Activity	Stats
Running - Aerobic 5:00am	8 miles 00:00:00	Shoe: Ravenna 8 Peacoat 0 miles on shoe

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Running - Standing Bear	5.4 miles 00:00:00

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Running - Aerobic	3 miles 00:25:00 (8:20 min/mile)	Shoe: Brooks Neuro 3 0 miles on shoe Height: 5'10

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Running - Race Boston Marathon Certified? Yes 10:45am Weather: HOT	26.2 miles 03:54:43 (8:57 min/mile)	Shoe: Brooks Pure Cadence 0 miles on shoe Height: 5'7

This race was incredible from the start to the very end. My nerves didn't set in until about two hours before the time my wave started and it was then that I also heard the voice of Shalane Flanagan on the tv saying that if you weren't nervous, something was wrong with you! That made me feel a bit better!

I was very fortunate to be staying at the home of our friends Jeff and Kate right outside of Hopkinton, so Kate drove us into town as far as she could get before the streets were blocked off. I was accompanied by my husband Jay, Jeff, and his daughter Ella for part of my walk into Runner's Village until we had to go separate directions for me to get to the Village. It ended up being about a two mile walk and as soon as I entered the Village I got in line for the bathrooms.

I started talking to the woman behind me and was surprised when she said she was from Rapid City. We found out that we were both cross country coaches and we had both qualified for Boston at the same race - Leading Ladies Marathon in Spearfish. It was pretty incredible that out of 30,000 runners, I would come across someone from that same race of only 120 people who finished only a few positions ahead of me. It was God's hand at work for sure. Her name was Kristi and we grabbed some food together and then headed once again to the line for the bathrooms. Visiting with her kept me calm and collected and we didn't part ways until I went into the 4th corral for my wave as she was assigned to the 2nd corral.

It wasn't long and we were being sent down the street to the start. I had forgotten to give my favorite pair of sunglasses to Jay before the race, so I found a mom watching the race with a young daughter, asked if her daughter would like them, and threw them to her over the partition. We were moving forward so quickly that I nearly forgot to start my watch when I got to the start line, but I got it started just in time, and we were off and running! The day before, we had already planned where I could find my husband, Jeff, and Ella on the sidelines, so I knew right where to look for them. Jay missed me in the field of runners, but Jeff did see me as I waved to all of them with a big smile on my face.

We hadn't even made it down the first hill, and there were already runners over in the trees relieving themselves, including a female runner just moving her shorts to the side. One man that I passed must have forgotten his belt for his water and so he had stuck it in the waist band of his shorts, with his left butt cheek hanging entirely outside of his shorts as he ran!

I was feeling really good and proud of myself for holding back on the pace. Will and Linda told me 8:45 pace, and I was trying not get too out of hand, though I certainly failed at that. There was a little bit of chatter back and forth amongst the runners, but mostly it was just the sound of thousands of feet hitting the pavement. It was a sound like no other. I'm glad that I chose to leave my headphones out for the entire race and really take in every single sensation. Although some runners sure did smell a lot better than others, and there were spots that once you were beside someone, it was really hard to get away from them!

I had been trying to practice doing a pinch and pour from the cups that would be given out at the water stations without much luck. I'm awful at taking in water that way and it usually ends up going all over my face, up my nose, and then I choke and cough and sputter. So I brought my own straw with me! The water stations were like none I had ever experienced. It was chaos, and very easy to get trampled or ran into. There didn't seem to be enough tables of water or gatorade if you wanted to continue to run through them and not stop and drink. After the fifth station, I had enough of getting out my straw each time and just let the choking and the water up the nose commence, it seemed easier.

Some of my favorite parts of the first half of the race were at miles 4 and 6, the crowds really carried us through in those areas. You could just feel the excitement coming from the spectators and I smiled when I heard one man say, you did such a GREAT job up that hill, keep going! It seemed like in the parts where things would get hard, that's when I would see or hear something that would light a fire under me again.

I had heard that the girls at Wellesley would be deafening, and I was surprised to find that their cheers weren't anything near the noise decibels earlier in the race. Their signs were quite humorous though and watching them try to get kisses over the railing also made for good comedy relief.

Throughout the race, there were so many touching moments that I witnessed. A man right at the start who began the race on crutches. Two elderly veterans sitting on the side of the road who were each greeted with a hand shake by a runner next to me who stopped to thank them. The hundreds of police and military personnel along the route who were continuously thanked by the runners and myself. A gentleman with one leg running on a prosthetic leg, and another gentleman with no legs running on prostheses. I came upon 3 sets of blind runners running with guides, including one who was tethered to his guide. A little person at the very end with just a mile to go. Moms who stopped along the way to greet their children, other women who embraced and kissed their special man.

