Little Betsy runs a Big Race

NEW BLOG!

2009-11-11T15:32:00.004-05:00

For those of you looking for Little Betsy Runs a Big Race, head on over to:

http://www.runbetsyrun.wordpress.com

Little Betsy outgrew this blog....so check out the new one! Bookmark it, and check back often. I won't be writing on this blog anymore.

approaching double digits

2009-11-01T20:19:00.004-05:00

Yesterday's run was a beautiful 8.8 miles up in Ipswich with Fred. We ran past Russell Orchards Farm, the Crane Hill Estate, and finally reached Crane Beach. The knee felt good, though the pace was slow.... but I'm approaching double digits again! The 'real' training begins December 14th. In the meantime, I'm just having fun using my legs again! It doesn't get much more beautiful than New England in the fall.

Love, sweat, and tears

2009-10-20T17:34:00.006-04:00

Now that I've started sweating again, I don't think my boyfriend is going to dump me anymore. Intrigued?

Towards the end of the summer, I worried Fred was possibly going to dump me if I didn't stop complaining about my knee. When I tried to run and it hurt, I complained. When I could get a good run in, but it hurt the next day, I complained. ('Gosh, what a baby!' you must be saying. It's okay.) Finally, he convinced me to take a full month off running altogether--ostensibly to fully heal my knee, but more likely to have a break from all my grumbling. I obliged. If I didn't, our relationship might have been in real trouble!

A month of no running meant a month of no sweating, no way to get my aggressions out, and no release for the stresses of school, life, and--yep, not running. Although Fred was freed from the complaining about my running, he was then subjected to me being out-of-sorts and generally miserable because of my [not] running. It's amazing how much free time and mind-wandering happens when you don't run 4, 6, or 8 miles after school, and how that can really mess with your mind. A month is a long time to keep it all in. A month is a long time to go without built-in alone time for someone who is around 46 kids all day, has 3 roommates, and spends every weekend with a long-distance boyfriend.

That month turned into five weeks, and then six, but now it's finally, blissfully over! I've been steadily running every four days, then every three, now I'm trying every other day. I have a way to release the stresses of a very stressful job! I have alone time! I'm sweating again! I didn't ever really think Fred was going to dump me. But he might be glad to have a [somewhat] sane and healthy Betsy again. I know I am, and I owe it all to him.This is the face of a man with infinite patience and far more common sense than myself.

Little Betsy takes a break

2009-10-14T21:03:00.008-04:00

I haven't been writing because I haven't been running. And I haven't been running because I've been trying to give my knee a good rest before Boston training begins. No use wasting time writing about that minutia!

In the meantime, I've been cheering on some other marathoners! In the past year, I've convinced my brother Ted, my brother Tom, my [almost] sister in law Nina, and my boyfriend Fred to run marathons.

Who's next? :)

Fred qualifies for Boston in his first marathon! Running for the Nativity School in Boston, he finished in 3:10 and raised $1000 for the school.

Two Maine Marathon finishers: Fred and Dad

Ted and Nina run the Chicago Marathon together! Ted is in blue, Nina in yellow.

2009-08-14T14:41:00.005-04:00

Team Born 2 Run [Boston]
Aimee, Bob, Emily, Katie, Glen, and Betsy

100 miles
6 people
1 van
2 nights
17 hand-offs
12 pairs of sneakers
3 old friends (Katie, Aimee, Betsy)
3 new friends (Glen, Bob, Emily)
90 degrees
4 cases of water
18 sets of sweaty clothes
14 hours
2 rounds of beer
1 condo with 15 beds

100 miles on Route 100, Heart of Vermont Relay

Canadian Triathlon

2009-08-12T18:39:00.006-04:00

The best run I've had in months: 2 miles straight down a rocky trail, followed by 2 miles straight back up the same rocky trail.

Fred and I just returned from a 10 day road trip in Canada that was filled with camping, beaching, hiking, running (a little), and good seafood. We drove and camped all over Nova Scotia, and concentrated most of our time in Cape Breton Island national park. Between the cliff drives, whale watching, local beer sampling, and photographing, we also found time for some hiking, trail running, and swimming....which we later found out is known as the Canadian Triathlon.

After a quick 6 mile hike around the Skyline Trail outside of Cheticamp Nova Scotia, we headed towards the Fishing Cove trail, hoping to just get a short trail run in before grabbing some lunch. What we didn't know was that the trail was STRAIGHT down a rocky gorge for 2 miles....think burning quads and twitching muscles by the time we reached the bottom. But we were rewarded at the bottom by the most beautiful, pristine, isolated beach I've ever seen: clear blue water, cliffs on either side, a small freshwater stream, and bald eagles soaring up above.

view from the trail head at Fishing Cove

Soaking up the scenery, we steeled ourselves for the 2 miles straight back UP the gorge. It took a lot of willpower and quad strength, but Heartbreak Hill has nothing on me now! We rewarded ourselves with a picnic at another little isolated stream, and took a quick swim before heading off to do some more sightseeing.

How can you not have a good time with a boyfriend that looks like this?

Little Betsy and Dad run a Big Race

2009-08-01T19:45:00.009-04:00

Today was the annual Beach to Beacon 10k in Cape Elizabeth Maine--something of a family tradition for the Gotts. The 10k race began 12 years ago by none other than Joanie Benoit, my running hero and fellow Bowdoinite. Since the inaugural Beach to Beacon, my Dad has run all 12 years, and my brothers and I have joined him whenever our summer schedules allow.

As things usually are in the Gott Family, the race becomes The Competition of the summer. When my brothers Ted and Tom run, we always talk a big game and try to out-train, out-talk, and out-run each other. When it's just Dad and me, I always train secretly and then try to crush him after the first few miles.

Last year's Beach to Beacon fell during my training for the Chicago Marathon....and being in really good shape, I ran a 10k PR. Today was a completely different race though. Coming off this knee pain and having raced just 36 hours ago in Boston, I decided to stick with Dad for the whole 6.2 miles this year. He (literally) dragged me through the first 3 flat miles, and when we hit the hills at mile 4ish, I actually started to feel a little more warmed up.

This race is fun and special because I started running it way back as a semi-interested high school runner. I wasn't very fast, or very excited about running, but it was a fun thing to do with my Dad. It was neat to run with him this year because Dad was a huge reason I ever started running in the first place! He ran in high school and at the University of Maine, and even when I brought up the rear in high school track meets, he was supportive and excited. We crossed the finish line together this morning, and although I tried to let him win by a step, we actually tied in the official results!

Here's how we spent the rest of the afternoon:

when the going gets tough

2009-07-08T20:51:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was my longest limp-free run since the marathon: 6.5 miles! I'll be honest, there was nothing pretty about it....heavy legs, labored breathing, and a rainy river backdrop. About four miles into it, I had talked myself into a pretty negative cycle of thoughts. But then I suddenly realized: I had been miserable and complaining about NOT running, and here I was miserable and complaining about finally running!

Committing myself to loving every wonderful, horrible, minute of this run, I remembered the words that my esteemed running mentor Glen told me once, way back during a cold and hard Boston training run: "If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it." There is no marathon on the horizon right now; there is no PR just asking to be tackled; and there is barely any hope that I can be healthy in time for a fall race. This is hard. But I am not ready to break up with running just yet.

the end of the beginning

2009-06-30T17:36:00.002-04:00

In honor of today being the last day of school before the start of summer vacation (!!!), this post has nothing to do with running. I told Mike that whenever I don't have something witty or entertaining* to write about I would post one of the many hilarious quotes from my kids, the 3rd graders at the Boston Renaissance Charter School:

Student J-"Hey Ms. Gott, I have a special Asian marking. Do you want to see it? Nobody else in the world has one like it."

Ms. G-"Sure, I guess?"

(J whips up his shirt and puffs out his chest, pointing to one dark little freckle on his ribs)

J-"See?!?! How cool am I??"

Ms. G-"um, J that is actually a freckle..."

J-"A what-le? I didn't know my special Asian marking had a cool name!!!"

*disclaimer--Mike will tell you that I never have much that is witty or entertaining to say. His opinion doesn't count.

