We're tapering!
We're happy to say that at the end of a very long winter season we are on the taper and loving it. We still have a few team members with some nagging injuries, but all have the best of thoughts and intentions for Marathon Monday.
Our last long run was from Hopkinton-Heartbreak with some very gutsy performances out there. Our "first-timers" club continued their "longest run ever" streak and our veterans enjoyed a cool, comfortable day on the course preparing for the challenges of April 21.
A big shoutout to our volunteers--Nick Erban, Christine Poff, Laura Smeaton, Dana Carpentier, and Valerie Grabiel for the rides, support and love!
Week of February 17: Rockstars
We're happy to say that at the end of a very long winter season we are on the taper and loving it. We still have a few team members with some nagging injuries, but all have the best of thoughts and intentions for Marathon Monday.
Our last long run was from Hopkinton-Heartbreak with some very gutsy performances out there. Our "first-timers" club continued their "longest run ever" streak and our veterans enjoyed a cool, comfortable day on the course preparing for the challenges of April 21.
A big shoutout to our volunteers--Nick Erban, Christine Poff, Laura Smeaton, Dana Carpentier, and Valerie Grabiel for the rides, support and love!
Week of February 17: Rockstars
Though it’s a short work week for many, it’s not a short
training week at all! The intervals are creeping up as are the miles and/or
efforts on the long runs. While a few of our runners took on the famed Hyannis
Half or the newer Half at the Hamptons, others came out for 18 miles on the
Boston Marathon course and cruised the downhills from Ashland through Natick
and climbed the uphills in Newton…and looked darn good doing it!
On Saturday, Valerie, Jared, Jason, Jasmin, Laura, and Lori
came out for a run on the course with transport and support by the team leader
and the executive director, Christine Poff. Julie said the runners looked
amazing and thinks you’ll agree from the pictures below. Who smiles for 18
miles? The FPC Boston Marathon team, that’s who! I guess it helps to feel like
a “rockstar” on the course, as Laura said she did…we’re happy to help provide
that feeling!
Shari and Margaret were up in the wilds of Hampton Beach
while Mike C., Derly, and Julie took on 13.1 miles of Cape Cod seashore and
scenery. Reviews from both races were excellent and there was finally a break
in the weather—about 40 and sunny for both races! Woot!
As a side note, our former FPC runner, Owen Kendall, crushed
Hyannis—again—coming in second overall. While we all had a little rockstar
status this weekend, we’ll give the superstar status to Owen!
While some of us travelled about, Marc enjoyed a 20 miler
around JP and out to the course and then followed it up with a recovery run by
helping his Forest Hills Runners crush their times in Hyannis. I think he sums
up the weekend best: “Great day for racing, people seemed to be having a lot of
fun out there this weekend on the marathon course as well.”
So, we’ll leave it at that. Looking forward to a fabulous
time enjoying a seaside run on the North Shore next weekend! Happy training
all!
Week of February 10: For the love of running—Valentine Check-in
Valentine’s Day is a time for love and God knows we had all
better love running this week. The mileage is building, the injuries are
building, the hunger is building. You do miserable things for love. It’s also
called marathon training. So, while many other celebrated the Hallmark holiday
with chocolates and flowers, we hauled out onto the marathon course despite
threats of another impending doom snowstorm, ran on snowshoes, and found
Heartbreak…hill that is!
Julie A. did a time versus mileage workout in Lynn Woods on
snowshoes and it was incredible. Whoever thinks snowshoeing is easy has never
done it on terrain and up and down the hills in the “Woods.” Mike C. chose the
natural beauty of the Franklin Park area for his 13.1 and though he was a bit
off pace and dodging snow and ice, felt great. Jared also joined up with the
Forest Hills Runners for an out and back from JP to Boston. Check out his quick
video below for a gander at his Saturday.
Marc also enjoyed a day in Franklin Park, starting with a a
counterclockwise loop of Franklin Park, ran through the Shattuck Picnic area
and then completed the Doyle’s 5 miler course. Once that was finished I
ran the SW corridor park to Jackson Square, down some side streets and back to
Stony Brook to meet up with Forest Hills Runners at 9am (every
Saturday!) having completed 10 miles. Marc also kindly reminded us to chant:
50 degrees on Friday
50 degrees on Friday
50 degrees on Friday
Spring is near!
Out on the marathon course, Derly had her first taste of
Heartbreak and wants more. Jasmin, Laura, and Debbie also conquered the course
for 17.5 miles and enjoyed all of the runners doing the same thing on what
turned out to be a gorgeous day. Javier did an out and back from 22-14-22. Next
week he’ll be in Florida—not dodging the ice and snow like the rest of us!
Carleen, one of our third year members, competed in the
Crash B Rowing Camp at BU this weekend. While it wasn’t running, it was
described as an interesting event and definitely defines her cross-training
status!
Shawn was out west…way west…and enjoying some 70 degree
weather. He said that though he’s winning in the weather department, we’re
winning with scenery. Just wait until he gets here after a very long winter to
enjoy!
Week of February 3: STEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW (chase)
What an awesome turnout of Team FPC at the Great Stew Chase in Lynn. This is a great race--a real microcosm of the famed Boston Marathon course, well supported, and has a small, hometown feel. It's one of the oldest 15K's in the country and best part--pots of homemade beef and vegetarian stew at the end along with cookies. It's that awesome.
We missed getting a picture of Lori on the course--she was just too fast and was the first runner to come in for Team FPC. You can check out our other runners here:
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On your marks, get set, GOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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Mike looking great in his longest official race ever.
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Hammah runs for stew.
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Laura and Debbie are rays of sunshine on the course.
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Valerie loving life!
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5K to go!
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Hammmmmmmmahhhhhh!
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Debbie finding a pack to draft.
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Laura still full of sunshine after this races version of Heartbreak. Can't wait to see her on the Newton hills.
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Valerie in the home stretch!
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Team FPC pre-run!
Week of January 27: Seaside, Super Bowls, and Sunshine!
What a treat Team FPC had this weekend for training. Not only was it our first group run around the Emerald Necklace, orchestrated by the lovely Laura, but it was balmy…with temperatures reaching towards the 40’s and beyond…and yes, that’s balmy to a New Englander in winter!
