 9 min/mile pace, Cat and her fiance Chris joined us. Cat and I run on Tedy's Team together. :) She was the one that got me to sign up for this crazy race with a promise of sweet sweet bling. (This race doesn't normally have bling, but being the 5th anniversary they decided to have one.)

After some more chatting and stretching, it was finally time for everyone to squish forward to start the pre-race ceremonies. The wheelchair group went off a couple minutes before the rest of us. The announcer gave us a 30 second warning before the horn went off, which I sort of missed because I was only half listening. ;) Because all of a sudden the horn went off and we started the awkward pre-race run, jog, wog, walk to the actual Start Line. Everyone know what I am talking about?

As I crossed the Start Line, I clicked Start on my Garmin and we were off.

Tori had finished the 5k in 42:56 and had warned me that her course was lacking adequate water and to be careful.

Well too late for me to do anything about that so I just hoped for the best.

Less than half a mile into the race I spotted my friend John and fellow Team Chocolate Milk running mate. :) I love seeing familiar faces out on the course.

After passing John, I came up to the most inspirational duo in sports - the Hoyts.

If you don't know anything about the Hoyts please run to Google now and get yourself caught up. I'll wait.

Moved to tears? Yeah, I always get that way when thinking of this father-son team. It is an honor to run in races alongside them.

I had to grab a quick selfie.

Once I saw the Hoyts, I was motivated to keep moving myself forward to the best of my ability. If they would be giving it 100%, I would to.

Mile 1: 7:59

Umm yeah that first mile was on Team Hoyt high! I knew I wouldn't be keeping that for the whole race.

I was already feeling hot, sweaty and thirsty. This would be a looong 6.2 miles.

After the first water stop, we took a right and entered a quiet neighborhood where we would spend most of the race.

I want to thank the residents that stood outside with hoses trying to keep the racers cool. The ones out enjoying their evening cocktail cheering us on.

But they were few and far between. The course was unfortunately boring and for the most part quiet.

Mile 2: 8:23

The uphills started early and I learned would be constant. It felt as if we kept going up with very little down. Ha.

I thought the race committee would've added additional water stops due to the high temperature, but unfortunately that didn't happen. :/

I was happy to see at least one ambulance along the course.

Mile 3: 8:35

It was around the 5k mark that I focused my attention on smiling. I learned from Sarah Reinertsen at Heartbreak Hill Festival that when she is feeling down or any pain in a race, she smiles and it fakes her body into thinking everything is fine.

So I tried to put that motto into practice.

I could tell I needed new shoes - there was little to no support left in my sneakers - and I was thirsty. The entire time. There just needed to be a water stop per mile or some music out on the course somewhere. Just a little action to keep the spirits up. At least the spirits of the people around me. We all tried to cheer each other on in the moment.

Mile 4: 8:35

There was finally a decent downhill. I wanted it to last forever, but it felt like maybe 1/10th of a mile. Hehe. We had a decent flat leading back into the Gillette Stadium campus.

The spectator of the day went to the woman during Mile 4 offering a hose for relief and watermelon slices. While I didn't take a watermelon slice, I really did appreciate the creativity.

Just after seeing Ms. Watermelon we took a right to re-enter the Gillette Stadium campus. We would be wrapping around the outside of the Stadium before entering.

It was just before the Mile 5 marker that I took this sexy mid-run selfie and pleaded to my social media friends for an extra boost of support.

I was hot, tired and really felt exactly how I looked. :P I wondered if I would make it through the final mile. Granted the final mile is what I endured the whole race for ... to FINALLY be inside the Stadium.

Mile 5: 8:40

And there it was Gillette. Just after a water stop we headed to the ramps. In the 10k, we only had to go down ramps not up like the 5k. ;) We ran down two ramps, along the concourse, down two more ramps and back out of the Stadium ... to the parking lot. :/ Womp womp! We clearly had to make up some more distance so we did a zig zag through the parking lot before we headed back into the Stadium and onto the field.

Mile 6: 9:18

Not sure how the Garmin did in the Stadium since we were covered and satellite was lost briefly. But as soon as we re-entered the Stadium, I dug deep to finish strong!

I felt like I had endured really the first 6 miles of boring course for the final .2 on the field. It was a thrill running on the same field as so many Hall of Famers including Tedy Bruschi, the captain and founder of that very charity team I am honored to be a part of.

It was crazy to come to the Finish Line and see yourself on the large Jumbotrons in the Stadium.

Official Finish Time: 53:01 ... 267th out of 1,609 overall and 31st out of 304 in my division

The medal is soooo sweet. The football is made out of the same material as a real football. Amazing right?

It was great having the wife at the Finish Line. She had plenty of time to roam around and snap pics, while I was out sweating my booty off. ;)

Since the fireworks were canceled, we snapped some additional pics, grabbed extra water and headed back to the Lockers to pick up our bag.

Funny thing is Garmin said 53:03, first email from Granite State results said 53:02 and official website said 53:01. Haha. At least the time was getting faster. ;)

Since the fireworks were canceled, we got back in the car to head home and take care of the pups.

Oh and enjoy a celebratory drink of course.

***

Overall, the race was a huge disappointment and I don't think I will sign up for it again:

*90 percent of the 10k was out in the neighborhood, while about half of the 5k was on the ramps inside the Stadium.

*There wasn't enough water, especially for the weather. My wife said there were 2 water stops during the 5k, but 1) the first wasn't until halfway through the race and 2) they weren't ready with water. She actually had to wait for the volunteers to fill water up.

Now I know that they probably didn't expect as many 5k runners since people at the last minute dropped down, but still. It is a crucial aspect of the race to keep the runners hydrated.

*The shirt was cotton, which is tough because they aren't as useful as tech shirts.

*No one policed the corrals meaning there was chaos and it seemed no one lined up properly except the "elites," which caused for bottlenecking and tripping at the Start.

*The course really was pretty blah. It had rolling hills, but no entertainment outside of some scattered residents.

*The residents and volunteers ROCKED. They did the best they could with what they had.

*The medal is off the hook, but it isn't a yearly feature.

