Fit Friday Five – Be a Race Volunteer

Did you know that April is National Volunteer Month? The month is dedicated to recognizing the importance of volunteering.

I’m a big believer in giving back and that includes giving back to the running community. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to serve as a race director on a couple of occasions, and I can say without a doubt that there’s just no way to put on a great race without the support of people willing to volunteer their time and energy.

So for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m re-sharing five reasons to be a race volunteer (This post was published in August 2018 and has been updated.)

Fit Five Friday — Five Reasons to be a Race Volunteer

Give Back — The most obvious reason to be a race volunteer is it gives you a chance to give back to a sport that you love and to support the running community.

Stay Connected — If you’re sidelined with an injury or slowly working your way back from one, being a race volunteer is a great way to help you feel more connected to running and racing.

Make New Connections — You never know who you’ll end up working with when you volunteer for a race! Volunteering can give you the opportunity to connect with brands, running groups, and race directors…who knows where that might lead? Also, some races reward their volunteers with swag and discounted or free entries for future races.

Five Reasons to be a Race Volunteer #FitFiveFriday #Running #Runchat #RunningCommunity Click To Tweet

Gain Some Perspective — Once you see all that goes into making a race day come together and the effort and enthusiasm of race volunteers, trust me you’ll have a whole new appreciation for those volunteers along the course the next time you’re racing.

Be Inspired — There’s inspiration all around when it comes to race day and being a race volunteer gives you a chance to experience that inspiration up close and personal. Spend a morning working at a race and I dare you to not come away fired up for your own training!

Volunteering at Boston 2017!

I’ll be back volunteering next weekend at the Boston Marathon (my 7th time!) and I cannot wait! Each time has been such a great experience. As more and more races return to being in person this year, I’ve noticed a lot of RDs putting out requests for race volunteers. I encourage every runner to get out and be a volunteer at least once at a race, large or small – you won’t regret it!

Have you ever volunteered at a race?

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261 Fearless Ambassador!!

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I am very excited to announce that I have been selected as a 261 Fearless Ambassador!

What’s 261 Fearless? It is an organization founded by the amazing Katherine Switzer, first woman to run the Boston Marathon in 1967. Katherine’s bib number for that historic run was 261.

261 Fearless is a global community of women of all levels, from walkers to the front of the pack, who have all found strength, power and fearlessness from putting one foot in front of the other. The mission “is to bring active women together through a global supportive community – allowing fearless women to pass strength gained from running and walking onto women who are facing challenges and hence sparking a revolution of empowerment. 261 is the symbol that unites us as empowered runners and walkers.”

I first came across the 261 Fearless purely by chance on Twitter and I instantly knew this was an organization that I wanted to be a part of. Running has showed me on so many levels that I am stronger than I think – I look forward to being part of this movement to encourage other women to discover what running can do for them.

If you would like to learn more about 261 Fearless and ways to become part of this movemet, be sure to check out their website.

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Good Stuff Going On

Happy Monday!

The weekend went by way too fast for my liking (isn’t that always the way?) And this week is shaping up to be a busy one! Before I dive in, I wanted to share some fun stuff going on around the interwebs.

Women’s Running Telesummit — The International Association of Women Runners (IAWR) is hosting a Running Telesummit. The Telesummit features a great line up of speakers including my running coach Bennett Cohen, Jeff Galloway, Katherine Switzer, Sarah & Dimity from Another Mother Runner, and one of my fave bloggers Marcia from Marcia’s Healthy Slice.  The Telesummit starts today and runs until December 4th…and it’s free! Click HERE for details.

DC Trifecta’s Gratitude Challenge — Also kicking off today, Mar, Cynthia and Courtney (aka the DC Trifecta) is hosting a Gratitude Challenge on Instagram. Should be fun to see the different things people are grateful for!10404864_602419843218804_8831049627205448334_n

Holiday Sweat Challenge — Formerly known as the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge, this year Amanda from Run to the Finish is teaming up with Sweat Pink! This 6-week challenge is one of my favorites and with the addition of Sweat Pink, this should be fun!

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The Challenge starts on November 24. Click HERE for details and please say I sent you 🙂 (Disclosure: I received the Sweat Pink Ambassador discount).

What have you got going on?

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BAA 5K Recap

What a beautiful day! And, what an emotional day!

