Labor Day 10 Miler

If you had asked me yesterday how far I was going to run today I would have told you 20 miles.  Well after a difficult night sleep and not feeling spot on this morning I decided to cut it in half.

I am trying to get my mile up so I will be ready for the Amica Marathon in Newport, RI in mid-October.  I did 19 miles last Sunday and hopefully will get in a 21 mile run next weekend.  This will be my second full marathon.  I only trained to 21 miles for my first back in May.  I really want to get beyond that for this one.

Two weeks after the Amica I have the Marine Corps Marathon.  So my October is a little marathon heavy.  I will probably throw in a few shorter distances after that before heading to Disney World in January for Marathon Weekend!  So that is marathon 2, 3, 4, and 5 will be Rock 'n' Roll USA in DC in March.  I am going to try and be up for all this running, because I certainly have signed myself up for quite a bit of it!

Now that being said...back to today's run...the photo blog!  I had a beautiful mid-day 10 mile run on the East Bay Bike Path along the northern shore of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island!  I love going for longer runs on holidays.  It gives you time to think.

Pomham Rocks Lighthouse - Now

They are adding more signs along the path - so Pomham Rocks Lighthouse then

The sentries standing watch keeping the inhabitants of the cove in check!
All I could think was who needs a zoo!

The swans are out year round.
The mate and youngster were not far away.

Providence

This bike path goes to Providence!
Runners welcome!

The Brown University Boat House

The smallest tugboat on the upper bay.

arches and lines - greens and blues - water and shy
The balance of it all makes me happy.

Wind power - Our winds sometimes come out of the west,
but more often they are from the north or south
and watch out for the winds from the east!

The path is busy on a day like today, but everyone does their best to get along: cyclists, runners, walkers, roller bladers, fishermen...but bike lane rules apply (ride right, walk left).

Steamboat Willie 5k (virtual run) Aug 25th

Calling all my "for the love of Disney running" e-team pals!  Today is the day for our virtual Steamboat Willie 5K!  I headed out this morning with Linda Bachand-Doucet to do our 5k at 7 am.  We met on the East Bay Bike Path in East Providence, Rhode Island and set out on our way after pinning on our bibs and taking a few photos!

Here is the bib blank if you want to get in on this action!

I colored mine in for a little more fun
and even laminated it to protect it from  getting soaked with sweat!

Before the run at the meet-up spot.
Like Ketchup and Mustard we set out on our run!

We ran along the water.

Past the Squantum Club!

We had a few friends out there with us.

Self-portrait!

Happy runners after we finished!

Linda brought along watermelon...so we had a nice post race snack.  Then I was off to grab my youngest and hit the soccer field for the first game.  I can't wait to see everyone's photos!

If you want to register yourself come on over to FB "for the love of Disney running!"  We would love to have more runners on our team!

Here is who is already registered:

Steamboat Willie Virtual 5k

August 25th

Providence: Erin Williams, Linda Bachand-Doucet

Orlando: Shelley Bowles, Nicole Griffith

Tampa: Lisa Decker

Panama City: Jenn Jacobus, Vicoria Dunn

South Florida: Nicole Zengen, Teala Vandeven, Jennifer Golden

Missouri (SE): Kathy Carter

Atlanta: Elyn Megargee Macek, Danielle Swanson

South Carolina: Regan Levitt

North Carolina: Jodi Granata

Baltimore: Deb Strong

Delaware: Jennifer Acord

Virginia: Nina Fleischauer

Pennsylvania: Tracy Bowers

Connecticut: Carolyn Shea, Deanna DonFrancisco

New York City: Jennifer Tara

Indiana: Monique Wilson

Michigan: Michelle Franz Vincent

Detroit: Janie Kelp

Louisville, KY: Julie Gliessner

Nebraska: Jamie Plucker

Utah: Natalie McHenry

Apple Valley, CA: Terry Millette

Pasadena, CA: Mary Camona

Murrirta, CA: Melissa Mayorgas & son!

Toronto, Canada: Constance Metcalfe

  

USA

Brittany Gonzales

Brenda Walker

Jessica Reinschmidt

Christy Pitchford

Haley Chambers

Nicole Decker

Sunday's commute on my bike

Solo ride to work on Sunday...just me an my phone.  

It was such a beautiful day I had to stop and take a few photos along the way!

Self-Portrait

Lighthouse 

Island

Cove

 

Tugboat

Bridge

Providence

Sunday morning rides are so nice a quiet!

Working on my taper

So my first full marathon is in one week!  (Cox Providence Rhode Races Marathon her we come)   Which of course means this is the first time I have tapered for a full. I started cutting my mile back last week.  Today I headed out for a fabulous run on a glorious day!  I am really into running whatever distance I want when I want.  I was feeling great out there and would have loved to have gone longer, but the point is to keep some energy in the tank right.  

