Mind, Motion & Matter

Running, Essentially . . .

Category Archives: Boston Marathon


by Leave a comment

Fatuma Roba, Olympic Marathon Gold for Ethiopia

Today I lunched with a friend who is helping my husband and I organize a gala for a sponsorship program for AIDS-HIV orphans in Ethiopia. The program is supported mainly by volunteers, here in Canada is run by People to People Aid Organization, Canada Inc. . Thus I thought it would be timely to profile one of Ethiopia’s finest runners, Fatuma Roba who was the mother of five children when she won the Olympic gold medal.

FATUMA ROBA Biography (click here for link to website where I found this article)

Born in 1973 and raised in the village of Cokeji in Ethiopia’s mountainous southern region—also home to internationally known 10K champion Derartu Tulu—Roba was one of seven children born to a farming couple who raised and herded cattle. Like most children growing up in rural Africa, if she wanted to go somewhere, the quickest way to get there was to run. The daily run to and from her school—much of it going up and down hills—trained the young Roba in the art of sprinting. As a child her hero was 1960 and 1964 Olympic marathon champion Abebe Bikila, a fellow Ethiopian. After completing school, the five-foot-five-inch Roba decided to train to become a police officer after her performance at a national cross-country championship caught the attention of members of the Adis Ababa prison police athletic team.

Fatuma Roba, Fluid Grace

Roba first gained an international profile in 1990 when at age 18 she placed fourth in the 3,000 meter and 10K competition during the African Championships. Three years later she decided to attempt the 26.2-mile marathon distance in her home town of Addis Ababa, and had reached a personal best time of 2 hours 35 minutes 25 seconds by 1995. Roba continued to reduce her marathon time throughout the spring of 1996, helped along by the coaching of Yilma Berta. To train to excel at the 26.2-mile marathon distance, the 22-year-old Roba logged an average of 125 miles a week, most of it at high altitude, thereby forcing her body to use its resources of oxygen efficiently. She ran and won two marathons early in 1996, the first in January at Marakech and the second in Rome, Italy, two months later.

When Roba joined the field of the 1996 Olympic women’s marathon in Atlanta, Georgia, in July of 1996, she was ranked only 29th among the elite women athletes assembled there. Surprising almost all onlookers of that years’ Summer Games, she managed consistent five-minute miles, gained the lead by mile 13, and left behind Japanese runner Yuko Arimori, who had won the silver at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. At mile 19 timers clocked her race pace at 5:21; relaxed and alert, Roba waved as she passed, the crowds cheering on the first woman in the pack. She went on to cross the line in 2:26:05, her lead a remarkable two minutes. “This is not only a special thing for me but also for my country and all African women,” Roba was quoted as commenting by Amanda Mays in the Philadelphia Inquirer. “The Ethiopian women are coming up in the marathon. This was the breakthrough and now we are ready to challenge the others.”

Roba’s success in Atlanta was balanced by an equally notable performance in 1997 at the 101st Boston Marathon. She gained and held an easy lead by mile 20 to win in 2:26:23. The first African woman ever to win the historic Boston race, Roba bested an elite field that included defending champion Uta Pippig, Japan’s Junko Asari, and South African runners Colleen de Reuck and Elana Meyer. “She ran with the same smooth stride and placid, dispassionate look on her face that she carried through the Olympic race,” reported Runnersworld.com. “Race commentator (and fellow Olympic marathon champion) Frank Shorter called her ‘The most relaxed-looking runner I have ever seen.'” Roba’s performance at the World Championship Marathon held in Athens, Greece, the following fall was a disappointment when she was forced to leave the course after being injured.

One for Ethiopia!

In 1999 the 25-year-old Roba took her third straight win at Boston, her time a personal best of 2:23:25 that set a new women’s overall course record. She won the silver at the Tokyo Marathon with a time of 2:27:05, but at the World Championships in Seville, Spain she finished a disappointing fourth. Roba’s winning streak at Boston ended in 2000, when she fell to third, barely losing the Boston gold to Kenyan runner Catherine Ndereba in one of the closest finishes in Boston Marathon history. Like Seville, the summer heat in Sydney, Australia proved hot enough to stall Roba, who finished a disappointing ninth at September 2000’s Sydney Olympics with a time of 2:27:38.

