On the Run

And you thought I couldn't drum up another running pun for a blog post. Today my husband sweetly arranged for a babysitter so he could keep me company on the final 4.4 of my long run. The first leg was actually fairly blissful and went quickly, even though I was running alone. The final miles we ran together went quickly as well, mostly because we spent the time "discussing" his confession about being pulled over this morning by an unmarked police car for speeding, tailgating, and otherwise less-than-responsible driving when he was late getting Henry to dance class. His guilt and shame were adequate punishment, so it's a good thing he got off with a warning from the cop. Fortunately Henry didn't get a chance to ride in the back of a police car. And fortunately, I'd just run 7 1/2 miles, so I was too tired to really chew him out. I'm sure the cop got a kick out of Brian's story, which went something like this, "I'm late to get my son to dance class, and I had to turn around because I forgot his tuition, but then I realized we didn't have enough time to go home to get it, so I had to turn around again and rush to get to class on time." Ah, suburbia. Not exactly the grit of urban police work. Brian's cleaning out the basement as I write, so clearly the events of this morning weren't all that bad. Penance can be a good thing for a wife.

Mileage: 12
Conditions: perfect: 60 degrees, sunny, dry
Quality: 4
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: low

Wednesday's Run

Mileage: 4
Conditions: Treadmill
Quality: 4
Shoes: Asics 2120
Knee pain: low

Would You Choose to Run or to Jump on an Inflatable Castle?

Me, too. Henry's race at the Run for Ryan's Cup, hosted by the Chelmsford police department, was good fun, but if we are to be honest about it all, he seemed kind of distracted during his dash around a parking lot. After he'd crossed the finish line (I couldn't tell you where the finish line was; we just stopped running when we got to the kids standing still), he asked if he'd run his race yet. Getting his first medal was fun for him, but still, he had this faraway look in his eyes, which were kind of gazing off to the left--toward a giant bouncy castle. Race schmace. Henry wanted to bounce.

Once he got his bounce on for about 15 minutes, he was much more interested in seeing the 5k finishers, who included his dad. Since I'd run 12 the day before, I sat this one out. It got me to thinking, though. If they'd just set up a bouncy castle at the end of the half-marathon, I'm certain I could shave a few minutes off my time to get to the real fun.

Mileage: 4
Conditions: 75 degrees, sunny
Quality: 4
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: low

DFMC 2008! Go, Fight, Win!

Woo-hoo! Go, Dana-Farber runners for 2008! Okay, I was never much of a cheerleader (but surprising to many who know me, I was actually a cheerleader for one forgettable sixth grade year) and would rather die than be caught in a polyester pleated skirt, which is probably why I'm happy to be the athlete in this case and not the cheerleader.

After lighting incense and praying prostrate at an altar to my knees I set up on my foam roller (not really), I applied for the DFMC '08 team and was giddy as a sixth grade cheerleader to be accepted back for another season today. Yes, that means I'll probably come to you for donations, but let me tell you, nothing feels better than giving money to a great cause, it's tax deductible, and you want your name on the right side of this page, don't you? And, if I make my personal goal of $7500, I will personally wear that pleated polyester cheerleading uniform* and post a picture to this blog. Isn't your donation worth that image? Rah, rah, rah!

*not the uniform from 1988; I'd need $100k to wear that one, thanks.

Fuel for Your Long Run

I had a great long run this morning with a fellow DFMC alum, Todd, who is also running the Applefest half next month (it stood to be a good run, since it was neither raining nor lonely). Other than the fuschia blood blister I got on my little toe, it was a great run that we completed at a quick pace (by my standards).

In addition to talking about middle school girls (he teaches them; I studied them for years), we got to talking about the question of what to eat before a long morning run, and I shared my go-to recipe for granola. I find granola to be the best pre-run fuel for eight or more miles because it is an excellent source of energy and you can adjust the portion to suit the distance. It's not low-fat, but using canola oil helps and you're about to run it off anyway, right? So, here's the granola recipe that I got from a ranch I once stayed at in California. The recipe makes a near-bushel of granola, since it came from a ranch, but you can halve it or do what I do and make enough to freeze and get you through a season of marathon training. If you have other suggestions for fuel before a long run, I'd love to hear about them.

