Day 47 - 4.75 miles (42:44)

"There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people." - Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike

Miles Ran: 143.56 Dollars Raised: $866.20

MY FIRST SNOW RUN!!!!

I was going to try to get my run in before the snow came, but as I was walking out of the grocery store the flakes had just begun to fall--so I knew I had to move fast haha

I got back and called up Katharine, and within 15 minutes we were out the door. I was pleasantly surprised at how not-slippery it was. It was pretty powdery, and had that crunch to it when you took a step. The only parts where I felt even less traction were where people had shoveled or put down salt.

We were definitely a sight to see--between being covered in snow ourselves, trudging up hills, having icicle eyelashes, and trying to catch snowflakes in our mouths before parting ways. I think it was pretty ideal conditions for a snow run. It was maybe only 1-2 inches deep, and was a whopping 30 degrees--I wore my capris! Word on the street is my run in Grafton on Saturday will be a VERY snowy one...

It's hard to believe on this last day of 2009 that I've been running for 10 months. It's definitely flown by, and I've gotten SO much more out of it than I ever imagined. Happy New Year!

Note to self: NEVER eat a Smoked Salmon bagel sandwich before running ever again!

Day 46 - Rest

"You are the only person who can control how YOU react to something." - Mom

Miles Ran: 138.81 Dollars Raised: $866.20 (Thank you Brian, Amy, Chloe and Brianna Crowley!!!!)

I'm not sure how to relate this to running, but I can sincerely say the theme of the day was Patience with a capital P.

It felt like everything I tried to do today (besides make some really awesome cards, which only I had control over) rebelled against me and was trying to test how much I could take before steam came out of my ears. Luckily I think I kept the stress to a low boil.

Just take deep breaths, fix what you can, and don't let what you can't get to you.

Day 45 - 4.47 miles (36:56)

"This is just a mild spring zephyr compared to the big wind of '67. Or was it, uh, '76? Oh, I remember the big wind well." - Owl, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day

Miles Ran: 138.81 Dollars Raised: $846.20

Well.. that was interesting.

I knew I was getting into something very blustery today after 1) my Dad called to say the wind had knocked down a tree onto our porch and through the second floor bathroom, and 2) I was basically pushed and frozen as I walked from my apartment down to Marathon Sports to pick up these babies:
...but I'll get back to those later.

This wind is out of this world. From the moment I stepped outside it felt like zero degrees. and when I turned the corner to go uphill and meet Katharine my eyes immediately started watering and I was shocked at the amount of resistance against me.

What usually would be a rather moderate route felt like torture. The wind never felt like it was at our backs and everything seemed 10 times harder. I had brought my neck gator with me and for the last 1.5 miles found a comfortable way to wear it so I didn't feel like I was inhaling polyester. I definitely needed it though! Especially when you're running with someone and talking the spit in your mouth just flies all over the place with crazy wind!

Now on to the shoes... There's this huge "minimalist" movement going around that was really sparked by those Five Finger shoes, where runners are trying to stay away from all of the extra padding and cushioning most shoes have been providing since.. forever. So although my Brooks sneakers were working out well, I just wanted to give this minimalist approach a try. The woman at Marathon discouraged me at first since I'm in the middle of my training, but after watching me run she said, "do you usually run on the balls of your feet?" And I do. So she gave me these Newton's to try.
See how there's that big raised, red part on the ball of the shoe? It's actually huge. Like, I felt like I was teetering forward when I first tried them on. There's SO much support in the front of the shoe, and very little in the heel. It's a good "transitional" shoe to go towards this minimalist trend. So, I'll try it, hopefully it works wonders, and I won't have to go back to my old pair. They felt pretty comfortable after I got used to them today! (I also like how they have a picture of Isaac Newton on the insole haha)

Day 44 - 4.18 miles (33:16)

"Because you're mine, I walk the line." - Johnny Cash

Miles Ran: 134.34 Dollars Raised: $846.20 (Thank you Lisa Melpignano, Uncle Wes and Aunt Judy!!!!)

