RUNNING WITH MUSIC

RWR: MEET RORY LINKLETTER - RUNNER, DAD, COACH

2026-06-11T12:52:32.994-07:00

"I love the way music creates and matches moods."

~ Rory Linkletter

In high school, a friend asked him if he wanted to go to a summer practice with him. That was his first introduction to running. I'm going to go ahead and assume he liked it or, at the very least, realized he was good at it because things went pretty well after that. Following high school he ran competitively at BYU and was a six time All-American. Since then, he has represented Canada in the marathon at both the World Championships and the Paris Olympics. He currently holds the Canadian record for the fastest half marathon which he finished in a blazing 59:49 - that's an average pace of 4:34 per mile. He ran 2:06.04, his personal best, at Boston this past April making him the second fastest Canadian of all time. He recently started a coaching business, Let's Tango Running, for distance runners of all levels. He's married with two children and a third on the way. And he has a killer mullet. He is Rory Linkletter. Born in Canada, raised in Utah and now living in the running mecca otherwise known as Flagstaff, AZ. Somehow he finds time to train, work, be a dad and, to my good fortune, answer these RWR questions. So nice of him. It's okay that he doesn't know if Creedence Clearwater Revival is still together or not. He clearly doesn't have time to research this. I'll go ahead and do it for him. They are not. Okay, enough from me, let's meet Rory Linkletter, a RUNNER WHO ROCKS.

RWR:RORY LINKLETTER

Name: Rory Linkletter

Where you're from: Calgary Alberta, Canada

Where you reside now: Flagstaff, AZ

Age: 29

Occupation: Runner / Coach / Influencer

Blog/website: Letstango.run

ON RUNNING & MUSIC

What do you love most about running?

I love to compete, but for the act of running itself, I love the time with my thoughts and in nature.

What do you love most about music?

I love the way music creates and matches moods.

RORY'S FAVORITES:

Artist (current, all time or both): Drake / Kanye

Album (current, all time or both): Kanye West - 'Life of Pablo'

Race venue: Boston Marathon

Music venue: Pepsi Amphitheater - Flagstaff

Race distance: Half Marathon

Show you've seen live: Nickelback

Ice cream flavor: Cookie Dough

THIS OR THAT:

Sweet or salty? Salty

Live or recorded? Recorded

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Summer or winter? Summer

MORE MUSIC INFO:

Which band or artist would you go see tonight if you could?

Luke Bryan

Which band or artist (wait...but no longer alive or playing together) would you go see tonight if you could?

Creedence Clearwater Revival (I actually don’t know their status)

Which band or artist would you like to have dinner with tonight if you could?

Post Malone

Which band or artist would you like to be playing alongside you during your next race (or long run)? Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar

LAST ONE:

Today, I feel like…(fill in the blank)

I’m going a million miles a minute.

Top 5 Songs for running, dancing or both?

* Use This Gospel, Kanye West

* DNA., Kendrick Lamar

* Public Service Announcement, Jay-Z

* Nose On the Grindstone, Tyler Childers

* Titi Mi Pregunto, Bad Bunny

Last 5 Songs you listened to today?

* Today’s Country Hits Radio Station

* Titi Mi Pregunto, Bad Bunny

* GOAT- the Soundtrack (with my son)

* Be Her, Ella Langley (with my daughter)

Listen to this:

Be Her - Ella Langley

Ella Langley · Be Her

RACE REVIEW:BOSTON MARATHON

2026-04-22T05:18:00.000-07:00

"Love. It's the only way you'll make it. Love will help you choose your project and drag you back on the bad days. Love will wake you up with deep yearning for the work, such that you're miserable when you're away from it. Whatever it is. You've got to love it."

~ Sam Robinson

On Monday, April 20th, I ran the Boston Marathon. It was my 39th marathon and my 13th Boston. I was more nervous than usual going into this one. For a couple reasons. First, the last time I raced Boston (recap here) I almost didn't make it to the finish. My body broke down in the heat and I ended up in the medical tent at mile 20. I finished, but it was a shit show. In general, I love this sport. But that day, I hated it. And I found myself wondering if perhaps I was done with marathons all together. All that work and so much heartbreak; it really did a number on me. Since then I have run six marathons so...yeah. Hard to stop doing what you love even when it beats you down. You know it and I know it. But, back to my reasons. Second, this winter just about killed me. It was so freaking cold and snowy in Boston. I did almost all of my hard workouts inside on the treadmill. And by the time I got outside in March, I just wasn't feeling like myself. I got most of the work done but the build just felt off and my body was not responding to training the way it usually did. Come April, my confidence was pretty low and my fear of another bad experience was high. I just couldn't go through that again. And because of that, I knew I was going to have to approach this one differently. I got on the phone with my coach and we made a plan. Without going into too much detail we agreed to run smart and in control, focusing more on how my body was feeling than my watch with the goal being to have enough in the tank to finish feeling good. I hung up feeling a little better about the situation and trying to be open to what was possible rather than fearing what could go wrong.

As usual, I got myself organized and turned in around 9:00 in preparation for my 5:00am wakeup. It's worth noting that it rained ALL day on Sunday before the race. The weather was forecasting chilly but dry for Monday but I couldn't help but feel a slight panic that things might unfold differently. Mother Nature is a feisty beast. I never trust her. If there are weather gods, I was praying hard to them that night.

When I woke up it was 35 degrees outside. Pretty atypical for mid-April. And while it was ridiculously cold, I was relieved that it was dry. Jeff was going to drive me up to Methuen so I could meet up with my Whirlaway teammates and ride the van into Boston with them. I was supposed to be up there at 6:00am sharp and was right on schedule until we got out to the car and realized it was iced over and the windshield needed to be scraped off. WHAT? Panic ensued. I was going to be the one who would hold up the van and I was not happy about it. I texted my friends and our team manager to let them know what happened and then sat in the passenger seat and sweated profusely as we made our way north. We rolled into the parking lot five minutes late and I hopped out of our car as it was moving and frog jumped over to the van which took off immediately. This is not how I wanted to start my morning. Totally my fault. Not my best. We pulled into Hopkinton around 7:00 and set ourselves up in the local post office which we're allowed to use each year because one of our teammates has a friend who works there. We are very, very lucky.

Sitting and waiting for anything that you're anxious about for any amount of time is nerve-wracking. We had three hours to kill in this small locker room. So. Much. Time. But, thankfully, we were all together so we did our best to keep each other distracted with stories, pep talks and conversations about anything and everything. This. This is why I am on a team. Finally, around 9:40 we headed outside to leave our drop bags in the van and do some last minute strides and dynamics before walking over to the start. The temp was in the low forties and while it still felt pretty cold, the sun was out in full force and we now knew that we would be fine for the race itself. That was a huge relief. We walked to the corrals and waited for the volunteers to let us in for Wave 2.

Katy and I were both Wave 2, Corral 1 and we'd now spent four very long hours together. I could have not have asked for a better wing woman. She was my rock all morning. We hugged each other just before the start and then got on the line to go. Ready or not.

THE RACE:

Miles 1-6 (6:43, 6:55, 6:56, 6:54, 7:09, 6:59)

My mantra for this race was WHAT IF. My dear friend CB had asked me this when I told her I was doubting myself during my training cycle. She was encouraging me to be curious and approach it with the mindset that anything was possible. She's also a big rock for me both in running and in life. At 10:15am we were off. The last few marathons I have raced I've been trying to break three hours so my goal pace was around 6:50. Given my goal for this day, which was to finish strong and happy, I was resolved to dial it back and run what felt good, no pace goal. Right off the gun I got excited and started cruising at my typical race pace. Based on experience, I knew that was not going to make for the day I had in mind, so I calibrated for the next few miles and settled into an effort that felt solid but manageable. The night before my friend, Samantha, had texted me and asked if I'd ever raced a marathon without a watch. I told her that I hadn't but that I'd always been tempted to try. Once I passed mile three, I made a conscious decision to stop looking at my watch for the rest of the race. If I wanted to feel good and finish smiling than I needed to let go of time and focus on how my body was handling things. If I was getting tired, I'd back off. If I felt good, I could pick it up. But time was no longer part of the equation. It was incredibly liberating.

Miles 7-14 (7:00, 7:10, 7:06, 7:11, 7:13, 7:08, 7:16, 7:13)

I took my first gel at mile six. I did a mental check from head to toe and made sure I was in tune with how I was feeling. So far so good. My friend and teammate, Lauren, told me she was going to be at mile fourteen with her family so that was my next benchmark. I think this part of any marathon is the hardest. You have to be focused and locked in but you are nowhere near the finish. And while you're working hard and trying to be in the moment, it's easy to zone out and get a little bored. This is usually when I tell myself that moving forward I'll probably just focus on shorter distances. You can laugh. I always do after the fact. I got through the Wellesley tunnel, easily the loudest part of the race, and then focused on finding Lauren and crew.

Miles 15-21 (7:16, 7:00, 7:20, 7:21, 7:01, 7:16, 7:31)

Success. I smiled and waved like a champ. It was so fun to see their familiar faces. I also felt like it was safe to quietly celebrate getting to this point. Not that I was making any assumptions on the rest of the race. I wasn't. I've learned that lesson the hard way. We probably all have. I was doing my damndest to smile at every single photographer I saw. You can see that I was doing a pretty good job with this. I rolled up and down the hills with gratitude and grit. I wasn't remotely concerned about my pace (I know I keep saying this, but it's such a foreign concept for me) as I climbed and descended. Heartbreak hill was my slowest split of the day but it didn't hurt nearly as bad as it usually does without the pressure of a goal time. Once I was up and over, I knew I had enough in me to finish strong. I've truly never felt like this with five miles to go. Ever. To say it was amazing is an understatement.

Miles 22-26.2 (7:04, 7:08, 6:58, 7:00, 7:17, 6:59)

My legs and feet had started to feel heavy and tired just before the hills. Once I got past this section I was so mentally ecstatic to be finishing the last piece of this adventure that I forgot all about how beat up they'd been feeling. Joy was literally pouring into my body. Like, I could feel it. I was able to pick it up and start cruising. The crowd here is insane. Normally, I'm borderline dying or hobbling or throwing up and I don't notice this electric vibe of awesomeness. Not this time. I felt it all. Every person I locked eyes with; they would nod or cheer or scream & that is what propelled me to the finish line. That and the notion that I'd done what I'd set out to do. I had been smart. Stayed in control. Listened to my body. All of it. And because of this I was smiling ear to ear for the last few miles. What a gift.

Exhibit A - Arms up!!

Exhibit B - Clap it up!

Exhibit C - FUCK YEAH!

I crossed the line in 3:08.06. I was beyond thrilled. I texted my husband....BEST MARATHON!!! I've run a lot of these babies. Many have been good. A few have been great. Most have been garbage. This one was easily taking a top spot on my list. Everything had unfolded the way I'd hoped and planned. The weather had been perfect. My stomach had agreed with me. And, because I wasn't a moron and ran the way I knew I needed to in order to have the day I wanted, my body had held up beautifully. I had such a bad taste in my mouth after my last Boston experience. I can now say the slate has been wiped clean and, once again, I am totally smitten. Will I do it again? I honestly don't know. But all signs are pointing to probably. As far as what's next for me? I truly have no idea. I just want to bask in the glory of this feeling for a few more days. Recognizing, again, how much I love this sport and all that it gives me. Good. Bad. All of it. I tell my Lex athletes all the time....you have to KNOW YOUR WHY. I'd lost this a little bit over the last year or so. On Monday it all came flooding back in. So. Much. Love. Thank you, running. And thank you, Boston. You're glorious. Both of you.

Listen to this:

Euphoria by Talia Rae

Talia Rae · Euphoria

JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE IN YOUR 50s

2026-04-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

"When I was young

Whatever happened it would do me no wrong

As long as I could sing my favorite song

When I was young"

~ MØ

Halloween, 2009 (34 years old)

Back when I was in my 30s - a new mom, a marathoner, a high school cross country and track coach, a blogger - I was basically trying to prove to anyone and, even more so to myself, that I could do it all and do it all "relatively" well. I mean, weren't we all, though? That is not, in fact, what was happening, but bonus points to young Rebecca for believing in herself regardless. In my mid-30s I was typically running 80 miles a week and two marathons a year. I was on the advisory board at my daughters' school. I was picking up and dropping off my girls at their seven different activities with a large coffee and a smile on my face. I was also stocking the fridge, finding lost socks and helping with homework. I would scoff internally at those who would say just wait until you're in your 50s as they watched me try to juggle all the things while also physically and emotionally holding it all together. These were kind words of wisdom from friends, family, teammates, really anyone who had waded through these whirlwind decades and come out on the other side with a new perspective based on reality. And part of me "got it" but the other part of me wondered if maybe I'd be different. Perhaps I could work, train, write and be a good mom without all the typical changes that creep in as we age? Alas, here I am, age 51. My girls are both in college, ages 19 and 21. My mom role has changed dramatically but it's wonderful. I'm still running, but nowhere near the level I was twenty years ago. I'm still working but feeling the side effects of stress and fatigue on a totally different level. Don't get me wrong. I still love it all. And I'm happy to be doing it. But, as all those wise women told me way back when, the pace of everything has slowed. I suppose I now realize there is simply no way to avoid it. Today, for me, life requires more time, patience and in some cases, quite a bit of letting go and saying no. It is still good. Very different. But really good.

50s VS 30s: A TOP 10 LIST

Parents weekend, 2025 (50 years old)

~ In my 30s I needed a minimum of 7 hours of sleep. 8 hours was a luxury. Any more than that was unheard of. Today? I need a minimum of 8 hours to function. 9 is ideal. More than 9 is a welcome treat.

~ In my 30s the colder New England winters didn't impact me that much. Temps in the 40s were warm-ish. I'd easily be running in shorts and a t-shirt in 40 degrees. Now, I'm legitimately not warm until summer. Fall, winter, spring...doesn't matter. I'm always cold.

~ Back in my 30s I was more social. I would go out with friends or with the hubs regularly. And, sometimes if I stayed out a little longer I'd find myself asking, do I really need this second glass of wine? Today, I ask the same question, but in the morning instead of night. And I substitute wine with coffee. And the answer is always yes.

~ In my 30s I was always trying to go see live music. I would constantly be on the lookout for fun bands or artists to go see. Today, my search criteria is based solely on when the show starts and whether there is an opening band. Not many shows starting before 9pm these days. I don't get out to see much live music anymore.

~ My 30s was all about texting. Text me your number. Text me when you're here. Today, I can't always remember where I leave my phone (in a closet, bag, my car) so I'd really prefer that you called me. Both to hear your voice and probably to help me find my phone.

~ In my 30s I would wake up and hit the ground running. Now? I still get up and get moving. For coffee. But then for my next trick, well, let's just say it can sometimes take hours before I'm rolling.

~ In my 30s I would take every opportunity to travel and try new things. Time changes didn't phase me and I could sleep with my small children in a cot if it meant going to a new country. Last week I went to Spain to visit my daughter I'm still tired from the trip itself, the travel, the time change, all of it. Let's just say there won't be any more trips in the near future.

~ In my 30s, with little kids, I would constantly accumulate stuff. Toys, clothes, snacks, multiple bags full of crap that I thought I needed. Today I want nothing more than to eliminate the extra junk in my life. I'm all about the purge and find myself doing it regularly. Less is more.

~ In my 30s I could multitask like a boss. Put the groceries away, while texting, while feeding the dogs, yes. All of it. Today if I do that I will likely drop something and break it or lose my balance and break myself.

Listen to this:
Sunday by Hannah Lew

Hannah Lew · Sunday

IT'S BEEN A MINUTE, HERE'S WHY

2026-02-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

For the first time since I started this blog back in 2012 I haven't posted anything for over a month. It's not a huge deal, obviously, but over the years I've been able to find something to write or talk about pretty regularly so when I realized this I was kind of surprised. I'm going on 16 years here and I've definitely had lulls where my creative well has run a bit dry. I've even had points along the way when I've wondered if keeping this blog going was even sustainable. But, then I've always managed to bounce back with a music review or race review or interview or funny mom story that has nothing to do with running but that I felt was relatable and worth sharing. But here we are. My last post was in December of 2025 and we are halfway through February. If I'm being honest, I have nothing notably new and/or monumental in my life that is keeping me from writing and posting as I usually do. I was running a shit ton and regularly training for marathons when I started the blog. Still doing that. My daughters, Rosie and Grace, who were in grade school at the time, were obviously a big part of my daily life. Yes, they are older now and in college and their problems and issues are different, but they are still a very prominent part of my daily life. I had just started coaching cross country at Lexington High School. Yep, still very much there. Clearly things have happened that have upended my standard routine, some big, some small, some good and some bad. Yet, I've always carved out a little time for RWM, an outlet that has become very important for my sanity, maintaining a sense of humor and enhancing my overall joy. So, today I sat down and gave it some thought. And here are a few of the legit (not so legit?) reasons I have not posted to date.

REASONS WHY I HAVEN'T GOTTEN MY SH*T TOGETHER & POSTED IN 2026

~ It's been so f*&^ing cold these past couple months my brain capacity has shrunk and my motivation to express myself has dwindled. No, not just 20s and 30s. Arctic. Single digits and sub-zero "feels like" temps. Regularly.

~ I love to post about my races. The one race I had lined up for February was canceled due to snow and the fact that it was going to be 1 degree at start time. ONE. I cried tears of joy when they canceled it because I honestly didn't think my legs would move in that weather. But I do enjoy sharing a good race experience, so that was a bummer.

~ I am currently obsessed with reading (see above for some of my favs so far this year). More than ever in my life. Like, when I start a book, I have a hard time putting it down. So, lately I have been easily tempted to read over sitting down to write. Plus sometimes reading leads to napping and I love a good nap.

~ If I do have a little free time outside of work I am usually marathon training or getting ready for bed instead of writing blog posts. I love getting ready for bed. And then getting into bed. Especially when I'm marathon training.