Five team members took advantage of the 15 mile Emerald Necklace run, which was followed by an awesome meeting at the Franklin Park Zoo. Hammah tried to take home a kitty for his wife, but his efforts were thwarted. Plus, he just wanted more pizza.
Julie ran on Sunday on Route 127 from Salem to Beverly and back again. While Franklin Park is amazing, you just can’t beat a seaside view for 15 miles! Shari and Margaret also enjoyed a nice run around the Beverly area.
Derly set up a table at the Super Sunday 5K/10K and sold Boston Strong bracelets. See our home page about how you can get yours!
Mike C. ran in Colorado this weekend for business. Again, a little altitude never hurt nobody! Look at the Kenyans!
Jared and Marc both enjoyed some runs from JP to the Charle and back again. Carleen enjoyed Dorchester, Castle Island, and Southie. Kevin ran all over Newton and Brookline. He is going to CRUSH this hills on Marathon Monday. He also loved all of the friendly folks along the route and sees it as one of the perks of getting to train on the course.
Craig enjoyed yet another marathon at Huntington Beach, CA and worked on his Boston pace with 45-55 degrees of perfection.
Injuries are still racking up—let’s add some plantar into the mix for Shawn. Again, it’s great to be a part of a team for marathon training and to have people to ask about coaching and injuries and while we are not doctors, it’s always comforting to know you are not the only who beats up your body running and gets discouraged when it doesn’t cooperate as you’d like!
Boston Marathon Training Kickoff for Team FPC--January 2014
As our team gathers up and gets ready to go we’ve had to deal with some typical New England conditions—a whole lotta snow and a whole lotta cold! Four of our runners enjoyed the Disney Marathon weekend on January 10-12. Jared, Julie, and Amber ran through the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT for 13.1 miles, while Derly proved herself Dopey by being part of the inaugural Dopey challenge—running a 5K, 10K, 13.1, and topped off with a 26.2. We’d say she’s ready to rock!
Other runners who used Coach Toomey’s “ready to get ready plan” hit the snowy streets around Boston, the North Shore. Unfortunately, there are some nagging injuries, but folks find creative ways to keep them at bay. It’s also been great via team emails to hear the many supportive stories of dealing with injuries and having some good laughs at our own expenses. It’s also great to get tips from everyone from our coach to seasoned vets on how to improve times and make our long runs even better.
Injury relief...genius.
Our newest member of the team, Shawn, is dealing with an Achilles issue, too. But sympathy is tricky with what we imagine to be much warmer runners and longer daylight hours way down south.
Our other west connection, Craig, was kind enough to send us his lovely, warm terrace shots in Guanajuato sitting on my terrace enjoying the view. While he didn’t get a long run in, he’s getting an aerobic workout at 7000 ft. above sea level! He’s also getting ready to rock California on his 50 marathon in 50 states with Huntington Beach.
We’re also very sad to say goodbye to our Los Angles/Dorchester connection on the team. Thomas had been off and running to a great training and on a long run in December had severe back pain…which turned out to be 4 bulging disks. While we’re sad to lose him, we’re happy that Mike Carpentier was able to grace us with his presence as a somewhat reluctant first time marathoner with a love for the park as great as Tom’s.
Jared and friends enjoy the Magic Kingdom, while sporting a little BAA pride.
"My favorite thing to do is run with no shirt," says Jared. Disney made those dreams come true, too!
By contrast, here is Jared ready to rock Forest Hills Cemetery the week before...
Not a bad snowscape.
Craig is the meanest teammate ever.
Carleen is enjoying her group run.
Ever wonder where we train?
Amber and Julie finally get to finish a big race together. It was a humid, ugly run...but done...now onto being princesses!
The Franklin Park Mile
No marathoner never ran without running their first mile. If you either need a kickstart to your Boston Marathon inspiration or an inspiration to get active, join the Forest Hills Runners in Franklin Park to see what the first annual Franklin Park Mile is all about!
This one mile race, taking place on October 20 at 2:00 p.m., in the heart of Franklin Park, is designed to engage and inspire a new generation of runners in the dynamism of community running and personal competition. To make accessible to all, fees are low. If you can, please give more.
To register: https://www.racemenu.com/events/33391-The-Franklin-Park-Mile
Keep training for 2014!
Check out the Forest Hills Runners for group runs and weekly workouts--many taking place around the beautiful Emerald Necklace.
Short shorts are optional.
April 15, 2013
Please see our Marathon Charity Team Leader entry for our team's marathon results and stories: http://fpcmarathoncharityteam.blogspot.com/2013/05/moving-forward-with-franklin-park.html
March, 2013
Pile on the miles
The Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon team peaked in March with training miles. Some of us enjoyed the course for training, others wooded trails, and others just ran a few marathons for fun (ahem, Craig!). All are happy to be in taper time!
Needless to say, March Madness is in full effect.
The amazing Jason Carraro (above and below) races like a rockstar!
Franklin loves Franklin Park (and whiskey...don't judge).
Michelle and her training partners.
Weekend of February 23
Rockin’ and Rollin
around Heartbreak and Hyannis
While some of our
runners enjoyed a misty morning hop through the streets of Hyannis (yes, that’s
a double classic rock reference), others took on a heartbreaker of a course run,
while others rocked the streets of the North Shore, and others enjoyed the Big
Easy.
The weekend of
training kicked off with Julie’s Jeep loaded up with Cindy and Margaret and
supplies for an 18 miler from Ashland to Heartbreak. Cindy took off like
lightning but was sidelined around 12 with a very sore knee. Thanks to the
magic of technology and texting, Coach Toomey was able to offer advice for
Cindy to take it easy this week and for her to cheer for Margaret as she hauled
up Heartbreak.
With the dismal
weather conditions and dismal training, our team leader also decided to get her
miles in on Heartbreak versus the planned sleety, cold, rainy, slushy Hyannis
course that she had signed up for. While on the run down Heartbreak, she caught
up with Elizabeth and one of the Playworks members looking strong at the end of
their run. Julie also learned that what goes down, must come up and was
pleasantly surprised with a negative split run up the Newton Hills and back to
her car at BC so she could race to Hyannis for pasta dinner and a night at the
Tidewater Inn.