It's always nice when you feel like you're draggin an 18-wheeler behind you, and then you look down at your *new* watch and realize you're actually going fast. I mean, really fast. For the majority of the run I was hanging around the 7:00-7:30 minute mile. Maybe subconsciously I was just pushing myself to see how fast I can actually run this 4-mile route I do every week, but man! I don't know what happened!

It was also different because I'm not used to running during the day--and hopefully it won't be a mental shock when I go back to running at night next week! The sidewalks of Comm. Ave. were significantly less crowded with all of the BU kids at home, but there were still the few that tripped me up.

I just hate when I'm coming up on the side of someone and they suddenly completely change the direction they're walking in and it takes everything I have to avoid a crash collision. Or I love when I'm coming up on the right of someone, and instead of walking in a straight line, they start veering to the right, and then I'm jumping up onto a curb or through some bushes to squeeze by. I must be so swift they can't hear me coming, and I know that they have no idea what they're doing, but it makes me conscious when I'm walking to try to stay to one side and walk in a straight line.

Day 43 - Cross Train

"I wasn't losing my focus but I was getting tired of focusing. What I was focusing on was becoming too routine, too ritual, not something that was interesting, new and exciting." - Picabo Street

Miles Ran: 130.16 Dollars Raised: $751.20

Today was supposed to be a rest day, but my Mom, my brother and myself decided to head over to the gym--and I was actually kind of excited about it. I hadn't been in a "real" gym for months--with tons of different machines and cardio options. So I was really looking forward to switching up my routine.

I started off on the Arc Trainer for 40 minutes, which, I don't know if you just have to try working out on it a bunch of times before you get into the groove of it, but I LOVE that machine while I hear a lot of differing opinions from other people. It's kind of like an elliptical, but is more of a lateral movement that vertical. Then I power-walked for about 25 minutes, where I could really feel a burn in my quads when I increased the incline up to 4.

After the cardio I was trying to work on my core, which I have failed to do for the majority of my training. I guess my logic was I was putting so much of my energy into running "x" amount of miles that I didn't want to do anything afterward--which is definitely not the case. Especially now as the miles are about to increase rapidly, core strength is imperative. So I did what I felt like was a lot of exercises and used different machines, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow when my abs are hurting or not!

UPDATE: they hurt!

Day 42 - 9.16 Miles (1:19:03)

"People ask why I run. I say, "If you have to ask, you will never understand." It is something only those select few know. Those who put themselves through pain, but know, deep down, how good it really feels." - Erin Leonard

Miles Ran: 130.16 Dollars Raised: $751.20 (Thank you Mrs. Ziemba!!!)

I love my new Garmin :)

I guess in some cases it's better to be oblivious to how good or bad you're doing, but today it was really helpful and useful to see that my pace had slowed down and that I needed to kick it back up. It's also really cool because it tells your mileage by a GPS inside, that also shows you a map of where you've gone.

My run today was kind of different in that I kind of broke it up into 3 miniature runs. I ran about 4 miles to a CVS where I could stop and pick up a Vitamin Water, another 1.5 miles to the high school where I remembered my Dad was refereeing basketball, and then home. The break at CVS was definitely needed to rehydrate, but at the high school was good and bad because afterward I did have some renewed energy, but I also got very cold because my sweat was cooling off. I kept about an 8:36 pace the entire time, which is pretty decent for me. Back in the beginning stages of my training I was shooting for a 10:00 mile.

The only thing that was kind of frustrating today was that people still haven't cleared off the sidewalks, and there was a light snow last night. So there was still a ton of icy mounds and puddles to leap or tread lightly over. I won't lie, sometimes I imagined myself as a ballerina or a gazelle taking huge leaps or tip-toeing over the obstacles...

Towards the end I was getting really deflated, my feet were starting to hurt, my calves were burning, which is when I realized my mind would have to take over for me. So for the last mile, I have no idea how, I was running an 8 minute mile--uphill for the most part, and I was really, happy? When I got to my driveway I felt like I could go for another run :)

Day 41 - Rest

"Merry Christmas, to you." - Stevie Wonder

Miles Ran: 121 Dollars Raised: $726.20 (Thank you Grandma and Roy!!!)