~ I have been writing quite a bit for Six Minute Mile, a running and fitness newsletter, and while I love this new gig I only have so much creativity in my cluttered, 51 year old brain. And because I'm often on a deadline with them, they've been getting first dibs.

~ The Lex Indoor track and field team has had about 41 meets since January and between those and our practices and the admin I do in between, my time flies by. Literally. I'm up at 5:00am. I blink it's 3pm. I blink again, it's lights out. Pun intended. That's at 9pm. Sometimes 8.

~ My daughter, Grace, was home for most of January for a J-term. So when I wasn't running, reading, coaching or sleeping, I was likely hanging out with Grace. Turns out, the two of us were very good at wasting time together.

~ My procrastination habits have gotten worse. Or better. Depending on how you look at it. I used to wake up, knock out my morning routine like a boss, (coffee, dogs, run, coffee) and then have ample time to work on other stuff like blog posts. I won't share all the shit I do to delay my daily tasks but the list is long and continues to get more and more creative as I get older.

~ But also, everything feels like it takes longer to get done. Like, a quick 45 minute run feels more like a solid hour and a half now. Or a quick trip to the grocery store is just...well... unheard of. Or maybe I'm just slower in general. Or maybe I am slower and I procrastinate. Probably that.

Listen to this:

Long Gone by Silversun Pickups

Silversun Pickups · Long Gone

2025: A YEAR IN REVIEW

2025-12-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Dear RWM Readers,

I honestly can't believe we're here again. But, alas, it is so. Every year I wonder, will this one be my last? Are blogs a thing of the past? But then I find enough stuff to ramble on about and then, boom, we're in December. So, to all of you who have continued to follow along, thank you. It means a lot. This was a huge year for our family. My youngest graduated from high school and in August Jeff and I became empty nesters. I won't lie to you. I am not a fan. I miss having my girls around. But, they're both happy and healthy so I can't be too upset. It was also a big year for the Lexington Women's track and XC teams. The girls won both the indoor and outdoor State Championships for track and then the XC team came back this fall and won both the Divisional and State titles, capping off the most successful year the LEX XCTF team has had since I started coaching at LHS back in 2011. And what an absolute privilege it was to be a part of that journey with them. Not that we're done. We're rolling right into indoor as we speak. Stay tuned. As far as my own running....I had fun? I ran two marathons. They didn't go as planned. But I guided two amazing athletes, Jared Broughton for Boston and Cindy Kuhn for NYC and it was such an honor to help them achieve their goals. I also did a bunch of racing with my Whirlaway teammates and those are always a blast regardless of the outcome. Again, I won't lie to you. I was definitely hoping for more. But, all things considered I have zero complaints. I'm lucky. I'm grateful. I'm so full of joy for so many things. And that, my friends, is more than enough. To all of you, I hope you had a wonderful year and wish you all the best in 2026. Hopefully we'll still be sharing stories and laughing about all the craziness. There never seems to be a shortage of either. Thank goodness.

All the best,

RUNNING WITH MUSIC 2025

JANUARY

Lex Girls Indoor Track take the Middlesex League &

Div 1 MA State Title

SONG:CHANGE YOUR MIND - SCOUT

ALBUM:EVERYBODY NEED A HERO - ORLA GARTLAND

FEBRUARY

50th Birthday Celebration in Quebec

w/ the Zimmermans

SONG:WANNA START A BAND - SLEIGH BELLS

ALBUM:HALLUCINATING LOVE - MARIBOU STATE

MARCH

McKirdy Marathon - 3:02 (with a fall in mile 6)

SONG:FUNNY - BRONCHO

ALBUM:MICHIGANDER - MICHIGANDER

APRIL

Boston Marathon as a guide for Jared Broughton

SONG:COME CLEAN - TENDER

ALBUM:BUNKY BECKY BIRTHDAY BOYS - SLEIGH BELLS

MAY

Lex Girls Outdoor Track take the Middlesex League &

MA State Titles

SONG:JUMP (FOR MY LOVE) - SYCCO

ALBUM:LUCIUS - LUCIUS

JUNE

Grace graduates from high school

SONG:BETWEEN FRIENDS - CHEVRON

ALBUM:THE CLEARING - WOLF ALICE

JULY

Trachsel family trip to France

SONG:HAMMER - LORDE

ALBUM:ALFO - BRONZE RADIO RETURN

AUGUST

1 MILE ROAD RACE with Whirlaway

SONG:BETWEEN FRIENDS - CHEVRON

ALBUM: THE CLEARING - WOLF ALICE

SEPTEMBER

Hall - Marks Wedding

SONG:WORDS - BIG THIEF

ALBUM:LIKE PLASTICINE - GORDI

OCTOBER

Lex Girls XC take the Middlesex League &

MA Division 1 & State Titles

SONG:BONFIRE - LAANDS

ALBUM:TERRIBLE NEWS - MIDDLE KIDS

NOVEMBER

NYC Marathon as a guide for Cindy Kuhn

SONG:FREEDOM - CAMPTHEHILLS

ALBUM:BLINK BOB MOSES

DECEMBER

And that's a wrap. Putting 2025 behind us.

Rollin' into 2026!

SONG: AVALANCHE - GRACE IVES

ALBUM:SHISH - PORTUGAL. THE MAN.

LISTEN TO THESE: SIX MINUTE MILE WEEKLY SONGS

SMM GIFT GUIDE & RWM GIVEAWAY

2025-12-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

"It's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving."

~ Mother Teresa

Tis the season, my friends. And like your favorite holiday cocktail, I am mixing things up this year. Rather than craft my own list of goodies to share here on RWM, I have joined forces with Six Minute Mile and together we have created an epic gift guide with a ton of awesome suggestions; most of them tried and true by someone on our team. We cover multiple options in multiple prices ranges. Gear, fuel, fluids, electronics, recovery tools, books - yes and yes. It's all there. For the runner, reader, hiker, biker, flip-flop wearing outdoor enthusiast. There is something for everyone. So, first head over to SMM and check out our guide as I'm guessing we will be saving you some valuable time during this very hectic month. And, let's be honest, we'd all rather be running or drinking coffee or sleeping or....I digress. Now, the best part, I have handpicked a few of my favorite items from the guide and listed them below. And then, because sharing is caring, I will be giving away one of each of these treats. For you or your loved one or....you. Do what you want. I won't tell. To enter just share the best, worst or weirdest gift you've ever received in the comments on this post. I feel like this could go in many different directions. Bring it on. To all of you, have a wonderful holiday filled with love and joy. And coffee. Obviously. Merry Everything!

TRAX'S TOP PICKS & HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY

FuelGoods RunnerBox, $38/Box 6-Month Subscription

This is a gift that will keep on giving. The RunnerBox is a subscription box that’s been going strong for over 10 years as a trusted companion for runners nationwide. Powered by Fuel Goods, it’s designed for every type of runner — from marathoners to weekend joggers — and comes with some perks that include lifetime discounts on sports nutrition, highly vetted, pro-approved products curated and sent every other month, access to the Fuel Finder personalized shopping feature, and more than $50 in value.

* Note: RWM giveaway includes one 2025 Limited Edition Holiday Box

Paradis Sports Natural Fiber Thong, $29

Made for women by women, Paradis Sports Natural Fiber Thong is made from a premium four-way stretch PFAS- and BPA-free and Oeko-Tex certified plant-based fabric that moves freely with you in all directions, wicks moisture, and dries fast without riding up or chafing.

Note: RWM giveaway includes one Paradis Sport 4pack gift box

Smell Well Shoe Inserts, $17

These little magic pouches, made of bamboo charcoal, are designed to absorb moisture and thus eliminate the wet environment for bacteria that leads to stinky shoes. One day, that’s all it takes. When you get ready to hit the road again your shoes will be fresh and dry. The inserts last about a year, so for the price they are almost too good to be true.
Note: RWM giveaway includes one Smell Well set of two

Gorewear Concurve Windbreaker, $120

When it is going to be chilly or drizzling on race morning, the lightweight and easy-to-stow Gorewear Concurve Windbreaker is a great solution. Remarkably soft, supple and highly breathable windbreaker for runners features a specially woven 3D fabric structure that creates amazing next-to-skin comfort. The low air permeable fabric combines wind-blocking protection with breathability to help prevent overheating, plus a DWR treatment that repels light rain.

Note: RWM giveaway includes one Gorewear Windbreaker Jacket, size and color or your choice

Kiprun 5 L Trail Running Bag, $70
This 5-liter trail running bag has loads of storage with seven handy pockets and a 1-liter hydration reservoir, plus the option of carrying two 250ml soft flask bottles in the front pockets (not included). While this could be a smart choice for a first-time road marathoner, it’s also an ideal pack for running a marathon on the trails.

Note: RWM giveaway includes one KipRun 5L Running Bag

Rabbit Low-Light Cocoon 2.0, $135

Be warm and stay toasty while having options of thumbholes, a secure hood, and built-in turtleneck that can be pulled high over nose and mouth, keeping you protected from whatever the weather throws your way. The Cocoon 2.0 is upgraded with a new fleece-lined poly/spandex blend fabric that has a non-PFC DWR finish that gives you extra protection from the elements.

Note: RWM giveaway includes one Rabbit Low-Light Cocoon Top, Size of your choice & color TBD depending on stock

Listen to this:

"I Got A Feeling" by Wintersleep

Wintersleep · I Got A Feeling

RACE REVIEW:NYC MARATHON

2025-11-05T06:46:00.000-08:00

"If you want to achieve your goals, help others achieve their goals."

~ Zig Ziglar

This past April, on the Friday night before the Boston marathon, I ran into my dear friend, Joyce Cron, at a dinner for Team With A Vision. I was guiding for Jared Broughton and Joyce, who is visually impaired, was running with a different guide but we had run Boston together back in 2016 and 2017 and we have remained close friends over the years. She told me that she was planning to run the NYC marathon in November with Team Achilles and asked I would consider guiding her again.

Boston 2016

I didn't have to think twice. I'd always wanted to do NY and I was eager to partner up with Joyce again so I answered with a resounding, HELL YES! We made plans to get in touch after the summer and wished each other well for Boston. She killed it, by the way by, running a blazing 4:09 and placing first in her division for Para athletes. Fast forward to October. Joyce reached out to give me an update on her training. She had run Berlin in September and it did not go well. The heat really impacted her and she ended up having to do a fair amount of walk/jogging to get to the finish line. When she got back home she took some much needed rest but then when she started to ramp back up for New York she noticed that she was having trouble with her recovery. She could get her miles in but then she was completely exhausted for the rest of the day. For obvious reasons, she was worried. Things just didn't feel right. So she made a plan. She would stop running and see if her body could bounce back. If that worked, she'd go forward and line up in NY and if not, she'd have to reassess. As of the week before the race, she was finally feeling like herself again so we were now officially on. Which brings us to last Saturday. I drove down to NYC in the morning and met up with Joyce in the lobby of our hotel around 11:00am. She looked distressed. In a nutshell, she explained that she was feeling off again, that she had no appetite, that she had very low energy and that she was having dizzy spells. This was not good. But, as any marathoner will tell you, they will wait until the very last minute to pull the plug because they've done the work and, dammit, they want to race. Or, at least, this was the case for Joyce. And I understood. We decided to go to the expo together and grab our numbers and then to have her rest for the remainder of the day. We'd check back in later in the evening and make a decision.

Joyce's guide dog, Sherbet

While I have attended several expos, this was my first time navigating one with both a visually impaired athlete and a guide dog. I have to say, Sherbet was amazing. The scene, as you can imagine, was nuts. People were everywhere - asking questions, taking photos, looking for family, running around with their kids. Very few were paying attention to the three of us. Sherbet was calm, cool and collected. So, thanks to her, we made it through successfully without any issues. Bravo, Sherbet! Joyce and her husband, Dan, decided to find the information booth and ask them what the process was for deferring until 2026 if that's what she decided to do. I left them to it and walked around and checked things out on my own.

Obviously I had to find my name on the wall. I also took a little stroll around the floor to find some free goodies and there were plenty of them. I picked up some Dove skincare products, some gel samples that I'd never heard of, a yogurt smoothie, basically anything that looked remotely appealing. The expo is always super chaotic but it's worth the stress when you leave with a bag of treats.

Joyce and I met down in the lobby again around 7:00pm. She had finally come to the conclusion that it wasn't worth pushing herself given how she felt and that she would officially defer so she would have an automatic entry in 2026. It was such a hard decision for her. But we both knew it was the right one. She didn't feel strong enough and because of this she wasn't even remotely excited to race. This wasn't the experience she wanted. And it simply wasn't worth the risk just to get a medal. While she was sad, I could also tell that she was relieved. She'd been so stressed all day about making a decision and you could almost see the weight lifted in her demeanor. We said goodnight and I made my way back up to my room to ponder my next steps.

Obviously, I had signed up for NYC with the intent to guide Joyce. Now, here I was with a bib and no one to guide. I also had no intention of racing this marathon on my own. My options were to either bail all together and go home or to see if I could find someone else who needed my assistance on race day. Before going to bed I confirmed with Achilles that I could still use my number and decided it was worth trying to find another athlete who might need help. I got up on Sunday around 4:00am and hopped on the bus with the team. My plan was to find Karen, the woman in charge of our group, and to ask if she knew of anyone else who might need a hand. And then fate connected me to Cindy Kuhn. Cindy was chatting with her guide, Lindy (I know, you can’t make that up) in the seats behind me on the bus and we eventually all struck up a conversation. A few minutes after getting off the bus, we reconnected in the AWD tent. I explained my situation to them - that I had been planning to guide for Joyce and that she unfortunately wasn't feeling well enough to race so I was now looking to see if I could help someone else. Both Cindy and Lindy agreed that I should join them along with their second guide, Michael, as they could use the extra hands and would be happy to have me along in case something went wrong. I was thrilled. And more than ready to step up.

THE RACE

Miles 1-6 (9:50, 7:56, 8:22, 8:18, 8:10, 8:08)

Prior to leaving the tent, Cindy had said she'd like to run around 3:45-4:00, but really was just going by feel. It sounded good to me. We started on the lower section of the Verrazano bridge. Thankfully, we did not get peed on by those above us, though many had said this might be an issue. Is that really true?? We were packed up in our corral like sardines so getting going was pretty slow for us. Our first mile we were walk/jogging and just trying to keep people from getting in Cindy's way. It's also uphill. So, for both of those reasons, this mile was our slowest. But after that, we were locked in; rolling right around 8:15 give or take a few seconds. The morning had started off cool but when we got into the sun we could feel the heat rising so fluids became a priority. Each time we came up to a water station whoever was closest would grab cups of water and Gatorade and pass them over to Cindy first and then around to the rest of our crew if people needed them.

Miles 7-13 (8:04, 8:17, 8:15, 8:01, 8:14, 8:17, 8:11)

We all got into a really good rhythm by the third mile. One of us would be on either side of Cindy and then one of us behind her. This way we could all check in with her regularly and make sure she had what she needed but also gave us some insurance in case someone needed to break off for a second and come back. At one point Lyndi said she felt like we were the secret service agents and we were guarding Cindy like she was the president. That is exactly how it felt. The crowds in NY are nuts. I have run Boston many times. NY is next level. Aside from when we were on the bridges, the volume was at a ten the entire time. We also saw some wild getups like the Statue of Liberty in full dress complete with skirt, crown and torch, a blow-up chicken with a sign that said she was just trying to cross the road, a shark costume, several bananas. We even ran behind Frida Kahlo for a while. Clearly I was focused on Cindy but when things were calm for us I was having a blast soaking up the scene. We also made sure to let Cindy know when the cameras were around and to take full advantage of every photo opportunity presented to us.

Miles 14-20 (8:11, 8:23, 8:39, 8:07, 8:08, 8:16, 8:22)

Cindy was in total control. Her pace was steady. She was able to communicate easily. It felt like we were on cruise control. As we got further along the course the fluid stations started to get crazy. Because of the heat, people needed more water and electrolytes than planned and the ground was like an ocean of cups every other mile. The volunteers couldn't pour it or sweep them out fast enough. Michael lives in NYC so he knew every nook and cranny and was able to tell us when things like hills and turns were coming up. That was a nice little bonus.

All business up the hill

Miles 21-26 (8:08, 8:05, 8:06, 8:17, 8:09, 8:07)

Right around mile 20, Michael looked at us and said, I'm not gonna lie, this is a nasty hill and it's gonna suck. And he wasn't lying. It was a very long hill. But, Cindy and I both agreed that it wasn't as bad as Heartbreak Hill on the Boston course. Some may beg to differ with us on that. Regardless, we got up and over without any issues and after this we knew we had it in the bag. Cindy was flying now and I could tell she felt good. We were totally crushing it, picking up the pace a bit with confidence. As we got closer to the park I started raising my hands up to the crowd to get them to cheer for us while also pointing at Cindy to emphasize what an absolute badass she was.

Running a marathon is hard. Running a marathon as a visually impaired athlete is notably harder. It was clear from the minute I met Cindy that she did not let anything get in her way of what she wanted to achieve. She had battled cancer and had multiple surgeries. She lost vision and hearing when her tumors were removed. A marathon? Bring it. Nothing was stopping her. It is such an honor to run for someone as a guide. The partnership that is formed is so special. That bond starts the second you meet and only gets stronger with every mile. So, yea. On Sunday, my job was to help Cindy get to the finish line and keep her safe along the way. Mission accomplished. I can only hope that our paths cross again both as runners and as friends.

Listen to this:

No Pain - Modern Living, Cosmo's Midnight, Sumner

Modern Living · No Pain (feat. Cosmo's Midnight & Sumner)

RWR:MEET NATOSHA ROGERS - PRO RUNNER

2025-10-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

"I'm a very emotional runner. I also have a wild side… I'm just going to be honest. But now that I'm getting older it's kind of dying out. Like, I'm too tired."