Sadly, Owen, our
second place overall finisher last year, was on crutches for Hyannis weekend
and kept Julie company on the sidelines to cheer on Jason Carraro and Brian
Parsons who had some great runs. It was a great morning of motivation to see
the many runners from all over including our teams of the Wicked Running Club,
the Brighton Bangers, and the Forest Hills Runners well represented amongst the
thousands of hearty souls who smiled, laughed, and ran through a chilly, dreary
morning.
Craig, on the other
hand, did not have a chilly, dreary morning but instead picked up another
fininsher’s medal at the Rock-n-Roll Marathon in New Orleans. He was surrounded
by color, light, fun, and music—and next year it will be the suggested “get
away” half for the FPC team!
Michelle continued to
kick tail up in NH and Shari continued with the misery loves company theme on
the North Shore. Kevin crushed 18.75 miles on the hills of Quincy, Milton, and
Dorchester.
Our comic relief
moment/you know your NOT a runner moment came from Pete this week with a
conversation that went a little something like this while trying to get some
directions from the new Charles River/Newton route he tried:
- me: Asks guy standing at a bus stop somewhere close to Newton..."Hey dude, do you know how far the Newton fire station is, you know the junction of rt. 16 and 30"
- other dude: "Wait, walking oh yeah it's a mile...yeah a mile if you're walking".
- me: *confused look*..So a mile changes distance when you either walk, run, or drive it?
- me: conclusion...YES, a mile does change its distant. Cause this guys mile was at least a good 5 miles off.
So, overall, we’re
happy, somewhat healthy, and won’t leave Julie alone about foot rubs (which
will never happen). Looking forward to amping it up over the next few weeks and
earning all-you-can-eat pizza on March 9~
Weekend of February 16
Ashland to Heartbreak: “The trick, it appears, is to get out
the door. The rest follows.”
We finally made it out onto the course with our friends from
Playworks (www.playworks.org) for a
phenomenal run from Ashland to Heartbreak. It was a great chance to combine
resources and get 11 of our runners out there and getting acclimated to the
highs and lows of the Boston course while being supported by Jonathan Gay from
Playworks and our team leader, Julie Arrison.
Snow seems to be the new theme this February and it was no
different this weekend. While just a dusting accumulated on the run, it was
certainly February in New England for our runners. We think Craig from Oregon
has the biggest “treat” of all as much of his running on the West Coast has
been cool and dry—not snowy and blustery! Besides some complaints about soggy
feet and chilly cheeks, the run was great and included high fives from Franklin
and some faux excitement for the beers in Julie’s Jeep—meant for lunch, but
stared longingly at by the runners on the course.
Jason and Shari enjoyed their snowy run through Beverly and
Manchester-by-the-Sea (not to be confused with Michelle’s ManchVegas, NH!) and
both enjoyed a good, long run.
Owen, our crazed third year med student/superstar
runner/team doctor, had a rough long run. While setting out for 17, he fell
approximately 5K short, but threw up three times. Once per mile missed equates,
right? He equated this issue to carb loading with beer and decided this is best
done two days before a long run at a 6:00/mile pace and wished that he learned
that key life skill in undergrad. On his second attempt at 17 he decided to
combine pain with pain and listen to an audiobook on abdominal surgery—which caused
a scowling expression for all of the miles.
While we all recognize that not
every run is a good run, our biggest wakeup call this week was Elizabeth. With
all good intentions, she set out for the 17 on course but realized her
under-training was problematic. Elizabeth dropped around the 10K mark, but is
ready to “hit the reset” on training and take on the next 10 weeks with a
vengeance—using Owen’s quote--“The trick, it appears, is to get out the door.
The rest follows.”
Weekend of February 9
Shovel or Snow Run?
With the first major blizzard in about two years striking
with some force, the on course 17 miler for the team was cancelled. That doesn’t
mean that the Franklin Park Crew didn’t get out and enjoy the snow with a slippery
long run, an indoor elliptical session, or perhaps even a cross-training
workout of shoveling heavily. It’s marathon training time and ain’t nothing
going to stop us!
Our team leader is not having the best of luck with training
in this go around. On a walk home, Julie had a fall on some black ice and
twisted her ankle, resulting in a short run around Marblehead Neck on Friday
before the storm hit. Julie is also known for not being the most…ahem…graceful,
shall we say, and it’s no surprise that this happened. Unfortunately, it was
her first planned long run after Goofy and the miles weren’t in…but shoveling was…as
was a jaunt on snowshoes later in the week.
The reports of snow from ManchVegas were stunning, too, as
was the rescue mission of the official 2013 FPC Boston Marathon Team Mascot
Franklin. Check out the pictures of the “mountain” climb from trusty Ruger
following Michelle’s 15 mile jaunt around the area. Michelle is happy to report
that there was only one incident of road rage on her run from a white Suburban
that was a little too close for comfort.
Shari enjoyed a great snowshoe run with a couple of other
friends who are also training for Boston and Cindy hit the sidewalks and
streets and salting trucks/plows for a great 16 miler. Kevin rocked the track
at Quincy High after work on Friday and then spent the weekend shoveling and
chafing on the treadmill. Elizabeth also enjoyed some indoor workout time on
the elliptical and Owen slept for 17 hours and ran for 25 this week…yeah for
the third year of medical school.
From the west coast, Craig sent balmy thoughts of dry 41 degree
runs and visions of the Willamette River in Portland, OR. Luckily, he can work on speed and did 13.1
miles in 2:02. His goal is a 2:00 half marathon and he is so close!
So, that’s it from snow country. We’ll check in from the
course next week.
Weekend of February 2
The Super Bowl (of Stew) of Training
Margret, Jason, and Julie took on the Stew Chase in Lynn on
Super Bowl Sunday. This is an old school New England race, going on 40 years.
It's a 15K with a couple of "memorable hills" and notorious breezy,
cold, days...followed up with homemade stews, cookies, coffee, and tea in a
Knights of Columbus. It's a real oldie but goodie and a great Boston primer.
While Margaret and Jason rocked the race, Julie had some
difficulties with a nagging injury. Around mile 4 the proverbial towel was
tossed into the ring and the race was over for her. Luckily, Margaret comforted
her over banana chocolate chip pancakes at breakfast following the race.
Poor Carleen spent the week with a dislocated jaw. While you
might ask, “how does this affect a runner,” it does when your diet is liquid.