FIT GIRLS run a big race!

2009-06-13T23:34:00.004-04:00

No, I am still not back to running. But today I ran/walked the Chelsea River Revel 5k with the lovely Fit Girls team from Chelsea. It was such a fun morning! Many of them were doing their first race, and Sarah, Abby, and I were their "race buddies". Fit Girls is an organization started by my teammate Sarah, and it's mission is to get girls running, reading, and reaching out to the community. Three of my favorite things!

The knee did not hold up so well today, but the girls sure did. They may not have run the entire 3.1 miles, but they were so encouraging to each other, positive, and excited to be actually doing a road race! Their sprints across the finish line were pretty much the cutest thing I've seen in a while.

Lil' Swiney walks a full race (well, almost)

2009-06-08T22:07:00.003-04:00

This knee issue that I wrote about last week finally has a name: patellar tendinitis. So, rather than running the Harpoon 5 miler this past weekend and attempting my 5 mile PR along with all my friends, I walked it.

yup. walked it.

It took enormous amounts of self control, and I'll be honest: I felt like a complete idiot the entire time. I started 20 minutes early so I could get somewhat of a head start, and I kept bursting out laughing at myself the entire way. But I finally just embraced it. In the end, I only walked about 4 miles of the 5 mile course because my knee was starting to get tight. And I kept telling my friends that I'd won the the unofficial walkers category, but I can't even say that much, because I chopped a full mile off the course. This tendinitis thing better start healing itself, because the icing/stretching/massaging/swimming/medicating combo isn't doing much of anything.

I have to say though: there is something kind of fun about showing up for a race with no nerves, not having to be well-rested, not having to stretch out completely and tie my shoes 714 times and make sure I get in line for the porta potties before I start. It's a whole new kind of road race when you're not actually running to be competitive!

Little Swiney runs a Big Race

2009-06-01T22:58:00.005-04:00

nb: due to the outbreak of the swine flu at my school, I have been dubbed "Lil Swiney" for the time being. My hope is that the nickname will end as soon as the swine flu vacation ends this week.

Last week was my first race since the marathon: a whopping 5 miler. (5 miles? That's your 'big race'? you are probably thinking). Unfortunately, my knee hasn't been loving this running thing very much recently, and I have probably run a total of 10 miles since the marathon--most of them completed with the companions of an awkward limp and a few choice words. I've tried resting, icing, elevating, stretching, massaging, poking, prodding, drugging, and running amidst the pain, but nothing seems to work.

So I set out to run the first race of the summer race series with a race plan I've never tried before: run till it hurts then walk the rest. Let's just say it hurt from step number 3, and it's the first time I've ever not run a full race. I did finish, but it was not pretty or fun...at least the after party was! Lil Swiney got to live it up since the swine flu vacation meant no school the next day!

A little season summary

2009-05-19T12:36:00.001-04:00

This is cute! Thanks for the shout out, guys!

http://alumni.explo.org/seen_and_heard/explo_adventurers

What do you think about for 26 miles?

2009-04-23T15:32:00.016-04:00

Well, it's a few days late, but I finally have enough energy and perspective to write a recap of the actual marathon itself. People ask me all the time "what do you actually think about for 26 miles?" Well, here it is....uncensored, and sometimes unintelligible! (yes, it IS long...but so is a marathon!)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DFMC meet up/warm up in Hopkinton-Mike asks me "How are you feeling little one?" Strangely, after telling him all week how nervous I was, the only answer I had for him was a resounding "EXCITED!" I knew I was well-trained for this, and I believed in my body and the thoughts of why I was doing this to carry me through. It's going to be a good day.

Staring line-Holy cow, I am really doing this! Our coach Jack was at the starting line, officially announcing people's names as we passed under the giant arch. How many people can say that their coach is the official starter of the Boston Marathon?? I wonder if I will have to pee during the race?

Mile 1-Holy cow, I am really doing this! First two miles were an average of 8:20/mile. Perfect, right where I want to be. As Jack drilled into our heads "If you don't feel like you're going too slow, then you're going too fast." Over and out, Jack.

Mile 2, 3, 4-Just keep it consistent Betsy. 8:05 miles through here. You're right where you want to be, and you don't want to pick it up now...the hills are still a few hours away! I preferred to adopt another Jack-ism at this point: "Doing the first few miles too fast is like taking tequila shots one right after the other; you don't know what hit you until you're lying flat on the floor."

Mile 5-Yes, this is awesome. My legs feel great. I can do this! What should I eat when I am finally finished?

Mile 6-Time to eat! Luna gels will do, but I really want a granola bar. Or a bagel. I wonder if people can see my name on my singlet?

Mile 7-There's John Crisafulli! Wow, didn't expect to see such an enthusiastic Dana Farber teammate cheering from the sidelines! Huge energy boost. "Go Dana Fah-bah!" Thank you!

Mile 8-I can't wait to see Laura and Adam at mile 13 so I can give them these damn gloves. I wonder what Mom and Dad are doing with Aunt Karen in Brookline right now?

Mile 9-Great, almost double digits. Legs still feel good, but I can't believe I have a few more hours left to run. "Go Dana Fah-bah!" Thank you!

Mile 10, 11-I wonder when the Wellesley girls start screaming?

Mile 12-The Wellesley girls made me deaf. I don't like this, I can't concentrate. ( I'm probably the only one, but I felt really overwhelmed and overstimulated for a full mile.)

Mile 13-Halfway done distance-wise, but certainly not effort-wise. I'm nearly two minutes ahead of my goal, so I can keep this pace up until the hills, and then let the hills come to me. There's Laura, Adam, and Sarah! What an awesome sign! I wish I could stop and talk!

Mile 14-damn, I won't see anyone else I know for 10 more miles. Some guy yells: "Good job runners...that was the easy half, you're in for it now." Is he for real???

Mile 15-I think my legs hurt, but I'm not really sure because my stomach hurts too. No more gatorade, it's too sweet. "Go Dana Fah-bah!" Thank you!

Mile 16-My stomach feels awful. No more water either, I don't want anything else going in. mental static. Where is the damn fire station?

Mile 17-The hills are coming, the hills are coming, the hills are coming. Maybe it will seem like a relief since I know them so well? (aaah the power of positive thinking). I hope they have pizza at the finish line.

Mile 18-Shooooot. Nope, no relief here. I am an idiot. If the first hill is this hard, I wonder what hill #2 and Heartbreak will bring?

Mile 19-Nausea. ugh. More hills. ugh. And still 4 more miles till I see anyone I know. I can't believe I actually have to run all the way to Boston. Hey, there's Fred Warburg! Yes, a familiar face!

Mile 20-This hurts. I'm tired. It's okay if I don't run a 3:40...that way, I won't ever have to run a marathon again. I'm fine with that, I don't really like running anyway.

Mile 21-HEARTBREAK HILL! I don't know if I can do this...must walk now, I don't care how much time I loose. Oh crap, there is Team Hoyt, and he is PUSHING his son up the hill. If he can do that, I better be running. Just get to the top, just get to the top...

Mile 22-mental static. What?!?, I'm still on pace to break 3:40?! I can rest now, or I can actually DO this thing. more mental static, no decision.

Mile 23-MUST FIND FRED FOLLANSBEE! MUST FIND FRED! Yes, there he is...no, I can't take gatorade from you...no, I don't think I can make it. No, I do NOT look good right now. mental static.

Mile 24-THERE'S MY FAMILY! AND MY ROOMMATES! I've been waiting 24 miles for this! I can't believe Aunt Karen made it all the way here. I should be running faster just for her. Do I have the energy to stop and then start again? (no). Will I be able to yell? (no). Can I at least wave? (yes). Tunnel vision...must get to Tommy at St. Mary's Street.

Mile 24.5-mental static. tunnel vision. There's my brother Tom! He looks really excited! Woah, he's so tall. Damn, why won't he come run with me and pull me along? I wonder if my legs will lock up like you see on tv sometimes...and if they do, will I have enough time to crawl across the finish line and break 3:40?

Mile 25-Where is Theo??? I hear some of my friends cheering, but I can't think of who it is. Chris? Ellie? Where are they? Maybe we can all go bowling this weekend.

