Old Friends in New Places

You know that feeling when you see someone from "way back in the day" and it seems like no time has passed at all? That you're able to pick up right where you left off and laugh about the same things you did 10 years ago? (wow has it really been 10 years since high school already?)

Rachel is that good friend from high school who we were able to stay close through the years and what a treat it was to have her in town after being apart for over a year! Every time we are together we laugh over silly things, reminisce over the years and drink a lot of coffee together.

It was fun to be a tourist in my own city and discover new places to eat, and actually appreciate and take photos of things I pass everyday.  Boston is such a wonderful place full of history and beautiful buildings, how lucky I am to be living here!

                 

100 for Boston

http:whyirunforboston.wordpress.com

The two bombs that exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon took three lives, severely injured spectators, caused incredible damages and struck fear into the hearts of thousands, if not millions, of people. The whole world took notice as the terrifying images played repeatedly on the news, raising many unanswered questions including WHY, why here, why at this marathon that brings together people from all over the world, at an event that typically is surrounded by loud emotions of courage, accomplishment and pure joy.

I thought about what possible motive could be behind this type of attack on innocent people....Was the idea to inject fear into a situation where excitement and celebration should reign? Would this attack deter people from running or attending this race in the future?

I contemplated these questions for a little while and asked myself ...how did all this affect my desire to run?

I realized how greatly it has changed the meaning for me of what it is to be a runner. Not only has it given me a deeper appreciation, greater confidence, and a stronger pull to be a runner than ever before, but it made me want to run with purpose- ultimately to encourage my friends and family to use running as an avenue to uncover the power of self they hold inside. I want to share the sport I love so dearly with as many people as possible, because for me, running gives me courage, and it gives me strength and I no longer want to selfishly keep this bundle of emotions to myself. I know its possible to reach any goal you may have for yourself-whether that be a 5k, 10k, a full marathon or any distance in between. And my hope is that in the process you gain so much more than fitness, but also a new frame of mind that allows you to see that all things are possible.

Join us in accepting the challenge to “Run for Boston!” Choose any race, any time, any where! Officially dedicate the race in support of the victims, in solidarity to the running community and to celebrate the resilience of the human spirit.

Want in? Email a photo of you in your running shoes to 100forboston@gmail.com letting us know you have accepted the challenge. Keep us updated on your training and let us know why YOU run. Help us reach our goal of 100 races completed by April 21st, 2014!!!

Visit our website at www.whyirunforboston@wordpress.com!!!!

My Weekend in Photos

<3 Meg

A Tribute to the Boston Marathon

Monday was a day that brought such a wide spectrum of emotion for runners, for spectators, and people all over the world closely watching the event. The oldest marathon in history brings the running community together every year in April in celebration of the fact that humans are capable of doing some pretty awesome things with their bodies. Displaying the ultimate act of endurance is something that is just as much mental as it is physical and is a true testament to a beautiful thing we call the human spirit.

For me the race was a statement. Proving to myself that all things are possible. That I am capable of anything and everything. That the fears I have held onto for so long were about to be erased from my heart as I took each stride to the finish. I knew that as I ran that race I would be surrounded by 20,000 other people that were making similar proclamations, and I wanted to feel the courage worn so boldly by all who showed up to the starting line that day. You look around as people are finding their corrals, shaking out their muscles, and making sure their bibs are fastened tight, and you feel that courage wrap around you. It makes you feel powerful and capable and strong. And at that point, it's not about competition but instead camaraderie and we all run that race as conquerors of our fears.This is why I love racing. We all become conquerors.

As I approached the start, started my stopwatch, and switched from anxious walk to a slow jog, I was overcome with the feeling of pure joy. This is real, I am doing this, I am here, and its happening right now. I was surrounded by thousands of amazing people who all put in endless hours of hard work, overcame injuries, setbacks and lots of blisters to be here and lay it all down on the pavement ahead of them.

I feel so lucky to have crossed the finish line 20 minutes prior to the horrendous bombings. I feel like I have been living in a state of disbelief for the past few days. I was there, I COULD have been there when the explosions took place. I see the footage on the news and my heart drops and I immediately become engrossed in a state of shock and horror and great sadness for the ones that weren't so lucky. Everyone gathered at the finish line that day was there to cheer, to encourage, and to celebrate the triumph of running 26.2 miles on that beautiful spring afternoon. The euphoria that should come after crossing the finish line in Copley Plaza was taken from so many courageous runners that day. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this terrible event. My prayers will continue to be with the victims and their families, and I know many of yours are too.

To my friends who came to cheer me on: Thank you so much for your support and your signs! I cannot tell you how great it was to see your smiling faces on that last stretch where my legs felt completely dead.

To my roommate Beth: who is selfless and caring and who without I'd probably still be stranded in the city when public transportation shut down.

To Brandon: who jumped in the last two miles to run with me, who encouraged me to keep going strong, and who always believes in me.

To my friends and family who from I received a huge out-pour of love and thoughts and prayers and texts and calls throughout these past couple days. I can't tell you how much that meant to me.

To the 20,000+ 2013 Boston Marathon Runners and spectators: You are the purest form of human awesomeness and I was honored to run next to each and every one of you. I am inspired by your stories and blown away by the encouragement you so graciously gave away. I know this will not stop you from running but instead give you a reason to push harder. Keep running Boston, keep pushing.

