2015 B.A.A. Half Marathon

On Sunday, I ran the B.A.A. Half Marathon.  I love running B.A.A. events because they are so well run (note: pun is a happy accident.)  I woke up at the crack 'o dawn and secured a prime spot in front of the Oriental House restaurant on Washington Street.  The shuttle buses to Franklin Park were already lined up at 6:15 AM and I had the pleasure of riding in a school bus for the first time in quite awhile; however, you know you're older when you try to find the seat closest to the door vs. in "way back."

The course is scenic, but pretty brutal for the last 4-5 miles as it's quite hilly.  There are plenty of water, Gatorade and GU stations, and plenty of volunteers passing out the goods.  My goal was to finish the race pain free and I tried not to think too much about the clock.  Mile 11 was the toughest, by far.  My strategy was to keep my head down and focus on my breath.  I sang the ABCs (in my head) until I saw the signage for Mile 12, and at that point I was able to put my head up and take a peek at the animals as we ran through the Franklin Park Zoo.

My final time was 2:12:34 and although it wasn't my quickest, it definitely wasn't my slowest.  The last time I ran was in 2013 and I could barely finish due to neck and shoulder pain.  Since that time I've been seeing a chiropractor regularly and more recently have incorporated hot yoga into my conditioning routine.  Both of these have helped tremendously (and the fact that I'm no longer hauling around my twins' infant seats) and it's incredible to finish pain-free.

Here are some shots from the race.  Thanks to all the people that stood along the course and cheered!  It really helps!  Also, big shout-out to the November Project dudes on bikes.  Your shouting and encouragement really made me laugh.

 Pre-race around 7 AM

 Port 'o Pottys as far as the eye can see.  A runner's dream.

 Pre-race around 7:30

 Waiting for the starting gun 

Finished!  Time for a nap.  Oh wait, that was my 2007 race self.  I mean, time to go home and spend the afternoon in a bouncy house with my kids.  

Boston Marathon Photos: Athletes' Village

A little over a year ago, I posted how many runners had to hop off the Boston Marathon buses to pee on the side of the highway. During this year's marathon, I finally got around to using all of the film on the disposable camera I had with me last year. As promised, here's a photo of the scene:

Not sure if this photo was worth the wait...

Here are some other photos of the pre and post marathon scenes, or lines, rather. Most of the day is spent thinking about getting to and from various lines.

Here I am in line for one of the many school buses that will take us to Hopkinton.

The buses drop everyone off at the Atheletes' Village

Runners hanging out before the race (2008)

I took this shot while waiting in line to use a porta potty. It was a LONG wait.

Post race, waiting for my mom to meet Nick & I at Family Meeting Area "P". I was happy to lean on the hydrant for support!

Posing for the disposable camera's last picture: My new friend, the fire hydrant, me, and Nick

Another Glamor Shot to Add to My Portfolio

MarathonFoto takes your picture about 100 times before, during and after the Boston Marathon. Photos are posted to MarathonFoto's site & runners have the option of ordering prints and plaques commemorating their accomplishments. This is a good idea in theory, and they do a great job of capturing your race throughout the course; however, most of the shots serve as a reminder that it's hard to run 26.2 miles and look good at the same time. Sadly, the one below was taken before the start on the race. I think I'll use this for our holiday card this year... Gah!

(photo from MarathonFoto.com)

They really only get worse from there... I think I'll pass on the $124.95 Collector Edition Plaque.

26.2 Miles Later...

After months of training, yesterday was finally race day! I woke up at 5:45 and made my way to Park Street Station where the BAA arranges for the school buses to bring us to the Runner's Village in Hopkinton. Once again, I was blown away by the BAA's organization and efficiency. By the time my bus arrived in Hopkinton and I spent close to 20 minutes in line for the porta potty, it was already time to check my bag and move to the starting line. Like cattle, runners are corralled by number and shuffled forward in an orderly manner until we cross the starting line.

My former company staffs volunteers at mile 5's water station, so I was greeted by several familiar face and friends. Two friends from my old department told me that there had a been a sign, but there was a small issue with it. I kind of forgot about that until this morning when they emailed me a photo of the sign and explanation as to what exactly went wrong.

