What next? Rest, races and remembering

Well! It's been over a week since the marathon and life is chugging along. It is normal to feel a 'gap' once a big goal is accomplished- when that big event or performance is over and that focal point ceases to act as a daily beacon to organize events around. Lucky for me, I get to experience a seasonal shift as the weather improves- other volunteer projects such as work for the Fenway Garden Society, fundraising and project managing for several area parks projects, and deadlines for grants applications have all made days even busier than I would have thought (and sometimes want!) post-marathon. Right now, the challenges look to outweigh the successes, but like anything, this is a temporary phase as exploration of challenges lead to solutions going forward.

I will miss my great teammates, including Ben,who was a recipient of a rarely awarded Volunteer of the Year award with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and whose amazing and inspiring blog account you can read here. I'll miss being surrounded weekly by a bunch of people who believe in making a difference through their actions and committment, but as I told our coaches, I think the ripple effect on the way their runners will continue to be impacted by the experience will be limitless.

And... There will be more races! This weekend is the Grafton Gazebo 5 Mile Road Race, held on Saturday, May 3rd at 10:00 a.m. This is a hilly and exciting (especially when you don't know the course!) race, and we should have a nice Team in Training contingent there. And my good friend Chris and teammate Patti have propelled me to sign up for the ING NYC half marathon in November. HALF marathon? That's right! I plan to work on pacing on shorter distances and see where that takes my running. I have yet to resolve my right ankle tendinitis, but am planning on working that out asap. For advice on how to recover from Boston, check out this recovery plan.

I would be remiss in not pointing out some great sponsors, whose products you can STILL BUY through my fundraising website until May 31, 2008:

Planet Buff:
Thank you, Scott, for offering a generous donation for each unit sold through my Original Buff Headwear link. Scott not only has agreed to donate a portion of each sale made through my site with the appropriate fundraising code listed, but to throw in a shopping spree drawing (one lucky winner!) for products for anyone purchasing through this site. Planet Buff is a great company whose products I can't say enough good things about.

Wrap n Mat:
Bonnie at Wrap N Mat has been most generous from the outset, allowing me to sell these great plastic saving reusable sandwich wraps on my site, and resending a large order of products that somehow (!) got lost in the mail.

Yuko Adachi:
Yuko's Fine Art Cards are just a tiny window into her vast artistic world, which you can view on her website. Yuko generously donated her proceeds for these cards for fundraising, and has helped me for a number of years in supporting LLS despite a busy painting and exhibition schedule.

Deans Beans:
Charlsie at Dean's Beans has been the best. She has split orders into small amounts to provide direct shipping of small qtties for my web orders , and provided quick, efficient and cheerful support all the way. This is my second year working with Deans Beans and they have turned a group of coffee lovers into satisfied and loyal customers.

All of these vendors have provided generous fundraising rates that have allowed me to sell their products while raising important funds for blood cancer research. Please take a look at their products and let me know if you are interested in purchasing their products! I can tell you more about any of them, as I've been a customer for all these items myself.

Fundraising Time!

Well, the marathon's over, and we are looking forward to our fundraising party at Jillian's pool hall this Friday. We've had some great donations for raffles and are looking forward to relaxing with friends and Teammates.

I have a month left to raise funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Once again, I'd like to plug my fundraising site, where each purchase enters you in a drawing for prizes and all proceeds go to benefit LLS. What better way to treat yourself to something nice?

Especially when the products are great! My short synopsis:

• Original Buff Headwear: What better way to look stylish during your active lifestyle? Keep your hair off your face and sweat out of your eyes wearing these functional microfiber headbands whether hiking, running, biking, fishing or just hanging out. I love them for the garden and make sure to look at the UV blocking ones for summer days! $100.00 worth of Buff products will go to the lucky winner on May 31st who purchases an Original Buff Headwear item from my site!
  
• Wrap-N-Mats: These great reusable, machine washable sandwich wraps were recently featured on a national talk show. Why? They are environmentally conscious, reusable alternatives to plastic sandwich bags, which double as a placemat when opened. Your chance for $32.00 worth of wrap-n-mats with any purchase! Start cutting back on plastic today!
  
• Yuko Adachi Fine Art Cards: Yuko is an amazing artist whose works have been shown across the country, most recently at Future Arts 2008, The BAAK Gallery in Cambridge, MA, and Venus Gallery, San Francisco. Her Fine Art Cards can be framed to make beautiful miniature artworks, and convey the spirit of her creativity. Your chance for $35.00 worth of Fine Art Cards with any purchase!
  
