Watch me run here from now on: Sport in Society Marathon Challenge
Watch me a-preachin' here: Community Church of Boston
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
More Miles than Degrees Outside
Date: January 17, 2009
Distance: 14.1 miles
Degrees: 10
Falls: 2
Breakfast: Oatmeal Carrot Pancakes and the Dima's Omelet at Sorrella's (halvsies w/ Suzanne)
I've decided to add a new category to the weekly training run -- number of falls. My dedicated readers may remember way back to my first "The other day while running I fell on my face post," which was probably the first week of my most recent (and longest yet) running stint two years ago. Sadly, the falling wasn't limited to that time. Who can forget the morning I went out for a short jaunt before day two of emceeing Sport in Society's Power of Sport Summit, tripped over my shoe laces a quarter of the way around the pond, and scraped up my knees so badly that they bled through my pants the entire morning -- it at least made for a good shtick for my introduction at the event.
Because I wear the same shoes for way too long before buying new ones, I had the very same irksome shoelaces untie and trip me not once, but twice on our run two weeks ago - a gorgeous 14 miler through what I consider to be the Best Of Boston - the River Way, Fenway, Copley, the Bike Path, the Arnold Arboretum and Jamaica Pond. Fortunately, we were running more miles than it was degrees outside, so my 4 layers kept me from feeling both falls (or was it the cold-induced numbness?).
Despite the falls, the run was literally sensational! While I try to deny it, getting sufficient sleep really does do my body good and having conked out 10 minutes into a movie on Friday night, I woke up refreshed and ready to roll with 10 hours of sleep in me on Saturday. WOW! Only a few weeks ago I was doubting if I could still run a 15 K ...and here I was busting out a 14 miler and feeling incredible while doing it. My energy wasn't just coming from sleep, though - it was coming from the presence of Suzanne and Mark, with whom I feel honored to run; it was coming from the gorgeous sunshine dancing off of the snow and through the trees in the River Way; it was coming from the ironic sense of freedom that comes with true commitment. Although my face hurt within seconds of starting the run, and the hair poking out from the back of my hat again formed some wicked icicle dreadlocks, and my legs went sort of numb at mile 13, I was physically and spiritually flying with not just a runner's high, but something more akin to a runner's elation!
I knew when I decided to blog about my training that I would want to bring Sport in Society's work into my reflections, but I did not expect that the links to SIS would come as naturally as they have. This particular run my thoughts were very much centered on the economic disparities that exist in Boston's urban communities, as well as the powerful change that can occur with the right mix of leadership, civic engagement, and hope...which is just what Sport in Society works to foster. The thought hit me as we ran to Suzanne's apartment, our halfway point, for a water stop. Suzanne now lives on Mission Hill - one of the most racially diverse neighborhoods in Boston, which has seen a great deal of revitalization in recent years, thanks to tremendous government leadership (especially Sport in Society's Kevin Fitz, after whom Mission Hill's Puddingstone Park was recently renamed) and an incredible combination of community organizations that engage both youth and adults in community revitalization. As we ran to Suzanne's, past multiple run-down factory buidlings, dodging potholes and avoiding traffic, I for a moment regretted taking that route because it was so "unsightly." But instantaneously, I checked myself. "Self," I said to myself, "aren't these streets, these crowded houses, this concrete landscape, the very reason you're training for this marathon?" Yes. I'm running to raise awareness about the disparities that exist ... to remind myelf that they exist ... and to support an organization dedicated to converting the concrete urban landscape into one of hope and opportunity. Last week, my gratitude was focused on my very ability to run. This week, I was incredibly appreciative to be a part of the Sport in Society family, to talk about Mission Hill and how Kevin Fitz, one of Boston's most loved change makers, was also a member of the SIS family, and appreciative for the opportunity to use sport itself to support an organization that brings the power of sport and a wealth of social justice education to communities like Mission Hill.
