More Than A Feeling.

I looked out this morning and the sun was gone
Turned on some music to start my day
I lost myself in a familiar song
I closed my eyes and I slipped away
It's more than a feeling, when I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feeling)

I love that song and always look forward to it when it comes up on my running list.  How coincidental is it that the group that sings that song is Boston and I'm running the "Boston" Marathon for "Boston" Children's Hospital?  OK, not very, but I had to tie it in someway.  I did look out this morning and the sun was definitely gone though.  I was checking to see if it was snowing and whether I wanted to venture to Wellesley in it for the 14 mile team run this morning.  Oh, it was snowing for sure when I peaked out the front window and it was coming down pretty good.  I sat for a moment and debated: 

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An' if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know

[The Clash- 1982]

The hearty Buffalonian in me decided, ah, what's a little snow?  Just go already.  A couple of inches?  Inches sminches.  I figured it's always fun to run in the snow so why not.  That said, I decided that I should bring in the mail just in case to see if the run had ended up getting cancelled because of the snow.  The e-mails came in as fast as the snow was falling.  Wait, what was that that just came in from yesterday?  Looked like "registration" something at "baa.org" something or another.  It spun by so quick that I thought that I had just spun the big wheel on the Price Is Right.  Trying to get the red $1.00 so that I could go onto the Showcase Showdown.  I scrolled down to find the message.  There it was.  My confirmation that I was officially registered for the 119th Boston Marathon.  More than a feeling.  It is now officially "official".  I have my golden ticket.  The last piece of the puzzle is complete and I can now Mod Podge it and hang it on the wall.  A fantastic surprise to find in the old mailbox this morning. 

Speaking of the old mailbox, I had another fantastic surprise today in my snail mail mailbox.  A shipping envelope from Boston Children's Hospital.  I squished the packing a bit to see if I could figure out what it was.  Hmm...  Soft.  Felt like material.  But, what was it?   I carefully opened it to find my "official" Boston Children's Hospital Miles For Miracles singlet.  Yeah!  There was also a letter asking me to start wearing it during my training and on the team runs.  OK, you don't have to ask me twice.  I will go forth and wear it proudly.  I'll just wear it to the gym on my cross train days for now and then wear it on my runs when it warms up. 

When I'm tired and thinking cold
I hide in my music, forget the day
And dream of a girl I used to know
I closed my eyes and she slipped away
She slipped away
It's more than a feeling, when I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feeling)


Until next time, keep on runnin'!

"And This Here's Our Pride And Joy, Snots."

This morning's earlybird forecast was 15 and light snow flurries in the city of Boston.  Sounded pretty good to me as it was either that or the gym tonight.  I'll take the cold please.  Plain and simple.  I got up at my usual 4:30 AM to get ready and catch the first train into the city.  The same cast of characters greeted me on the train. They were all bundled up in their warm winter woollies while I was in my minimalist running gear along with an accent of random goosebumps. They may have the upper hand now I thought, but wait until mid-run.  I'll be hot and sweaty.  Who will have the upper hand then?  Ha!

I got to South Station and started on my run. My goodness it was COLD. Cold enough for the proverbial, thingy mabopper to kick in.  You know, the wet um...  OK, snots!  There, I said it. The inevitable faucet that runs from your schnoz like Niagara Falls.  All I could think of was Eddie from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  "Snots, you roll over and let Uncle Clark scratch your belly".  "Snots", I giggle like a six year old every time I hear that word.  It gets me every time. 

There is the non-glamorous side of running that all runners experience.  The chafing.  Ouch. The sore muscles.  Where's my foam roller?  Runner's toe. [Disclaimer: Those who are squeamish please skip ahead a bit... For those who are not familiar, it is where the nail bed turns black and then a couple of days later you get to peel your toenail off.  It is actually kind of funky weird- that's for another post though].  The snots.  Gross.  Not really if you have a good pair of absorbent running gloves. OK, it is kinda gross but you do what you have to with what you have.  In the end, it is all worth it. Turning a perfectly clean and dry set of running gear into a not so clean and wet set of running gear with a few side effects is pure joy. 

Eddie: "That's something, ain't it? You pet him, Clark, on the belly and, he'll love you till the day you die." Clark: "I really shouldn't. My hands are all chapped."  I forgot all about things being chapped!  Oh, snots!

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Early Bird Catches the Worm?

Well, I'm not sure that I'm very keen on worms (unless they are gummy) but I guess I don't mind being called a bird.  Maybe a Blue Jay or Cardinal.  I decided to go in early this morning to get a run outdoors in Boston instead of going to the gym again last night.  It wasn't a hard decision even though the temperatures were going to be in the teens this morning.  I didn't care.  I just wanted to fulfill that itch to run outside.  So 4:15 AM it was (had to get up that early to get everything together and to get to an early train- thanks to my wife for getting up so early to take me to the train station)! 

Boats at the Boston University Sailing Pavilion on the Charles

I got a pleasant surprise when the train pulled into South Station and the door of the train opened.  Snow!  The frozen precip made for a beautiful run but boy did it sting like a bird, maybe a Blue Jay or Cardinal, pecking my eyeballs out.  Of course the time that I decide not to bring my sunglasses, because there was no sun,  I needed them to deflect the sharp flakes from my eyes.  Oh well, it was beautiful, what I could see of it anyway!

It is so motivational to run in the city along the Charles River.  I LOVE it.  I have my tried-and-true loops which never get monotonous.  They can get busy in the nice weather with other runners and cyclists but it is worth it.  Today, there was no issue of crowds.  Just us die-hards.  I ended up with 10.3 miles.  I'll take it.  This bird would never fly south.  Wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to run in this kind of weather!  Chirp, chirp.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!