10 Miles and A Dog's Life

Today is Monday. After a long day of work and commuting, I arrived home to find my gorgeous man, my gorgeous dog, and...another gorgeous dog, the lovely Frankie (her owner was there, too). A few hours later, full of a delicious spinach and sausage soup, and sitting next to my beloved (and one rather obnoxiously but adorably snoring Dane), yesterday's 10 miles around Boston seems an eternity ago.

Some runs seem so easy to blog about, while others sort of drift away in the ether of the hours between unlacing the shoes and settling in to type. I can't say that yesterday was necessarily either of those, though. I guess this will be a bit of a play-by-play for starters.

Jared and I slept in for a bit, which is always a nice way to start a Sunday. We were bundled up and out the door before we knew it, though, and running casually down Mass Ave toward Harvard Square. In that first mile, we both lamented that we'd opted for fleeces on top of wicking undershirts, though Jared (rightly, as it turned out) pointed out that we'd likely be cold when we crossed over the river into Boston.

Our route was a new one, a sort of modified version of the 12-mile route we plan to do a running tour on later this week. That course is 12 miles, beginning in Brookline. Our modified version had us heading out from our digs in Cambridge, running down Mass Ave across the Charles. From there we'd hop on Comm Ave, before taking a marathon right onto Hereford, then a left, and the last corner of the marathon, onto Boylston. After crossing the finish line by the BPL, we headed left on Dartmouth, but made a quick right to jog a few blocks of Newbury Street to the Public Garden and Common.

From the Garden, we planned to head by the State House...and we did, but only after stopping to meet a SOLID blue mass of Danish love named Maximus. The Golden he was with was in for it, I'm sure...

After the State House, we hit a few main and side roads through Boston and into the North End, where, though my teeth were chatting, and fingers numb, I couldn't help but think of canolis and cappuccinos. Jared and I traded comments on this and that Italian joint, and tried to think of points of interest along the narrow streets. Before long, we found ourselves back by the Garden, then the Museum of Science (I marvel anew that I still haven't managed to get there for the Harry Potter exhibit).

As we headed back home along Cambridge street, we both began to realize just how tired--and cold (thank you, fleece)--we both were. With a few miles to go, we (or at least I) had begun fantasizing about the coffee at the end of the (frigid wind) tunnel.

In the end, of course, we made it, as we always do. It's funny how much you see of the city when you think to look deeper at it. While Jared and I logged our miles, we both took another look at what's become our city.

It's hard not to take for granted the marvels that we see everyday--the ancient brick, the crumbling graveyards of America's founders, the 16th-century pasture. So, too, do we sometimes take for granted our lives and our loved ones, how great we have it.

If I learned anything from yesterday's run, and I think that I did, it's to take a second look at those wonderful, wonderful things, places, and people around you. Be thankful for your job, even when you have a bad day. Be happy for your car, when you get stuck in traffic. Be grateful for a home and someone (not just someone, but the right someone) to love you while eating soup and waiting for your sweatpants to get out of the dryer. Take a look at the things that are always around you, and just plain marvel.

River Travels with B

Last night I was happy to log a few miles along the Charles with this year's favorite marathoner, the always charming and lovely B.

I've been trying to keep myself in the running habit, despite passing on this year's Boston Marathon with the DFMC crew. Though I'm not running with Dana-Farber this year, it's important to me (and to my beloved) to remain involved with this wonderful charity. It was to that end that we found ourselves standing outside for a few hours last weekend, bundled to the nines, pouring water and gatorade and trying to keep it from freezing before the runners got there. Let me tell you, though, that standing outside for a few measly hours in freezing temperatures is nothing compared to what the runners themselves are doing--both running a marathon, and raising necessary funds for cancer research and care. It's not easy, but they are doing it. And trust me--I know!

The course was an out-and-back, as usual, so Jared and I were lucky enough to see familiar and friendly faces twice. On the way back, B mentioned she was looking for some company for a 4-5 mile recovery run on Friday night--and I was only to happy to oblige.