And then there was breakfast...after much confusion, the team, a few significant others, and coincidentally, a Mission Hill youth worker friend-of-a-friend, teamed up for one helluva brunch at Sorrella's. As always, the omelet was bursting at the seams with an odd assortment of veggies and the pancakes were piping hot and mouth-wateringly delicious! If I had to choose, I would take the pumpkin cranberry pancakes over the oatmeal carrot ones, but luckily I didn't have to choose since I got to trade half my oatmeal cakes for Dave's pumpkin ones.. God bless halvsies and food swaps!
Distance: 14.1 miles
Degrees: 10
Falls: 2
Breakfast: Oatmeal Carrot Pancakes and the Dima's Omelet at Sorrella's (halvsies w/ Suzanne)
I've decided to add a new category to the weekly training run -- number of falls. My dedicated readers may remember way back to my first "The other day while running I fell on my face post," which was probably the first week of my most recent (and longest yet) running stint two years ago. Sadly, the falling wasn't limited to that time. Who can forget the morning I went out for a short jaunt before day two of emceeing Sport in Society's Power of Sport Summit, tripped over my shoe laces a quarter of the way around the pond, and scraped up my knees so badly that they bled through my pants the entire morning -- it at least made for a good shtick for my introduction at the event.
Because I wear the same shoes for way too long before buying new ones, I had the very same irksome shoelaces untie and trip me not once, but twice on our run two weeks ago - a gorgeous 14 miler through what I consider to be the Best Of Boston - the River Way, Fenway, Copley, the Bike Path, the Arnold Arboretum and Jamaica Pond. Fortunately, we were running more miles than it was degrees outside, so my 4 layers kept me from feeling both falls (or was it the cold-induced numbness?).
Despite the falls, the run was literally sensational! While I try to deny it, getting sufficient sleep really does do my body good and having conked out 10 minutes into a movie on Friday night, I woke up refreshed and ready to roll with 10 hours of sleep in me on Saturday. WOW! Only a few weeks ago I was doubting if I could still run a 15 K ...and here I was busting out a 14 miler and feeling incredible while doing it. My energy wasn't just coming from sleep, though - it was coming from the presence of Suzanne and Mark, with whom I feel honored to run; it was coming from the gorgeous sunshine dancing off of the snow and through the trees in the River Way; it was coming from the ironic sense of freedom that comes with true commitment. Although my face hurt within seconds of starting the run, and the hair poking out from the back of my hat again formed some wicked icicle dreadlocks, and my legs went sort of numb at mile 13, I was physically and spiritually flying with not just a runner's high, but something more akin to a runner's elation!
I knew when I decided to blog about my training that I would want to bring Sport in Society's work into my reflections, but I did not expect that the links to SIS would come as naturally as they have. This particular run my thoughts were very much centered on the economic disparities that exist in Boston's urban communities, as well as the powerful change that can occur with the right mix of leadership, civic engagement, and hope...which is just what Sport in Society works to foster. The thought hit me as we ran to Suzanne's apartment, our halfway point, for a water stop. Suzanne now lives on Mission Hill - one of the most racially diverse neighborhoods in Boston, which has seen a great deal of revitalization in recent years, thanks to tremendous government leadership (especially Sport in Society's Kevin Fitz, after whom Mission Hill's Puddingstone Park was recently renamed) and an incredible combination of community organizations that engage both youth and adults in community revitalization. As we ran to Suzanne's, past multiple run-down factory buidlings, dodging potholes and avoiding traffic, I for a moment regretted taking that route because it was so "unsightly." But instantaneously, I checked myself. "Self," I said to myself, "aren't these streets, these crowded houses, this concrete landscape, the very reason you're training for this marathon?" Yes. I'm running to raise awareness about the disparities that exist ... to remind myelf that they exist ... and to support an organization dedicated to converting the concrete urban landscape into one of hope and opportunity. Last week, my gratitude was focused on my very ability to run. This week, I was incredibly appreciative to be a part of the Sport in Society family, to talk about Mission Hill and how Kevin Fitz, one of Boston's most loved change makers, was also a member of the SIS family, and appreciative for the opportunity to use sport itself to support an organization that brings the power of sport and a wealth of social justice education to communities like Mission Hill.