  
• Dean's Beans Coffee, hot cocoa mix and organic java drops: I can't say enough great things about this coffee. It's delicious, organic, fair trade, shade grown, sustainable coffee that is roasted in small batches at their MA beanery. If you can do one thing to make a difference in the environment, think about drinking organic coffee. Organic farming practices halt the deforestation that occurs with large scale industrial production, and lessens the use of harmful chemicals, which you don't want to be drinking inour morning cup! Each purchase of Dean's Beans coffee enters you in the May 31 drawing for $50.00 of Dean's Beans products.

Thank Yous and Race Day Gear

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank all my friends, family, coaches and doctors for their encouragement working through my injury and ensuing setback. Thanks to you, I kept cross training instead of throwing in the towel! A million thank-yous! :-)

Race Day Gear: If you are running on the 21st, it is TIME to collect your race day gear! Although it's tempting to buy new gear at the expo before the race, it is best to run with clothes you know you'll be comfortable in. I remember wearing an untested clip-on belt pack my first marathon and finishing with a gouge in my hip.

If you aren't wearing a fuel belt, I recommend Race Ready shorts- they are shorts that have 7 (count 'em!) pockets that hold GU or other accessories. I used them on my 20 miler for the first time and can say they work great!

I plan to wear these over tights and instead of carrying 4 GUs in my fists, to put them snugly in the pockets instead.

Gear:

• Sunglasses and headwear: Sunglasses can be a big boon, from protecting your eyes from glare to keeping dust out of them. I wear hard contacts, so breezy spring days mean grit in the air and pain in the eyeballs. Find a pair that you can secure easily on top of your head or hat if not needed. For headwear, have fair weather gear- preferably light and wicking- hey, how about my fundraising Original Buff Headwear?, as well as bad weather gear- for especially rainy or snowy days, pick a lidded top like a baseball cap or tennis visor.


• Layers: Check the weather forecast, but here in Boston, you should be ready for anything from freezing temps up into the 70's. If the weather is under 45 degrees, think seriously about wearing tights- going out too fast in shorts could be a good way to pull a muscle, and you don't want to do that! I wear an extra layer on top over my singlet, which I easily tie around my waist after warming up- this is personal preference. If you do this, be aware that race day photographers can only locate you by your number- lift up your shirt if you see cameras and want a pre-race photo. I also like to wear mittens, which I can take off and hold if my hands get warm during the race.


• Throw aways/warm-up gear: Get your throw-aways ready: There are volunteers who will be collecting all warm-up gear as you head from the corrals to the start line, so don't feel bad about the waste. Buy some cheap layers to keep your body temps up the morning of the race, and don't hesitate to throw in rain ponchos or garbage bags, too. The garbage bags help to keep in your body heat, and can be easily tossed into the garbage before the start. DO NOT TOSS onto the course! You will endanger your fellow runners!!!!!


• Sneakers and socks: You should have your race day sneakers broken in on at least a few runs by now. If you don't, think about wearing a pair that you already have that are still relatively fresh. Sneakers can last from 300-500 miles depending on the runner, and it's better to wear a pair that are broken in vs. a pair that might rub your feet the wrong way. Read this interesting article about researchers who are developing a way for our sneakers to TELL us when they are worn out. Pick your socks for their anti-blister and padding properties- something you've used through your training and are used to now.


• Fuel and first aid: Start peeking in your gear to see that your favorite fuel and portable first aid supplies are in stock. I like to make sure I have waterproof band aids, duct tape, wipe-on anti-blister lubricant, extra safety pins, and of course, money, but there's still a few weeks to get that! It goes without saying that any inhalers or other needed medications should be filled as well so that they'll be full and ready if needed on the big day.
  

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!

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!

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!

Original Buff Headwear

I am posting photos of Original Buff Headwear available through my fundraising store. The Buff Headwear is made out of a stretchy, seamless microfiber that is wicking, windblocking, and fast drying- providing a runner, cyclist, hiker, skier, gardener etc, a great looking, high functioning head covering.

Tim wears his when he runs at night. As you can tell, the stripe on the reflective Buff makes for great visibility! I like my assortment, which include ones with fleece sewn on for chilly days, ones that block UV rays, and the original band. You can wear this stretchy tube in about 15 different ways. I've used one on my head while wearing another as a neck gater in cold windy conditions. The great thing about this is that you can either wear it as a closed hat or open up the top to get rid of heat (unlike a hat), you can take it off and put it around your wrist during the run if you decide you don't need it, or tuck it into your waistband, unlike a bulky hat! They keep the sweat from running into your eyes and in general, are a GREAT addition for any active person, or anyone looking for a different hair accessory. Ordering these through the site gives you free shipping and a chance to win $100.00 of Original Buff Headwear in May, and gives me a donation to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Buy your Buff today!