Planet Buff blogging!

Adventure Junkie posted an entry about the Original Buff Headwear promo I am doing to fundraise for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. To buy your Buff, go to my fundraising site and follow the instructions for your FREE SHIPPING and entry for an $100.00 SHOPPING SPREE!

For anyone interested in the outdoors,The Adventure Blog is a great place to check out the latest news and gear! Thanks, Adventure Junkie!

Gearing Up!

Not quite the way I had hoped, but our Team is getting ready for a 20 miler tomorrow, which will start in Hopkinton, finishing at Heartbreak Hill. It will be a good crowd, as several charities join together for the event, and should be good weather to boot!

I will not be joining the runners, but will be with supporters and friends at the 15 mile support station. The ankle has not healed enough to warrant a 20 miler, and an MRI is scheduled on Monday to rule out stress fractures. Oh well. I've had a few days to adjust and can say I am getting my head around it. In the best case, I can work out an alternate training plan and still do well in the race, which is what I'll be hoping for! In the meantime, I'll work to get my husband and teammate ready and enjoy seeing my teammates meet this great challenge tomorrow morning.

For those of you out on a long run, here are a few things I like to think about:

1. Start off and run like you expect to run your marathon. Don't expend all your energy at the start. It can be exciting, but you are in for the long haul. Take a mile or two to warm up. Boston is especially difficult, as there is a good downhill early on in the race. Don't speed down it! You will hurt your quads and pay the price later. Keep your knees soft and lean back to save your quads.
2. Think about your hydration and nutrition. Drink like you plan to drink on race day, and don't overdo the hydration. And- stop drinking at least an hour and a half out from the start- the last thing you want is to spend minutes in line at a porta potty, or pull a muscle hopping off the road to get behind a tree.
3. In the first 10 miles, check sporadically to make sure you are maintaining a good pace. Sometimes you can get going too fast, but the Boston course has plenty of hills for you later, so it's good to think about staying relaxed and strong to the 15 mile mark.
4. Hills: The hills on the Boston course come into play after the 15 mile mark, starting with a steep downhill and ascent through what is known as "Hell's Alley", followed by the right hand turn onto the Newton Hills. Remember to relax on the downs, keeping your knees bent and arms and legs opening out behind you, and to ALSO relax on the ups! I like to pump my arms a bit in front of me going uphill and open them out behind on the downs. The hills can be long, but there are a few tricks you can play, mixing a number of brain activities at the same time, like a scanner.:

• Counting: I like to count in groups of 5 because it occupies my brain more than an even number. I count 5 steps twice, then go up to 10, then start again.
• Think positive thoughts: Your brain will only be able to think of one thing at a time, so don't bother filling it with things like 'I will never make it', but focus on saying positive things like 'good job', 'keep your form', 'relax','doing good', etc.
• Think about relaxing your legs when each one is not pushing- as each leg comes up, take a second to relax it. It helps!
• Don't look up. Take a nice peek at the hill before you approach, take some good breaths and pep talk yourself, then look away from the top and get to work. You can do it!
• Don't worry if you lose some time and turnover here. Hills are tough, and hills when fatigued are tougher. But you'll be surprised that your fatigue is temporary, and that you can regain your pacing, turnover and energy within seconds of completing the rise. Make sure to compliment yourself!

So my dialogue though it sounds crazy, can be like this: "one and two and three and four and five and two and two and three and etc etc.... relax, good job.... how is your form?.... and two and three and four and five and... doing good... etc etc". Sometimes I even sing a long song in between counting. I could be crazy, but it is a good formula for me.