And then there was breakfast...after much confusion, the team, a few significant others, and coincidentally, a Mission Hill youth worker friend-of-a-friend, teamed up for one helluva brunch at Sorrella's. As always, the omelet was bursting at the seams with an odd assortment of veggies and the pancakes were piping hot and mouth-wateringly delicious! If I had to choose, I would take the pumpkin cranberry pancakes over the oatmeal carrot ones, but luckily I didn't have to choose since I got to trade half my oatmeal cakes for Dave's pumpkin ones.. God bless halvsies and food swaps!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Week 2 - 13 Miles and Scrambled Eggs
I am on a high. A sheer high from this week's run.
At the end of last weeks ten miler, I was afraid that I had perhaps lost all of my running juice. I've been running 10+ miles on the weekend for nearly two years now, but the past few weeks have hurt... a lot. Over break I ran a 10 miler with a former coworker of my mother, who smoked me, absolutely smoked me, on what may have been my most painful run ever. Then, last weekend, I had my second awful feeling 10 miler in a row. Because we ran only in one direction, we were running against the wind the entire time. So, although it was a great run overall, it was somewhat brutal beating on against the wind for over an hour and Suzanne and I most definitely clocked our slowest pace yet! This week just added to the feelings of insecurity in my running. I now realize that my lack of juice was an attribute of just getting back from break and getting back into the swing of a full day of work plus evening classes, but every morning felt like I got hit wit a ton of bricks and that my legs just wouldn't GO.
But yesterday was a redeemer for all of the pain and negative feelings. Suzanne, Mark and I set our for our first long distance run as a threesome and I genuinely had a fantastic time for almost the entire 13 miles. It's hard not to enjoy a run when you're blessed with the beautiful sunshine we had yesterday morning. The sky was clear and the sun was radiant. There is still a bit of snow on the ground, so rays of light were dancing off both the sky and ground. The only downfall to such a clear winter day is that it is freakin' cold. I think the temperature read 20 degrees when I left and I didn't have to take off any of my 4 shirt layers during the run as I usually do. Once we got going, the cold wasn't a problem since there was no wind factor, but it does make it extra difficult to get your legs warmed up and in the running groove.
They sure got there quickly, though! I ran from my house (uphill) to meet Suzanne and Mark closer to the pond, if you take a look at the map below, you'll see that the next few miles go behind the pond and up Perkins and Goddard Streets into Brookline. If you know the area at all, you'll know that Goddard St. is something of a mini mountain, going up and up until you get to Larz Anderson Park....but with its gorgeous green hills and amazing view of the city, it's always worth it when you get to Anderson! It's my favorite place to watch the sun rise during a run, but these days I'm generally back home and in the shower before the sun starts showing its head.
I was torn between running up the hill at the beginning both because our legs weren't quite warm and because I didn't want to ruin the next 11 miles we'd have to run, but it turned out to be a great incline. I imagine if we keep running that hill we'll definitely be in good shape for heartbreak hill on the marathon course!
The rest of our run brought us through Brookline's Allandale farm area (even MORE uphill) and back down Centre St. (a very weak downhill for all the uphill) and past the Pond again.
We stopped for a quick water break back at our starting point and then set out for another 4.5 mile loop down the Emerald Necklace to Fenway and back.
I never cease to be blown away by the sheer beauty of the area in which I live. I technically live in one of the biggest cities in the Northeast, yet I can go out for a thirteen mile run and spend most of that time in wooded rolling hills, farmland, and in the quiet of secluded riverway trails. Thank you for that, Olmstead!
While I was certainly tired by the end of the run and could think of nothing but food by mile 10, the best word I can think of to describe the morning was sensational. Literally, my mind and body were alive by the sensations of sunlight, fresh air, good conversation, and as it's written in the Olympic Charter, the joy of effort.