BAA5K 2014

On Saturday I ran the B.A.A. 5K with my husband J and our oldest son. It was a beautiful morning for a run – a little chilly, but picture-perfect clear blue skies. Because there were going to be so many more runners this year, we decided to park a few blocks from the start and walk over. Not only did it make a breeze to get in and out easily – but the parking garage also had a very nice lobby with clean bathrooms! (Always a score to avoid the porta-potties!)

As we made our way over I could tell my son was a little nervous but excited. This was going to be his second 5K and with a much bigger crowd than the local race we did last summer. And there were so many runners – in an effort to let more people participate in Marathon weekend, the BAA had increased the field of the 5K from 6500 to 10,000. (8,640 actually ran – but still an awful lot of people for a 5K on Boston’s narrow Back Bay streets!) Given the chilly temps and crowds, we decided to keep our extra layers on and skip the bag check. We snapped a couple of quick pics and then heeded the call to head to the corals.

BAA5k 2014 Collage

Yes someone was being goofy 🙂

The corals were jammed and it was a challenge to stay together and find anywhere to slide in.  As we stood waiting you could just feel the energy – I mean obviously runners are always pumped up at the beginning of a race, but this was different. We chatted with other runners and many joked that there were so many of us that the elites would be finishing before we crossed the start. Well in fact that almost did happen!

As we shuffled our way to the start, the announcement of the lead man’s first split was 4:3X. Yes they were flying…and we were soon going to be in the way! No sooner was the announcement made than volunteers started moving corral barriers to open up the street and get us moving faster to the start – so much for self-seeding! It was chaotic but we were finally off.

We tried our best to stay together while also trying to find some open space to run – at some point I ended up ahead of J and my son and pulled up to wait for them. They caught up but my son wanted to take a walk break so they urged me to just keep going so I ran on. I knew even before we started that this was not a day for chasing a sub-30 – this was a day for taking in the moment and I did.  I thanked volunteers, marveled at runners with prostetic legs gutting it out and enjoyed the spectators chanting “Boston Strong” along the course. When we reached the turn-around, runners were hooting and hollering and high-fiving – we were all just having so much fun! I came across J and my son – he was slapping hands with so many runners. It was great to see him see the running community at its best!

The route took us on the famous “right on Hereford, left on Boylston,” and as we reach the corner of Boylston there was an enormous American flag hanging over the course from a firetruck ladder. As I turned on to Boylston it hit me, I hadn’t been back here since the bombing…consciously or unconsciously I hadn’t been back here since I ran last year’s 5K – before everything that happened happened. I wasn’t prepared for the rush of emotions that only got stronger as I passed the Forum, site of the 2nd bombing. I’m not sure I can even put into words what I was feeling as I ran down Boylston and across that famous finish line – it was a lot to process. Soon came the final turn back onto Charles Street and the finish line. The finish area was more chaotic than the start so unfortunately I missed seeing my husband and son finish but heard the race announcer give them a nice shout out as they came across the line! We collected our medals and race shirts and, at my son’s urging, headed off to breakfast.

All-in-all a great morning – the B.A.A. does such an awesome job (though I do hope they return the field to its original size next year)! It was a great event to be a part of and I especially loved how in awe my son was of getting to cross the Marathon finish line.  He’s already talking about running it again next year – and that’s just fine with me 🙂

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It’s National Running Day

Natl Run Day Badge

How are you celebrating National Running Day?

I’m feeling a run coming on…

……and maybe a little race shopping 🙂

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Turning 3

Running with Attitude turned three over the weekend!  three

I continue to marvel at all that running has brought into my life and it’s been great fun to share and connect with so many wonderful runners!

So very happy to be a part of this great running community!

Cheers to you all for being a part of this journey!

 

 

 

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Boston you’re my home

Hope

I’ve started this post several times…trying to find the right words…but I don’t know what those words should be.

I’m heartbroken…

I’m pissed off…

This was a day meant for celebration…a day for dreams realized…for memories made to last a lifetime. And it was such a day until 2:50 p.m.

I had expected to be writing today about the amazing experience that is volunteering at the Boston Marathon. Instead I’m left thinking about all of those runners I greeted as they got off the buses in Hopkinton, united in the common goal to run the granddaddy of all races – this day was to be their moment – and now they are forever united for a very different reason.