*I expected a flawless race as it was headed by DMSE, which is run by Dave McGillvray - who is the Race Director for the Boston Marathon and other great races.

***

Did you take part in the Finish At the 50 5k or 10k?

I'm No Longer A Flywheel Virgin

I've come here in this safe space of my blog to reveal that I am no longer a virgin. Oh wait let me reread that sentence.

Oops! Let's try that again!

I am no longer a FLYWHEEL virgin.

;)

I have finally experienced what so many of my friends have been telling me for months ... Flywheel is freakin' awesome!

 

Photo Courtesy SarahFit.com

Did you know that your first Flywheel class is FREE? I knew this, but it still took me MONTHS to finally take advantage.

It was worth the wait.

As I plugged the address (800 Boylston St) into my GPS - just to make sure I knew which part of the street it was on, I paced up and down Boylston as I couldn't spot 800. I figured it was inside the Prudential Center, but I couldn't find it. I had 15 minutes to get there in time. If you don't sign-in in time, you forfeit your bike.

No no. Not on my watch.

So I popped into the Lululemon and was given quick directions to the studio. Yes it was inside the Prudential Center, but just not in an obvious location. Yes, maybe I should've done better research before I left the house, but that's in the past. ;)

I made it in time.

Flywheel allows you to reserve your bike and bike shoes online in advance. Once I got the studio, I used one of the laptops above to check in and officially claim my bike. I had picked #30 just because. I looked below the laptops to find my official Flywheel shoes in the cubby marked #30. Talk about service. Now you can bring your own Spin shoes if you want, but I wanted the full experience.

With moments to spare, I shoved my crap in one of the free lockers, which have keypad locks on them so no lock needs to be remembered. I said hi to my friend and Tedy's Team teammate Melinda, who was the instructor for the class, hit the bathroom, grabbed my towels and wandered into the Spin studio.

Photo courtesy GlutenFreeBostonGirl.com

Stadium style seating makes sure there isn't a bad seat in the Studio.

There were two Flywheel employees in the Studio to help participants set up their bikes correctly.

I was locked in and ready to go. I was attending Melinda's Throwback Thursday class and was pumped for some great 90s tunes during the ride.

Now what sets Flywheel apart is the Torqboard.

Every Flywheel studio features two Torqboards - large screens that display leaderboards a few times during each class. So if you're at all competitive, you may opt in to participate in our Torqboards and find out how you rank against other riders.

For every ride you take, we capture a list of performance metrics that we post in your private account on our website. It's real data in real time. Which means, as soon as class is over, you can log on and see your stats, like how fast and how strong you rode, along with how this compares to your previous rides and how you rank against other riders. You'll see metrics for RPM's, Torq, Speed, Power, Distance and even Calories Burned. This allows you to set your own goals and measure your performance over time.

Now you know I had to take part in the Torqboard. I was still nursing the sore left hammy, but I was willing to give the class all I had.

And that I did.

Melinda was NOT joking around. She did a great job keeping the group motivated and sweating.

She leads the cues not only by position on the bike - 1st, 2nd, 3rd - but by resistance (aka Torq) and RPMs.

For example, we warmed up looking for a Torq of 15-20 and RPM around 80. There is a little screen on your bike where you can watch your Torq, RPMs and overall point total for the class.

The lights were off and I was focused right on Melinda and her movements.

But when girl told me to push it, I gaveit 110% because at any time she could light up that Torqboard and reveal our rankings.

I learned early on that I was battling near the top ... and the competitive side kicked in.

Shocking I know.

As we battled through sprints, jumps and hills, the sweat poured.

Halfway through the 45 minute class I was holding down the #1 spot amongst the ladies. The person in second was 9 points behind me and I wanted to keep it that way.

With about 10-15 minutes left in class, it was time to work the arms with weighted bars. Biceps, triceps, etc it all got worked, while the legs kept spinning.

And before I knew it we were on the last song and I made sure to give it all I had left. I wasn't about to lose the top spot at the end of the class.

And I didn't! :)

It's fascinating how adding a board to my Spin workout upped my game. I need to bring this intensity to all my Spin workouts - board or no board.

Hello calorie burn. It was a whole body workout for sure. At no point did I try to check my watch to see how much longer the class was. I was present, motivated and in the moment the entire time.

The energy was great. The song choice outstanding.

Thank you Melinda for an awesome ride.

Afterwards, I collected my stuff from the free locker, turned in my shoes, dropped my towels and left with a huge smile on my face.

So I challenge you to find the Flywheel near you and take advantage of the free class!!

***

Have you battled the Torqboard 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!

***

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!)

Rockin' And Rollin' Through Nashville

Remember that time I decided to run two marathons in a week to help Fight Stroke? Well let me refresh your memory.

A few days before the Boston Marathon I decided with the help of Tedy's Team to take the plunge and sign up for the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, which took place on April 26. Taking on this challenge meant raising an additional $1500 for the American Stroke Association in honor of my grandparents.

My pleasure.

On Thursday, April 24, I headed South.

2014-04-24 13.52.18

And was pleasantly greeted with this amazing Edible Arrangement from my girls of the #HotMessExpress. It was such a touching and sweet gesture.

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Since I was the last addition to the Tedy's Team crew heading to Nashville, I had to buy my bib at the Expo. After Boston, I decided I would drop to the half for safety reasons.

Well when we got to the Expo I realized the Full and Half were the same price. According to Rock 'n' Roll rules, you can drop down during a race from Full to Half, but you can't go from Half to Full. So just in case I registered for the Full. ;)

2014-04-25 14.37.59

We had a great pasta dinner the night before.

2014-04-25 20.38.55

Seven folks doing the Half; Three doing the Full Seven of us had run Boston on the Monday

On the morning of the race, I woke up excited. We had to leave the hotel in the 5 o'clock hour because our hotel was on the course for the full marathon. So in order to get the guests who were racing down to the Start Area, we had to get out before the race closures.

Thankfully Tedy's Team provided some bagels for us to bring on the bus so we had a snack pre-race. I packed my ENERGYBits in my pocket and was ready to run.

As we drove, I knew I wanted to give the Full a shot. The split came around Mile XX so I would make the final call then.

