The Dani Ryan Holmes-Kirk 3rd Annual 30th Birthday 5k Run-Walk Ramble: September 2014

When I turned 30 in September 2012, I wanted to celebrate my birthday in a new and exciting way. I didn't want to go out to dinner with friends and family. I didn't want to host a Happy Hour. I wanted to celebrate my healthier lifestyle and the fact that I would be entering my 30s in the 150s! An amazing feat for a girl who at one point topped the scales in the 230s! With the help of my family, The Dani Ryan Holmes-Kirk 30th Birthday Run-Walk Ramble was born. It was an amazing day that featured folks running or walking the 5k in person AND virtually.

Oh that's right! There were printable race bibs and Finisher's Medals for all.

What did I ask in return? A $25 donation be made to Tedy's Team and the American Stroke Association.

Tedy asked the American Stroke Association to work with him to create “Tedy’s Team,” a group of runners raising money for the American Stroke Association and training to complete the Boston Marathon® and the Falmouth Road Race.  Their participation supports Tedy Bruschi’s fight against stroke and honors both the survivors and the loved ones lost to America’s No. 4 leading cause of death.

In addition to the dollars being raised, an equally important issue for Tedy’s Team is the increase in awareness of stroke and recognition of its warning signs. Tedy’s Team is striving to reach as many people as possible in its message of recognizing the warning signs and acting appropriate when seeing them — calling 9-1-1 immediately.

Tedy & I mid-run selfie: Mile 1 of 2014 Boston Marathon

In the past two years I have been lucky enough to call Tedy's Team family. I have run two Boston Marathons (2013 and 2014), the Rock 'n' Roll Nashville marathon (2014) and Falmouth Road Race (2014) with an amazingly motivating and inspiring group of people. Along the way my friends, family, blog readers and online community have helped me raise

$15,575

to help #FightStroke so far.

My 5 Virtual Race Finisher's Medals

I run in honor of my Stroke Heroes - my grandparents - but through this journey, this blog and Tedy's Team it has become so much more. I run, sweat, train and fundraise for all those affected by Stroke.

Tedy and I after Falmouth

I will be applying for the 2015 Boston Marathon team with Tedy's Team and I have a goal in mind:

I want to hit $21k raised!

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Here's the latest opportunity to help... register for The Dani Ryan Holmes-Kirk 3rd Annual 30th Birthday (Virtual) 5k Run-Walk Ramble!!!

A virtual run-walk means you do the 5k (3.1 mile) “race” at your leisure during the month of September (anytime during the month)!!

Map out your own route, get your own friends together or jump on the old trusty treadmill/bike. Your call.

EVERYONE that completes the “race” will receive a Finisher’s Medal in the mail from me. YAY! How cool is that? I know one of my favorite parts.

Also, everyone will be entered to receive some pretty sweet raffle prizes that I have available!! 

Did you catch that folks? Raffle Prizes. Let's see who has jumped on board so far:

^A #Runner Shirt from the AMAZINGLY AWESOME Pavement Runner

^ A 1BandID - great Boston-based company, which is an ID that attaches right to your GPS watch or shoe

^ ENERGYBITS Sample Pack

^ 3-Pack of Perform Pain Reliever products (Roll-On, Spray and On-The-Go Singles)

^ WYCWYC Keychain thanks to Carla and Roni

^ One pair of ZENSAH Compression Leg Sleeves

^A New Balance 3Axis Pedometer

^ Runfellow "I Like Your Pace" T-Shirt (value $30)

^ A pair of Feetures Running socks (value $10.99)

*Remember list is still growing!*

But you may be asking: “Dani How much will this fun cost me?” or “What is my entry fee going to?”

Well, each participant will be making a $25 donation, where all proceeds go to Tedy's Team. If I make the 2015 Boston Marathon team, the fundraising goal is $5,400.

But wait... there's more!!

I have an anonymous donor who will match up to $1,200 raised by the Birthday 5k! Say whaa?? Heck yeah!

So if you are ready to help me Fight Stroke then check out the directions to sign up below!

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If you would like to take part in the run or walk:

1) Please register. (Make sure you are providing an accurate mailing address because that is where I will send the medal.)

2) You can complete the 3.1 mile or walk or bike whenever you like during the month of September.

3) Once you complete the race please send me a photo of yourself and your time to dani@weightoffmyshoulders.com

4) HAVE FUN!!

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Finisher’s Medal

Download Your Race Bib Here!

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Are you interested in getting in to the amazing raffle prizes? A $20 donation to Tedy's Team gains you 5 entries into the raffle!!

You can donate here.

***

Thank you all for continuing to support me and help raise awareness for Stroke. Please be sure you know the warning signs of a Stroke (courtesy American Stroke Association):

THINK YOU ARE HAVING A STROKE? CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY!

