Fitness Friday: Tell Me About Your 2012

It's hard to believe that in just a little over two weeks 2012 will come to an end. Happy Fit Mama recently shared a look back at her year in running, and so inspired me to do the same.

Best Race Experience - Reach the Beach NH. My very first relay. I went into this experience knowing only one other runner, but ended up with a bunch of new running friends!

Best run - In September I had the opportunity to participate in a fun 3 mile run with legendary Joan Benoit Samuelson. An afternoon spent hanging out in the park on a beautiful fall day with an Olympic gold medalist and 25 other running enthusiasts doesn't get much better.

Best new piece of gear - I found two new running items this year that allow me to have everything I need on my runs, but stay hands-free. First the Simple Hydration Water Bottle. This gem makes carrying water on my runs so simple! And my Big Banjees Wrist Wallet. I love taking pictures, and wearing this means I can carry my phone without carrying it in my hand.

Best piece of running advice you received - I've heard lots of great running advice over the year, but the one that stands out the most to me came from Joan Benoit Samuelson. Her belief that there is no finish line reminds me that it is up to me to stay focused and healthy.

Most inspirational runner - My running partner (aka the energizer bunny - according to my husband) is so amazing. Not only does she run, and run, and run, but she is also one of my greatest supporters. It doesn't matter what I need (someone to listen, take a picture, or adjust schedules), Daisy is always willing to do what she can. Thanks girl!

If you could sum up your whole year in a couple of words, what would they be? Adventurous. Exciting. Fun. FitFluential. I have had a blast all year pursuing my passion, meeting new running friends, and experiencing some pretty amazing escapades.  

Now it's your turn. Tell Me About Your 2012!

Comment below, tweet @runningescapde, or write your own blog post and let me know that you did!

There is still time to join the Chilly Challenge! Check out all the details here or skip right to the sign-up part and be sure to choose #TeamEscapades! Then be sure to invite all your friends: more people = more miles!

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.

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. 

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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: Recovery to 13.1

The past week was a whirlwind of amazing events: a quick Reach The Beach recovery run, a film premier and run with the legendary first-ever women's Olympic marathon champion, and the ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon. I'm looking forward to a quiet week of running just for fun!

#TrainingTruth: Recovery runs should be slow and easy.

Amazingly, my legs were feeling pretty good on this run. I didn't have any soreness after Reach the Beach, but I did feel the effects of lack of sleep. This run felt awesome and it wasn't that hard to slow down!

#TrainingTruth: "We are all runners" - Joan Benoit Samuelson. 

I love that Joan reminds us of this. So often, we judge ourselves by making comparisons to others. Joan lets us know that we don't have to run marathons or win Olympic medals to be runners. If we run, we are runners.

#TrainingTruth: Something magical happens at a race run by women.

Women are competitive, but in a non-threatening supportive way that men don't always show on race day. I saw first hand a level of positive energy that is contagious and extraordinary and every woman should make a point to run a women's race. 

#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!

The winners of the Mizuno Mezamashii Giveaway have been selected! Check the original post to see if it was you! If it was, your email has been forwarded to Mizuno and someone will be contacting you soon! Congratulations! 

A Legend, a Film, and a Run

When you think of women's running, you probably think of Joan Benoit Samuelson.
Joan is one of the pioneers of women's running and in fact is the first ever Olympic Champion in the women's marathon. She is a running legend, icon, hero and inspiration.

When you see her run, you would wonder how this tiny woman with the unusual form could do it. She doesn't lift weights or take supplements. She doesn't even pay attention to the mile markers during a race. I think she would tell you that runners come in all different packages with all manner of strides and individual practices, but we are all runners.

The fun started Tuesday evening at the Palace Theater in Manchester. Olympic Gold Medal Marathoner Joan Benoit Samuelson presented her new documentary There Is No Finish Line. It was a night of inspiration and great stories told by Joan, people from her life, and three local runners who have used running to make major changes in their lives. 

In the film Joan's family and friends speak of her passion for running, her unceasing motivation to do better, and her desire to give back to the community. During the introduction and Q & A after, it was instantly apparent that Joan has a feisty sense of humor. We learn that she suffers from PMS...Pre Marathon Syndrome and gets hankry (hungry and cranky). The film also shows us how Joan's running achievements inevitably opened the door for all women in the running world today. 

The next morning, I was lucky enough to participate in the "Run with Joanie" event at Livingston Park in Manchester. Approximately 50 people were selected to attend two sessions to discuss training, health and wellness followed by a run with Joan and her crew. 

When I arrived at the park, people were mingling and chatting, taking pictures and getting autographs. I found Angela (aka Happy Fit Mama) and we worked as a team to get our pictures with Joan. After a short round of introductions from everyone in the group we set off on a three mile trail run. We enjoyed drinks and snacks provided by Hannaford during the post run chat with Joan.

I learned from Joanie (as she is affectionately called) that we are all runners. We all carry heavy expectations that are often self imposed and habitually push ourselves beyond what we ever imagined. The most important message, of course, is that there is no finish line. Joan broke barriers in 1984 and continues to defy the odds today proving that we can still challenge ourselves in this marathon we call life.

Here's a brief clip of the "Run with Joan" event from WMUR's newscast:

If you could meet a running legend, 

who would you want to meet?

Fitness Friday: Golden Opportunities

Today I am off beginning my adventure running the Reach the Beach Relay in New Hampshire. While I am very excited to be hanging out with my running partner and four other crazy runners in a van for the next 24+ hours, I am also super jazzed about some exciting events that I have coming up next week.

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• On Tuesday I'm attending a screening of the Nike film There Is No Finish Line which documents the spirit of Joan Benoit Samuelson through her career and a Q & A session with Joan after at the Palace Theater in Manchester. Joan is an American marathon runner who won the first ever gold medal for the Women's Marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, a two time Boston Marathon winner, and she still holds the fastest finish time for an American at the Chicago Marathon. She has also run a sub-3-hour marathon in FIVE different decades!

     Here is a preview of the film: 

                                   

• On Wednesday, I am one of 50 lucky people who get to participate in a Run with Joanie through Livingston Park in Manchester. This event includes a 30 minute warm up and discussion, a 30 minute run, and a post-run stretch and talk.

In August I was supposed to run the Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth, Maine in which Joan Benoit Samuelson is the founder and chair. She ran the race herself, along with icons Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it to the race at the last minute, so I am thankful to have the opportunity to attend these events and hopefully erase my feelings of disappointment for missing what looked to be an amazing race in Maine. I am optimistic that I will get another chance to run it next year.

Who is the most famous runner you have ever met?