Like her hero Abebe Bikila, Roba has become a role model for African runners, women runners in particular. Her own younger sister, Sennaito Tekru, has followed in her path, and has embarked on a course as a competitive marathon runner. With her grace and seemingly effortless performances, Roba has broken the barrier for African women with her triumphs at both the Olympic Games and the Boston Marathon. Despite her disappointment in Sydney, she has continued to rank among elite women marathoners, handily winning the San Diego Marathon in 2001 with a time of 2:27:22.


by Leave a comment

Winter Running Gear – Base, Middle & Outer Layers

“One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.”
Henry David Thoreau

HTO The Urban Beach - Thursday, January 6, 2011

A tip to get better prepared to run in the cold is to don your running gear ten minutes or so before you head out so that warm air pockets develop between the layers of your running gear.  Those air pockets are one of the reasons why dressing in layers is the warmer way to go.  Unless you overdress, a bit of chilliness for the first 4-5 minutes is inevitable when the temperature falls below -5C.

A favourite running jacket is the Cannondale Morphis jacket I’m wearing in this photo from my morning run to the lake.  It is made of waterproof Gore-Tex and because of its limited breathability is a warmer choice than most running jackets, in the dead of winter.  It is in fact a cycling jacket.  I bought this jacket in Boston prior to the 2008 Boston marathon.  Boston was hit by a severe nor’easter in the days leading up to the marathon and there was serious and unprecedented talk of canceling the marathon.  Thus the marathon chatter was devoted exclusively to what to wear.

I was a very happy camper when I found the perfect solution to the threat of torrential rains in the form of this jacket with its removable sleeves, secured by easy-to-detach zippers and magnetic closures.  And the only size left was my my hard-to-find XS.

Cannondale Morphis Gore-Tex Cycling Jacket

On race day, the sun peeped through the clouds not long after the race start and we experienced the tiniest sprinkling of rain.  Conditions could be described as “not bad”.  I wasn’t long into the race before I removed the sleeves and tied them around my waist and felt comfortable the rest of the way.

Boston Marathon 2008, jacket sleeves tied around my waist & NB lightweight trainers

Before buying this jacket, I had never owned a running vest.  Since I already owned a few very serviceable and good looking New Balance jackets, I was relieved to get a lot of wear out of this emergency purchase afterward, the vest in particular.  The jacket features a two-way zipper, two side pockets, a back pocket and a small breast pocket.  The only drawback is the Gore-Tex material is not very flesh-friendly so it is best worn as a vest, or when the weather is cold enough for a long sleeve-shirt underneath.   I think it was $129 at the Harvard Square location of  Eastern Mountain Sports.

The other outer-layer piece is the New Balance yoga-style pants which at $59 cost much less than most yoga-specific warm-up pants.  I also find the fit more flattering than the upscale brands I’ve tried on

As for the base layer, my favourite sports bra is also by far, the cheapest sports bra I’ve seen, priced at $16.99.  It is a Champion brand item available at Target.  I also purchased mid-weight Champion tights at Target a few years ago for $17.99.

Kombi Merino Wool and Polyester Blend Base Layer

My long-sleeve base layer is a Kombi merino wool and polyester blend top of double thickness.  I think it is regularly $35 but I bought it on sale for $19.99 at a Sportchek type store.  I recently purchased a similar top for my husband at Target for $17.99 and it has become his preferred top for really cold days.

Finally, an additional upper, mid-layer piece for the coldest of days is a thermal hoodie from MEC.  The hood on this jacket is a highly functional, multi-tasking piece.  It looks good enough (without the hood on) to wear about town.  I wore this on New Years Eve with a mauve silk-like top underneath and festive scarf.   I usually wear this on plane trips as it is as comfortable as a pajama top.

Thermal Hoodie from MEC with Seriously Constructed Hood

The one thing I have not discussed is the most important of all, my shoes, the New Balance 759’s which I wore for my marathon. I love my New Balance lightweight trainers! But, that and my running shoe endorsement tale is a story for another day.

Stay warm!

New Balance 759's


by 2 Comments

30 years of running, 20 marathons run

As I work towards deciding which marathon to run this spring, I quickly jotted down, in chronological order a list of the marathons I’ve run and my times. It is the first time I have done this and eventually I’ll add more detail to this record which at this point is a draft, more or less. In bold are the top three highlights.