We were dropped about a block from the Start Line so we made our ways towards the Resolution tent to get extra safety pins. ;)

2014-04-26 05.23.09

It was chilly walking around the Start Area. We set up shop on the benches in a small square area, where Rock 'n' Roll set up their tents. But, we were lucky. My teammate Lisa's boyfriend John had stopped in a hotel to get some coffee and found a bunch of other runners hiding out. So we followed suit. We claimed an area of the group and made sure to do the last-minute foam rolling, use real bathrooms and just chill out before the race.

Another teammate's fiance was running the 5k and part of me wanted to switch places with him. ;) But he was the first to depart as his race started prior to ours.

After a final bathroom trip, it was time to head to the Start Line. I can't thank John enough for playing sherpa and carrying the extra layers we had worn.

But, before we could all head to our respective corrals - let's take a team selfie.

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It was great to get final high-fives and hugs before we all departed.

2014-04-26 06.59.41

 Dan and I were in Corral 6 together. And you know how small the race community is? Oh if you don't here is an example. As we went into the corral, there were my friends Crystal and Mindy!

2014-04-26 06.55.55

Crystal would be running her first marathon. I was sooo excited for her.

Something not new - I was so distracted catching up with my NYC ladies that I didn't realize they were doing the National Anthem and getting the party started. I think this was the farthest back I have started at an RnR event in a couple years.

But as they set each wave off, we moved closer and closer to the Start before BOOM!

We were off...

I was taking the race off Dan's pace and game plan. I had no set rules for the day except to avoid medical tents. If you missed it, here is my recap from Boston a few days prior explaining the medical tent visits.

The Country Music Full Marathon was set up in three separate out and back loops. We started out in downtown, which was quiet and peaceful. A far cry from the day/night before. It was too early for the tourists to be awake. ;)

We took a port-o-pottie break early, which was one of our smartest decision.

During Mile 2, Dan said "There's Belichick." And it was. We knew that New England Patriots' Coach Bill Belichick would be running the Half Marathon that day, but we weren't sure if we would see him or not. Of course I had committed his bib number to memory - just in case.

But there he was, he must've started in the first corral. We made our way across the street to try and talk to him. My main goal was to take a selfie with him, but he didn't seem in the mood. We said a quick 'hi' to him and let him know we were part of Tedy's Team. Kept it brief to let him get back to his run.

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Thanks Rock 'n' Roll for the pic!

Just before Mile 3, we spotted Tedy's Team leaders Zack and Lauren with signs. It was great to tell them Belichick was behind us and see familiar faces.

After a quick 'hi,' we hit the road.

5k Mark: 31:48 (10:15 min/mile pace)

The weather was hot, but there was more shade than Boston, which was appreciated.

The crowds were doing their best to rally the runners.

We were feeling good. I wondered when my legs would realize they had run a marathon about 5 days earlier.

10k Mark: 1:03:16 (10:13 min/mile pace)

And at Mile 7, the soreness settled in. Ha! It hit Dan and I at about the same time. But didn't slow us down.

I really hadn't been paying attention to pace at all since we were having such a good conversation and taking in the scenery.

If nothing else, there was a lot of beautiful houses and buildings to look at.

As we headed towards Mile 10, we saw Lisa's boyfriend John with the Go Pro. It was a great pick-me-up to see a familiar face cheering for us.

Dan and I were both wearing our Tedy's Team singlets, which have our names on them, so I am sure some people we wondering why we had done that. It is something common at the Boston Marathon, but not something I see a majority of folks do at other marathons.

Mile 10 Mark: 1:41:43 (10:10 min/mile pace)

The big decision moment was quickly approaching. Would I bang right and take the Half option or power through the Full.

Well, the breathing was under control and my legs felt tired, but not painful. So onward and upward I went. :)

We enjoyed a bit of a downhill, but looked to our right only to realize we would be climbing back up this hill only a few miles later.

Don't you hate how hills work?

Half Marathon Mark: 2:13:55 (10:13 min/mile pace)

I give big credit to Dan for keeping us in check. As the conversation rolled, there were times when we sped up and he brought us back to a nice even pace.

We knew the hills would be coming on the second half and made sure we had the gas in the tank to make it through them.

When we hit the half way mark, we were in what felt like the middle of nowhere. It was an office park of some sort, but not what we have in New England - meaning there was like three businesses in it. :P We ran about two miles in this office park/neighborhood with zero spectators.

I had heard from friends not to expect a lot of crowd support during this race, especially on the second half. So I tried to keep that in my mind and instead focus on the other participants and my running buddy.

As we came out of the office park area, we met back up with a large hill/incline. We tried to be smart and walk a good portion of it. It was hot and no one was trying to be a hero on that day.

During Mile 15-16, we met back up with the half marathon route. They were on the right side of the cones and marathoners on the left. I tried to scan the crowd to see if we would catch any of our fellow teammates out there. I didn't see any unfortunately.

We had already run with two teammates during the first half so I knew I might not see any more.

While we endured Mile 17, you could see the Finish Line chute on your right side. Oh c'mon. That is just CRUEL. :P

Dan and I had been walking when necessary.

But as we approached Mile 18, my breathing was starting to act up so I wanted to walk a little more. I freed Dan to run his race. We had decided early on that if we had to leave each other we would. In the end, it was our own races to run.

I wanted to listen to my body to make it through the final eight miles.

Oh and since I lost my partner and entertainment, it was time to take out the phone and get to picture taking!

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While walking I took this opportunity to let my social media channels know that I had decided to run the Full rather than the Half! Ha! I'm such a sneaky blogger. ;) It was great to see the cheers and shocked reactions coming through the phone.

It was another pick-me-up.

So I started running again. My game plan was to use the run-walk method the rest of the way. I wanted to stay ahead of the breathing issues that plagued me a few days earlier.

After climbing the Mile 18 hill, we were back in a neighborhood, which meant the spectators would be out there. And that they were. In full effect.

Folks were having parties on their lawns, spraying water hoses out into the streets and offering makeshift water stops for the runners.

It was the liveliness I am used to from Rock 'n' Roll races.