My race was going really well and I was feeling pretty good right up until mile 16 when I could start feeling the signs of dehydration and the heat was starting to take it's toll. I was attempting to get in as much water and gatorade as I could at each station, but it was catching up to me. I knew that I was going to have to start walking through the stations and drinking more if I was going to stay out of the medical tents and my desire to finish this race upright coupled with the fear that I wouldn't was stronger than my desire to keep my pace. I was double fisting at every water station and more, taking in as much as I could while still moving forward, and using even more cups of water to dump on my head. One young boy was passing out icy pops, and that blue popsicle was a little piece of heaven when I held it in my hands and tasted its coldness. Another aid station had small glasses of cola, and that too was a welcome change from the water and gatorade.

I came upon a girl named Debbie who started walking around the same time that I did. She was from Florida and this was her 18th marathon, including several Boston marathons. She said she had never seen so many people walking this early on in the race. We encouraged each other along the way and stayed together for a few miles, including up Heartbreak Hill. We laughed as we saw one man turn around, start running backwards, and make a gesture at the hill when he reached the top. Midway up the hill, I looked around, and not a single person around me was running. Everyone was walking. The heat had gotten to all of us.

With the hills behind us, and starting to feel like I had finally gotten enough fluids in me, I realized that I could still finish this race in under four hours. I had just over five miles to go and there was no way I wasn't going to give this race my all. I know that all of you who were following my progress were sending up lots of prayers at that time as I slowed down and you wondered if I was injured or what had happened, so I thank you so much for that. I know that strength that I received to power through from here on out was not my own.

I wished Debbie good luck and kicked it in. These next five miles felt amazing and I kept reminding myself to take it all in, every sight, every smell, every sound, every sensation. There was one sound that I just had to get away from though, and had difficulty escaping, he seemed to pop up every time I thought I had escaped. It was a man who appeared to be from another country, and with every breath out, he would say ISH very loudly. It was nerve wracking and finally I lost him with a few miles to go and thankfully didn't hear the ISH sound again the rest of the race!

The last two miles are pretty much indescribable. I don't think I can even do them justice with words. When I look at my pictures from then on, it is pure joy and an awestruck expression on my face. But people around me were still struggling, and even in those last two miles, they were dropping to the ground, throwing up along the side, and I even heard one woman scream Oh My God as she stumbled and fell. That was an awful sight to see, but I could only continue on my way, in my own race as others came to her aid.

Then the last half mile came and it was just deafening. So many people, so many cheers, I don't know what people who walk the red carpet feel like, but I have a feeling that it is nothing even close to this. It was like running through a tunnel, yet with open skies. This was my strongest mile yet, and I finished it in right at 8 minutes. That strong finish was everything I had hoped for and more. Every medical tent I had passed was a victory. This race was MINE. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I saw it through and treated it as such. Do I want to do this again? Absolutely. But there will be no other race in my lifetime that will compare to my first Boston Marathon.

Activity	Stats
Running - Race Hopkinton, MA to Boylston Street Boston, MA Boston Marathon Certified? Yes Weather: 70; W wind 9 mph; TOO HOT!	26.2 miles 03:24:25 (7:48 min/mile)

Thanks to God, my family and friends (including all of you)! I approached this my 50th marathon 2 days before my 50th birthday with great excitement! Also with some trepidation on race morning, as temps were already 70. I was determined that this would NOT be a repeat of my DNF at Boston 2012 where the heat got the best of me. I was bent on not letting myself or anyone else down on this big day. For my 50th marathon, I was thrilled that it happened on my favorite marathon, BOSTON.

Pre-race, I was already warm and I hadn't taken a step in the race. As I went to my corral, I noticed a guy in front of me with a Lincoln Marathon singlet. So I asked him if he was from Lincoln, he said, no--Bennington. Told him I was from Ralston and we had a nice chat. He was David Frost, who wanted to be called "Frosty", which I did not forget as the day was anything but frosty!

I started off the race trying to hold back. With the first 16 miles being mainly downhill, it can be a challenge to realize that the downhills play hell on the quads; and especially today I had to play it smart with the heat. As in my previous marathon (Baton Rouge, LA) where it was seriously humid and I was literally and figuratively 'sweating bullets'...likewise for this Boston somehow my body adjusted by mile 8 or so. Not that it got comfortable, I just got used to it.