Thoughts on Joy +Relay For Life

"It's not enough to have lived. 

We should be determined to live for something.

May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, 

sharing what we have for the betterment of personkind, 

bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.”  -Leo Buscaglia

I think that one of the greatest discoveries I have made over the past few months is how important people are to me. 

All people. 

I am consistently and overwhelmingly amazed with the heart and goodwill of other people. I love when this feeling takes me off guard. It can be such  a beautiful and pleasant surprise when even a small act of kindness lightens up my day. It reminds me that I have this little joy-inducing power within myself as well. If these small acts affect me so greatly, imagine how much joy I can bring other people by simply  bringing this part of me to the surface in every connection I make throughout the day. 

I was lucky enough to participate in the American Cancer Societies' Relay for Life this past Friday. I reached out to friends and family-asking for donations for this phenomenal organization in their quest to cure cancer. I am absolutely in awe of all of the people who responded to my requests and selflessly gave some of their hard earned money to the cause. You are all hero's and it is folks like you that inspire me and motivate me to continue to find ways I can provide service to others. I am forever grateful!

The event was held at the Harvard indoor track and provided hours of entertainment- (my favorite was the free cha-cha lesson) a plethora of snacks and delectable baked goods, and even a bounce-house and a jumbo sized twister board. We were moved by several stories told by survivors, loved ones of those who had passed, and people who had sheer determination to find a cure for cancer. I especially appreciated the luminaria ceremony, reminding us life is too precious to take for granted. We must focus on what is of true importance - the people in our lives that make it worth living!

 Keep love front and center and pass on the joy. 

Now here's the amazing people that came out and supported HEPS and Relay for Life!

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Muscles and Meat

This morning I woke up to a couple inches of fluffy, cold, wet snow- beautiful but irritating I tell ya!
At this point I feel like I have had enough! Enough mother nature! Bring on spring with its flowers, and blue skies, and chirping birds and green trees!

So after I took a moment to judge the condition of the sidewalks (unshoveled) and the roads (unplowed) I decided to skip the run and try to get a quick workout done in the comfort of my own living room. Sit-ups, pushups- you know the old school stuff we all did prior to things like insanity and p90x. I actually got quite the workout in! Focusing on slow repetitions that cause your muscles to feel like they are reallllly burning! Thanks to the book and concepts from " The Four Hour Body" that Brandon brought to my attention I am learning how to use " the minimum effective dose" in order to cut down on time spent in the gym and maximize those muscle producing results! (More on that in a later post)

It has been what seems like an impossible goal for me to add some muscle and tone to my body- honestly probably the result of lack of focus and time I have put in to strength training- I have always downplayed the importance of the role solid muscle plays in the life of a distance runner. So this is a new beginning for me- on a quest to "beef up"(haha!) with the hopes of seeing improvements as a runner and all around athlete! I have even been convinced to swap SOME of my broccoli and asparagus and other delectable veggies for lean cuts of meats such as chicken, beef, and fish! Not that I have ever been against meat... It just wasn't my thing! And I hate to admit it... I love a good burger or pork chop now! That's right folks, Meg is a meat eater!

Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon is the distance runners dream race. Every April, 30,000 runners travel to Boston to run in the Superbowl of marathons, the championship of the long distance athletes. The race is a BIG deal here in Boston, most workplaces shut down so that the people can cheer on the runners. It's dubbed "Patriots Day" and is a great way to get people involved and definitely makes the race more exciting for participants.  To qualify, the runner must A) qualify in a certified marathon in a gender/age group specific time. (my age group would be sub 3:35) or B) run for a charity that is associated with the marathon who take on a number of runners committed to raising at least $5,000 for the respective charity. Then, there are the folks that just want to run it- in the road race world these people are called "bandits" and bandits are usually frowned upon because they are essentially "stealing" the race because they haven't paid to participate.

HOWEVER!

Boston is one of the few races that Bandits seem to be accepted. From the research that I have done, anywhere from 1,000-2,000 bandits gather at the verrrry back of the pack to run the Big,Bad, Boston Marathon. It has become a part of race day tradition, and as long as the bandits don't get in the way of the "real runners" race officials seem to turn a blind eye.

And I, Megan Barnes, will be one of those bandits - April 15, 2013.

Now first things first let me clarify a few things first ... Charity Running- this would be my ideal method of entrance. Raising money for a good cause and running the race legitimately would be such an honor and I wish I had the opportunity to do so. My decision to lay out a training plan and actually commit to the marathon came only a few weeks ago, leaving my ability to "get in" with a charity and raise the 5,000 to do so pretty much impossible. Next year my friends, next year!

In the past couple weeks I have stuck with my training plan with the exception of a few bumps on the road. A couple of times I had to adjust or change days of my long run due to the massive amounts of snow accumulated or ice plaguing the sidewalks of the city. For example, Nemo was a doozy of a storm and left us with 2 feet of the white stuff- the city practically shut down and running would have been quite a feat!

All and all I am extremely confident, buzzing with excitement, and ready to rock!!!

As I finish typing up this post I am mentally preparing for the 20 miler I have on my schedule today. Good thing its going to be a sunny, warm(ish), all around beautiful day!

Meg

P.S. is anyone as excited as me that daylight savings means more daylight in the evenings?? I can see spring on the horizon, its coming!!!