Energizng Run.

OK, new running gear.  Check.  Perfect running weather.  Check.  New course.  Check.  What an energizing run!

I won't bore you with the new gear (yesterday's post covers that).  Yesterday's weather in Boston was perfect for running.  Low 40's and partly sunny.  There was a stiff breeze coming out of the West which helped push me along the Charles back towards my destination which was nice, but holy cow, I thought that I was going to take flight a couple of times.  I was afraid of getting stuck in a tree like a high flying kite.  However, all-in-all, it was gorgeous out for running.

Sights Along My Run

Running along the Charles River is great but I was looking to mix it up a bit yesterday.  Why not run along the harbor and the Freedom Trail into Charlestown I thought.  Why not?  Sure.  I ended up taking in some great sites and photo ops for my other addiction, Instagram (don't ask).  From South Station, to Fort Point Channel, to the North End over to the USS Constitution and then the Bunker Hill monument.  Took in the sites and sounds there and then swung by the Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, onto the Charles River on the Cambridge side to the Mass Ave bridge.  Then the Esplanade (here is where the tail wind kicked in) and over to the Public Garden.  Took a left at Albuquerque.  Sorry, that was Bugs Bunny.  Onto the Common, down to Down Town Crossing, over to City Hall Plaza, through Faneuil Hall.  Almost there.  Back over to the harbor, then the Fort Point Channel again and finally back to South Station.  I really should be a tour guide.  Turned out to be 13.5 miles.  Sweet.  A new route that is definitely going on my favorite list.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

New Gear.

What to do with some gift cards?  Buy new running gear of course.  I've had a few gift cards laying around just waiting for the right opportunity to use them.  Well, that opportunity finally showed its purdy little face yesterday.  Oh, darn!  Shucks!  I had bought some new cold weather running gear last month but have recently found that it keeps me a bit too warm so I wanted to get a few lighter items along with a couple of other necessities.

True Runner here I come (I'm so glad that they have come to Boston)!  I started out looking for a good windbreaker that would help cut that pesky wind while running along the Charles.  After much back and forth between three different jackets (my wife would say that it was back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, and then back and forth X 20), I ended up with the Infinity Elite Series from PEARL iZUMi.  I ran today with it for the first time and absolutely loved it!  It kept me so much cooler than the Nike jacket that I previously had been using.  I even got a compliment from someone who said that they liked it so I guess I did OK. 

New Gear from True Runner

The next item on the shopping list, a new hat.  The cap that I had previously was a fleece hat and completely trapped the heat in and created "Mr. Wet" head.  I would always have completely drenched hair after running in it.  The first hat that I picked up yesterday was the one that I ended up getting.  This time only one back and forth.  It was a Nike Dri-Fit Stay Cool cap which allows the moisture to wick away.  I wore it today for the first time and loved it as well!  It kept my head warm and just a bit moist.  So much better than having a full head of wet hair like I had just stepped out of the shower.

Socks. Seems like a very simple thing.  I found out that it really isn't.  I have some Asics socks for training but felt it was time to get some new socks while stepping it up a notch (no pun intended... well maybe it was).  Who knew that it would take me forever to figure out which ones I wanted to get this time around.  After much back and forth (I won't even list how many there were this time around as you would be so bored with just reading them over and over again).  I decided on the Feetures! Elite socks.  I was told that they have more compression than most socks.  Boy, was that an understatement!  There is a lot of compression in them but felt that that was a good thing when I took them for a run today.  It took a bit to get used to them but I think that they are going to work out well.  I think that I'm going to try wool socks next (no, not the scratchy sheep smelling ones).

I finally picked up a foam roller too.  The "Original The Grid" is the one I decided on.  I've heard so much about them and have wavered on getting one but figured that I should give it a shot.  I've used it a few times and it is great.  Definitely worth picking up.

Finally, I picked up some re-fueling gels.  I'll get into refueling and all of the different gels that I've tried in a future post.

Getting the right gear definitely makes such a difference in helping to make the most out of a run.  The better equipped that you are the better you will perform and the better you will feel about what you have done.  Thank goodness for those gift cards!

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'!

Star Trac #7630 Pro.

Yes, I know, it sounds so official.  So tantilizing.  So mysterious.  "Star Trac #7630 Pro".  Well, it really is not that exciting.  A bit of smoke and mirrors more than anything else.  It's the model of treadmill that I run on everytime I go to the gym when "the weather outside is frightful".  OK, it isn't that tantilizing or mysterious now that you know what it is.  Right?  I felt that I had to spice it up a bit instead of "treadmill" or my favorite "dreadmill".  I guess I should show some respect to the equipment that is helping me to get my miles in.  Just a little bit of respect.  I ended up with 7 miles today consisting of mainly straight miles with some speed work and just a dash of hill work (am I a chef now?).  I want to get another 7 miles in tomorrow but it looks like it is going to have to be on the "Star Trek 7630".  Beam Me Up, Scotty.  Oh, sorry, "Star Trac 7630".  Beam me up, Bob Harper (the guy from The Biggest Loser- people say that I look like him.  Hmmm...).