It is easy to experience such contentment while running 13 miles when you're running with Suzanne and Mark, two of the most humble, grateful people I know. Seriously, I can't count the number of times each expressed gratitude for having the sheer ability to run, having a downhill, having good jobs and supportive friends. That kind of positive energy is contagious. They are both quite inspiring in their commitment and determination. Two people who, if they decide they are going to do something, do it. Mark actually ran the San Diego Marathon last year, so is the only Marathon veteran in the group. However, he did it entirely without training, so we've got a step up in that department. He's committed to it, though, that's for sure. It's amazing to me that he can go from barely running, to finishing a 12 mile loop with us without a hitch.
Suzanne is equally as determined and committed. Honestly, the girl is pumping with so much energy that she could go out today and run a double-marathon (yes, people actually do that!). But she's determined to train. And she's determined to do all that she can to honor the memory of Jonathan's mother, who gracefully passed away with cancer this past year. Suzanne shares her faith and love with everyone she encounters and is able to do it in a humble, inviting way that is both impressive and inspiring. Her running is a facet of her faith and where she often gets in touch with her deepest feelings and it has been a joy to be present to that for the past year and it is undoubtedly going to be a driving force for me the day of the marathon.
My own gratefulness and commitment are definitely most present when I run, or reflect on my running. This past week, especially, my thoughts kept returning to how grateful I am for the very fact that I have two strong legs and am able to get out there at all. Sure, after 13 miles it hurts and perhaps I didn't run that 13 miles as fast as I would have liked, but I just ran 13 miles! A lot of people don't have the physical ability to walk, let alone run 13 miles. Others don't have the time, the safe surroundings, or the physical health to even get out the door, let alone run 13 miles. So this week, whenever doubt set in, I returned to gratitude for these two long, gazelle like legs I have.
And I am committed to doing "the leg work" for those who can't. Not only those who can't run or don't have the access to be physically active, but those who are generally disenfranchised by our so often unjust society. No, running a marathon is not going to create a just society. But my hope is that I will be able to use my pursuit as a means of raising awareness and funds for Sport in Society, an organization that strives to foster equity and empower people with the knowledge and tools to construct the just world we all envision. And that is another opportunity for which I am unbelievably grateful. I am thankful every day that I get to work for such an extraordinary organization, and I wish there was even more I could do to support its work and our amazing staff.
Oh, yeah! Breakfast! Let's not forget the most important part - how lucky I am to return home to my own support team, which this week included Jessi, my best friend growing up! DQ took the cooking lead this weekend and made us some AMAZING scrambled eggs with veggies and toast. Jessi put together a sensational fruit salad and, of course, the java was hot and delicious as always! Really, though, the best tasting thing in the world after 13 miles of running is three huge glasses of water and a banana with a dollop of peanut butter!
At the end of last weeks ten miler, I was afraid that I had perhaps lost all of my running juice. I've been running 10+ miles on the weekend for nearly two years now, but the past few weeks have hurt... a lot. Over break I ran a 10 miler with a former coworker of my mother, who smoked me, absolutely smoked me, on what may have been my most painful run ever. Then, last weekend, I had my second awful feeling 10 miler in a row. Because we ran only in one direction, we were running against the wind the entire time. So, although it was a great run overall, it was somewhat brutal beating on against the wind for over an hour and Suzanne and I most definitely clocked our slowest pace yet! This week just added to the feelings of insecurity in my running. I now realize that my lack of juice was an attribute of just getting back from break and getting back into the swing of a full day of work plus evening classes, but every morning felt like I got hit wit a ton of bricks and that my legs just wouldn't GO.
But yesterday was a redeemer for all of the pain and negative feelings. Suzanne, Mark and I set our for our first long distance run as a threesome and I genuinely had a fantastic time for almost the entire 13 miles. It's hard not to enjoy a run when you're blessed with the beautiful sunshine we had yesterday morning. The sky was clear and the sun was radiant. There is still a bit of snow on the ground, so rays of light were dancing off both the sky and ground. The only downfall to such a clear winter day is that it is freakin' cold. I think the temperature read 20 degrees when I left and I didn't have to take off any of my 4 shirt layers during the run as I usually do. Once we got going, the cold wasn't a problem since there was no wind factor, but it does make it extra difficult to get your legs warmed up and in the running groove.