Runners like to eat and a liquid diet just won’t cut it. Her 14 miler was
consumed with thoughts of food after she got the green light from her doctor to
run amuck.
Michele hit the trails in NH with her trusty companion Ruger
by her side and got in around 11 miles. Besides one good digger, she came out
unscathed and had an enjoyable, peaceful, icy run.
Newest team member Kevin I did 15.5 the weekend before through
Quincy, Milton, & Dorchester, but had trouble getting out the door due to a
nagging gym injury (which way to the weight room?!). After learning a lesson
about slacking on arm workouts, Kevin is now back on track for cold, dark,
early morning runs. Ask him about his downpour…
Cindy is back from the National Cyclocross Championships in
Louisville and was disciplined enough to get in a 13+ mile run on a weekend of
fun and spectating. Because of the lack of hills in Kentucky, she broke all her
personal speed records though she admits a fade at the end--probably due to
lack of sleep the night before caused by the Cyclocross World Championships after
party. Oops.
Dani is kicking tail—47 miles already this week! Needless to
say she earned her Super Bowl eating tonight!
Weekend of January 19
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!
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| Julie and Goofy pal Andrew cooling down after 39.3 miles . |
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!
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| Franklin hanging out in Tampa Bay. |
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| "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!
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| Babbling Winter Brook in Franklin Park...while waiting...waiting...waiting for lost runners! |
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| Teammates flying around Jamaica Pond |
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| Almost done...through the Forest Hills Underpass |
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| 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!
Weekend of January 5
And, they're off!
Fueled by bagels, juice, and coffee from the team kickoff meeting at the Franklin Park Coalition offices, a few of our team members decided to head out for a run around the park with team leader, Julie Arrison. Covering about 3.5 miles on a lovely, sunny, Sunday, Michelle Collier and Margaret Newell explored Circuit Drive, Scarboro Pond, the Williams Street underpass, and the Playstead ruins. Michelle also took on the personality of a mountain goat and flew up the 99 Steps...meaning that she is ready for the marathon tomorrow!
We also are adopting Franklin, the sock puppet, as our team mascot for the season. Franklin enjoyed the park as well and looks forward to seeing the inside of the zoo...instead of just hanging out by the sign!
...and had fun with his new friends Julie and Margaret.
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Boston Marathon training kicks off for the 2013 Franklin Park Coalition team on December 26, 2012! Check your mail for your basic calendar and contact Coach Toomey with your completed profile sheet for inclusion into his Training Peaks online system.
Group Runs are planned for many weeks during marathon training. RSVP's are required by the Thursday before the run at 9:00 a.m. so that the team leader can map out paces and support on the run as well as secure extra transportation and volunteers if needed.
Any questions?! Contact Julie!
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Weekend of March 31
Big thanks to Kathy Mulkearn and Dale’s volunteer Phoebe for our “last 13” on the Boston Marathon course. While Kathy is a seasoned veteran to dealing with runner’s quirks, poor Phoebe got a crash course in stomach issues, blisters, cramps, and sweatiness from the ride from Boston out to Wellesley.
The day was cloudy, misty, and cool…so ideal conditions for the run. Julie ended up with a good pace for what actually turned out to be 14 miles. Laura and Shari were just ahead and did not get lost, which was miraculous in itself. Dale, on the other hand, is lucky that there will be lots of runners to follow as she completes her first Boston Marathon in just a few days…
Kristen enjoyed a flat and easy 13. Not many of us ever thought we’d describe “13” as an easy number, but that’s what taper time is all about. Jason C. put in a good effort on Sunday, running on his own, and then joining up for a 5K with Miles for Markie at Endicott Park in Danvers.
There were also some purchases made at Marathon Sports at the Finish Line. The snazzy jackets and hoodies now belong to Julie, Laura, and Shari. The wonderful staff at Marathon Sports also thinks that Shari’s name is “Awesome.”
Taper Time painting with Laura, Shari, and Julie at the PaintBar in Newton. Boston Marathon Finish Line, here we come!
Mike Toomey or Mr. Miyagi? Tough call, but we're hoping for some team miracles this week.
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Weekend of March 24
This is the “big one,” kids…20-22 miles for the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team. Big thanks to the American Liver Foundation and Children’s Hospital Boston for offering smaller charities like ours support on the course. It was great to see balloons, Gatorade, water, and smiling, cheering volunteers along the way. Also amazing were our road volunteers, Kristen Day’s family and Christine Poff, who entertained us all the way from Beantown to Hopkinton. Steve Gibbs and the “Giblets” were also there with personalized smiles and cheers and photography for all FPC runners.
Marathon Charity Team Leader Julie A. had what she described as a “blissful” run on the 50ish cloudy day. When you see her smile below, you’d never guess that she just ran around her 5K pace for 22 miles. Dale, who was hesitant to join us back in November, kicked butt, even with chilly ears, and ran 21.31 miles. Stairs were an issue, but motivation and determination were not!
Laura was Shari’s crutch along the way and Shari may or may not be allowed in the Wellesley Free Public Library in the future. After not really having a good dinner and a change to a fuel plan, she thought that 22 miles would be a breeze. It was not, but luckily, Laura is a great friend and training partner and the girls got through the rumbles along the way and managed to run a pretty good pace.
Elizabeth, who has been dealing with a number of knee injuries, has been doing some light running on the roads and hard swims in the pool. At this point, her sights are still set on Marathon Monday and completing 26.2…and being amazing doing it!
Near the start in Hopkinton...so excited for 20-22!
22 done and all smiles...how is that possible?
Carleen's redemption run
Paula's version of Heartbreak Hill.
What goes up...
Must roll down.
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Weekend of March 17
Luck of the Irish to all and happy scale back week. Scaling back the mileage prepares the body, mind, and soul for the long run next week and there was lots of good soul preparation amongst the FPC Boston Marathon Charity Team.
Everyone was on their own this week and attacked the runs differently. It was also an incredible warm spell in the works for everyone, so there were lots of adjustments to running in the warm, sunny weather versus the cooler temps that most of us have been accustomed to.
Jason C. did a nice 6 miler with some friends from Wicked and ended up doing the Quincy half on Sunday along with a friend who had never run 13.1 before. Jason G. and Jesus also did the Quincy Half. Jesus really tried to give Owen a run for his money, time wise. Jared was also a speed demon is his own 14 miler, hitting sub-9s for the distance—a first for him!
