The day was dark, cool, and rainy. At race start it was 60 degrees with 100% humidity. It was foggy, grey, and sprinkling off and on. I appreciated the cool temperatures and overcast sky, but wasn’t very excited about the rain. High humidity is asthmatic hell, so I knew it would be a tough race. I got to the parking area bright and early and headed for the “Exchange Terrace” area, a little street across from a park where they have an ice skating area in the winter. According to my pre-race email and attached instructions, packet pickup was on Exchange Terrace. I wandered around for a little while, totally lost. There were lots of people, but not a volunteer in sight. There was no one to ask for help and no sign of an obvious packet pick up area. Finally, I saw someone with a goody bag and asked. Packet pick up was in the ballroom of the Omni Hotel, a block away. I walked on over to the Omni and waited in line. Wrong line. I waited in a second line and got my bib. When I got to the t-shirt station, a not-that-friendly volunteer barked “Only larges left. You want one?” Resigned, I accepted my large, men’s shirt. Not quite the extra small I was hoping for. Everyone around me milled around in a state of confused disappointment. No one got the shirt they wanted and all of us were lost. There were no volunteers to help. I pinned my bib and followed the crowd, hoping they would lead me to the starting line. They did and I got there with 15 minutes to spare until the 8am race start. It’s definitely a post-Boston world. I noticed lots of security staff. Men with huge guns wandered in the crowd, police were stationed on rooftops.

8:05 passed, then 8:10. There was no sign of an imminent race start. At 8:13 someone sang the national anthem. The crowd was getting restless. All of the pre-race materials had said 8am start. Thousands of people were standing in the rain. Finally, at 8:17 (?) the race was underway.

The first four miles went well. I was cruising along and feeling soggy, but fine. I’ve been having some trouble with my knee (the had-surgery one) and it began to stiffen up. It doesn’t like the rain, and really doesn’t like changes in atmospheric pressure. The front rolling through was not a friend to my knee. My poor knee was stuck in a half-bent state, totally stiff and not straightening well in the forward part of my stride. I didn’t think it was too much of a problem until mile 7, when my calf and hamstring started cramping. Not dehydrated cramping, but weird muscle spasm/charlie horse cramping. I resolved to slow down and start walking the water stops. A side note on water stops. What a mess! The pre-race guide said water stops would be every mile and a half. No such luck. There didn’t seem to be much of a pattern to the water stops, only that they were about 2+ miles apart. Most were understaffed, a volunteer or two per table, so runners were pouring their own water. There was no pattern to the Gatorade/water distribution. Sometimes Gatorade was first, sometimes not, and sometimes it was all mixed together with both in one area and in the same style cups. The cup styles weren’t even consistent so there was chaos at every water station. Runners were coming to a full stop to search for and find a cup that had the right liquid in it. It was a volunteer staffing and organizational problem.

I felt wheezy and asthmatic. The humidity was not kind to my asthma or my knee. The wheels fell off at mile 9. My leg muscles were firing at all the wrong times. I couldn’t seem to get them to coordinate with the bending of my knee. I felt like Phoebe from Friends when she runs in the park. I’m sure I looked normal, but I felt miserable. I trudged along. I’m sad to say there was a lot of walking while I tried to get things under control and avoid running with a limp. This race wasn’t worth an injury, or angering my funny IT band attachment point, so I slowed WAY down to avoid limping.

The course itself was well-marked, but poorly staffed. There were no medical tents or personnel along the course. The few volunteers I did see at points in the course other than the water stops were children. Children young enough that I began to wonder where their parents were and why their parents were letting them stand on a street corner on a race course in arguably questionable neighborhoods. There were plenty of police offices at major road crossings, but few volunteers. The course itself was winding, and passed through a few attractive, and a few unattractive areas of Providence and Pawtucket. Compared to the Rock N Roll Providence course, this course was more older neighborhoods with less gentrification.

Finally, mercifully, the race course curved past the river (there were swans!) and toward the finish line. I was grateful for the race to be over, but sorry to see the report from my Garmin (thank goodness I had my Garmin since the clocks were all set to the marathon time, not half). I was headed to a Personal Worst. Now, I’m always happy to run a slow race and pace a friend, or be sensible when I’m undertrained, but this PW hurt. I am fit. I tapered. I ate well. I got plenty of sleep. I don’t know what went wrong. Other than a perfect storm of bad weather + asthma + knee stiffness + muscle problems, I don’t have an explanation.

I’m still a little sad about the race. I don’t know what went wrong. I’ll go back to my training log and look for a lesson, but this just might be one race in which the lesson is that sometimes running is random. Sometimes a run just doesn’t work. Today was one of those days.

The look of resignation. A PW.

So, in sum, we are having a great time and enjoying a total adventure!

Never one to pass up an opportunity to run in support of others, I immediately sought out opportunities to lend support to the various causes. Immediately after the tragedy, I wore my races shirts in support of the running community. The Tuesday after the tragedy, I led my usual Lululemon Run Club run and our little group ran 4.09 miles, the last few moment in silence for Boston.