Mile 26-please legs, just keep turning over. I have twelve minutes to run 1.2 miles. That should be a piece of cake. But will it?

Mile 26.1-tunnel vision. Is this a joke? I feel like I'm on a treadmill, and that stupid finish line is NOT getting any closer.

Mile 26.2- 3:38:30. YES. i feel like crying, but i don't even have the energy for that. ooh, pretty medal.

Mile 26.3-must sit down. must sit down. What, a wheelchair? Sure, that sounds nice.

2009-04-21T19:05:00.005-04:00

WE DID IT!!!

3:38:32, which means I can run Boston again next year as a qualified entrant!
$6,000 raised for Dana Farber!

running through Wellesley, at mile 13

For the past few weeks (okay, the past five months), this marathon and fund raising has been my life. I'll do a more thorough race recap soon, but right now you'll have to excuse me while I take a nap :)

THANK YOU!!!

"It's a piece of pancake"

2009-04-19T22:09:00.006-04:00

Just a little 26 mile jog today from Hopkinton to Boston. No big deal :) Or, as Boston Champion Utta Pippig told us at the pasta dinner tonight, "It's a piece of pancake!"

If you want to track the race online, go to www.baa.org and put in my bib # 22181...or my last name and DOB 9/12/1981.

If you will be at the race, look for my shirt:

My quote of the day today is from Theo. He found a megaphone at the DFMC pasta party today, and waddled over to me. His Dad said "Theo, what did you want to say to Betsy?" He puts the megaphone up to his mouth, and in a deadpan, barely audible voice, said "go." Thanks Theo, I will!

It's Marathon Monday!!!

2009-04-19T21:38:00.003-04:00

It's been a long five months that have, seemingly, flown by. Five months ago, I had raised zero dollars for Dana Farber. As of today, I am up to $5415, and SO CLOSE to my $6000 goal. [There is still time to contribute. Go to www.runDFMC.org/betsyg2009.]

Five months ago, my long run of the week was about 8 miles. As of today, I have run 700 miles of hills, sprints, races, slow recovery runs, and loooong long training runs.

Five months ago, actually running in the Boston Marathon seemed so far away. And now it's here. Sure, I'm about to go off and run 26.2 miles by myself, on my own two legs. But for every single step, there are hundreds of people that have helped in so many ways. I would be nowhere without....

My "coaching staff":

Jack, my running coach, but also my thinking coach--he has taught me so much about the thought process that goes into each run, and into a training period as long and demanding as this

Aimee, my ultimate motivational coach-- i would never have made it around the track as many times, or through as many long hilly runs without her pep talks

Katie, my partner in crime for any and all snowy, rainy, windy, morning, midday, or evening run...and also for spending so many of those miles listening to me dissect my job, or what this person said, or this problem or that

Mike, my reality check and calming influence--he knew when to push the buttons, and when the positive reinforcement was necessary

Sarah N, my voice of experience--one marathon does not a marathoner make, so i appreciated every word of wisdom she offered

Mom and Dad, my listeners and therapists--i don't know anyone else that has been more interested, more supportive, and more encouraging than them

my roommates and friends, who dealt with sweaty-betsy-out-in-public-in-her-running clothes more times than i can count!

Aunt Karen, who (though she didn't know it), provided inspiration and clear focus throughout the toughest workouts and the longest runs

And last but not least, all 105 of my donors so far...ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE!!!!!

Amy Fossett
Andrea Lucien
Angela Glabach
Angela Hart
Anna Van Zee Phillips
Ashlee + Jamie Arsenault
Barb Trainor
Bethany Chandler
Brian Gonyar
Cathy Schumer
Chris Glasser
Colin Drake
Connie + Bernie Lynch
Danika Maddocks
David Torcoletti

Dawn Cobb
Deidre Mulligan
Doreen + Tim Callahan
Ed + Debbie Gott
Tom Murphy
Ted Gott
Eileen St Louis
Ellie Doig
Elizabeth Boyle
Elizabeth Gurnee
Elizabeth Backer
Ellen Port
Eric Olmsted
Erin Troy
F Alden Brangwynne
Flavia Reardon and the RSTs at the Renaissance School
Frederick Follansbee
Friends of Betsy
Gladys + Paul Tardiff
Grace Shorey
Greg Solomon
Jennifer Meyer
Jillian Amirault
Joan Gott
Joanne Kimball
Jocelyn Weidner
Jordan Harrison
Joyce Goldweitz
Marlene Wight
Kara Schnabel
Karen Gott
Kathleen Murphy Meagher
Kathryn Brennan
Kathryn Germani
Katie Irving
Katie Chandler
Katie Parks
Kent & Irena Sinclair
Kiirsten Finn
Kristan Murphy
Blakeney Schick
Laura Callahan
Laura Stroessner
Lauree Gott
Lauren Sarno
Linda Archibald
Mallorie Hulse
Marisa Flavin
Mary Graff
Matthew Main
Maya, Matt, and Lauren Whitcomb
Michael Archibald
Michael Weinstein
Miguel Williams
Millicent Harris
Nick Malakhow
Noelle Hendrixson
Tom + Ellen Finn
Richard Horgan
Robert Kahn
Ronald + Faith Dionne
Ruth + Dan Doughty
Sarah Durrin
Shandy Schroder
Shannon Foley
Shawn Corbett
Shelley Gilman
Sheryle + Mike Towle
Susan + Dan Perkins
Susan Logan
Tara Frazier
Terrill Jennings
Tom Gott
Tim Watson
Tracy Cobb
Whitney Krause
Peggy Manzer
Eleanor Bagley
Jason Neault

Athena Lentini

Dan Perkins
Katie Miller
Kaitlin Herlihy
Anna Thurston

Kids [really do] say the darndest things

2009-04-17T23:05:00.009-04:00

I wanted to write something each day this week, to keep a record of all my thoughts and feelings as Marathon Monday approaches.... but as soon as I got to Wednesday, I sort of lost the ability to put my thoughts into words.

I have nothing coherent to say tonight, just a lot of nerves and excitement. So rather than belabor those two points, I'll leave you with some recent quotes from my 3rd graders:

"Ms. Gott has really nice ankles!"

"Ms. Gott, come verse me in a race. I'll win you!"

"Just run so hard and don't give up forever."

"I heard about you. I heard you was going to walk a mile next week."

"Ms. Gott, you're a good teacher. So if you be a good teacher, you can run too."

"Run like the wind! No, run like you on a football team!"

"If you don't win the race, do they make you give all the cancer money back?"

"I saw a blonde lady running a race one time. Was that you? I think it was!"

"Hey, that's my teacher, Ms. Gott! She's going to be famous, she's running in the World Series next week!"

sometimes inspiration comes from the most random places....

2009-04-15T11:42:00.002-04:00

I have been getting so many emails and phone calls this week leading up to the marathon...everything from "you can do it!" to "what's your goal?" to "how do I know when you'll be at mile 17?"

This was a very special and unexpected one that I received this morning; I post it here to share with my fellow DFMC teammates, because it really speaks to all of us!

Hi Betsy,
My cousin Susan works with your Aunt Laurie in Veazie and she shared your website with me. As a breast cancer survivor myself, I just want to say Good luck--kick butt--and thank you for ALL you do for this disease. I am currently training for my second triathlon-Tri for a Cure held in Maine this summer and also the Danskin Tri in Mass. I know all that hard work will pay off when crossing that finish line. Just know that you have friends here in Cumberland Maine who will logging on and getting updates on how you are doing. I think you are amazing--I can't imagine doing a full marathon--maybe someday--hah! Rest well, and get ready to kick some butt.
Fondly,
Karen C.

2009-04-14T20:16:00.003-04:00

On my way home from school today, I got a voice mail from my co-teacher Carrie. She updated me quickly on a student situation (we never have time to talk about these things during the day!), then went on to say she was so excited for the marathon. "During my quiet alone time in the morning, every day this week, I've been thinking about you and sending good mental vibes your way. I am so excited for you, and just amazed at all the hard hard work you've put into this."