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

The Great Outdoors.

Finally, the weather this morning was good enough to run in the great outdoors.  My goodness, that was WAY overdue!  Today's high was supposed to be around 40.  However, when I went running in Boston this morning it was more like mid 20's and blustery along the frozen Charles.  I'll take it any day.  I decided to run in the city today because I wanted to run a long run and absolutely LOVE to run in Boston because it is so motivational and there are some great photo ops for my Instagram addiction.

Boston Marathon Ice Sculpture

It was a great morning for running even though it was a bit chilly (I'm not complaining at all).  Paths in the Common/Public garden along with those along the Charles were pretty clear for the most part.  I did end up with cold wet feet because of a few slushy sidewalks and crosswalks but what did I expect a couple of days after the areas first Nor'easter? 

I altered my normal course to run down Boylston street as I wanted to snap a pic of the Boston Marathon ice sculpture from New Year's eve in Copley Square.  This also gave me the opportunity to run past the finish line of the Marathon.  The ultimate "Finish Line".

I finished my run with 12 miles through the streets of Boston and Cambridge.  Thank you to my wife for getting up early and getting me to the train station and thank you to mother nature for a great morning for running.  I just love the great outdoors!

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Slowly Becoming Friends Again.

 OK, I cannot believe that I'm going to say this but, the treadmill and I are slowly becoming friends again.  That's right, at one point we were the best of friends.  That is, before I started running outdoors more and more for my training and realized that I LOVE to run outdoors so much more.  Technically, it is much better to train outdoors on pavement so that your body is used to the impact of running just like on race day so I have that on my side.  That said, it is not always convenient to run outdoors, especially when we are right in the midst of Winter's mighty grip. 

This past Thursday, the Boston area was in hyper freak-out mode because of Hercules coming to town (first Nor'easter of 2014).  Every local TV channel had a team of at least 15 reporters out in the field showing us everything from how the plows get put on the front of the trucks, ginormous salt piles, traffic tracker vehicles broadcasting live footage from the road and "Breaking News" (just the live broadcast from the road, they wanted to play that dramatic music and show their cool "hey we have to interrupt the regular news for this extra special news" logo, along with extended news coverage which seemed like eternity.  Come on already, I'm missing my favorite shows just because of a couple of snow flakes?!  While everyone else was rushing to the grocery store for the remaining staples of any great storm, cartons of milk and loaves of bread, I was rushing to the gym to get my 6 miles in before they closed early for the storm (hey, I'm originally from Buffalo so this storm was nothing).  I pounded out 6.26 miles with both straight miles and hill training and then finished up with some weight training (trying to add in this type of training to build my upper body and strengthen my core).

Yesterday's bitter cold temperatures made it necessary to visit the gym again and to have another opportunity to work on coming to terms with a necessary dependence on the gym and the treadmill.  I ended up working on speed (which I absolutely love) and hills (not loving it so much but I know that it is a crucial part of my training).  I ended the session with 7.25 miles which I felt wasn't too bad.  I had thoughts of running a long run today in the back of my head the entire time so maybe that was my motivation for the day.  Who knows?  I think that was really it.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.

Joe & Heather Barros

A heartfelt "Thank You" to my friends Heather & Joe Barros who organized a 50/50 split during their annual New Year's eve spectacular that they held last night.  The proceeds from the event went towards my Boston Marathon fundraising. 

I was very surprised and very appreciative when I found out on Monday from Joe that they were planning to do a fundraiser for me to help raise money for my marathon goal.  That was such a kind gesture and something that I will never forget.

Generous Contributors & New Year's Eve Revelers

A heartfelt "Thank You" also goes out to all of Heather and Joe's friends and family who attended the party last night and generously contributed to this cause.  The outpouring of support by everyone was very much appreciated and I thank each and every one of you for your generosity.

Due to everyone's kindness, $126 dollars was raised in the 50/50 split and $104 of that will go towards my goal of $5,000 for the Curley K-8 School in Jamaica Plain (Shannon Joseph donated an additional $41 of her share of the split).

Congratulations to Shannon Joseph who was the winner of the 50/50 split!
 

Shannon Joseph and Myself

Thank you again to Heather, Joe, and all of their family and friends who generously donated.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

 

Until next time, keep on runnin'!