BOSTON MARATHON:PART 1

The weekend of the Boston Marathon has always been an epic one for me and this one was no different.  Much like the last few years, I had a lot going on, including about 10 different team meetups and two races, but somehow I managed to squeeze it all in without losing it. Okay, I might have lost it a tad by Sunday, but thankfully for me and those around me it wasn't a complete unraveling.  On Friday morning, I zipped into the city to get a quick run in with Cheyne, a friend of mine who works at Skechers.  It was a beautiful day and I was psyched to get a little time in Boston before the chaos ensued.  I'm not going to lie and tell you I wasn't a little starstruck to see Deena Kastor running with friends as I made my way over to the Sheraton.  She's one of my biggest run-heroes, so that was super cool.  I met Cheyne in the hotel lobby and we took off toward the river.  Runners were out in full force, many of them getting their final miles in in preparation for Monday.  The buzz in the air was electric and my nerves, which had been at bay until this point, started to kick in.  My own level of excitement ramped up significantly with each mile.  Holy crap, I thought, it's marathon weekend.  It's all happening now.  Cheyne and I got about six miles in and then he had to head over to the expo so we said our goodbyes and I made my way back to Winchester.  Later that afternoon, I pulled out my gear for the both the 5K, which I'd be racing on Saturday and the marathon, which I'd be running as a guide for Team With A Vision and with Joyce Cron for the second year in a row.

Around 5:30pm, my friend and fellow RW Loopster, Brad Angle (aka Bangle) rolled in from CA.  He would also be running the marathon so he was staying with us for the weekend.  I had stayed at Brad's house in 2016 for the LA marathon so I was happy to repay the favor.  We caught up over dinner and then turned in pretty early, me because I was racing the next day and, well, because I always do, Brad because he was wiped out from traveling and needed to recharge.  I'm not sure if it was nerves, excitement or both but Saturday morning I was bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5:00am.  I rolled out of bed, made some coffee and sat outside for a bit as it was another gorgeous day.  The BAA5K would be starting at 9:30am, so our plan was to take off at 7:30 sharp.  Why so early, you ask?  Last year I did not leave enough time and forgot my bib which resulted in a disastrous race start so I was not going to be making this mistake again.  Brad opted to come with me as he wanted to watch the race, meet up with friends and hang in Boston and we also picked up Kirsten, my teammate and partner in crime, who would also be running.  We made it into the city easily, parked in a garage and headed over to the Boston Common to stretch and chill for a while.

#TEAMBACON

Around 8:30, Kirsten and I left for our warmup.  By the time we got back, the crowd had quadrupled and the temp felt like it has increased by at least 10 degrees.  The whole scene was kind of nuts.  We shed all of our layers and checked our bags at the gear tent.  Each year there are about 10,000 runners who do this race so we made our way over to the start pretty early in order to find a good spot and do some final stretching.  Kirsten was recovering from walking pneumonia so her plan was just to relax and enjoy the scene.  I, on the other hand, was eager to bust a move and see what I could do and despite the fact that I'm in the middle of training for a May marathon, my coach told me to go for it and see what the marathon legs have in them.  So we said our goodbyes and made our way to our separate pace corrals.  

THE RACE

As you may know from past race reviews, I loathe the 5K simply because I'm not built for speed and thus the pain of sprinting 3.1 miles is borderline unbearable.  But, I do them anyway because they're great workouts for marathon training and it's always good to get outside of my comfort zone once in a while.  This particular course is super fast as it's simply down and back on the streets of Boston with one minor dip under a bridge and then back up.  The downside, however, is that with a crowd this big, it's tough to find a groove during the first mile with all the darting and dodging that has to be done.  Because of that you never really know what to expect but if things go well, a PR is definitely in the cards.  The gun went off and the elites were on their way but the rest of us slowly shuffled to the start as we were packed like sardines on Charles Street and would remain so until we crossed the line and spread out onto Boylston Street.

THE START

I immediately carved a spot out for myself on the left side of the road and tried to settle in as best I could.  My goal was to run somewhere between a 6:00-6:15 pace so I worked to get there and tried not to stress about all the people I was bumping into and knocking elbows with.  I crossed the first mile in 6:05, so right on target.  I was nervous as I could already feel the pain in my chest from working so hard but I told myself to chill out, that it was only 2 more miles and that I could suck it up for 2 miles if I ran 20+ on a regular basis.  I continued on, checking my watch once in a while and watching as the elite runners came at us in the other direction.  I laughed a little as I thought about the speed at which they were running.  Totally mind blowing.  Mile two was a 6:03.  I was pumped.  But also really, really hurting and a little panicked because I had another mile to go in this state.  