F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember the sudden signs of stroke. When you can spot the signs, you’ll know that you need to call 9-1-1 for help right away. F.A.S.T. is:

	Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
	Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
	Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
	Time to call 9-1-1 – If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get the person to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared.

32 Sign Ups For The Birthday 5k/Raffle In Honor Of Turning 32?

The day is HERE ... I am now the big 3-2! I am actually pretty excited for it since my 30s have kicked serious booty. Now I cannot wait to see what happens next...

So how can you help me celebrate turning 32?

Donate to Tedy's Team and help me #FightStroke in honor of my #1 Stroke Hero - my gramma.

I am trying to raise the bar as last year on my birthday I raised $463 for Tedy's Team. Today I would love to have 32 sign-ups in honor of my 32nd birthday.

***

There are two ways you can participate:

1) The Dani Ryan Holmes-Kirk 3rd Annual 30th Birthday 5k Run-Walk Ramble

A $25 to Tedy's Team gains you entry to the virtual race, a printable bib, a Finisher's Medal and 7 entries into the raffle.

Sign up here!

2) Make a $20 donation to Tedy's Team and gain 5 entries into the raffle.

Donate here!

I have an anonymous donor who will match up to $1,200 raised by the Birthday 5k/raffle! Say whaa?? Heck yeah!

What does the raffle feature????

^A #Runner Shirt from the AMAZINGLY AWESOME Pavement Runner (value $25)

^ A 1BandID - great Boston-based company, which is an ID that attaches right to your GPS watch or shoe (value $19.99)

^ ENERGYBITS Sample Pack

^ 3-Pack of Perform Pain Reliever products (Roll-On, Spray and On-The-Go Singles)

^ WYCWYC Keychain thanks to Carla and Roni (value $16)

^ One pair of ZENSAH Compression Leg Sleeves (value $39.99)

^A New Balance 3Axis Pedometer (value $29.99)

^ Runfellow "I Like Your Pace" T-Shirt (value $30)

^ A pair of Feetures Running socks (value $10.99)

***

Will you be one of the 32? :)

Help Me Celebrate Turning 32 By Fighting Stroke

TOMORROW I will be turning the big 3-2! I am actually pretty excited for it since my 30s have kicked serious booty. Now I cannot wait to see what happens next...

So how can you help me celebrate turning 32?

Donate to Tedy's Team and help me #FightStroke in honor of my #1 Stroke Hero - my gramma.

There are two ways you can participate:

1) The Dani Ryan Holmes-Kirk 3rd Annual 30th Birthday 5k Run-Walk Ramble

A $25 to Tedy's Team gains you entry to the virtual race, a printable bib, a Finisher's Medal and 7 entries into the raffle.

Sign up here!

2) Make a $20 donation to Tedy's Team and gain 5 entries into the raffle.

Donate here!

I have an anonymous donor who will match up to $1,200 raised by the Birthday 5k/raffle! Say whaa?? Heck yeah!

What does the raffle feature????

^A #Runner Shirt from the AMAZINGLY AWESOME Pavement Runner (value $25)

^ A 1BandID - great Boston-based company, which is an ID that attaches right to your GPS watch or shoe (value $19.99)

^ ENERGYBITS Sample Pack

^ 3-Pack of Perform Pain Reliever products (Roll-On, Spray and On-The-Go Singles)

^ WYCWYC Keychain thanks to Carla and Roni (value $16)

^ One pair of ZENSAH Compression Leg Sleeves (value $39.99)

^A New Balance 3Axis Pedometer (value $29.99)

^ Runfellow "I Like Your Pace" T-Shirt (value $30)

^ A pair of Feetures Running socks (value $10.99)

*Remember list is still growing!*

***

Are you going to help me celebrate AND #FightStroke?

BAA 5k - 4/14/13 - 27:35 (8:54 min/mile)

Yes I ran a 5k the day before The Boston Marathon. But, here's why.

1) I love the race. I did it last year and was psyched that the race started/finished on The Boston Marathon Finish Line. Plus, last year they had chocolate chip bagels at the end - you had me there. :P (2012 Recap)

2) I needed to do a shakeout run the day before the marathon any way so why not get a medal for it. Right?

3) My BFF's birthday was Marathon Monday and I couldn't celebrate with her on the day of SO we I treated her to the 5k race as a birthday present.

---

After a fun Saturday morning run with Runner's World and a Saturday afternoon with friends and teammates, Sunday started with a 6:15 wakeup call. Sarah was to arrive at my house by 7am - and she is usually pretty prompt. Thankfully the wife was going to give us a ride in town and with road closures for the Marathon, we headed out just after 7am for the 8am start time.