Since I was hoping to log some longer miles this weekend, I decided to just tweak my running plan a bit--so I ran a mile and a half to meet B at the Mass Ave bridge first. Then the two of us enjoyed 5 chatty miles along the river and its bridges, filled with talk of running, training, weddings, dogs, and crockpot cookin'. It was lovely:)

After, I headed back toward the gym near the Longfellow, looping past it to the Museum of Science and back, logging a relatively comfortable 8.34 miles. I admit my course was a bit...er...shambling...but it was a well-enjoyed one, filled with good thoughts, good company, and later, followed by good Mexican food with my better half.

Next up--a review of what might have been the greatest trail "race" I've ever been to...the Fast Ass 50(k).

Treadmill Travels

The last week and a half have been filled with those runs indicative of cold weather--the ones that travel miles and miles, while actually traveling nowhere at all. I've spent these days running exclusively on what I'd previously referred to as the "dreadmill," but now I see more in the light of a benevolent and understanding compadre, a partner in arms, a willing companion to the hijinx of my running effervescence.

Well, maybe not effervescence, exactly...I fully admit to having been a bit lackluster in my running efforts lately, as the seasonal hubbub wears on, and contract work, the care of Copley, and the kickoff of RunBoston have eroded the small amounts of free time I've typically carved out for running into a thin sliver of a nub--leaving me no option but to squeeze in runs in the early morning hours before work, something I've never been great at actually achieving, despite my pre-slumber plans.

This weekend, however, I not only managed to get a long run in, I enjoyed an entire day free of guilty feelings, and of work. I slept in, lazed over coffee and cheerios, and knocked out a comfortable 8.5 miles at the gym (thank you iPod, for allowing me to resist the temptation to throw myself over the small balcony onto the free weights below), topped off with a few planks and pushups for dessert. I shambled sweatily through a packed Whole Foods, lingered over pasta, cleaned the apartment, and played with Copley, all before even contemplating a shower to rid myself of the workout stink. When my beloved arrived home from an Adventure Club ski trip, I regaled him with the joy of my slow-paced day, one he agreed was much needed.

Today, on his birthday (32, you handsome stud!), we enjoyed all the perks of being cozily snowed in together. We shared a leisurely breakfast of Christmas bagels, fresh grapefruit, and lattés, cuddled on the couch over a morning showing of Turner and Hooch, and meandered our way to the liquor store in boots, to pick up the necessary ingredients for Tom & Jerry's. And though we spent several hours on our laptops to finish up the last of our weekend work, we'll be able to leave for North Dakota on Wednesday, with clear consciences and empty inboxes.

And with nearly two weeks of blogging checked off my list, I'm on to the next to-do--cuddling up with a book on the couch.

Got Rice?

Another week, a few more miles, and too much in the way of eventful things.

Tuesday my beloved and I hauled our sorry selves to the gym, where we logged a couple easy miles on some brand-spankin' new treadmills at the CAC--one of many fabulous renovations/upgrades done recently. And I don't mean just new treadmills--I mean new treadmills that can calculate pace per mile, mile per hour, calories burned, and whip up a mean latté, all while also calculating the square root of pi and the fastest route to world peace.

There was a decided lack of miles for the entire rest of the week while both us ran back and forth from the vet's office (Jared even more so than I) with one very sick Great Dane. A stomach bug laid our normally rambunctious Copley low for a few days, and was followed immediately by the return of what we'd thought was a cured UTI. By Saturday, though, after two days of eating nothing but Pepcid AC, rice, and chicken, she was back to her vivacious self. After another trip to the vet, some last Christmas shopping, and several hours of RunBoston-related tasks, we were too zonked to even considering heading into the icy rain for any miles, let along long ones.

By Sunday, we were rested up and ready to rock. And rock we did, with 5.3 miles back to the CAC for a quick lift, then another almost 4 miles home. The icing of the cake was, as always, a hot steaming dark roast for me, and a latté for my better half.

Now for cookies and Tom & Jerry's...

Oh-Hi-OH!

Last week my beloved and I traveled hither and thither, afar and yon. That's right, we drove. To Ohio. With the dog. In a Toyota Yaris.

While many a stalwart soul will quiver and quail at the thought of a 12-hour drive, I am here to say...it was kind of nice. Twelve hours of chatting, laughing, and teasing with my beloved. Twelve hours of cooing over how well-behaved Copley was in the backseat of the car, marveling over the fact that she not only fit, she fit quite comfortably.