MILE 3

The above photo (taken by Brad) pretty much sums it all up.  I was on the pain train.  Big time.  The 3rd mile is on the actual marathon course, so that's pretty inspiring and as you head toward the final push the crowds increase tenfold so whatever doubt I was feeling was overshadowed by the fans who were pulling me along at this point.  I turned the corner for the final .1 and saw all of my Oiselle teammates, which was a huge boost.  You can't put a price on that kind of support.  I had stopped looking at my watch for this last stretch so I didn't know where I stood.  Based on how I felt, I figured I'd dropped my pace, but I didn't want to  know.  I just threw down all I had for the final push to the finish.  I kind of fumbled with my watch before I stopped it, but it said 19:08, so I was pleased.  It wasn't a PR, (sub 19:05) but it was pretty damn close and given that I'd logged two 80 mile weeks before this race, I was happy to take it.

I made my way over to the green to meet up with friends from the both the Loop and Oiselle.  Actually, I bee-lined it straight straight to coffee truck that was parked on the green (yes, coffee truck) which was offering up free vanilla iced coffee....what???  Over the next hour or so, tons of friends and teammates rolled in and we all caught up or, in some cases, met for the first time, and traded race and life stories.  This is the part of racing that I truly love the most.  Makes the pain all worthwhile in the end.

Top photo: w/ RW Loopsters Brad and Erin

Bottom photos: Left w/ Nicole and right w/ Pamela, both Oiselle birds

Group Photo #1

Group photo #2

(I told you there were a lot of us)

I am so blessed to have such an amazing run-family, if you will.  People from several groups, of all ages and from all walks of the earth who share my passion for running among other things.  It's undeniably one of the main reasons I continue to compete at this point in my life.  I get excited to connect with these folks whenever it's possible.  I get strength from it in so many ways.  It's just....well, it's hard to put it into words, but hopefully you get a sense of what I mean.  After goodbyes and a cool down, Kirsten and I made our way over to the expo to grab our bibs for the marathon.  She, too, would be running as a guide for Team With A Vision, so we had the same agenda.  After waiting in line for about an hour we finally got our race packets and then cruised through the expo to pick up some goodies and say hi to friends at a few different booths.  We didn't last long as our exhaustion was kicking in big time.  Around 3:00pm we finally headed home for some rest and a shower.  About 17 minutes of rest, actually, as I turned around at 4:00 and headed back into the city to work at the Skechers booth for a couple hours.  Oh well, life's short, I can rest when I'm old.  Quick side note here, in the short time that I was home I got a text from my friend Tim who asked if I was happy that I'd run a 19:02 or sad that I hadn't broken 19 minutes, something I've been trying to do for a while now.  I laughed as I'd had no idea that I'd been that close and while it was a bit of a bummer to have been 2 seconds off....could I have eeked it out if I'd just looked at my watch???... I was thrilled with both the final time and my place, 3rd Master (40+).  The news gave me an unexpected boost of energy, so that was nice, too.  Around 6:00pm I met up with friends, teammates and my sister-in-law, Locky, who was in town from NYC to run the marathon, at B. Good for dinner.  I was running on fumes at this point so after a quick bite, some more stories and laughs and, of course, yet another team photo, I took off with Locky who was staying with me for the night.

B. Good Team Dinner

I haven't hit the pillow that hard in a really long time.  Rack-out city.  I needed a full 8 hours to re-plenish and re-energize in time to do it all over again this next day.  Fortunately, I remembered to get up at 4:30am to make sure and get the Easter baskets taken care of before my kiddos woke up.  That would have been really bad.  My girls get up early so by the time the baskets were found and opened and our neighborhood egg hunt was underway I was off to the city again for a team shakeout run and breakfast meetup. Another big group of us met at the Thinking Cup, got an easy run in together and then grabbed some coffee and hung out for a bit.  It was easily 75 degrees outside by 11:00am, which was a bit daunting for those of us who would be running the next day.  But we just soaked up the sun and each other for the time being and tried not to think about it.

