Coach Jen B

The B.A.A. Half has been on my radar for few years.   I decided earlier this year that this year was going to be the year of the half marathon. So I put my name in the lottery.  I had planned on mastering the half this year, so why not run a race I've been wanting to do?   Just before I found out I was running the B.A.A. Half, I had applied to be a Maine Marathon ambassador.   I honestly didn't think I had a chance at getting that cool opportunity.  Little did I know that one day I would find out I was doing the B.A.A. Half and shortly after that I would find out I was an ambassador for the Maine Marathon.     I probably should have looked at the dates for each of them, but really, would I have changed my mind?  Absolutely NOT!    So, now I was running two half marathons in back-to-back weekends!    This weekend we decided to not drag the kids all over the place for another weekend, which meant this was just a ...

I thought my fall racing plans were sealed - Maine Half Marathon then Philadelphia Marathon.  BOTH pretty awesome opportunities for me! But then I just found out that I've been invited to run The Runner's World Half Marathon this October!   I haven't quite decided which races I'll be doing for sure - my options are the 3.8 trail run, 5k, 10k, Half Marathon - or the Hat Trick, Five and Dime, or all 4 Races.  But I do know I WILL BE there with other super cool and inspirational bloggers and I'll be running and loving it!   It's been my dream since traveling with the husband and brother-in-law when they ran the Lehigh Marathon a couple of years ago.  I had never been to Bethlehem before and I immediately fell in love with the beautiful city.  The Runners World Half Marathon has been on my bucket list ever since!  Seriously - A Dream Come True!   Now - I have something to share with YOU!  Discount codes for the Run...

Back in 2010, I took my first leap into the half marathon world with the Maine Half Marathon.   It was after that race I was determined that the next year I was coming back to the course and complete my first marathon.  And I did.  In the pouring rain.   best feeling ever is coming into the finish line and seeing your family...even better, your son running with you!   This year, I'm happy to announce I'm going back!  I wanted to do a fall half as a tune-up race prior to the Philadelphia Marathon (at the end of November), and the Maine Marathon - Half, is absolutely perfect timing.   But I have something even bigger going on that weekend than simply showing up to the race and doing it.  I'm going to attend the first ever, inaugural Rise.Run.Retreat.   I'm excited to join this group of women runners and I'm happy to announce that there is room for one more lucky lady !!!!   Here are the details: ...

As my dreams of completing my 4th full marathon came to an end with that nagging gluteal injury, I decided to scale back and do the MDI Relay with the girls!  Next Sunday we will be heading up to MDI with two relay teams.   As I recovered from my injury, I didn't say goodbye to my long runs.  I still kept up my longer runs - getting back to 10 miles, then 12, 13.5, then 14.  And I plan on keeping long runs in my training plans.   Especially since I'm eyeing up a spring marathon.   As I continue to train with long runs, I continue to use my favorite running accessories to get me through these long runs.   Camelbak Marathoner  My love for Camelbak has been been increased.  You see, I had trained for my first 3 marathons and few half marathons with my Camelbak original.  Heck, I've even raced with it.   I love the hands-free design of Camelbak - a place to store your fuel/cell phone/toilet paper/gum and a water ca...

My husband often says "who are you? You are definitely not the woman I married." That's right, the woman he married used to yell at him on hikes or runs telling him I couldn't breath and that I had asthma. Not that having asthma is a sign of weakness.  My point here is that I used my asthma as a excuse.  Making excuses is weak.  The woman he married would not have taken on 5ks, 10ks, half marathons, marathons, trail races and 10 mile races in the dead of winter in Maine.     feeling strong here, but definitely not smelling good My strong story started a little over 7 years ago.  Tucker was close to 18 months old and I hadn't lost the baby weight.  I was in a rather low point in my life and was making some unhealthy choices.  I needed to regain control in my life and be a healthier person.  If not for myself, for my family. My sister-in-law had just joined a local gym and started losing weight and looking good.  Being en...

This is what I found on the kitchen counter, sitting beside my fuel stash,  on race morning.  My husband is the sweetest, ever.   Jill, Carrie, Michelle, and myself pre-race photo courtesy of Michelle @ Average Girl Doing Average Things Yesterday was my sixth half marathon and my second KRRT half marathon.  Jill and I were at the start bright and early and ready to rock.  I have issues.  Apparently, in my mind, it made perfect sense to pick Jill up at 6:30 (with the race starting at 7:30) for a 10 mile drive AND we had already picked up our bib #s the night before.  Jill knows me well and we waiting for me when I came around the corner.  When we got there, we finally got to meet Michelle from Average Girl Doing Average Things , a local blogger and fellow Tough Chik .  It was great to finally meet her in person.  I can't wait until we can meet again.  Eventually we headed over the starting line to get...

One week down for marathon training.  I bet you won't be surprised when I tell you I altered the plan already. Week #1's plan called for - Monday - rest/yoga Tuesday - easy 4-5 miles Wednesday - 5-7 mile tempo Thursday - rest Friday - 5-6 miles temp Saturday - easy 3-4 miles Sunday - 12 miles Total:  25-29 miles What I actually did: I set out thinking I'm going to follow a plan, then I go and register for races and it throws off my plan.  Yes, I could still stick with the plans but when I pay for a race, I want to do well.  I know my body and I know I need to rest/recover, so I give myself permission to do so.  And while I didn't exactly stick to the plan, I still ended up with more mileage than I was supposed to.  I had added more distance into the shorter runs so I could make my long run shorter on Sunday.   Now I'm officially in taper mode and I'm going to follow the plan I followed the week prior to my (shocking) half marat...

Yesterday morning I spent a good hour convincing myself I could run this race today.  I felt flush, had a horrible headache and swore I was going to puke.  I kept having flashbacks to the Midwinter Classic when I thought it was a good idea to run a 10 mile race with a fever of 103, which then landed me on the couch with pneumonia.   Thankfully what I had today was not a cold and was just a stomach bug. I forced down some oatmeal with chia seeds and a banana, drank my coffee, visited the bathroom (several times), and then downed my Nalgene bottle full of water & Nuun.  As it settled, I decided that if I just got dressed, I would be committed to running today.   It worked.  Once I put on my Team Tough Chik shirt, I knew I was running.   I was just going to get out there and do my best.  I questioned the weather, the wind and what to wear and changed my mind several times.   Finally I just threw a jacket over my Tough Chiks shirt, pulle...