Shari and Julie both hit the trails. Julie had an easy and enjoyable 13 through Lynn Woods, while Shari worked on her ultra training plan and put in around 20 in Bradley Palmer State Park. Renzi did the opposite of ultra training and worked out a weekend of “mentally stabilizing” runs and relaxation.
Carleen took on the course and ran 14 while Saint Patrick’s Day people watching. Laura took a trip to our nation’s capital for a run on the Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon course with friends—which had a slow start, but great finish.
Elizabeth spent some time with Owen and the amazing Forest Hills Runners as well as biking and swimming her way into marathon fitness.
Jesus looking pretty fly and fast in his FPC singlet.
Saint Patrick's Day Green in Lynn Woods Reservation
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Weekend of March 10: Whatever Gets You Through: Pizza, Peanut Butter on Wonder Bread, Cheeseburgers, and Gu
Weekend of March 10: Whatever Gets You Through: Pizza, Peanut Butter on Wonder Bread, Cheeseburgers, and Gu
Elizabeth spent her Saturday at the pool trying out some workouts and kicking butt regardless of a painful knee issue—still not fully diagnosed! Oh, the frustration! Keep the positive flow coming for Elizabeth.
Kristen, Carleen, Jared, Dale, Shari, Jason C., Nichole, and Laura all took on the course for anywhere from 17-21 miles on Saturday. Julie and Nichole’s brother, Greg, played support and Christine from the FPC provided a transport run for the JP crew out to Hopkinton. While the day started cold and windy, the team settled into the course well. Dale was concerned about getting lost, but successfully found her way, while Shari and Laura got to a crossroads and made a panicked phone call…but also found their way!
Nichole, Jared, and Jason C. led the pack and kept great pace the entire time. For Jason and Nichole, having completed marathons, they took the distance a bit more in stride, but for Jared, this was a huge accomplishment. Jared Egan: “Saturday was crazy for me. I was supposed to do 18-20, but I didn't have it in me to stop at the base of Heartbreak Hill and not do it, so I ended up doing 21 miles. This is the most I've ever ran in one go, by 4 miles. I'm very happy with these results. This was a game changing distance for me. I now know for sure how crazy you all are. I could feel the effect of everything I ate along the way, and for the first time, it felt like a truly absurd distance. For the rest of the day I was sort of in shock at what I had just done, and my mind was pretty well gone.” Welcome to the club, Jared! We’re all so proud!
Carleen had one of those days on the course. She tripped over a branch around mile 9 and hurt her ankle a bit. It slowed her down a bit, but also added to the mental trickiness for the day. Then the Garmin died. Then the iPod died. Then the limping started. Then the effects of a tough strength workout from earlier in the week kicked in. EVERYONE has had one (or more) of those runs and the good news for Carleen is that the breakdown actually is part of the build-up. Not only was the FPC team incredibly supportive, but runners along the course stopped to check on Carleen’s state—which was surely made better with a big glass of wine that night!
The 10:30 pack of Shari, Carleen, and Kristen want to thank Laura for her incredible tour of Natick along the way. Quite the hometown girl, Mrs. Derderian!
Dale, per usual, just ran and ran and ran and ran—and looked strong and fabulous doing it!
Renzi had my long run on Sunday and enjoyed almost perfect weather, sans wind, around Marblehead Neck. The good news is that the wind really tested the mental and physical strength…the bad news is that marathon runners don’t really need extra testing!
Jason G. is getting killed with a work schedule right now, so keep some good vibes flowing his way, too. His training runs are very early in the morning and after 13+ hour days at the law office. There’s only so much solace a run around JP and the Charles can bring, so show some love!
Finally, Julie spent 4 hours in Lynn Woods on Sunday, covering about 17 miles. The cardio was pretty intense from the uphills, the rock climbing, and the rock dodging. Julie had a little fall while heading out to the parking lot to meet a friend, somehow rolling her bad ankle on a rock, and sliding down the last slope of Lynn Woods. When Julie’s friend showed up to find half of her dirt covered and limping, it was more humorous for both of us and after some stretching and resting, she was ready to go for another two hours. Renzi suggested wrapping Julie in bubble wrap…at all times.
Much discussion revolved around food, as it does for marathoners as they get into the last month of training. The tapeworm just won’t go away. For the on course run, Julie provided only the finest Skippy Peanut Butter and Wonder Bread sandwiches that Dale proclaimed were the best in the world (delirious). Shari and Laura talked about cheeseburgers for 13 miles. Julie’s run ended with a trip to the North Shore Pizza Wars at Swampscott High and she will never disclose the amount of pizza that was consumed...
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Weekend of March 3: The Bleeding Continues, The Rain Falls, The Ice Bath Cometh, Owen’s Near Death Experience
After (a little lost) 16 miles of rainy fun with Shari and Nicolle from the Wicked Running Club, Julie found herself in quite the Curt Schilling situation with a bloody ankle and blistered feet—though the rest of the run was lovely despite the misty rain. The highlights for all of us included Jason C. finding us on Route 127 and filling up our water bottles while sporting manpris and breakfast at “Café Hewson” following the run…Ken Hewson (Shari’s husband) can be considered a god amongst men for serving up hot coffee, quiche, and pastries to some hungry, cold, wet, bleeding runners!
Dale slept in (lucky duck!) and waited out the rain. The 12-14 miles took a while and she missed having the team on the run with her!
While Julie’s bleeding started, Jared’s nipples were well-covered and ready to go for his 15 miles of fun from Comm. & Washington, to the finish line, and then up Huntington Avenue towards JP through the Fens and to Jamaica Pond. Both Jared and Dale’s weekend ended with massages—for Jared it was the first time ever and a little tough on the body…but the later rewards are worth it!
Laura ran a very wet 16 miles on Saturday. The first 10 or so were great but after it really started to down pour she really started to lose motivation and felt like my knees belonged to a very old lady. After 13 I left the group I usually run with and ran the last 3 from Brookline High back to my house. When she got home and stopped running my hamstrings were so tight and throbbing Laura decided it would probably be a good idea to take her first ice bath—and she really did it up! She put on shorts, a hoodie sweatshirt and my big puffy winter jacket, setup my laptop with a TV show on hulu and got a piece of pizza ready for the 15 minutes of hell. For someone taking their first ice bath, they certainly know how to do it right!