I almost kissed the girl giving out jolly ranchers - it was welcomed sugar.

Mile 20 Mark: 3:29:01 (10:27 min/mile pace)

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Can you tell I was excited? I was ready to eat those last 6.2 miles.

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Favorite sign of the day!

We were heading downhill - hello rolling hills - towards Shelby Park. We would be running in there for less than two miles.

But in the moment it felt like longer. There was one water stop and one band, but it was quiet. It zapped some of my energy. But the shade was welcomed.

It was at that time that I wish I had brought my music. It was now just me and my thoughts, which can get scary this far into a marathon. ;)

As we completed the Shelby Park loop, we met back up with the downhill we had enjoyed to enter the park.

I was thankful I was not one of those runners just getting to the park, but leaving it.

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I took this picture to try to drum up entries to my virtual 5k fundraiser that I was hosting to hit the final $$ I needed to raise. I tweeted this out and it gave me a boost.

As I trekked up the hill towards Mile 24, I saw my friends Crystal and Mindy running towards the park. It was great to cheer them on and to know that Crystal was still out there fighting for her first marathon finish.

It was around this time that I just started talking to the people near me. Especially if people were run-walking, I would join them. Why not make friends? I met a guy that always runs in a kilt. He hadn't properly trained for this race - having not done a training run more than 9 miles. Eek! But he was out there pushing through.

The steps ticked by. I fist pumped as a local high school cheering squad at the Mile 25 marker.

I knew I could finish.

This whole time we had a group text chat going between the Tedy's Team folks so it was great to see the half marathoners had all finished and they were checking in on the three marathoners left out on the course.

Thank goodness I am semi-decent at running and texting so I could stay in the conversation.

I bottled up their excitement and pushed on through the final Mile.

Since this was the final loop, I knew there would be crowds the final half mile.

I fist pumped again after seeing the Mile 26 sign, but then wondered: "Man 0.2 miles seems like forever right now."

But there they were. My teammates had waited for us. I was about to start crying.

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Could you tell I was happy to see them? It was the little steam I needed to get my engine to the Finish Line.

I gave it all I could for the final 0.2 and it was over.

Finish Time: 4:42:12 (10:46 min/mile pace)

My third-fastest marathon time came five days after my second-slowest. Who woulda thought?

I happily collected my medal and got ready to hit the Got Chocolate Milk tent! Even though I didn't run as Team Chocolate Milk for this race, I couldn't wait to see them!

There was Dan! He finished in 4:33:29 (10:26 min/mile pace). I knew that meant I walked more than he did in the final 8 miles, but I was happy to have finished less than 10 minutes after him.

We snapped a pic, picked up the amazingly cold wet towel they offered and headed to refuel with chocolate milk.

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It was heavenly and just what I needed.

I continued my normal RnR post-race by heading to the Medal Engraving tent. $20 is worth getting my medal engraved on-site when they have extra medals on hand in case something ends up being misspelled.

Our final teammate Carly finished 4:54:14. Heck yeah three of us in under 5 hours.

We collected Carly and limped to meet the rest of the group at the hotel shuttle. Unfortunately the shuttle stop seemed like miles away from the Finish Line. It took what felt like hours, but we finally made it and it was great to hear how everyone's races went.

We got back to the hotel and met up with the rest of the team at the hotel pool for snacks and a recon discussion.

I had felt a blister forming at about Mile 2 and it bothered me all race long. It wasn't until I took my shoe off that I noticed how bad it was.

Note: please scroll quickly through if you don't want to see it. It is so bad I have to share.

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Okay done.

After some water and snacks, we all broke to shower-change-decompress before a night of celebrating.

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Overall, the race was well-organized as all of the RnR races I've done have been. But I felt the second-half of the course was seriously lacking crowd support, as well as a music presence. It was a little sad and disheartening. I expected more from what I had heard about this race before getting to Nashville.

So if you are someone running alone, I recommend keeping music on your person for the lulls. There will be some so be prepared.

I did enjoy the race being on the Saturday, which gave us Saturday night and Sunday to really enjoy all that Nashville had to offer. :)

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Fountains

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Country Music Hall of Fame

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Country Music Hall of Fame

But can you beat that medal? Loved it.

Thanks again to Nashville for being a great host city and Tedy's Team for making it a weekend I would never forget.

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***

I was shocked at how my body held up through the two marathons I put it through in a week. I couldn't believe how much better the second one went over the first. I think what they say about being trained is right. I had put all the miles in so the body was ready to do it's best. Neither was a PR and that is okay.

I was there to push my body to help Fight Stroke and I ended up raising $10,000. THAT is the reason I did it.

***

Have you rocked and rolled through Nashville?

Boston Marathon Part 2: Toughest Race Of My Life

This race did NOT go as planned. And don't think I know it has been about two months since the Boston Marathon actually happened. But I got swept up in the feelings that day and immediately hit the road for the Nashville marathon so the recap was put to the wayside.

But now I am ready to write and hey! it won't get lost in the influx of Boston Marathon recaps. ;)

When we last left, it was the pre-race waiting game and my arrival at the Start Line.

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But now that the National Anthem was played and the volunteers moved out-of-the-way of the Start Line, it was show time.

I had a goal. I even had a pace band to make sure I stayed on plan.

My goal: 3:55. It would be a PR and fit my goal of a sub-4 Boston. For perspective, I ran Boston in 2013 in 4:04:08 when I was on pace for sub-4 til a shooting foot pain had another idea.

I had to listen to my body and stick to the band. It was based on a pace calculator MADE for the Boston course and it's peaks and valleys.

With a start time of 11:25 it was getting warm and the sun was high. I had a sense the race would be warmer than we expected and warmer than what we had been training in.

Our team each gave Tedy a fist bump and we were on our way.

Garmin started.

The Boston Marathon starts on a downhill if you didn't know. So many have the problem of starting out too fast.

Hi I am part of the many.

But within the first mile I was right by Tedy and wasn't sure how long I would be near him so I asked for a quick mid-run selfie. :)

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And he obliged.

The race was ALREADY off to a good start.

But as I hit Mile 1 I knew I was going out ahead of schedule, but I kept plodding along because I felt great.