They sure got there quickly, though! I ran from my house (uphill) to meet Suzanne and Mark closer to the pond, if you take a look at the map below, you'll see that the next few miles go behind the pond and up Perkins and Goddard Streets into Brookline. If you know the area at all, you'll know that Goddard St. is something of a mini mountain, going up and up until you get to Larz Anderson Park....but with its gorgeous green hills and amazing view of the city, it's always worth it when you get to Anderson! It's my favorite place to watch the sun rise during a run, but these days I'm generally back home and in the shower before the sun starts showing its head.
I was torn between running up the hill at the beginning both because our legs weren't quite warm and because I didn't want to ruin the next 11 miles we'd have to run, but it turned out to be a great incline. I imagine if we keep running that hill we'll definitely be in good shape for heartbreak hill on the marathon course!
The rest of our run brought us through Brookline's Allandale farm area (even MORE uphill) and back down Centre St. (a very weak downhill for all the uphill) and past the Pond again.
We stopped for a quick water break back at our starting point and then set out for another 4.5 mile loop down the Emerald Necklace to Fenway and back.
I never cease to be blown away by the sheer beauty of the area in which I live. I technically live in one of the biggest cities in the Northeast, yet I can go out for a thirteen mile run and spend most of that time in wooded rolling hills, farmland, and in the quiet of secluded riverway trails. Thank you for that, Olmstead!
While I was certainly tired by the end of the run and could think of nothing but food by mile 10, the best word I can think of to describe the morning was sensational. Literally, my mind and body were alive by the sensations of sunlight, fresh air, good conversation, and as it's written in the Olympic Charter, the joy of effort.
It is easy to experience such contentment while running 13 miles when you're running with Suzanne and Mark, two of the most humble, grateful people I know. Seriously, I can't count the number of times each expressed gratitude for having the sheer ability to run, having a downhill, having good jobs and supportive friends. That kind of positive energy is contagious. They are both quite inspiring in their commitment and determination. Two people who, if they decide they are going to do something, do it. Mark actually ran the San Diego Marathon last year, so is the only Marathon veteran in the group. However, he did it entirely without training, so we've got a step up in that department. He's committed to it, though, that's for sure. It's amazing to me that he can go from barely running, to finishing a 12 mile loop with us without a hitch.
Suzanne is equally as determined and committed. Honestly, the girl is pumping with so much energy that she could go out today and run a double-marathon (yes, people actually do that!). But she's determined to train. And she's determined to do all that she can to honor the memory of Jonathan's mother, who gracefully passed away with cancer this past year. Suzanne shares her faith and love with everyone she encounters and is able to do it in a humble, inviting way that is both impressive and inspiring. Her running is a facet of her faith and where she often gets in touch with her deepest feelings and it has been a joy to be present to that for the past year and it is undoubtedly going to be a driving force for me the day of the marathon.
My own gratefulness and commitment are definitely most present when I run, or reflect on my running. This past week, especially, my thoughts kept returning to how grateful I am for the very fact that I have two strong legs and am able to get out there at all. Sure, after 13 miles it hurts and perhaps I didn't run that 13 miles as fast as I would have liked, but I just ran 13 miles! A lot of people don't have the physical ability to walk, let alone run 13 miles. Others don't have the time, the safe surroundings, or the physical health to even get out the door, let alone run 13 miles. So this week, whenever doubt set in, I returned to gratitude for these two long, gazelle like legs I have.
And I am committed to doing "the leg work" for those who can't. Not only those who can't run or don't have the access to be physically active, but those who are generally disenfranchised by our so often unjust society. No, running a marathon is not going to create a just society. But my hope is that I will be able to use my pursuit as a means of raising awareness and funds for Sport in Society, an organization that strives to foster equity and empower people with the knowledge and tools to construct the just world we all envision. And that is another opportunity for which I am unbelievably grateful. I am thankful every day that I get to work for such an extraordinary organization, and I wish there was even more I could do to support its work and our amazing staff.