Jason C. (from this point forward known as manpri) had a good tempo on Sat and ran a nice 14 with a couple friends on Sunday through Danvers and into Topsfield and back.
Our Elizabeth has been waiting on results from an MRI about her meniscus. Though things aren’t promising, she is trying to be a fighter through the situation and is spending a lot of time in the pool and on the elliptical—any runner out there knows this is torture! Keep the good vibes flowing for her!
We also had some new sneaker talk going on in the weekly email chain…the quote of the chain being “Luxuriate in the refreshing bounce of a new pair.” We’ll let you guess which team member came up with that phrase. (clue: his choice of running bottoms are shorter than manpris and have a certain country’s flag embellished upon them)
Speaking of Owen, he had a reunion with the North Brooklyn Road Runners that ended in the medical tent with a blackout…a “Homeric epic” of the day will be published soon.
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Weekend of February 27: Hyannis Half, “Celebrity” Status, Bonding and Bubbles, Training Peaks
What a weekend for the FPC Crew! Julie, Shari, Laura, Owen, Nichole, Dale, Carleen, and Paula all took on the Hyannis Half Marathon—a traditional Boston Marathon primer and overall fun race. We enjoyed spending some money at the Expo, gorging on pasta at Fazio’s in downtown Hyannis with the Wicked Running Club, and having a glass of pre-race Prosecco at the Tidewater Inn hot tub, much to our coach’s protest. On race day, the weather was cold but sunny, the course was scenic and well stocked, and our own Owen Kendall battled and strategized for a second place overall finish at the race. We all left the race on a high note, not only for knowing such a talented runner, but for all building up some great confidence as the road to Boston lies ahead…oh…and the cheerleading from Jason C. wasn’t so terrible either!
While on the post-run high, a favorite moment was Shari’s awkward moment of the day. After she changed at her car, she was walking back to meet Jason C. and Nichole. She came up behind a guy with dark hair and a green hoodie—swearing it was Jason C.—and put her arm around him and said, "hey handsome!". He turned around and it was not Jason. Through a blushing red race, Shari apologized and he said, "No need to apologize, you made my day!"
On the Saturday before, Jason C., Jared, Nichole, and Kristen took on 17 miles of the Boston course from the Natick Town Common to the finish line. Meeting at the finish line was a slight challenge for some (ahem, Carraro!), but once we were there and on the road, all was well. Julie provided support and a cheering section along the way and was very impressed with the hard work along the Newton Hills by the team and running through the random snow squall that hit around Coolidge Corner. There were a few wrong turns along the way (ahem, Egan!), but eventually all found their way, bloody nipples and all (again, ahem, Egan!).
Jason G did put in 16 miles on Sunday from JP to the Charles River, and back—while missing all of us profusely. I was a bit worried the wind would be pretty wicked, but turned out to be a calm and incredible day unlike his run on Saturday, where he was dodged falling tree limbs and wind-blown debris.
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Weekend of February 18
"Bleeding, Breakdowns, Buzzes"
Weekend of February 11
Weekend of February 18
"Bleeding, Breakdowns, Buzzes"
Weekend of February 11
The team had some great efforts put in last weekend around the Emerald Necklace, around the hills of Brighton, and in the wilds north of the Tobin Bridge. The common denominator? Perfect February weather! We’ve all been chatting with friends who have run the Boston Marathon in the past—especially last winter—who have shared their jealousy and anger that this is the weather that we have been training in. Then again, last year’s Boston Marathon was 50 degrees, light sunshine, and a tailwind, so if karma means anything…
The miles are definitely creeping up. Julie and Dale set out for a jaunt around the Emerald Necklace and a detour onto both Huntington Avenue and Centre Street in JP. All in all, it was 14 miles of lovely views and good company. It was great coming back into Franklin Park at the end of the run and seeing so many golfers enjoying the nine holes of open turf, again, in February!!!
Jared also enjoyed 14 miles around the J-Way and the Fens (how did we miss him?!). While the knees are healing, he is now realizing the importance of body glides and well placed band-aids on his chest. Bleeding nipples will only toughen up a runner and the team has faith that he’ll recover well. Jared was also looking for more hills on his run. Perhaps he should have joined Laura for her 12 hilly miles with her Dreamfar team?!
Jason C. joined a number of members of the Wicked Running Club and a few thousand others for Half at the Hamptons. He’s been training hard and said he felt great! Shari, on the other hand, had a relaxing Friday night in a hot tub with martini and realized that soaking in water does not mean that a marathon trainer is hydrating…nor do martinis…and as she set out to meet her training buddy for a hybrid road/trail run to get in 16 miles, she realized just how under hydrated she was! There were many comments, akin to Owen of a few weeks ago, about throwing herself into traffic, but the team is happy to see that she recovered nicely and sparked a good discussion about pre-, during, and post- run nutrition habits, which, sadly, does not include martinis!
Speaking of Owen, our speed demon found some company with some speedy guys from the North Shore who planned on on-course run at varying breakneck speeds. Owen and Mike kept a 6:10-6:30 pace for 14 miles when Mike decided that maybe his nutrition was a little off for a run at that pace. Owen swears he tried to bring the pace down, but “it's hard to convince oneself to slow when fast feels so good.” Following leaving a dehydrated Michael Smith on the road in the fetal position, Owen strided out a few sub-6:00 miles for good measure. Mike is fine and recovered with a nine mile run in Lynn Woods the next day. No one worry.
Nichole is excited to get back on track with her training. She has been on the job hunt and in a yoga certification program, leaving little time to focus on the long runs. The good news is that she has accepted a job offer with a group that encourages family fitness and is so excited to have her many loves coming together…and re-focusing on the Marathon!
Kristen took on a 13 this week…not with all the gusto the world had to offer, but everyone in Marathon training has those tough weeks. She took some time to rest and regroup, which in the end is the most therapeutic thing a runner can sometimes do!
We’ve had two flu victims on our injury report this week—Carleen and Paula—who are rumored to be recovering slowly but surely. Elizabeth is also starting PT for her bum knee this week, but has been keeping up her efforts on the bike and elliptical and in the pool.
Members of the FPC Boston Marathon Charity Team participated in their last indoor track session at the Reggie Lewis Center on Tuesday night.