I didn't know how long I would hold off with this, so I just kept doing little goals in my head. Each mile marker was a relief, as were the mats every 5K. As I approached the big downhill at mile 15 which precludes the 4 Newton hills, I mentally prepared myself. I knew I would be tempted to do walk breaks up the hills, but somehow through the grace of God got through all of them, finding myself on the downhill side of Heartbreak Hill coming into Boston College. But that was where I began to disintegrate. It may have been partly in my mind, but the heat and the course had taken its toll on me. Did some walk breaks from 22 on in, but I really tried to focus on the finish. As since my first Boston in 2005, my Rhode Island cousins patiently waited for me at Coolidge Corner (mile 24) and cheered me on with their voices and fantastic signs. They always helps me finish out the race and it was no exception this time.

When I finished the race, I pointed at the "50th Marathon! 50th Birthday" on my bib. I got a lot of cheers and birthday shout outs from runners and spectators before, during and after the race. Finally, I had FINISHED 50 marathons!

As a woman put the medal around my neck, I hugged her. She noticed my singlet and said, 'Congrats on 50 marathons and thanks for running Boston'. I said "This guy made it happen", as I pointed up towards our Lord.

Thanks as always to the amazing crowds in Boston, the spectators, the volunteers, the police, first responders and all who make this race special for 121 runnings of it. And of course to the runners who you share a special bond with.

Big congrats to Frosty and Jackie, whom I met with their spouses at the post race party at Fenway. They are wonderful people and did amazing performances in the race. And congrats to ALL the runners!

Song of the day: "Shine Silently" by Nils Lofgren. Thanks
Nils for being a positive role model and inspiration in my life!

Activity	Stats
Running - Just Running Harrison-Q Loop 6:00pm	4.4 miles 00:35:28 (8:03 min/mile)	Shoe: Mizuno Wave Rider 19 0 miles on shoe Height: 6' 4 Max HR: 170 Avg HR: 148

Activity	Stats
Goose -	00:00:00	Height: 6-00

Did some real easy jogging...about 1/2 mile...while I put kids through a track workout before the Plattsmouth JV meet. Dull ache in both knees but tolerable had I decided to run a bit more.

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Running - Hills Weather: 75 Sunny windy	2.09 miles 00:20:52 (9:59 min/mile)	Shoe: Brooks Pure Grit 0 miles on shoe Height: 5'9

I rode the bike from work to Ryder Park so my legs were partially warmed up. .5 mile warm up, 6xTornado Hill, then .3 mile cool down. Then rode bike home for more cool down.

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Running - Intervals Jamaica North 4:15pm Weather: 71 degrees	8.5 miles 00:00:00	Shoe: Nike Zoom Elite 7 0 miles on shoe Height: 6' 3 Weight: 175

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Biking - Aerobic	10.8 miles 00:30:00 21.6 mph	Height: 6'5''

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Biking - Aerobic Commute home 5:15pm Weather: 70	7.55 miles 00:28:19 16 mph	Height: 5'10

Beautiful weather for my ride home from work. Off to get my nerd on in a bit. Theater down the street is showing the season premiere of Dr. Who at 7pm.

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Running - Aerobic Kearney Hike and Bike Trail 5:30pm Weather: 70	6 miles 00:45:30 (7:35 min/mile)	Shoe: Pearl Izumi Trail N2 V2 0 miles on shoe Height: 6 ft

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Running - Aerobic Big Papio	5.12 miles 00:35:46 (6:59 min/mile)	Shoe: Saucony Zealot #3 0 miles on shoe Height: 6'5''

Really surprised by this one. Much quicker than I thought it was

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Running - Aerobic Field Club Trail 4:00pm	10 miles 01:10:49 (7:04 min/mile)	Height: 5'10 Max HR: 152 Avg HR: 138

DDSOB. Awesome weather continued in the PM.

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Running - Race Boston Marathon Boston Marathon Certified? Yes 10:00am	03:54:00	Height: 6'00

Everything you want in a Marathon. Just trained to enjoy it. To be honest, even if I trained, that course would ruin me. It was a hot day and the second half of the race was tough as I lost my quads somewhere around mile 16. Struggle bus from there. Crowds were so incredible, you felt like a professional athlete the entire time.

For those chasing it, all I can is it is worth both the work and the wait.

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Running -	5 miles 00:00:00

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Swimming - Aerobic Mulberry Pool 11:45am Weather: Wet	1.28 miles 00:46:00 (35:56 min/mile)	Height: 5'10

Swimming felt so much better today than last week. Didn't struggle, felt pretty smooth, and breathing was much better. Could have gone farther but trying to not over do things.