Oh, yeah! Breakfast! Let's not forget the most important part - how lucky I am to return home to my own support team, which this week included Jessi, my best friend growing up! DQ took the cooking lead this weekend and made us some AMAZING scrambled eggs with veggies and toast. Jessi put together a sensational fruit salad and, of course, the java was hot and delicious as always! Really, though, the best tasting thing in the world after 13 miles of running is three huge glasses of water and a banana with a dollop of peanut butter!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Run Meghan, Run
My two New Year's resolutions are to write more and to commit myself entirely to training for the Boston Marathon, which I'll be running to raise funds and awareness for my organization, Sport in Society. So, I said to myself, "Self, why not just blog about your runs?" Bingo, bango, bongo.
What makes me most excited about training for the marathon is that Suzanne is also in training; she's going to be on the Dana Farber team, running in honor of her boyfriend's mother who recently passed away after an inspiring fight with cancer. There is no better way I can imagine running a marathon than running it with Suzanne by my side. Suzanne has the ability to keep me thoroughly entertained throughout the entirety of a run, regardless of the distance. Although I once feared running with a partner because my running is a time for reflection and meditation, I do not lose that with Suzanne, a person with whom my conversations range between deeply religious and philosophical questioning to frivolous jokes about flatulence.
I'll also be training with Mark, who works for Northeastern's athletic department and recently graduated from Sport in Society's Master of Sport Leadership Program. While Suzanne's Dana Farber team is made up of about 500 people, Sport in Society's team is just me and Mark! I'm excited to have him as a partner, not only because he's able to swing us free burritos at Qdoba, but because he's also completely committed to and confident in our ability to raise a combined $10,000 for SiS. We've already got a number of fundraising events and campaigns in the works!
I may wind up shifting my running blog to a Meghan and Mark training blog, but I figured I'd start here.
People keep asking me if I've started training yet, and my answer has been that I'm kind of in perpetual training. For just over two years, I've been running about three times a week, between 5 - 8 miles during the week and usually around 10 on the weekends. Plus, three times a week I do an outdoor work out with a group of friends, which consists of a lot of body weight training infused with sprinting and core work (lots of push ups, sit ups, and stair workouts!). So, I'm kind of always training. BUT running the marathon takes it to a whole new level. Now I HAVE to run at least three times a week and my weekend distance runs will start making my weekly 10 milers seem miniscule. So today, I suppose, I started my "official" training. From here on out, I'm dedicating myself to going to bed early, eating like a champ ("eat like a champ, play like a champ")...maybe even stepping off the booze bus until the Marathon in April...and running til my legs fall off on Saturdays.
What am I most excited about? Breakfast. Breakfast is good, but breakfast is AMAZING after a long run on a cold winter day. Saturday breakfasts for the next few months are probably going to seem like the best tasting food ever!!! Although I run for ice cream, this training has breakfast written all over it.
Ok, what am I REALLY most excited about??? Getting other people excited about Sport in Society. For a while now, one of my tasks has been developing outside networks of SiS supporters, from people who work in similar fields, to young professionals who want to use their passion for sport to do something for the community. Although there are only two of us running the marathon, I see this as a perfect opportunity to get people excited about helping out...joining our fundraising team, running our water stops during training runs, helping us plan our events, etc. We have a gender violence preventio campaign called Leaders Act. The idea behind Leaders Act is that everyone has a right and responsibility to take a stand against gender violence. Really, however, it relates to everyone's responsibility as a citizen to do what they can to take action and make a difference. So, in this intance, Leaders Run....and my hope is that others will step in and Act in whatever way they can to support our cause. I really feel that this past election and all the attention focused on participation and service has made the atmosphere ripe for community involvement. I want to seize that wave of excitement and get people excited about Sport in Society. And, if you are excited about Obama, then you should be excited about Sport in Society, an organizaiton with a core mission of Social Justice. Listening to Obama speak is like listening to one of our facilitators lead a discussion with youth about "becoming my brother's keeper" by helping one another out, finding ways to engage in life with the eyes and ears of compassionate understanding, and taking action to solve those problems you see around you. Because Leaders Act. I am excited every day to work for an organization that, for 25 years, has been empowering youth through adults to make a difference in their communities and which uses sport and athletes to do it. And now I'm even more excited about getting others just as enthused about having this fantastic organization as a platform to make the changes they are ready to make.
