Beach to Beacon Recap

Last weekend I lined up with over 6500 runners in Cape Elizabeth, Maine to run the gorgeous 6.2 mile course along the Coast of Maine.  I've said it before and I'll say it a million more times, I am so lucky to live in Maine and have such gorgeous places to run!

shuttle ride with my guy

With B2B and the large number of runners for such a small community, the logistics of getting to the race start in the morning require some forethought.  Our first year doing it (many moons ago) we were stuck on "the bridge" and when we finally made it to our shuttle parking lot - we had to sprint to the last bus to make it to the starting line.  Lesson learned --- never listen to Ward.

brother-in-law and sister-in-law 

Since that awful, stressful experience - I've been a little too high-strung about getting to the shuttle parking lots in time.  Perhaps a little too stressed and I may or may not drive everyone around me crazy.  They love me and they know it.

Spandits, SOS Rehydrate and a banana = perfect race morning!

This year I promised to not wake up hours before our meeting time and send text messages to my lovely sister-in-law.  Instead, I stuck to the plan.  Leaving at 5:30 AM.  Which meant that Ward was still in bed at 5:20, but hey, he's a guy and runs mostly naked.  So really, what does he have to do anyway?  

I might get a little too excited at the start of a race!  Thank you Maine Running Photos (David Colby) for taking this photo

At 5:30 on the dot, Jill, Wade, Gretchen, Ward and I were leaving my driveway and heading to Cape Elizabeth.  The day was supposed to be sunny and gorgeous.  A great beach day.   The temps weren't supposed to be crazy hot during the race and there was a chance of rain later in the day.  WHY???  Personally, I would LOVE a rainy B2B!  Anyway, I tried like heck with my rain-dances, but nothing.  Not even a drop of rain during the race.  Oh well!  

We made the shuttle bus in plenty of time and I hydrated like crazy with my super awesome SOS Rehydrate (PS...I have a code for you! --- see the  and made it to the starting line area with lots of time to spare.... but just long enough to stand in the long crazy ass port-a-potty line.   

Gretchen and I had a photo opportunity just before the race with another Spandits Ambassador - Katie...and then the lovely, Kelley, Spandits co-founder, came over for a photo op!

And then I got to take a photo with my speedy pal - Leslie!  I have fast friends.  I want to be like them when I grow up.

I have super fast friends! I want to be like this lady!

Shortly after that, the race started and I cranked my music.  I had a plan to stick to the 8 min/miles - so that's what I was doing.

and another super fast friend!  Love her!!!

And I did!  I felt awesome.  Like I could run forever.  Until mile 5.  Then my head started pounding, the course got dizzy.  I wasn't sure what the heck was going on with me.  I saw an ambulance and strongly considered stopped.  I checked my skin and I was sweating...I wasn't dry - so I thought I would just power on to the finish line.  I have bigger/longer races coming up and if I couldn't suck it up for the last mile, I thought I had bigger problems.  Perhaps I'm a little too headstrong.

Ward and Wade rocking their race!  

As the mile marker turned to 6.0, my watch flashed 8:45 pace at me.  Ugh.  Oh well.....  Just finish.  So I did.  51:05 - my official time.  Not my best....not my worst 10k.  A solid effort.

I'm kinda hidden...but you can pick out my rad shorts and white Headsweats visor!

After the race, the plan was to run back to our parking spot at the shuttle site only a couple of miles away, so we did - adding another 2.3 miles onto the daily mileage - a total of 8.5 miles!  

I love how we're sporting visors...3 out of 4 of us in Headsweats.  Hmmm.... I guess Headsweats just rocks!  We need to get Wade on board with them.

I do love the TD photo booth!  Always fun.  

I loved that I received my official time on my phone and through email... A great perk and not having to go look up that info.  But then something weird happened....I got a second text and email.  For ANOTHER Jennifer Boudreau who also ran Beach to Beacon.  I am slightly confused by this because runners were sent an email offering this automated email/text and were to put in our bib #s.  Obviously the other Jennifer Boudreau does not share the same bib # with me - so why am I receiving her racing stats?  

And then even more sadly, Game Face took free race photos and when I search my name, I get two bad finish line photos and several race photos of (you guessed it) the other Jennifer Boudreau.  

I will note that I did send an email to Beach to Beacon and Game Face, regarding this weird mix up, but haven't received any type of response.  I've never had this happen before!   It's not a big deal, just weird.  I'm seriously not upset by this, just confused.

but hey....look at all the Boudreau's in the Sunday paper!  Apparently the Thursday track meet results were in there too....  FUN!