It worked out so perfectly that Christmas fell on a rest day :) I was way to busy bustling around, laughing, eating, sleeping, and being merry to have fit in a run at any point. I was so shocked and surprised to receive this little gem under my tree that I'm so excited about:

The ultimate running watch! The waterproof computer on your wrist! THE! Garmin Forerunner 305!!!!!! haha

It basically does everything you can imagine.. tracking your pace, routes, GPS, history, time, calories, I could go on forever baby. (Home Alone 2 reference...) You can set it up so you have a virtual partner who runs ahead of you that you have to catch up to. It's pretty out of this world if you get excited about running watches. I'm so psyched to test out my new toy!

And during the holidays, again, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to have so many supporters throughout this whole endeavor that I want to say thank you thank you thank you to everyone who has been so encouraging. Merry Christmas!

Day 40 - 5.7 miles

"There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna wanna make it move, always gonna be an uphill battle...It's the climbbbbb!" - Miley Cyrus

Miles Ran: 121 Dollars Raised: $626.20

The thing about running at home is, I always start and end with a hill if that's possible, with many hills in between. You don't notice it as much when you're driving, but there are MANY and a number of really big, steep ones.

One thing I always try to do when I run hills is to look only look about 5-10 feet in front of me. Otherwise, I psych myself out with the distance or the steepness of the hill.

And this is just a random thought, but I wonder if there's such a thing as restless arm syndrome, like there is restless leg syndrome. Sometimes when I'm running I have to shake my arms out to get the blood flowing or something.

Day 39 - 4 miles

"There's no place like home." - Wizard of Oz

Miles Ran: 115.3 Dollars Raised: $626.20 (Thank you Mr. Clark Joseph Crowley!!!!)

I can't remember the last time I was running and looked up and noticed Orion. It's just a completely different world out here than in the bustling city.

Usually I'm anxious about getting my runs in while I'm at home, even though I have more than enough time to do it. It's just the monotonous routes and hills and lack of sidewalks. But I think right now, this is probably the best place to be. We only got hit with MAYBE 5 inches of snow, most of it is melted away, and the streets and sidewalks are clear for the most part.

Tonight was just a little bit of a struggle: 1) I had to motivate myself to not just take another rest day, even though I REALLY wanted to, and just drove 2 hours to get home 2) I usually don't run at night when I'm home 3) to start off, the wind in my face was KILLER. Coach Rick has suggested putting Vaseline on your face so you don't get that harsh, dry wind tearing up your cold sensitive skin, so maybe sometime this week I'll test it out.

The run worked itself out though. I was in and out of getting into those grooves where I'm just pumpin along. And I was just in awe of the stillness. I still consider running new to me, and especially running in the winter, in West Springfield. It's just a different way of experiencing my town :)

Day 38 - Rest

"Chelsea Morning is a great Joni Mitchell song and I guess I'm partial to her lyrics because they show me a slightly different perspective on life." - Neil Diamond

Miles Ran: 111.3 Dollars Raised: $601.20 (Thank you Uncle Bill and Aunt Cindy!!!!)

A run just didn't fit itself into the schedule today, unfortunately. After work my Mom came into the city and we just had so many fun things to do together a run would have to wait!

We went down to the Laurel Grill for dinner, then to the Nutcracker and finished at Finale! I was thinking a lot about looking at things from a different perspective today--which was sparked by where our seats were at the Nutcracker. For the past few years I've been in the balcony, and this year we had seats on the floor. You didn't get to experience the largeness of the entire theater, but it made such a difference for me to be able to see the facial expressions on all of the dancers faces. The performance itself was just incredible. It bewilders me to watch these muscular athletes leap into the air and do 5 twists and turns, or turn and spot for what seems like 20 turns on the point of their shoes.

So yes, my point is that thinking about different perspectives makes me want to be more conscious of that--especially around the holiday season. With running, with work, friends, family, etc, I just want to try to see things from a new light. My hope is it will lead to more creative thinking, less stress and more understanding.