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Running - Elevation: Ascent+303.2 Descent-295.4 11:52 AM Weather: 68, feels like: 68 DP: 47 Humidity: 47% Wind: 4.7mph	4.37 miles 00:40:58 (9:22 min/mile)

2 mile start plagued by stomach issues. Short walk then a mile, repeat, short finish. About half a mile of the usual distance for this route.
NDORFNZized from Strava

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Running - Intervals Bob-Harrah's Elevation: Ascent+333.8 Descent-293.2 11:am Weather: 68, feels like: 68 DP: 48 Humidity: 48% Wind: 2.8mph	8.49 miles 01:06:12 (7:47 min/mile)	Shoe: PureCadence 4 0 miles on shoe

Lunch Run
NDORFNZized from Strava

8x800 (90s AR)
304/307/306/306/309/308/301/259

Was supposed to be at 10k pace. I tried to run these too fast for me and paid the price. Last two were just being anxious to get em done.

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Running - One 10-miler or more per week Occasionally drive somewhere	12.68 miles 02:00:00 (9:27 min/mile)	Shoe: SauconyOrange 0 miles on shoe Height: 5' 9

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Biking - Aerobic Commute to work 6:15am Weather: 40's	6.68 miles 00:27:43 14.46 mph	Height: 5'10

Easy ride into work. Carrying laptop and clothes. Plan is to swim over lunch.

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Running - Aerobic Loop Weather: 40's	3.11 miles 00:26:55 (8:39 min/mile)	Shoe: PI N3 blue/green 0 miles on shoe Height: 5'10

Decided to test the achilles. No pain so far. Kept it easy and wore a strap around my ankle. Followed with a bike ride to work.

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Running - Aerobic regency parkway 5:00am Weather: 48F	9 miles 00:00:00	Shoe: black and pink omnis 0 miles on shoe

Really nice morning - with Jimmy, Justin, Dave and Theresa.
Have fun out there Boston runners!

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Running - Aerobic Field Club Trail 5:30am	8 miles 00:58:35 (7:19 min/mile)	Height: 5'10 Avg HR: 127

Lovely morning. Going to be a ddsob today for sure. Happy Monday.

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Running - Aerobic Hood\Chalco\Other 5:15am Weather: No wind, zilch - 48	8.01 miles 01:08:17 (8:31 min/mile)	Shoe: Asics GT-2000 4 - B/S/W 0 miles on shoe Height: 5 10 Max HR: 168 Avg HR: 134 Rest HR: 36

Glad I got out. It was debated internally.

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Running - Long Dreaming of Boston. Elevation: Ascent+399.9 Descent-361 4:45am Weather: 43, feels like: 43 DP: 40 Humidity: 89% Wind: 0.4mph	16.01 miles 02:16:30 (8:31 min/mile)	Shoe: Launch4BrightMelon&Purple 0 miles on shoe Height: 5'3 Max HR: 173 Avg HR: 131.1

Just 10.2 Miles Shy Of Boston. 😊🦄💙
NDORFNZized from Strava

Long on a Monday. 4 solo. 6 with Greg and Matt. 6 solo. Feeling a bit creaky. Nerves a little unsettled. But good.

Good luck to all the Boston runners. Especially my friends running. My phone is locked and loaded. So exciting. This is what dreams are made of.

Happy Marathon Watching! :)

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Running - Aerobic 8:00am	1 miles 00:09:13 (9:13 min/mile)	Shoe: Brooks Pure Cadence 0 miles on shoe Height: 5'7

Warm up mile on the mill before walking to Runner's Village. So excited!

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Running - Mc, 96, rice, sucker 5:00am Weather: In st paul 46, clear	4.5 miles 00:00:00	Height: 5'2"

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Running - Aerobic Zorinsky Elevation: Ascent+373.2 Descent-331.1 5:am Weather: 46, feels like: 46 DP: 42 Humidity: 84% Wind: 0.9mph	7.00 miles 01:01:01 (8:43 min/mile)	Shoe: Brooks Ghost 11 Wear Testers 0 miles on shoe Height: 5'8 Max HR: 166 Avg HR: 134.3

Quit sniffing me. CJ GT KP AN MC
NDORFNZized from Strava

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Running - Aerobic	7.48 miles 01:03:13 (8:27 min/mile)	Shoe: PureConnectBlack/Yello 0 miles on shoe

With Jimmy, Betsy, Theresa, and Dave. Happy Patriots Day! Good luck to all the runners in Boston!

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Walking - theHawk Elevation: Ascent+381.3 Descent-349.8 05:06 AM Weather: 46, feels like: 46 DP: 41 Humidity: 83% Wind: 1.1mph	3.65 miles 00:57:54 (15:51 min/mile)	Height: 6' Max HR: 55 Avg HR: 33.5

B O S T O N Patriots Day Walk
NDORFNZized from Strava

Already counting down the hours; off today...of course to watch the BOSTON Marathon :)