Mayacamas Ranch Granola

42 oz. container of oats (not one-minute kind)
¾ c. flour (or ground flax-seed meal, if you can find it)
3-5 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tbsp. nutmeg
2 c. sliced almonds
2 c. walnuts
1 ½ c. canola oil (don't skimp on the oil--granola will be too dry)
1 ½ c. maple syrup
2 c. raisins (I like golden raisins or craisins)


Mix dry ingredients together first. Then add oil and syrup. Spread mixture on parchment-lined pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Stir with a spatula and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add raisins. You can freeze it if you can't consume an industrial quantity of granola within a few weeks.


Mileage: 12
Conditions: 65 degrees, overcast
Quality: 4
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: low

Friday's Run

Mileage: 4
Conditions: 60 degrees, humid, sunny
Quality: 3
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: low

Dumber Than a Frog

It's a good thing yesterday was not a treadmill day, because if I had been running while watching The View, I would have stopped dead on the belt, flown off the back, and cracked my skull open. Who is this Sherri Shepherd, and why is she so stupid? More importantly, how did such a stump get a broad public forum to broadcast her no-sense two cents? You can watch her assert that the world might indeed be flat and congratulate yourself for paying attention in preschool. Even my 2-year old, who asks if he can ride on vehicles in the pictures of his books, knows what a globe is. I bet Whoopi Goldberg wanted to kick Sherri clear, well, around the world. If you watch the clip, just be sure you aren't on a treadmill.

Mileage: 4
Conditions: 55 degrees, sunny, dry
Quality: 4
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: none

Run, Henry, Run!

At the seasoned age of 2.9, my Henry Quinn will be running his third race on Sunday (weather permitting--I'll run in the rain, but I won't subject my kid to it). When I took my blogging sabbatical immediately following the marathon, I missed the to-die-for opportunity to e-cheer my son in his first race, the Groton Road Race, which took place on April 29. I will resist the temptation to gush and annoy you with maudlin praise for him, but he loved every second of it--especially the goody bag of treats. As adult runners, we get a boost from hearing the encouragement of spectators, so can you imagine what it does for a toddler to hear cheers from throngs of people along his 25-yard course? I dare say it was the best moment of Henry's young life (see top photo). Until he got to sit on a giant excavator at Touch a Truck Day.

So, the weekend after the Groton Race, we took Henry to our town's Family Fun Run, assuming that the distance would be comparable. Not so much. Henry was the youngest entrant by a few years in this 1-mile race, but he had a heart of gold and nerves of steel (okay, gag, that was pretty awful, but I'm his mother, so what do you want?). He started running with his dad at the back of the pack of kids, who quickly left him behind. Still, there were lots of parents lining the course watching our little boy huff and puff and weave around the road like an Ironman in the last mile of the marathon. Several people asked me for his name, and soon, there was a crowd shouting "Go, Henry!" (see bottom photo) He. Loved. It. By two tenths of a mile, Henry was worn out, and he fell on the pavement, but he didn't want to stop when I asked him if he was done for now. "I want to run!" he said. He ran a few more steps and agreed to ride for a while on his dad's shoulders. When they got within a tenth of a mile from the finish line, Brian put him down do he could run across the finish line. He was the second to last finisher (his gracious dad came in dead last), amid chants of "You can do it, Henry!" from people along the road. He was so proud of himself, so he gorged at the post-race buffet. Some of us do it for the T-shirt; some of us do it for the food. Henry is among the latter.

I asked him if he would finish my half-marathon with me in October, and he asked, "Will you fall down?" I said that if I did, I'd get back up like he did. Cue the cheesy theme music.

Mileage: 4
Conditions: 63 degrees, sunny, dry
Quality: 3
Knee pain: none
Shoes: Mizuno

It Ain't Easy Being Green...And Slimy And Stupid

I set a new PR for mileage run alone today--12. And it was no easy feat. When I left, the cloudy skies had stopped raining, but two miles into it, they opened up again, and I went about 9 miles in the pouring rain, treated to a final mile without rain. The rain sucked, yes, and having no conversation to distract me from the weather was lousy, too. But neither rain nor solitude was the worst part.

There were frogs. Everywhere. I have a small confession to make: I am petrified of frogs, so much so that when I found out I was having a baby boy, one of my first thoughts was, "Oh, God, boys like frogs."