Is this the lavender fields of France?
No it is 3 inches tall along the side of the bike path in Rhode Island.

Purple is the color of the run!

The next door neighbors are even showing their spring purple!  Look at that sky - gorgeous!

So tomorrow I have to work.  :(  No running.  I will probably do 5 on Monday and again on Wednesday.  We will see what the weather and schedule bring!  This is a colorful season in which to be running so get out there and go running (and take some pictures of the places you love running).

Last long run before my 1st marathon

So this morning I had my husband drop me off at the start line for my upcoming Cox Providence marathon.  I am now 2 weeks out - May 6th!  It was time for the final long run and I wanted to run the race from the top.

I made two mistakes even before I started...I forgot to apply sunscreen and I forgot to take off my extra shirt before my husband drove away.  The shirt was around my waist within 9 minutes.  That seems to be my warm-up time.  If you don't know how long it takes you to get warmed up pre-race you should test it.  1 mile and I am ready to go!

I was doing fine until the 12.5 mile mark, when being the polite runner that I am, I jumped off the road and into the yard to allow the 2 passing cars more room on the road.  It only took one stride for me to hook a root and superman my way into a fully prone position.  There was a split second and no time to think about it.  Interestingly enough I hit the ground first with my water bottle in my right hand.  I road that thing down like a float plane landing on its pontoon.  That bottle saved my body!  I did end up with a bruise on my knee and a scrape on my other hand, but all in all I was in great shape.  The dog walker and the home owner were very concerned.  They had just witnessed a full blown belly flop and wanted to know if I had broken anything.  Miraculously I was essentially unharmed.  All I could think was get up, clean yourself off, and get running.

I am as much of a mental runner as I am a physical runner.  That is why I wanted to take the course from the start line.  I wanted to know how my body was going to react to the course at each rise and fall and at every twist and turn.  There has been a course change due to construction that will not be completed in time and it seems to have quite a few people concerned.  So my plan was to run as far as the hill that has been added after mile 20.  Interestingly enough as I approached that hill all I could think was that it was nothing after the 20 miles I had already run.  That was a pretty good feeling!  Something that I can really use on race day in my mental confidence column.  The farthest I have gone in a training run is 21.25, today was a fraction off at 21.15.  I don't know how I will finish those last 5 miles, but I know that after 21 I will not let myself down.  One foot in front of the other.  The final 5 is nothing in comparison to the 21 already finished.  I know I will be hurting and out of steam, but I also know I will get it done!

For those of you who have already done a full marathon, what are your thoughts on the final 5-6 miles?  Did any of you train beyond 20 miles?  That seems to be the common max training distance that everyone throws around.  I hope race day is a little cooler than it was today.  I was seriously sweating the whole way.  At least there was a cool breeze coming up the bay.  The water stops will be a huge help.  I will carry my own Clif shot blocks, but they can supply the water.  Now I just need to taper without feeling out of shape and heavy.  I am thinking of shorter runs more often.  Any thoughts with 2 week to go?

Cox Providence Rhode Race - the northern miles

On May 6th I am going to be standing in front of The Rhode Island Foundation waiting to start my first full marathon with the the Cox Providence Rhode Races folks.  Hopefully the weather will be like it was yesterday, okay maybe 2-3 degrees warmer with a little less wind.

Downtown Providence near the start line.  The building is part of the old train station.

Mile 2.5 in the marathon (mile 10 on my run yesterday).
Whole Foods was a great place to use the facilities and refill my bottle.
 Spectators on race day can grab a morning bite here before the marathoners head to East Providence
and the 1/2 marathoners head up the East Side.

Looking across the cove at the Metacomet Country Club at mile 5.5.

Beautiful Bullocks Cove at mile 10.5.  At low tied you can see the hulls of 3 boats from years gone by.

At mile 20.25 I was met with this sign!
I had stopped to chat with some workers on the East Bay Bike Path about a mile before the sign.  I asked them if the EBBP would be open again in time for the Coxs Marathon.  They indicated that the construction was now scheduled to be finished in mid-May and the marathon was being rerouted on the Veterans Memorial Parkway both coming and going.  The sign seemed to confirm what they said. 

At mile 24 we head across the Washington Bridge back into Providence.
The Brown University boathouse is down there on the water.

Coming off the west end of the Washington Bridge there are stairs and a bike ramp leading down to street level.

India Point Park is near the base of the bridge on the route out and back for both the full and the half...and yes that is a playground in the picture.  Looks like their is a water and Gatorade stop near it.