5. Fatigue: There might be a point where you start feeling fatigue. Don't panic! Again, if you can work on solving the issue, your brain will work the best for you- it will be too busy instructing your body to focus on feeling desperate- for hunger or low energy, take some supplements, for sore feet, remove your sneaker and twist it, rubbing your foot while you are at it, for cramps, massage, stretch, or work out walk/run pacing. If there is a specific part of your body that is feeling tired, focus on recruiting other parts of your body or legs to take over- telling yourself that you are giving the tired part a rest. This can really help in the last few miles of a marathon! And focus on putting your brain where it needs to be for YOU. If you need to only think about the next few minutes, do that- don't think about how many miles are left. If you need to just focus on the next hill, do that, and make sure to tell yourself that no matter how hard the up feels, you'll get your speed back on the downs! If you need to think about the pizza that you'll have or the massage, go for it!

6. If it appears you are not meeting your time goals, keep a good perspective- don't descend into negativity. Everyone has off days when they don't run well. If you've been meeting your goals in your training runs, there is NO reason why you won't be able to run a good race. Use the experience to practice managing to run 'the best you can' on this particular day. That is all you can do, and the best favor you can do for yourself.

Happy running, everyone!

The Kindness of Bloggers

Brian, whose excellent fly-fishing blog you can read HERE, wrote a post on my Original Buff Headwear fundraiser today. Brian posted a review of new gear for 2008 and was kind enough to add an update on one of the items, which was the BUFF. You can purchase Original Buff Headwear by going to my site , and by entering the promo code listed there, qualify both for free shipping AND an entry to an $100.00 shopping spree for Original Buff products from Planet Buff.

Another item he reviewed which I've been getting great use out of as well is the Petzl E Lite. This teeny headlamp fits easily and lightly on your head and has several different lighting options, including flashing red and flashing white. I use this gear when running in the dark and can say it's alerted many a vehicle, as well as bicycle, that I am coming down the road. Reflective gear is great, but not always enough, and the light also helps find those dips and hills that disappear at night. Plus, you can pack it in your bag for your other outdoor activities, like hiking and fishing!

Thank you Brian!

Great Video Interview!

Check out this YouTube video about the Boston marathon. I was looking for something inspiring to post and love this one because:
1)It is filmed at the bottom of Heartbreak Hill, just before all the runners head up it.
2)It is filmed during winter training
3)It is especially inspiring seeing all the charity runners who run for a cause. I even saw my old teammate Jill who was running for Team in Training!

Check it out and get revved up, everybody!

Challenges to the Finish

Oh my, how to write? I unfortunately had to bag my 15 miler this Saturday, due to my bruised right foot. We had a nice course planned out, heading to Wellesley College, then looping back towards the Newton Hills, saying hello to the John Kelly statue and coming back to the community center in Wellesley. Two miles in, I felt no improvement in the foot despite my coaches' help to lace around the issue. See this interesting article from Runner's World, UK, which illustrates creative ways to lace shoes for individual fit.

There was a water stop up at the 3 mile mark, and I had decided by then to head back and stop at the community center rather than pressing on to Newton. I sent Tim on the way with deep regret and a pinch of jealousy, but had excellent support from Lori, the coach, who was running, as well as one of my Team members, Greg, who was sitting out the run and working at the water stop. He is an amazingly fast runner who I think will beat a 3:30 time, maybe even qualify, and having his company made it easier to accept a car ride back rather than risk more running, even as I watched my team running by.



I ended up heading to the gym later with a dreaded appointment with the elliptical trainer. I've found that I don't like these workouts, especially the long ones, one bit- my feet fall asleep and hurt, and time goes by at an insanely molasses-like pace. For anyone replacing running with the elliptical, I've learned that you do NOT replace mile-to-mile,- you replace time with equal time, checking on your heartrate to be sure you are approximating effort, and working on maintaining a good rpm.



I continue to ice and here is the plan:

• Cross train- all week if I have to, continuing to ice and alternate ice and heat to move in new blood to the area. Yes, I hate the bike and the elliptical equally, but I vow to make peace with them this week and see that they are my new friends! Yes, I'd rather be running, but I am not going to kick my brick building like the last time I was sidelined and end up breaking a toe.


• Get checked by my doctor if recommended- only because I have osteopenia and want to be sure I am not running into another stress fracture. Having had a running stress fracture on my hip, I know the length of rehabilitation time, and it is NO FUN!!!!