Yeah, it took us about 10 minutes to get there so we were niiiice and early. :P Well, better than getting there late, right?

Being there so early meant we could mull around the Marathon Finish Area and snap some good pics.

Just stepping on that Line gave me goosebumps for the following day.

I wanted to just jump in a time machine and fast forward the 26 hours til start time.

Can you see the excitement in my face? 

I am rocking my orange Pro Compression socks for the event.

We met a nice woman who was more than happy to take our pic. After grabbing this shot, she asked if she could get creative. She asked us to sit on the Finish Line and pose. I was game because I knew I wouldn't be able to do that the following day.

I can't believe now how much this picture now means to me after the explosions that followed the Boston Marathon.

It is a picture and a moment in time I will cherish forever.

Once we snapped some pics, the chill in the air started wearing on us so we had to get moving. There was still a good 30 minutes until the start of the race.

Why oh why do I make us get to races so early? ;)

But this did allow us plenty of time to people watch, hit the port-o-potties and get right where we wanted to in line.

Now, the other reason I needed Sarah there was to keep me on pace.

I have a hard time holding back - especially in a race - and Sarah is my voice of reason. The one that can get me to scale back.

Our goal was to run around 9ish min/mile pace. Much slower than my now normal 5k speed so it was going to be a mental exercise for me as well. Since we know I really needed to keep the energy for the following day - the BIG SHOW.

After a great rendition of the National Anthem it was time for the race to finally start.

I hit Start on the Garmin and it was go time.

And we immediately started out too fast.

We are just too darn speedy ... or so we told ourselves. ;)

But, we tailed it back to about a 9 min/mile pace.

It was comfortable. It was nice.

It was fun to just run with a friend and have a conversation without any sort of shortness of breathe.

Let me tell you when I started running back in 2005 and could barely handle a 12 min/mile pace - I never thought I would call 9 min/mile pace comfortable.

We were really able to enjoy the scenery and the time together.

Sarah is leaving me for Maine at the beginning of June so we are trying to make the most of our time together as we can.

As we ran along the Boston Commons and weaved ourselves through the streets of Boston, we noticed some pairings participating in a "Blindfold Challenge." One person wears a blindfold and their partner acts as their guide - it is an amazing concept.

But, as we took our left turn on to Boylston Street, we noticed a pair in front of us. Sarah and I looked at each other, locked eyes and at the same time made the comment that we couldn't let them beat us.

We had been great all race about keeping the pace down. BUT, we both decided that a little sprint at the end wouldn't hurt anyone. Right?

So we locked in and put in extra effort for the last 0.2 miles.

It was thrilling to run down Boylston Street and know that the following day it would be lined with fans and my family cheering me on. And when I crossed that same Finish Line the next day I would conquer the Boston Marathon - something I never thought possible when I topped the scales at 235 lbs.

We finished with a time of 27:35, which is a 8:54 min/mile pace. Again, a tad faster than we wanted BUT good for us.

My legs felt great afterwards and were ready for the next day.

I also got to FINALLY show off my Got Chocolate Milk Team Refuel singlet in an actual race. Doesn't it look good with my orange Pro Compression socks. :)

We grabbed our post-race goody bags (as you can see in the picture above), but where was my chocolate chip bagel?

NO WHERE!!

There weren't any bagels post-race. You've gotta be kidding me. I had my little heart set on a post-run chocolate chip bagel. Ouch! Boo! Wahhh!

I picked up the pieces of my little broken heart and Sarah and I headed to the T stop to head home.

We met Tori and headed to Dunkin Donuts so I could at least have my Iced Coffee. I mean I do Run On Dunkin.

After Sarah headed home, it was time for a RELAXING afternoon.

Putting the legs up was my Number One Priority for the afternoon.

But, eating was also important ... so the wife and I headed out for a quick lunch before it was back to the couch.

Yup nerves were starting to kick in!

I wanted a good night of sleep so I laid out my outfit for the following day, took a couple Tylenol PM and was asleep by 7pm.

Ready to ROCK the Boston Marathon...

Boston Marathon Expo

The Boston Marathon festivities kicked off with the Boston Marathon Expo.

I looove expos ... but my credit card doesn't! ;)

On Friday, April 12, my car was in the shop so my mom was my driver that day. ;) She picked me up from my final Weight Watchers meeting of the week at 12:20pm, we headed to grab a quick sandwich for lunch then she dropped me off at the Hynes Convention Center just before 2.

I figured the expo would be pretty empty at 2 since that is when it started.

BOY was I wrong.

I walked in the front door to meet my friend Sarah and her daughter Joanna - we were running the 5k together so she had to pick up her number too - and the line to enter the Expo wrapped down and around the corridor.