My most heinous run ever did not involve knee pain or sub-zero temperatures (though having experienced both of those, I admit they were awful). My most heinous run ever was only about three miles, but it was in Houston in summer. My husband (then, boyfriend) and I went for a run at night because of the heat, and we were dodging giant frogs in the dark the whole way. Here's why I hate frogs: they are slimy, unpredictable, and have the intelligence of my right shoe. (In fact, several dumb frogs almost met their end today under said shoe.) I would think of running that night in Houston later when I saw the movie Magnolia. In all seriousness, I think there might have actually been frogs falling from the sky that night. It's like they want you to flatten them, to release them from their purgatory of ugliness and stupidity.

So when I had to hurdle at least four darting frogs today while the rain soaked me and I pretty much asked my iPod to die from moisture (it didn't, thank God), all I could think was, "Get me the hell home away from these demons." And that's how I ran a stellar negative split, doing the last six miles in 47 minutes, after running the first six in 55.

Mileage: 12
Conditions: See above
Quality: 2 (see above)
Knee pain: low
Shoes: Mizunos, frog-free

Considering DFMC 2008?

Do it! If running for Dana-Farber has crossed your mind, you should absolutely seize on your interest and apply. Even with my injury and its accompanying disappointment, participating in the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge was one of the most important experiences of my life. It has made me more grateful for my blessings, more generous to the causes and needs of others, and less generally cynical about mankind (unless you catch me in the driver's seat on routes 93 or 128). Yes, it was a lot of work, expense, and emotional investment, but that is all part of its importance. And if for no other reason you can think of, DFMC has really good schwag.

Go here to read more about applying for the 2008 team.

Mileage: 4
Conditions: ideal: 65 degrees, sunny, dry
Quality: 5
Knee pain: none!
Shoes: Mizuno

Asphalt Addict Meets a Turtle

I'm back running on roads. I can't help myself; the weather is just too perfect to do my miles on a treadmill. Besides, who sees a giant mud-caked turtle "crossing" in front of a treadmill? I had that curious experience this morning and immediately thought, "No one ever writes a letter to Runners World to ask about proper etiquette for dealing with a glacially slow turtle in the middle of the road. Do I stand here like an idiot to wait for it to finish crossing so no one hits it? Do I find a stick and prod him along? I know I can't do that with Henry, much as I'd like to, but maybe I can get away with it for a turtle."

I figured the traffic on our road is minimal enough, and the turtle was close enough to the other side (as long as he wasn't walking backwards as a cross-training exercise) that I could trust he'd make it to the woods safely. Fortunately, he was gone by the time I returned on my way home, so Slow and Steady survived his trip (or hitched a ride to a better destination).

Mileage: 4
Conditions: 60 degrees, sunny, breezy
Quality: 4
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: low

30 and Not-30 Go For a Run

My cousin Wendy and I share a birthday, which happens to be today. I turn 30--an age that I have decided is the best age to be. My years always seem to follow an academic schedule, not the calendar, since I have a September birthday and I spent 24 years in school and I now work according to an academic calendar and I have a child in school. Thus, my resolutions never come in January, but instead in September, and I have resolved to ditch the insecurity and identity crises of my teens and twenties in favor of simply liking my life. It's so much easier to like one's life than to resent it or wish for someone else's. I don't care that I followed a somewhat accelerated path and got married at 22, had a baby at 27, and didn't establish a career for myself until 29. It seems weird to nearly every woman in my social and professional circle, many of whom did not get married until the age I am now. So, there it is. I'm 30.
Anyway, Wendy, an accomplished distance runner who lives about a half hour from me, agreed to join me for a birthday run this morning. I will not disclose Wendy's age--that's her prerogative--but we'll just say that she's not 30 and is evolved and well-adjusted enough to be happy she gets to enter a new age bracket for races. To look at us, we could be turning the same age, which I hope is a compliment to Wendy more than a comment on the state of my skin.
We had a great run on the back roads of Hollis, New Hampshire, where we will run a half-marathon in October. In a ceremonial milestone birthday commentary, we went "over the hill" and along dirt roads while we chatted. Then we dragged our creaky bones home for ice and Motrin. Happy Birthday, Wendy!

Mileage: 6.3
Conditions: 60 degrees, drizzle
Quality: 5
Shoes: Mizuno Wave Alchemy (same as Wendy)
Knee pain: low

Do you run on by?