• Act and prepare 'as if'. I am getting ready for a 20 miler this weekend in my spirit and need to prepare my body for the same.

Yes, this is hard. I checked with my coaches and it seems that runners who become injured cannot pass their numbers on to other entrants at this stage. And I want to complete this run, not only to finish, but to reflect the great results I've been having in training this season, having worked so hard on my thyroid levels, my asthma, my concentration and my form. But, we will have to see what happens! Hopefully I will be all okay by Saturday, and if not, I will be able to accept it!

Some friends have offered to work the water stops and I am looking forward to seeing them on the course. There are only a few more practices left and less than 30 days till Boston! Hang in there, everyone!

What the ... ? Another off day

Okay, new issue! The top of my right foot at the highest point leading to the ankle is tender and is a bit swollen. How did THIS happen? The only thing I can think of is that maybe I tied a shoe too tight and caused a bruise during a weekday run. I am taking today off and adventuring into a 'super cycle' spin class. Sound fun?

I've been putting on the ice for a day or two and tested this out well- making sure that the bones did not hurt to compress and that I could hop on it without any discomfort. All is well until the shoes go on, so I am going with the bruise diagnosis. But just to be safe, am not, I say NOT going to run today. My goal is to do well on the 20 miler 9 days away and to be able to run the 15 miler this weekend without imparing that.

The weeks building up to peak marathon training can bring out some weird issues. The body is tired, the brain can get tired and not focus well on injury causing issues, the psyche can get wrapped up in things like time goals and forget that it is the body that needs to get us there- in good shape! If this is happening to you, don't worry! Focus on solving your problems by getting good rest and medical intervention if needed, extra massages or P.T., and keeping the big picture in focus.

Today is SPRING! Happy Spring Training, Everyone!

Save Some Plastic!

This is another post about my fundraising store. You can read this post at the enviromom blog about this product.

Plastic bags consumed this year:


(Courtesy of Reusablebags.com)

Have you ever thought about how much plastic you throw away each day? This has been an increasingly irksome question to me as I get older and calculate my own trash production. This year, my husband switched from soda to water, not for health reasons, but out of the feeling he got looking at all his recylables every week. And not all plastics can be recycled!

I am selling reusable sandwich wraps on my fundraising site, http://www.coolstuffforthecure.com/ .

These wraps are reusable, washable, durable, and not only make a stay-fresh wrap for sandwiches, but an instant placemat for your lunch as well! I have 4 that I use to pack my husband's lunch in, rotating two each day and can verify that these wraps keep a sandwich just as fresh as a plastic bag. These wraps can be machine washed and air dried- I've simply handwashed them while doing dishes. Here are some photos of the wrap- excuse the funky looking homemade bread!:

Each colorful wrap purchase enters you in a drawing to win $32.00 worth of wrap-n-mats- drawing to be held May 31, 2008. If this doesn't interest you, here are some other ways to cut down on plastic and increase recycling:

• Say no to plastic at the store: Bring your own reusable shopping bags, and use mesh or cotton produce bags for your veggies and fruits
• Reuse plastic bags that you use for trash liners. Wash and reuse ziploc storage bags.
• Make sure your neighborhood has a recycling plan and that your building uses it! If you don't have one, contact your local representative to bring this issue up.
• Recycle your running shoes! Nike has a program where you can bring your old shoes to be ground up for sports surfaces around the world.

Happy recycling, everyone!

Some humor- Dash for the Cash.. in Stilettos?

This article caught my eye today as I was looking for something fun to post. A race with the motto 'Shopping is a Sport' where women race in heels of 3.5" MINIMUM. Can you imagine? My collection of hiking boots, running shoes and other clunky flats would straight out DQ me any day. I do have a pair of heels in a box somewhere- last time I wore them, I walked home barefoot.

At least wikiHow gives you some pointers in technique. I'll leave this one to the more competitive shoppers out there!