5k Mark: 26:44 (8:37 min/mile pace)

I tried to start pulling back. Slow the pace down. I needed to conserve energy for the later half of the race - the tougher part - the Heartbreak Hill part.

There was NO shade. When I say none I mean none. It was blistering already.

10k Mark: 54:45 (8:49 min/mile pace)

I made the decision then and there to make sure I took water and Gatorade at every stop. I had to race smart. This wasn't a half marathon.

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For some reason my phone wasn't working during this time so while running I had to power down and restart. Magically it started working again. Thank goodness. I knew I would need my social media peeps on this day.

15k Mark: 1:23:22 (8:57 min/mile pace)

Alright slowing the pace down was working to my benefit. It was hard to do, but I knew I would benefit later on.

Now keeping myself while running by myself was TOUGH. As we have seen time and time again I am bad at pacing myself. I had really hoped to run with a teammate, but it didn't work out. My normal running buddies were using different plans or in different corrals than I was. So I had to improvise. I had to use the crowd to my advantage.

And right when I needed a pick me up was my cousin. My cousin Jen was there for me at Mile 10. I don't think she really knows how much that hug meant to me. Since my phone was being annoying - I asked her to text my dad to make sure he knew where I was.

20k Mark: 1:54:54 (9:16 min/mile pace)

Okay maybe I was slowing down a tad too much.

My plan was to hit the halfway mark ahead of the 2-hour mark.

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Half: 2:01:27 (9:16 min/mile pace)

It was around this time in Wellesley that I could tell something inside was off. It felt like a heavy weight was on my chest. I just couldn't get my breathing under control.

I stopped in front of the Medical Tent at Mile 14 to stand in front of the large fan and BAM the breathing just wouldn't get under control. It ended up being one of those tiny breath moments. You know over and over but no air was actually getting into the lungs? Ya that.

An EMT saw me and made me head into the Med Tent. He didn't like how I sounded so I obliged.

Once in the volunteers scanned my bib in (hello 21st century) and I was handed a space blanket and a cup of water an gatorade. The doctor then came over to check my vitals. My temperature was lower than they wanted, but other than that I looked okay. Sitting in the cool Med Tent allowed me to focus on the breathing and get the air I really needed.

I knew folks were watching my time and progress so I made sure to get on social media to let folks know why the updates would be slowing.

As always my dad wrote: "Don't be a hero!" He was trying to take the self-imposed pressure off me.

Once the doctors and volunteers okayed me to leave, I was scanned out and back on the course.

I couldn't even LOOK at the pace bracelet since I was soooo far off. So it took a lot of energy to rip it off. I couldn't handle the reminder any longer.

25k Mark: 2:49:25 (10:55 min/mile pace)

Wow! Nothing like a Med Tent stop to mess with a girl's pace. I had to take pace and finish time out of the equation. This would come down to simply finishing.

I made sure to keep the pace even as to not upset the breathing. I tried to focus on the crowds and the energy. Seeing familiar faces in the crowd was a plus.

Thanks again social media for helping me keep on top of everyone's locations.

I opted to bypass the Mile 16 Med Tent as I was feeling okay.

At Mile 17 is where Heartbreak Hill begins. For those that don't know Heartbreak Hill is a series of 3 rolling hills totaling about 3 miles through Newton. It isn't the severity of the hills as the placement they are in the race that hurts runners.

In two years of training and one previous Boston, I had never walked a part of Heartbreak Hill ... until this fateful day. I run-walked to the hill and I was angry. There were tears, internal yelling and just unhappiness.

I had to shake it off. I saw some amazing friends, Weight Watchers members and family at that point of the race and it was the pick-me-up and reframing I needed.

But at Mile 18, I couldn't pass up the Med Tent. THe breathing wasn't getting any better and I still had 8 miles to go.

I sat outside the Med Tent drinking water before I was officially scanned in. The Med Tents were all busy. Many folks feeling dehydrated on the course.

I was given a breathing treatment to help open up the lungs.

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I took the time to think about how lucky I was to be out there, why I was running and how many people were in my corner. I was trying to shake the disappointed feeling as much as I could.

Once the treatment was over, I was scanned out and headed back on to the course. Two of my Tedy's Team running mates were heading in as I was on my way out.

30k Mark: 3:26:09 (11:05 min/mile pace)

I knew our coach John was at Mile 20 so I just had to make it to that point.

Once I saw him, I lost it. Tears flowed and I couldn't stop them. Oh hey Mile 20 wall. I hit you freakin' hard.

But it was rejuvenating as four other Tedy's Team folks arrived when I did. The doctor at Mile 18 told me to walk the rest of the way. Well really she had mentioned being put on the bus to the Finish but that was thrown out the window by me. Even if I had to crawl I would make it to the Finish.

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So starting at Mile 20, I did a run-walk with my teammates. We all talked about how tough it was out there. They had even started 4-5 corrals behind me so I knew I was out there for awhile.

We pushed each other to keep going. We waved to the crowd. We stopped to hug friends and family. We each would pick a point and say: "Okay run to the light then we walk." It was the support and structure I needed to get to the Finish.

The miles started ticking by and we were running a little more than walking. But either way a much slower pace than I usually run at - which kept the lungs happy.

35k Mark: 4:27:53 (12:20 min/mile pace)

Yeah stopping to talk to a coach for a while can also impact the pace. :P

But once we hit Mile 23, the fun level picked up. The crowds were lively and I knew there would be a ton of family faces coming down the stretch, including my dad and my wife!!

I know it is hard for spectators to hang around for us folks in the back, but it is so appreciated. The crowds seemed a little thinner than in 2013 and I think that was because I started an hour later. That mixed with the heat meant there were actually patches of the course where there weren't folks - which didn't happen at all in 2013.

But I was glad I opted to run without my headphones. I took it all in.

My teammates Christine, Tom and I had found a good rhythm. We listened to each other and stuck together. Just another reason why I love Tedy's Team so much!!

I saw my friend and WW member Alex at Mile 24. I'm not sure she wanted such a large sweaty hug, but I gave it out any way.