~ Natosha Rogers, Citius Mag

Today I am really excited to introduce you to the fast and fabulous, Natosha Rogers. If you're even remotely interested in the professional running world you are likely already familiar with her. If not, pull up a chair. Rogers ran for Texas A&M and has an impressive resume from her college years. After college, she turned pro and turned back to the track where she focused on both the 5000m and 10,000m. Back in 2012, at just 21 years old, she placed second in the 10,000m at the US Olympic Trials even after taking a fall during the race. Talk about grit. Fast forward to 2023, Rogers made the decision to go all in on her running, signed with Puma and eventually began to focus on the road. I love her openness and honesty about the transition from the track to the road. In an interview with Citius Magazine on training for the marathon Rogers claimed, "Oh my God – this is for, like, psychotic, masochistic people.’ I suppose that makes her one of "them" now as she is clearly very good at the distance. That year she qualified for the US Olympic Trials marathon with a half marathon running a mind blowing 1:09:36. As is the case with most runners, it hasn't all been daisies. She had a tough debut at the marathon trials and has dealt with some injuries in the past few years. But she stayed true to herself and the sport and never doubted her goal. A little over two weeks ago Rogers was the first American woman across the line at the Chicago marathon and she clocked a blazing 2:23:28. So, yea, Rogers is here to stay. And, even after all of this, she's really just getting started on this next chapter. Personally, I can't wait to see how the rest of her career unfolds as I'm assuming, based on what's she's done so far, the doors are about to be blown off. Though, she might also blow doors off with her music choices as they are hard core and I'm guessing she turns the volume way up when she's rocking out. That's it from me, let's meet Natosha Rogers, a RUNNER WHO ROCKS!

RUNNERS WHO ROCK: NATOSHA ROGERS

Name: Natosha Rogers
Where you're from: Denver, CO
Where you reside now: Denver, CO
Age:34
Occupation: Pro Running
Instagram: @natosha_rogers

ON RUNNING & MUSIC
What do you love most about running? How cathartic it is.
What do you love most about music? Same as above.

NATOSHA'S FAVORITES:
Band (current, all time or both): Current: Kerala Dust. All time: Led Zeppelin
Album (current, all time or both): Brand New - The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me
Race venue: The OG Hayward Field
Music venue: The Brooklyn Mirage
Race distance: Half Marathon
Show you've seen live: Poppy
Ice cream flavor: Half Baked

THIS OR THAT?
Sweet or salty? Need both
Live or recorded? Live
Coffee or tea? Coffee, hands down
Summer or winter? Summer

MORE MUSIC INFO:
Which band or artist would you go see tonight if you could? Rammstein
Which band or artist (wait...but no longer alive or playing together) would you go see tonight if you could? Either Led Zeppelin or The Doors
Which band or artist would you like to have dinner with tonight if you could? Robert Plant - I would die
Which band or artist would you like to be playing alongside you during your next race (or long run)? Boris Brejcha - house techno is the best for running

Led Zeppelin

LAST ONE:
Today, I feel like……..….(fill in the blank)

Lazy one week out from the marathon and on a break 🙃

Top 5 Songs for running, dancing or both?
Nothing - Poppy (running on anger)
Obsession - Thornhill (running or rocking out in the car)
Love In The Underground - Kerala Dust (dancing)
Blow Out - The Crystal Method (dance or run techno)
One - Vakhtang (run techno)

Last 5 Songs you listened to today?
REAPER - Tayla
Pet - A Perfect Circle
The Distance - Cake
Eden to Eden - Kerala Dust
New Generation - Layton Giordani

Listen to this:

Nothing by Poppy

Poppy · nothing

RACE REVIEW:HARTFORD MARATHON #37

2025-10-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."

~ Arnold Shawrzenegger

On Saturday I ran my 37th marathon in Hartford, CT. My goal was to "crush it", as my friend, Halston suggested. Ideally, I wanted to finish in under 3 hours but truly I just wanted to run strong and have fun. I had a really solid training block for this one and after talking to my coach, I felt cautiously optimistic. I was heading down to CT on Friday afternoon with my Whirlaway teammate Lauren and her sister Meghan and then the next morning we were meeting up with our other teammates, Allyson and Katy who were also racing. So it was a run-family affair, which always makes these things more exciting. Normally I like to arrive at a race with enough time to grab my number and then sit and relax a bit before turning in. That was just not an option this time as I had XC practice before I left and really wanted to be there for that. So, I ate dinner in the car and attempted to roll out my legs with a tennis ball as we sat in traffic. We pulled into Hartford around 6:15pm. When we arrived at the expo I was surprised to see a life sized poster of myself from last year's race. They had not told me they were doing this and I was humbled if not a wee bit embarrassed. But, also, it's kind of cool and Lauren insisted on the photo. After we got our bibs and shirts we made our way up to our hotel rooms for the rest of the evening making plans to meet up in the morning to walk over to the start together.

My race gear was out and ready to go. I ran the same race last year and when we got started the temps were in the 30s so I brought throw away clothes and an old blanket to keep myself warm in case it was cold again this year. Shivering before a race starts is no bueno. I ate one more small meal and drank the rest of the Powerade that I'd bought earlier that afternoon as a way to get some more calories in later in the day. More on this later.

I was in bed at 8:00pm and out by 8:30. Nothing new there. The race was starting at 8:00am so I set my alarm for 5:00 so I could wake up, enjoy some coffee, eat some oatmeal and have time to relax and digest before making my way over. It was a very easygoing morning for me and I was happy to be starting things off feeling pretty relaxed both physically and mentally. I met Lauren and Meghan along with our friend Mary down in the lobby at 6:50 and the three of us walked over to meet up with Katy and Allyson.

Pre-race with Mary, Lauren and Megan

The weather was pretty perfect. It was in the 50s and cloudy. I was very happy about this. We found the tent and our friends, dropped our bags and spent some time getting organized and ready to walk over to the line. So far, the day had been hassle free and I was really grateful for this as my nerves were now kicking into high gear. Around 7:45 the race organizers gathered us up and led us over to the start corral. Ready or not. It was go time.

Calm before the storm

THE RACE:

Miles 1-5 (6:44, 6:51, 6:50, 6:39, 6:43, 6:43)

I was standing next to my teammate, Allyson, who was aiming to run the same time as I was as well as next to a lovely gal named Maria who told me she was also shooting for this pace. It's always nice to have some people that share your goal to work with, at least for the start of the race. At 8:00am the gun blew and we were rolling. It's easy to start off too fast on this course because the beginning is downhill so it's key to reign yourself in and make sure you don't get too excited. Very similar to Boston that way. The three of us locked into step together and began cruising. We checked in on our first couple miles and after finding a good rhythm we put ourselves into cruise control. The pace felt good, my body was happy, my mind was sharp. I was really good. Like, better than usual. We rolled through some water stops and passed cups back and forth without issue. Things were right where I wanted them to be.

Miles 6-10 (6:43, 6:43, 6:42, 6:45, 6:50)

Still right on pace, I began to whisper some mantras to myself. Breathe. Stay calm. Find your flow. And so on. Around mile 8 I felt like I needed to use the bathroom. No big deal. I've done this often mid-race and have figured out how to zip in and zip out in just seconds. I wasn't worried, though I wasn't seeing a porto anywhere and started to get a little preoccupied with the situation. At mile 10 I finally saw one and I let Allyson know my plan and wished her good luck. Sucks to loose your pace buddy but sucks more to be uncomfortable. So I dealt really fast, as planned, and hopped back in without losing much time.

Miles 11-21 (7:05, 6:53, 6:56, 7:05, 7:16, 7:16, 7:31, 7:29, 7:27, 7:37, 7:33)

For the first couple miles post-break I was fine. But then, I wasn't. It was my stomach. I started to feel nauseous. And with each mile, it got worse. I'd taken two gels at this point and was going to need at least two more. When I tried to take my third I gagged. It was not going down. Obviously, I was slowing. I felt like the more I moved the worse it felt so I tried to ease up on pace and keep my motion to a minimum. Now I was stressed. It was a serious dilemma. I needed the fuel. But I could not take the fuel. I was taking baby sips of water and trying to just eat the gel little bits at a time. But the nausea was getting worse and now I was just wondering if I could hold on until the finish. Around mile 19, a lovely gal, who I would later learn was named Colleen, pulled up next to me and asked how I was doing. I told her I couldn't keep anything down and didn't know what to do. She felt bad, asked if I needed elctrolytes or wanted to try one of her gels instead of what I had. She talked to me for about 2 miles and told me not to freak out if I ended up having to puke and rally. She tried to get me to keep up with her but I just kept feeling worse until she finally pulled ahead. I might have cried a little here. Happens.

Mile 22 - 26.2 (8:03, 7:54, 7:51, 8:03, 8:23, 7:32)

And then my stomach waved the white flag. I had to pulled over to the side and everything came out. I won't go into detail, but I did notice that it was orange which I thought was odd because I'd only been drinking clear liquid (water and UCan) on the course. After that I took a second to reset and then started back up. Honestly, I felt notably better. But, I was now very dehydrated and scared to take in any more fluids or fuel. My legs were fine. My stomach was in knots and I had really bad cramping so I was running hunched over as this felt better than standing up straight. Oh my, this last part was long. Every minute felt like ten. It's hard to do anything after throwing up but really hard to finish a marathon. It was sheer will that got me to that line. Somehow I managed to finish in 3 hours and 12 minutes despite the bathroom stop, the slow down and the vomit session. Side note, if you're reading this and I was on your yard, I'm really sorry. When I was done, I fell into Lauren's arms, literally and just stood there in total disbelief. I'd done it. It had been terrible. But I'd done it.

I sat and processed for a few minutes as I tried to put on my sweats. I was obviously sad, angry, annoyed; all of it. This one was easily one of my hardest to get through both mentally and physically. I kept replaying my days leading up to the race to try and figure out what could have possibly caused this situation. And then, as we hobbled back to the hotel, I had a lightbulb moment. You know how you always hear people say not to try anything new before or on race day? Well, for some reason, despite how many times I’ve heard this, I did it anyway. Yes. Stupid. I was so full from all the calories I was consuming during my carb load that I bought a large orange PowerAde and polished it off between Friday night and Saturday morning. Normally I only drink water and NUUN so why I thought this was a good decision is anyone's guess. Honestly, I don't know if this is what caused me to get sick. I do know that this was the only thing I did differently the 24 hours before the race. So, while I'll never be sure what made me sick, I am 100% sure I should have not thrown something different into the mix. Rookie mistake. Never again....said the 50 year old who's run 37 marathons. Can you feel me rolling my eyes? As we drove home, or Lauren drove us home (bless her), I got a text from my mother-in-law congratulating me on my age group win. At first I thought she was looking at last year's results but, no, she was right. I was the first 50 year old female across the line.

"Rest, recover and feel proud," she said. Some very wise words that I absolutely needed to hear. The marathon is a beast. The training? Also a beast. I know this. You do, too. I’m proud, and I want more. I can be both. But no more orange Powerade. Ever.

Listen to this:

No Pain by Modern Living with Sumner

Modern Living · No Pain (feat. Cosmo's Midnight)

STAY GOLD

2025-09-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

“One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.”

~ Henry David Thoreau

I love the warm sunny days of summer. And I loathe the cold, dark days of winter. Why do I live in New England? I honestly have no idea. But that’s a different story. This past August I read Melissa Kirsch's article, Golden Hour , from the New York Times and it struck a nerve. Despite the fact that it was Labor Day weekend, when most of us inevitably make the mental shift toward fall, she reminded readers that we still had 22 days left of summer. She also suggested that we hold on just a little longer to that final stage of the season rather than prematurely shift gears into autumn. She threw out the #equinoctialchallenge for those, like myself, who weren't quite ready to let go, in which we make a point to do one summery thing every day between Labor Day and the equinox on September 22nd. I absolutely loved this idea and immediately jumped in. It was not hard to do. Throw the flip flops on for walks with the dogs. Easy. Sit on the porch with friends for a sunset drink. Please and thank you. Grab the fresh tomatoes from the Saturday farmer's market for the caprese sandwiches. Done and done. And while fall is now officially here, I see no reason not to keep up with this challenge for as long as Mother Nature will allow me to. Because yes, the equinox has come and gone. But the veil of darkness, aka winter, has not yet begun to fall. Therefore I have decided that I will continue to do these summery things for as long as possible and I will aim to tap into that easygoing, relaxed mindset whenever I get a chance. Hell, maybe I’ll keep at it throughout the winter. Roast s’mores in the fireplace. Bundle up in layers and take the dogs to the beach. Grill dinner outside on the porch as the snow falls. Okay, these are a stretch, but still. You get the point. Summer magic. There is nothing like it. And, a little bit of that gold sprinkled throughout the rest of the year sounds delightful to me.

EQUINOCTIAL CHALLENGE*: TOP PICKS (PICS)

*There's still time

DITCH THE SHIRT

MAKE THE ICED COFFEE

(Drink it outside, obvs!)

PICKLE THE VEGETABLES

WEAR THE FLIP FLOPS

(But, don't show the dogs!)

WORK OUTSIDE

GRILL THE BURGERS

TAKE THE DOGS TO THE BEACH

LISTEN TO THIS:

GOLD LUCK by SUPER DUPER

Super Duper · Gold Luck

SMM MUSIC, TIPS & TALES

2025-08-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago I joined the Six Minute Mile team as a contributing deejay, if you will. Every week I add new song to an ongoing playlist specially curated for the SMM audience. Since then I have gotten a bit more involved with the newsletter. It started with my quest to find the perfect pair of Bluetooth headphones for running. I began testing various models and provided my thoughts and feedback on each pair after having used them for a few weeks of training. You can check out all my reviews for those here. If you click that link you'll also see that I have expanded my testing platform to include other products such as shoes and sports bras. Not surprisingly, the more I got involved the more I wanted to....well, get involved. Turns out, there are songs to share, products to review and stories to tell and I'm down for all of it. Which leads me to this post. Below you'll see some of my latest stories and reviews post to the SMM website. Given that many of you are runners and/or active people, I'm guessing that a lot of these pieces will be worth your time. Especially those of you who fall in my specific category of masters runners (40+) with wider feet. Why am I telling you this? Well, to be honest the RWM blog has taken a bit of a backseat to SMM for the past couple months. And while I will continue to post race reviews, Runners Who Rock profiles and other random bits and pieces here on RWM, the majority of my brain power is going to be siphoned toward this new SMM outlet. And because there is definitely crossover between the SMM and the RWM audience I feel it's important to share both with you. Because sharing is caring. And knowledge is power. Or something like that. In the future, perhaps these two sites will merge in some way, but for the time being, why not enjoy botH? I will keep updating this specific page with links for new reviews and stories as they are posted over on SMM. Then this fall I will be running the Hartford Marathon (my first as 50 year old) as well as New York City (as a guide), so those race reviews will be the next pieces here on RWM. As always, thanks for following along in whatever way that you do.

SMM MUSIC, TIPS & TALES

And Now It's August. Can You Feel The Excitement?

Summer Racing: 16 Tips To Mix It Up And Beat The Heat

The Challenges Of Being A Runner With Wide Feet, And Tips On How To Find Shoes That Fit

An Ode To The Joy Of Masters Racing (+ 10 Tips To Run Fast As You Age)

5 New Sports Bras Put To The Test On The Run

&

SMM PLAYLIST

RUNNING IN ST. REMY

2025-06-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”

~ Vincent Van Gogh

St-Rémy-de-Province

My family just got home from a week and a half in France. We're all still reeling, very tired and perhaps a bit sad but incredibly fulfilled. The trip was a bit of a last hoorah if you will; some quality time for the four of us to be together before Rosie returns for her third year at Boulder and Grace leaves for her first year down in Ohio. Both of them. Gone. Which means there will be no kids in our house this fall for the first time in 18 years. Which I am not thrilled about. But, I digress. During college, Jeff studied and lived in France and then two of us went for a short trip together to celebrate our 20th anniversary but the girls had never been prior to this trip and, for obvious reasons, had always wanted to go. We began planning our adventure about a year ago so to say they were excited is the understatement of the year. We all were pretty giddy by the time June rolled around. We flew to Paris and spent four days doing all the things. Museums, tours, tuk tuk rides, boat rides, crepes, gelato. Our days were packed and we soaked up every second. Aside from the first morning, I ran every day before the girls woke up. After months of running in Winchester, running along the Seine with the sun shining on the Eiffel Tower was pretty surreal. Paris is definitely a hot spot for running. People were going at all hours of the day, primarily in the morning, but I'd see them out there until dinner time. It stays lighter much later which is weird for going to bed but not at all if you're running at 9pm. The first time I headed out I waved or nodded at runners coming in the other direction, as I tend to do at home. I quickly learned that this was not how it's done for most locals. People were in their own worlds mentally; no waving or smiling. All business. After that I just did my thing, absorbing the beauty of the city and trying to avoid tripping on the cobblestones. After Paris we made our way down to St-Rémy-de-Province where we stayed for the rest of our time in France. We rented a house and did lots of day trips to all the little towns in the area. Again, I ran every morning before the girls woke up and every run was bliss. These were not workouts, mind you. None of that on vacation. Just miles where I explored the town and beyond with no agenda other than to be in the moment. Running in St-Rémy was a totally different experience compared to Paris. Each day presented something new and different and, not to be cheesy but wonderful. Easily some of my best runs of the year and, in my humble opinion, worth sharing. Perhaps seeing and hearing more about it will inspire you to add it to your own list for visiting and/or running. Or maybe you've been there as well and it will bring back pleasant memories. And if neither of those are the case, well, I'm hoping you'll just enjoy the experience from my point of view. Either way, St-Rémy is now officially my favorite place in the world to run. Here's why.

