2012 - A Quick Look Back

A year ago around this time, I was debating if I should sign up to do my first marathon. I doubted myself. I didn't think that I could do it. I didn't think that I was good enough. But in the first week of the new year, I filled out the online entry form, closed my eyes, and hit the "check out" button and made it official! Then the training began.

On June 3rd I completed my goal of finishing my first marathon!! It was a tough one but I had done it! I became a marathoner!!
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Also this year, I became active in volunteering at a lot of races for the running club. Volunteering has help me appreciate the time and hard work that goes to putting on a running event. I have done it all from passing out place numbers at the finish line, to helping at water stops, to timing races, and even working the Boston Marathon expo (not sure what happened to that post). Volunteering has been fun and I will continue to do it again this year. I've said it many times before, you haven't volunteered at a race, I strongly encourage it!
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I met 2 bloggers in real life this year. Michelle from Running with Attitude at a 10 mile race in Foxboro, Ma. And also Bill from Impossible in Nothing at the Suftown Half. After following their blogs for a while, meeting them was like meeting celebrities :). Hope to run with you guys again!
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In October, I completed my second marathon.

It was a fun filled weekend with the family that finished off with me doing the marathon. One of the most memorable weekends of 2012!
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I still have 5 miles scheduled for Monday morning, but as of right now, I have ranked up 1,142 miles on these two tired legs of mine. That's like going from Boston, Ma to Atlanta, Ga. I have run more days than I didn't this year. I don't think I'll ever top a year like this in miles.
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The "cherry on top" moment of the year for me, as most of you know, was getting an entry for the 2013 Boston Marathon.

This will make 3 marathons for me in less than a year. For someone who had never run a marathon previous to this year, this is just nuts! If it wasn't for the fact that it's Boston, I probably wouldn't do it. But a opportunity like this might only come once in my lifetime. I gotta take it!!
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Looking forward to 2013.

I have no other planned races for 2013 like some of you. I just want to concentrate on finishing Boston. I might throw in a half marathon as part of the training, but that's about it. I plan a well deserved break after this is over.

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I want to get more involved with the running club this year. Definitely will continue to volunteer, but they also have monthly meetings to discuss club related topics and they also have positions you can hold in the club. I would like to learn more about being a race director or a volunteer coordinator or even be in charge of timing\scoring for races.

I did timing for a handful of races this year and I really enjoyed it.

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My biggest goal for 2013 is to stay healthy, learn more and become a better, smarter runner. I love running and I want it always to be part of my life. I love the running community and love meeting people with the same passion. Through my Facebook page and though Twitter, I have connected with many runners out there. Though I do not have hundreds of followers as someone like Detroit Runner or Running /w Spatulas, I do have more than I could have ever imagined and it seems to grow daily. I love connecting and the support that comes from social media.
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I wish you all a New Year filled with success, love, health, joy and lots of running!!!

Merry Christmas!!

I hope Santa brings you all what you want this year!!!

You Got Mail....

.... the best mail ever!!

Congrats from the Club President.

The rules...

I'm nervous about filling this out.... don't want to mess it up!!

The course map.

You read that right.... $300 entry fee! Yikes!! 

Now accepting donations.....

Once in a lifetime experience.... well worth every penny!!! 

I'm hoping to have filled and sent out by the first week of the new year.

I still can't believe it....

Vacation Week Tidbits

Ahhh.... feels good to be on vacation. I didn't go anywhere special. Just lounged around doing almost nothing. I needed this break!

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This week is officially week #1 of my Boston Marathon Training. Starting off a bit slow. As some of you guys know, I've been having some knee issues. So I don't want to push it. My first run was Sunday after a two week break. The Month of November I probably only ran 3 times. Though my knee is still a bit achy, it's not as bad as it was. Been a lot of icing, compression and massaging. Sunday's "long run" - 8+miles will be a good test for it.

I'm doing Boston even it means crawling across the finish line!!!! LOL

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Also this weekend, on Saturday, I will be running a 5K put on by the running club that will benefit our local food pantry. Entry to this race will be a donation of 5 can goods. I made a request on my personal Facebook to my friends and family to help out by donating at least one can to me that I can bring to the race. So far the response has been great. Hopefully I can get a couple more tomorrow before Saturday's race. We all donate, but I'll do the running.... doesn't get easier than that!

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Got tons of new followers on my Facebook Page recently. Like 20 overnight at one point. Thank you all for the follow, the Likes and the shares. I am overwhelmed by the support! I promise to keep things interesting, motivating and positive!!

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Now back to the vacation...
I haven't shaved in two weeks and have been rotating two pairs of jeans all vacation. This is life!!


Have a great week everyone!!!

My Next Journey

I've been in a Mac OSX training class all week in Cambridge, Ma. Lots of new stuff to take in, but I'm on my way in becoming certified. Just a little something to add to my resume!
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On Wednesday morning (as most of you already read) I wake up to the news that I have been given a time waived number to run the 2013 Boston Marathon, thanks in part to my volunteering time with the running club.

I've been so busy all week with the training that I haven't had time to fully grasp this. It wasn't 'til this weekend when I got home that it really hit me. I'll be running the Boston Marathon come April!! What an awesome early Christmas present this is. It will also be an early birthday present since my birthday is on April 16th, the day after the marathon. Unreal.....

So as long as god permits and I stay injury free, I will do this! I have never run a marathon before in my life until last year in June. Now here I am scheduled to run my third one in less than a year. How crazy is that??

I will follow the same 18 week training schedule I used in my last two marathons. But as in my last one, I plan to run extra miles when it comes to my long runs. Mentally and physically, it helped me out. It starts this week.

So without any further ado.... follow me in my next journey....

.....Let's do this!!!

Boston Bound!!!

click to enlarge

Now I'm nervous. 

This and That.....

Haven't had time to blog lately. Life (work more specifically), has taken up a lot of my time lately. I work in IT so I'm on a computer just about all day. So when I get home, the last thing I want to do is sit at a computer. Fortunately for me, this upcoming week, I'll be in a training class. Which means, I will not be at work. Then the week after I will be on vacation. Two weeks away from work.

Yeah boy!!!!

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So in the past 3 weeks I have only run twice. I did a two miler (a slow two miler) on Tuesday with a coworker during lunch. Then on Friday, I went for a 2 mile walk\run after work. My knee is still not at 100% but it's starting to feel a lot better. I don't want to push it, but at the same time I'm having a hard time sitting still. So, in the meantime, I have started doing some "Insanity" workouts. I can't do a lot of the jumping around routines because of my knee, but I can do most of them. I must say, I really enjoy these workouts. They are fast paced and almost nonstop. They are tough, but I can just about move along with the videos. Shaun T ain't got nothing on me!! Ok, yeah he does..... but I can handle the fast paced workouts.

I'm just hoping to stick with them.

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Thank you all for the comments on my attempts to Vlog. It was a last minute thing and I'm glad it got the response it did. I might do another one here and there. It was fun. It would be cool to see you guys do the same. I would like to see\hear what you guys sound like too. Jeff, some video reviews of the products you sample would be awesome!!! Jim and Michael, if you guys Vlogged, I think the response would be overwhelming!!!! Would love to see your pre-race dance on video.... LOL!!

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I have quite a number of new Facebook and Twitter followers. Thank you all for the follow. I'll try to keep things interesting for ya!! If you have a Facebook page or a Twitter account, please let me know. I'll gladly follow back.

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Hoping to keep up with blog in the next two weeks. Have a great week everyone!!