Why I love the Amity Island Running Club

Reason 1: We laugh. A lot.
Reason 2: We make running fun.
Reason 3: We make each other better runners.
Reason 4: We make filthy jokes that my Aunt Clara would have been proud of.
Reason 5: A post-race beer is a given.
Reason 6: Celine Dion and 90s Hip Hop

We're not now and will never be these people:

We will ALWAYS be these people:

                     

This club isn't about fartleks, or interval training, or ultra marathons. We are about pushing ourselves, doing our damndest, starting races together and meeting up again at the end. We're the kind of people that challenge ourselves and may be upset if we fall short of a race goal but are far from devastated by it. 

This is more about friendship and camaraderie than about running a PR every time we lace up the sneakers. The running is a common denominator, but one of many. The most significant being laughter, music and celebratory 8 am Ragnar beers.

A benefit from all this is that we're each improving our running. A big portion of that is being a part of a group that is loosely focused on running. Other factors include knowing our teammates are counting on us but, more importantly, that our teammates are pulling for us. There is nothing but positive energy with this group. Being a part of this has taken this runner-hater to a place I never thought I'd be, loving running.

Ragnar Cape Cod 2014 - Part 1

What an amazing experience! From attaching a giant shark fin to our rental van in the Walmart parking lot to celebratory 8 am beers after our final legs, Ragnar Cape Cod 2014 was a huge success for the Amity Island Running Club. 

We began our run by arriving at what we believed to be the start with time to spare, only to discover we were actually 20 minutes away from the start. We got to Hull and walked briskly down the boardwalk past all the giant rental vans, towards the tents, flags, and inflatable arch, all indicators that we had arrived at our destination. After trying to sneak out of the safety briefing we all sheepishly returned to the holding pen, avoiding the eyes of the volunteer who now felt he had to keep a closer eye on the Amity Island crew. 

Our team got off to a great start, 15 minutes past our assigned start time, but we started! Amanda had the first leg and we stopped a few times along the route to lend support, a bottle of water, an a high five. We did this during each of our first legs, with the second round? "Van Support" became slowing the van down enough as we drove by to shout "You good?!" and keep rolling to the next transition area. 

We made it through the first 6 legs and settled in a Gallo Ice arena for some rest around 3-4 in the afternoon. A few of us grabbed a little (VERY little) shut eye in the field, surrounded by other runners cocooned up in their sleeping bags fending off the slight chill and blocking out the cloudy afternoon sun. 

Once we got word that van 2 was in the vicinity we herded ourselves over to the start line as Beth Ann came strolling in from her beautiful, albeit steep, run over the Bourne Bridge. Amanda took off down the Cape Cod Canal (which turns 100 this year) bike path towards Sandwich. 

To be continued.....

                                             

Ragnar Cape Cod 2014

Here's a look at my legs in the upcoming Ragnar Cape Cod!

2 months till Ragnar, 2 weeks till Great Bay 1/2 Marathon

The Amity Island Running Club is in full swing! No, not training and doing speed work. We're deciding on logos, what shirts we want and if we order koozies or not. I think we go for the koozies.

I got away from 2-3 milers last week and cranked out a couple 4 mile jaunts. It's starting to feel good to get going a little bit further and although I'm nervous, I am feeling good about the Great Bay 1/2 Marathon next month. 

Hockey is winding down, 4 skates left till the rink closes. After that my running will probably be bumped from 2-3x a week to 3-4x a week with strength training worked in. Having the extra daylight is so refreshing and invigorating! 

I managed to get in a 6 mile run Sunday, the weather was beautiful and I am really enjoying adding to my go-to loop. I've been using Running Map to get an idea of miles and really like the fact that they let you do a hybrid map, showing the satellite view with the roads. I've been using the Old Dump loop (3.75 miles) as a base and adding on to each end. I've noticed, thanks to RunKeeper and listening my own body, that I actually tend to speed up towards the end of my run. It just goes to show that the first mile really is the toughest (for me at least). At the distances I'm currently running, the biggest challenge is mental, the body can handle it, it's just a matter of getting the mind on board.

The Year of 500 miles

2014 is the year of 500 miles for me. I've decided to get to that point where I look forward to running and have started the year off with 13 miles in week one. It's been a mix of outdoor, pre-blizzard, running and racking up miles on my wonderful sister's treadmill while catching up on TrueBlood. I'm only in a week but this is the most consistent running I've done in quite a while. I forced myself to take a rest day (I know myself and don't want to burn out in the first bit) and I found that I missed going for a run. I like that development.

I plan on keeping to a schedule of running 3-4x  week on top of playing hockey 2x a week. I am currently training to run a tandem relay of the Vineyard 20 Miler with my college roommate who is a veteran of this and other impressive races. The race is run in 6 weeks or so and my portion (10 miles) will be my longest distance to date, my previous long race is a 15k (9.3 miles) that the same roommate talked me into a couple years ago. This race should be different because I am actually putting in the time and training beforehand. I'd like to think that  if I do the first leg and am feeling good I may stretch it out and do 13.2 just to prove to myself I can. That will be a game time decision though. Following that, in May I'm taking part, as a member of the Amity Island Running Club, in my first Reach the Beach Relay, 200 miles in 24 hrs ( we're  a 6 person team that will be matched with another 6 person team to log the 2oo miles).

I am hoping that this blog will help me document my training and help keep me on task, as I do tend to start strong and then justify excuses to not work out and or write. I hope to keep track of not only my running but my culinary adventures over the next year. My home was damaged a year ago when a pipe burst and flooded it but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The home, which was my grandparents, has been updated and brought up to code. While it has taken almost a year to do all the necessary work, it has been well worth it. The hope is to be moved in the last week of January. From then my cooking will take off, I've got lots of recipes to try and am excited to have more than 7 sq ft of counter space in which to work and counters that are above standard height (I'm amazon tall).

If there end up being readers of this blog, so be it. I'll be happy if it's simply a place for me to post race and training results and recipes for my enjoyment but if others find it interesting, welcome.