That is as much fun as my friend's email showing how to tell when your feet stink:

Snowy, rainy long runs

Our Team practice once again was held during a snowy/rainy day! I was not sure I'd be running due to the ankle, but decided to prepare as if I'd run it and see how things went the first few miles.

My friend Kathleen and her aunt Nancy came to practice to dedicate our training run to Kathleen's mother, Judy, who passed away last year after a decade long battle with multiple myeloma. I am running in Judy's memory this year, and as Kathleen said, it would be fitting, as Judy loved the marathon and watched it every year from her favorite spot- Golden Temple restaurant on Beacon Street. I am going to run this marathon as best as I can and continue on with my fundraising for blood cancer research! Forward, ho!

Our run, after many weeks of hill runs, was AWAY from the hills, heading out from Wellesley through Natick and Framingham, then back. I definitely felt the ankle and decided that if it got 'worse' I would stop at any of the water stops along the way. My excellent coach Rick was at the first stop and asked me about it, telling me that I could be feeling some compensation. I kept on going, and the pain evened out, just like he had said! Rick mentioned that we would make a plan to ice it right after the run, and this thought of having a post-run plan helped me feel more comfortable with the choice I made to continue.

I was behind Tim for most of the run, and towards the end, felt that I was really slowing him down. The rain and snow made for a wet chilly run, and in the last 400 yards, my foot cramped up and I had to pull off my shoe and stretch it out. I've never had this happen before, but guess there's a first time for everything. Once again, I layered Wright socks under my smart wool socks and it helped dispel any blisters (I also coated my feet with Glide).

I was happy to see that we managed to run (not quite 18 miles according to Tim's GPS) within a 'supposed' time frame for me to be able to make a qualifying run, and managed to make negative splits as well. I am using the McMillan's pace calculator, and also this chart , punching in a fade time of 20 seconds a mile after mile 20. The time I'd have to get in my age group would be 3:50:59. It might not happen! Our main goal is to raise funds for LLS, then to try to run all the way through without having the cramping Tim's been experiencing around the 17-20 mile mark, then to try for a sub 4 marathon. Qualifying would be the icing on the cake, but I think we will focus on running assertively, following a practical plan, basing the run on the process rather than outcome and focusing on how we are running. I am putting this down here so that I can remember, too! Don't get bogged down by the outcome!!!!!

Happy training, everyone!

Original Buff Headwear part II

This is part II of my Original Buff Headwear post. Though I hate to post my photos, at my sister's encouragement, I am including photos showing different ways to wear the Buff. You can see the original Buff worn as my favorite style, which is a thick headband for running, a cap made by twisting and doubling back the fabric, a pirate cap, and a headband. I also included one photo of my favorite, which is a combined fleece and microfiber Buff, which I have been wearing almost exclusively on my long runs. Again, you can buy Original Buff Headwear from my fundraising store, with free shipping and the chance to win a one hundred dollar shopping spree from Planet Buff. Just remember to follow the instructions when ordering and input the promo code TNTCURE. Remember these sales are not for profit, and a portion of each sale will
go directly to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!

Plan of Action...

Okay, assessment so far is hopeful- elliptical on Thursday instead of running, then checking in on Friday to see whether the Saturday run should delay a day or not. Good news! I think staying off the injury, icing, wrapping and taking a run day completely off has helped. That is better than I had hoped! Given the site of injury (a chronic injury site), the fact that blood flow to the ankle is notoriously bad, and that my hypothyroidism makes cell turnover and healing a little slower than normal, I think this is excellent news. I am lucky to have a great coach who has already provided some good advice, and an excellent doctor, who is also a runner. :-)

Today I am writing about my role models and one special thing I notice about them. Rick Muhr, my running coach, has been working with LLS for well over a decade, helping the Boston Team of over 130 runners each season train for and complete the Boston Marathon. His challenge is a big one- to motivate charity runners, some of whom have never completed 26.2 miles, and get them through training in order to run Boston in 'relative comfort'. Rick is an accomplished runner who has run amazing races, from marathons to cross-state (as in- running across the state!) events, and recently ran more than 60 miles in punishing conditions. His motivation to make a difference and especially a difference in the fight against cancer is a personal one, and it is a motivation he shares openly with a team of runners every week. I am overlooking another person who deserves this credit- his wife Lori, also an accomplished runner and a co-coach for the Team who attends each training and has helped us all with her wisdom.