  1. Toronto Marathon, October 1981 — 4:11
  2. Ottawa Marathon, May 1982 — 3:37
  3. Toronto Marathon, October 1985 — 3:15
  4. Shamrock Marathon (Virginia Beach), March 1987 — 3:07 (gave birth to son Steven on December 19th, 1987)
  5. Toronto Marathon, October 1996 — 3:30 (9 1/2 years since last marathon)
  6. Boston Marathon, April 1997 — 3:28
  7. Columbus Marathon, October 1998 — 3:14
  8. Boston Marathon, April 2000 — 3:14
  9. Columbus Marathon, October 2000 — 3:15
  10. Ottawa Marathon, May 2002 — 3:07:02 (personal best, age 46)
  11. Ottawa Marathon, May 2003 — 3:11
  12. Ottawa Marathon, May 2004 —3:10
  13. Detroit Marathon, October 2004 — 3:11
  14. Mississauga Marathon, May 2005 — 3:14
  15. Detroit Marathon, October 2005 — 3:10:09 (Ontario age-group record, 50-54)
  16. Mississauga Marathon, May 2006 — 3:12
  17. Chicago Marathon, October 2006 — 3:13 (1st in 50-54 age-category)
  18. Boston Marathon, April 2007 — 3:17:54 (3rd in 50-54 age-category)
  19. Boston Marathon, April 2008 — 3:22 (7th in 50-54 age-category)
  20. California International Marathon, December 2010 — 3:42 (1st in 55-59 age-category) (2 1/2 years since last marathon)

Ottawa marathon 1982 - Nice headband!


by Leave a comment

Boston Marathon a bust for 2011

Perhaps the biggest marathon news of the year was the eight hours it took for registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon to close.  In one of my first posts I stated that I wanted to run in the 2011 Boston Marathon and that to qualify I would run the Sacramento marathon.  The historic Boston marathon sell-out took place on October 18th, 2010 about 6 weeks prior to the date of the California International marathon, where I had planned to qualify.  So while I did run under the qualifying time for my age group by 33 minutes in Sacramento, I missed the boat a few times over  in terms of registration.

Boston Marathon

In 2007 I placed 3rd in my age-group, 271  out of 8000 women and 3061 out of over 20,000 finishers. My goal had been to try and make it into the top five for my age group for 2011, a goal, which was probably not realistic for 2011 but with more time to prepare a possibility in 2012.

The most disappointing aspect of this development is that I had planned to use my Boston marathon goal as a way of raising funds for a sponsorship program for AIDS-HIV orphaned children in Ethiopia.  Which brings me to MY BIGGEST GOAL FOR 2011 WHICH IS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM run by P2P Aid Organization Canada. Our family sponsors an 8 year old girl named Tigist and my husband and I are organizing a gala event to raise funds for this program.

Tigist, 8 years old

 

In November we attended a dinner held by P2P Canada.  A good friend, originally from Ethiopia is one of many highly committed volunteers and donors for the sponsorship program.  And, no, he does not run.  Hopefully, the challenges of the over 1,000,000 AIDS-HIV orphans in Ethiopia will be as well known as Haile Gebrselassie and the incredibly talented Ethiopian distance runners who have dominated the Boston marathon for years.

I am training for a spring marathon but have yet to decide which marathon. Entry to the London marathon in April is already closed so I will have to do some research and come up with a new goal race. Meanwhile, training continues to go well with 42.5 miles this week and a very comfortable 11 mile run with good company today. Remember that keeping fit should and can be FUN!

With our P2P friends

LOVED - FED - CLOTHED - EDUCATED


by 3 Comments

The final mile, a state of grace

By the time you get to mile 23 the prospect of the final .2 miles of the 26.2 mile marathon distance seems magnified.  Why 26.2 and not an even 26 miles?

It is helpful therefore when the race course has a one-mile-to-go sign at the 25.2 mile mark, as on this course.  During that final mile I think of myself as running a mile on known terrain such as two laps of Winston Churchill Park or the final mile of various routes out and back from my home to make the remaining distance seem less onerous.

The day before the marathon, a trip to the finish line to visualize race finish

I began to push harder on the homestretch and there were a lot of people along the course to cheer us on.  As familiar as I am with the event when I am a spectator I feel a world away from connecting with the unique mind-body experience of running a marathon and feel at a loss for an appropriate cheer.

There are a couple of mantras that I repeat to myself, “rhythm, relax, focus” and the other which I feel a bit embarrassed about revealing, “strong as a bull, smooth as silk”.   I particularly remember repeating this last one in the 2007 Boston marathon when I placed 3rd in my age-category.