RUN ADVENTURES IN ST-REMY-DE-PROVINCE

~ The highs would be in the 90s and low 100s every day we were there. But I was up around 6am every morning and the air was cool and dry. Perfect for running. It would be pretty hot by the time I was getting home but those first few miles were always so nice.

~ The landscape of St-Rémy is stunning; borderline surreal. Fields of lavender and sunflowers, trails with rolling creeks alongside them. Everywhere I went I was blown away. I also found that a lot of the areas I explored looked the same so I got lost almost daily. Which was totally fine. I always found my way back.

Sunflowers

~ It’s quiet and peaceful but on a totally different level. The town was almost asleep as I began with no one in sight. I saw maybe a total of 10 runners during the week that I was there and most of them were my age or older The young folk clearly had other priorities in the morning. I would say they probably thought I was nuts but they were likely still asleep when I was out there so it didn't matter.

Quiet morning streets

~ There was all sorts of terrain to explore. I found a lot of trails; usually single track which is always a little tricky. It just required me to slow down and respect the footing so I didn't face plant. To the left of our house was straight up a mountain. Literally. I probably ran about 1.7 miles up before finally turning around as I saw no end in sight. And then there were several bike paths from one town to the next. These were my favorite as I'd be passing farms and animals for miles.

~ Despite the fact that there are several crosswalks in town, no one seems to use them. I learned this very quickly. That said, I didn’t get honked at once. People were very polite as they slammed on their breaks to keep from hitting me. After a couple days I felt safer stopping and letting traffic roll by rather than attempting to use them.

Van Gogh's Asylum

~ The town is so ridiculously rich with history. Two steps to the left of our house was the path that lead to Van Gogh's asylum where he painted and spent the last years of his life. Then one street over we could walk to authentic Roman ruins and envision the things that used to unfold. Just mind blowing.

~ Dog owners very rarely use a leash. I would be running on the bike paths and a dog would come barreling toward me with no owner behind it. Always friendly, I found. Then the owner would be casually strolling in, perhaps with a friend, not at all concerned about the dog and where he or she was. Dogs have it good over there.

~ The overall vibe was just much calmer and simpler. And that made every run such a personal experience. Just a very different way to look at running and all that it can provide. Such a gift.

Listen to this:

"I Want to Remember it All" by Laura Stevenson

Laura Stevenson · I Want to Remember it All

RACE REVIEW:BOSTON MARATHON 2025

2025-04-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

"When I said I couldn't take no more

(you can, you can do anything)

You said I (you can do anything)"

~ 'You Can Do Anything'

Last Monday, I lined up for my eleventh Boston Marathon. It was also my fifth with MABVI's Team With A Vision and as a guide for a visually impaired runner. This year I was synched up with Jared Broughton who lives up in Canada. Jared and I connected back in November of 2024 and talked regularly throughout our training cycle but didn't meet in person until Saturday of marathon weekend. It's not ideal, but it's just the way it works, so you do the best you can. Both of us were running as members of Puma's Project 3 so our gear and fuel was provided by Puma which was beyond amazing. A little background for you. Jared has been running competitively for fifteen years and has a 3:01 personal best. Last year he went for a sub-3 at Boston and blew up in the heat. He felt terrible for multiple weeks after the race and just had a really bad taste in his mouth about Boston in general. When we first spoke he let me know that while he was still chasing a sub-3, he did not want to put that pressure on himself for this year's Boston. So time was off the table. His goals, he told me, were to run smart and finish strong. He just wanted to walk away from the race feeling physically decent and mentally fulfilled. Coincidentally, I had been chasing the same goal last year and I also blew up in the heat. So, not only could I relate to his situation but I was more than thrilled to run it with the same goals as Jared. Fast forward through an absolutely brutal winter and we somehow managed to successfully make it to April, both of us ready for redemption.

On Saturday morning we met up at Puma's pop-up shop on Boylston street which they called The High Point. Is it strange to meet the person you're guiding two days before the race and then do a practice run with them hoping that you will be sufficient as a guide even though he doesn't really have a choice in the matter? A little bit, yea. Fortunately, Jared is calm and cool and was very patient with me as we worked through the run together and I figured out how best to communicate. Jared can see directly in front of himself in close range but has no peripheral vision or depth perception and is very sensitive to light. When he runs with a guide he prefers not to be tethered as he likes to have full movement of his arms. Being tethered is definitely easier for the guide as they have more control over where and when their athlete moves but I also understand and respect the need for anyone to use their arms while they are running and was more than willing to figure out how to guide with my voice instead. As we cruised along I called out things like potholes (holy crap, there are a lot in the city), sewers, curbs and stairs. Jared asked me to point at the obstacles as I called them out because he could see my finger right in front of him and having both the vocal and visual cues were helpful. So, we got about four miles in total doing this. I definitely could have used a few more of these practice runs. Oh well. We finished the run and then settled back down at The High Point and spent some time getting to know each other better over coffee and bagels. After about an hour, we said our goodbyes for the day, our plan being to meet up for dinner later that night and then to meet at his hotel on Monday before the race. I won't lie, I walked away feeling really nervous. Excited, too. But mostly nervous. I have guided before but I've never done it for someone running at a pretty fast clip so this situation was new for me. I tried not to think about it as we got through the rest of the weekend and focused on being sharp and ready to go when Sunday rolled around.

Puma provided us with a very cool race kit and I was psyched that Jared and I would likely stand out in bright orange on the course. They also gave us some very fast shoes which, sadly, I was not able to wear because they did not work for my feet. But Jared was using them and loved them so that was all that mattered. As usual, I was in bed early on Saturday night. Jared and I were meeting at his hotel at 5am so I needed to get up around 4:00 for coffee and breakfast before heading out. Not that I need an excuse to go to bed early, as you probably know by now.

I don't care how much of a morning person you are, 4:00am is stupid early. I rolled out of bed and made coffee while feeding Clover who has zero concept of time and just assumes she will be fed if I'm awake. I mean, she's a lab. So, it's fair. I left my house at 4:30 and drove over to Jared's hotel in Brookline. I parked and found everyone from TWAV and then we loaded the bus that was taking us over to the main BAA meeting area for all of the Para athletes.

We drank some shitty coffee on the bus and dozed a little before getting out at our next stop. Both of us could have probably used a little more nap time. That's not really how it works, though. We got out at the main hotel and joined the rest of the Para athletes; all of us now waiting to load the busses that would take us to Hopkinton. The scene was loud and the room was crowded and for a while Jared and I were stuck sitting on the floor. It was a little more chaotic than we had expected but we just tried to stay relaxed and conserve energy. Finally around 7am we got on the bus for our last trip out to Hopkinton. In years past all of the visually impaired runners and their guides met up at a Vision Center a little ways from the start and waited around on the floor until our wave was called. Now the BAA provides an elite tent for all Para athletes that is heated, has chairs to sit on and is stocked with food and drinks. So we got off the bus and walked directly into our fancy tent and this was wonderful.

I put my stuff down and got Jared settled and then looked over to see Joyce Cron, who I had guided back in 2014 and 2015. She and I have stayed in touch over the last ten years and I was really psyched to have some time to catch up with her in person. I sat back down next to Jared and I got the sense that he was now a little nervous as he had quieted down quite a bit and seemed to be zeroed in and focused. We zipped outside the tent for a quick pre-race photo and then got all of our ducks in a row before being called out to the line.

Before we started we watched the elite women walk by which was insanely cool. Jared couldn't see them but I was letting him know who was passing in front of us. Both of us are big fans of all of these amazing women; particularly those from the US. Des Linden, Emma Bates, Keira D'Amato, Sarah Hall and more. So much badassery in that group. We were geeking out big time. For all the previous times I have guided, the BAA started the visually impaired athletes in the back of the pack. Last year they changed this and they now start right behind the elite woman at 9:50. Walking to the start without the crowd of people pushing, shoving and talking around us was absolute bliss. I am so glad they changed this process.

THE RACE

Miles 1-5 (8:14, 7:17, 7:24, 7:27, 7:32)

As you may know, the start of the Boston course is downhill. If you go too fast during these miles, it will undoubtedly bite you in the ass at the end. Jared was trying really hard to keep his pace under control. We had decided to start closer to 8:00 min pace and after a very quick bathroom break in mile one we locked in to what felt good for him. I literally can't run any slower than this he told me even though our pace was faster than we'd planned. That's how hard it is to pull back and I get it. We did our best. The cool thing about this part of the race for us was that since we had started before the masses, we had several miles with no one around us. It was quiet and almost peaceful. There were no crowds so we could talk to each other easily. After being thrown into instant madness with my runners in previous years, this was an absolute dream and I soaked up every second of it.

I was able to take some time here to figure out a system that worked for Jared as far as when and how to let him know there were things he needed to be aware of. What worked best was to run a couple steps in front of him and call out the obstacles while also pointing at them as we approached each one as he could see my finger by the time he needed to focus on it. I was grateful that we had a few miles to practice this and get it right before the rest of the crowd caught up with us. Eventually, a biker rode by and told us we had about 10 minutes until the lead men would be coming and we needed to move to the side to allow for both the lead vehicle and the pack behind it. Clearly, we were very grateful for that info and both of us made a point to thank him.

Miles 6-14 (7:32, 7:32, 7:44, 7:43, 7:40, 7:51, 7:45, 7:49, 7:41)

Eventually, the first wave caught up with us and then, for me, the real work began. As I mentioned, Jared does not like to run with a tether so I was trying to run as close to him as I could without hitting him with my elbows. We had gotten into a pretty good groove with our pace but now I was focused on making sure he knew what was in the road, keeping people from running in between us and grabbing him fluids at each water stop. The challenge with this being that people would dart in front of me to grab a cup and inevitably break us up and I would have to get fluids for Jared and myself while also keeping an eye on him to make sure he didn't get lost in the shuffle. All of this while running at a pretty fast pace made things very challenging and I was definitely stressed out though doing my best to keep Jared from sensing it. As we got closer to the Wellesley scream tunnel I said to him, it's about to get really loud. I'm going to have to yell for you to hear me. And I'm going to need you to really pay attention because you won't hear me otherwise. And while he agreed with me and got himself locked in, nothing could prepare us for what was to come. The noise was beyond what we could have imagined. I have done Boston before and clearly I'm familiar with this section, but when you're guiding someone and they need to hear you it puts it in a whole different perspective. Jared is also incredibly sensitive to sound so as we ran through this part he had his hands up to his ears as it was just too much for him to handle. Getting successfully through this was a major hurdle for both of us.

Miles 15-21 (7:47, 7:38, 8:05, 8:04, 7:56, 7:29, 7:40)

Okay, so now we were getting ready to tackle the hills. Not that this was a big deal for Jared. He runs on hills in Canada all the time and was not even remotely intimidated by them. I did notice that he was having to work a little harder in general and his breathing was getting louder. I think the heat and the intensity were just slightly chipping away at him and he was really starting to feel it at this point. He turned to me and said, I just can't give much more than this right now, to which I responded, this is perfect. You're right where you need to be. No stress. We got this. After the third hill he asked me if we'd gotten over Heartbreak yet. I had to tell him no, that we had one more to go and I could see that was a bit of a blow but he just nodded and powered on. But then we got up and over Heartbreak hill with no issues and once we crested I turned and let him know the hills were done. Okay, he said, let's do this.

Miles 22-26.2 (7:26, 7:35, 7:26, 7:15, 7:00, 6:52)

Go time. Jared found a new gear and we started rolling. We were passing people left and right. The crowds were wild. Cups were all over the place. None of it mattered. Jared was laser focused. He wanted to prove to me, to himself, to everyone out there how fit and feisty he was and he was doing it in spades. I was holding on for dear life, trying to make sure we didn't miss anything on the ground as we picked up the pace and brought it home. It was terrifying and thrilling. All of it. Just so totally wild. We turned onto Boylston street and flew down the final stretch finishing in an impressive three hours and twenty two minutes.

What. A Ride. We did it and it was beautiful. Jared had accomplished everything he'd set out to do. He ran smart, kept himself in check, fueled well, hydrated well, crushed the hills and then finished in beast mode. Running a marathon is so freaking hard. For anyone. I can't even begin to wrap my head around how challenging it must be for someone whose vision is impaired. I'd like to believe I could do it if I was in Jared's shoes, but I honestly don't know. The drive and desire to push at this level while also totally depending on someone else to do it with you is just next level shit. I am just so in awe of him and all Para athletes who have an added level of difficulty when taking on something this big. Jared was in really good shape when we finished and made our way to the tent. His calves were tight, but other than that he was walking fine and seemed totally in control. He took a second here to reflect. I definitely understand the course better and have more respect for it now he told me as we shuffled along. All I wanted was a better experience and a faster time than last year. So, mission accomplished. Drop. Mic. Bravo, Jared.

Listen to this:

You Can Do Anything - DJ Lucas Beat, Jason Derulo, Sia

DJ Lucas Beat · You Can Do Anything (MTG DA SIA)

RACE REVIEW:MCKIRDY MICRO 26.2

2025-04-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

"I know to trip is just to fall."

~ Led Zeppelin

On Saturday, my friend and Whirlaway teammate, Erin G., and I conquered the McKirdy Micro marathon. It was an epic battle for both of us. And while we both had big goals, in the end, finishing was a feat in and of itself. If you read RWM regularly, you know the details of how I ended up signing up for this marathon. If not, feel free to get the back story here. Bottom line, last fall I thought it sounded like a fun adventure to road trip and run this race with Erin not realizing that I would not be able to use my coveted music that I rely so heavily on. For a hot second I considered bailing but Erin wouldn't have it so instead I decided to take this challenge, running without music, head on and hope for the best. Giddy. Up. I trained as I always do; putting in about four months of work. But this cycle was through the New England winter which happened to be particularly tough this year and it just about killed me. But, I did it. We did it. And somehow, despite a fair bit of complaining and lot of time questioning our choices, we got ourselves to last week in one piece. Our Whirlaway team manager, Dave Kaz, gave me a call on Thursday to check in. I told him I was excited but also scared as I'd never raced without music. In so many words, he told me this, The music is nice, Rebecca. But that's not what makes you the runner that you are. You are just as tough as anyone out there, music or no music. Get on the line as ask yourself, who's tougher? I really needed this boost. I always write a mantra on my arm on race day. So there it was.

Ready or not, we were doing this. Erin's husband dropped her off at my house on Friday morning before the race and we packed up and headed out for our three hour drive to White Plains, NY which is where we'd be staying for the night. Despite some slow downs due to construction, we had a pretty painless trip arriving at the hotel around 1:00. We dropped our bags in our room and went down to the conference room to get our bibs and drop off our bottles. One of the perks of this race was that we would have bottle service which meant that volunteers would put our own customized bottles out on a table and they would be available for us for every lap. We were doing 8 laps of 3 miles which probably sounds pretty miserable to some of you but for us it was kind of nice because it took the guess work out of when we needed to grab our fluids. I've done a lapped course before and I really don't mind it as it's a different way to break down a marathon mentally.

After handing off our bottles, we picked up our shirts and bibs from the race director. He made a point to remind us that NO HEADPHONES or PHONES were allowed and that if he saw them he would pull you off the course and disqualify you. I mean, I wasn't going to try to do anything sneaky but it felt like he was specifically talking to me as he said this. Ok, yes, I know, I thought to myself. No music. Thank you for the reminder because it's not the only thing I've been thinking about since you told us the rules in January.

The name Trachsel, pronounced TRAX-EL, tends to get butchered on the regular so it was no surprise to see that they had written TRASCHEL on my bib. I laughed it off and tried not to take it as a sign. Friends joked with me on social media calling me Trachsel the Rascal (Chicken), or telling me to prove "I ain't no trash" (the Rullet). Funny, yes. I'm all for it. And it's really the only way to look at it without getting annoyed. Erin and I spent the next five hours or so watching Friends re-runs, reading, eating snacks and dozing. Not a bad Friday afternoon except that we were both incredibly anxious and couldn't really relax. Par for the course. We grabbed some dinner around 6:00, laid out all of our gear and got in bed around 8:00.

Yes, 8:00 is ridiculously early, even for me. But the race was going off at 7:00am and we were staying about 20 minutes from the start so in order to have time to wake up, drink coffee, shower and do all the things, we were setting our alarm for for 4:15am. Hence, 8:00. Our sweet friend and teammate, Lauren T., had driven down from NH with her adorable daughter, Brooke, to come watch and cheer us on and she'd told us she was more than happy to drive us over to the start so we didn't have to stress about it. Yes, she is a saint. Also worth noting that Brooke is 13. And she got up with mom at 4:00, no complaints. Zero chance either of my kids would've voluntarily done that for me. So, yea. They're both pretty amazing.

I grabbed a photo with Lauren before the race began which has become somewhat of a tradition for us since we became teammates back in 2019. She was like my emotional support animal for the morning as the scene was intense and felt way more stressful than usual. A lot of people were going for big times and the race director wanted us focused and on our game. Which is fine. But also, we were already on edge so I didn't feel like we needed the extra intensity. Oh well. Perhaps this is why I am not a professional runner. This and the fact that can't use my headphones when I race. Well, both of those things and, of course, because I am not fast enough. All good. Really.

THE RACE:

Miles 1-6 (6:54, 6:54, 6:38, 6:40, 6:46, 6:42)

As I mentioned, the race was broken down into eight laps of 3 miles. The course was at a park in Valley Cottage, NY and the loop was around a lake; the whole scene pretty spectacular. It also didn't hurt that we rolled in on stunner of a morning with temps in the low 40s, the sun rising and the fog rolling off the lake as we pulled into the parking lot. This was a small event, around 250 people, so it was easy for us to park, warm up a little and find our tables with the bottles on them as we worked our way over to the start. It had been so painfully cold this winter at home and I was grateful that I could walk around in my shorts and tank without shivering. The race director broke us up in our different pace groups and introduced our pacers. My plan was to run with the 3 hour pace group for as long as I could with the hope that I could pick it up a bit at the end and finish just under three hours. That said, I was not putting a lot of pressure on myself for a specific time as I was just focused on getting through the whole thing without music. The first couple miles were fine, though, as you can see in my splits, the pacers were a bit up and down as they tried to calibrate. I had made a conscious decision not to look at my watch and to trust the pace team so I was just going with the flow.