It's a little known fact that my dad's side is from Western Africa

My favorite part of the course is mile 13 at Wellsley College, where hundreds of girls are screaming like crazy for everyone to give them a kiss. I saw signs that said, Kiss me, I'm Latina, and Kiss me, I'm Asian, as well as, Kiss me, I'm from Ohio. A guy looking to be in his 40's or so running directly in front of me took advantage of about 8 girls offering everything from a peck on the cheek to a wet one directly on the lips. He turned to his running buddy afterwards and said, "Now that was awesome!"

I was cruising along until mile 16 or so, until my legs started to feel like lead; however, I kept plugging along and crossed the finish line in 4:14:43. I felt so happy to finish; however, it was quite painful trying to remove my chip from my shoelaces. After two unsuccessful attempts to squat down and reach my sneaker, a helpful volunteer was able to assist me and give me my medal in exchange for the chip.

When we got back to my apartment, I saw Nick had a decorated the apartment with lots of signs congratulating me on my finish!

This was taped opposite a mirror on our wall

Taped to the coffee table

Recently, I have spent a lot of time soaking my feet in the tub, so this was taped to the shower curtain

Taped to wall over our pillows.

And taped to the toilet seat...

Thanks, Nick! And thank you to my parents for coming up, cheering me on, and then taking us out to dinner last night! Also, a huge thank you to everyone who donated to Team Eye and Ear! Now, I'm going to relax for a while..!

Bib Number Update- Corrected From Last Post

Whoops! So, my correct bib number is 25654 (not 25645) Thank you to Bill (my esteemed teammate) for pointing that out!

Click here to set up the AT&T Athlete Alert on your phone! If you're looking for a particular person, you can search the registered athlete database. I searched 06033 and see there are 9 others from my hometown that are also registered! Go Glastonbury, CT!

Bend Me, Shape Me, Anyway You Want Me

Marathon Monday weather watch continues.

Raindrops are back in the picture...

Also, if you're going to be keeping an eye out for a particular athlete, you can sign up to receive text or email updates via the AT&T Athlete Alert. If you want to follow me, please do! I'm bib 25654. (My bib number helps put into perspective just how many entrants there are, not even including the bandits.) Wow!

This post's title is a line from the American Breed's 1968 song, "Bend Me, Shape Me." I started singing "Track me, follow me, anyway you want to" after reading about the different ways you can track runners via the AT&T Alert...

Weather & Karaoke

Well, things are looking a bit improved from yesterday's forecast for Marathon Monday!

At least the raindrops have been edited out of the clouds.

Also, unrelated to Monday's weather forecast, I was thinking the other day that my next 3 karaoke song selections will be:

*Under My Thumb

*Squeezebox

*Big Man on Mulberry Street (I've tried singing this one before, but it's never in the song selection books...)

I love to sing karaoke, we even went for my bachelorette party.

Once in a while, I like to relive my crazy days as a single lady & wear my hottie whistle & sash around town

Despite the fact that I love to sing karaoke, I am a TERRIBLE singer. I've been practicing each of the above-mentioned songs on Dwayne though, but my singing is so poor that even he goes running for the hills.

Seeking refuge in the Lazy Susan

A Plea to Mother Nature!

Please don't rain on Marathon Monday! I'll take 30 degree weather over wet sneakers, socks, and stomping through puddles. Also, I am extremely clumsy and there's a 95% chance I'll slip and break an ankle if the ground is slick. If it does rain, keep an eye out for entrant 25654 sprawled across the pavement and someone shouting, "Alicia's down!"

Boston Marathon Photos

Here are some shots my family took Patriots' Day Weekend

Flowers potted in sneakers on Beacon Street

My brother David, Red Auerbach, & my dad

The home stretch! (photo by Vince Poon)

David, Mom, & Dad at the finish line

Nick & I at the finish line

Smiling because I finished, but mostly because we FINALLY found an empty cab!