Early this week, I had a work obligation that took me to another state. With a group of non-runners, I was worried that no one would understand my desire to observe a minute of silence at 2:50pm (right in the middle of a meeting).  When everyone immediately agreed to my request, it hit me. The Boston bombing was about more than just running and its impact is far-reaching. My non-running colleagues wanted to hear about my experience and learn about the running community. To them, all runners are Boston marathoners. I love being a part of my strong running community and being a Boston marathoner at heart.

I was far away from my running home and my community’s efforts to gather a group and run for Boston on Monday night. Undeterred, on Monday I set out on my own private run for Boston. I left my hotel room and ran 4 miles in silence with Boston on my mind. I’ve donated to the One Fund for Boston and bought my BAA tribute shirts. Today, and every day, we are a strong running community. We are Boston Strong. I couldn’t be more proud to call myself a runner.

Our excitement only grew as the race updates indicated that the lead runners were getting closer and closer. Before long, the lead group was in front of us. It was amazing to be so close to the elite athletes I admire.

The women’s and men’s leader groups passed by, and then came the rush of sub-elites and “normal people”. It was thrilling. I loved cheering for the runners and seeing their joy as they came up and over Heartbreak Hill. I sent my mom this picture, and the message “I want to do this one day”.

We watched for hours, cheering and ringing our bells. Back at the T station, we began getting text messages. Friends and family were worried, asking if we were safe, ok, and not near the finish line. We had no idea what had happened. I immediately got on social media to find out what had happened. I was horrified. Explosions at the finish line had killed some, hurt hundreds, and ruined what, for many people, was an amazing, empowering, and beautiful day.

In the midst of great achievement and euphoria, there was all this horror and suffering. It was so incongruous that it was difficult to understand. Today, I still don’t understand how something so terrible could happen at an event that is truly about the power of the human spirit. And today, none of the wonderful moments are quite as wonderful. All of my beautiful memories are tarnished by the sadness of what has happened.

But Boston is strong and resilient. Runners are strong and resilient. We will not be defeated. We are united. We are Boston. And, one day, I will run Boston. I’m Boston-bound with 4.09 miles tonight in honor of those who were harmed by this senseless tragedy.

The race course is a two-loop course run around the paved trails in the MDC Reservoir in West Hartford. It’s a gorgeous course. The first couple (and middle couple since it’s a loop) miles have a number of what we New Englanders call “rollers”, gradual hills that make for a smooth up and down experience.

About 2 (and 4.5) miles into the race, the course comes around a bend, giving runners a picturesque view of the runners ahead as they pass beyond a lake and around a curve. It was gorgeous. The sun was shining on the water and the birds were chirping. Beautiful! The course was extremely well marked, with accurate mile signs and sand markings noting the course direction. It would be difficult to go the wrong way given that the course is a well-planned loop on paved trails. A runner would have to work hard to get lost in this one. The wooded views were magnificent and the lakes, ponds, and reservoir areas were the picture of New England beauty.

To check out the pictures from the event, head on over to the event’s Facebook page.

Details for Rachel’s outfit, above: Lululemon Pace Crops in black/frond, Lululemon Rise and Shine Pullover in frond, Lululemon Speed Demon Run Hat (best hat ever, by the way – it has a short, curvy brim that keeps sun out of your eyes from the side!), and Brooks Pure Flow shoes

Did you see this amazing Running Times article? In “An Elite State of Mind”, David Alm writes about what he learned from his foray into the ranks of elite runners. While running as an elite is something I can only dream about, the ideas David presents really resonated with me. I loved it so much I read it three times. In a row. David says there are four keys to an elite attitude: 1) Don’t treat training runs or race times as indications of your self-worth, 2) Value every runner’s efforts, success and potential, 3) Don’t beat yourself up in training or in evaluating your workouts and racing, and 4) Recognize that your running ability is a result of many factors, not just how serious you are or how hard you push. It was two and four that really got me. Every runner deserves recognition for her efforts, success, and potential, with the recognition that any success is the result of a combination of factors. Too often, at the slower end of the spectrum, I see runners devalue other runners for any number of ridiculous reasons. So often, it’s because of speed. Now that I’m in the mid-pack, I’ve written about my thoughts on back of the pack life. It isn’t always friendly. Why does this happen? As runners, we should build each other up, support each other, and value each other. Speed isn’t the most important thing, nor is your training log, your PRs, or any other marker of running “success”. What’s important is how running makes you feel. If you love it, and I love it, that’s enough for me.

Want to be inspired by the power of running to give back to a community? Check out the write ups (here and here for good ones) of the Hartford Marathon Foundation’s Sandy Hook Run for the Families 5k. The inaugural event raised over $40,000 for charities associated with the Newtown shooting tragedy. What’s even more wonderful than the huge response and the fundraising was the spirit of the race. Thousands of runners and spectators, all wearing green, holding hands, running together, and being with the families of the Newtown tragedy in spirit. It was a great event, and one that made me proud to be a runner.