My other role model is from my another of my hobbies as an amateur rose gardener- David Cannistraro. David is a Master Rosarian with the New England Rose Society Yankee District. He willingly donates his time and resources to helping novice gardeners learn about rose culture and care, performing pruning seminars at public gardens, and teaching volunteers at public gardens about roses. Just yesterday he presented at the New England Flower Show with his co-worker at their company Just Roses, Cynthia Fraser, who is an accomplished rosarian as well. David's constant encouragement that anyone can learn about and grow great roses has inspired many gardeners.

Cynthia, her husband and David at the annual Justine Mee Liff Party in the Park

To outline requirements for Master Rosarians, aside from the more than decade long term required as a Consulting Rosarian and other performance related requirements, the Master Rosarian:

• Exemplifies knowledge of roses and their culture
• Shows a strong and demonstrated willingness to share this knowledge with other rosarians and the general public
• Provides an example of outstanding service to the local rose society and the ARS (American Rose Society) and is a model of the ethical behavior exemplified in the CR program.
  The quality I want to recognize in Rick, Lori, David and Cindy, is that these people, though they have gained wisdom through concerted effort and excellence in their respective fields and could easily retain this knowledge exclusively for themselves, have chosen to share their talents and abilities to the benefit of others. I am lucky to be someone who is within radius of these extraordinary people, and to benefit from the guidance and encouragement they have provided to me. I hope I can retain this example through my running season and upcoming gardening season and thank these inspirational people for making a difference!

The rose 'Justine Mee Liff', bred by my grandfather Paul E. Jerabek, and selected by David Cannistraro to be dedicated and planted in the Kelleher Rose Garden in the Fenway. Justine Liff was the late Boston Parks Commissioner, an advocate for parks and partnership and whose work fostered a sense of community and founded the Emerald Necklace Conservancy.

Messing up

Well, yesterday I messed up. Reviewing my long run times, it struck me like a lightning bolt that according to McMillan's Running Calculator, a qualifying Boston time is currently in reach. I couldn't believe it! Although I reviewed the run before heading out, stressing that it was to be a recovery run with the speed saved for Tuesday, I ended up going out too fast and pulled my ankle halfway through my 7 miler. A limping gait home has me wrapped up today.

I think part of the problem was our Garmin 350- Tim had it set to give out warning beeps when pacing was fast/slow, and the window was very small! Each time it beeped, he adjusted pace, although the course was hilly. It goes without saying that we were too fast on the warmup, fast on the downs, and too slow on the ups!

Lesson?: Don't get carried away! I am irritated, as I should know better by now and still allowed my desire to catch up to my running partner to affect my training. Since I have my chiro appointment tomorrow and I am willing to take the day off, I think my chances of recovery by Saturday for the 18 miler are still pretty good. But it's not worth it to get injured at this stage of the game.

Having said that, I've been ill and been injured before, and I know that there is plenty of time to heal up before the big day AND to do well.

We Finally Catch a Break!

We have finally caught a break! Despite a severe storm that blew through the East Coast, we managed to miraculously run in between two legs of the storm, encountering nothing more than a few misty moments. We are still in shock!!!!

Our hilly run through Grafton did not quite meet 17 miles, but our 16 mile pacing was encouraging, averaging 8:40's despite a minute bathroom break. The hill profiles are quite similar to the Newton Hill ranges, and having the last two miles with building hills and a final downhill gave the legs a good push to the finish.