I once read that the difference between your average fitness runner and those running for optimal performance is that the first group disassociates while racing and the second group does the complete opposite.  My experience has been that two elements that have made a difference for me are; belief in the remarkable capacity of the human body and the ability to experience your body in the moment and react accordingly for the task at hand.

For me a part of achieving this balance and fluid mental state involves what you could call prayer.  I recognize that while there are factors under my control that allow me to run and race, there is so much that is out of my control and that is a gift so I give thanks for this state of grace. So, part of being in the moment is a mind-track, if you will of bits of traditional prayer as well as the self-composed.

With around 700 meters to go, my husband spotted me but too late to get a photo.  He was trying to pick out the red singlet that I been wearing in the morning and I had stripped down to my base layer.  He shouted encouragement in very emotional and endearing terms and I increased my pace through to the finish, my 20th marathon completed, the 25th anniversary of our first date celebrated —  in the final mile.  I crossed the finish line and felt a surge of emotion —  as joy, fulfillment, satisfaction and relief converged. 

Hallelujah!

There’s a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn’t matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Leonard Cohen

Finishing my 20th marathon in 3:42 at age 55

A few minutes after the finish with finisher's medal, teary-eyed, elated and exhausted

 



by 1 Comment

The race expo, a love-hate relationship

At best, the marathon expo is draining.  At worst, it is a bit of a circus with sideshows of minimal interest to the long-time runner, catering as it may to the novice runner or the flavour-of-the-day in training methods.  The CIM distinguished itself by having Jack Daniels, one of the most respected coaches in distance running, as its headliner.

We arrived in town a couple of hours before the expo opened and all seemed quiet in the vicinity of the expo, located a block from our hotel.  It was a surprise to find the convention center packed a mere thirty minutes after opening time.  And, I mean near-gridlock type of “packed”.  I do not like crowds.  A manifestation of this is that after a total 27 years as a Toronto resident I have never attended the Canadian National Exhibition, the CNE, the EX.

The days before a marathon are not the time to be fighting crowds, rifling through boxes of running gear in search of bargains or sampling new sports drinks, bars or supplements.  As for shopping, as when on vacation, context is everything and souvenir doodads and apparel entice but may lose luster upon returning to the regular grind.  For example I briefly considered buying this t-shirt.

Yours for $19.99 or two for $35.99

A nice aspect of blogging is that the act of posting a picture of something that catches your eye gives you a bit of the thrill of acquisition, and diminishes your desire to possess that object.  It is unlikely that I would ever wear this t-shirt, had I purchased it.

The most tiring expos of all is the Boston Marathon expo. I’ve run Boston four times and the last three times have ducked into the long corridor where the race kits are given out and avoided the expo altogether. My alternative to the expo is a trip to the Harvard Bookstore, located a couple of blocks from the Harvard Square subway station and a block from an Italian restaurant with great lobster ravioli.  You don’t want to start pumping adrenalin at the marathon expo, wait till race day, you want to reduce physical and running related-mental stimulation the day before the race.

To be fair there are items at expos that are not readily available elsewhere.  My purchases this day included;  arm warmers, mid-weight gloves, fluorescent gloves,  powder for Ultima, the official sports drink of the CIM and Mocha Clif Shots with caffeine.  As mentioned in another post, the Mocha Clif Shots are not available in Canada. Picking up my race number, t-shirt and timing chip took little time, however there was a bottleneck at the goody bag pick-up. My husband stood in the long line to get the goody bag while I made my purchases and looked around for sports watches as he needs a new one. Have you ever noticed how the life of a sports watch seems dependent on the life of the wristband?

Arm warmers, Utima powder, gloves, flourescent gloves and mocha Clif shots

Arm warmers, Utima powder, gloves, flourescent gloves and mocha Clif shots

No sports watch bargains were to be had so my husband returned to the hotel to do a work out at the fitness centre and I stayed for the presentation on how to run the CIM. This session was hosted by three runners, each having run the CIM all of it’s 27 years. The main takeaway points were; getting to the race start by bus is the ideal as the buses stay put once there and you can choose hang out in the bus for as long as you need, stay to the left at the relay exchange points as there is a lot of activity and confusion, the location of the major uphills on this net downhill course.

