Thursday, January 31, 2013

Toomey is Full of Tips


Here on the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team, we've got a coach who is not only USATF certified, but loves to help us out in anyway he can. Last year, he attended many of our fundraisers and was even a guest bartender for one of them.

That being said, he also knows how to torture us as well. If you've been on the hunt for a great core workout, look no further than this set of core torture:

Core Circuit

25 x Jump Ups - from the crouching/squatting position, spring upward and extend your arms fully over your head then return to the crouching position and repeat as quick as possible in one fluid motion.

10 X Decline Push-ups Like regular push-ups but with your feet at least 2 feet elevated over your head.

15 X Superman Lie on your stomach, flex your arms and legs upward until you form a half circle, relax and repeat.
10 X Yoga Push-ups - Place your hands and feet roughly 3 feet apart-{you should form an upside down V), but directly lined up with each other-this is called the downward dog position in yoga. Now scoop your head/face forward along the ground until you are in a sloped holding position with your arms and shoulders locked. This be should a position that has your whole body in it's forward most position. You knees should never touch the ground. Now return to the original position in the same manner that you arrived at the locked forward position.

5 X 30 Count In-n-Out Abdominal Holds Lie with your legs and back flat and your hands at your sides. Raise your feet 3 inches off the ground and hold for five seconds, then move your legs out to the fully spread position, keeping them 3 inches off the ground, and locked for another five count. Continue until the total time is a 30 count, then rest for a 5 count and repeat.
15 X Regular Push-Ups

30 X Alternate Leg Chinnies- Lie with your back flat on the ground, with your legs bent in the 90-degree position. Now alternate bringing your elbow to the opposite knee. These are also known as bicycle crunches.

10 X Triangle Push-Ups - From the standard push-up position; place your hands directly below your chest and form a triangle with them using your thumb and index finger. Your legs should also be as far apart as possible, forming a big V. Now do a push-up.

40 X Weighted Crunches - Use a heavy book or a weight {5-15Ibs) to do a standard crunch.

25 x Chair Dips – using the tallest chair you can find, place your hands on the front edge. With your legs out in front of you resting on a surface as tall as the chair, lower yourself until your butt touches and then raise yourself.

15 X Morning Glories - Lie on your back fully extended with your arms stretched above your head. Now bend upward until you form a U with your hands meeting your feet directly above your waistline. You should be perfectly balanced on your butt. Relax back to the starting position and repeat.

25 X Leg Lunges_(each leg) -Standing with your hands on your waist for balance, take a giant exaggerated step forward so that you end up with your forward leg in the 90- degree position and your other leg fully extended and straight. Your back should be straight the whole time.



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Meet our newest runner!


Kevin Meehan is from Quincy, MA. He currently works at Tufts University at The Fletcher School. He started running 2 and a half years ago. After running three half marathons in the Spring of 2012 he realized that it might be time to try the full 26.2. Picking November 2012 in Philadelphia as the spot to do it in as he sees it as a second home. After cheering on the runners in Boston last year he realized he wanted to be there too recently. He is looking forward to raising money for a cause that means something to him as he is a Boston boy at heart who loves nature and photography. 

To support Kevin's efforts in bringing neighbors together in Boston's greatest park, please visit: http://www.razoo.com/story/Kevin-S-Running-The-Boston-Marathon-For-Franklin-Park

Friday, January 25, 2013

Thanks to Zoo New England!

Big thanks to the Franklin Park Zoo for the very generous donation of zoo passes for the Franklin Park Coalition Team to use at upcoming events and raffles. The zoo staff is also kind enough to provide us with meeting space for our February 16 meeting and pizza lunch.

If you haven't been to the zoo in awhile, you need to check it out! The zoo is comprised of 72 acres of animal habitats, nestled in Franklin Park. The zoo opened in 1912 and has just finished a year-long centennial celebration. 

Visit the website or call 617-541-LION for hours and information. More importantly...get out there and explore! 


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Carraro's Cornhole for the Coalition a Great Success!