Then came my girl Beth with this amazing sign.

sign

Words cannot express how thankful I am to the friends, family and blog readers of mine that stand out along that course to cheer me and thousands of others on.

40k Mark: 5:11:23 (12:33 min/mile pace)

And just like that we were at Mile 25 and at the famed Citgo Sign and Kenmore Square.

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So glad Tom and Christine were up for a selfie. :) Priorities. Did you spot the Mile 25 marker in the top right of the picture?

I spotted some of my old Red Sox coworkers at the Mile 25 sign, gave them a hug and then hit the pavement.

Once you hit Kenmore Square the crowds are unbelievable. You can see the folks leaving the Red Sox game and joining right in to cheer the runners on.

I knew once we made it through Kenmore Square I would see my family.

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Thank you random stranger for catching this moment. I have never hugged the wife or my dad tighter than I had in that moment. It was just the little boost I needed to make it to the end.

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All that was left was a right onto Hereford and left onto Boylston.

The thoughts and images from 2013 came flooding back, but I pushed them aside. It was time for new memories with amazing teammates.

As we took the left onto Boylston and the final march of the Marathon, we held hands. Seven across. Of these seven, I was the only one to finish the race the prior year. It was an HONOR to be able to finish what they had started with them.

We held hands. I could feel the energy from Christine's. I could hear the crowd yelling for Tedy's Team. Pushing us to the Finish.

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I soaked it all in. I took mental video. This was a feeling and an experience I would never forget.

We raised our hands and crossed the Finish Line together.

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I need to thank a blog reader for catching our Finish on TV.

It was an amazing way to end one of the toughest races of my life. With hugs and high fives with teammates. Folks that will forever be in my life.

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Official Finish: 5:31:18 (12:39 min/mile pace)

It wasn't the race I wanted, but it was the race I was meant to experience.

I kept telling myself how you never know which version of you or the run will be their on race day. And on that day, it wasn't what I had expected.

The couple of block walk from the Finish Line to our post-race party at the Lenox hotel seemed like a marathon. Ha! But we limped our way over there. I just kept thinking I was closer to a celebratory glass of wine and a hug from my family!

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It was amazing hugging and seeing the team after the run. Swapping war stories from the course. Enjoying drinks and food.

Oh and getting a painful 10 minute massage. It hurt, but I know it was necessary. Plus I was happy to have the chance to have one.

Thank you Tedy's Team for treating us so well on the day of the race as well as during the training. It is a team that is unmatched.

So overall thoughts on Boston Marathon 2014 are mixed, but I am proud for giving my 100% and NOT giving up. I ran for my Grandparents and I know no matter the Finish Time they were proud of me.

Boston Marathon Part 1: The Waiting Pre-Race

Can you imagine waking up seven hours before your race had to start? Welcome to Marathon Monday in Boston in 2014. At least for me and some of my teammates.

Security measures were super tight as one could expect after what took place in 2013.

Now Tedy's Team is lucky enough to have a house - okay it's really a Funeral Home - at our disposal in Hopkinton to use prior to the Marathon.

It is a huge luxury than being out in the elements in Athlete's Village.

Well on the morning of April 21st, you were not able to ride the normal BAA athelete busses to Athlete's Village and then walk to the house because of security measures. So we had the fortune of having a special bus with Dana Farber that would drop us off a few houses down from our house. Amazing! The only kicker was the bus was leaving by 6am. Our start time was 11:25am.

To help my morning routine, I laid out my clothes the night before.

Yes I included the Garmin since I had forgotten it the morning of Boston in 2013. ;)

The alarm went off around 3:30 the morning of Boston and I leapt out of bed. The last thing I wanted to do was miss the bus. My lovely wife was gracious enough to drive me to Boston Common so I could meet my fellow teammates. It was early. It was cold. But we knew having the luxury of a house outweighed anything we were feeling at the time.

It helped having my teammates around to distract from the nerves of the race.

By time we made it to Hopkinton the sun was shining and the smiles of the Tedy's Team family was upon us.

How could I not be happy seeing Margaret's huge smile??? Maybe she was extra happy that she would be cheering that day and not having to run. :P

Then I saw my buddy Dan. Thank goodness Dan can't take a normal picture like me. :)

The family that runs the funeral home are friends of Tedy's Team and the American Stroke Association and are too kind to open their house to a bunch of edgy runners. They even had a slew of snacks available to us. Mmm... bagels.

Our coach John brings a ton of foam rollers so we can stay loose. As I said we had about six hours at the house before we had to line up.

So in conjunction with eating, stretching and writing our names on our bodies to help the spectators, we have the McCardinal Photo documenting the morning.

So now I have the pleasure of sharing some of those photos with you now:

A team that stretches together - finishes together! :)

I am wicked thankful the McCardinals snapped a pic of my three favorite running buddies. These ladies made the cold runs worth it.

Since you can only eat so much before a race (I brought my own oatmeal to have as well) and only foam roll so often, I did a TON of laps around the house and ended up outside to chat with folks and take more pics of course. ;)

Number friends! It took me most of the morning to make this one happen. ;) I was on a mission.

We run for our grandparents! <3

Joe is one phenomenal runner and a good person to boot. :)

There are a few members of Tedy's Team that are Boston Qualifiers so we make sure to get a good team photo before they head to their earlier corrals.

Proud of this group for raising over $600,000 to Fight Stroke!

Before we make our way to the Start Line as a group, Tedy gives the team a pump up speech. Two years in a row = two years I've ended up in happy tears by the end. :)

There is not much cooler than heading to the Start Line as a big group.

The only difference this year was being wanded on the way in.

Once I made it through security, I realized I needed one final port-o-potty stop. And you know what it was a great decision.

Why?

I ran into Katie, Linzie and Adam! Oh hey friends...

Now came the fun part of maneuvering my way up to my Corral. Being in the first corral is awesome from the running perspective of the race, but tough to push past everyone to get up there as they try to get into their corrals. But it all worked out. Don't I look cool as a cucumber? ;)

I hide the nerves well.

Being in the first corral of Wave 4 (the final wave) was a treat. We were RIGHT up at the actual Start Line.