P.S. - Did I mention I hate slush? My car is officially broken and I've been walking the 1.7 miles to and from work for almost a week now. It's a blast... And I've realized that I really walk a lot different when I'm wearing boots. I basically drag my feet because I'm afraid of slipping, and I think it's agitated my left knee even more :(

Day 37 - 4 miles

"No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut" - Channing Pollock

Miles Ran: 111.3. Dollars Raised: $526.20

On second thought, I still don't like running on a treadmill. I think it's just too foreign to me and doesn't have the same give as the pavement--whether it's less or more. But looking outside this morning there was NO way I'd be trying to make my way through slush. Although, I'm wondering if it will be safer to go in the morning when there's less cars in the road, since the sidewalks are an absolute disaster, and the roads are the only thing that seem mildly clear.

I'm sure it also didn't help that I had a bottomless pit of a stomach all day and ate everything that was put in front of me. I kid you not when I say I am completely surrounded by food at all times at work. If my coworker and I aren't eating it, we're talking about it. If it's not one cupcake, it a Harry and David's package, or breakfast at a meeting, or the dessert chef testing a new recipe, or someone baking cookies, or Berryline, or the amazing lunch!!!! It's DANGEROUS!

Day 36 - Rest

"It's thought that hibernation was once a shared characteristic among all mammals, and then we humans lost the ability to hibernate--but it still might be in our genes." - Steven Swoap

Miles Ran: 107.3 Dollars Raised: $526.20

I COMPLETELY agree with this quote. We got almost a foot of snow overnight, and when the first big snow it's the city, I usually go into hibernation. I love the stillness of the city, but I HATE the slush. So! Today was the perfect day for a rest day, even though I had intended to try and run tonight. I really caught up on my sleep last night and spent a substantial part of the day relaxing, reading and watching Christmas movies in my bed.

I was actually kind of nervous about running outside today... the roads were not plowed at all, and I was sliding around in my snow boots all over the place. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt to get up early and go to the gym before work. I think I'll save my outdoor snow running for when at least the roads are clear. Don't want to twist an ankle!

Day 35 - 8 miles

"It was magnificent, it was so simple, easy, I was just jogging. I understood Einstein's theory of relativity as time seemed to stand still. I could see everything before I did it. I felt so powerful, so in tune, in balance. It was a perfect melody, a rhythm, I was really flowing. I was dangerous that day." - Kris Akabusi

Miles Ran: 107.3 (woohoo! Passed the 100 mark!) Dollars Raised: $526.20

I don't know what happened to me today. Maybe I was just motivated to get out of the blistering cold. Whatever it was, it was awesome.

I literally felt like I was flying along the frozen Charles River as we went all the way down to River Street and back. I felt so light on my feet, my arms were not tense in the slightest, and I got into a rhythm with my legs and breathing that was just working perfectly.

I was trying to really just make my stride as effortless as possible, which really helped me pace myself. But somehow, even though I got out the door a little later than most of the group, I beat the majority of them. We usually leave around 9, and when I got into the locker room and looked at my phone it was only 10! A couple minutes later a girl walked in who said the guy she was running with had a watch and they finished in 1:10 so I must have been at least 1:05.

Off to the Science Museum!

Day 34 - 4 miles

"Dress for success." - cheesy, but true!

Miles Ran: 99.3 (So close to 100!) Dollars Raised: $526.20

You must attack your run like you are attacking your ninja enemy, with: speed, stealth, lightness of foot, and the determination of a warrior. (I don't know if I look more like a ninja or Rudolph the Reflective Reindeer in this picture)

FIERCE, no? Who knew the sidewalks of Boston were actually a "run"way (get it? haha) for bumblebee looking psychotic cold weather runners. This is how you make running in 11 degree weather look good.

Check out the reflective action on these pieces! I definitely felt a little more at ease running with some very bright colors and lots of refective-wear. Although, it amazed me how at least 3 people I saw today pulled up into the crosswalk to make a turn without even noticing that I was there waiting. It's probably more that they are completely oblivious than anything, and even if I was running with Christmas lights wrapped around me they wouldn't have noticed.