A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh

Aside from the final sprint down Bolyston Street, the most exciting area along the route was Wellesley College.
When my husband ran the marathon in 2005, he told me that the Wellesley girls were begging him for kisses and screaming as if the male runners were the Beatles and the students were teenage girls from the 1960's waiting for an autograph.

Wellesley College students along the marathon route in the 60's?

Like a fisherman telling me he caught a fish "this big," I listened to his tall tales and assumed that there was maybe a handful of enthusiastic signs, but nothing too dramatic. Wellesley College is more or less the halfway point and set back from the road on a picturesque campus. After running past the campus' main entrance, the serene scene quickly morphed into hundreds of hysterically screaming women. A barrier had been set up along the road, and it must have been made out of the same material spaceships are built with, because these chicks were pushing against it like caged lions ready to pounce on and devour their prey. Thankfully, the ladies were contained.

Yikes!

Ear piercing screams for kisses combined with suggestive signs and t-shirt slogans made for a humorous, if not slightly intimidating scene. I watched brave soldiers selflessly enter the combat zone and surrender to the students' hugs and kisses, while most of us only dared to sneak glances as we ran past. Note to all single men out there who are looking for training motivation; I have two words for you: Wellesley College.

Answering Nature's Call On 495 South

I decided to take the buses provided by the BAA from the Tremont Street side of the Commons to Hopkinton. I took the T to Park St. and when I got there around 7:30 or so, the main queue(which lead to about 20 different shorter lines where the buses picked you up) was only about 15 people deep. By the time I was ushered into shorter line to get on a bus, the line wrapped up Tremont, Park St and then back down Beacon Street almost to the start of the Commons. I can't stress enough how well the BAA and its volunteers managed the whole process of shuttling thousands and thousands of runners to the start. Whoever was in charge of that process should give the MBTA a lesson or 2 on transporting huge throngs of commuters in a timely fashion.
On the ride down to Hopkinton, I sat next to a lady from Washington state who had qualified for the Boston marathon in Phoenix. We chatted about Boston, while passing Fenway Park and then, on our right, early morning rowers on the Charles, and I was glad that all of our city's visitors were being treated to quintessential Boston sights on their way to run Boston's famous race. The ride went smoothly enough until we managed to give our visitors to another famous Boston treat: traffic. The Hopkinton exit off of 495S, was backed up and we were sitting in traffic for at least half an hour.
There were about 12 buses backed up off the exit ramp filled with thousands of fully hydrated runners and people were starting to squirm. At first there was only one man who couldn't hold it any longer and we watched him bound into the woods from a few buses in front of us. Then, slowly, one by one, many others began asking the drivers to let them off the bus for a minute so they could answer nature's call. It must have been quite a sight for the other cars to see the woods dotted with the backs of peeing runners. I decided to hold off until we reached the Runners Village; however, I'd like to thank everyone who bravely peed on the side of the highway, because the lines for the port-o-pottys were that much shorter.

26.2 miles and almost 5 hours later...

I finished! More recounts to come later- just wanted to let everyone know I survived (questionably, after mile 22) and to thank everyone for their kind notes!

Comm Ave: the Place to See and Be Seen

A couple of people have asked how they can follow my progress on Monday, so I wanted to re-post this information from the BAA's web site: http://www.baa.org/ My bib number is 24833.

How can family members track my running from home?
The B.A.A. will broadcast every 5Km split to its web site and family and friends can track your progress by logging in and entering your name or bib number. The "face" of the Boston Marathon web site will change on race day and the process on how to enter the search will be clear.

If you have other friends and family running in the race, you can locate their bib number here. Here's a fun fact: Lance Armstrong's bib is 100, so keep an eye out for that number if you're watching along the course.

I'm No. 1... er, I mean, I'm No. 24,833!

I received my bib pickup card in the mail yesterday and my number is 24,833. There are 2 waves on marathon day. The first wave (bib numbers 1-13,999) start at 10 AM and include those who had qualifying times for the marathon. The rest of us weekend warriors are in Wave 2, which starts at 10:30. The Wave 1 bibs are red and the Wave 2 bibs are blue, which is good because it will match the blue Nike swoosh on my sneakers.