Jared's high-tech running buddy.
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"BAA On Course Charity Run, Breakdowns, Build Ups, and Mack Trucks"
Carleen, Dale, and Kristen took advantage of the BAA Official Charity Training Run that departed from Natick Town Common and extended to the FINISH LINE on Boylston Street. This run is organized by one of the BAA legacy charities, the American Liver Foundation, and provides runners who are training for Boston and working hard to raise some serious money with the opportunity to have a fully supported and simulated Boston Marathon training run. All three of our lovely ladies conquered “Heartbreak Hill,” and while the fear may still exist for race day on April 16, all were on “cloud nine” about a wonderful day with the other charity runners. Thanks also to the FPC executive director, Christine Poff, for taking Dale and Carleen to Natick and giving them a great sendoff!
Onto every bit of marathon training, a little injury must fall. Keep the positive vibes out there for Elizabeth who is battling a knee injury and spending a lot of time on the elliptical and in the pool right now. Jesus is also conquering an IT band issue and will be taking it somewhat easy for the next few weeks. On the flip side, Jared’s knee is FINALLY cooperating with his training plan and he is able to add on some miles. He completed half-marathon distance through Forest Hills Cemetery, Franklin Park, and a loop through the Arboretum. The moral of the story? There is hope for the injured!
Owen’s weekend of running was definitely hurt by a post-dental surgery infection, which has put me on two different antibiotics, dexamethasone (med student talk?!), and Percocet, plus lots of ibuprofen for the swelling. After consideration of jaw removal for the pain, Owen instead decided to go out and kill a long run…15.25 miles at race pace…which felt great. He credits the rest and good form, but perhaps the Percocet had something to do with the numbing effects of running 15.25 miles at a 6:00/mile pace?
Our ladies of the North Shore had some rough goings over the weekend. Paula may have still been in recovery from her 40th birthday extravaganza the weekend before…or her tempo run the night before…but said that she eventually got all of her miles in and done. Shari, on the other hand, had a series of malfunctions including getting lost on back roads (in her hometown), loose pants (no, she didn’t moon anyone), and dehydration…followed by a wine tasting to rehydrate. Celebrating the small victories in training is as important as celebrating the large ones!
Laura ran 15 miles Saturday morning in the snowy/rainy mix from Brookline High down Beacon Street through Kenmore Sq over the Mass Ave Bridge, down Memorial Drive down to the Cambridge St Bridge, turned around and went back to Brookline High where I left my group and ran the last 4 miles home to Oak Square in Brighton. Her map is pictured below.
Julie was up for a ski weekend in NH. Apparently she didn’t follow Jason G.’s advice from a few weekends earlier and certainly had a case of Jello legs when all was said and done. The run also wasn’t well planned on her part. It was much hillier than expected and the traffic on Route 16 was frightening to run towards. The views on her left hand side might have been babbling brooks and wooded glens, but the views on the right were giant 18 wheeler Mack logging trucks going about 50 MPH. Luckily, for every Mack truck that passed, there was a chance to stare up at Mount Washington…certainly a different vantage point than running around MA.
Carleen, are you confident you can finish the Boston Marathon...I think your answer needs to be YES!!!
Sprinting up Boylston!
The lovely NH views the Julie enjoyed on her left side...the right side included dodging Mack Trucks and Apres Skiiers from NY.
Laura's Running Map...if only it captured the glow of snow and ice!
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Weekend of January 28-29
"Raising a Glass...of Chocolate Milk"
Jared is proudly piling on the miles as his “patellar displacement” gets back into order. He had a solid 8 miles with a run up Peter’s Hill in the Arnold Arboretum somewhere in the middle of that. After the run, he discovered the magic of chocolate milk as a long run recovery drink. The team agreed there is nothing better and Paula was wishing for a glass after her “perfect” long run through Beverly, Hamilton, and Wenham.
None of us were wishing for better weather. The sun was shining, the temperatures were in the mid-40’s to mid-50’s and life was good for a variety of other distances. Dale and Liz came north of the Tobin Bridge and enjoyed a run through Marblehead Neck with Julie. They ran into Jason C. along the way—sporting shorts and short sleeves on January 28. Shari ran with her former Wicked Running Club co-president along the very scenic Route 127 in Beverly. The rolling hills are great for the training, but they’ll catch a runner every time on the way home!
On the south side of the Tobin, Jason G. ran down the J-Way to the Fens to the Charles and looped back home so that he could head off to ski. Jason’s advice? Don’t ski after a 14 mile training run or your legs will feel like J-E-L-L-O. Owen was rumored to be seen trying to hurl himself into oncoming traffic. We’re happy to report that we saw him at track practice on Tuesday and all is well. Laura took on Heartbreak Hill with her runners.
Carleen was the farthest of the locals this week and ran 12 miles through New Hartford, CT. Check out her winter shots from the Barnsted Reservoir.
Weekend of January 21-22:
"Mashed Potatoes and Gravy"
This week’s long run was supposed to be a custom designed ramble by Owen through the Emerald Necklace for the Franklin Park Coalition Team. Even though we had about four feet of snow on the ground last winter at this time, we panicked about the 5” expected and called off the group run. Luckily, we found some great ways to enjoy the snow—or in Kristen’s case—get the miles in on Friday and avoid the slippery roads all together!
Jason G. described the snow running best when he said that he did fifteen miles through snowy streets with the “consistency of mashed potatoes.” Laura did her Brookline-Newton route with the Dreamfar team and ran into some urban turkeys on her jaunt home—always a shocking sight to see turkeys wandering around the city—and even more shocking when they are hopping around in the snow!
Carleen took advantage of a run to her son’s basketball game—which she had missed out on the past couple of weeks while doing long runs and got the other 10 in on Sunday through Dedham, Hyde Park, and Milton. Paula and Julie stayed north, making snow angels along the way. The streets were a mess on Saturday and some time in Lynn Woods, on snowshoes, was the perfect solution. It was no Franklin Park—but what is?
Finally, Nichole took a field trip to New Hampshire for the annual Derry Boston Prep. It’s notorious for sixteen miles of hills, hills, when you think you are done, more hills.
So, while it wasn’t all “gravy” out there training this week, it certainly was fun!
Laura's Beacon Street running buddy.
Julie taking a rest during a Lynn Woods Reservation snowshoe hike.