It's true, I have put in a lot of time and effort into training for this thing. About 700 miles, in fact. Which, at an average pace of 8:00/mile, is about 93 hours. (woah, I just scared myself with that math!) But none of it has ever felt like work to me. Sure, I had some bad runs and some days where I just didn't feel like turning my legs over. But most days, I actually look forward to my run...whether it's some alone time, or running with Katie and Aimee. Since I started running seriously, it's been the only constant thing in my life amidst leaving an old job and starting a new one, relationships beginning and ending, family and life changes, and lots of other hobbies that just didn't stick.

In general, I really like doing this, and it hasn't been a chore for me. Maybe this tapering has gone to my head...

and then there were 7 (days)...

2009-04-13T17:03:00.003-04:00

Today, I am trying to remember: This is more a celebration than a final exam.

http://www.boston.com/video/viral_page/?/services/player/bcpid10609694001&bctid=19204768001

Words of wisdom from Coach Jack.

2 reasons and $4200 later...

2009-04-08T19:43:00.014-04:00

With track workouts and long runs behind us, I spent a pretty painful hour on the massage table today. Calves, lower back, hammies, you name it--they were all tight. While trying to distract myself and ignore the pain, I actually got thinking more deeply about pain...and in turn, how I ended up on that massage table and doing this whole DFMC thing to begin with. It all comes down to two simple reasons.

1) The reason I am running a marathon.
Most of you know about my broken neck and shoulder from the bike accident of 2007. It was during that recovery period, when I was out of work for weeks, and doing physical therapy for even longer, that I decided to commit myself to this running thing.

I'd always liked running, and had been casually saying for years "someday I hope I will run a marathon". Well, 10 weeks of a neck brace and zero physical activity leave a lot of time for thinking. "I hope" became "I WILL" pretty darn fast.

Three months of PT later, and I could finally run again. Within a month I signed up for the 2008 Chicago Marathon...and haven't stopped running since. If I hadn't had that accident, I'm not sure I ever would have picked a time and a place to actually do it.

2) The reason I am running a marathon for Dana Farber.
Love. Fear. Empowerment. Worry. Helplessness. Hope. Perseverance.
When someone you love has cancer, it's impossible not to feel all of these things at once. It's a strange thing to see the people in your life that are meant to be the stable and responsible ones suddenly need the very support and stability they've always offered. Because I live in Boston and Aunt Karen lives in northern Maine, I obviously couldn't be there during her treatments. So this--fundraising and training for the DFMC--was the next best thing.

While I have spent the past 5 months running in hopes of crossing the finish line on Boylston Street, Aunt Karen has been doing her own kind of training: fighting the disease, keeping her spirits up, managing the chemo, regaining her strength, and battling her way towards a very different finish line. She is doing fantastic with her physical therapy and strength, and even went back to work full time last week!

The support and donations I've received in honor of Aunt Karen are incredible:
people she works with in Damariscotta, Maine...
her sister Sue's friends in Newburgh and Bangor, Maine...
her sister Lauree's friends and fellow teachers in Old Town, Maine...
my parents' friends and co-workers in Portland, Maine...
my Nana's church friends...
my Bunna's Red Hat Ladies...

The list is endless. THAT is why I am running this marathon for Dana Farber.

the runners are coming, the runners are coming!

2009-04-06T17:53:00.007-04:00

Spring is definitely here. How can I tell? This is what I see on my daily commute to and from school each day:

The Boston Marathon banners are out along Boylston...

The really cute and feel-good Adidas ad campaign greets me when I get off the T at Arlington...
(The text of this one reads "4:48:31. The time it took me to capture the elusive unicorn.")

And a marathon banner hangs RIGHT above my school's entrance on Stuart Street. If that's not a constant reminder and a motivation, I don't know what is....

I've been telling you guys all along that I take my camera everywhere. Now do you believe me?

the local 3

2009-04-05T20:10:00.016-04:00

I've been to a lot of fund raising events this season, but the biggest so far was Shifter's road race: The Local 3, to benefit Dana Farber.

Katie, Aimee, Fred, and I gathered a bit before the race to do 9 miles (our long run for the week was meant to be 12). The first 4 miles over the Newton Hills were hot and sunny, but as soon as we turned into Brighton it got windy and rainy! Luckily Aimee had the strength and fresh legs to drag me along the last 5 miles back to The Local.

Fred, me, Katie, and Aimee before our 9 mile warm up

Ten minutes, a quick change of clothes, and a lot of hellos later, we lined up at the starting line for The Local 3. A lot of Dana Farber teammates were there, along with family members and friends, and some other charity runners.

"quick chicks" (thanks jack): Laurie, Aimee, me, and Katie

Running a hard-ish 9 miles and then trying to run an even harder 3 miles was quite challenging...Katie and I joked afterward that we felt like we were moving backwards when the starting gun went off! But all in all, the race was a good little push at the end of a long run. Now that track is over and that race is complete, the tapering can REALLY begin!

Photos from the after party at The Local......

A little shout out, volume 4

2009-04-01T12:46:00.003-04:00

This shout out goes to Glen, who provided some classic inspiration the other day:

"If it wasn't hard, everyone could do it."

Tuesday Night Track is on a hiatus (for now), long runs are complete, and the hay is in the barn.

Dancing for a Cure

2009-03-30T20:24:00.004-04:00

Thank you to everyone who came out to The Place this weekend to support us!!!

22 days to go, 22 miles this morning: a coincidence?

2009-03-28T15:22:00.009-04:00

At the Hopkinton starting line, ready to run the 22 miles back to Boston!

Today's epic charity run by the numbers:

6am - wakeup
7am - bus to Hopkinton
1 - group picture with friends from DFMC, Joints in Motion, and the Liver Foundation
2 - running buddies for the first 12 miles (Aimee and Katie)
12 - peanut m+ms
5 - water stations
2 - bathroom stops
11 - shot blocks
3 - running buddies for the last 10 miles (Aimee, Katie, and Sarah)
6 - towns (Hopkinton-Ashland-Framingham-Natick-Wellesley and Newton)
4 - pictures taken of us during the run
3 - big hills
1 - trip up Heartbreak Hill
8:15 - pace per mile
tons of red DFMC training shirts
handfuls - volunteers on the course
hundreds - other charity runners
and
21.5 - miles run!

And now, let the tapering begin...

your Saturday night plans

2009-03-27T18:41:00.003-04:00

Come party with us!

Katie and I are hosting our big fund raising event this weekend: the Dancing for a Cure bar night/benefit event tomorrow night! Tomorrow will be a busy day, starting with our 22 mile run from Hopkinton to Boston College in the morning. Then we'll hopefully have time for a good lunch, a quick nap, some stretching and resting up....and then we'll be busting a move at The Place in downtown Boston all night. Come join us! You can find all the details here: www.danceforcure.eventbrite.com

Is anyone else getting tired of training for this thing?

2009-03-26T22:47:00.004-04:00

I couldn't have asked the question any better myself; this was what Ryan posed to our small group on the T at Crossroads tonight. I am, finally, starting to get a little tired of training for this thing. Tuesday night track is hard. Thursday night hills are hard. I've already logged almost 26 miles this week, and I still have a 22 mile run on Saturday morning. At this point, I'm not getting any more fit...I'm only getting more anxious that something over the next 3.5 weeks might go wrong and undo the past 5 months.

Yeah, I'm a little tired.

2009-03-23T21:41:00.006-04:00

My last two runs haven't gone so well...15 hilly miles with Gordon on Saturday, and 7 cold/windy miles by myself today. So rather than dwelling, I'll focus on my most recent good run: last week's crossroads.

We already established that I am competitive. And now that my brother Ted is training for the Chicago Marathon (his first), the heat is ON. He texted me last week at work to say he'd run 4 miles at 7:10/mile, and therefore was "definitely ready for a faster marathon" than me. hah. Well Ted, at crossroads last week I did 7:17/mile for 8.8 miles. More than twice the distance, not that much slower. Eat it!