It’s a line from the Lululemon Manifesto and it couldn’t be more true for me right now. If you’ve been following, I said yes and became a Lululemon Ambassador. I had been planning to blog about the many bits of wisdom in the Lululemon Manifesto, but sickness intervened. Then the idea came to me – I could write about being sick because Lululemon has that one covered. Stress is related to 99% of all illness.

The last few weeks have been stressful – work drama, challenges in my professional life, running injury, and a to do list a mile long. On top of that, I had work travel scheduled. Any time I so much as step foot on a plane, I get sick. There’s something about the whole process that triggers an immune system meltdown. Maybe it’s the stress of packing, or the rush at work just before the trip, or the thousands of people with exotic germs at the airport, or the canned air germ festival on the plane, but the whole thing just makes me instantly ill. Overall, the stress of travel is too much for my feeble immune system. Add in asthma, with lungs that attract every germ within a mile radius, and I’m sick. Again. Time for rest, recovery, and lots of water.

Fingers are crossed that this illness makes its way out of my life as quickly as it came.

Pre-Run
Before beginning a long run, it’s a good idea to warm up. Most runners know this, but few heed this sound advice, myself included. My desire to warm up properly when it’s 10 degrees outside is limited, but ample research supports the value of a dynamic warmup in injury prevention. Maybe you’ve heard the stretching cold muscles causes injury advice. That’s true, but a warmup that includes dynamic (read: not static) stretching can activate stabilizing muscles and warm up large muscle groups – both good things. A good dynamic warm up includes key movements that activate muscles in the legs and core. Start with a few walking lunges. Do some old school butt kicks. Try a few leg swings to activate the glutes. Finish up with a few tippy toe walks or toy soldier walks. Simple. Spending 5 minutes on this easy series will not only help with warm up and neuromuscular activation, but will likely prevent simple strains and other nagging injuries from taking hold. Here’s a video of another version of a dynamic warm up that focuses on neuromuscular activation (especially good if you’re training on uneven surfaces. like trails).

Post-Run
After your run, cool down properly. I can’t emphasize this point enough. It isn’t good for the body to come to an immediate and complete stop. The muscles and circulatory system do not see stopping the Garmin and lying on the grass as a cool down. Cool down with a few minutes of gentle jogging or walking, then, return to the pre-run dynamic movements. Stretch the body with dynamic moves before static moves. After the run, stretch the key running tight spots – glutes, hamstrings, quads, IT band attachments, and calves. Like yoga? Try a few poses. The best post-run poses for runners include triangle, pyramid, pigeon (or reclining pigeon), happy baby, and spinal twists.

Maintenance
Keep loose in between runs with a strengthening and stretching routine that highlights key muscle groups used in running. I may be biased since I am a yoga teacher, but yoga is a great way to improve muscle activation and build stamina while increasing flexibility. Yoga classes which feature vinyasa, or movements linked with breath, can be particularly useful for runners, as they emphasize dynamic motions and more complicated muscular movements in a series. Look for a yoga teacher who is an athlete, or ask other athletes which yoga classes they prefer. With so many styles to choose from, there’s a yoga class for everyone.

For muscle maintenance, nothing beats a regular session with a foam roller. A foam roller is just what it sounds like – a cylinder, or roller, made of foam. By positioning the roller on the body and then rolling the body across the roller, the runner loosens up muscles and breaks up adhesions that can cause painful injuries. Foam rollers are inexpensive and easy to use. If you’re new to foam rolling, check out this helpful article and video series about self-massage with the foam roller. Aim to foam roll between once a day and twice a week. Many runners also like The Stick for self-massage. The Stick is a thin pole with a number of rolling beads set into it. The Stick is great for precision massage in tight spots that might be inaccessible to the larger foam roller. The Stick is also much smaller than a foam roller and easily transported. I carry a Stick in my running bag so that I have it for every run.

The bottom line – a good system of pre-rehab that includes massage, stretching, and strengthening, can be an important step toward staying healthy and injury free. Thinking about injury prevention before and after every run can not only help in preventing nagging running injuries, but can improve performance through muscular activation. So, instead of shuffling awkwardly before your next run, try a dynamic warm up to give your body, and your mind, a boost.

Half Kneeling Lunge – Psoas Stretch

Psoas stretch.

This pose doesn’t have a nice Sanskrit name, but it’s highly effective. Most runners have tight hip flexors (the illiopsoas group). Tight hip flexors are made even more tight by frequent sitting, a problem for most of us who work desk jobs.

To perform this stretch, begin in virasana (hero pose). Raise up using the quadriceps muscles. Extend the right leg to place the sole of the foot on the mat, knee at 90 degrees. Hips are square and abdominal muscles are engaged and mulabandha is engaged. Gently tilt the pelvis up toward the belly button by drawing in the abdominal muscles. Shift the hips forward until a stretch is felt in the front of the hip and the psoas group is lengthened. Extend the left arm over the head. To stretch the TFL and its attachment site, shift the hits three to five inches to the left, maintaining the hips and abdominals.

Spend 20 seconds to one minute in each pose. Return to kneeling and then to hero pose to rest. Enjoy!