Today's run kind of went in waves--started out good, a little shaky in the middle and finished strong. As you can see by my showing off I got some new cold gear, which is AWESOME. The jacket, which matches my gloves, is the Nightlife series by Brooks. It has 3 zip-up pockets, vents, an inside pocket for your ipod, and a fleece lined collar that actually feels comfortable when I have it zipped up all the way. I also got a fleece ear warmer, which, I had NO idea how effective it would be. I felt significantly warmer with it on! I chose not to whip out the neck gator tonight, but I'm sure I will this weekend.

Day 33 - Rest

"I think a change will do you good." - Sheryl Crow

Miles Ran: 95.3 Dollars Raised: $526.20

So even though I was supposed to run, I deferred it until Friday because I was going straight from work, to basketball, to holiday party (which was really fun!). I did feel a little ounce of guilt, but I've put in a pretty good week so far, so I'm giving myself a pass. Not to mention that it was THE coldest night of the year, and I did get a little cardio playing with the girls during practice. So basically my theme of the day is to accept change into your running schedule and don't let it control your life.

Day 32 - Rest

"Follow your bliss." - Tom Freston, founder of MTV, speaker at my graduation

Miles Ran: 95.3 Dollars Raised: $526.20

What I've come to realize since graduating is that your bliss can come in many different forms. Your job does not necessarily define your bliss, or who you are, whether you are passionate about it or not.

Your bliss can be found anywhere. In running on a rainy day in solitude, or laughing with friends, or cutting out snowflakes, or coaching a basketball team. I think the main thing is to find something you're passionate about that really makes you happy, and see where it takes you. If it takes you from running .25 miles on a treadmill to running a marathon, well, isn't that blissful.

Day 31 - 6.5 miles

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." - Unknown

Miles Ran: 95.3 Dollars Raised: $526.20

Today's run felt pretty good for the most part! We were saying the other week at the last training how sometimes the hardest part of running is getting your butt off the couch and getting out the door. So today it helped because, 1) I wore my running gear to basketball practice, and 2) I got a text from Katharine as I was leaving practice seeing if I wanted to go for a run. It really does help!

We ended up doing 6 1/2 miles, which turned out to be much better than the 4 I had planned because I have a really busy day on Thursday, and it was going to be hard to squeeze a 5-miler in. At one point it was funny--these 3 guys who the two of us always see separately outside of Herb Chambers, just stood there, staring at us as we approached, and refused to move! After we went completely out of our way to avoid their huddle, I gave a "THANKS GUYS!" back haha

I feel like I've actually reached the point where I look forward to a run. Maybe it's because I live alone. Or maybe it's because I sit in front of a computer for the majority of my day. It's not a daunting task that I HAVE to do anymore. It's a break in my day, and I feel lazy when I don't run (though I definitely need those breaks to get things done). It's become, dare I say, enjoyable :)

Day 30 - 4 miles

"And that's all I have to say about that." - Forrest Gump

Miles Ran: 88.8 Dollars Raised: $526.20

The only thing that can be worse than injuring yourself while running, is really having to go to the bathroom while running. That is all.

Day 29 - Rest

"Without an open-minded mind, you can never be a great success." - Martha Stewart

Miles Ran: 84.8 Dollars Raised: $526.20 (Thank you Debbie & Scott Abel!!!!)

I was sitting here trying to think of what my theme of the day was, and came to the conclusion that it was about keeping an open mind--in many ways.

I tried a few new things today, including a Russian restaurant--complete with Samsa, Sturgeon, Chocolate Mousse and fruit Blintz, and cranberry and pepper vodka shots (both very flavorful and delish). I never would just think out of the blue to go try Russian cuisine, but it turned out to be amazing--as was the new company I was with.

But I was thinking how also, through this training process, that you definitely have to have an open mind about trying new things. New techniques, new routes, training schedules, new eating habits, new challenges you face... there's a lot of aspects of running that you could easily turn your head at and think that your way is better (which, maybe it is for you, but how would you know unless you try?)

Day 28 - 7 miles

"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." - Joshua Marine

Miles Ran: 84.8 Dollars Raised: $500

The weather report before I left said "a high of 30 degrees, right now we're in the low 20's, but with the wind it will feel like the TEENS." Very encouraging!

I think my ears are still defrosting.