I probably could have easily just texted that back to him, but something about this public sphere makes it a little more believable in his book. To be honest, I'm not quite sure where that run came from. I will probably never be able to do Crossroads that fast again without Chris on one side of me, and my new little German friend Matthias on the other. But it WAS a good one!

a little shout out: volume 3

2009-03-18T23:08:00.014-04:00

It's not really a secret in my family that I am neither coordinated, nor graceful. My brothers don't hesitate to remind me of this, by making me demonstrate my less-than-stellar jumping abilities, or reminding me of particularly awkward splats I've taken in field hockey or frisbee. I've been known to do things like trip and smash my ipod while running, bang my dad's car into the garage at age 17, and even fall off my bike and crush my own body.

Well, this week's shout out goes to Mom and Dad Gott--who probably listen to me talk about running more than anyone else, but never stop listening (and at least feigning interest). When I was moaning and groaning to them while driving to my track workout this week, their response was:

mom- "You're going to TRACK?"
dad- "Be careful."
mom-"Yeah, be careful honey....don't hurt yourself."
dad-"Yeah, wear your helmet".

You may laugh at my Dad's seeming exaggeration. But last year for Christmas, my family 'lovingly' gave me a helmet to be used for any and all athletic activities. Lucky for my running buddies in Boston, I choose not to break it out in public :)

But in all seriousness, I am lucky to have such a great team backing me up. I can't think of anyone that is more interested, more supportive, more excited, and more encouraging than my parents...and I CANT WAIT for them to be down here for Marathon Monday. And for all of you coming to Dancing for a Cure next week, keep your eyes peeled: Debbie and Ed might make a guest appearance (though hopefully not in a santa hat, a nightgown, or a bike helmet)!

Team Gott, spring 2008.
Ed, Debbie, Betsy, Ted (24), and Tom (21)

Patient Partners and Poster Partying!

2009-03-16T23:22:00.003-04:00

On Saturday the DFMC runners and Patient Partners got together to make our posters for the DFMC pasta party and marathon weekend. Theo wasn't able to make it, but I hope he likes what I put together for him!

sneezes, sore throats, and [negative] splits

2009-03-16T10:48:00.008-04:00

I am competitive. Lots of people can vouch for this: ask my good friend Fred, and he might tell you about the time I threw my controller when I was losing to him in Super Mario Brothers. Ask my brother Ted, as we always try to one-up each other with GPAs, salaries, and points scored in this game or that. Ask my brother Tom about our training for the Chicago Marathon, or my Dad about our annual rivalry in the Beach to Beacon 10k race.

Right now my body is finally getting the better of me. The past few months of diligent sleep and vitamins have worn out their welcome, and have been replaced by a fever, a stuffy nose, and a god-awful voice.

And unfortunately, I am not helping myself--because my biggest competitor is often Betsy.

At Crossroads on Thursday, I had planned to do an easy-ish 10.5 miles with Marisa and Mike, not wanting to push myself too hard. But as soon as the hills came into view, my legs felt great. So I pushed the pace and decided to do a hard 8.8 miles over the hills--I couldn't bear the thought of not trying to better my time at Crossroads (it's a sick little game I play with myself each week). It turned out to be my best Crossroads run ever, finishing at 1:05 (yes Ben, that is 7:30/mile. For all 8.8 miles). My legs felt great, but my throat and head felt awful.

Yesterday's DFMC group run in Wayland was supposed to be 20 miles...and I got out of bed approaching it as twenty-with-a-question-mark, meaning I would run until I felt awful enough that I should stop. I was hoping for just 10 or 12.

But at the first water stop, my legs felt great. I couldn't bear the thought of running these 20 miles slower than my last 20 mile run. So I pushed the pace and decided I would focus on negative splits. I reached the 10 mile mark at 1:22, and finished the full 20 miles in 2:40. So the run became twenty-with-an-exclamation point!--and my legs felt great, but my head and chest felt awful.

What do I have to show for these two great runs today? Not much. As I write this I am home from school, with a box of tissues and a bottle of cold medicine at an arm's length. Since I can't run today, maybe I should use that extra time to talk some sense into myself.

a little shout out: volumes 1 and 2

2009-03-13T22:46:00.006-04:00

After reaching the halfway point in my fund raising last week, I decided I should pay a little more lip service to the people that are behind all these miles I'm putting on my legs. So every once in awhile I'll include little "shout outs" to special people that did some big--or small--thing to motivate me or help my cause.

My first shout out goes to my Aunt Lauree and the Veazie Community School in Veazie, Maine! Lauree is Aunt Karen's younger sister, and is a middle school teacher in Maine. She has been so incredibly helpful in my fund raising process. She spread the word around her school in Maine, and rallied a huge amount of donations from people that know our family and that have a stake in cancer research! (She's also the best homemade pizza chef I've ever met).

My second shout out goes to my students at the Boston Renaissance Charter School. My co-teacher Carrie and I have been doing a poetry unit with our 3rd graders, focusing on grammar and parts of speech. This week we learned how to write a "setting poem", describing the nouns and verbs in a particular place that is special to the author. My students helped me write a setting poem about The Boston Marathon:

The Boston Marathon

At the Boston Marathon, the runners race,
The crowds cheer,
The feet stomp,
The hands clap,
And the voices yell.

The legs work,
The arms pump,
The lungs breathe,
The brains concentrate,
And the runners celebrate,
At the Boston Marathon!

So for all your DFMCers out there, you have a classroom full of Boston 3rd graders cheering for you, even though you don't know it :)

the sum total

2009-03-12T23:14:00.001-04:00

This is for you, Sarah!

it's a numbers game

2009-03-08T22:08:00.004-04:00

THANK YOU!

With six weeks to go until Marathon Monday, I hit two big numbers last week:

500 miles in training

$3,000 in fund raising

That means I am halfway to my fund raising goal, and far more than halfway through my training. I thought the countdown clock at Marathon Sports was a fitting image for this post....I walk by it two times a day, on my way to school and on my way home...and I would be lying if I didn't admit how excited/nervous/anxious/incredulous/scared it makes me each and every time.

But I wouldn't be anywhere without the support of all of you. I may be the one training for, and running this race...but for every mile I run, there is a person along the way that has
supported,
encouraged,
donated,
helped,
cheered,
commiserated,
pushed,
organized,
inspired,
comforted, and
listened.

I try hard to let you all know that, with a thank you or a hug, or a mention in the blog, but sometimes it's impossible to reach everyone that is reaching out to me. So this is for you. Without you, this whole thing would be a lot more challenging--and a lot less meaningful.

Thank you.

who was the oaf running along the river?

2009-03-06T16:50:00.006-05:00

Have you ever seen the craigslist "missed connections"? It's a section of craigslist where people can post a message about a mysertious 'person of interest'--usually a highly attractive member of the opposite sex--they saw while out in public, but didn't have the nerve, time, or courage to speak to them and find out more. It's usually pretty amusing.

Well, if anyone saw me running yesterday afternoon along the Charles River, their missed connection post might have read "Who was that oaf in a yellow jacket and black spandex running along the river? And who told her it would be okay to run in PUBLIC???" They would be writing not in hopes of finding out more about a highly attractive, agile woman. Nope, none of those in sight. Rather, they would be writing to question her sanity, her coordination, and her physical well-being.

Yesterday's run was rough. It was beautiful outside, I was running along the river, I had a new mix on my ipod, and the sun was still high in the sky--but my body just did not cooperate. It was one of those days where you feel so slow, and so heavy, and so uncoordinated, that you just want to give up. I felt certain all the other runners were laughing as they passed--and that everyone else out enjoying the sunshine was thinking "good god, I hope I never look like THAT when I run."

I labored through 9 miles, then figured I needed something to boost my spirits...so I took a turn onto Boylston (thanks Mike), and decided to run across the marathon finish line, just for kicks. Mind you, there were no balloons, no neon clock, no giant archway or mylar blankets, or finisher medals, and certainly no fans on this Thursday afternoon....but there was rush hour traffic, slushy puddles, and just the tiniest hint of the faded finish line on the pavement. That, and my imagination of what Marathon Monday will be like, made the whole run just a little better.

in jack we trust

2009-03-04T15:25:00.007-05:00

"In Jack we trust" is a phrase spoken often on the DFMC team: in response to hard workouts, injury advice, long runs that end up being longer than they should, race strategies, etc.

