Team Long Run #2 on the Marathon Course!

The team met at Copley Square and took the green line out to Woodland T station in Newton.  From there - Mile 17 - we ran back to Copley, doing the last 9 miles of the Boston Marathon course including the Newton Hills.  It was a good day!

Me and Charlotte, checking out the Boston Public Library, on the way to Copley T station

The team takes the T out to Newton - good turnout this morning!

Charly Dog bides her time, anxious to get running

13-strong, plus Charly (and Deb and John in the shadows)

Route 30 is closed on Marathon Monday, but now we run on the parallel carriage roads

Home stretch down Beacon St.  Yes it reads 15 degrees

Post run, warming up in Deb's Jeep

Thanks to all the runners, to the tail wind, and to Deb and John for the support.  Oh, and to Charlotte for only making me stop once to pick up a giant pile of you know what in somebody's yard ;)

Limb, meet my face

Lunchtime run from the Aquarium… snow was coming down, my cap was low on my face, I was looking at my watch, and BAM, I was on the ground.  My face met a tree limb, a tree limb that has never been there overhanging the sidewalk at face level before, as far as I remember because I've run this course hundreds of times.

I was fine, of course, just a little blood and a swollen upper lip that caused some "oh my!"s and chuckles when I got back to work.

I learned my lesson ;)

Ouch

2014 Boston Marathon

Clouds over Boston, geese and ducks on the ice

It IS official. I will be running the 2014 Boston Marathon on April 21! It will be my 10th consecutive Boston, I cannot wait. Well, I can actually. In fact, not only am I currently training for it, but I am helping 24 other runners get ready for the big race too. We are the NEAq marathon team and I'm the team coach. We had our first team long run together this past Saturday. 14 of us showed up bright and early to tackle a 11-miler along the banks of the Charles River. It wasn't a gorgeous day, but for runners it was damn near perfect: 40s and overcast and we even got a shower as we headed back to Boston on the Cambridge side.  Go Fish!

NEAq team runners Mark and Vaughan