Sunday shakeout and coffee 

w/ Oiselle teammates & friends

If you're wondering why I made an effort to go to every single one of these events it's because being from the Boston area, I'm the one who organized them and I needed/wanted to be the point person at each one.  Not that I minded, I love hanging with this crew and that I get to see a variety of gals from all over the country at these big, local events.  It's a warm, loving, welcoming group so it's always a pleasure to motivate for them.  A couple hours after this meetup I headed back home to prep for a poster-making session.  We had over 150 women running the marathon from Oiselle and wanted to have signs for the cowbell corner that would be happening the next day.  I'm not artistic, so I made a sign with all 152 names on it.  I was pretty proud of that.  

Posters ready

w/ Lesko, Cecil, Feather & Clover

We crafted, ate, talked, ate more and finally finished around 5:00pm.  And that was it from my end.  The next day I'd be running the marathon so I was officially off duty.  I put my feet up, grabbed my book and chilled out for the rest of the afternoon.  I was in bed before 9:00 in preparation for game day.  I tried to calm my nerves and rest my bones but it wasn't easy as the craziness of the past few days was still stirring in me.  I also couldn't believe that I'd be running the marathon with Joyce in a matter of hours.  Holy. Moly.  I willed the sleep to come and eventually, finally, thankfully.... I was out.  

To be continued....

Listen to this:

Alright Now by Cash + David

BOSTON:RACE READY

"Boston is the cream of the crop of the marathon world. It has such history that you feel such honor just being a part of it."

~ Summer Sanders

One weekend, two races and a whole lot of awesomeness.  See you on Boylston Street.....twice.

#BAA5K

#BOSTONMARATHON

#TeamWithAVision

#TEAMCRON

#26.2

#BOSTONSTRONG

Listen to this:

Brave by Freedom Fry

GUEST POST:POSE METHOD on FORM

Despite the fact that I'm 42 years old and that I've been running since I was about 10, I am always ready and willing to learn more and thus always on the hunt for new and/or updated running-related info.  So, when the folks from Pose Method reached out and suggested a post about common running form errors and ways to correct them I was all ears.  Fortunately for me, their timing was perfect as it fell right in line with the start of our high school spring track season.  In coaching, I'm constantly reminding my athletes to watch and, if necessary, to alter their form in hopes of helping them become more efficient and ultimately faster on the track.  I'm sure this info will help me with my own form, I know it will help my runners with theirs and I'm guessing it might help you, too.  Big thanks to Ben Reid, Dr. Romanov and the folks at Pose Method for keeping all of us informed.  Read on.

THE THREE MOST COMMON RUNNING ERRORS

Running is an activity enjoyed by millions across the globe. But did you know that nearly 85% of recreational runners are injured every single year?! Can you think of any other sport or activity where that level of injury occurrence would be acceptable? Running injuries are a systemic problem that many acknowledge but few can seem to conquer.

In my work, I have found three common mistakes, which I call deviations, that runners often commit that lead to injuries. But first we need to clear a few philosophical hurdles so you understand my basis for categorizing something as an error or deviation.

For starters, we all have to agree on the leading fact at hand; runners suffer pain and injuries at a high rate. That is a conclusion I’ve found in the research and I welcome you to find the same conclusion yourself. Now, if a runner gets injured, we can likely assume that they must be committing some kind of error. Our bodies are designed to perform the task of movement, and it is completely reasonable to expect that we can move without suffering an injury. Finally, if you recognize that there must be the existence of an error or something being done wrong, then that means there must be a way of doing that is right.

To summarize: Injuries occur because of an error, which is a deviation from the correct execution. If there is a correct way to run, it will be based on identifying things that ALL RUNNERS do that is the same. This is where the Pose Method comes into play. First, take a minute to watch this quick video.

Now that you have a brief overview of our standard model for running, you can easily identify errors, which I call deviations from the standard. In other words, when you watch a runner, anything extra outside of Pose-Fall-Pull are unnecessary additions to your gait that will likely result in pain or injury. Here are the three most common errors along with a drill you can use to address the issue.

1 - OVERSTRIDING

Error: Overstriding is the most common error committed by runners. It is when a runner is exhibiting an excessive range of motion with their lower body. I like to call this Running with the Legs. You can identify it by the leg reaching far out in front and lagging far behind the body on every step. Many times, this error generates from poor coaching cues that paint the wrong picture. Have you ever heard a coach say “open up your stride”? The truth is, your leg movement is a consequence of the speed you are running, not the other way around, so you do not need to put any extra effort into it.

