It's Not Runusual

First off, I'd like to thank Mary Leach (of Mass Eye & Ear) and Carlton Banks for their generous donations to Team Eye & Ear! I'm now 17% to my goal!

Last night, was Team Eye & Ear's Kick0ff Party held at the Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary. Not only were my teammates there, but there were also a handful of MEEI doctors & staff too. They are so friendly and supportive; it's inspiring to raise money for a world class institution that has wonderful doctors and staff who are dedicated to the Infirmary's mission and values.

Fred Treseler spoke to us about the marathon's history (Did you know women weren't allowed to run until 1972?) as well as training techniques and what to expect on race day. Fred took the time to stress that you should always try any nutrition supplements or equipment out prior to race day, because you never know how your body will react. He then told us about an elite runner that was presented by Adidas with a new shoe model the night before the race. Adidas told the runner that they'd feature him in their ads campaigns, the shoes were top of the line, etc. The shoes ended up not being a good fit and the runner had to pull out around Heartbreak Hill. His feet started bleeding along the route and were so caked in dried blood, that the shoes had to be surgically removed from his feet. That's a drastic example, but the point was made.

We also received our team t-shirts.

Front

The fine print says, "I ran the Boston Marathon and all I got was this t-shirt."

Tonight, I'm running 12 quarter mile repeats, taking a quick shower and then heading to Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage to meet Nick, Vince & Steven for dinner. Dinner at Mr. Bartley's will probably negate my run, but man, it's so worth it.

Party time, Excellent, Woo Woo Woo Woo

On Saturday, I joined the FitCorp crew and ran 14.7 miles. The course starts and ends at One Beacon, and is an enjoyable loop down Beacon St, around BC, down Centre St in Newton and back down Beacon to finish. Thankfully, my water bottles didn't freeze this time and it wasn't too cold outside (although the temperature always drops considerably once you hit the reservoir at BC.) I ran the course in 2.5 hours and felt great, except for some sore knees. We were skiing at Okemo on Sunday and they felt pretty good though, and I didn't run yesterday. Today I'll go to yoga and then Wednesday's workout is the quarter mile repeats. Now that I'm pushing 30, I need to be more mindful of my body's limitations.

I'd like to thank the Babiak's and Carolyn for their generous donations to Team Eye and Ear! Want to see your name in print? Donate here and your wish will be granted! ;-)

Tonight, I'm going to Mass Eye and Ear for our team party! Fred Treseler is going to be this year's speaker, so it will be very interesting to hear from an athlete who's also a sports marketer.

Still Searching for a 2009 Boston Marathon Number?

I have been getting a lot of emails from people asking if there are still numbers available with Team Eye & Ear. Our team spots have been filled; however the wonderful folks at Firstgiving.com maintain a list of charities that are still looking for runners. Please visit: http://www.teamfirstgiving.com/fundraising-tips/last-chance-to-run-boston/ for more information.

Keep it Coming!

Wow! I'm so thankful for all of the donations that have come in the past 2 days! Many thanks to Jen, Meghan and her family and my wonderful husband! Due to everyone's generosity, I am now 10% to my $6000 goal! Woot!

Also, last night I received a check for my Boston Blog ads (thanks Adam!) and sent off the money to our team's coordinator to add to my donations. Keep clicking those ads, people!

Today is my rest day, because tomorrow is my long Saturday morning run and we'll be skiing on Sunday.

A Nana is a Grandma is a Bubbe

Family friends used to refer to their mother's parents as Hee Hee (aka Grandma) and Chugga Chugga (aka Grandpa). Hee Hee got her name because that was the sound she made when she laughed, while Chugga Chugga was really into trains (as in, Chugga chugga chugga chugga choo chooo!) This article discusses how baby boomers increasingly don't want to be called Grandma or Grandpa because they associate the titles with being old and boring. The article states one woman wants to go by Glamma (a glamorous Grandma, get it?), while another woman wants to be called, Coco. The funniest part of the article though mentions:

Steven, a 58-year-old doctor, said he didn't want a typical grandfatherly name, either, because "I still feel like I am 25." So he chose to go by "Papa Doc." He was going for a Marcus Welby, M.D. vibe -- after the mellow, graying doctor in a popular television series in the late '60s and early '70s -- but unfortunately the name reminds most people of the late Haitian dictator, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier.

Growing up, I called my mom's mom "Nana" and her dad "Grandpa." My dad's mom went by "Grandma." My nephews call my in-laws "Grammy" and "Grandpa." I like these titles; they're familiar and no one is confused by whom you're talking about exactly. Coco could be your family's Labrador or a French exchange student. These new age titles are ridiculous; calling yourself Glamma doesn't negate the fact that you are old enough to be a grandmother.

What did you call your grandparents?

Mr. November Comes Through!

My friend Vince (aka November's Featured Reader of the Month) just made a generous donation to Team Eye and Ear! Thanks Vince!

Suldog Rounds Me Out

A huge thank you to Suldog and HIS WIFE for for their generous donation to Team Eye and Ear! The donation brings me to an even $400! I highly suggest you check out his blog (which has been added to the link list to the right.) His posts are well-written, funny and usually include a lot of great photos. Three cheers!

Last night I did 10 quarter mile repeats, showered at the gym, and then met Nick, my father-in-law and his co-worker for dinner. After watching American Idol on dvr, I didn't get to bed until 11:30 and decided that early morning yoga was not going to happen. I'll hit the noon class and that will be my optional cross training for the day.