I was shocked. But, thankfully I had to get my 5k number first so the line to pick up my Marathon number was gone by the time I was done. :)

My 5k bib:

I had forgotten my BAA card with my Bib # on it to pick up my 5k bib so I had to wait in line to speak with Runner Services. I was so focused on remembering the necessary paperwork to pick up my Marathon Bib that I got lazy with the 5k info. Oops!

Thankfully the line was pretty short and the whole process was pretty painless.

Once, I had my bib I headed back out to meet Sarah so we could enter the Expo.

I had to keep this photo because I love the photo bum ... I mean photo bomb ... by the random gentleman.

There was a separate entrance for number pick-up so I headed to the right, while Sarah and the stroller headed into the Expo.

With over 27,000 runners participating in the 117th Boston Marathon, I should've expected long lines at the onset. I also should've known that it would be mainly people like me - local charity runners - getting the number pick-up out of the way early.

But once I walked down to my end of the pick-up area (22,000+ numbers), I saw that the longest line of them all had to be mine. The line for people with bibs 22,000-22,600 ... I was bib 22010. Yay - NOT! :P

I finally made it to the front, handed over my signed bib card and was handed my Boston Marathon bib.

Ahhh... it was such a surreal moment.

I was really going to be running in the Boston Marathon.

Still smile looking at this picture.

After securing the bib, it was time to pick up my official race shirt and head into the Expo. :)

It was awesome to walk into the Expo and see this right away:

I sure was All In For Boston.

The first place I had to stop was the New Balance booth. I was going to get a pair of the official Boston Marathon New Balance sneakers.

I mean hello, they glow in the dark! SOLD!

MINE! I got 'em. :)

Aren't they sweet?

Finally, Sarah and I connected at the New Balance booth and were able to walk around the Expo a little together before she had to get back to her car - damn running out of quarters.

Once Sarah left, I got myself to the front of the Expo and started with row 1 and did a run through the entire place. :)

The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series booth was right at the front of the Expo. I showed them the Rock 'n' Roll bag I was wearing and they gave me a free water bottle! Score!

There were guys jumping on a trampoline in skis to demonstrated that their brand of headphones really didn't fall out of your ears. I mean that was some marketing genius there. Granted I cannot remember the name of the headphones so maybe it wasn't that good. Haha.

I turned my head to the right and there was the Brooks booth. These mannequins at the top of the booth actually moved their arms/legs to make it look like they were all running. Pretty cool.

After spotting markers and the large Boston Marathon banner, I knew I had to sign it.

I wrote: "Dani Holmes-Kirk in honor of my grandparents! Go Tedy's Team!!"

I made my way into the Addidas official merchandise section of the Expo. Ooohhh everything was blue and yellow and shiny!

It was just before walking in there with help from a season pro like Robin that I found out you didn't automatically get the Boston Marathon jacket, but rather you had to buy it.

I tried one on. I walked around holding it. I kept texting my wife and parents about it. Should I spend the $100 on it? Was it worth it? Could we swing it? I mean I had just bought the New Balance shoes.

But they all said to go for it. This could be the ONE time I run the Boston Marathon so I should have the jacket as a reminder.

(Who would've known how important it would be for me to have that jacket in the next week?)

I almost bought this little guy for my friend Ellie, who loves unicorns - but once I looked at the price tag I just sent her a pic instead. ;)

How cute?

I loved the Marathon Sports signs all over the Expo.

So motivating!

I saw it and just kept telling myself that I would RUN every step of Heartbreak Hill on Marathon Monday! No matter what...

Once I had done a good once over of the Expo, I headed to the main booth I had to get to ... Sparkly Soul!

I have the honor of being a Sparkly Soul Ambassador, but since the company is based out of New York I have never met the two women behind the company ... until the Expo.

I knew Pamela would be there and we had tweeted/emailed so often it was like we already knew each other.

Sparkly Soul is a wonderful company created by Pamela's sister Dari (a marathon runner) and I am honored to be a small part of it.

Once I met Pamela, I had just one final thing on the Expo to-do list ... visit the KT Tape booth!

I had been experiencing some slight knee pain in the weeks leading up to the Marathon and didn't want to take any chances. KT Tape can be worn for up to a week and go through a shower without coming off. So I knew I could get it done Friday and it would still be in place for Sunday's 5k and Monday's Marathon.

The tape even matched my Saucony sneakers. :0)

It was about 4:30pm by the time I left the Expo and my mom was picking me up at 5pm (as a 30 year old rolls) so I had a beer at The Pour House across the street while I waited.

It was an amazing feeling being surrounded by so many talented runners both in the Expo and the bar after. I was getting super pumped for the rest of the weekend's festivities.

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What is your favorite part of a race Expo?