Oh but let me take just ONE more selfie before we start The Big Show. Okay?

Now it was time ... time to start the trek from Hopkinton to Boston in honor of my grandparents and all the Stroke victims out there.

To reclaim our city after what happened in 2013.

But let's save the running itself for another post! ;)

BAA 5k ... aka The Boston Marathon Shakeout Run

Historically the BAA 5k is held the day before the Boston Marathon. In 2013, I used it as my way to shake the legs out before the BIG SHOW. Hey, I am going to do about 2 miles anyway might as well get a medal and free snacks. Right?

Now in 2013, I employed my BFF Sarah to run with me. The goal? Slow me down.

One thing I have learned through the years of running is that I suck at pacing myself to a slower race unless I am nursing an injury. So Sarah was by my side to keep me in check.

But in 2014, she moved to Maine. *Harumph* So I had no pacer. I thought I could meet up with a couple of friends before the 5k to run with but the crowds were too thick for us to meet up.

Let's back it up a tad.

I hit up the Boston Marathon Expo on the Friday before the BAA 5k on Saturday morning.

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My wife being the awesome person that she is was nice enough to drop me off at the race so I could avoid parking, the T and bag check. :)

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While I wandered around the Start area I made sure to see where my correct corral would be.

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Oops I think I lined up just a tad quicker than usual, but I thought I would help pace the elites in. ;)

I kiiiid I kiiiid.

After apparently entertaining the folks around me with my selfie skills, I headed over to the pre-race meeting location to snap a pic with my Run Disney friends.

pre5k

Thank you interwebs for bringing all these folks into my life. Per usual, I got caught up in conversation before realizing the race was starting shortly and we should probably move towards the Start corrals.

Now normally the BAA 5k started and ended at the Boston Marathon Finish Line on Boylston St, but with a larger field after what happened at the 2013 Marathon they relocated the Start/Finish to Boston Commons. I actually liked having a larger area to meet and stretch, etc. But it was odd not starting on that historic mark.

I started moving over to the Start Area texting with Angry Julie to see if we could meet up to run together, but oh boy. The Start corrals were a zoo. There was little policing and the crowd just tried to smoosh in wherever they could. Hopefully next year there are more volunteers to help the participants line up.

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I did get to meet a blog reader while heading into the corrals, which is always a treat. :)

There were wonderful and moving speeches prior to the race as the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings were remembered. You could feel an electrifying energy within the crowd and I was soaking it all in. I was ready to run.

After doing that run-walk-jog thing you do before you actually hit the Start Line in a crowded race, we hit the Start Line and it was time for some weaving. Now I know it is not the best use of energy, but folks weren't lined up with their correct pacing groups since the corrals weren't policed so I had to get around. I didn't want to trip over anyone two days before Boston.

Oh that's right because of Easter Sunday the race was moved to the Saturday before the Marathon instead of the day before.

I could feel my legs wanting to let go. I could feel the nerves for Sunday bubbling up, but I tried to run smart. I tried to hold back.

It was really hard not having someone next to me keeping me in check. Okay I am an adult I should be able to do it myself, but I get so swept up in the crowds and excitement.

The course weaves through the streets of Boston, which were beautiful at that time of morning.

When we hit the second mile we were taken on to Boylston Street.

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It was an amazing sight as the streets were already decorated for Monday's Marathon. Plus, it brought back the emotions from last year's trip down Boylston.

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We had the opportunity to run under the Finish Line set-up, which is such a symbolic scene.

After crossing the Finish Line, I ended up meeting up with my friend Andrew. We chatted our way through the last 1/2 mile of the race. My pace was in the high 7's at that time, which I didn't mean to happen. But I figured if it was at the end it wouldn't be that bad, right?

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The medals were there in all of their glory. One for me to celebrate my accomplishment. My third-straight BAA 5k was in the books.

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I happily grabbed my medal and headed back to the Finish Line to cheer on the other runners.

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I officially came in at 25:08 - definitely faster than I wanted, but I knew I would be taking the day completely off on Sunday.

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The atmosphere was buzzing post-race. While I walked to the meeting place to be picked up, I even noticed there was live music. :)

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Overall, the race was well organized (besides the Start corrals), offered ample post-race snacks and water and had great volunteer support along the course. I always recommend this race to friends and will continue to. I just hope they get a little better at the Start, if they choose to host the 5k at Boston Commons again in 2015.

After going home and getting cleaned up, I headed back into town for the #BostonRunSocial tweetup/meetup at Back Bay Social Club I had organized.

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Thanks to folks for showing up!!

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Katie, Me, Ty

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Me, Julie, Kelly, Kelsey

It was great to catch up with Twitter friends from around the country!!

***

Have you ever run in the BAA 5k?

Boston's Run To Remember Half - 5/25/14

I love calling Boston my home. It is one amazing place to run and explore. Boston's Run To Remember 5-miler and Half Marathon takes place every Memorial Day weekend. Since moving back to Boston, I haven't missed the race. I did the 5-Miler in 2012 before upgrading to the Half in 2013.

2012

Why upgrade?

Because I wanted more time running through this amazing city. Of course!

The Run To Remember is honors Massachusetts Law Enforcement Officers killed in the line of duty by celebrating their lives and giving back to the community. Net proceeds benefit Community and kids programs of the Boston Police Runner's Club.

Last year's race was extremely emotional as it was the first race in Boston after the attacks at the Boston Marathon Finish Line. I think I cried from Start to Finish, but it was extremely cathartic. You can read more about that race here.

This year I popped into the Expo on Saturday afternoon, while out running errands. The Run To Remember Expo is pretty tiny and for me each year the highlight is seeing my Sparkly Soul girls. But more on that later... ;)

I quickly grabbed my bib and my shirt and took a quick lap around the Expo before rushing back outside as my wife was waiting for me.

I had to keep the number private to make sure no one swiped it! I didn't realize it was the 10th anniversary until I saw the bib. Cool!

As we headed about our day of errands, I got on the horn to my friend Susan for the details. Ones like: so the race starts at 7, right?

Yeah I am not one to look at the details too far ahead of time. Oops.

