April | 2014 | Run Luau Run

Archive for April, 2014

Inspired

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Boston 2015, Boston 2016, boston marathon, BQ, Inspiration, inspired on April 22, 2014| 4 Comments »

Dear Caleb, Maddy, John, Pete, Judith, Julie, Justin, Alain, Kathleen, Jamie, Brendan, Alett, Hugh, Tommy, Jim, Nancy, Mike, Paul, Ronnie, and Rick, along with the 32,000 others who ran with you,

I watched my social media feeds yesterday with more than a twinge of jealousy. The looks on your faces, your posts, the posts by your loved ones, all conveyed what was a spectacular day. Some of you finished with PRs, some of you you finished strong, some of you managed to just get through it and some of you decided it just wasn’t your day…

…all of you inspired.

All of you, in your own way, stoked a fire in me that has too long been on ember-mode. On Saturday I had a slow, trudging 11-miler that made me wonder if I would ever get back to where you were yesterday. Watching your smiles and tears yesterday made me hungry again.

This morning I went out for a short 3.1 mile run. My legs felt like logs and my pace was inconsistent at best, but 23:28 later, I knew the comeback had begun.

Running is back in my life and I have each and every one of you to thank for it! Whether it’s Boston 2015 or Boston 2016, I know that I will once again toe the line in Hopkinton for the greatest Marathon on Earth.

Thank you for the inspiration,

Luau

*I apologize for any names I may have missed…if I know you and I know you ran Boston yesterday, this letter is for you too!

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You Haven’t Been Running Nearly Enough…

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged boston marathon, Chafin, Chafing, Not Running Enough, running on April 21, 2014| 4 Comments »

This past Saturday was a beautiful day – the sun was out; the temperature was moderate; runners from all over the world were flocking to my city. Jess and Brooke were off to a play date with one of her friends and Katie was off at a food tasting for a friend’s upcoming event. Everything was lined up for me to go out for a nice, long run – what would be my 4th run of 2014. I set my playlist to laid back mellow music – a little SWV, some Michael Jackson, Brand New Heavies, Carl Carlton, Tribe Called Quest and a heavy dose of Jamiroquai – slipped on my favorite running shorts and VFF Bikilas, set the Garmin and I was off.

It felt good to be outside; it felt good to have the rush of air coursing in and out of my lungs; it felt good to hear and feel the rhythmic beat of my feet on the pavement; it felt good to feel the slow burn slowly build in my legs.

That feeling last about 3 miles. As I made my way over a portion of the Boston Marathon course, I realized that perhaps my ambition to run a long run may have been more than I was physically ready for.

Five things I learned on my 11-mile run, covered in a slow, deliberate pace in 1:43:08:

You haven’t been running nearly enough when your favorite running shoes leave wicked blisters on your feet.
You haven’t been running nearly enough when carrying a water bottle while running proves to be a workout for your forearms.
You haven’t been running nearly enough when after a mid-distance run, you glutes feel like their going to fall off while going up and down the stairs.
You haven’t been running nearly enough when you purposely avoid hills you used to eat with a grin on your face because you’re afraid you’re not going to make it all the way. But worst of all…
You haven’t been running nearly enough when your favorite, lucky running shorts end up chafing you in places you never, ever, ever want to be chafed.

So on this Marathon Monday Morning, when so many people I love and respect are waiting in Hopkinton for the start of their Boston Marathon, I promise myself that for the rest of the year, I will run more than a sad once a month, no matter how busy I am with my budding personal training business, mostly because I never, ever, EVER want to feel the kind of pain I felt Saturday afternoon when I got into the shower.

***

Good luck to the 35,000+ runners running Boston this morning. I am with you in spirit.

May the wind be at your backs, your feet be swift, your breath be powerful and your hearts be strong.

Boston Strong.

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One Year Later

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged bombing, boston marathon on April 15, 2014| 3 Comments »

I have been avoiding the topic. All day today, I have turned on the local sports radio stations only to immediately change the station so I don’t have to think or hear about it. I’m not sure why, but on this day, of all days, I do not want to talk about the Boston Marathon bombing.

Maybe I’m sticking my head in the sand.

Maybe I’m trying to convince myself I’ve moved on.

Maybe I don’t want to join in a one day conversation that does nothing but dredge up bitter memories, only to have everyone else move on to the next topic tomorrow.

I was not on Boylston when the two bombs went off 365 days ago. It was the first time in several years that I wasn’t running as either an official entrant or a pacer for a friend. I ~~felt~~ feel a mixture of relief and guilt not being there.

I still feel anger toward to two extremists who tried to crush the spirit of Boston. I still feel sadness for those who were lost or permanently injured.

When I run now, there is a tinge of guilt,

a smattering of anger,

a swath of sadness…

a dose of…

fear.

I’ve tried my best to suppress it all, but it all lingers, out there, waiting…

The talk on the radio today just brings it all back – brings back the anger, the fear…the suspicion. I can’t look at someone with a backpack now without wondering, “who do you pray to? to a loving deity? a vengeful deity? are you a jihadist? a crusader?”

***

I don’t know if I will be able to make it to the course this Monday to cheer on the runners of the 2014 Boston Marathon. Babysitting issues aside, even if I were able, I’m not sure I would go…

…not out of fear…

…not out of anger…

…not out of sadness…

…not out of guilt…

…or maybe it is all of those things.

One year later…