Showing posts with label BAA10K. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BAA10K. Show all posts

Friday, June 28, 2013

Fitness Friday: BAA 10K 2013 Weekend

Last weekend we made our way to Boston for the BAA 10K, the second race in the BAA Medley Series. This time I had a running partner: my step daughter.


Our mini race-cation started on Saturday with our first destination on Boylston Street. The last time we were there was for the BAA 5K on marathon weekend. It seemed fitting to pay our respects on the same weekend of the BAA's first race since the tragic events of April 15.


We spent the rest of the afternoon milling around Faneuil Hall, Waterfront Park, and Boston Common before heading to dinner. We chose Maggiano's Little Italy because they offered 15% off to race participants and we scooped up some cookies from the Chip Yard for dessert.


After dinner we strolled back to the hotel. With some time to spare before the start of the hockey game, we took advantage of the spacious room to do some family-time yoga and get our game plan for race day ready.


In the morning we walked the short two blocks to the starting area to meet up with some runner friends prior to the start. The BAA encouraged runners to wear blue and yellow as a tribute to April 15 so I chose my blue Nike running skirt and yellow tank, but I was loving all the Boston tees.

First we ran into Nicole and then Michelle! I also saw Alaina in the corral and on the course!

With the race capped and sold out to 6500 runners, getting into the pace corrals was no easy task. We got in Wave 3 with the 9-959 runners and it took about 10+ minutes to cross the start line.


Here's a glimpse of us at the start turning onto Beacon Street caught by mr C.



We spent the next 6.2 miles cruising through Boston's Back Bay, enjoying the cheers and cow-bells from the spectators, and sweating our butts off. IT WAS HOT! As much as I love bright sunny days, running in the heat after being sick was tough. I just wanted to get to the finish line as easily as my Wave Creations would carry me. 


The out & back course followed Commonwealth Ave. on the south side of the Charles River and led us to the turn around at Boston University. My step daughter and I stayed together until the last port-a-potty at mile 6. It sounds crazy to pitstop so close to the end, but I knew it would be a maze at the finisher's corral and I had no idea how long it would take to get to the port-a-potties there. The next time I saw her, she was showing off her bling!


We hung out on the Common afterwards long enough to cool down a bit and see the 2013 Boston Marathon Champion, Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia, gift his championship medal to the city of Boston to honor the victims and families of the marathon bombings.  


As much as we would've liked to enjoy the festivities on the common all day, we were mere visitors and had to get cleaned up and checkout of the hotel. It was a great weekend, a great race, and a great first 10K finish for my step daughter at 1:02:03 - and I came in right behind her at 1:02:44. 


See you in October for the BAA Half Marathon!

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On a side note, Shlomo from the Brain Tumor Foundation in New York City asked me to share this for readers who are interested in running the ING New York City Marathon on November 3 but were not chosen in the lottery: "The Brain Tumor Foundation has a limited number of slots left on Team BTF in this year’s ING New York City Marathon, and we can offer guaranteed entry into this year’s race for those who will run with Team BTF." You can find more information on the website or go directly to the Team BTF application.  

There's still time to enter to win a Bestowed box delivered right to your door! Click here!



Monday, June 24, 2013

TrainingTruths: One thing to Love

Last week I talked about how happy I was that my legs were feeling good again and I was ready to start building my weekly mileage back up.

Then I got sick. I had been fighting off a cold that turned worse before it got better. I even took a day off from running! That hardly ever happens unless I'm injured. Needless to say, I didn't like it, not one bit.

But there was one thing to love about last week...seeing my stepdaughter complete her first 10K!

On Tuesday my stepdaughter and I did her 10K training run together after school. At first we thought it might rain, but we got lucky and managed 4 dry miles. It was a regular route for me, but she told me afterwards that she didn't like the out & back. They can be mentally harder than loops.


I took an extra rest day on Thursday after I went home from work early and napped the afternoon away. I thought I might feel well enough to make up the run on Friday, but instead I took a sick day. I was too tired to do much of anything except wonder if I would be well enough to run the BAA 10K on Sunday with my stepdaughter.


In spite of my cold, I did finish the #SeizetheSolstice Instagram challenge that Athleta hosted. It was fun (most of the time) trying the new poses. Here are some of my favorites from the week. I'm still planning to focus on improving my yoga skills, but hopefully I'll find another challenge to help keep me motivated.

Clockwise: eagle pose, locust pose, shoulder stand, and dolphin pose

We drove down to Boston on Saturday and spent the day enjoying some of our favorite places. We made a stop on Boylston to pay our respects. It was our first time back since Marathon Weekend when I ran the BAA 5K. I was touched by the variety of memorial tokens, and this Manchester City Marathon shirt tucked in a corner caught my eye.  


On Sunday my stepdaughter and I laced up our Mizunos for her first 10K race while her dad took the role of escort, photographer, and master spectator. I'll share more in the recap, but running in the heat after my worst NH cold wasn't easy, but she did awesome!


What's one thing you have to love about last week?


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