Today Suzanne and I had our first official run back after break. I planned out a route, as I mentioned, focused on breakfast. We went from my new 'hood in JP, all the way through the City, and ended up in my old Somerville 'hood, where we got Acai at Modelo, the fantastic Brazilian bakery on Winter Hill. Acai, if you don't know it, is a "super food" form the Amazon rainforest. It's a berry that is jam-packed with Omega 3's and is blended into a smoothie like meal and mixed with fruit and granola...it's kinda like eating ice cream for breakfast!!! According to facebook, it's the new diet of the stars, so if you eat it you might just turn into Oprah. But, hey, if that happened, then I'd be rich and wouldn't have to do all this fundraising!
The run was, on the whole, great! It was fantastic to see Suzanne after a few weeks, and the 10 miles gave us plenty of time to catch up. We were on the South West corridor bike path for quite a while, so didn't have much traffic to worry about, and then we were in the Boston Public Garden (Suzanne's favorite spot) and running down Beacon Hill's Charles Street, lined with great restaurants and gorgeous brownstones. We were on the Charles for a bit, which every time I'm on it and taking in the gorgeous view of Boston, makes me SO glad I stayed here! At the museum of science we crossed the river and then ran through Cambridge and Somerville, through Inman Square and Porter Square, and then finished with an end of the run uphill push to Peter G. Piro Square....mmmm, Acai. The sun was shining and gorgeous which made for a soul-filling experience. The only down to the run was that we were running against the wind the entire time (since we just went in one direction the whole time). We wound up finishing much slower than we usually do, so either we were talking far too much or the wind was slowing us down as much as it seemed to. When we got there, Caitlin was primed and waiting with warm sweatshirts and a credit card to buy us some Acai. Of course, the support team is the most important part of the training experience!
Below I've posted the map of our run. Suzanne took a picture, but I'll have to wait til she sends it to post it. Thanks for reading and, when we get our page up and running, donating!
What makes me most excited about training for the marathon is that Suzanne is also in training; she's going to be on the Dana Farber team, running in honor of her boyfriend's mother who recently passed away after an inspiring fight with cancer. There is no better way I can imagine running a marathon than running it with Suzanne by my side. Suzanne has the ability to keep me thoroughly entertained throughout the entirety of a run, regardless of the distance. Although I once feared running with a partner because my running is a time for reflection and meditation, I do not lose that with Suzanne, a person with whom my conversations range between deeply religious and philosophical questioning to frivolous jokes about flatulence.
I'll also be training with Mark, who works for Northeastern's athletic department and recently graduated from Sport in Society's Master of Sport Leadership Program. While Suzanne's Dana Farber team is made up of about 500 people, Sport in Society's team is just me and Mark! I'm excited to have him as a partner, not only because he's able to swing us free burritos at Qdoba, but because he's also completely committed to and confident in our ability to raise a combined $10,000 for SiS. We've already got a number of fundraising events and campaigns in the works!
I may wind up shifting my running blog to a Meghan and Mark training blog, but I figured I'd start here.
People keep asking me if I've started training yet, and my answer has been that I'm kind of in perpetual training. For just over two years, I've been running about three times a week, between 5 - 8 miles during the week and usually around 10 on the weekends. Plus, three times a week I do an outdoor work out with a group of friends, which consists of a lot of body weight training infused with sprinting and core work (lots of push ups, sit ups, and stair workouts!). So, I'm kind of always training. BUT running the marathon takes it to a whole new level. Now I HAVE to run at least three times a week and my weekend distance runs will start making my weekly 10 milers seem miniscule. So today, I suppose, I started my "official" training. From here on out, I'm dedicating myself to going to bed early, eating like a champ ("eat like a champ, play like a champ")...maybe even stepping off the booze bus until the Marathon in April...and running til my legs fall off on Saturdays.
