"Meet Me 'Round the Corner, in a 1/2 Hour"

Each year during holiday season, as a family, we normally see a show. From Phantom to Ain't Misbehavin', we have a lovely tradition. Very secular. This year we're going to see A Chorus Line. I think I saw the production for the first time when I was 8 or 9. I'd obviously seen Annie before that so I knew what those Rockettes looked like. Hello, haven't you been to Radio City Music Hall to see the LIVE Nativity with camels and such- right in Manhattan?? Sweet baby jesus, indeed! But whoa, who knew that the showcase of salacious leg kicks and body suits Jane Fonda style could apply to running.

This morning was one of those mornings in River City where I made myself run to the fire hydrant, that USPS post box, that corner about 5 times. Some mornings are like that though, Sam I am.

STATS
wind, sleet and rain
5.88mi
52 minutes
6.8 mph/8.7mpm

Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock

Today's recovery run took place with approx. 4,000 other runners around Davis Square as part of the 2008 Somerville Jingle Bell Run. Santa and a million and a half of his clones were there as were elves- who must have been union to get a day off so close to the holidays, reindeer and many fools in Santa hats. The best costumes were the red and green stripped onesies and the grown up footies that featured dinosaurs and the planets. I hope that final trick didn't include Pluto, for accuracy's sake.

STATS
5K-3.1 miles
26:08
And a partridge in a pear tree

Donate to BMC for my 26.2 mi ultimate run!

The Extra Mile

TODAY was my first long run with Team BMC. I ran from Boston, through Brookline to Newton. Mass Ave-Kenmore Square-Coolidge Corner-Washington Square- Cleveland Circle-Chestnut Hill Reservoir- Boston College. I ran almost 10 miles. My legs felt like led but it was fun and I ran with a team member to just shy of mile 6! The last time I ran this far, was when I ran the half with M.Bond last January...

The run was cold, and WINDY! as New England weather normally allows but heck if I can run in this, I can run in anything!

STATS:
9.68 mi
approx. 1:38 hours/10.1 mpm/5.6mph

The GREEN

STATS
30 min (8.7mpm/6.8mph)
3.41 mi
--------------
4x180m hills & recovery

On my way

Moderation is key. I haven't reached my goal yet. I'm feeling almost right on schedule and I'm not pushing it too hard. Yoga certainly has helped me listen, slow down, and then stop without undermining my personal capacity to deliver. I believe that this will be my first marathon and not my last and so maintaining yoga practice has been key. Getting enough sleep and training minimally will get me through this injury.

My yoga teacher's teacher has a method that was adopted by the NY Runner's Club. Beryl Bender Birch (my teacher's teacher), founded the Hard and Soft Yoga Institute. A key axiom to all hatha yoga (the physical practice) is that it is 99% practice. Additionally, in that practice, is the recognition of balancing strength and flexibility-- an effortlessness in the effort. My teacher's, style then is an accumulation of BBB and her own unique interpretation. My practice is all that came before me and my own. The foundation is part of a journey, a direction and an aim without forcing the outcome or pre-defining the results.

Before beginning the Astanga practice, there's a chant where you say, in sanskrit, "Thank you, thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you." Thank you: for the time to practice; the health to practice; the patient to practice. It's just practice. So, I hit the pavement (brick and frozen ground) again today, thankful to still be at it.

STATS
4.75 miles
42 minutes (8.8mpm/6.7mph)
2 advil pre run/minimal-no pain!!
no ice bath!
weighted lunges

Mother : Daughter

Today, Team BMC had their first long run. It's what I've been working towards for the past month. I had to be able to hold my own. The beginners were running 6 miles, the intermediates 8. I am a fast learner, but I didn't want to push my luck; this is my first marathon. Instead, however, I slept in for a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and a Power yoga class. This afternoon, I hit the pavement. Next week, I'll meet the team. cross my heart <3.

So, while mom ran 5.5 miles, I came in at 7. We started running at the same time and she called me when she finished. (If anyone else wants to do a duel city run, I'm always game and will accommodate your schedule.) My personal update then is as follows; you can search for my course by name.

7 miles high
Stats:
chilly
3:36 pm
6.92 miles
57 min (8.2 min mile/7.2 mph)

My hamstring hurts and although I don't have to do any product placement in this blog, I will 100% vouch for Alleve, an ice bath (I perfected one leg in, one let out. investing in a bath pillow helps) and Ghiradella chocolate chips. All great post run remedies.

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Food for Thought Dinner

Every year, the Monday before Thanksgiving, some of BMC's most generous philanthropists raise money for the Preventive Food Pantry and the patients in the Grow Clinic. Last week we gathered to celebrate the successes and perseverance of the clinic that treats Failure to Thrive. Below is a story of one of the Grow Center patients.

MICHAEL

From birth, Michael had difficulty gaining weight. Multiple hospitalizations and surgery to repair a heart valve did not give him the necessary energy to grow, and at almost 8 months old, he weighed what a normal 3-month-old weighs. His health was compromised because his family was essentially homeless.

