Tufts Health Plan 10K

It was another day for running and this time I ran with women. I was invited by Reebok and FitFluential to run the Tufts Health Plan 10K in Boston on Monday as part of Team Reebok.

Thanks to my husband, we arrived at Boston Common with plenty of time to get checked in, cruise the expo, do some shopping, and say hello to the race spokesperson, Joan Benoit Samuelson, AGAIN.

We stopped by the Reebok Booth to check in and get our picture taken. They had fun signs for runners and supporters to fill out and a CrossFit game to play.

Before I knew it, the other FitFluential Ambassadors arrived. Reebok generously outfitted us all in Team Reebok PlayDry short sleeve tops. These shirts were perfect to wear with temperatures in the high 50s. 

With approximately 8,000 women (and some men) signed up for this race, the announcers started calling for the faster runners around 11:15. I hopped in the port-a-potty line one last time, got a good luck kiss from my husband, and joined the crowd. During the wait I happened to spot one of the ladies who has run this race for the last 36 years. Then Joan Benoit Samuelson wished all of us a good race and we were off.

Here's the video my husband captured of the start of the race:

I ran with my phone to take pictures because the course went through parts of Boston that I hadn't seen before. The first mile led us down Beacon Street before crossing over the Charles River into Cambridge. I know we looped past MIT, but I was more interested in watching the lead runners and looking for my FitFluential friends. We were pretty easy to spot in our purple Team Reebok shirts. People lined the streets everywhere including on top of an overpass and as we crossed the river back into Boston, the crowds on the sidewalks got even thicker. When I got to the finish line, Joan Benoit Samuelson was there to shake my hand (she finished in 38:21).

At each mile marker I had checked the time against my pacer bracelet, and had hit all of the 9:30 pace times. Since I used my Simple Hydration Water Bottle, I ran past all of the water stops including the last one staffed by men in tuxedos. My 56:23 finish time was a new 10K PR! I finished 1485/5430 finishers. And for the first time, I ran faster every mile.

This was my first race in Boston and the second largest race I've ever run (biggest in Cincy). Picking up my bib and race swag was a breeze because they were so well organized. The announcements made throughout the day from the stage were very helpful (and that's how we knew JBS was there!) and we found all the volunteers to be helpful and friendly.  

Some details worth mentioning: Participants were offered pace bracelets. Even though I'm inexperienced with using them, I loved this and found it very helpful. They also handed out stickers to reflect the number of years you have participated in this race. I wore mine on my skirt and found myself looking for them on others. There was also a "changing tent" which I gratefully used.

Disclaimer: My race entry and Team Reebok apparel were compliments of Reebok. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

TrainingTruths: Squeezing It All In

There is always one week in the month that seems busier than the rest. One where you find yourself rearranging the running schedule to make it all work around soccer games, meetings, and school events. That about sums up the week that I had.

#TrainingTruth: You can't be picky with the weather if you want to get in a run.

Soccer games come first, so my normal Tuesday run became a Wednesday run. By the time I got home from after school meetings, the relatively nice weather of the day had turned back to rain. Grabbed the dog and went out anyway.

#TrainingTruth: Short runs are better than no runs at all.

Open House at school and a rescheduled soccer game meant that I had to bump my normal Thursday afternoon run to Saturday morning. So, instead of running with BRF Daisy, my running partner was my husband. With two races on the weekend schedule, we kept it short.

#TrainingTruth: Sometimes a fun race fills in as one of your missed runs.

Normally I run twice during the week with a long run on Saturday. This week of crazy busy-ness prevented that, but a fun race on Sunday was a great substitute.

How do you deal with busy schedules 

and working out?

#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to assess ourselves. It's not judgement. It's a way to share and learn and make changes when necessary.

To participate all you have to do is share your #TrainingTruths:

1. Tag a Twitter post with the hashtag #TrainingTruths
2. Comment on the Running Escapades Facebook page 
3. Leave a link to your own blog post in the comments

I look forward to reading your #TrainingTruths!

Fitness Friday: Double Race Weekend

Last weekend I enjoyed a much needed break from races, but read all about the Smuttynose Half Marathon from my running friends who ran it. Hopefully they will want to do it again next year because I've added it to my #FitnessBucketList!

So after getting a chance to catch my breath (and spend some quality time at home), this weekend I'm doubling up on races and running a 5K for dogs and a 10K for women.  

The 3rd Annual My Dogs Are Barking 5K benefits the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire. Last year my loyal running partner, Booney, made his debut at this local race held in Bedford, NH. On Sunday, my husband and I will be pacing Booney to his first PR. My friend Gary is the event organizer and he has been working hard to organize an awesome day for runners, walkers, and canines. 

source

On Monday I'll be spending Columbus Day afternoon on the Boston Common for the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women thanks to Reebok and FitFluential. This event opens with a stroll through the Health & Fitness Pavilion, followed by a pre-race warmup with Reebok Ambassador Tara Stiles before a noon race start. Most exciting, the spokesperson for the race is Joan Benoit Samuelson, a truly inspirational running legend. 

from the Tufts Facebook Page

Even though these two races couldn't be more different in size, location, and beneficiaries, they both encourage people to be active and have fun while supporting a good cause and healthy living.  

Have you ever run a race with your pet?

What's on your #FitnessBucketList?

TrainingTruths: Fresh Legs + GIVEAWAY

Is there such a thing as running too much? I don't like to admit it, but my legs have been feeling less than stellar after running Reach the Beach followed by the ZOOMA Half Marathon. Will my legs ever feel fresh and light again? How can I help get them back to that feeling?

#TrainingTruth: Running on the trail after a half marathon gives my fatigued muscles a break.

#TrainingTruth: Sometimes the last half of a run feels better than the first half.

#TrainingTruth: Chilly wet weather cannot dampen the awesomeness of a good run (finally). 

#TrainingTruth: Chafing is not a fun experience.

I've always used Vaseline on my feet for long runs to prevent blisters. A couple of weeks ago, Rebecca sent me Gold Bond Friction Defense, an anti-chafing product that’s just hit the shelves, to try. Gold Bond Friction Defense is specially formulated to prevent friction, soothe and comfort skin and keep the sensitive area dry and smooth.  It has a no-mess application, lower price point per volume, and is available in major retailers nationwide.

Just days before I received the product, I had my first "real" chafing experience caused by my sports bra rubbing against my torso during a half marathon. More recently, I experienced another chafing mishap because the inner shorts of my running skirt were too large. Ouch! I used Gold Bond Friction Defense to sooth my skin and reduce the friction on my sensitive area and I healed right up. Now I use GBFD on my feet and other sensitive areas before long runs.

Rebecca was generous enough to send me a stick and some socks to share with readers. 


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