We spent the next 2.5 days in Marietta, Ohio, where we visited with family--Jared's parents, grandparents, brother, aunts and uncles. We ate, shopped, visited, ate, slept, went to a movie, ate, visited, and...yup, ate. It was a wonderful, wonderful trip, and a great chance for me to get to know the future in-laws that much better. (They're good people, so easy to like!)

Saturday night saw us back in Cambridge, after another 12 hours in the car, most of which Copley spent dozing, with her head in my tote bag. After the days of eating too much with family, sitting inactive in the car, and countless stops for Starbucks...well, let's just say we were looking forward to Sunday's run.

Happily enough, the miles were easy and quick, and the weather divine--the sun shone and glittered on the river as we circled around from the Longfellow to the Harvard bridge. We took breaks when we wanted them, ran relaxed miles along the paths, and before we knew it, we were back at the gym for a quick lift before heading home. An excellent end to a lovely week.

For the Hill Of It

Saturday my beloved and I were at last back at it--and in style. We snoozed a few times, and shamelessly changed the time the alarm was to go off, but ultimately we still found ourselves shuttling along the green line en route to the Woodland T in brisk morning air.

Taking the T out to the Woodland stop leaves you with a hell of a 9-mile run--along the familiar twists and turns of the marathon course. It's wonderful to ease through the miles, remembering past training runs and marathons, and not-so-surprisingly entertaining to window-shop the ritzy houses that line the first few miles. It's also always easier to run towards the finish line, something every out-and-back or loop course lacks for at least the first half.

Since we'd planned to hit the gym afterwards (hey, it was only another mile, and if you only work out once or twice a week, you've got to overextend to keep to the law of averages), our run took a few interesting turns, including one mistaken one. But the miles flew by, and we found ourselves marveling at how enjoyable running can be when you're just running for the sake of running.

It's not that I don't like training for a specific race--I do. But there is something exceptionally wonderful about running just because you can--because your legs and lungs are strong enough, and because you simply want to. (Though I have to say, it certainly doesn't hurt when your running companion is an intelligent, charming, and exceptionally handsome man for. And if said handsome man and you have recently watched the movie 300, it's highly entertaining to yell pithy one-liners with every mile, such as "THIS...IS...HEARTBREAK..." Check out the clip below if you aren't sure what I mean.)

300 - This Is Sparta! | SpikeTV | SPIKE.com

Of course, it wouldn't be a full blog if I didn't impart some recent, and exceptionally good news: the numbers are in for the 2009 Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team--that's right folks, together we 550+ runners raised

$4,025,688

For cancer research and care. Keep in mind, fellow runners, walkers, and human beings--the world is full of big and scary things. But together, with hard work, dedication, and enough hope to fill an ocean, we can achieve incredible, incredible things.

Happy Running this Thanksgiving!

Early November Hodgepodge

What? Nearly two weeks after Seacoast and I haven't blogged yet? Sigh...

I admit it, I haven't felt that much like blogging lately. The fall is here, and with a crisp nip in the air, and an even busier than usual schedule, I've had little time to run, and even less to blog...

Still, Seacoast IS an annual event, and one I'd like to talk about at least a little. We were lucky as ever, and were met with a beautiful sunny day. As we ran our way through the first two miles, I commented to Jared how it was, strangely, the first time I hadn't been nervous for a half marathon.

Well, unfortunately, my lack of nervousness was a bad sign--it turned out it was one of those days where my brain had decided to interfere with my legs. I was tired. I was sore. I wanted a break. I wanted a drink. I was just plain grumpy. The beautiful day and the always wonderful company of my beloved kept me in relatively decent spirits, though, and we finished in an entirely respectable, if not quite blistering, shade over 2 hours, right around the same as last year.

I will, say, though, the post-race meal (clam chowder and cheese pizza) and the schwag (another nice wick-away and a bottle of jam) made the miles worthwhile.

This past week family visits and our own crazy schedules kept us from getting much in either...though we managed to squeeze in a short (4ish) birthday run on Sunday, and another 4 miles or so on Wednesday. Tonight we'll hit the gym for a quick lift, and then tomorrow we'll hit the road--and get back it, with a run along the last 9 of the Boston Marathon course. It's a long and chilly T ride out to Woodland stop, but the memory-filled streets (and hills!) leading back into Boston are worth it and more.

And did I mention there's a Starbucks near the finish line?