Correction: To address this error, you want to work on improving your pulling action. Running with resistance bands are a framing exercise that will help you pull your foot up under the hip. To do this drill, strap resistance bands around each ankle and have a partner stand behind you with the bands pulled tightly. Begin to run in place for about 10 seconds. Then, fall-forward and run for about 10 seconds, then stop, unstrap the bands, and continue running for 10-15 seconds.

2 – BENDING AT THE WAIST

Error: As it is titled, many runners bend forward at the waist when running. This can happen for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, this can be a fatigue issue. When you are on the trail, and you begin to wear down, your gait pattern will deteriorate. Bending at the waist will be one of the first places your body breaks down. Additionally, bending forward happens as a counterbalance to the legs reaching out in front.

Correction: Once you can identify this error in your own running, you will no doubt be able to recognize it happening during a run. Without stopping, simply reach behind your body and clasp your hands, straightening your arms. Run with your hands clasped for about 10-12 steps, then release your hands and continue running, while focusing on keeping your upright body position.

3 – Landing Ahead of the Body

Error: First off, let me be clear, all three of these errors are related and one can easily contribute to another. You will rarely see an error in complete isolation. Landing ahead of the body is when, from the side perspective, your foot strike happens beyond your general center of mass. It does not matter if you are on the heel or any other part of the foot; if you are ahead of the body, then you are committing an error. Primarily, your legs will be out in front because you are late pulling your trail foot up off the ground.

Correction: The main focus for addressing this error is to change your perception during that moment of changing support from one foot to the next. Instead of seeking the ground with your airborne foot, you want to pay attention to when the support foot is no longer engaged with your body weight so you can pull it. To begin, stand with on foot pulled up under your hip. This position is called the Running Pose. Begin to fall-forward, holding this body position as long as possible, then pull up your foot on the ground, allowing the airborne foot to fall and land into the next Running Pose. Focus on pulling your foot up, your airborne foot will fall without any help or guidance from you. The runner’s responsibility is pulling the foot up, the other foot landing happens as a byproduct. Do this for several reps and then slowly transition into a run. 

If you want more help with improving your running form, including more unique drills and exercises, sign-up for the Beginner’s Guide to Pose Running program here.

Listen to this:

This Song by RAC feat. Rostam

NOTE: The information provided in this article is from the research and practice of Dr. Nicholas Romanov, PhD. More information about Dr. Romanov and the Pose Method can be found at posemethod.com.

MY TRIBE

Find your tribe.  Love them hard.  

~ unknown 

It's 9:00am on April 1st.  And it's snowing.  The kids make their way quietly, slowly into the field house.  They're in high school, so they're tired.  Always tired.  Today, a lot of them woke up, looked out the window and thought (hoped) they'd be able to sleep in.  Not a chance.  As far as the coaches are concerned, it's just another day and we need to train.  End of story.  The warm up begins and both teams, boys and girls, (about 150 athletes all together) start to show signs of life.  A little chatting here, a little laughter there as reality begins to set in.  Okay.  We're here.  This is what we signed up for.  We're doing this.  In the 20 minutes or so that we've been warming up, the weather has gotten worse.  The snow is coming down harder and the wind has picked up.  I confer with my fellow coaches as to whether it's safe enough to take my distance crew out for a run.  Weather aside, the streets are bad and the visibility is worse.  We decide it's okay if we stick together and run in the quieter neighborhoods.  If it's too much, we'll bail all together.  The warm up is done and the girls scatter to their various training groups.  Our distance squad huddles together.  Here's the deal I say.  It's clearly nasty out.  But there is not enough room in this field house for all of us to run.  So, you have two choices.  You can come out with me and give it a go.  Or you can head to the training room and hop on a machine.  It's totally up to you and I'm not the least bit upset if you opt to stay in.  The girls nod and start walking toward the door.  I say nothing as I start to shed some layers and prepare to go out.  The girls say nothing as they decide what to do.  It takes about 30 seconds.  Then they all grab jackets, hats, gloves, anything else worth throwing on and get ready to go out with me.  ALL of them.  Girls I ask you sure about this?  Yes, they all nod.  We're good.  Let's roll.

Runners are a unique breed.  Young, old, fast, slow, none of it matters.  When push comes to shove, we're all part of this one big, crazy family.  The desire...the need...to run; it always makes sense to us.  I am the coach in this particular scenario.  But, even still, these are my people, my tribe.  We build each other up.  And we are stronger together.  The road is ours and we're more than happy to take it.  No matter what.

Listen to this:

Run For the Money by Salt Cathedral