Today we both discussed the run and decided to run a good clip- no reason why we could not set our usual goal pace, we thought. I like the idea of planning to succeed and running 'as if' we are already at our goal- it does leave the brain more room to succeed, rather than planning conservatively for crisis management. The last few hills were actually difficult for me, and I was left a bit behind, but I managed to make my way up and almost catch up by the finish.

We are starting to plan for our Team 20 miler, to be held at the start in Hopkinton on March 29th. Any runners who are interested in joining, please let me know, as there is only a 5 dollar charge to cover gatorade and transportation- though you need to fill out a form in advance. We will be bussed to the start from Wellesley Community Center, with parking is available at the DPW below the center.

We are also looking for volunteers to assist at water stations and ferry runners from the finish at Heartbreak Hill back to the community center, along with massage therapists to volunteer services. This run is held along with other charity organizations, and refreshment stations are going to be set up along the course. It is an excellent way to experience the course under supportive conditions.

Saturday, another sloshy seventeen?

Well, it's Friday, and I feel good. I took a cue from the sane part of my brain and ran a fun run 5 miler yesterday, intentionally going slow and enjoying the ride. At this point, it's easy to be persuaded that if the effort isn't hard, that you aren't training well. But this can lead to overtraining, burn-out, even injury, and at the last few weeks of build-up, this is not a risk to want to take.

It was nice to go out with no pressure, and enjoy the fact that we were outdoors and able to run. As our Team points out regularly during meetings, training for a marathon is nothing compared to going through chemotherapy or dealing with the challenge of a blood related cancer. And the fact that we GET to run and are ABLE to run is something we should appreciate every single day.

It was nice to see the sunset, and to hear the sound of birds- could spring actually be around the corner????

Having said that, we are scheduled for another severe storm tomorrow, with a variation- it will be in the upper 30's and low 40's, which means RAIN instead of snow. In fact, the forecast shows steady rain from 9 this evening to 5 p.m. Saturday, with thunder and potential for localized flooding. On the PLUS side, current predictions list 'showers' until 11 a.m., and 'rain' from 12 p.m. onwards. I am hoping this is right!

Our coach says today: "running in the rain has a unique way of returning you to your youth and connecting you to the earth." Let's get ready to get connected! He also says "Embrace the reality that tomorrow may be the hardest training run of the season and realize that the benefits of completing it are limitless".

If this is happening to you where you are and you are training too, remember that the Boston Marathon is never predictable, weather-wise. Running and learning to run in adverse conditions gives us the tools we need to be better prepared. Here's to Saturday!

• Tips:
• Wet shoes? To dry them out, remove inserts and stuff with newspaper. The paper will absorb the water overnight and pulling out the paper the next day will give you a dry pair of shoes in about 24 hours.
• When nearing the last section of training, start thinking about your race day shoes. If you've been rotating a couple of pairs and ESPECIALLY if you are running in a model released a year or more ago, start scoping out places to buy your race day shoes. Buy your shoes and break them in ahead of race day. I like to wear them on at least one short run and one or two longish runs, then put them away for the big day.

Quotes of the day and artist profile

John Kelly was quoted as saying "Marathoning is just another form of insanity".


I think I've found my club , ha ha!

On another note, my friend Yuko Adachi is hosting an open studio together with her husband, Andreas Gmur at their studio 228, Harrison Ave, Boston this Friday March 7th from 6-8 p.m.. Hey- you might say- this doesn't have anything to do with marathon training! Well- besides being an inspirational person, Yuko has supported my fundraising by offering her lovely Fine Art Cards for sale on my website. Whether you buy some or not, please take some time to see the magnificent artwork on Yuko's site or at her studio!

Attitude Adjustment and major goal review

Okay! It's a fresh week and we are ready to get in gear! We had a super 7 mile run yesterday that flew by, I am convinced, because I stopped being such a wet blanket.