Around mile 5, someone clipped my heal from behind and I went down hard. My shoulders, knees and chin hit the pavement hard and I laid there stunned, not knowing what to do with myself. The crowd, which was sizable at the time as we all had the same time goal, just jumped to the side or barreled right over me. For a split second I considered not getting up and just waiting until everyone was gone and calling it a day. But then, I felt a woman pulling me up, literally, by my arms and then telling me to shake it off and get moving. So that's what I did. Thankfully, she made the decision for me as I was really struggling. Clearly. So, I got myself back in the group and tried not to think about my throbbing chin or the blood running down my arms and legs. I saw Lauren around mile 6 and held up my arm to show her the carnage. Why? I have no idea. I guess I just wanted her to know it had happened and to prove to someone other than myself that I was still going to attempt to finish.

MILES 6-13 (6:42, 6:50, 6:42, 6:40, 6:47, 6:46, 6:42, 6:38)

Thankfully I had managed to reset myself mentally and was trying to just lock back in and focus on my rhythm. No music, remember? So, I was counting, saying mantras, doing anything, really, to distract myself from, well...myself. Looking back, I should have checked my watch as this pace was a little too swift for me and would cost me on the last 10K. The lesson here being to use the pacers as a guide but not to depend on them fully. My mistake. I take full blame. Other than that, the miles were ticking off, people were very supportive, sharing water and moving out of each other's way when the tables came up. In that way, it was definitely a cool race environment and I'm sure that's what enabled me to stay on track for a while after falling.

MILES 14-21 (6:41, 6:40, 6:46, 6:51, 6:49, 6:54, 7:08)

Physically, I was still feeling okay for this section but mentally I was starting to feel a little doubt seep in. I did a full body check - feet felt fine, cuts had stopped bleeding, legs were holding up, mind was still sharp. So, I just trusted that I could hold on for this second half. As I came up on my 6th lap I was feeling a little nauseous and didn't think I could get my fluids down. Honestly, the thought of even trying kind of made me gag, so I just grabbed a water instead and took an electrolyte tab. The temperature had been climbing steadily throughout the morning and I was starting to feel the warmth of the sun. It wasn't outrageous, but it was noticeable for sure. Looking back, as it crept into the 70s in that second half, I probably didn't drink enough to account for the change. My legs were coated in salt when I finished which is always a sure sign of dehydration. But, at the time, I just couldn't get much down. At mile 21 you can see I started to fade. I knew I would finish the race, but I also knew if I didn't dial it back I would probably be in trouble. So, I did what felt right and that took me off the 3 hour pace group which meant I was running by myself. With no music. I know, I know. I'll shut up about it. It's just such big deal for me to run in silence like that. I just don't do well. It's not an excuse, mind you. Not going there. I swear.

MILES 22-26.2 (7:08, 7:37, 7:10, 7:12, 7:26, 7:12)

Okay, so I had about 2 more laps to go. I had to go to the bathroom and couldn't stop thinking about it. I knew I'd already blown my shot at a sub-3 so at mile 23 I jumped behind a rock in the woods and squatted really quickly. As you can see it only took me about 30 seconds but the relief was worth the loss. I pride myself on being wicked fast at this trick. When I got back on the course I felt mentally refreshed, back on my game and ready to get it done. These decisions, to stop or not to stop, can be tough but ultimately you have to go with what you know will help feel the best. Stopping was it for me. I had no problem getting back up to my pace, even though it was now a little slower. I was fine, though. I could even smile at the photographer. I knew I was finishing and was eager to cross the line. I finally saw the chute and rolled across with a respectable 3:02.54 which, given how things had played out, I was pretty happy with. The first thing I did was find the gal who had picked me up and thanked her. She let me know that she had been the one who had tripped me, by accident, of course, and had felt terrible but then she had been the one to get me moving again so for that I was grateful. Shit happens. She's a good human. After that I found Lauren, Brooke, Erin and our friend Michelle (new run connection FTW) and gave Lauren a much needed hug. It was over. I had done it. It hadn't been pretty. And that's okay. It was a crazy battle, and in a weird way, I had won.

I went over to the medical table and got myself cleaned up. Well, really Lauren and the trainer cleaned me up because I was kind of useless. I had dirt and little rocks in all of my cuts and Lauren was adamant about rinsing them off, getting first aid cream on them and covering them up so they didn't get infected. She's a good mom. And a good friend.

After that, we all made our way back to the hotel to take showers and get our stuff together to head home. Normally, we wouldn't rush out but my daughter had been home from college for spring break and was leaving the next morning so I wanted to spend that last night with her. Which meant shower, pack, lunch and get on the road in about a two hour window. Impressive, right? Erin and I talked through our experiences and agreed that the whole thing had been worth it despite the fact that our races hadn't gone to plan for either of us. I won't go into Erin's race, that's her story to tell. But, I will say that this build had been very challenging for her and that she was an absolute warrior out there. I'm proud to call her my teammate and was so lucky to have had her as my run-wingman. Lessons learned from this experience? First, I can race without music. I don't like it. But I can do it. That said, I will never do it again. Second, I can push through really hard things, like taking a fall, and finish even when it feels like I can't. It may not end up as I'd planned but it will be equally, if not more, rewarding. Third, quitting is not an option. I mean, unless I'd broken a bone or something. But, you get the point. Assuming you're able, it's always worth finishing. Next up for Erin is London (4 weeks). For me it's Boston (3 weeks). So, quick turnaround for both of us. But first, coffee. Obvs.

Listen to this:

Heaven by Delacey

Delacey · Heaven

NO MUSIC

2025-03-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

Last fall, my friend and Whirlaway teammate, Erin, suggested I sign up for the McKirdy Micro Marathon which would be taking place in upstate New York at the end of this March. So, I poked around on the website and noted all the perks (pacers, personal bottle stations, marked tangents along the course, flat and fast). And all of that plus the fact that it just looked really cool and I'd be road tripping and racing with Erin was more than enough to convince me to sign up. Which I did. And then, given that I was focused on running Hartford at that point, I didn't give it much more thought simply because I didn't have to. At the start of the new year, McKirdy himself began to send informational emails about the marathon. We are the only marathon in the world that offers an elite experience to every runner, he said. Then he went on to explain that 225 of us would be taking on the roughly three mile looped course and that it was a USATF certified. Oh, and by the way, headphones are strictly prohibited. Insert loud record scratching sound here. What the what??!! I emailed McKirdy directly to be sure I understood the situation and he confirmed that wearing headphones during the race was not allowed due to USATF rules. I then texted Erin.

I was seriously considering telling her that, for obvious reasons, I could no longer participate in this event. I have run 34 marathons and countless other races from the mile to ultras. College aside, I have never raced without music. Ever. For the love of Pete, I am Running With Music. Music is my fuel. I cannot imagine not using it for a full marathon nor do I want to imagine it. Well, my friends, it is officially time to expand my imaginative capabilities as despite my efforts to try, Erin refused to let me bail. And given that I'd registered, paid and was halfway through my training, I decided I would begrudgingly take on this new and exciting challenge of running a marathon without music. Which meant I needed to start practicing by doing some workouts on my own. In the dead of winter. When I was doing most of work inside, down in my basement on the treadmill. Because that sounded fun. Ok, I know, I'm being a giant baby. I won't deny it. But I can't help it. Sorry not sorry. Back in February, I'd been planning to race a 4 miler with my team. Then we got a blizzard and the race was canceled. Well played, Mother Nature. So my coach suggested I do a time trial on my treadmill. He also gently suggested that I do it without music.

And I knew he was right. It had to be done. So, I agreed to give it a shot. I didn't like it. But, dammit, I got it done. As you can see in this video, I was really proud of myself. It's now March and the race is four weeks away. Clearly, it would be beneficial for me to continue practicing without tunes. Thus, I've come up with some creative ways to ease my way into it without completely ripping the bandaid off and running silent for the next month. I think these seem like very reasonable solutions. No? Stay tuned. This is gonna be interesting.

TOP 10 WAYS TO WEEN MYSELF OFF RUNNING WITH MUSIC

1. Turn the volume way down. So like, I can hear a little something, but not enough to distract me completely the way it usually does when it's loud.

2. Listen to a book rather than songs. Yes, it's something but I promise you a book doesn't get my juices flowing the way a good song does.

3. Try to learn a new language. This sounds really hard but might as well throw another huge challenge into the mix if w're doing it anyway.

4. Play music every, OTHER, mile. So, yea, I get to hear it but not when I want and/or need it. I have to turn it off for every other mile, no matter what.

5. Listen to shitty music like country (not my favorite, no disrespect). Or music that could potentially slow me down like classical (love it, but not for running). This sounds like it could actually work against me. Is that good? I'm not sure.

6. Listen to music on Monday, Wednesday and Friday but not on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. No matter what the workout is. Long run? Doesn't matter. Track workout? If it's on Wednesday, sucks for you.

7. Shuffle my playlist. Okay, this one is lame, but I do like to plan out my music journey each day so not knowing what's coming would make things a little more difficult.

8. Listen with one earbud instead of two. Basically, the same concept as turning it down. But, honestly I don't get nearly as excited or distracted when I can't really hear the music in one ear.

9. Play my music out loud on the phone's speaker. No headphones at all. So yea, I'd hear something, but not clearly or loudly. Basically almost nothing.

10. Start running without music when the weather improves and therefore I am not dreading both the cold and the lack of tunes. Not sure when that will be given it's 17 degrees out today, but hey. You never know.

Listen to this:

I'll Be Okay by Michianger

Michigander · I'll Be OK

MY JACKET FOR YOUR STORY

2025-02-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

This April I'll be lining up for my eleventh Boston Marathon. Over the years I have purchased three different official race jackets of various styles and colors. After 2023, when I purchased this lovely grey number that you see to the left, I swore to myself that I wouldn't buy any more jackets no matter how many more times I was racing. But then I saw the 2025 jacket. And I really like it. Like, a lot. More than the other three. And I really like those, too. So, to make myself feel better, I decided I would give away my 2023 jacket. I posted on Instagram and asked people to share their craziest race stories. (full post here) Good race or bad, didn't matter. Any distance, any outcome. Now, I would be lying if I said I didn't do this mainly to hear some epic race stories. I did. But, I was also. more than happy to give this jacket a new home in the process. I had no intention of writing up a post about this but then the stories that were shared were so freaking good I had to publish them here on RWM so you, too, could read these crazy tales. Before I list them all out, I do want to share my own epic race adventure. I'll try to keep it brief. But it's the one I would have used had I entered my own contest. Back in 2017, I ran the Sugarloaf marathon up in nowheresville Maine. No disrespect. It is a beautiful area. But aside from our hotel, there was not much going on. Normally, this would be fine. But, I was not prepared for the lack of shopping options and it bit me in the ass. In a nutshell, on race morning I went downstairs to get coffee and was told that the breakfast staff hadn't shown up and therefore there was no coffee made. I definitely cried a little when I heard this. Then I got my shit together and hopped on the bus that would take us out to the race start. It was 6am and the race was starting at 7am. Obviously our bus broke down. It started to make loud noises and couldn't get up the hill. We had to go back to the hotel and get on a new bus and it was now basically minutes before the start of the race. We finally got off the bus and found the start and as we checked our bags and tried to calm down the freaking gun went off. Literally, I was holding my bag and looked around like WTF? I got rid of my bag and started rolling only to eventually run up alongside Joan Benoit Samuelson. No big deal, right? Just, like, one of the greatest running legends of all time in the flesh. We ran about 5-6 miles together and then she dropped out as she had only planned to do 18 as a training run in preparation for Chicago. But still, I ran a marathon with Joanie. And she was awesome. She knew I was trying to break 3 hours and encouraged me along the way, pushing me to pass people and to stay focused. I mean, you can't make this shit up. Alas, I did not break 3 hours, but ended up running 3 hours and 16 measly seconds. Both heartbreaking and awesome as I'd also never come that close to my goal. I found Joanie after the race and thanked her for pushing me along. She told me not to worry, that sub-3 was coming. And, she was, of course, right. It took a while, but it did eventually happen. Needless to say this was my wildest race story and I love going back and reading the race review as it always makes me smile. Also, I never travel without a coffee machine anymore. So, that was a very valuable lesson. I will never forgive that guy. Okay, back to the gems below. Here are some of the stories that were shared with me last week. The two highlighted in orange were the winners. Both incredible. I couldn't decide so I gave away a second jacket. You know what that means, right?? Enjoy!

WINTER MESSAGES

2025-01-15T11:49:00.000-08:00

Winter training is tough. We all know this. I do my best to find the positives and keep my complaining to a minimum but sometimes Mother Nature gets the best of me. Like last week, for example. It was single digits almost every day and sub-zero with the windchill. Then on Saturday, it snowed quite a bit. Let's just say I did a little victory dance on Sunday when I'd successfully gotten through the week. But, alas, it's January. And therefore we are in this winter "situation" for a while. I'm lucky that I have friends and teammates to run with once in a while. That definitely cushions the blow. But when I'm solo, things are harder. Motivating to get out there is a feat in and of itself. Then, the run itself, particularly when conditions are bad, is also inevitably challenging. Sharks in the ocean in the summer time? Whatever. Ice on the road in winter? I am literally scared to death. Because falling. Obviously. I don't even want to take the risk. Today as I ran down Route 3 in Winchester I hopped out onto the road because the sidewalk was covered in snow and ice. Seems logical, right? And yet, still, drivers were annoyed with me because I was on the road with them. Now, I get it. Sometimes things get tight and a driver's options are limited. And I'm sure it's annoying to creep by a runner and feel like you might hit them. But more often than not I don't have a choice. I'm not going to run on ice. I'm just not. I will do my best to stay over to the side and not get in the way but I'm not putting myself at risk of falling. As I cruised along this morning I thought of things I would like people, mainly drivers, to know about the my training situation and what I'd tell them if they could hear me. Then I thought it would be funny if I got a shirts made with these statements on them and wore them throughout the winter months. Perhaps it would smooth things over or, at the very least, explain my logic for being out there on any given day. So here's what I came up with. And does anyone out there work in printing? Asking for runners everywhere.

~ The sidewalks are a shit show.

~ The bike path is not clear.

~ The track is not clear.

~ I'm training for Boston (or any spring marathon).

~ I like being outside.

~ I don't have a treadmill.

~ I loathe the treadmill.

~ I am running 20 miles & I refuse to do that on a treadmill.

~ I can't take today off.

~ Yes, I know this seems crazy.

~ Yes, I'm choosing to do this.

~ Yes, I do this for fun.

~ It's winter. Please share.

~ The situation is temporary.

~ I know.

~ I get it.

~ I don't like it either.

~ Sorry. Not sorry.

Listen to this:

Can't Win by LABRYS

LABRYS · Can't Win

2024: A YEAR IN REVIEW

2024-12-30T11:32:00.000-08:00

Dear RWM Readers,

Well, it was a hell of a year. Lots of great moments. So many amazing memories. And so much incredible music. I won't bore you with the details. Let's just say I'm so grateful that I get to share my two biggest passions with you - running and music - as well as a lot of the other crazy that goes on in my life. I'm kind of floored that this blog is still rolling since I started it back in 2011. Life has changed so much since then and I suppose RWM has evolved along with it. In so many ways it keeps me grounded to stick with it and if I'm being honest, it's a lot of fun to thread the year together as it unfurls. So, for reading these stories and for following along with all of my adventures and mishaps, thank you. I hope that they are relatable in some way or, at the very least, they make you laugh. Ultimately, that's the goal. Connection. Yes. But also humor. Because life is short and laughing makes it better. Here's to another year behind us, no matter how it played out. Making it through is an accomplishment in an of itself. So let's be proud. Cheers to all of us. And I will look forward to being with you again in 2025. Rock on!

All the best,

RUNNING WITH MUSIC 2024

JANUARY

LEX GIRLS TIED FOR MIDDLESEX LEAGUE CHAMPS

#LEXGO

SONG:BONFIRE - LAANDS

ALBUM:TERRIBLE NEWS - MIDDLE KIDS

FEBRUARY

IT WAS AN INTENSE MONTH. I GOT A NEW TATTOO.

TURNS OUT I NEEDED THAT 41 MAGIC WITH ME AT ALL TIMES.

#always41

SONG:STILL GETTING IT DONE - GHOST OF VROOM

ALBUM:TROLL - ELLIPHANT

MARCH

LEX TRACK & FIELD SHINED AT INDOOR NATIONALS

SONG:CUTTING EDGE-CAIN CULTO

ALBUM:MEET ME IN THE BLUE-GERD

APRIL

BOSTON MARATHON w/ MAGGIE. GOOD, BAD & VERY UGLY

SONG:JOYRIDE - COLEMAN HELL

ALBUM:THE ROT - ABBY SAGE

MAY

SHORT & MUCH NEEDED GETAWAY TO BERMUDA

SONG:OUR TIME IS NOW - NONONO

ALBUM:MIDDLE KIDS - FAITH CRISIS PT 1

JUNE

48 HOURS WITH CB IN CINCY
#runlove

SONG:ALL A MYSTERY - PHANTOGRAM

ALBUM:ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US - VAMPIRE WEEKEND

JULY

RAN A 5K WITH ROSIE & GRACE

(Grace made me cut her out of the photo)

SONG:HOLD ON - KYGO, EMMIT FENN

ALBUM:VISITOR - UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS

AUGUST

#SUMMERMODE

SONG:CLOSE TO YOU - GRACIE ABRAMS

ALBUM:I LOVE YOU SO F***ING MUCH - GLASS ANIMALS

SEPTEMBER

GRACE'S FIRST DAY OF SENIOR YEAR

#sniff

SONG:DEATH VALLEY HIGH - ORVILLE PECK

ALBUM:ILLUMINATOR - GIFT

OCTOBER

HARTFORD MARATHON

#34

SONG:LATE NOTES - SAVOIR ADORE

ALBUM:MEMORY OF A DAY - PHANTOGRAM

NOVEMBER

ROSIE'S 1ST HALF MARATHON

SONG:DESERT EAGLE - GENEVIEVE STOKES

ALBUM:TENDER - FLUX

DECEMBER

BACK ON THE SLOPES WITH JEFF
#fullcircle

SONG:AM I? - JOY OLADOKUN

ALBUM:DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY - ALICE IVY

LISTEN TO THIS: RWM 2024 MUSIC OF THE MONTH

2024 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE & WINTER GIVEAWAY

2024-12-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

"Holidays are about creating cherished memories with loved ones & finding magic in the simplest moments."