And I can't remember where I saw it, but I once read a quote by our coach, Jack: "To get something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done."

True. And sometimes the truth hurts. Case in point: last night's track workout. Legs feeling a little heavy after the weekend's 20 miler, and a little tight after two days off, I wasn't really looking forward to track. (Does anyone ever really look forward to running in circles? Not likely.) But, if I really want to run a strong marathon on April 20, track is the name of the game.

Jack's workout was a version of the Yasso 800s -- the idea that if you do a lot of repeats of 800 meters, the pace should be a good predictor of your marathon potential. For example, if I run my 800s at 3:20, my marathon time could potentially be 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Jack's workout was 12 x 800 with only a minute recovery in between. YIKES. Definitely hard. Definitely a step up from the three or four 800s that we used to do in high school track. hah! I knew I was in trouble when the fifth one started to hurt...it would still be a long way to 12.

"Just make it to 6" I told myself. "Then at least you did half of them."

Okay, 6 repeats done.

"Just make it to 8" I told myself, "then you can stop. Your legs are tired from the 20 miles anyway."

Okay, 8 repeats done. And everybody else out here tonight has tired 20 mile legs too.

"Just make it to 10" I told myself, "then you can feel good about doing most of the workout."

Most??? Since when am I happy with doing mostly a good job?

So, legs burning and mind virtually a swimming pool, Aimee and I took turns pushing each other and leading the pace. It was definitely a struggle to maintain the 3:22 pace we started at...but as I was pushing through # 10, 11, and 12, all I could think was "to get something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done." To get a qualifying time for next year's Boston Marathon (under 3 hours, 40 minutes), I have to push my body to it's limit now, and put all these good workouts in the bank. Come Marathon Monday, I want to line up in Hopkinton feeling like I did everything I could--and that hopefully the training will speak for itself. In Jack, I trust.

good for the soul...and good for the legs

2009-03-02T20:01:00.013-05:00

Today's post has nothing to do with running at all. In fact, yesterday and today had nothing to do with running at all. I can't remember the last time I took two days off in a row; but the blizzard, the snow day, and my tired 20mile legs were all welcome excuses today.

Instead, I did two things today that were good for the legs and good for the soul: I took the day off from running, and went for a long walk in the snow instead.

I didn't have a destination in mind as I started walking; but then I remembered a story I had seen on Boston.com about the patients (including our Patient Partners) at the Jimmy Fund Clinic at Dana Farber (click below to see the video):

Ironworkers at Dana-Farber resume a beloved ritual, providing moments of joy for young cancer patients - The Boston Globe

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't leave home without my camera. So camera in hand, pants tucked into my knee-high boots, and not an inch of skin exposed, I ventured down to the Dana Farber building to check out their handiwork. It was beautiful, moving, and brought a smile to my face...even though there wasn't a child or an iron worker in sight. Here are my photos.

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a huge 'yay moment'

2009-03-01T17:25:00.008-05:00

This weekend's long run was a HUGE yay moment...we did a 20 mile run on the marathon course, and I felt fantastic!!!

This was the first 18-20 mile run in which I did not feel like I was going to die, like my legs were going to fall off, or like I would never be able to walk again. Instead, although I was a little stiff and tired for the first 8-9 miles, I finally eased into the pace around mile 9. I never thought it could take my legs 8 miles to warm up...but maybe they are adapting to this endurance training?

The goal for the day was to run negative splits (for you non-runners, that means running the second half faster than the first). This is something I need a lot of work on. Running with Aimee and Katie, we eased through the first 10 miles and shed plenty of clothing along the the way. When we started pushing the pace on the way back, I couldn't believe how great I felt--less than a week after a hard half-marathon, and my legs felt like they actually had something in them! In fact, our last few miles were run at a sub 8:00 pace. We finished the second ten miles a full 2:30 faster than our first ten...mission accomplished!

This was a huge yay moment for a few different reasons:
1. I have never before felt good on a 17+ mile run. I nearly always want to cut my legs off at the hip somewhere around mile 16. So this was a welcome change. yay!

2. I finally ran a long run with negative splits. I am far from an experienced runner, and I tend to make the beginner's mistake of going out way too fast, then slowly losing steam. yay!

3. Katie, Aimee, and I make a good running trio. We take turns leading the pack, pushing the pace, and keeping each other entertained and motivated...especially up the Newton Hills. yay!

4. This gives me a lot of confidence for the marathon. We held a pace of about 8:18/mile, which is close to my goal pace for the marathon. yay!

5. This was the first good run I've had in over a week. YAY!

Here are some pictures from after the run, during our DFMC team breakfast in Watertown.

Katie and Aimee, and Aimee and me

2009-02-23T18:09:00.016-05:00

Ok, here's the full story from Hyannis, now that I am warm, fed, and well-rested...

Hyannis is nothing if not a little bit of a shitshow. Maybe that's why we love it so much...it kind of suits us.

It was cold, rainy, and dreary in Hyannis for our marathon relay, but that didn't dampen the fun! Katie and I kicked off our relay team together; her plan was to get in a 20 mile training run, while my plan was to bust out a hard half marathon. We both succeeded! Katie, being the iron woman that she is, paced me for the first seven miles and I ended up with a new half marathon PR--1:38. It's more than a minute faster than my previous PR, though still not quite as fast as I'd hoped. I really do need to learn how to pace myself better and run negative splits....but back to the interesting stuff...

Coming through the half marathon point, we handed off to Mo, who ran a courageous 7.3 miles in the rain even though she was sick. As she made it to Craigville Beach for the final handoff to Kiirsten, the poor thing couldn't stop shivering! What a brave roommate she is!

Even with a fever and nausea (and 12 pounds of layers), Mo is still smiling.

Kiirsten took over the baton for the final anchor leg, and turned in quite a stellar performance! She decided NOT to go for a training run the night before the race this year, and we all thanked her for that. By the time her leg was up, she had to battle the worst of the rain and wind. But she came running through the finish line with a smile. It was her best run ever, and she finished her leg way before we even thought to look for her!

So Kiirsten, when will you start running marathons with us?

All in all it was a GREAT weekend...despite the snow/rain, despite my poorly executed splits, despite Mo being sick, despite Kiirsten's driving...simply GREAT. More fun than riding a bike, actually ;)

Team Chico pee before the race (yes, we really are dorky enough to all wear our race shirts)

ugh.

2009-02-22T21:56:00.002-05:00

This is what you look like when you don't run a smart race--thanks to Kiirsten for the photographic evidence :)

team chico-pee

2009-02-21T10:46:00.008-05:00

It has arrived! The weekend we all (well, my roommates and I) have been waiting for.....HYANNIS '09! This year's iteration of Team Chico-pee* in the Hyannis Marathon Relay will consist of me, Katie, Mo, and Kiirsten. We haven't quite figured out the order of our handoffs yet, as Mo and I both want to run 13.1 miles, Katie might do 20, and Kiirsten is going to be our anchor leg. That clearly adds up to more than 26.2 miles. But we'll figure it out...let's be honest, probably at the last second as we approach the starting line.

At Hyannis 2008, as "Team KEEK"

This weekend is less about the running, and more about the roommate bonding. We discovered last year that the pre-race pasta dinner, the mini-road trip, Kiirsten's inability to navigate/drive/park as a licensed driver should be able to, and the post-race happy hour can be more fun than the race itself! We went down to Hyannis last year as four roommates doing our own little thing...and came back from Hyannis with some new friends, new boyfriends, and good memories :) This year will hopefully be more of the same--but maybe with a new half-marathon PR if all goes well.

* "Team Chico-pee" has nothing to do with the town in western Mass, but is rather a reference to our back porch and our upstairs neighbor, a crappy little pug named "chico". Use your imagination.

"remember betsy? see dinosaurs!"

2009-02-18T16:52:00.005-05:00

It's school vacation week! Aside from the extra sleeping and shopping time, I also got to visit the Museum of Science with my patient partner Theo on Monday (along with the rest of Boston's school-aged children). Here are some pictures from the visit:

Theo playing with the architecture exhibit, and dressed as a cow in the animal room at the Museum of Science.