I returned to the expo recharged after the hour of sitting and bought a bus ticket. Then came upon the biggest bonus, pace tattoos. I normally create a waterproof pace chart that I pin to my jersey however no need this time round as I picked up, free-of-charge tattoos with splits for a 3:40 and a 3:45 marathon.

Pace tattoos, what will they think of next!?

Very cool. I returned to the hotel feeling that the net return on attending the expo was positive. I felt that I had for the most part done as Jack Daniels advised in his seminar the following day which was to concentrate on the task-at-hand.


by Leave a comment

A toast to a fine November, Day 7

I took the appearance of snow on my 8 mile run this morning as confirmation from the weather gods that the time to back off from training, and rest for the marathon has arrived.

In spite of having run 75 miles this week, my legs were peppy and in the final stretch I knew that my 55 year old body, is still capable of a much heavier training load.  But, as the end of phase 1 of my return to marathon racing after a more than 2 1/2 year sabbatical, this is a good place to be.  Ready for more.  The most I have run in one week is 104 miles.  And, within that total, the intensity of the runs was far greater.  but now is the time to err on the side of caution, i.e.  rest rather than daydream about the next training cycle.

Friday, November 20, 2010 - 7:00 a.m. Marilyn Bell Park

What a lucky year it was to be training for an early December marathon. I did not have to suffer through any rain for any of my long runs or fast paced runs. The photo of my run on Friday morning was typical of my early morning runs. The turning point seems to have come today, just as my training load is reduced by almost half.

Wintry weather rolls in to the lake

I have to focus on thinking about the race itself and checking the weather forecast for Sacramento daily.  My ideal temperature range for racing a marathon is 5-12C.  There has been a lot of rain lately but sunny days are in sight.

Sacramento Webcam

Our hotel is about 4 blocks from the finish line.  This is very useful as there is nothing more difficult than trying to meet someone after they have run a marathon.  Behavior, while in that state is quite unpredictable.  So if my husband and I don’t connect within 10 minutes, after I finish, I’ll head back to the hotel.

Many details of race day planning still to come but for now, I look forward to a quieter week.  To end the day we make  a toast to the Saskatchewan Roughriders who are enroute to the Grey Cup in Edmonton and the end of my training cycle.  Go Green, Go Riders!



by 1 Comment

Downhill from here – Day 6

The up aide of not having companions for the run is that I was able to sleep in 90 minutes. One feature of my 5 a.m. rising time is that it factors in at least an hour, if not more, of coffee time before I head out the door for a run. I try and stick to this “at-least-one-hour” rule whenever possible.

Since rain was not on the horizon, I enjoyed taking my time gearing up for the long run. This can be a “slippery slope” of procrastination as one finds must-do errands like polishing the silver, suddenly arising. Generally, I find it a lot easier to get out the door when there are constraints to work around.

Running buddy and dog walker

My husband, knowing too well, the pitfalls of procrastination urged me on and we came up with a plan for him to merge his 30 minute run with my run. To ensure a successful co-joining, I took along my Blackberry. I left the house just after 9 a.m. and ran towards High Park. Once at the park, I ran counter-clockwise on the trails. Along this short section I ran into several people I know.

As I meandered along, listening to my audio-book, I was startled by a dog and let out a little scream. I looked up and there was a former running buddy, in his civvies, telling me that he had been yelling at me to warn me that being leapt at was imminent. We had a good chuckle and I took a photo of them.
A few minutes later I ran into someone else, I stopped and told her that I am working for an organization that she used to work for. We exchanged stories, which was interesting and enlightening.

A favourite section of High Park trail

A few others, ran by and waved, notably a woman my age, who I used to run with quite a bit. I stopped, and turned but she ran on, a runner with a “train to catch”. We did the Boston marathon one year, it was her first and I remember feeling bad that she got an XL t-shirt as she is a tiny person. Too bad to get there and not have a wearable memento.

Then out to the lake and just as I spotted the assigned meeting spot, I also saw my husband pulling in with the car. He had some gatorade for me, I fueled up and then we headed west on the boardwalk to the Humber River spit.

Husband runs Humber River spit

We ran 30 minutes through the most scenic part of the run, the Palace Pier bridge, the Butterfly Garden and then the Humber River spit. We parted company and I headed east.

Inukshuk along the Butterfly Garden

At Marilyn Bell park, my BB went off and it was a message from the only friend with a blog (that I know of), wishing me a good run. I replied, telling her that I was at mile 12. Technology, isn’t it a wonder. A long distance runner need never feel lonely again.

