Tuesday, April 21, 2009

leftover boston pics

(at pre-race pasta dinner with fellow marathoner bill coffey, of chicago, the direct descendant of a revolutionary war soldier i once wrote about)

(chris and me on our way to the hopkinton buses the next day, 6:30 a.m.)

(hopkinton-bound flotilla, boston common, 7 a.m.)

(in line for the bus; impeccable and good humored organization all around, kudos BAA!)

(off to war)

(athletes' village, at the hopkinton high school)

(handing over my belongings, to be returned to me in copley square)

(in front of my corral, #23)



(the sound of so many feet on the asphalt sounded like soft applause, the road cheering us on)

(american favorite kara goucher who would come in third, in tears)

(no wide-mouthed waxy paper cups for the elites; i wore a bib of spilled gatorade for much of the race)

(the modern marathoner; i called into the office every 5-6 miles; link to the audio slide show in previous post)


(the crowds were unlike anything i've ever come across; we were rock stars for the day)

(aside from frenzied cheers, people doled out sponges, wet cloths, lollipops, orange wedges, pineapple slices, cheese cubes, even beer and pretzels; others held up the latest score from the red sox game)



(the religious nuts were representin', too)


(inspiration)






(a bu contingent)


(female leaders; salina kosgei, left, would win)


(deriba merga on his way to victory)


(turning up hereford street, my final dispatch)

(almost there)

(hope it's me she's cheering for)

(4:20.05)


(the cairns of copley square)


(home at last, and five pounds lighter)

photos by alonso nichols, andrew reed weller, kalman zabarsky and dick taffe

audio tour of my boston

click here for the sights and sounds from my run yesterday, unquestionably an amazing and singular experience.

Monday, April 20, 2009

4:20 on 4.20 (spark 'em)!


(photos by jessica ullian and zelim muradov)

this morning's run
distance
: 26.2 miles (click here for route)
time: 4:20:05 (9:55-min-miles)
weather: 51F, cloudy with breaks of sunshine
surface: asphalt
music: boston marathon mix (4.20.09) (ended up only listening to approx. 50 mins total)
eats: banana, apple, toast with peanut butter, cup of coffee, glass of water, one banana chocolate chip muffin, one hard-boiled egg, two packs of energy goo, four fuel belt containers of gatorade, two orange wedges, approx. 6 cups of gatorade, approx. 5 cups of water.

Thanks, Marilyn!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

#23164



Thanks, Darcy and Michael!

Friday, April 17, 2009

be the brickie


click here for my last training installment before the big run on monday. see you on the other side.

Thanks, Jean! Thanks, Tim!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

thank you, thank you, thank you!

My fundraising mark has been hit, folks, and then some, (see widget at upper right)! Brought to you by the following sponsors:

Tim R., Jean K., Cathy C (2x)., Todd T., Katie B., Steve W., Rosemary B., Alex K., Louisa C., Dick T., Art J., Sophie M., Patrick "A.H." K., Cindy B., Alan and Barbara K., the Leggetts, Bari. W., Maggie H., Bill W., Funkmasta Shea P (2x)., Judith C., Nate B., Danny and Caroline K., Miranda M., Shawn and Jessica L., Mary C., Dennis B., Vicky W., Lee G., Toby F., Michelle M., Patti D., Jill and Lance L., Judy, Kyle & Bryce, Sara L., Peggy L. and John B., Robin B., Barbara E., Laura D'O., James W., Tim A., Ruth and Nick D., Jean K., MJ V., Chris and Meaghan B., Nicholas M., Mike B. and Stephanie J., Tim S., Noelle L., "layed-off dude," Nelia P., Evi M., Harold P., Florence L., Lilla W., Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, and Anonymous!

To one and all, you guys rock!

hopkinton-bound taper-down no. 1

this morning's run (next one will be the marathon)

distance
: 4.81 miles (click here for route)
time: 41:21:71 (8:33-min-miles)
weather: 37F, bright sun
surface: asphalt and dirt track
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Rosemary! Thanks, Steve! Thanks, Katie! Thanks, Todd! Thanks, Cathy (again)!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

hopkinton-bound taper-down no. 2

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:10:20 (8:58-min-miles)
weather: 43F, emerging bright sun
surface: asphalt and dirt track
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Louisa! Thanks, Alex! Thanks, Evi!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

kinnaird-n.beacon st.-harvard bridge loop

distance: 11.73 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:49:18 (9:18-min-miles)
weather: 36F, wind-tunnel windy
surface: asphalt and dirt track
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Friday, April 10, 2009

sublime sunrise science loop

(photo by george rizer, boston globe staff)

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:07:35 (8:36-min-miles)
weather: 43F, mild; gorgeous red sunrise bruising the river, then backlighting the skyline, clouds with pink underbellies; i live for such runs, it was like moving through a painting
surface: asphalt and dirt track, perfectly firm
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Dick!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

marathon brains


click here for the latest installment in my training-for-boston series on bu today

this morning's run
distance
: 6.37 miles
time: 58:18 (9:07-min-miles)
weather: 36F, cloudy, emerging sun
surface: asphalt and dirt
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

science museum loop

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:10:03 (8:57-min-miles)
weather: 44F, wet, spots of sun
surface: asphalt (dirt too soft and sloppy to run on)
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, mini banana-chocolate chip muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Art!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

chestnut hill reservoir-newton hills-kinnaird st.

distance: 17.26 miles (click here for route)
time: 2:37:24 (9:06-min-miles)
weather: 41F, windy, emerging sun
surface: asphalt, pleasant dirt track around chestnut hill reservoir
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, chocolate-banana muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Anonymous!

Friday, April 3, 2009

science museum circuit

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:08:33 (8:43-min-miles)
weather: 47F, windy, foggy
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

running with kids


click here for the latest installment of my marathon-training series on bu today.

this morning's run
distance
: 7.82 miles
time: 1:05:31 (8:21-min-miles)
weather: 38F, overcast
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.