We had a great time seeing the dinosaur bones and fossils, looking at the race cars and transportation exhibit, and playing with the animal costumes in the kids' discovery room. But of all the exhibits and special attractions that the Science Museum had constructed, Theo was most fascinated by the inner workings of the escalator--or "the roller coaster", as he so eloquently re-named it :) And when he got home later that day, he apparently told his Dad "Remember Betsy? See dinosaurs!"

Theo and me examining the inner workings of the escalator...er, 'roller coaster'

13 miles? i thought it would have been a gift...

2009-02-16T17:34:00.005-05:00

Saturday's run brought back something that I haven't done in a loooong time: run by myself. With Katie out of town, I was left to my own devices to a) get out of bed on time, and b) navigate my way to the group run in Wayland on time. I failed on both accounts, and pulled into the parking lot at the run as everyone was already starting to run.

So ten minutes later, I set off by myself--no ipod, no running buddies, no traffic, no sense of direction...nothing but me and the wilderness in Wayland. What a change! And what a challenge.

In preparation for a good race at the Hyannis half marathon and marathon relay next weekend, I cut down on some of my mileage this week. Jack recommended not running the full 18 mile team run in Wayland on Saturday, but doing 13 miles instead. Great! I thought. 13 miles sounds awesome. Until I realized what Jack had in mind...

The first 7 miles out were easy, just to get my legs warmed up. But for the back 7 miles, Jack wanted me to try and hold 7:10s for 5 of those miles. Yikes! Consistency not always being my strong point, I hovered between 7:00-7:30s...took a short break for some M+Ms and a chat with Shifter at the water stop...and finished the last 3 miles around 7:40s. meh. It was hard. I was sore the next day. But it was incredibly nice to get off the Boston streets and see the Wayland, Concord, and Sudbury suburbs for 14 miles:

bowling for the boston marathon

2009-02-11T08:16:00.002-05:00

Katie and I are hosting our first fund raiser tonight! If you are in the Boston area, come down to Jillian's/Lucky Strike in Kenmore for a few hours of free bowling, appetizers, and happy hour. We'll be there from 5:30 until at least 8pm, and we'd love to see you!

bare legs and bloody marys

2009-02-08T22:09:00.008-05:00

No, this post isn't about my wild spring break adventures. Rather, it's about a pretty nasty run and some pretty sweet post-run activities!

Today was our long run day with DFMC, and I tackled 18 miles with Katie and Aimee. We ran from Wellesley towards Boston to the top of Heartbreak Hill, then turned around and did it in reverse. After starting the run with Ben, Gordon, and Laurie, we continued on to the 6 mile waterstop as a pack of six. That's when the speed demons took off, and Aimee, Katie and I stuck to our own 8:05-ish pace. The three of us finished the back nine miles together, though I had a rough last three miles and pretty much wanted to die.

BUT, it was a PERFECT day for a long run: 40-something degrees in Boston and a little bit sunny. It was the first time I've worn shorts on a run since the Chicago Marathon (!!!), and the melting snow and puddles meant that I had a hard time getting the mud and salt off my calves in the shower afterwards! And speaking of showers...

BEFORE...

me, Aimee, Laurie, Katie, and Kristan
(i promised them the "before" shot
would be small, so you all couldn't

fully see the grossness! read on...)

After showering and not washing our hair, Katie and I headed down to Newbury Street with Laurie, Kristan, and Aimee for some bloody marys, appetizers, and hair appointments. This was probably the coolest DFMC fund raiser I've heard of: two girls organized a salon on Newbury Street to give $30 haircuts, with all of the money going to DFMC! And we obviously needed to be fixed up from our post-18-mile-grossness. Here is the photographic evidence :)

...AFTER

Much better!
me, Aimee, Laurie, Katie, and Kristan

And who else was there getting his hair cut? (He graciously informed me that men don't get their hair "done", they simply get it "cut"). None other than Jack, our fearless DFMC leader (and winner of the '76 Boston Marathon). I promised him that I wouldn't put the pictures on Facebook...but he didn't say anything about my blog!

This was the perfect end to a very busy week with a lot of miles...notably, the most miles I've ever run in a week (45)!

team chico-pee

2009-02-07T22:16:00.005-05:00

This has been a fantastic weekend so far....my roommates Katie, Kiirsten, and I trekked down to New Haven last night to visit our old roommate, Mo! After some wine and girl talk last night, we got up for our morning ritual of coffee and watching The Office, then headed out for a run around East Rock and the Yale campus. It was a beautiful day, I was with some of my favorite running buddies ever, and it was all around just awesome.

me, Mo, Katie, and Kiirsten after our run in New Haven

We ran together today in preparation for the Hyannis Marathon Relay in two weekends; last year we ran as Team KEEK, and this year we'll be running as Team Chico-pee. (The name comes from our upstairs neighbors who let their little pug, Chico, pee all over their back porch. Which means that it drips riiiight down onto our porch. ew.)

For those of you unfamiliar with a marathon relay, it is basically the 26.2 miles divided up between 4 relay legs: Katie and I will run the first 13 miles, then hand off to Mo for the next 7.3 miles, who will hand off to Kiirsten for the last 5.8 miles. We're not out to win any medals...just to enjoy the pasta dinner the night before, cheer on the father-son team of Rick and Dick Hoyt, and have some more roommate bonding time :)

Last year's Hyannis adventure consisted of some interesting driving by Kiirsten, some new male friends, a very strange continental breakfast in which we were told our eggs WILL explode, and a race director who made us keep getting closer to the porta potties (as if that would help start the race on time). This year's adventure has a lot to live up to.

mind over matter

2009-02-04T22:13:00.005-05:00

Last night was week #2 of track....ugh, track. I would rather run 16 or 18 miles than do a track workout, and I don't even pretend to keep this hatred a secret! Last night's workout was 600 meter repeats--12 of them. Because I am hoping to run the marathon in 8:20 per mile, that meant about 2:25 per 600 meters.

At the beginning of the workout, that just seemed so, well, insurmountable! That's essentially 4.5 miles of hard running, and that doesn't even include the brief "rest" (ie, easy running) in between repeats. As we worked our way though the 600s, they got harder and harder, and my legs got heavier. And by the middle of the last set, I pretty much wanted to give up.

BUT (and as I tell my students, watch out for this BIG BUT coming through the door), track is necessary if I really want to run a qualifying time for next year's Boston Marathon. So luckily for me, there are good people that run track on Tuesdays. I would not have made it through last night's workout without Katie and Aimee. I would have run a lot slower if they hadn't been there both pushing me from behind, pulling me from up front, and making me lead every few repeats! Good people running together seems to be the theme of DFMC. And I love that with track, crossroads, and long weekend runs, I get to see the same good people up to three times a week!

Up next on the agenda is a 'team' run with Katie, Kiirsten, and Mo down in New Haven this weekend--in preparation for our Hyannis Marathon Relay in a few weeks. Then Sunday is group run day (17-18 miles) and then haircuts on Newbury Street and drinks with some of the DFMC girls!

it's all about the kids

2009-02-01T17:31:00.007-05:00

Last weekend I finally got to meet my little Patient Partner, Theo! Theo is two years old, and lives in the Boston area with his older brother and parents--he is also a patient at the Dana Farber Jimmy Fund clinic, which is how we both became involved with the Patient Partner Program. DFMC has a program to pair runners with patient children, and Theo and I got to spend a wonderful morning at the Children's Museum at the first event, the meet your match party! He has a ton of energy, and his questions about firetrucks and cameras and elevators kept me on my toes all morning.

We had a great time with the Dr. Seuss activities, looking at all the birds and ships out the window, and playing beach ball challenges with the other runners and patient partners. Theo even asked if I would "come to my house to play and eat food", but told me I would have to "make sure and leave my shoes outside". What a polite young man! Throughout the season we'll be gathering again with our matches to have pizza and make posters, for the giant DFMC pasta part on marathon eve, and they will all be gathered at a special DFMC cheering station in Kenmore Square (mile 25) on Marathon Monday. If that's not motivation for the first 25 miles, I don't know what is! I am proud to be running in honor of both Theo and my Aunt Karen in this marathon challenge: they are both fighting tough battles with cancer, and I remember that often no matter how hard my training workouts get. You can see more photos of Theo and the Meet your Match party here.