I have a question for you. What do you do if you're on a run and someone tries to stop you to ask for directions (either from a car or on foot)? I have to admit, I usually keep going and say something like, "I can't stop" or "I'm running for time so I can't help you out--sorry." A letter writer to Runners World asked this question, and the response indicated that runners should stop for people needing directions, if for no other reason that to maintain a good reputation for runners in general. I don't know that I agree. Would you stop cyclists who are obviously out there for a work-out to ask for directions? Would you interrupt a tennis match for directions? Probably not. I actually think that giving directions while I'm on a run suggests that I'm not really occupied in an athletic activity. Probably, a lot of people disagree and believe it's important to be friendly, polite, and helpful to someone who needs navigation. And they're free to stop, but I most likely won't.

Mileage: 4
Conditions: 70 degrees, HUMID
Quality: 3
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: low

But I Want a Big Bottom to Pet!

Did you ever have one of those days that goes along smoothly--your toddler has a great first day of preschool, you get some decent work done, and you have one of those pleasant and pain free runs that leave you feeling confident in your body--only to have that confidence ripped away? That was my day. I came home from my run to have my son, who happens to be going through a gropey phase that would get him kicked out of Antioch College, tell me that he wants to pet my bottom. When I kindly tell him that petting my bottom is not okay, he declares, "But I want a big bottom to pet!" And I thought I was looking good in my running skirt.

Mileage: 4
Conditions: 80 degrees, sunny, humid
Quality: 4
Shoes: Asics 2120
Knee pain: none

Uneventful Tuesday Run

Since Sunday's run is hard to beat, I'm just posting my stats on an uneventful short run this morning. One moment of note: my mother is in town and happens to own the same pair of running shoes--Asics 2120. This morning when I put on my Asics, I couldn't believe how badly they fit. I assumed that my feet had just fallen in passionate love with my Mizunos, so I changed into the Mizunos and left for my run. I get home and look at my mom's Asics while I stare into space over breakfast, thinking, "Those look big for Mom's feet." Turns out, I'd put on my mother's size 6 1/2 shoes earlier and almost went for a run in shoes that were a size and a half too small. Glad I went with my gut and took them off and didn't just assume that they'd feel better once I was on the road.

Today's mileage: 4
Conditions: 60 degrees, sunny
Quality: 3
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: low

Sunday's Finish

It may be the slowest Boston Marathon finish in history--4 months, 16 days or so--but yesterday, I was proud to complete the marathon, running strong down the middle of Boylston St. in the bright sun at 9:30 a.m. There were no crowds--just my dad and a few perplexed tourists--and only one other runner--my DFMC friend Tyler, who kindly served as my navigator, support team, and pace setter. But that was okay.


Through the entire experience of dropping out of the race and training to complete the route, I realized that I want to be a smart runner, not a fast or impressive runner. I don't even miss getting the medal, really. I love Boston like I was born there, and I love running the city and its surrounding neighborhoods. The Citgo sign was as thrilling to see as if I'd run towards it four and a half months ago, as were the gates of BC and the Pru looming ahead.
As if the blissful sense of completion weren't enough, I simply had an outstanding run. Ty's Garmin clocked our pace at an average of 8:40/mile with a final mile at around 8:00--not bad for a 10-mile distance. And I felt like I was running on clouds the entire time. There's nothing like hitting your stride on a run, lost in conversation and the scene around you. It is when I feel my best. I barely needed water and didn't dig into my jelly beans at all. I just went from one point to another and loved every second.
Thank you to Ty for joining me and making it such a brilliant run. Thanks to my dad for meeting me at the finish line, camera in hand. I aim to see that line again in April (yeah, you heard me).

Mileage: 10.34
Conditions: sunny, 65 degrees
Quality: 5
Shoes: Mizuno
Knee pain: low

The First Song on my iPod Yesterday

"End of the Line" (by the Traveling Wilburys)

Last chorus:
Well it's all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it's all right, if you live the life you please
Well it's all right, even if the sun don't shine
Well it's all right, we're going to the end of the line


...I will have company on the run after all, thanks to the wonders of my blog, which prompted a DFMC friend to e-mail and offer to join me at the "cracker dawn," as my husband says. Luckily, he's run the course many times so we won't get lost.

I was thinking of pulling together all kinds of cute things to mark the occasion--a new bib number, a medal for finishing, etc. Now, though, I just want to do this for myself. I've packed my DFMC singlet and my foil blankets leftover from the ride in the ambulance (I just couldn't resist), but the rest is just my standard equipment for a long run. I'm ready.

See you Sunday after I finish...

Yesterday's mileage: 4
Conditions: rain, 75 degrees
Quality: 4
Shoes: Asics 2120
Knee pain: low