~ Jeremiah Say

Not to sound cliché but, yes, here we are again. Another year is behind us. And what can I say about 2024? It was epic. Some very high highs. And some very low lows. But as always, we made it through. Looking back, there is a lot to celebrate. And so much to be grateful for. First, and foremost, our health. Despite some broken bones and a few torn ligaments, no need to go into detail on these but, thankfully, everyone is back in one piece and doing what they love again. Praise be. Rosie finished her first year at Boulder with flying colors back in May and headed back out for her second year in August after working at my favorite coffee shop all summer. I swear I had nothing to do with this. Grace wrapped up her junior year at WHS and promptly began her college search. At this point, her applications are now officially out and the waiting game has begun. Side note, next fall Jeff and I will empty nesters and I'm not happy about it. Just putting that out there now. I'll probably be talking about this a lot next year. But I digress. I added three marathons to my run resume this year. Boston in April. That was an absolutely beautiful blowout. The Old Colony Marathon, which I did about a month later just to get the shitty taste of the Boston experience out of my mouth. Thankfully, that worked. And then Hartford, CT this past October, which was wonderful. As it is every year, coaching at LHS has been an absolute joy and the Lex girls track and cross country teams exceeded expectations across the board. Both teams are young and in the process of building something that people will undoubtedly begin to notice. Again, I'll probably be talking about this a lot more next year as well. I began a partnership with Six Minute Mile, mainly as their resident DJ, adding a weekly song to their Friday newsletter. But also writing product reviews for things like headphones and running shoes. They are such a cool group of dudes and I'm so pumped that I get to work with them each week. Beyond that, I spent a lot of quality time training and racing with my Whirlaway teammates, sharing coffee with friends and family, soaking up my girls as much as possible (which is stupidly hard to do at ages 18 and 20) and trying to appreciate all the little things in life like good music and lazy Sunday afternoons. All in, I can't complain. Let's move on, shall we? The gift guide and the giveaway are really what we're here for. I get it. For the past couple months I've been seeking out gifts for my annual guide and goodies to add to my winter giveaway. Below you'll find the items I am most excited about and that I feel are worth sharing. You'll see some repeat items from last year or new items by the same company. And that's obviously because I either love said items or love the company they come from. And why wouldn't I suggest items that I love? Hopefully you'll find something for your friend, runner, aunt, cousin, teammate, coach or even yourself on this list. Check them all out and then head down and enter the RWM WINTER GIVEAWAY! So many goodies in this one. Ok, that's it from me. Merry, merry!

RWM HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Ororo Daybreak Women's Colorblock Heated Anorak - Yes, an Ororo product is on the list again. And for as long as I'm posting this gift guide, they likely always will be. Because they make really cool, high quality, HEATED clothing. I really shouldn't have to say much more than this. If you run cold, literally or physically or both, or you live in a colder climate an Ororo jacket is life changing. Stay warm while you're skiing, coaching, playing hockey, walking the dog, doing absolutely nothing. You don't need a reason to want to be warm. I get it. We all do.

Retail price:$189.99

The Feathers Fuel Bag by Sewn By Infa - When you go to a race you inevitably pack a bag full of gels, fluids, bars, etc. Basically anything that you might want to eat before, during and/or after a race. And how nice to have them all in one place, right? The Feathers Fuel bag was inspired by legendary sports nutritionist, Meghann Featherstone. She touts high carbs for healthy running and fuels with bagels and graham crackers among many other things. Sewn By Infa owner, Courtney, took this concept and ran. Pun intended. Give this bag to the runner in your life who throws 100 things in their bag but always has a hard time finding what they need because they are scattered all over the place. Grab one for yourself, too. Because who doesn't need this?

Retail Price:$40

Handmade Mugs by Noble Pine Designs - Picture yourself sitting by the fire with a hot cup of coffee in a handmade mug given to you by your bestie. Please and thank you. These mugs are beautiful and each one is unique. Mountain scenes, winter forests, snowy foxes. There are so many to choose from and owner, Lily Noble, has something for everyone. They are both dishwasher and microwave safe which is wonderful. Support a small-batch, local pottery artist this season and give someone a gift that warms the heart and soul. Coffee? Tea? Hot Chocolate? Yes. Fill it up.

Retail Price:$40-$60

Paradis Sport Natural Fiber Bikini - Paradis undies were on my list last year. They make it back on again this year with their incredible new line of natural fiber bikinis. The company, owned by two amazing, badass women, just launched these babies in four new, Alaska inspired colors. They are hands down the most comfortable under layer I've ever worn for running and beyond. They're high performance and moisture-wicking and made with soft, lightweight, breathable fabric. These just feel so good on. The active woman in your life really shouldn't live without a three pack of these in her wardrobe.

Retail price:$105 (but currently on sale for $89 as of 12/6)

Landgrove Coffee - Holiday Blend - If you are going to gift coffee, and I always do, make sure it's the best coffee. And Landgrove coffee, in my humble opinion, is the best coffee. Depending on the blend, the beans are organic, small batch, fair trade and/or purchased direct. They are roasted by the Binninger family out in Troy, Idaho. And yes, they are all involved in the process. Here's a thought....grab some as a gift and get yourself a monthly subscription so this amazing coffee is delivered straight to your door. You're welcome.

Retail price: $17/lb

Fuelgoods Limited Edition Holiday Box - Similar to Ororo, the Fuel Goods Runnerbox gift boxes will probably always be on my list. Because it is truly the perfect gift. I mean, it's a box full of hand picked, running related products tested but the owners themselves, all of whom are athletes and only want the best to go out to their customers. You can give one box or a subscription of monthly boxes to the runner in your life and they will love you more than they already do, which is probably a lot. Okay, fine. Gifts don't buy us love. But snacks might?

Retail Value: $91 (but currently on sale for $45 as of 12/6)

How to Run the Perfect Race by Matt Fitzgerald & Think Like A Runner by Jeff Horotwitz - Because who doesn't love a good book? And if you're a runner, why wouldn't you want to know how to run a perfect race or to think like a runner? Seriously, both Fitzgerald and Horowitz are acclaimed authors and so incredibly knowledgable about all things running. I have read both and I can't recommend them enough for you or the runner in your life. That's right, my friends, at 49 I'm still trying to learn how to run a perfect race.

Retail Value:$14.40 & $19.95 at Amazon.com

❄️❄️❄️❄️ RWM WINTER GIVEAWAY ❄️❄️❄️❄️

And then last, but definitely not least, the annual RWM WINTER GIVEAWAY! I love giving away products that I have tried myself and thus completely stand by and that are designed by companies that I believe in and want to support. Trust me when I tell you that you will be the favorite aunt, sister, daughter, friend if you win this baby and share it with someone you love. That said, I won't say a word if you want to keep it all for yourself. You've earned it, dammit. As I did last year, I'm going to hold this giveaway over at RWM on Instagram as it's easier to keep track of all the entries in one place. All you have to do to enter is "like" the post. Yep, that's it. You can receive a bonus entry for each individual company that you follow in addition to your "like" entry. Huge thanks to all of the companies that contributed to this amazing giveaway. The vest will be shipped directly from Ororo. The undies will be shipped directly from Paradis Sport. The Fuel Goods Runnerbox will be shipped directly from Fuel Goods. Everything else comes from me. Retail value of this prize package is over $500.00. US residents only for this one. Good luck! Winner will be chosen by random.org on 12/13.

Winter Giveaway Details:

1 Ororo Heated Vest (choose Quilted or Classic style)

2 lbs of Landgrove Coffee

1 Landgrove Coffee Trucker hat

1 copy of How to Run the Perfect Race by Matt Fitzgerald

1 copy of Think Like A Runner by Jeff Horowitz

1 3 Pack of Paradis Natural Fiber Bikinis

1 Fuel Goods Runnerbox Holiday Gift Box

1 Noble Pine Designs Heart mug

1 Sewn By Infa coupon for 25% off any item

Listen to this:

Narcisc0 - Rina Mushanga

Rina Mushonga · Narcisc0

RACE REVIEW:THANKSGIVING DAY CLASSIC

2024-12-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

"Mothers and daughters together are a powerful force to be reckoned with."

~ Melia Keeton Digby

Over the summer, my daughter, Rosie, trained for her first half marathon. This is huge because when she was younger, and she's only 20, so basically for most of her life, she has admittedly hated running. Back in June when she told me she wanted to do this and asked me to write her a plan I was both shocked and thrilled. Not that I showed it. I was like, yea sure. Sounds cool. Happy to help. Whatevs. About two weeks before her race in September she started to have pain in her foot and shortly thereafter was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her metatarsal. Sadly, there would be no race for her. Needless to say she was devastated. She had dedicated so much time and energy to train through the brutally hot summer and she'd really wanted to see it all come together. As we all would. But, such is the sport, right? And the body calls the shots even when we don't like it. Fast forward to October. Rosie had slowly been starting to run again and immediately got the bug to race when she could string a few miles together. I know, shocker. I told her I was running a half on Thanksgiving and suggested she join me for the 5K that was happening at the same time. To which she responded, Mom, can I just do the half with you? Ummm. Maybe?? I said. I wrote up a very cautious plan for her to try and follow over the course of the next few weeks and then we agreed to decide on whether or not to give it a shot the weekend before the race. Which brings us to this race review. That's right, my friends. Rosie and I did a half together on Thanksgiving day. Her first. Maybe of many. With me. I never thought it would happen but always hoped it would. Here's how it played out. I'm going to lean heavily on my pics to share this one so bear with me.

Wednesday night, Rosie and I laid out all of our race gear on the two twin beds in the extra room in our rental. Music was playing and she was checking everything off her list. I was like a pig in clover dancing around the room. She told me she was "nerve-cited" about the race. This is now my new favorite word.

Thursday morning we woke up at 4:45 because we needed to leave for the race at 5:30. I was trying hard to wake up with shitty rental house coffee. Clearly it had not kicked yet at this point. But, I swear I was also excited. It was pitch black outside and honestly felt like the middle of the night so getting fired up was tricky. I was doing my best.

My pre-race meal is eight graham crackers. But, I had forgotten to buy them the day before. So, instead I had 100 of the mini Teddy Grahams that we'd bought at the airport which is the equivalent amount of carbs. Yes, one hundred. It was kind of ridiculous.

We got to the start with no issues, parked and jogged over to grab our numbers. One of the best lines of the day was from Rosie who said, this is nuts, the freaking stars are still out. We both thought that was hilarious.

We got a quick pre-race photo, hugged and made a plan to meet up at the finish. There might have been some tears. I was getting ready to run a half with my daughter for the first time. So, yea. I was kind of out of my mind in the best way.

All right, so the gun went off and I started flying down the street. But why is it so dark, you ask? And that's a great question because if you look down at the rest of our race pics it was clearly bright and sunny while we were running. It's dark because I wasn't paying attention and didn't realize until about a half mile in that I had started with the 5k runners which was going off 10 minutes earlier than the half. I looked up and saw a sign that said half marathon to the left but no one was going left. This is when I realized that this was because there were no half marathoners with me. I took my headphones out and asked a volunteer to be sure. Nope, he said. They haven't started yet, you need to get back to the line pronto. Not a bad warmup up tho? Well played. I sprinted back to start, legitimately laughing out loud at myself. I'm sure the 5k runners were like, what is this moron doing? Why would she turn around and go back? Also great questions. Both of them. I barely made it in time to slide back into the start corral. Literally, 1 min and 27 seconds and bam, we were off. Not my best.

Usually I put my phone on 'Do Not Disturb' when I race but I'd forgotten to do it so shortly after I got started the verbal text messages started coming in through my headphones. The first one was a reminder to take my trash out. Super helpful given I was down in FL and could not, in fact, deal with my trash back up in Boston. The second was a text from my daughter, Grace, who told our family group chat that she'd accidentally worn two different shoes to the airport. I immediately burst out laughing. The image of her tired and out of it walking through the airport with two different shoes on was too much. I laughed for a while at this one. Which probably looked pretty funny to spectators. The third was a message from my girl, Ali, to my lady gang from up North saying Happy Thanksgiving and sending love to everyone. That made me smile. There were a bunch more but you get the gist. It's hard to stay focused and run a steady effort when random messages are popping up through my music every couple miles. Fortunately, as you can see by my jazz hands above, I was not taking this race too seriously. For the record, I was trying to give a wave to the photographer here. Clearly I forgot that you really only use one hand to say hello.

In general my legs felt heavy and my body was pretty flat overall. Just no zip in the drive. I guess I'm still recovering from Hartford and, well, honestly I just didn't really care that much. That said, it was still a good, solid push. And to be honest, this is kind of a fun way to race because the pressure was totally off for a change. I just wasn't concerned about my overall time or place and was really out there to get a run in and spend the morning with my daughter.

After the race we took about 1000 photos (obvs she picked the ones I was allowed to use for this post) and then we stopped for coffee before heading back to the fam. I didn't get a photo of us hugging after she finished, but we did and it was beautiful. From hating running to giving it a shot to a stress fracture to getting back on the horse post-injury to running her first successful half marathon. All in a matter of about five months. I was just so happy for her and so proud of what she'd accomplished. And that's pretty much the whole story. This one goes down as one of my all time fav race experiences. Oh, and did I mention that this was the 41st running of this particular event? You can’t make this stuff up. I can not wait to do it again. All of it. She now claims the Boston marathon is on her bucket list. Bring it. You and me, Rosie. LFG.

Listen to this:

All We Need (Deep Inside) - AYYBO

AYYBO · All We Need (Deep Inside)

RWM & SMM: SHOEQUEST 2024

2024-11-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

*As seen in SIX MINUTE MILE

Every sport has a primary tool, right? Soccer has the ball. Lacrosse has the stick. Running? Well, it kind of goes without saying that our most important tool is our shoes. And, depending on what kind of runner you are, you might have multiple pairs of shoes for the different types of work that you're doing. Or, you might just like wearing different types of shoes because they look cool or feel freaking great. Ultimately, if you are going to run in any way, your feet have to be happy and that means finding the right shoes for them. Seems pretty straightforward, no? I have a size 7 foot. My running shoes are usually a 7.5. I have a good arch so I tend to use a neutral shoe. I am prone to plantar fasciitis so I prefer a more cushioned model. I played soccer as a kid through high school and squeezed my not narrow feet into cleats every day. I'm sorry, feet. During that time, my left foot developed a bunion and, as they tend to do, it has grown bigger over time. It's a common ailment and it doesn't tend to be a huge deterrent to runners. Until it is. Now, granted, I have been running marathons since 2007 and when I'm in training, I do run very high mileage, so I am one hundred percent at fault for the fact that my bunion has become an issue. But I have done my research and tried many things and the bottom line is that surgery is not a viable option for where I am in my life. And until I literally can't run, I am going to do whatever it takes to make it work as it is. And this means, wearing a wider shoe. Which brings me to this SHOEQUEST. I discovered the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 in Wide in 2022 and it was love at first run. Finally, a fast, comfortable every day trainer that worked with my wider foot. It was designed with PEBA foam and had a nylon plate which basically means it was both lightweight (size 6.5 weighing just 6.3 oz) and ridiculously responsive. As one does when they find a pair of shoes that work, I purchased many pairs and stockpiled them. Because, as we all know, these perfect shoes are not going to last forever. Three years and eight to ten pairs later, it was September of 2024 and, as expected, I was no longer able to find these shoes. Anywhere. In stores, online, used, borrowed, blue, they were officially gone. The newly released Endorphin Speed 4 was not offered in a wider model and the standard fit was, not surprisingly, too narrow. As you can imagine, I was slightly devastated. I was also in bit a panic as I no longer had a daily trainer that worked for my foot. So at that point I officially began my hunt for a comparable replacement shoe. I reached out to the masses - friends, teammates, strangers who were wearing shoes that I had never seen before and looked like they'd be willing to talk to me - anyone really, and asked for suggestions. I started buying and trying any brand and/or model that touted a comfortable ride with a wider toe box. Yes, this is a very expensive project and I had to sell some personal items (clothes, furniture, my dog - kidding) to justify spending the funds to see it through. I leaned heavily on the try for 30 days and return if they don't work policy that some of these brands kindly offer. Fortunately, I mentioned my quest to my friends over at Six Minute Mile (SMM) and they jumped on board to help support my mission. Which brings me to this post. I have tried many pairs of shoes. And have more lined up to test. But before I get ahead of myself, I want to share my findings to date. Some of these have worked, some I couldn't even put on my foot. Some felt pretty good, some awesome, some terrible. Remember, this is specific to a runner with a wide foot issue, so the feedback you're getting is, first and foremost, with that in mind. Yes, I'll give you some other details as to why I like it or don't but I'm not going to go crazy with analysis. My friend Brian Metzler, who reviews shoes for SMM has likely tried many, if not all of these shoes and given them the detailed review you deserve. I'm not taking it to that level here. Wide foot? Some of these might work. Some of them probably don't. End of story. So, this is for all the runners out there who share a similar problem and must have a wider shoe. Especially the women, as society has deemed us not likely to have wide feet, which is ridiculous. All feet matter.