Paula taking a rest on the streets of the North Shore...exact location unknown.
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Weekend of January 14-15:
The FPC Boston Marathon Team was scattered far and wide this week for their long runs. Jared was across the Pond enjoying a vacation of “running around scenic London in the morning, sightseeing in the afternoon, and gigging at night [with Sidewalk Driver]. He had the warm end of the deal and Jason C. and Owen battled to the death for the icier face-off…literally. Owen described his icy moustache, “old man” eyebrows, and inability to blink as he ran to Cambridge and back, but Jason C. provided picturesque proof of his frozen face for his run in Nahant.
Carleen made it up to the North Shore for a 10 miler out of Salem, over the Beverly Bridge, and along Route 127 with Shari and Julie. The rolling hills and ocean views almost made us forget about the nasty headwind that found us on every ocean-y vantage point. Nichole took on 14 miles of fun, including a spin up the infamous Heartbreak Hill while Dale enjoyed the scenery of the park and what one could only think of as a very empty golf course. Her face mask suggestion should be shared with Jason C.
Before departing for Vegas, Laura got in 8 miles from Brighton to Cambridge and back again. She’ll get the warm weather award for this week…or win big and donate it all to the FPC.
The running song of the week is Rosanna…whatever works to get someone through the miles is fine with us. The team, especially Owen, is looking for a transportable heater. To keep up with Owen, you’ll need to lug this heater at a 6:00/mile pace, but that’s doable, right?
Next week, we take on the Emerald Necklace and the FPC Winter Volunteer Day.
Birds-eye view from a run in London with Jared.
Carleen, Shari, and Julie take on the rollling hills and ocean "breezes" in Beverly.
Fueled by the song Rosanna, Owen killed it for his long run this week.
Jason C. wins the face-off against Owen...unless Owen can provide some proof.
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Weekend of January 6-8:
This week’s run took the Franklin Park Coalition’s Boston Marathon Team as far as Walt Disney World and as close as…Franklin Park! The nice weather on Saturday made for some glorious January running on the local front. I don’t think anyone thought they would be running under blue, sunny skies in 55 degree weather on January 7!
As for workouts, Coach Toomey suggested generally a 10-12 mile run for some of us, a little bit more or less for others. Nichole took advantage of some yoga time and ran from Casey’s Tavern with the Somerville Road Runners on Sunday. Jason C., Paula, and Julie all ran the Olde Salem Greens Snowshoe Classic. Without the “snow,” this turned into a super challenging 3.4 mile trail run on one of the hilliest golf course and wooded single track trails you’ll ever see. Kristen and Dale stayed around the neighborhood. Kristen enjoyed 14 miles around the Pond, the Faulkner, and Larz Anderson Park, while Dale did 5 in Franklin Park with her dogs and 5 on her own. Elizabeth took a jaunt from Lexington to Brookline and got a lesson in pacing along the way!
Shari gets credit for having the run farthest from home. She competed in the Walt Disney World Marathon Relay this morning. With a friend from the Wicked Running Club to push her to her 13.1 limit, rumor on the street is that she broke her PR!
Owen is currently out for 12 miles with a bit of a head cold. Send him some well wishes or hand him a tissue if you see him.
Coach Toomey is rumored to be at the Reggie Lewis Center this morning.
Our newest runner on the team, Laura, tried to get the scoop on the new Sox season by running from Brookline High to Fenway Park. Besides a great run, she had nothing good to report on the 2012 lineup.
And, that’s our reported lineup for this week. We hope to see many of you at Doyle’s for our Team Kickoff Fundraiser this Wednesday night! Buy your tickets at www.razoo.com/story/Fpcmarathoncharityteamkickofftickets.
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12-17-11: The local members of the FPC Boston Marathon Charity Team gathered in Franklin Park for the Kickoff Meeting on December 17 (we missed you Scott and Pitor!). The meeting started with a walk in the Woodlands led by the FPC's Youth and Volunteer Coordinator, Mike Watts and three of his students. They led us in some fun icebreaker games, but more importantly, showed us the important work they have accomplished the last few months in clearing the invasive plants from the Woodlands. The teens also talked about the importance of the Summer Drop-In Sports Nights and we encouraged them to tell US what they needed. We're raising money to support them! After our walk, we had the chance to go to the Franklin Park Zoo ECO Center (www.zoonewengland.org) for a little "tour" (a.k.a. getting lost looking for the ECO Center) and a meeting. Christine Poff from the FPC shared information about the organization, Mike Toomey shared information about marathon training along with a roundtable discussion about training with some of our seasoned, veteran runners. Finally, Julie Arrison had a very quick talk about the fundraising and event planning guides that each runner received. The day ended for some of the team with a quick 5K around the park that included the Bear Dens, White Stadium, the Woodlands, and the Golf Course. It was a great kickoff and we think it's safe to say that we are all very excited to get rolling!
Introductions all around for the Boston Marathon Charity Team members and the Youth Conservation Crew. After this, Mike Watts led us into the Woodlands with the "Alphabet Game--Movie Edition" followed by "Two Truths and a Lie."
Mike Watts of the FPC is talking to the team about the work of the Youth Conservation Crew.
Andy from the Youth Conservation Crew is telling us just how much damage the Cat Brier can cause in the Woodlands--and to the poor Youth Conservation Crew members sporting shorts on a hot summer day!
A wander around the lovely Franklin Park Zoo!
Marathon Charity Team Members Jay C., Shari, and Kristen stopped for a quick picture!
Down to business in the ECO Center at the Zoo. Thanks to the FPC for an awesome bagel breakfast and great meeting!
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12-08-11: The North Shore contingent of the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Charity Team is taking part in Coach Mike Toomey's Winter Indoor Running Clinic at the Lynn YMCA. Two members from Jamaica Plain drove up 1A to join us for the 6-4-3-2 200 meter sprint session. It was a great workout and great to start bringing some of the team together! Special thanks to members of the Wicked Running Club and clinic participants for making our JP visitors feel right at home!
Team Members Shari Hewson (orange) and Julie Arrison (second from right).
Team Member Dale Libkin is taking a well deserved water break after cranking out some serious 200s.
Team Member Owen Kendall is getting ready to toe the line and show everyone just why he is qualified to run one of the most elite marathons in the world.