If you didn't get a chance to enjoy Sunday Funday at Murphy's in Salem on Sunday then you missed out on a great fundraiser for the Franklin Park Coalition! Team member Jason Carraro put together a fun-filled day with a local pub and Boston Cornhole. There was camraderie as well as smack talk, but at the end of the day, all raised a glass to the success of the FPC...and other walked away with Celtics tickets and wine and steak baskets.

To join in the fun for other events, please check our team calendar often! We've got pub nights, pizza eating, more cornhole, comedy nights and more...all to make training and fundraising more fun for our team and to give our donors a little something back.









Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Emerald Necklace Fun Run with Playworks; Pounding the Pavement in Florida; Ocean Breezes


Our runners have been busy the past couple of weeks as training for the 2013 Boston Marathon has kicked off. Coach Toomey has some members running circles at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury on Tuesday nights, but the real fun has been in the long run...or what seems like a long run at this point!


Julie and Goofy pal Andrew cooling down after 39.3 miles .
On January 12-13, Marathon Charity Team Leader Julie Arrison participated in the Walt Disney World Goofy Challenge in Orlando, FL. "There is nothing like 39.3 miles of running to kick off marathon training," is what she says, followed by a "never again." While the run was well supported and blast, it was also hovered between 80-85 degrees for much of the runs. Needless to say there were some 2012 Boston Marathon flashbacks!



True to her 2012 form, Shari will continue to entertain us with her stories and fun from her runs. Shari followed Route 127 on the North Shore from Beverly to Manchester-By-The-Sea...which makes for a lovely summer run, but a challenge in the winter months! Reports of head wind on the loop back along with a nasty uphill added to the challenge, but we're sure a post-run red wine warmed Shari up quick!




Franklin hanging out in Tampa Bay.

Team member Michelle Collier has been away on business in Tampa, but that hasn't stopped her from taking in 13.5 miles with sightings of loons flying, and fish, ducks, and even a dolphin in the Bay. Plus, our NH runner just thought that running in shorts in January was a perk! Plus, she found some shoutouts to our fair city along the way.

"I went a long way to find a taste of Boston."

The highlight of the week was the our first joint run with the Playworks team. In order to consolidate resources and bring groups of charity runners together, great minds collided and great runners practiced for around 12 miles on the Emerald Necklace. The plan was to start in Franklin Park, travel along the Arborway, loop around Jamaica Pond, and head back...but one knows what they say about best laid plans! Team leaders Julie and Jon tried to keep up with the loops and wrong turns of our teams and eventually everyone got their needed miles and needed hydration along the way...plus they were treated to some great sites along the EN!

Babbling Winter Brook in Franklin Park...while waiting...waiting...waiting for lost runners!

Teammates flying around Jamaica Pond

Almost done...through the Forest Hills Underpass

Fanciest water stop on the Emerald Necklace this weekend!

Next week, the team tackles the North Shore, some increased mileage, and continued fun in preparing for the Boston Marathon!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Team Kickoff Party Rescheduled


The Team Kickoff Party originally scheduled for January 23 has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 13...same bat time, same bat channel.

If you have already purchased tickets to this event and can make it on March 13, there is no need to do a thing! If you cannot make it and would like to dedicate your donation to a specific runner, please contact Team Leader Julie Arrison at julie@franklinparkcoalition.org with the name of the runner the donation should go to. If there are any other issues with your donation, please contact our Team Leader as well.

We'll look forward to seeing you in March as our runners race to the finish of their Boston Marathon training! Tickets are only $15.00/each or $40.00/family and include raffles, pizza, and a night of good cheer!

To learn more, please visit: http://www.razoo.com/story/2013teamkickoffparty

Friday, January 18, 2013

2012 Deferred FPC Runners Ready to Take on 2013!


The 2012 Boston Marathon was one of the hotter Bostons on record. With day-of race temperatures pushing 90 degrees, the Boston Athletic Association offered the option of deferrment for any runners that were registered. While this was a contraversial decision to some, for others this provided an outlet to help them begin the healing process of some serious training injuries.
2012 team member Elizabeth Belcher is back for a "take two" and is looking forward to completing her original goal of running 26.2 miles instead of watching from the sidelines. Though deferment was not an easy option, it was the perfect option for her in 2012.  After six months of physical therapy combined with a torturous zero-running stint, Elizabeth is eager to jump back into training and complete two milestones this spring: graduating from Wheelock College and running the Boston Marathon for FPC. Both feats took her more time than she anticipated; nevertheless, Elizabeth conjured the motivation to keep persisting despite various setbacks.