I ran east to the turnaround point of my shorter daily runs and then home, with a stop at Starbuck’s for a total of 18 miles. WooHoo, the hardest part of my marathon training is done, it IS downhill from here until the big party a.k.a. the marathon.

Humber River spit, the beach

Marilyn Bell park, good view while checking email

The pleasure of the post-long run bath has been enhanced with the marvelous bath salts my son gave me from LUSH. I popped the final one into my bath and it was the equivalent of grand finale, fireworks display. It produced an incredibly frothy, fragrant environment, with both bath salts and bath oil combined. I’m not really the spa type but I’m definitely going to visit this store. Men, if you are looking for a gift for a woman, check out LUSH, Fresh Handmade Natural Cosmetics. I think they call this bath product, a bath bomb.

Post-run treats, latte and Creamy Candy Bubble Bar from LUSH

I marvel at the contrast between exertion and then total relaxation.  In my mind the experience of relaxation is all the more intense and enjoyable because of this contrast.

Husband and son have just arrived with a Italian veal sandwich from California Sandwich.  Life is good.

Happy weekend to all!


by 2 Comments

What I think about with 17 days to the marathon – Day 5

In the past, I would have thought a lot more about the marathon, with utmost attention to detail.  This marathon is to be a low-key, under-the-radar effort.  Normally, I would have run a number of races leading up to the marathon to gauge my fitness level but this time round, I’m not at all sure what to expect.

I’ve decided to run according to my heart rate.  My marathon pace effort should be in the 145-150 range.  So I’ll start out very conservatively, running in the 140-145 range.  I’m hoping that I can average 8:30 minutes per mile which is quite a significant slow down from the 7:15 minutes per mile I ran 5 years ago, for a finish time of 3:10:09.  I think an 8:30 pace will result in around 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Tonight as we discussed the logistics of the Sacramento event, my husband reminisced about time he spent as a young man, a grad-student, runner in Cambridge, England.  He ran in the Milton Keynes marathon, in Milton Keynes.  The 5K split times were recorded for every runner, which in those days was something of a feat as this was done manually for all of the 100 runners in the event.  He recalls that these results were the subject of intense scrutiny and fascination.  My husband ran his personal best time, a very respectable 2 hours and 36 minutes at the Detroit marathon in 1985.  I’m sure if he had logged the kind of mileage that I have done, he could have run under 2 hours and 30 minutes.

St. John's College, Cambridge University

Part of my mental preparation has been to listen to the audio book, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.  It was recommended by one of the Saturday runners and my husband.  While on my way to work, I found myself laughing out loud at the author’s description of his run on THE marathon route in Athens.  It is quite an entertaining earful although I suspect that it is mainly runners who would find it so.

We skipped our usual Friday night out, for a quiet dinner at home, no wine and early to bed, in order to be fresh for the 18-21 miler tomorrow.  I’m feeling a little abandoned as out of the group of four, two are out-of-town, one is sick and the other has to run very early to attend a funeral.  Oh, poor me, I have no company.  But, I know I’ll feel quite satisifed with myself, once the deed is done, and more so, for having run solo.  And, there is my audio book to listen to.

Going back to the Cambridge reference, we were there last year in the spring and did a run along the river that was quite delightful.  Although, I’m remembering now that my husband’s knee took quite a beating as he ran farther than he should have, and then we walked for many hours. I really miss having my husband as my running buddy on trips.  We have enjoyed some very nice tourist runs, with one of the most memorable being in Sligo, Ireland, along a river and out into the country. Yes, I miss that a lot.

Sigh . . .


by 2 Comments

Four days, 42 miles – Day 4

Ran 6 miles to the lake in the morning.  Baked a lasagna before work.  Someone at work said they heard I was running home from work 3 times this week.  I don’t mention that I also run in the morning, as I don’t want them to think I am a lunatic 🙂

Then 5 miles after work, on a treadmill at the Central Y, my husband in the other corner of the room on the elliptical trainer.

Authentic Pad Thai

Dinner at a Thai restaurant on Gloucester.  I ordered an “authentic” Pad Thai which comes wrapped in a crepe.  Then to husband’s work party at the Elephant & Castle on King.  One glass of red wine, lots of nice chats.  Home in a cab.  Set record for shortest post to date.  Time for bed.

ZZZ . . .

Husband, caught by papparazzi, leaving Elephant and Castle on King Street, 9:50 p.m.