Katharine and I both left our apartments at 10:00 and met each other in the middle, where we proceeded to go down Comm. Ave., across the BU bridge, along the Charles, across the Mass. Ave. bridge, down Beacon Street to Dartmouth, and then all the way back up Commonwealth Ave.

It's so nice running with her. She really pushes me to go just a little bit harder than I might on a regular run by myself. We decided our goal for the marathon is going to be to finish together in 4:30--which I definitely think we can do. At first I thought I could potentially finish in 4 hours since I did the half in just under 2... but realistically, I have to make my body last for 26.2 miles, so I don't want to exert all of my energy to keep up a half marathon pace.

We ran into two challenges today: the wind, and that last leg up Commonwealth. We made a note when it starts to get even worse outside to avoid bridges at all cost. Going over both bridges I had to hold onto my hat so it wouldn't fly off, and over the Mass. Ave. bridge I was literally being pushed to the side! And then coming uphill at the very end my quads were BEGGING me to stop, but the flat pavement was in sight, and we were able to motivate each other to keep going.

Now I have the rest of the weekend to relax and enjoy :)

Day 27 - Rest

"Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you" - Johnny Mathis

Miles Ran: 77.8 Dollars Raised: $500

It's no secret. I'm a Christmas fanatic. As soon as November comes around I start humming the Nutcracker.

So after basketball practice, and watching the Varsity team play with some of my girls, I spent my rest night making cookie dough (to bake tomorrow), doing laundry, watching one of my favorite holiday films--Santa Claus: The Movie, and grudgingly putting down my most recent decorative project as I look at the clock.

Tomorrow morning I'll meet up with Katharine to do our 7 mile run together. Hopefully it's not terribly cold!!

Day 26 - 6 miles

"Stretchpants - the garment that made [cold weather running] a spectator sport." - Unknown

Miles Ran: 77.8 Dollars Raised: $500

Thought I'd show y'all a picture of what my real-deal cold-running outfit looks like, complete with reflective gloves, dry fit long sleeve, fleece vest, tights, and Red Sox Championship hat.

Today was a surprisingly good 6 mile run (which I did not expect to do) in the chilly-est weather I've ran in so far. I'm not sure if I just got into a good breathing rhythm or what, but I wasn't getting short of breath at all--which was great.

The reason I say I didn't expect to go so far is because I didn't feel like plotting out a new 5-mile route before I left, so I just tacked on a little extra to my 4-mile route when I got to the halfway mark. If I'm feelin good, I figure, what the heck, I'll push myself. Sometimes I feel like if I dress a certain way it makes a difference in my running too. Like today--I had my hair pulled back in braids (very serious), some new hot pants, some new hot gloves, and let's be real. I felt like a million bucks in athletic gear. It just gives you a boost sometimes.

The run went through phases though... In the beginning I was getting really frustrated because I couldn't figure out these tights haha They kept riding down as I was running and I had to pull them up every time I had a chance to stop! Finally I figured out that maybe these were made for people with average length legs, unlike myself, so when I pulled them up a little higher and could completely get them up over my ass, all was good in the world.

Until.. on my way back the wind REALLY decided to kick in. Thank goodness I was dressed appropriately! As people were passing me all bundled up in their down coats, I was just imagining sitting at home in my pajamas under my covers, settling down for a winter's eve nap.

This is me. Post-run. Happy. Sweaty. Gross. Stinky. Jazz hands.

Day 25 - Cross/Rest

"This team is what?! RED HOT!" - Winsor Mid2 Girls Basketball

Miles Ran: 71.8 Dollars Raised: $500

So maybe I wasn't running around all day, but I was mentally, and ended up being pretty productive. Work was pretty non-stop from my early arrival until I left for basketball. Then I went up to the gym where I met a bunch of really nervous girls (only a little bit more nervous than I was) ready for our first game against the school I used to work for. I actually had to take the lead because our head coach was out sick.

It got off to kind of a slow start, everyone was getting into the groove, but in the 2nd half we ended up coming back from behind and winning in the last 3 minutes!!! I was so proud of them. They were really working together and were so excited for each other. It was a great way to start the season :)

Then I came home, washed all of my socks so I didn't have to go buy new ones (like I did Monday....), wrapped Christmas presents while watching Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and started on cards. It's amazing, when you have a night of no-running and no errands, what you have time to do!