At mile 25.25 we head under the I-Way bridge for I-195.
They managed to make the new bridge very decorative.

Downtown Providence here we come!  

The Courthouse is set into the Benefit Street hillside.  Get ready to turn left and finish this thing!

We crossed the finish line and there is the skating rink all filled with beverages and snacks.
Now we just need to get down another flight of stairs to get to it!
There are some viewing bleachers on the left there to kick back and recover on.

So those are the photos I took yesterday on my 18.25 mile run.  I was entirely on the marathon course.  I just started mid-course and had to resort the photos.  I arrived downtown at lunchtime.  It was kind of crazy  seeing everyone all bundled up against the mid to high 50s wind.  I was running in my Nuu-Muu dress and already had my long sleeve shirt tied around my waist.  I ran will all of my food stuff (Margarita Clif Shot Blocks & and a Luna bar) in my dress pockets and my phone in my water bottle pouch so it was easy to take pictures.  I decided I am NOT wearing my Jockey skimmies and will be wearing my regular compression shorts under my running dress.  I also familiarized myself with where I need more anti-chaffing gel.  All in all I think I have this marathon planning under control.  I am going to get at least one more long run in.  Maybe I will even run the course from the top.  Hopefully the race course will be officially adjusted to account for the continued construction.  Jumping a bridge that is out on the bike path is not what I want to be doing between miles 21-23.  

Cox's Marathon - mid race sights

Last night I headed out to check out the middle of the course for the Cox Marathon.  I love running with my camera and checking out the surroundings.  You see things differently when you are running and you can always stop and take a picture.  Check out the race details for yourself at  http://www.rhoderaces.com/.

  

Henderson Bridge (aka the Red Bridge) crossing from Providence to East Providence at mile 3

Looking back across at Providence's Waterman Grille from E. Prov. at mile 3.5

Old Bridge forever pointing skyward

Munroe Dairy at mile 3.75

Munroe still does home delivery!
I won't need their delivery service at mile 3.75, but ask me at mile 22.

At mile 4 we head south on the East Bay Bike Path (EBBP).
We will be back at this spot after mile 24 and headed up this hill.

Looking back at the Washington Bridge as I head south.
Mile 24 will take us up and across the bridge.

At mile 4.5 looking out at downtown Providence from the upper overlook parking  lot on the EBBP.

This parking lot will be the spot for the water/Gu/Gatorade/Food/Medical stop at mile  23.75.

The EBBP is part of the East Coast Greenway from Florida to Maine.
The EBBP is 14.5 miles long and goes from the Washington Bridge in Providence to Bristol, RI.

The EBBP is part of The Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.  You can still see sections of the old rail line.

The EBBP has been closed since Nov 1 from mile 20.5 to 23.  I am hoping it will open soon!

The upper parking lot is 4.5 miles north of the Crescent Park Carousel, we will get there.

Metacomet Country Club on the left side of the Veterans Memorial Parkway.

We run across the Amaral Brothers Bridge at mile 5.5

Watchemoket Cove - close to high tide

New wind turbines in Providence

See that orange snow fencing out there on the cove bridge.
That is where we will be running  at mile 22.5 on our way back north.
It is a thin old railroad causeway that is out there exposed to the elements.

The cove from the bridge.

I never knew that the Veterans Memorial Parkway was once know as the Barrington Parkway.

The Parkway is one of RI's Scenic roads.  There are deer and goose crossings along the way.

The road going down to the Squantum Assoc. is off of the Vet. Parkway.
We will see the club at mile 21.75 once we are back out on the EBBP.
It is a beautiful spot on the Bay.

Bradley Hospital will be on our right at mile 6.33

Bay View will be on our left just after that.

There is a play ground right out front.
My girls have watched me run by at this very spot.

Just before mile 8 we get to the Dari Bee - YUM!

How quickly do you think they can serve a chocolate vanilla twist as we pass back north at mile  20.5?

The Crescent Park Carousel in the setting sun at mile 9!  I wonder if the calliope will be playing?

It is a great ride if you get a chance & you can grab the brass ring if you are lucky!

Bullock Cove after mile 9

We will already be passed mile 10 and the Clam Shack before 11 am.

Clam Cakes, chowder, fish & chips!  What is not to like?

Bullock cove looking south from the Crescent View Ave. bridge.

Brewers Yacht Yard & Marina - Bullock Cove

Mile 11 southbound & 19 northbound - Vintner & Wannisett 

The location of the Vintner Ave Playground.

Another great location to watch the runners go by if you have kids.  There are even picnic tables under the pavilion, but no restrooms.

 That is all I have for now.  I am hoping to get out on the half course sometime in the next week!