With a referral from the Grow Clinic staff, Michael’s mother Toni secured a temporary apartment through the Shelter Program. Toni is using nutritional and social services provided at the Clinic and through home visits, and the additional support of the Food Pantry and supermarket vouchers to ensure sufficient food resources for Michael.

At 16 months, Michael still only weighs what a normal 7 ½-month-old should, but he has been gaining weight and has not been sick. Additional calories are beginning to help his muscles develop so he can learn to stand. He is still vulnerable, but there is hope yet that he will thrive.

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On Track

I woke up an hour late to do the looong run so it wasn't quite "long." Still, it's the farthest I've ran since training began. Deficit: time was only a few minutes longer than what I've been running. I've got to do better next weekend. Speed is at least coming back to me. Perhaps I just have to run against the wind before I time myself. Consequentially, I am getting things done; my self-efficacy is really paramount. Really.

moderate course
5.2 miles
44 min/8.7 min mile (6.8 mph)
mood: "feeling good/feeling great/i look good/don't hate"

still icing my hamstring. let me tell you, cold baths--when you don't have a whirlpool are NOT F-u-n. I assure you, however, that my telling you about stumbling into the tub filled with ice water and the dramatics that ensue, including what comes out of my mouth is likely, the highlight of my sister's day.

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Weekly Top 20

11AM yoga
1PM lunch
3PM snack-Tofutti ice cream sandwich
3:05PM RUN

hurt hamstring+swollen ankle+ice and wind=4.22 miles/ 39 min
Consistent with my time on most mornings this month.
Tomorrow will be my first relative "long run".

Good run today for the conditions. Slow, but steady. Although, the playlist really helps. Any advice for the DJ?

In full disclosure, without shame...

Today's top 5:

N.O.R.E- Oye Mi Canto
Mos Def & Talib Kweli- Re:Definition
Kanye- Through the wire
New Found Glory- The Glory of Love
Mos Def- Ms. Fat Booty

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Wake up and Smell the Coffee

When I was a kid, I used to take the Bus. You know, a short bus. Now, while some of you might think I rode with the "best and brightest", the opposite was true. Twas no SpEd pick up for me. My little Quaker School is where I got smaht but due to their cash flow problems, (and the geographic diversity of the student body), we got short buses.

Mr. Atkinson, an OLD man, ancient to any 5 year old, drove the bus during kindergarten. He drove it up until the 4th grade or so and he was constantly yelling and screaming at kids to "Shut up will ya?" or "Jesuschrist you're gonna murder me with all yous screaming." His South Jersey dialect was creme de la creme. He also Yelled at Seth everyday. Seth, a classmate of mine, used to each ranch flavored Doritos or some gross tastykake (viva la philadelphia) everyday on the bus. Then, fall asleep or something. Atkinson would yell, "Damnit Seth- would you wake up and smell the coffee??? get off the bus, will ya?" And Seth would lethargically get up and drag his book bag, starter jacket and other cool kid accessories off the bus.

Motivation is hard to come by but getting your butt up from a nice slumber is definitely most challenging. this morning was C-O-L-D and although I planned to do an easy run + hills, I could not get out of bed. I hit snooze for 45 minutes. I don't drink coffee.

The good news is, I got out of bed.

It was the first morning where I ran with gloves. This is history in the making. 5 months, and a day to go.

As some of you have asked, you can check our my donation page to make your donation for me (Team BMC- Devon Wilson-Hill) now, or can wait awhile and I'll give you a direct plug and play.

It's begun. READY, SET, RUN!

Last January, after much convincing, I joined my Stephens House friend of old, M., in California where we ran our first half marathon. I had no desire to run; a race more than 10K was never on my radar. In fact, after graduating, I ran my first 5 mile race in 2005, won a trophy and two months later, basically, stopped training altogether. But, M. and I met our good friend W. in CA and enjoyed one of the most rewarding days ever. It didn't hurt that it was winter in New England and the trip to CA was Awe-some!

In any event, running is a family tradition. Mom has been running for-ever. I remember riding my bike along side her when I was just off training wheels.

Apparently, signing up for crazy things is also a family tradition. My mother ran her first marathon a few years ago after learning that even though she could get a number for the Philly half marathon, she would be charged full marathon price. Having neither run a half or a full marathon before, having run only 10 miles in the past few months, she completed the marathon.

So, here I am.

Two weeks of getting my butt out of bed to run before work, I'm signed up and ready to run the Boston in order to raise money for Boston Medical Center, a safety net hospital located in Boston's South End. BMC is a private institution, with a public mission of exceptional care, without exception. That's public health lingo meaning we care for any child, adult or family regardless of their ability to pay for care (yes, even with healthcare reform paying for care is STILL a problem). The hospital supports 70 sub-specialties and a multitude of social service programs, including the only hospital based Preventive Food Pantry in the country, a Grow Clinic, Robotic assisted surgery in cardiology and neurosurgery, the Kids Fund, the Medical Legal Partnership for Children, and MUCH more.

I am at the starting blocks. Here I go: Ready, Set, RUN!