Heyyy

Hey everyone,

I'm sorry I haven't written in so long. Mary, your trip to Cancun looked amazing...that's so awesome your work sent you there! Jenn, I was in yoga last night too! It was the hottest yoga session I've been to yet, and I thought I was going to pass out the minute I walked into the room, but I survived. I think I drank a gallon of water after class. I liked the poem from Gregor :)

As for race day, I am definitely taking the buses out to Hopkinton. I'm staying at my house in Belmont and will probably get a ride in/close to Park Street. If I can't get a ride, I'm going to park at Alewife and T it in. Jenn, that is so nice of you for offering your place to shower at the next day....I might take you up on that! Last year I took a cab home and passed out on my couch for the rest of the day. It might be good for our legs to walk around for a little.

I'm doing a half marathon on Saturday and I'm super excited....am I crazy? Yes, I think this training has actually made me a little insane. This morning I did a tempo run with Stef and Sheeds around the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. We did the same thing last week and the view was absolutely gorgeous when the sun was coming up....it was all pinks and purples across the sky with the Washington Monument in the background and the colors reflecting off the water. Maybe I can get a picture for you guys in a couple weeks when the time change catches back up to us.

I can't wait for spring!!!

Happy running :)

Caputo

Race Day Plans

Hey guys!
Quick post to reply to Mary's questions re: race day.
My plan is to just take the official marathon buses out to Hopkinton. I'm guessing they'll be leaving at an ungodly hour in the morning, but it seems to be the least-stressful way of getting there and assuring that we'll get there on time. This is my first time doing Boston at the earlier start time which I'm excited about. I figure I do most of my long runs in the morning, so I'm happy to be running the race in the morning vs. the afternoon.
Afterwards, since I live in walk-able distance from the finish line, I'll probably just walk/crawl home. You all are welcome to drop stuff off at my house the day before with shower stuff, etc. in case you want to shower and refresh after the marathon before meandering back to Somerville or wherever. Just let me know!

On another note.....in my yoga class last night, the instructor (awesome little Scottish man named Gregor) read this poem while we were resting in our last pose...and I love it, so I thought I'd share. It's called Anyway.

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you may win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.
Transparency may make you vulnerable. Be transparent anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.Do good anyway.
People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give the world your best anyway.
Happy running this weekend! Almost to taper time...

Plans

Hi Bloggers,

This is more a question/forum than a post: What are everyone's plans for marathon day? What have you all done in the past to get to the starting line and get away from the finish line? I am going to be staying with my sister near Porter Square, and my family will be watching me from Wellesley (where my brother goes to school, not at Wellesley College! At Babson.) But I need to figure out how I am getting to the starting line and how I will meet up with my family again after. I'm thinking I'll probably just take the T back to Somerville and find them there....I don't imagine them coming downtown in a car to pick me up! Even though I know the T will be crazy too. As for getting to the starting line, I have no clue. Any thoughts? Can I meet up with any of you to head over there?

Cancun and Eureka Springs

This weekend/early this week I was in Cancun. For a conference. Which I attended most of the time, but I did go snorkeling one day. It wasn't that great for running though. Oh, but it's okay because I did my long run on Friday before I left. Twenty miles, baby! I felt alright too, but near the end I did a big hill and once I got up it and started running easier I could feel the lactic acid set in pretty fast.....just a little preview of heartbreak hill I guess....oh man. In Cancun I did six miles outside one day and felt like I was going to die, it was so hot and humid (I've gotten soft after moving away from Austin) so the next day I ran on a treadmill and watched Spanish cartoons, which was a lot nicer.

Tomorrow morning John and I are racing a 10k. It's in this little historic, Victorian town called Eureka Springs about an hour from us. And the grand prize is an overnight stay in Eureka springs for two at a bed and breakfast, complete with massages and dinner! So I am tapering for it a little. Because you never know who will (or won't) show up at these small town races....anyway, I'll give y'all a full report!

run like the wind!

hey girls! just wanted to wish you all a happy running weekend. i'm off for a short stint (don't think i've ever actually used that word before) with the 'rents in miami so will be taking this weekend 'off'....which means i will do my best to run some, but will likely not do a super long run and my main goal is to rest and relax and get refreshed for the last bit of the boston winter and marathon training.

lauren, i understand your obsession. sometimes i just feel like my body itself is craving a power yoga class. don't get me wrong, usually i'm cursing the instructor under my breath for the first 20 minutes of class....but by the end, without a doubt, i'm so content and stretched out and at peace, that it makes it all worth it. (ha! that's the yogi inside of me speaking)

what do i do for cross-training? well....my usual week consists of only running 4 days (this is a new thing for me, and was hard to accept at the beginning.....but it's just the way it worked out b/c lots of times i'll have to do my workout at 5:30 am before work...and with it cold and dark and snowy, running just wasn't going to happen). i try to run 4 days per week, and on 2 days i do the elliptical machine in the morning....and then either a yoga class or indoor rock climbing in the evening (which i also highly recommend as a fun alternative to strength training......see picture).

great job with the blogging!

Yoga or Sliced Bread

I can't figure out which is more popular in Berkeley, CA. Even my downstairs neighbor (who is a little crazy) and her boyfriend are both yoga instructors. I admit I love yoga too!

One quick suggestion though, next time you look online for a schedule and show up to a yoga class...make sure you have the right studio. I looked up "Yoga Mandala" online and it showed a 7pm class one night and I showed up to shut doors! Then I went back to the website and realized I had been looking at "Yoga Mandala" in Worcester, MA! Wouldn't know from the website. Ha ha.

Also I HIGHLY recommend swimming and biking for cross-training. Not that I run much these days, but swimming on a Monday feels Heavenly after a 70-mile bike ride on a Saturday and a 10-mile run on a Sunday, it feels Amazing to get off your feet! Yoga for me keeps me to be able to run, And keeps me relaxed in life.

Happy Trails! Your guys runs sound so fun, I have had boring runs lately, I need a buddy, my sister ditches me for snowboarding every weekend.
XOX Megan D

Spin Class

Hello buddies!

First, Jenn, I just want to tell you how much I am OBSESSED with power yoga! I am so excited to go to the class every weekend. I only go once a week too, but just that has actually given me shoulders and I swear I have better posture...I don't slouch as much! I've never been to that studio in Porter Sq. but everyone I know that has gone there has raved about it. I will have to go next time I'm home.

And Mary, don't knock the cadbury mini-egg pancake til you try it! If you like chocolate you'll be in heaven :) Maybe I should try marketing it?!

This morning I went to a Spin Class with Sheeds at Gold's Gym. I was sorta nervous at first since I had never been to one before and it sounded pretty hardcore....but I really liked it and it was a great workout! I think anything longer than 45 min though would have been tough...I started looking at the clock with 15 min to go. The instructor is this guy in his early 30s...pretty hilarious with his remarks...and he played 90s rock music the majority of the time. Brought me back, I must say. It was definitely a nice change-up to using the elliptical or biking on your own. What do you guys usually do for cross training and how often? To be honest, I only cross train when I'm really sick of running or if I have an injury, but this morning I went just for fun...makes me remember that cross training is a really good workout too.

Caputo