Lyle, Kathy, Mary, and our newest "Woman on the Run," Meg following the Madrid Ramble in June 2008 On New Years Day 2008, I was sitting around contemplating what we had just accomplished and almost teary-eyed as I thought about what great friends I had that would agree to do this wild plan with me. I wanted to do something special for them to celebrate our friendship and this endeavor. I got an idea that I would try to get autographed copies of Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer for each of them. (As you might recall from an earlier post, I had met her at the More Half Marathon in 2007 and had purchased her new book then, which I really enjoyed.) I emailed Kathrine and she was kind enough to mail me (from New Zealand!) autographed bookplates personally addressed to each member of our group. I purchased the books, pasted in the bookplates, and was so thrilled to give them out. That Kathrine...what a peach!
Then the serious training and planning began. A number of us continued to run consistently through the winter, others took a break and picked it up again in the spring. A few of us decided to use the Run Less Run Faster by Pierce, Murr and Moss as the basis for our training program. We ran a number of local races together to keep the group spirit and enthusiasm high. Some races we did together included the Frozen Foote Series (Canton), the Ottawa Half-Marathon, the Whiteface Uphill Run, the Sunset Series (Canton), the Seaway Festival Run (Ogdensburg), and the Madrid Ramble. Alka had a serious setback in February when she fractured her ankle while doing step aerobics. She pushed and rehabilitated herself--swimming, walking, and eventually running within a few months. She was able to start our 16 week training plan in July and did extremely well.
We also had a series of "marathon meetings" in April, September and October, to make our plans for training, racing, and travel plans for the weekend itself. We were disappointed in June that Nancy, Brooke and Lauren did not win the lottery. In the end, Brooke decided to run a different fall marathon with her father, Lauren had a baby, and Nancy decided that life was already too full to do additional fundraising to snag a spot (she already had multiple volunteering and fundraising commitments in progress). But Nancy has continued to be a great supporter and mentor. She ran the NYC Marathon once before in 1984 when the field was 18,000.
We began our taper a couple of weeks ago, and had our last long run (8 miles--piece of cake!) this past weekend. Nancy invited us all over afterwards for a "marathon send-off" party and we had blast. Mary's brother, Dave, who is the sports editor for the local newspaper attended and got our story and photo for the paper.
Six days to go. The arrangements are made, we are all well trained, so now we just need to show up and run the greatest marathon in the world!!
Then the serious training and planning began. A number of us continued to run consistently through the winter, others took a break and picked it up again in the spring. A few of us decided to use the Run Less Run Faster by Pierce, Murr and Moss as the basis for our training program. We ran a number of local races together to keep the group spirit and enthusiasm high. Some races we did together included the Frozen Foote Series (Canton), the Ottawa Half-Marathon, the Whiteface Uphill Run, the Sunset Series (Canton), the Seaway Festival Run (Ogdensburg), and the Madrid Ramble. Alka had a serious setback in February when she fractured her ankle while doing step aerobics. She pushed and rehabilitated herself--swimming, walking, and eventually running within a few months. She was able to start our 16 week training plan in July and did extremely well.
We also had a series of "marathon meetings" in April, September and October, to make our plans for training, racing, and travel plans for the weekend itself. We were disappointed in June that Nancy, Brooke and Lauren did not win the lottery. In the end, Brooke decided to run a different fall marathon with her father, Lauren had a baby, and Nancy decided that life was already too full to do additional fundraising to snag a spot (she already had multiple volunteering and fundraising commitments in progress). But Nancy has continued to be a great supporter and mentor. She ran the NYC Marathon once before in 1984 when the field was 18,000.
We began our taper a couple of weeks ago, and had our last long run (8 miles--piece of cake!) this past weekend. Nancy invited us all over afterwards for a "marathon send-off" party and we had blast. Mary's brother, Dave, who is the sports editor for the local newspaper attended and got our story and photo for the paper.
Six days to go. The arrangements are made, we are all well trained, so now we just need to show up and run the greatest marathon in the world!!
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