I also got to meet the wonderful Sarah Nixon on Thursday at Crossroads, and we got talking about her fantastic program for young girls in Boston: Fit Girls! The program combines health and fitness with community outreach for girls in grades 4 + 5...and the more we talked, the more I thought about what an exciting program this is: it combines running, reading and kids, and I can't think of three things that I am more passionate about! Sarah is a fellow DFMC teammate (and an incredibly fast one), and and librarian, and she started the organization herself in 2002. I am so excited to become involved with Fit Girls...maybe first as a 'race buddy' for the girls doing their first 5k, and hopefully soon trying to bring the program to MY school!

And finally, on the training front: yesterday I did a long (and fast) 17.7 mile run with Katie, Ben, and fellow Bowdoinite Chris at the DFMC group run. We trekked 8.8 miles out Comm Ave to Wellesley, then turned around and did the same thing in reverse (which meant hitting the Newton Hills TWICE). It was fast, but fun...which means today I am both sore and satisfied.

last week's theme: testing my limits

2009-01-26T19:18:00.010-05:00

Last week saw a convergence of many things: a severe lack of sleep, the most miles I've run in a week, the longest and coldest race I've done since the Chicago Marathon, and a nagging back pain that just won't quit! Let me explain...

Thursday's regular 9 mile run at Crossroads was great...I had a nice run and chat with Gordon at a pretty good pace. That man does not stop for traffic, the T, or green lights...so it's a good thing he was leading the way! Crossroads was more busy and more festive than usual after our run, which meant that I didn't drag myself home until after midnight--on a school night. oops. 6am for school on Friday was rough. Hours of sleep? barely 5.

Sunday was the big day that I've had my eye on for awhile: The Boston Prep 16 miler race in Derry, NH. Unfortunately it was also the morning after Shifter's marathon party, which I finally pulled myself away from at 1am. oops. 6am for the race on Sunday was rough. Hours of sleep? barely 5.

At Derry with fellow DFMC-ers from Boston, Marisa
and Mike. Read Mike's blog here: http://turningontoboylston.blogspot.com/

The temperature at the starting line in Derry was just 3 degrees. I had heard that Derry is famous for being hilly, cold, sometimes snowy, and just generally unforgiving. This was not an exaggeration. During the 16 miles, we were constantly going up and down, up and down, and it got to the point where I didn't want to go downhill...because it just meant I'd have to go up again. I can safely say that my legs have never burned like that before. You know it's bad when you want to stop and walk so badly, but then you realize that walking will only prolong your misery. So you keep running, if only to end the pain sooner.

I had no clue how I would fare going into the race, but I was pleasantly surprised; apparently the hill work at Crossroads is really paying off. I finished in very consistent 8-minute miles, for a total of 2:08:40. That lent a little confidence to my quest for a sub 4 hour marathon!

With Glen, fellow DFMC teammate after the race.
Read Glen's blog: http://borntorunandraise.blogspot.com/

After a solid 40 mile week, the theme of this next week will be new things: the start of Tuesday track workouts, and the start of cross training in the pool. It's both a blessing and a curse that we have DFMC runs on Tuesday, Thursday, and the weekends....awesome because I get to run and train with great people...but tough because the socializing afterward the running only contributes to my lack of sleep on school nights :)

thank god for JIM

2009-01-19T18:29:00.000-05:00

JIM stretching and group shot before the run

Friday and Saturday saw some of the coldest days in a long time...I believe it was -10 at 8am when I started my long run on Saturday. Luckily, I didn't have to brave the 12 miles alone. I ran with JIM, otherwise known as "Joints in Motion". They run to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation, another great cause, and their Saturday runs are open to anybody training for Boston. I ran with a few people for most of the 12 miles, though I couldn't tell you their names because we were too cold to talk. So, thank god for JIM, because I wouldn't have motivated on my own!

After that brutal cold, the weather again ruined my plans for a run with Fred on Sunday. We had planned to do 5 or 6 miles at Walden Pond, but since Boston looked like this...

...we had to settle for brunch on Newbury Street and browsing around the Boston Public Library instead. I did get out for 5.5 miles today though, and the balmy 30 degrees was a welcome change!

Next weekend brings the Derry 16 miler, a race in New Hampshire that a lot of fellow DFMC-ers are running. It should be....interesting. My roommates Katie and Mo did it last year, and came home with tales of brutal snow and giant hills. Fun!

crossroads

2009-01-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

Last night I did a cold COLD run at Crossroads. Every Thursday night, a bunch of us meet up at the Crossroads Pub downtown and take the T out to Newton, then run about 9 miles back to the bar on the marathon course.

And of course, in typical Betsy fashion, I decided I should buy a face mask on my way to the run...and after frantically going to City Sports, EMS, and Marathon Sports (all sold out), I cursed myself for trying to 'plan ahead' only 15 minutes before the run. When we started the run, it was 13 degrees....but as we passed through Coolidge Corner the thermometer said 5. Ouch.

Anyway, I love Crossroads because it's so fun to meet new runners, and each week I find myself running or talking to somebody different! Last night I ran with new friends Marissa and Mike, both first time DFMC-ers, and this guy named Tony (who I kept calling Tom, and he didn't correct me until mile 8. oops!) Marissa, Mike and I brainstormed some new ideas for fund raising, and I made a plan with Shifter and Glen to do our long run together on Saturday morning. And the free pizza and beer after the run doesn't hurt either. Thursday may be the new Friday.

Seeing that today is a day off from school because it's so cold in Boston (-7 with the windchill), it may have to be a day off from running too.

a "yay" moment

2009-01-13T19:54:00.000-05:00

Yes, this was me...for the better part of 3 months in the fall of 2007 after the bike accident. After weeks of staying in hiding in my apartment, I finally decided to brave the Boston bar scene with some college friends that I knew would take good care of me...and luckily, Sammy didn't desert me in spite of my fashionable accessories!

But, I post this photo to make a point! This week marks a momentous occasion: Aunt Karen will be finishing her chemotherapy treatments! Her battle has been long and much more arduous than my few months in a neck brace and a sling. So this post is simply a "yay" moment--for Aunt Karen, or for anyone that has ever had to endure the fragility of the human body, and discovered a different kind of strength in the process.

(a note about "yay" moments....as a third grade teacher, I am a big fan of the word "yay!" i use it often (more often than I should?) to describe anything from a good run, to a fun night out, to a student reading a big word correctly, to a life changing event. it just works. try it, you'll see!)

The prologue

2009-01-10T22:53:00.000-05:00

Anybody that knows me had always heard me say "someday I want to run a marathon". For awhile it was "My life goal is to run a marathon before I turn 25 years old." Then it became "I will run a marathon while I'm 26, because the symmetry seems fitting." And that slowly became....you guessed it...."I would like to run a marathon before I turn 30."

Well, in the fall of 2007, when I was 26 years old, everything changed. I fell off my bike in Boston (yes, much like a 5 year old) while riding to an ultimate frisbee game in Jamaica Plain. I needed stitches in my head, bruised my ribs, and broke my neck and my right arm. Recovering was a long process, and after spending so many weeks out of work and watching my fitness slip away, I knew I had been taking my body for granted. Physical therapy is a harsh critic.

Three months after the accident, in January 2008, I finally went out for my first run. Later that winter, I ran the longest race I had ever run (7.2 miles as part of the Hyannis Marathon Relay). And as I watched my roommate and my then-boyfriend train for the Boston Marathon that spring, I knew I couldn't keep pushing this life goal further and further away!

So, ultimately my youngest brother Tom and I decided that we would take on the 26.2 together, and with good reason: our Aunt Karen had recently been diagnosed with colon cancer, and was about to start chemotherapy. We immediately signed up to run the Chicago Marathon with the American Cancer Society...and in the process of running our respective 26.2 miles, we also raised a collective $2800 for cancer research.