So I set my alarm for 5:45 expecting to be up at 6 and out the door by 6:15.

I was so tired that I forgot to set my clothes out the night before or really decide what I was going to eat for breakfast.

Let's just say that led to a frantic wake-up, but thankfully I live about 7-10 minutes drive to the race that I wasn't too worried.

Until a Tedy's Team running mate of mine brought up traffic ... then last year started coming back to me.

The wife and I hopped in the car and headed out. It wasn't until we were pulling off the highway that I realized ...

I LEFT MY GARMIN AT HOME!!!!!!

Ahhhhh! Dammit! I had no running partner for the run. I left my music at home. And now no Garmin.

I tried to take a quick breath and calm myself down.

Now I am not one glued to the timing of the Garmin, it just keeps me from going out too fast.

The wife kindly dropped me off as close to the Start area as possible and I headed to the masses. Thankfully I could skip the security line since I wasn't doing gear check.

I immediately found a port-o-pottie line and hung out in that until the race started. Talk about good timing. I got into my pace area just as the horn went off.

I didn't know what to expect at the race as I had done a brick workout (23.6 mile bike & 2 mile run) the day before and my left hamstring was giving me pain. So I lined up around the 8 min/mile pace.

I attempted to start Runkeeper when I crossed the Start Line so I would have some guess of pace. I think it finally clicked 15 seconds into the run - close enough!

I was ready to just have fun while running.

The course would be different from last year due to construction and since I never look at course maps - I had no idea what it meant. :P

We went over the Mass Ave bridge just before Mile 4. As I was taking a mid-run selfie a woman asked: "Do you want me to take that for you?" I smiled and let her know it is more fun to do it yourself.

Apparently the folks around me aren't used to the mid-run selfie because people kept telling me how impressed they were by my "skills." Hey! It made MY day! :)

We headed out to Memorial Drive and my favorite part of the run - the out and back. It is great seeing elite folks WHIZ past you. I was in a great group of folks too because we were all clapping and cheering them on.

When you do the turn around on Mem Drive, I then immediately start looking for friends I know! Thankfully being local I know a ton of people at any given race because social media friends, old coworkers, Weight Watchers, school, etc. I think half my Facebook timeline told me they would be there. ;)

I was getting frustrated though. I had only seen 2 people so far that I knew. I knew there were more out there. But as we headed back to Mem Drive, I saw my Tedy's Team teammate Larissa running towards me. She and her fiancé Eddie were running (his first half) so I was able to yell: "It's my favorite person," which caught her attention. Then give both of them HUGE high-fives.

Around this time I knew the Runkeeper was off, it doesn't like the tall buildings of the city at the beginning, but it seemed as if I  was at about a 8:30 min/mile pace. Which was fine by me and my body was feeling comfortable. I wasn't going for a PR so I wasn't really trying to calculate what finish time that would put me at.

So I turned my attention to my next selfie ... of course!

Just before we took the right back onto the Mass Ave bridge, we hit Mile 9.

I was telling someone the other day - I might not be good at running, but DAMN I am getting the hang of the mid-run selfie! ;) Now mastering the mid-run selfie doesn't mean they are always pretty or flattering - as exhibited above.

As we headed back down Beacon St towards the Seaport (aka the Finish), a previous used water stop was being used again and guess what? I had an old Weight Watchers member Jenny give me water both times. Yes, it is the little things in life sometimes. It was great to see her and get a little "Go Dani!" when I needed it.

I was in the zone, taking in the brownstones, trying to ignore the slight pain in the left hamstring when some guy ran by and said "I will not lose the tutu contest to you." Which I was thrown off by. He was rocking a lovely purple tutu. Now I don't want to knock him, but technically I was wearing a skirt - a Sparkle Athletic skirt to be exact. I let him have his moment and continue on.

We hit the Mile 12 marker and I got the "man I don't want the race to end" pang that I always get at Mile 12 of a Half. But on the flip side I said "yes! Only one mile to go" after having done 2 fulls in April. I was happy to not have to keep going another 13+ on that day.

Now the final push down the Seaport is deceiving. You take the final turn and you think the Finish Line should be RIGHT there.

FALSE!

Every year I feel like I am on a treadmill and will never cross that freakin' line.

Thanks for the photo Kelsey!

Even though I felt like I was going nowhere, I felt strong so I gave whatever I had left at the end.

It was an odd feeling not having my Garmin to pause at the Finish. :P But I stopped Runkeeper which had a time of 1:50 and change.

Darnit! Had I realized earlier in the run I could've finished sub 1:50. Eh - it's okay. It was about 6 minutes slower than my PR anyway.

I headed into the World Trade Center to grab water and my medal. I made sure to look for blog reader Patty, who was handing out medals. Thank goodness for her eyes because she spotted me before I could spot her. :) It was a cool experience getting my medal from a reader/social media friend. Sorry we didn't grab a pic together.

As I got my medal, my friend Kelsey came up. She had rocked the 5-miler that morning.

We headed back inside to grab some more water and check out the Sparkly Soul booth.

It was great chatting with creator Dari and I cannot WAIT for you all to see what Sparkly Soul has coming out next!! :)

I picked up a few of the new colors ;) and headed towards the train to head home.

Since I already had my water and my chocolate milk was waiting for me at home, I stopped by Dunkin' on my way.

#DaniRunsOnDunkin

It was great to add the 2014 medal to the group...

While we were celebrating the Half with lunch, the official results came in:

Finished 1,601 out of 7,172 overall and 181 out of 1,409 in my division (F30-39). I can't even believe I was in the top 13% of my division and top 23% overall. I remember finishing 3rd to last in my first full marathon and thinking I would never place in a race higher than that ...and now look.

I never take any run for granted and work hard to keep improving. But the run is about more than the pace and the time - it is about celebrating my health!

And on this day it was the men and women that have sacrificed their lives for the Boston area community. Police from all over Massachusetts lined the path during Mile 3 - cheering and high-fiving runners. While New York Police were both running and volunteering to patrol the course and make sure the runners were safe.

Until next year Run To Remember... :)

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Have you run Boston's Run To Remember 5-miler or Half Marathon?