SHOEQUEST MISSION: DAILY TRAINER FOR A WIDE FOOT

Hoka Skyward X - Peba mid-sole, Carbon fiber plate, 9.2 oz

Pros - These have max cushion and a great response despite their weight. This has become my go-to recovery run shoe. I call them my cheaters because it feels like they're doing a lot of the work for me. Not a bad thing.

Cons - They're very heavy and take some time to get used to. They are not offered in a WIDE, so they're wide enough but just barely. At $225, these are a legitimate investment for a trainer.

Topo Athletic Atmos - WIDE - Zip foam, 7.9 oz

Pros - These are lightweight, have a nice, breathable mesh upper and a very roomy toe box.

Cons - The wide was actually too wide. It felt like my toes were having a dance party when I ran. Also, at only 5mm, I now know I'm not a huge fan of the lower drop shoe.

Asics Superblast 2 - Metaspeed Foam, 8.8 oz

Pros - These are lightweight, have good cushion and are notably bouncy.

Cons - Despite being a unisex shoe, this was still not quite wide enough for me. I didn't notice it in the first couple runs but it started to feel too tight over time as my foot started to rub against the side.

Puma MagMax - Nitrofoam, 10.2 oz

Pros - Like the Hokas, these have maximum cushion. First run out of the box, an easy 10 miler, felt great. Nice and springy despite their weight.

Cons - This is a beast of a shoe. It weighs a lot and you can feel that. They don't offer a wide in any Puma shoes and these are fine but I would order a Wide if it was available.

Brooks Glycerin 21 - WIDE - DNA Loft cushioning, 8.8 oz

Pros - This shoe is so comfortable, almost like a slipper. The wider toe box is perfect for my foot. The shoe has solid cushion despite being pretty lightweight.

Cons - There's not much I didn't like about this shoe. Of all the models I tried, this one doesn't have quite as much cushion. It's a minor drawback given how good the fit is. I highly recommend this one.

Saucony Kinvara Pro - WIDE - Carbon plate, PWR Run Foam, 8.5oz

Pros - This shoe is nice and light and has plenty of room in the toe box. I had high hopes in the beginning.

Cons - First I ordered this in my regular 7.5 and that was too small in length, not width. I exchanged those for an 8 which I've never worn and while that fit better for my left foot with the bunion it was too big for my right foot. I also thought it was pretty stiff and didn't loosen up much even after a few runs.

Hoka Skyflow - Eva foam, 8.6 oz

Pros - This shoe is like a cousin to the aforementioned Skyward X. It's a much lighter shoe but not at the cost of the cushioning. It's a very smooth ride. It also has plenty of room in the toe box.

Cons - Despite the fact that the shoe is lighter, it doesn't feel as responsive to me as the Skyward. It's just not quite as snappy on the road.

New Balance Supercomp Trainer v3 - WIDE - Carbon plate, Energy foam, 7.5oz

Pros - Well folks, this is the one. Of all the shoes I've tried, the Supercomp Trainer is the most like my old trainer. It's light, responsive, has a Carbon plate (which I now realize that I prefer) and generally just feels fast despite having plenty of cushion. While the shoe itself is pretty streamlined, the wide version does work for my foot.

Cons - The only small drawback is that even the wide feels just a smidge cozy for my toes. That said, I've worn them multiple times and this has not been an issue yet so I am cautiously optimistic.

Listen to this:

Be Yourself - Hilltop Hoods feat. Nyassa, Ecca Vandal

hilltophoods · Be Yourself (feat. Ecca Vandal & Nyassa)

RACE REVIEW:HARTFORD MARATHON

2024-10-22T05:57:00.034-07:00

"Anyone who has done something at a high level knows it's not about trends, hacks, or fads. It's about showing up with relentless consistency. It's about surrounding yourself with the right people. It's about being patient & finding joy in the process."

~ The Growth Equation

On Saturday I ran my 34th marathon down in Hartford, CT. It was intense and wonderful and everything in between. And it will definitely go down as one of my favorite race experiences. Here's the story. Back in July, I applied and got into the Hartford marathon's New England's Finest Program (NEF) which basically recognizes and supports athletes from the New England area who have run a specific qualifying time. My friend and teammate, Jackie, had done this same thing back in 2023 and loved the experience so I was pretty excited about it; both the program and the race itself. My last two marathons, Cape Cod in 2023 and Boston this past spring, had been hot garbage. It's hard not to wonder if perhaps you're done putting good races together when you have a couple bad ones in a row. And I don't blame my age for my performance, but being 49 certainly doesn't make things easier. But, I'm stubborn and I love to train for marathons and I like proving myself wrong, so hell if I wasn't getting back on the proverbial horse and trying again. I started working with a new coach, Jon Green, after Cape Cod which was a much needed change. Prior to Hartford, I had only worked with him for Boston and that, as I said, was a shit show, and definitely not his fault. So, I was eager to see if a good training cycle with him would yield the results I was hoping for. We started ramping up in June and successfully made it through the next four and half months without any major issues which, at this stage in the game, is a big win. I have to give a shout out to my dear friend, Frankie, a crazy fast runner who would meet me at the track over the summer with her 7 month old, Codie, and pace me for repeats of all distances with the stroller in hand like it was no big thing.

Frankie & Codie making it look easy

She and Codie were always down for anything. Side note, Codie is the least fussy baby I have met, maybe ever. As you know, summer training can be brutal, so having them around for so much of my harder work was such a huge help. Come September, I was back home and doing a lot of my training with my dear friend and Whirlaway teammate, Lauren, who was training for NYC. We don't really live near each other, and yet both of us are pretty much always ready and willing to drive stupid distances to meet up for runs and coffee. Strength in numbers, right? As we were getting closer to my race, Lauren asked if she could join me for the weekend and use the half that was also being offered as a long run when I did the full. My own family doesn't come to my marathons with me anymore when the race is out of town because, let's be honest, after 33 of them they've been there and done that. So Lauren thought it would be nice for me to have company over the weekend and was psyched to come and cheer me on. I was obviously thrilled to have her with me and knew it would make the whole experience notably less stressful and more fun. This will not be the first time in this blog post that I talk about what an absolute rock star she is.

Before I dive into the weekend, I want to mention my pre-race nutrition which I completely changed after listening to a podcast with Meghann Featherstun, a sports dietitian, recommended to me by, you guessed it, rock star Lauren. Prior to this race I had never legitimately carb loaded but after listening to Meghann explain it, I was convinced it was the right thing to do. So, I dove in head first. I began loading up on Wednesday and did it for the three days leading up to the race. I used her carb loading calculator to figure out how many grams I needed for my specific height and weight and carefully tracked my food to make sure I was getting every single gram, if not more. I'm not gonna lie, it's a shit ton of food and getting all those carbs in feels harder than it should be. As my friend CB says, true carb loading is work. I get it now. You can see what I ate for the full cycle right up to the race itself. I'm sharing this info for a couple reasons. I now know it works because I could legitimately feel how much more energy I had in my body on race day compared to past races. And two, because, even at my age we can learn more and try new things. As Meghann wrote to me (yes, she responded to my questions that I sent in a panic because this was new territory), in a nutshell, the information that is available to us is always changing and getting so much better so why not take advantage of that?

Lauren drove down to my house on Friday and we took off for Hartford around 1pm. I was very happy to have someone to talk to as we sat through a ton of traffic. Gotta love the Mass pike. We got to the expo around 4:00, grabbed our bibs and shirts, she took the obligatory pre-race photo with number and then we made our way over to the hotel. One of the perks of the NEF program is a free hotel room which is obviously wonderful. They had us staying in a Marriott right by the finish line so the location was super convenient and the hotel itself was lovely. All in, a really nice experience. Lauren and I settled in to our room, got our gear out for the next day, ate more food; in my case a very large serving of plain, white rice which was very practical and not at all delicious. Then we watched some slightly inappropriate comedy shows (thank you, Nikki Glaser) until 8:00. There was a lot of laughter and even some tears and it was exactly the distraction that I needed to get me through the rest of the evening. Again, rock star.

We set our alarm for 5:00am but both of us were up and moving at 4:45. As always, I brought my own coffee maker and coffee so we brewed up two cups and then sipped and ate in bed as we tried to wake up. I had more graham crackers for breakfast which at this point tasted like cardboard. I had to work hard to get them down. But successfully managed to eat six full sheets.

The weather forecast was calling for 40s in the morning and highs in the 70s and it was actually right for a change. We woke up to a pretty beautiful morning and while it was a little chilly, there was no wind and the sun was working its way up. It really couldn't have been better if we'd requested it ourselves.

My sweet friend Mary, who I've known for years through skiing and running, was also racing the marathon and was there with her family. We'd made plans to meet up and walk over to the start together the night before. So, we scooped her up around 7am and headed out. Lauren and I actually had no idea where we were going so we were very grateful to have her with us as she already knew the drill having run it the year before.

Another bonus of the NEF program was a special tent with everything we could possibly need before the race including, but not limited to, food, water, coffee, changing rooms and our own set of portos. It was notably warmer inside the tent than out and it was very nice to have these perks as we waited things out. Finally, around 7:45, the NEF coordinator gathered our crew and walked us over to the start. Again, Lauren was planning to run the half as part of her long run for the week so the two of us were in the start coral together which I was very happy about. My nerves were in high gear at this point and having a human security blanket with me was pretty freaking fantastic. After the national anthem, we hugged and said goodbye (she scooted back because she would be running her own easy pace) and then right at 8:00am we were off.

THE RACE:

Miles 1-5 (6:51, 6:44, 6:46, 6:38, 6:44)

Like the carb loading plan, my race day fuel was also new. For obvious reasons, I wanted to follow Meghann's recommendation over what I typically have done. So, instead of taking three gels at 7, 14 and 21, I packed five of them and hoped to get one down every five miles. I was pretty nervous about this because, as you may know, the gels can be tricky to stomach. And successfully eating five of them seemed very daunting. Knowing that I was following this fuel schedule, I decided to break the race up in to five laps, if you will. I told myself that each gel would be a lap and to focus on fueling at each lap rather counting my overall miles. Runner math for the win. After posting this video, I now know that many of you use the same logic. The race plan that I'd made with Jon was pretty simple. The goal was to settle in and be patient. He told me I should feel like I was almost sleeping through those first 15 miles; meaning very little effort, just coasting. That was kind of funny because in no marathon have I ever felt like I was sleeping through the first half but I understood the point. Relax and take it easy until it was time to buckle down and go. He told me to check in with my body every six miles or so and not to panic if my watch was throwing out weird splits, which often happens. He would not give me a predicted time and we didn't pick a final goal time. He emphasized the fact that my buildup had gone very smoothly and that he was confident, barring any major issues, that I could run a solid race. This was definitely an opportunity, he thought, to run a time I would be excited about. It all made sense to me. So, I did my best to heed his advice and just cruised through the first five miles with a clear head. Side note, my friend, Erin, had suggested I make an effort to smile at all the race photographers. Helps take your mind off the pain sometimes to put on that smile, she said. As you can see, I really nailed this. Turns out I could only focus on one thing and the smile got priority over the eyes. Or maybe I was actually sleeping. Yea, no.

Miles 6-10 (6:36, 6:42, 6:36, 6:38, 6:43)

Earlier in the week I had looked at the 2023 results and seen the times that the top 3 masters (40+) women had run. My friend, Mary, who I mentioned above, had won the year before with a time of 2:57, which would be tough to match and I thought it would be too aggressive to try and follow her. But, the second woman had run 3:10 and I felt pretty confident that this was within reach and a good benchmark for the day. Plus, it would be nice to place top three as master and this was another fun goal to aim for beyond time. So, while I don't check my watch religiously during marathons, I was glancing every mile or so to see if I was staying close to that that 3:10 time. Clearly, I was running a bit faster than this but I felt okay and trusted that my body would let me know if I needed to pull back. The gels are kind of tough for me to digest so I opened my first one at five and ate it slowly between miles five and six while also taking in some water. This worked really well for me and was a small, unexpected boost of confidence as I settled into my second lap. These miles flew by pretty smoothly and I was trying to just zone out and take in the scenery while soaking up my music. I ran a lot of these miles with Greg Lee, who is next to me in the below photo and whom I connected with after the race (love that about running). As you can see, he was super focused and I was still trying to smile at the photographers. He was probably like, I'm in the game here but you keep doing you over there.

Miles 11-15 (6:48, 6:49, 6:49, 6:51, 6:50)

These miles were a little tricky mentally. The half and full marathon courses were the same for the first 8.5 miles. So, I'd be running with someone who I thought was pacing similarly to me and then they'd suddenly be picking up the pace which then had me wondering if they were doing the half and changing gears for the finish or if I was potentially slowing down? There was also a marathon relay happening so runners were hopping in and out at various check points. Right around mile 6, a woman flew by me and had me a little panicked because I'd been with her from the start but then I watched as she passed the baton off to her teammate and quickly calmed down as I realized what was happening. You plan to run your own race and not follow what others are doing, but it still messes with your head when all of this is happening around you and you're not quite sure who's doing what. Once we split and the marathoners went off into a different direction I was back into my own zone telling myself to chill out and focus on myself.

Miles 15-20 (6:39, 6:57, 6:55, 6:42, 6:43)

I gingerly took my third gel and set off for my 4th lap. The crowd was now much smaller as not as many people were doing the full marathon. The runners began to spread out quickly and this was when I lost a wee bit of focus and slowed down a bit as you can see in miles 16 and 17. This situation in a race is dangerous territory as it is easy to start fading without really realizing it when no one is around you. But then the course turned and the top runners started coming towards us which was a great mental boost. One, it's fun to cheer on the people who are crushing it. And two, I now knew that this turn wasn't far for me and that I'd soon be on my last lap. Don't get me wrong, I was feeling the work in my legs at this point. But, as Jon had told me to do, I checked in and had a little talk with myself. I said something like, okay, it's starting to hurt. But you're still mentally okay. Your legs are still moving pretty well. And when we get to 20 you only have one more "lap" to go. We got this. Usually if things are going to fall apart for me, this is when it begins to happen. Honestly, I could almost could feel all that extra energy from the massive amounts of carbs I'd consumed over the last three days. I was trying to trust that I had enough fuel in the tank for the remainder of the race and since I also had my gels, the breakdown that usually happens wasn't inevitable.

Miles 21-26.2 (6:48, 6:41, 6:44, 6:42, 6:36, 6:57, 6:06)

Somehow I managed to get that final gel down. Holy crap, that was challenging. Just so much sugar having already had 3 up to this point. I tried not to think about it. And now I was digging in. I was starting to hurt a little more but I also kept telling myself I'd done so many workouts of 6+ miles at this pace and made it through. I was doing everything I could think of to distract myself....counting to 100 and starting over, singing songs in my head, thinking about my kids, my Lex athletes, my friends, my dogs, coffee; anything I could come up with to not focus on the pain and getting to the finish. I was now running with another woman, Katy was her name, who was clearly aiming for a similar time. She would surge ahead and I would try and hold on and vice versa. Both of us knew, I think, that we were now in this together and while we were competing against each other we were also going to ultimately get each other to the finish if we stuck together. Which is exactly happened. At mile 25 the clock said 2:50. You often make that pie-in-the-sky goal and then put it in the back of your mind, right? At least I do. And sub-3 hours was that for goal for me. But I didn't want the outcome of my day to be determined by this alone, so I made a couple other goals that were tangible and that I was equally excited to chase. At this point, though, I realized my big goal was potentially doable. I also knew that I had not run the tangents very well because my splits were clicking off before the mile markers so if I was going to make it happen I had to find one more gear. I literally had zero time to waste. I threw down everything I had to hold on and finally turned into the finish shoot to see the clock rolling at 2 hours, 58 minutes and change. Sweet lord above. It was over. And it was wonderful. I mean, it hurt like hell, but it was also the most satisfying challenge. And I loved every second of it. Lauren snapped the below photo as I crossed the line. As you can see, I was pretty surprised. And that moment of pure joy. There is truly nothing like it.

Finishing a race effort like this when I'm solo is pretty weird. I'm either high-fiving myself or walking away quietly with my tail between my legs and then taking myself out for coffee. So, having Lauren there was really special for me. I fell straight into Lauren's arms and just stood there in disbelief. To have someone to hug and celebrate with meant so much to me. And, I know if things had gone South, it would have been equally as valuable to have her with me; probably more so. Yep, rock star.

So, yea. It was a banner day. But, this one hit different. Sure, I was happy with the time. But that's not why it was so amazing. This training cycle was one of my best and I know it was because I approached every day with gratitude. Of course I had some shitty workouts in there, but my mindset had shifted for this one to just appreciate all of it; the good, the bad and the ugly. And to trust that all of it would add up and help me get the best out of myself on the day, whatever that looked like. I really had fun this time around. I didn't dread the work. I embraced it. I mean, yea, I complained sometimes, I'm not a Pollyanna (you youngsters need to look that one up). But, I did my best to recognize every moment for what it was and appreciate every mile. I always tell my Lex athletes to find the joy in what they're doing. Always remember why you love it. I finally took my own advice.

Before I left I thanked the gentleman who had led the NEF program. He was such a pillar for us throughout the weekend. Questions, issues, all of it, he dealt and he was so calm and relaxed about it all. I never once felt stressed from a logistical standpoint. And this is so rare. So much credit to him and his team for making this such an unforgettable experience.