Over the past few weeks I've had a few issues:
1)My fundraising isn't where I want it to be. My goals and work to create a website just haven't brought in the results I had hoped for. Boo hoo.
2)Asthma: Yes, a few attacks, and had to stop and use extra albuterol to make it. But now I have a new Rx, and things are working well! And it is getting warmer....
3)A chronic ankle injury that I work on during training(uncomfortable, but runnable) has progressed to(or been joined by) an upper hamstring insertion irritation in the glutes.

My short term reaction to obstacle always being disappointment and depression. But- guess what? This doesn't really solve anything. And as runners, we know that we can't control the outcome of any one run. The best I CAN do is to work on these things:
1)Okay, so the website's not generating the results you hoped for, despite what you thought were cool and great products for an awesome cause. So what? You still have the support of many people who have donated to LLS, the people who you are running for, and old fashioned direct fundraising tactics to fall back on. A generous donor asked me for my fundraising link out of the blue and donated promptly. So- do I need to feel bad about this? NO!
2)Asthma: Okay, so you have it. Try out the new meds, which seem to be working well, and see how it goes. If you have an attack, manage it! It doesn't mean you cannot run!!!!
3)Injury: If you are smart, you have plenty of time and resources to manage this. Ice the hamstring/tendon, do the p.t. and strengthening exercises, negotiate some massage time and listen to the bod. If you need to lay off, do it!

Okay? Taking a cue from the book I am reading Running Within, I will withhold judgements about what I can and can't do, both in fundraising and training, and think more about what I'd like to do and plan for it. I think one of the quotes in the book by Henry Ford was very accurate: "Whether you think you can or think you can't you're probably right". So, let's reserve judgement on can/can't, fail/win, and reposition our brains! I look forward to a warm, if rainy run tonight and will hold off on the Yasso's until the irritation in the hamstring resolves.

Slushy, snowy sixteen- harumpph!

This was what was outside the window on Saturday morning. I grumpily and slowly donned my gear, selfishly sending Tim out all alone to stash gatorade along the route. Once again, we worked backwards along the marathon course from Beacon Street up Commonwealth Avenue, through the Newton Hills and back.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and had probably one of the most challenging runs this season. I hate wet feet. Hate, hate, hate. And for the first few miles, I tried to fool myself that if I took care with my footing, I would get through the run without too much sogginess. Ha! Running up Beacon Street against traffic (sidewalks unshoveled!) and on a slope, torrents of water literally sloshed over the tops of my sneakers. To add to the mix, plows had cleared the car lanes, but not the bike lane, which was piled deep with slush. This made for a 'slap slap' sound as we pigeon-stepped. Lovely. I could hear Tim's shoes going 'squish squish' as we ran- mine enviably filled with orthotics which dampened the sound effects.

The good thing was that the winds were not there! The predicted gusts never came, and the temperature was definitely over freezing. And the best thing were the other runners who all were so friendly- it definitely made a difference!

Our times were pretty slow. We really did have a tough time navigating in and out of lanes of traffic, sidewalks, slush and puddles, but by the 2nd half of the run picked up to run between 8:30 and 8:40's or so. Overall, we did beat the 9 minute mile, but it was quite a challenge! I was grumpy pretty much the whole way through and I am sure I was a horrible person to have to run with.

How to choose wet weather running gear: When running in wet weather, remember to think about your clothes- picking close fitting tights will help more than baggy running pants. Same goes for your top- Tim likes his Under Armour top, layered with a Craft top on cold days or a light windbreaker on mild days- I prefer Smart Wool, followed by a Sporthill stretchy jacket. Make sure to think long and hard about chafing and use Glide or other lubricants liberally on areas that rub like feet and bra contact points. I used a double layer Wright sock underneath my running socks to cut down on friction, and it worked just fine! If rain or snow look to occur through the run, think about lidded headgear like a basball cap. The downside is that it's tricky to take off and carry if not needed, but the plus side is that you don't get snow, ice or rain slapping you in the face.

Well, off to work on revamping my attitude for the coming week. Here's to meeting a challenge and hope to spend the coming week working on my other challenge- fundraising.