Day 24 - 4 miles

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - My fortune cookie today

Miles Ran: 71.8 Dollars Raised: $500

This afternoon, since I didn't have basketball, I thought I'd stay at work to try and get my run in at the gym. Though the treadmill is definitely not as visually stimulating at the Boston night, it wasn't as terrible as I had imagined.

I don't know why, but the past few times (over a month ago) I had ran on the treadmill, I had to constantly stop and take walking breaks because something weird was happening with my knees. Surprisingly, this didn't happen today. When I run outside I never have a watch with me, so I'm pretty much just guessing at my time from when I last look at my clock, to when I see the time on the bank on Beacon Street, to when I arrive home. So since I had the luxury of an actual clock and pedometer, I wanted to take advantage of it and see how fast I could go.

I started off at 6.5--which is NOT what I recall being usual for me when I would solely be running on the treadmill in my early training. So it felt good that I am now at that pace consistently. At 2.5 miles I kicked it up to 6.8, then at 3.5 to 7, then just kept pushing it until I think I was at about 8.4 when I ended at 4 miles. I finished in 36:30, which is pretty decent. My usual goal is to do at least 10 minute miles, so apparently I shaved off a couple extra minutes there, and did it pretty comfortably.

So now I'm considering running on the treadmill once every week or so just to see how I'm doing with my pace and timing. I'm sure when we get into January and I'm using my month pass at the BSC I'll be doing most of my weekly runs there just to get more bang for the buck.

Day 23 - 4 miles

"Baby, it's cold outside..." - Louis Armstrong

Miles Ran: 67.8 Dollars Raised: $500

Today's run was kind of weird.. Not the best, not the worst. It was the first time I felt really cold--like, as if every breath I inhaled was an icicle to the back of my throat. And it was the first time I had to be cautious of ice and slush. Fortunately, 1) a substantial amount had melted away, and 2) since I was staying for a meeting tonight at work I was able to leave early and catch the remaining hours of sunlight.

It really is a mental game sometimes. Even if the music is pumping you along, you're feelin good, your body just wants to quit out of nowhere. There were times today where I was running uphill on Beacon Street and I could ONLY focus on the concrete 5 feet in front of me, and if I looked 6 feet or more, I felt a dip in my energy like I was deflating.

Day 22 - Rest

"LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!!!!" - Where the Wild Things Are....no real reason for this quote besides that I'd love to scream it right now and awaken the whole building

Miles Ran: 63.8 Dollars Raised: $500

At the training run yesterday, Rick was saying how a rest day can sometimes be just as important as a training day. How you have to listen to your body and what it needs, and use it to prepare for your next run.

So I think the theme of the day was about preparing myself for tomorrow. I stopped at a few different TJ Maxx's and got a pair of Nike running pants as well as Nike running "tights". The tights are supposed to be really great for the cold weather since no air can get up them.

Even though I guess you could say I'm not preparing myself by getting to bed so late, my reasoning is because I was up cleaning my apartment (and doing a little Christmas decorating...), which essentially is getting me ready for tomorrow. Now that I have my own apartment I'm realizing the value in having a clean space: it makes me feel like my life is in order...even when it's not.

Day 21 - 10 miles

"Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'". - Paul Tergat, Kenyan marathoner

Miles Ran: 63.8 Dollars Raised: $500

Today was our group training run--which went really well. We started off meeting in the big studio room at the gym, and I had some good conversation with a couple other runners about how their fundraising and everything is going. Then Rick went into talking about something that I feel like either affects me or I totally am in control of: the body/mind complex. Where your mind tries telling you, "it's okkkk to slow down, it's okkkkk to walk the rest of the way, or turn around and go home." Sometimes though, on those really long runs, I feel like it's the opposite--where my body and mind could push for another 2 miles easily, but my FEET feel like they're breaking and do not want to take one more step.

He also said something interesting, on that same note, that ANY of us could run a marathon today if we had to. If someone said to you, you could bring your Mom back (his example), or you could eliminate cancer, or any other reason that REALLY touches you, YOU could run 26.2 miles TODAY.