What am I most excited about? Breakfast. Breakfast is good, but breakfast is AMAZING after a long run on a cold winter day. Saturday breakfasts for the next few months are probably going to seem like the best tasting food ever!!! Although I run for ice cream, this training has breakfast written all over it.
Ok, what am I REALLY most excited about??? Getting other people excited about Sport in Society. For a while now, one of my tasks has been developing outside networks of SiS supporters, from people who work in similar fields, to young professionals who want to use their passion for sport to do something for the community. Although there are only two of us running the marathon, I see this as a perfect opportunity to get people excited about helping out...joining our fundraising team, running our water stops during training runs, helping us plan our events, etc. We have a gender violence preventio campaign called Leaders Act. The idea behind Leaders Act is that everyone has a right and responsibility to take a stand against gender violence. Really, however, it relates to everyone's responsibility as a citizen to do what they can to take action and make a difference. So, in this intance, Leaders Run....and my hope is that others will step in and Act in whatever way they can to support our cause. I really feel that this past election and all the attention focused on participation and service has made the atmosphere ripe for community involvement. I want to seize that wave of excitement and get people excited about Sport in Society. And, if you are excited about Obama, then you should be excited about Sport in Society, an organizaiton with a core mission of Social Justice. Listening to Obama speak is like listening to one of our facilitators lead a discussion with youth about "becoming my brother's keeper" by helping one another out, finding ways to engage in life with the eyes and ears of compassionate understanding, and taking action to solve those problems you see around you. Because Leaders Act. I am excited every day to work for an organization that, for 25 years, has been empowering youth through adults to make a difference in their communities and which uses sport and athletes to do it. And now I'm even more excited about getting others just as enthused about having this fantastic organization as a platform to make the changes they are ready to make.
Today Suzanne and I had our first official run back after break. I planned out a route, as I mentioned, focused on breakfast. We went from my new 'hood in JP, all the way through the City, and ended up in my old Somerville 'hood, where we got Acai at Modelo, the fantastic Brazilian bakery on Winter Hill. Acai, if you don't know it, is a "super food" form the Amazon rainforest. It's a berry that is jam-packed with Omega 3's and is blended into a smoothie like meal and mixed with fruit and granola...it's kinda like eating ice cream for breakfast!!! According to facebook, it's the new diet of the stars, so if you eat it you might just turn into Oprah. But, hey, if that happened, then I'd be rich and wouldn't have to do all this fundraising!
The run was, on the whole, great! It was fantastic to see Suzanne after a few weeks, and the 10 miles gave us plenty of time to catch up. We were on the South West corridor bike path for quite a while, so didn't have much traffic to worry about, and then we were in the Boston Public Garden (Suzanne's favorite spot) and running down Beacon Hill's Charles Street, lined with great restaurants and gorgeous brownstones. We were on the Charles for a bit, which every time I'm on it and taking in the gorgeous view of Boston, makes me SO glad I stayed here! At the museum of science we crossed the river and then ran through Cambridge and Somerville, through Inman Square and Porter Square, and then finished with an end of the run uphill push to Peter G. Piro Square....mmmm, Acai. The sun was shining and gorgeous which made for a soul-filling experience. The only down to the run was that we were running against the wind the entire time (since we just went in one direction the whole time). We wound up finishing much slower than we usually do, so either we were talking far too much or the wind was slowing us down as much as it seemed to. When we got there, Caitlin was primed and waiting with warm sweatshirts and a credit card to buy us some Acai. Of course, the support team is the most important part of the training experience!
Below I've posted the map of our run. Suzanne took a picture, but I'll have to wait til she sends it to post it. Thanks for reading and, when we get our page up and running, donating!
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