I selfishly think of my own family who stood on Boylston Street and sat in those grandstands on Sunday to cheer me in the B.A.A. 5k as I crossed that famous finish line. I look at my own sweet boys and cannot imagine that an 8 year old was among the victims. I’m sick to my stomach and….I’m royally pissed off that some low-life pathetic coward(s) would choose to do this to innocent people in the name of some cause?! There are no words.

And yet there are so many questions and so many emotions – more than I can sort through right now. For now I will be grateful that friends and family are safe, that I can hug my boys and that I can run.

I will run today for those who can’t,

I will run today to find some peace in this chaos,

I will run today for Boston.

(Thanks to Jess for the image)
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National Running Day!

Today is National Running Day! A day for runners to declare their passion for running (not that we really need one day for that!) and maybe to inspire someone else to join us!

So how will you be celebrating?

With a group run?
Registering for a race?
Purchasing some new running gear?

Me? I just squeezed in a nice easy 4 miler before putting the boys on the school bus. Later today I’ll be attending the ZOOMA Cape Cod preview luncheon hosted by race founder Brae Blackley. I’m looking forward to meeting Brae and the other race ambassadors, and hearing all about the plans for ZOOMA Cape Cod!

And then yes, there’s always the possibility of a little race shopping before the day is done 🙂

What have you got planned for today?
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Running for Sherry

I got up this morning to get ready for my run, and, as with so many of my runs since her disappearance, my thoughts were of Sherry Arnold.

On January 7, Sherry, a mom, wife, teacher, friend, sister, went out for an early morning run and never came home. Like so many, the tragedy of Sherry’s death shook me to my core. I have shed tears and said prayers for Sherry and her family – it was a horrible reminder that terrible things happen to good people, that we’re not as safe as we sometimes think we are….that life is too short.

Today I was honored to join Beth, Sherry’s cousin and countless others in a virtual run in honor of Sherry. As Beth said when she announced the run on her blog Shut Up and Run:

My goal is to get the MOST love, momentum and energy moving in honor of Sherry. This run symbolizes the beginning of healing and honors a woman who was courageous, strong and loved by so many.

 It was snowing lightly when I left and my body was still feeling the effects of the stomach bug that has besieged my house – so I was not sure how far I was going to go, just that I was going to run.


It was a quiet, uneventful run. I decided to follow a simple out and back route through town. By 4 miles out my body let me know it was done and it was time to head back.

On the way back I came across another runner I see often on my Saturday runs. She fell in step next to me and asked me about the bib. I told her about Sherry and the virtual run. She asked me for Sherry’s name again and then said she would keep her in her thoughts for her run. We ran about a mile or so together. I appreciated the company and her acknowledgment of Sherry even more. When we split up, she wished me good luck and I told her I’d see her next week, then kept heading for home.

I’m grateful to Beth for organizing this virtual run and giving us a way to show our support of Sherry and her family. I hope knowing that so many of us care brings her family a little peace.

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Friday Five

  • It’s funny sometimes where and how you can connect with another runner — yesterday I was having my refrigerator fixed again (that’s a whole other story!) and after the repairman had explained to me what the problem was, he then paused and said “So how’d you do?” I, of course, had no idea what he was talking about then he pointed to our whiteboard calendar hanging on the wall and said “The Rock n Roll – how was it?” Turns out he’s a runner and had wanted to run that race but had a conflict! We proceeded to spend the rest of the time while he was fixing the fridge talking about running and local races. He was a great guy with funny running stories – and best of all the parts were under warranty so it didn’t cost me anything!
  • After some tweaking, I think I have my training plan for Philly figured out. I used Smart Coach for my last two races, but when I looked at the plan it gave me this time it just felt like too much of the same. So after poking around and some Twitter conversations, I’ve modified the plan using some elements of Hal Higdon’s Advanced Half Training plan. My revised plan includes more speedwork throughout the entire training cycle and also incorporates more hill work in the first few weeks — both are areas I really want to improve on.
  •  My core work challenge continues. To be honest, I’ve missed a day here and there but overall I’m much more mindful about trying to get some core work in (at least planks) – I think it will pay off for me over time.
  • This has been a l-o-n-g week! For no particular reason, it just seems like for the first time all summer it has taken forever to get to Friday — anyone else feel like that?
Have a great weekend!
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