I’m deeply saddened to share some heartbreaking news.

Last year I was part of Dicks Sporting Goods Every Runner Has a Reason Campaign. I got to meet so many inspirational runners. One of those runners, Meggan Janota, passed away this morning. She had been battling cancer for quite a few years.

I’m just so sad. Such a beautiful, young woman with her whole life ahead of her. (Meggan is # 3972 in the photo below).

Every Runner Has a Reason photo shoot (a faux marathon)

Every Runner Has a Reason photo shoot (a faux marathon)

I remember feeling terrible that I had to literally give her the sweaty white shirt off my back because they needed her to wear it for a different shot. I remember not even knowing she was sick or in the middle of treatment at first. But most of all I remember sitting around in between takes just sharing laughs with a bunch of runners who understood me and understood how amazing running is.

You’ve probably seen my video but here’s Meggan’s video. Please watch. Please take a minute to say a little prayer for her family as they start their lives without her. And please take a minute to be grateful for this day that wasn’t guaranteed. As cliche as it sounds each day truly is a gift.

I’m probably going to head out in a few for a run. Just a short one. A few miles for Meggan. It just seems like the perfect way to remember her today.

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Yesterday I decided to run a 5k distance in my neighborhood and “push it”!

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Not necessarily “all out” but I focused on getting out of my comfort zone. I am running my first official timed 5k on Saturday and I have no idea how to pace myself! I’m a fish out of water with short runs. I ended up keeping a 9:31/mile pace. I know I’m probably capable of keeping a 9:15 pace. So I’m just going to leave my goal at breaking 30 minutes. Let’s see what happens.

I am off from work today so I took the doodle for a nice walk in the crunchy, colorful Autumn leaves.

Red Autumn leaves

Red Autumn leaves

And then stopped off at the vet clinic to get a 6 month supply of his heartworm and flea and tick preventative meds. Of course he started shaking when we pulled into the parking lot. Poor doodle. He must have thought he was going in.

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Tonight I’m meeting my “wolf pack” for dinner for a little birthday celebration. And in the next few days I have some exciting news to share! I’ll keep you in suspense for now.

Now go have a great day and make it count! 

Hi there.

Sorry! I ended up taking a long weekend away from the Internet. I went to Cape Cod to celebrate my birthday. It.was.perfect!

I played on the beach with these guys…

Sandy Neck Beach

weeeee!

Sandy Neck Beach

we love beaches in the fall!

Sandy Neck Beach

Birthday Girl!

beach doodle

beach doodle

Ma, I got sand on my nose

Ma, I got sand on my nose

I ate delicious food including these things…

More »

Hi guys,

First I just wanted to mention that I set up a link in the bar up top (below my header image) to my race recaps so you can get to them easily.

 Today I did my volunteer shift at the New York Road Runner’s headquarters.

#runforlife

#runforlife

I gave out race bibs to runners who are running the Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff 5 miler this weekend. All the volunteers have one purpose which is to complete their 9+1 and secure entry into next year’s NYC Marathon. The 9+1 is a way for New York Road Runner members like myself to gain access into the marathon without qualifying by time or getting in through the lottery or charity. Basically you have to run 9 of their scored races in a given year and volunteer 1 time that same year and that will give you guaranteed entry into the marathon for the following year.

With the marathon only 10 days away I got really nostalgic today thinking back to my first ever 26.2—the 2011 NYC marathon on 11-06-11— which I used the 9+1 in 2010 to secure my spot.

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at the start village with Lisa

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I won’t ever forget the 16 weeks of training culminating in tears of joy when I crossed the finish line late that afternoon. I was slower than I had hoped to be (5:28) but I had accomplished something I never really thought I was capable of. I always said to my full marathon friends “I’ll just stick with half marathons.”  But then something clicked and as my friends encouraged me I found that I was starting to get excited by the idea.

I remember my first long run over 13.1 miles. A distance PR! I ran 14 miles while struggling with remnants of an ankle sprain. (Tip: don’t run a mud run while training for your first marathon!)

And then I reached 16 and then 18 and finally, my 20 miler. All that was left was for me to keep it together and complete 26.2 miles through the boroughs of MY city!

My brother and niece and nephew came to see me on the course at mile 3, mile 8 and then at mile 23!

mile 3! OMG I can't believe you found me!

mile 3! OMG I can’t believe you found me!

This is a mile before i fell apart and this is only mile 8

This is a mile 8 only one mile before i started to fall apart.

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I started off conservatively just as I had practiced in my mind for months. And things were going well until somewhere between mile 9 and 10. First it was stomach cramps, then my back started to spasm. Perhaps it was nerves. I’ll never know. But boy did it mess me up mentally! I was walking by the halfway point over the Pulaski Bridge.

walking at the 1/2 way pt

I’m behind the dude in the red timex shirt walking at the 1/2 way point

I basically spent the second half of the race running a bit, then walking a bit and eventually just shuffling. This video that my nephew recorded of me at mile 23 is priceless! You can see how much I was hurting.

I surely wasn’t going “fast like a bullet train” as my nephew asked me to do. LOL.

But i did it! I crossed the finish line that day and became a marathoner.

officially a marathoner

officially a marathoner

I won’t ever get to run my first full marathon again. And that is why I will always remember that day and what an impact it’s left on me. I got to run NYC again last year and shaved 31 minutes of my time. I’m really excited to cheer on my friends next weekend and know that I’ll be back again next year for my 3rd NYC Marathon and (if all goes well) my 7th full marathon and hopefully I can finish a few minutes faster. But regardless, there’s something so special about NYC. I guess it’s plain and simple. I’m a “native new yawker”.

Do you remember your first marathon (or big race?) What race and when? Did you cry when you crossed the finish line?

 

Well whaddya know it’s Wednesday already. I really, really wanted to get in some type of workout yesterday but I’ll be honest. It didn’t happen. My knee had been feeling really good, even after my 2 bike rides but on Monday I wore some wedge heel boots and while walking briskly on my lunch break I felt that sharp pain again and now it’s been sore. GRRR! So back to wearing sneakers daily again. #lifeofarunner

A while back I mentioned the bottom of my foot hurting after a strenuous hike. Well, I’m starting to think it’s a bit of mild tendonitis because it keeps coming and going. Yesterday I actually pulled out this cool foot massager with heat that I got for my 40th birthday a year ago and used it before work. It actually helped. I’m not really worried just mildly frustrated. GRRx2

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Then, seemingly out of nowhere I seem to have hurt my arm, up by the bicep and shoulder area. I really have NO idea how I hurt it but my range of motion is limited and it hurts like a mofo if I extend the arm in certain directions. GRRx3!

The only thing I can think of is that I strained the arm while riding my bike (I tend to be really tense and grip the handle bars kinda tight. And then maybe I lifted something with the already compromised arm making it worse. There’s also the theory I just slept on it wrong. Yup. I’m famous for that -ish.

I popped a couple of advil this morning and I’ll see how I feel tomorrow morning…

3 days until my 41st birthday and I’m falling apart here.

How are you feeling? Anyone injured or sick? I hope not but we all know misery loves company =)