Rick's wife, Lori (and his 2 children) was there and gave some good tips on nutrition and told me about some good cold-weather gear that I'm going to check out today.

The run itself went really well. Katharine and I kept up a pretty good pace. We started off a little bit in front of everyone and finished in the front of the pack. The distance goes by SO much faster when you're with someone, though sometimes we would go for a few minutes without saying anything and just focusing on the pavement. It was a 6 mile run from the fitness center to the BU bridge and back.

Then when we returned I got some water, regrouped, and ran the 4 miles back to my apartment. Toward the end it was definitely a struggle, but I didn't break at all and kept my stride. And here I am, eating my apple, crackers and peanut butter, looking forward to a relaxing day ahead :)

Day 20 - Rest

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin

Miles Ran: 53.8 Dollars Raised: $500

Today was a rest day, though I definitely feel like I got a workout (and blisters) walking downtown in my heels after my conference--big mistake. I had a nice catch-up with my friend Amy over ridiculous pizza, and then cut out snowflake decorations for her Christmas party coming up!

Now I'm preparing myself for my run tomorrow and trying to get to bed at a decent hour. I picked out all of my clothes, put money on my T-pass and set my alarm. I always try to get myself as organized as possible the night before an early run so I don't have to try and think so much in my morning stupor.

Just took a look at weather.com and am bracing myself for what could be a snowy weekend.. Please don't tell me my lucky weather has run out! I was enjoying this 60's in December heat wave!

Day 19 - 5 miles

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." - William Faulkner

Miles Ran: 53.8 Dollars Raised: $500

I'm a competitive person.

Part of the reason I started running was because I've always played team sports and still crave that sense of pushing myself to compete...and win. I know I am just a beginner at this running thing, and will usually get beat by a couple hundred people in large races, I'm always trying to get one step ahead of the person in front of me.

When I'm running in the pack I'll usually pick out one person at a time to catch up to and hopefully leave in the dust. The same goes for when I'm running in Boston and see another fast runner ahead of me. There's been times where I feel like I'm literally racing some random guy to the next intersection, and we are neck and neck sprinting, not acknowledging each other... and then of course, I kick it in to high gear and let him see the ponytail fly by him.

Sometimes though, and this happened a few times on today's run, I actually scare myself because with the different street lighting I will see MY SHADOW coming up behind me and think it's a person about to pass me! hahaha So I start to kick it up a notch until I realize, "hey! That ponytail looks familiar!" I guess you could say it's my inner runner trying to beat myself and my personal record subconsciously...and embarrassingly.

Day 18 - Rest

"A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow." - Charlotte Bronte

Miles Ran: 48.8 Dollars Raised: $500

What I envisioned to be a night of writing letters and doing the Kim Kardashian On Demand workout (surprisingly hard!), turned out to be me, closing my eyes from around 6:00-8:30...and now me, yawning, to get back to more sleep.

Sometimes you just have to listen to what your body's telling you: GET SOME REST! Especially if I might try and take a stab at running in the morning before my conference...we'll see how that goes. Goodnight!

Day 17 - 4 miles

"Once we get into the groove, we're kind of like long-distance runners - that adrenaline kicks in for me and I just keep running - and I don't stop!" - Keith Urban

Miles Ran: 48.8 Dollars Raised: $500

Though it was just a 4-mile run, the same route I run a couple times a week, tonight seemed different. It felt different. I felt just as calm when I took my first step to when I screeched to a sprinting stop on my last.

I don't know if it was just my breathing, or running with a fleece vest, or the music, or a combination of everything just aligning into place, but I was in the groove. I felt like I was just gliding over the pavement with a swift, repetitive stride. And at stop lights, it was nice to just put my hands in my warm pockets and take in the moment.

What surprised me was despite how very cold it was, my asthma didn't act up in the slightest. It felt like I was breathing deeply, but the breaths weren't going deep into my lungs where the cold usually tightens it up. Hopefully runs like this become more frequent!

I also bought a month's pass today to access any of the Boston Sports Clubs--which I think will really come in handy when it starts (gulp) snowing.