And that, my friends, is all she wrote. Lauren and I quickly packed up and showered and were out of our hotel by noon. We grabbed a coffee and some food for the ride home and got right on the road. All of that in less than 24 hours. Which is kind of nuts when you think about it. We made it home easily, again, chatting the whole time. Similar to the post-race finish when I'm on my own, the post-race solo car ride home is a massive buzzkill. Not even music is enough to distract me as I'm processing a race; no matter how it played out. So, bless you, Lauren, for being the most amazing wingwoman. Thank you doesn't even begin to cut it. Next up for me? As far as racing, I have no idea. For now, my main focus is supporting Lauren for the next two weeks as she gets ready for NYC. Hopefully I can do as good a job as she did. This sport. It's such a gift. I love it and hate it but it's always there for me and truly brings out the best in who I am as a mom, coach, friend, human. I probably won't be doing marathons for too much longer, but for now, you'll find me out there getting ready for the next one. Because I can.

Listen to this:

Levitating by RÜFÜS DU SOL

RÜFÜS DU SOL · Levitating

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A COACH:A TOP 10 LIST

2024-10-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

"Being a coach is easy. It's like riding a bike. Except the bike is on fire. You are on fire. Everything is on fire."

I've been coaching cross country and track at Lexington High School since 2011. I love it. I started as a volunteer and am now the head coach for all three seasons - cross country, indoor and outdoor track. Funny how that happens. Is it hard? Yes. It is exhausting? Also, yes. Is it fun? I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't. Truth? Not a day goes by where I don't realize how lucky I am that I get to do what I do. As I drove home from NH last night, I started to think of all the telltale signs that someone might be a coach. And while I came up with many, I pared it down to the top 10 list that you see below. I'm not gonna lie, this piece gave me a good laugh. I have to believe if you do anything similar - work with kids or athletes in some way - that you can relate to most of these. Mind you, these aren't complaints. Just the facts. And I am just out here living the dream. In my sneakers. With my coffee. On Saturday.

TOP 10 WAYS TO KNOW YOU ARE A COACH

1. Saturday means, well, nothing really. You probably have to go to bed early the night before because you have a meet the next morning. And if not, you have practice. But either way, you're not jumping for joy when Friday rolls around. And, in reality, you probably haven't had a weekend off since summer, which, in my case, is the only season I'm not coaching.

2. Your main source of sustenance while you are in season is coffee and protein bars.

3. You spend more time on a bus than you do in your car.

4. You have two wardrobes. Regular. And coaching. Which, for me, is athleisure (thank the Lord). You probably have double the amount of clothing in your coaching wardrobe than you do in your regular one. And let's be honest, you're rarely pulling clothes from the regular wardrobe. Because who has time for life outside of coaching?

5. You are always cold. Spring? Fall? Doesn't matter. You're typically standing around for two hours or more essentially not moving. Wind picks up, sun goes down, rain starts to fall. Boom. It’s over. Don’t fight it. You’re going to end up freezing. It's just what happens.

6. You are a walking medical kit. Band-aids, ice packs, tape, antibiotic ointment, tweezers, Advil? Yes. If someone needs it, you have it.

6. Your car is both a locker and a lost and found.

7. When you go to the store, you get excited about things like clipboards, stickers and fun pens as opposed to anything you might actually need for your life outside of coaching.

8. You consistently repeat yourself to your family and friends despite them not asking you to because you assume they're not listening.

9. You consider blowing your whistle any time you're in a large crowd and need to find someone.

10. You don't answer to your name but any time you hear "Coach" you assume it's directed at you.

Listen to this:

Levitating by Rüfüs Du Sol

RÜFÜS DU SOL · Levitating

FROM THE ARCHIVES:WALKWAY MARATHON 2015

2024-08-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

I recently started going back and looking at some of my old race reviews for fun. Specifically, the marathons. I've finished 33 of them and they've all had their own story to go along with them. More often than not they've been pretty wild for any number of reasons....the breakfast guy at the hotel slept through his shift so we didn't have any coffee before the race (unacceptable) , I sliced the back of my heel open on a glass door and ended up in the ER (devastating), I ran through a deluge at Boston as a guide for a blind runner and we managed to finish (miraculous). You get the point. These stories hold a lot of meaning for me and are such a big part of the runner and person that I've become. Today, I'm going to start with the Walkway marathon which I ran back in 2015. I was 40 at the time and honestly thought my marathon days were almost over. Ha! If only 40 year old Trax could see 49 year old Trax now. I happened to win this marathon and was absolutely shocked that I'd been able to pull it off at "my age". Little did I know that I had just gotten started and was nowhere near done. Here's the full story. Hope you enjoy it.

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream..."

~ C.S. Lewis

Last Friday, the day before I would be tackling the Walkway Marathon in Poughkeepsie, NY, I gave my coach a ring around 8:30am. Mainly, I wanted to talk strategy; particularly since the weather was looking pretty brutal for Saturday. Our conversation went something like this:

Lowell: Hey Rebecca. How are you feeling?
Me: Well, it's 72 degrees outside and ridiculously humid. So, there's that.
Lowell: Yeah. I know. I just checked the forecast for Poughkeepsie. It's not ideal.
Me: Well, I suppose it was wishful thinking to race in June and get decent weather. But, I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around it. How do you think I should approach this?
Lowell: I hate to say it, but a PR is not something you should be shooting for in this situation. I think you should just focus on running a good race and go for place. I never tell any of my athletes to bank faster miles in the beginning of a marathon because it's just too risky. But, I think you're going to have to do that tomorrow. Try and get out at a solid pace while the temp is (somewhat) lower and you have some shade. You'll have to dial back when it heats up, but you will at least have a solid base to fall back on.
Me: Okay, so pace-wise, start off around 7:10-7:20, hold that for a while and then let it rip at the end?
Lowell: That pace sounds good. Realistically, though, it's very unlikely that you'll have much more to tap into for that last 10K. The heat takes a serious toll. You're just going to need to try and dig in and hold on for those last few miles.
Me: Oh. So, just run hard and steady until I can't run hard and steady anymore?
Lowell: Yea, pretty much. You're really fit. And you've got the strength. But, the weather is out of your hands. You're just going to have to work with what you've got. We knew this might be the case with a June marathon. It is what it is. Have fun. And go for it.
Me: Right. Yeah. Ok, thanks.
So, my strategy was set. Do what I could with what I had and hope for the best. No problem.

SONG:AWESOME
TEMP:NOT AWESOME

The rest of the morning was a combination of stressing, shuttling my kids around and packing. Around 2:00pm, I hit the road for NY. Unlike most of my destination races, this was a solo mission. It was just me, my music and all the other drivers on the MA Pike. Turns out, a lot of people decided to cut out early and head West for the weekend. Shocker. What should have been a 3 hour and 15 minute drive ended up being about 4 hours and 30 minutes. Thank the Lord for Spotify. I did have one minor heart attack about 2 hours into my ride when I looked at my dash and saw that the temperature was 91 degrees. That seriously freaked me out. When I arrived in Poughkeepsie, it had just rained and steam was rising up off the streets as I parked my car. It wasn't good and there was nothing I could do about it. Deep breaths. I headed into the expo to grab my number and check things out. For a relatively small race, I was surprised to see that it was a pretty sizable event.

The Mid-Hudson Civic Center

I quickly grabbed my number and shirt and then strolled through the rest of the expo to see what was what. There were the typical booths that you see at most expos (ie. running stores, clothing vendors, and sports drinks). And there were several vendors from the local businesses giving out samples of tasty treats that most runners would not dare try the night before a marathon. Not for lack of desire.

Strawberry Shortcake? I think not.

Around 7:00, I headed over to the Hampton Inn, where I would be staying for the evening. After providing my ID and a credit card, I asked the next most important question...what time did they start serving coffee in the morning. Her answer? "We serve coffee 24/7, ma'am." Brilliant. Things were looking up. Shortly after I got to my room and got settled, a thunderstorm rolled in and the sky opened up. Cats, dogs, fish, you name it. It was all coming down. All I could think about was what it meant for the next morning. So many possibilities. None of them great.

THE STORM

I decided to pass on going back out for dinner (the hotel didn't have a restaurant) and ate a bagel, a banana and a orange instead. I'd been carb loading for the past few days so I wasn't that hungry anyway. I turned out my light around 9:30. Not surprisingly, sleep didn't come. I tossed and turned and tossed some more. My nerves were in high gear and the storm had just heightened my restlessness. I fell asleep with visions of heat and humidity dancing in my head. Finally morning came. I headed downstairs, grabbed a cup of coffee and stepped outside. Maybe the storm had cleared things out.

COFFEE CUP W/ MUSTACHE: AWESOME
WEATHER: NOT AWESOME

Or maybe not. At 6:00am the temp was already in the 70s with 90% humidity to boot. It was almost laughable. Almost. I went back up to my room, packed up and then checked out. The race was taking place about 10 minutes down the road at Marist College. I parked my car and headed over to the start area. I didn't even think about the fact that the very long path I was walking down to get to the boat house, where everything was happening, would be the same path I would be running up for the beginning of the race. Good thing I wasn't thinking. I did have the pleasure of meeting Tiffany, a Oiselle flockster, in line at the port-o-potty and enjoyed getting to know her while we waited. Both of us run for Oiselle and follow each other on social media, so it was nice to put a face to a name. After that, I checked my bag, did some stretching/dancing, grabbed some water and waited for the the start. Things were running a little late, which was not ideal given the weather, but we eventually got going a little before 8:00. As I mentioned, the first mile was uphill which was a pretty serious mental and physical battle. But, once I got onto the path, I was able to settle down and reset. For the next few miles I cruised along at a 7:15 pace. I fell into step with a young gentlemen who was running the half at the same pace. In the photo below, he's behind purple tank guy, who, for the record, smiled like that for the entire 26.2 miles. We ran together until mile 6, which was the turnaround point for the half marathoners. Funny sidebar, I'd had a conversation at the start with the girl behind me about whether or not she should quickly squat in the woods to avoid the lines at the port-o-pottys. Her friend said not to do it. I said the opposite. Not sure what she decided but she did end up coming in 3rd overall in the half which was pretty badass.

At mile 6 w/ fast girl, pace guy and purple tank smiley guy.

Pace guy and I wished each other good luck at the turnaround and fast girl and I high-fived. I felt a sharp pang of envy as I forged ahead and they headed back to their finish. For the next 6 miles I was totally by myself. This was kind of weird and I found it somewhat tricky to stay focused. I leaned heavily on my music during this stretch and worked to keep my pace on tempo with the beat. Finally, I reached my turnaround point at mile 12. As I rounded the cone, I began to see my other fellow runners coming toward me. Oh, how happy I was to see them. We were all clapping and cheering for each other as we passed by. And then someone let me know that I was the first woman on the course. WHAT??!! Between learning this info and being with runners again, I got really fired up and back in the zone. I realized I had a shot at winning this thing and there was no reason not to go for it; weather be damned! Around mile 15, the crowd started to thin out and I knew I would likely be solo for the next 10 miles or so which was going to be rough. And then the WORST possible thing happened. No, not a muscle cramp or gastrointestinal malfunction....way worse than that. I had been pouring water on my head every 1.5 miles and by the 16th round I had successfully flooded my iPod. My music stopped. Total silence except for my very loud, labored breathing. OMG. I shouted many bad words and fought with it, on and off, for the next few miles. I was trying to dry it off, pushing buttons, holding it at different angles, all to no effect. My worst nightmare had come true. All I could do was keep fighting. For miles 21-23, we went over the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge. The wind was coming at us from all directions and between that and the loss of my music I was losing energy and could feel my legs getting heavier with each step. I rounded the second cone to head back over the bridge again and toward the finish and it was here that I discovered I was still in the lead for women. I didn't sit back and relax, but I did ease up a bit, knowing that I didn't have to grind it out quite so hard to make it across the line. And then, after those two river crossings, a tunnel cut through, a massive downhill and a small and very painful uphill, I could see the finish line. A huge smile spread across my face as the race officials pulled out the ribbon for me to break through. There are no words to describe this feeling. It was beyond amazing. Final time: 3:13:48. Not a PR, but pretty close. Not that it mattered.

Shortly after I crossed the line, I grabbed my bag and some chocolate milk and headed over to the tent to put my feet up. I was floating....also in pain...but giddy. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could pull something like this off. I was trying to just bask in the moment and not think about the fact that I had to get in my car and drive myself back to Boston. I stayed for the awards ceremony and was given a very cool miniature version of the bridge we had crossed made by the SUNY New Paltz students with a 3D digital printer. Easily one of the coolest awards I've received to date.

I grabbed some more snacks and slowly ambled over to my car. I was eager to get home and celebrate with my family. It was a long drive. But I could have cared less. I kept replaying the finish over and over in my head. It had been an incredibly difficult and painful race. On top of that, it had been a very long and mentally and physically trying training cycle. And, in the end, it paid off. All of it.

Lessons Learned:
1. Never pour water anywhere near your music listening device.
2. Never run a June marathon unless you absolutely have to or you live in Florida and are used to the heat and humidity.
3. Always set reasonable goals. And then set some that are a bit loftier. Because anything is possible.

Listen to this:
IN MY HEAD - Galantis

RWM & SMM PRODUCT REVIEW:hDROP

2024-07-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

hDROP WEARABLE HYDRATION SENSOR: YES or NO?

I am admittedly bad at hydration. For the amount of running that I do, I should be taking in significantly more fluids, both water and electrolyte enhanced drinks. And, well…I just don’t. For no good reason, honestly. I’m just not on top of it. And I don’t really get that thirsty. But I am one hundred percent sure that my training would improve enormously if I was better about staying hydrated in general and rehydrating post-run. Particularly in the summer when both the temperature and my mileage steadily creep up. So, you can imagine my excitement when I recently saw an Instagram post about the hDrop gen 2 Wearable Hydration Sensor. I had no idea anything like this existed and, as with all new things, was somewhat dubious. But after reading some reviews, most of them solid, my interest was peaked. I reached out to the company directly and asked if they would send one out for me to test and review and to my good fortune, they agreed. Grab a seat and I’ll tell you all about it.

First, the hDrop sensor is very easy to set up. Once you have downloaded the app, you are walked through step by step instructions with video images to go with it on how to get it started, which I very much appreciate as I am not one to read a manual. Beyond that, you just need to thread the strap through and charge up the device. After that, you’re ready to roll. You can also sync the device up with your Garmin and there are step by step instructions on how to do this as well. Again, very simple.

The first thing I did once I had it set up and charged was to take a THUMB read. You can do this early in the morning before you have anything to eat or drink to get a sense of how well you are hydrated at that point. I find this incredibly valuable as I’m a big coffee drinker and if I know I’m starting my day off under hydrated I’ll make an effort to take in some extra fluids before I down multiple lattes. I’ve started doing this reading every day before I do any activities and I’m finding it super helpful.

I have also been wearing the hDrop device when I’m running for an active hydration reading. I’ve tried to test it out in high heat and humidity (not a problem in July in MA) but also in cooler temps when I don’t intuitively think I need as much fluid. I’ve worn it for easy runs, track workouts and long runs. And the data I get back is fascinating. For example, today I ran 16 miles. I left at 7:40am and the temp was in the low 70; so not too hot. But, the humidity was through the roof. So, within five minutes I was dripping. For the record, I drank a cup of coffee and a cup of water before my run. I stopped to drink water from fountains at mile 5, 8 and 11. I also splashed it on my face and neck. I was out for a little over 2 hours in total. Below you’ll see my post-run hDrop stats.

But what does this mean, you ask? Fortunately, the hDrop team breaks it all down for you in layman’s terms. I won’t go into full detail but I’ll try to give you the abridged version. My sweat rate is above average; similar to losing about ¾ of a sports bottle per hour. So, I lost almost two full bottles during this run. Even with the water I took in during the run, I lost more than I thought I would. The sodium concentration in my sweat is on the higher end of medium. As far as how much I lost, it was about a teaspoon of table salt or the equivalent to what’s contained in a full can of soup. So, I’m going to need to heavy up on electrolytes and salty foods post-run. Not a problem. The temperature metric indicates the device’s temperature and it changes during my activity which it can read because it is directly on my skin. Given how much I sweated, the reading of 85.7℉ (max 88.7℉) tells me that my body temp was well regulated throughout the run which suggests good hydration. Go me. There is also a graph that goes along with each of these metrics which is ideal for the visual learner. And finally, hDrop provides a suggested recovery plan based on all of this data with the disclaimer, of course, that the device and the app are not FDA approved and the data may vary in accuracy. In other words, this is yet another tool but by no means something to live your life by.

In a nutshell, this little white cube tracks fluid loss, sweat rate, sodium loss, potassium loss, and temperature. In my opinion, the best feature is that it provides a baseline sweat zone which is calculated after you’ve done several workouts. This number may change over time but unless you’re doing something majorly different, it will likely remain the same or close. Mine is currently 63.5 and has been the same for about two weeks. But, here’s what I love. It will then give you a score for each activity based on that baseline so you can get a sense of how well you’re hydrating for each run. Today I scored a 78/100, so pretty good but not great. Definitely room for improvement. Now, for those of you who are skeptical, I get it. There are a lot of gadgets out there in the sports industry and some are definitely more of a gimmick and, let’s be honest, probably unnecessary. “Just drink lots of water”, you say. And that’s fair. But, for those of you who like data, and I know you’re out there, this thing is really, really cool. And while it might not be as helpful for those who aren’t logging as many miles, I’m guessing it’s a very useful tool for those training for marathons and beyond. I’m guessing it’s probably very useful when you’re fighting something and your body needs more fluids to heal. Or a good way to get a read on how well you’re hydrated after a long flight. I can think of several scenarios beyond running where this gadget could be a game changer. For me, what it boils down to is this, when I’m dehydrated and I’m a little out of it, having a device that sends a signal suggesting that I replace fluids lost is just the tool I need to keep me from unraveling. And I am all for that. So, in conclusion, I give the hDrop device two very enthusiastic thumbs up. Check it out and see for yourself. And, no matter what, stay hydrated!

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I Love You So F***ing Much - Glass Animals

Glass Animals · I Love You So F***ing Much

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