Coach Jen B

The best quote of the day went like this: Ward: “You never even said, should we go to the race? Or asked if the roads were okay.   You’re only concern was   ‘What should I wear? These shoes?   What about these pants? Should I wear capris? Should I wear a thicker shirt?’”   Funny how I had completely made up my mind and that I was definitely going to run this race this morning even though I didn’t pre-register for the darn race.  You got it.  I’m just plain ol’ crazy.  The sad part is that the debut 5kers – Tucker and my dad – did not run today.  They will someday.  I know it.  Yes, Maine got hit with a Nor’easter late last night and the snow continued on for some time this morning.  I think it ended sometime during the race, but I do remember some icy pellets hitting me in the face.   This is the earliest I remember getting snow in Maine.  I remember seeing snow flakes on Halloween night a few years, but never anything with accumulation.   Some of the other road races were resch

I thought my bad luck in scheduling races in bad, snowy weather was behind me.  At least we got a break from snow from April to now.   Remember last year's January Thaw 4.5 miler?  Maine got hit with a blizzard the day before..... THEN, the Midwinter Classic was postponed, then cancelled due to blizzards last February. The good news for the Mid Winter Classic is that my  registration for last year can be applied to the 2012 Race!  I am so pumped about this.   My March race actually went well...blue skies, great running weather.   And we all remember the April Fool's Day Storm that came the day before the Race  The Runways 1/2 Marathon.... family fun on April 1st, 2011 Race The Runways Inaugural 1/2 Marathon April 2, 2011 So, imagine my surprise when I checked the weather for this weekend and I get this.... Now I need to revamp my costume - I was going to wear black spandex short, my racing flats, and a short sleeved shirt to run in.  Since the flakes

This past Sunday, Ward ran the inaugural Bond Brook 10-mile Trail Race in Augusta . I might just need to add that he came in 2nd place as well. Anyway, with him running the race and it being less than a month since I ran the marathon, I was more than happy to have the kids that day. We were going to simply go and cheer him on at the race, but I thought that I could actually volunteer as well! This was the first time I had ever volunteered for a race, and I must say that it was a rewarding experience. the start (not far from the drink station) When I contacted the race director regarding volunteering, I warned her that I would also have my kids with me. Karen was incredible and put me at the water/Gatorade station and asked me to bring my camera as well. That assignment sounded perfect! this is the 1st time we saw the guy run past us When the kids and I arrived to the race, Karen and Leanne directed me to the drink station. The course was actually a loopy 5 mile course tha

Something sparkly caught my eye at the Maine Marathon Expo back on October 1st. It was this super adorable sparkle band from Chica Bands . a perfect match - meant to be? I felt it was meant to be because it was a perfect match for my Team Sparkle Traveling Skirt and YMX shirt marathon outfit. I took a gamble and bought it right then and there, not knowing if this new headband would do the trick. A little history here, I have tried several headbands promising a “no slip” running experience. Yet, I find myself readjusting the darn headbands during runs. I had come to the conclusion that no headband will fit me “perfectly” and I will need to just suck it up and readjust as needed if I want to run with a headband. Well, this cute little headband did the trick – YES IT DID ! It held back my hair for 26.2 miles !!!! I wrote Chica Bands to tell them how awesome their product was and Sarah from Chica Bands sent me another Chica Band to try…. One fo

This is what reading time looked like in our house tonight. Nothing like hanging out in the world's largest dog bed and reading, while wearing a helmet.  I have to tell you, after rainy, cold weather for the past day and a half, I was super excited to come home to sunny skies and a package from Tommie Copper.  Tommie Copper sent me some calf sleeves, a knee sleeve, and compression shirt to try out.  I couldn't get into the calf sleeves and shirt fast enough.  (I will try out knee sleeve soon!) Stayed tuned for a review! 

