20 miles

This weekend, The Absolutely Fabulous Four were scheduled to run the Hyannis Marathon relay. At the beginning of the month, A friend was injured and left the team. That was okay-- I'd make the relay less of a recovery run and more of a work out. 13.1 is a fun challenge. Done.

Well, not so fast, (sorry for the pun), Runner #2 has a conflict that he learns of days before the race. No problem. I'll just run three legs. A challenging training run...

Yeah. Sucker that I am. It was good for me I suppose. Really good physically to see how I could handle it, but mentally, it's another whole game. That was the biggest lesson. Sure, my hamstrings are tight and I feel like I sprained my ankle but at the end of the day, I'm fine. Better than fine. And, I'll have another great attempt at 22 miles before the marathon in March.

Stay tuned!

SPARK of Hope?

...Is the name of the gala to benefit the SPARK center each fall. Although I've never bid on an item at the annual event, I toured SPARK for the first time this Friday and was overwhelmingly impressed.

SPARK stands for "Supporting Parents And Resilient Kids." The program began over a decade ago, first as respite for parents and their newborns who had HIV/AIDS. As fewer and fewer children are born with AIDS in the area, and we learn more and more about caring and helping people with the virus, the mission of SPARK has evolved. A daycare was added for children with special medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS, failure to thrive, and those who are visually impaired or have been witnessed to violence or survivors of abuse. An after school program with group therapy and life skill program to supports the kids who originally found a home at SPARK and a "TICKET to success" internship program is also a core of today's mission.

Learning about young adults and rebellious teens being informed of their status; learning about the importance of their medication; having this community commends the visionaries, clinicians, therapists and staff that are fundamental to this work.

I heard the history, saw the patients, the infants and the students who all made me wish I had 1mm to hand out to these kids and their families. Working towards running 26 miles is a challenge but certainly a humbling experience knowing that running Boston is a choice. Of course, I feel very good about this choice after seeing this program last week.

Zen in motion

On a typical Tuesday evening, I frantically leave work at 5:02, get to my car at 5:11, drive with haste about 8 blocks, dash up the steps at 121 E. Berkeley, change, throw down my yoga mat, practice. At 6:44, I leap up, dash on a coat, stuff my feet haphazardly into boots, jog to the car and dash on 90, walking into the Z residence at 7:16 to babysit for the evening.

What I'm not doing is joining the marathon training team on their weekly hill runs on the Common. This Tuesday with the snow, my play-date with the two sweet peas was canceled. I assume the hill runs were, too.

Knowing that my long run this week will be on mostly flat turf. I wanted to be sure to at least have one intimate experience with the undulating hills. I warmed up by getting lost finding my way back to my hill 3 miles later. How I manage to explore just a left and a right too much in my own neighborhood is not something I care to reconcile.

My hill happens to be that lovely slope from Summer street up to Highland by way of Vinal Ave. It's right by the dog park and where the kickball teams get smashed come spring. If you've seen this hill, you know it's no joke. NO JOKE. It just goes up, up and up. I normally give it a rest at .15 mi and crave recovery not even 1/2 way up the hill. It takes me a bloody minute to do that .15...1:06, 1:04, 1:10, 1:04. Four repeats certainly suffice.

Next week I'm going for 6.

Not a bad life at all

So, with this little snow drift covering the ice on the ground, I've really had enough of this little "winter wonderland" that Boston finds itself in presently. It has me thinking ALOT about Tulum and the wondrous time I had in Mexico. If I think I'm running beside the ocean, I can make the Charles River look like exceptionally prime real estate. (photo of me on the beach.)


The other upside of my delusions is that snow facilitates more cross-training. We all know, cross training is REALLY good for us. It is also boring. To add excitement to it all, I've started mimicking my friend Sara's brick training sessions as she prepares for a triathlon. Bike HILLS and then RUN. It is the best mental work out EVER-- not to mention the wonderful lead sensation in those thighs! (sometimes, It makes me think of Richard Simon's dancing to the oldies. I'm sorry. I had to reference him. had to!)

Lesson of the week is that cross training and dynamic stretching RULE. That hamstring extension that I've been suffering through for umm approximately 16 months..you know? hmmm, well, apparently, it does not hurt if I incorporate some leg swings right before I run and directly after I finish. Fancy that. So long ice baths! bye-bye! So long ibuprofen!... Hello mobility!


The ultimate test was when I ran that last leg of the Marathon Route on Sunday. I got dropped off in Newton/Wellesley and ran 9.5 miles home in 1:26:35. (9 min mile) While this isn't phenomenal time, I'm not ashamed considering the hilly course and I had no idea where I was going as I navigated ice patch after ice patch. I feel really GOOD about training.

Lastly, I send a beauty-pageant, hand-cupped, statuesque wave to my fans for their support, encouraging words and donations. Grazie mille!