Our other deferred teammate to return is Owen Kendall. Simply put, he loves running. He thinks it’s the best metaphor he’s ever found for life - or life for it: if you work at it a little bit every day, you improve, but even while you’re improving, you’ll have some rough patches here and there. Owen is one of the cofounders of Forest Hills Runners, a free community running group that runs through Franklin Park every week. He’s therefore running for the Franklin Park Coalition (FPC) because he thinks Franklin Park an awesome place and, as a third year medical student at Boston University interested in preventative medicine, he hugely admires what the FPC does. Obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure (all linked) are the leading causes of illness not only in this country, but worldwide, even though they can be controlled through consistent exercise. One major reason these things are so common today is that young people and adults alike frequently don’t have safe places to run around and be active. Owen loves what the FPC is doing to consistently improve the park for all Bostonians, while also introducing Franklin Park and all it has to offer to a more diverse population. He couldn’t be happier running the 2013 Boston Marathon for the FPC to raise awareness for the wonderful work they do.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

It's Not Too Late...

to fulfill that New Year's resolution or to check that item from your bucket list! Join our team today...just a few spots remain!

http://fpcmarathoncharityteam.blogspot.com/p/team-application.html

Friday, January 11, 2013

Team Kickoff Run!

Want to stay up-to-date with our training? Visit our "On the Run" page each week with stories, photos, and more that highlight the good, bad, and ugly of marathon training.

http://fpcmarathoncharityteam.blogspot.com/p/on-run-with-fpc-marathon-charity-team.html

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Join us for an all-you-can-handle pizza party at Bella Luna Restaurant in Jamaica Plain to kickoff the Boston Marathon Season for our team!
All proceeds from the event will support the fundraising efforts of the 2013 Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team. Your ticket includes a night of all-you-can-eat gourmet pizza, five raffle tickets for some great, local prizes, and a cash bar.
Tickets are $15.00 for individuals and $40.00 for families. Advance tickets must be purchased by January 22, 2013 at midnight. Day of tickets are $20.00 for individuals and $50.00 for families. Advance tickets are available at: http://www.razoo.com/story/2013teamkickoffparty
This special event takes places at Bella Luna (http://www.milkywayjp.com/) restaurant, located at 284 Amory Street in Jamaica Plain from 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Questions? Contact Julie Arrison, Marathon Charity Team Leader at julie@franklinparkcoalition.org.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

The 2013 Franklin Park Coalition Team is Ready to Rock!


Current members of the 2013 Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team had the opportunity to meet on Sunday, January 6 at the Franklin Park Coalition office in Roxbury. Members of the team, both returning and brand, spanking new, were welcomed by the staff with bagels and coffee and fruit and covered the essential topics from a lesson on the Franklin Park Coalition to what exactly is a tempo run.

So far this year's team is made up of all sorts--we have a marathoner looking to complete 50 marathons in 50 states and another who will use the Boston Marathon as her first ever road race. We have accomplished fundraisers and those new to the life of development. We have folks with kids, folks with grandkids, and folks with dogs. There are Olmsted geeks, those who work with youth, and those who just love urban parks and want to see them get even better.

If you'd like to join our team, we still have space available and it's not too late to catch up and join the fun! Please visit our "Application" page for full details and contact Marathon Charity Team Leader, Julie Arrison, with any questions.

See you on the run!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Welcome to the Team, fellow Olmsted Fan!

On December 5, 2008 Craig Kiest at the age of 53 ran his first mile since PE class in high school. As of December 28, 2012, Craig has run 44 marathons in 34 states and 6 continents.

As a native Oregonian with three grown children and a 30 year career as a landscape architect, running has become a rewarding avocation. With interests in gardens and architecture, running a marathon gives a unique opportunity to see the world without traffic - from Big Sur to the bridges of New York City.

Between running marathons there is time for family, hiking, biking, snowboarding and a glass of wine.

Editorial Note: We think The Screaming Pumpkin Marathon. is one of the coolest marathons Craig has completed so far!