It seems like lately I haven’t done a whole lot of running alone. In the past few days I had two new running “dates” with some awesome girls and one with an old friend.  Sorry, Jess- you are the "old" friend.  Friday morning, before school, I met a coworker in the school parking lot and we went for a quick 3.5 mile run around Brunswick. She has young kids as well and has a hard time finding a time to get out for a run. Fortunately for me, my in-laws live right down the street from my school, so I drove over to their place and showered before school. I have to note that there is a shower at HBS, but it’s in the school nurse’s office and the amount of puking and other bodily fluid episodes that happen in her office make me rather sick to my stomach, so I wanted to avoid showering in there. Gross! Saturday, Jess and I ran together. Nothing new there. It was nice running 4 miles with her rather than 26.2 miles.  We were done so quickly, it felt almost weird.  We didn't eve

Immediately after signing up for the marathon, I told Ward that when I complete the marathon, I was going to get a 26.2 tattoo.  As you all know, I completed said marathon, and now I need to plan that tat.  Of course, I've been looking online for ideas. But, they are not me.  Danielle's profile pic for her blog is simple and my style, but I don't want to copy her tat.  I do know it's going to be on my foot, under my ankle, in the fleshy area.  And it's going to be on my right foot, since this tattoo is on my left foot.   please excuse the blurry pic - cell phone pic - this is a series of 3 stars  1 with an I (Izzy) in it, 1 with a W (Ward), and 1 with a T (Tucker)  I would like for this new addition to be simple and not too crazy - like this one.   ouch! So, this is what I drafted.   The idea is that for each marathon I complete, I will add another star. How many stars do you think I'll end up with? What if I become one of those incredi

Part of me really seriously thought I may not ever want to run after the marathon.  I wasn't sure how my body would recover or if it would ever recover.  Jess & I crossing the finish line photo courtesy of Maine Running Photos  My week looked like this: Monday:  I stayed home (sick day?) , relaxing, lots of bengay, wearing Zensah compression sleeves & my medal.  I did venture out to take Izzy to daycare and the boys to school & I did stop by my favorite consignment shop downtown and bought a pair of jeans.  I went down the three steps we have, very slowly and with quite a bit of pain.  Calves felt great - quads super tight.  Tuesday:  I did go to school today and I did use the elevator - several times.  Thinking about taking the stairs in that building scared the crap out of me.  Calves still feeling great - quads feel like they are going to explode.  Oh and more bengay.  Wednesday:  I took the stairs - up AND down! and with very little pain.  I didn'

I am still psyched that I completed my 1st marathon.  It's amazing how awesome my co-workers have been this week, stopping me in the hallway to congratulate me and share their own running/marathon stories.  It goes to show that the running community is simply and incredible place to be. Aside from the high from completing this feat, I am also pleased to report that I came out of this experience injury free!  I have a tendency to overtrain.  I'm sure you're shocked by this.  (not really!)  So, when Terry from Yoga to Run contacted me about joining her marathon training program, I jumped on it.  Actually, there are two instructors for Yoga to Run - Jenn and Terry.  They provided all of the runners with a weekly email of the upcoming weeks training plan with helpful hints.  They also had video clips done on youtube so members of the group could practice yoga in the comfort of their home.  The group got together once a month for a yoga clinic in Portland and group long runs a

A day later, I am still feeling the excitement (and pain) from completing my 1 st marathon!  Completing this goal was huge and I could not have gotten here without the love and support from my family and friends!  AND yogatorun !  (thank you, Terry and Jen) Mind you, not even 10 years ago – during 1 mile jogs, that I would tell Ward that “I am not a runner” and that “I have asthma” and “can’t breath”.  Boy things have changed!  The forecast for yesterday had been on and off for the week.  Depending on the weather source, the forecast ranged from overcast with possible showers to steady rain.  No where in those reports did I hear/see downpours.  Well, weathermen, you were wrong!  Downpours and windgusts are what we had in store for us yesterday.  I know I have said before that I do enjoy running in the rain.  And I’ll stick to that but with a slight modification – I do like running in the rain if the mileage is less than 10 miles without gusty winds and downpours.  26.2 miles in the