Lunch Date

A pretty typical lunch date for me is with my running shoes.  Working downtown (and in a department with a shower) definitely has its perks.

Nice 7 mile loop from NEAq

And Props to City of Boston for building this pedestrian bridge up and over the commuter rail tracks by North Station back in 2012.  It connects Paul Revere Park in Charlestown to North Point Park in East Cambridge.

North Bank Bridge

2015 Boston Marathon

I am happy to report that once again - for the 11th time and 3rd time for the New England Aquarium, I will be running the Boston Marathon!

Let the training begin!

Warm Weather Running

On a recent trip to Miami for work, I took full advantage of the warm weather and sunshine and went on many runs - it's a great way to tour a city!  Here are some pics of a long run I did.

Virginia Key, on way to Key Biscayne

View of downtown Miami from the Rickenbacker Causeway

Rickenbacker Trail

On the way back to the dock, I bonked and so decided to take the metrorail back to the boat.  Which is why I ALWAYS run with my credit card in my pocket.

Little used path but really nice I thought

Walking over Dixie Hwy / US1

I felt as bas as I look here

Take me home please

21 Miles, Hopkinton to Newton

Our final LONG run!  21 miles, Hopkinton to Newton - top of Heartbreak Hill.  I love this team :-)

So many charity runners run on this day that they put signs up and hire cops to man the intersections

NEAq team 15 strong, though there were thousands out running on the course today

My teammate and coworker Sean last year ran in one of these burger outfits (he's passing on left)

Selfie with Heartbreak Bill… At Mile 20

Party at the New England Aquarium!

To help our runners hit their $$ goals, the Aquarium threw a big party.  Half of ticket sales went to the runners' fundraising efforts.  It was a huge success.  People had a great time.  Money was made for our outreach programs.  Speeches were made.  Deb Bobek is the glue that holds this whole thing together. John Hanzl is the coordinator of the team.  I'm the coach (scroll to 10 minutes to see me speak).

Ouch (again)

Meet Charlotte, my friendly and very energetic dog, who NEEDS outside time, especially time to run her arse off. Charly loves squirrels, I mean she really loves squirrels.  So much so that she will run over her owner to get at one.

So this is what happens when you take your dog to the Arboretum for a 7-miler and remove her leash so she can run free (she's actually quite good off leash - always stays somewhat close and keeps up) and clips you going after a squirrel and you go down hard on pavement.

I'm OK!  We finished the 7 miles no problem.

Team Shirts!

What I'll be wearing on race day. Less than a month to go!  Love the schooling fish, that's cool.

Signs Signs...

Went out for a nice and easy 5 at lunchtime today.  Gotta keep the legs fresh for Sunday's big race: Ocean's Run Half Marathon in Kingstown RI.  

A sign that winter will never end? Spring is officially 2 weeks away yet the Charles River is frozen over still :-(

Spring must be imminent!  T-shirt booths in the Common are a sign that the tourists are on their way.

Getting In the Miles

I am going away for the weekend, which means no time for a long run until Monday, and likely no time for even a 6 or 7 miler... so I'm doing my best to cram in the miles before I leave tonight.  OK, so the Aquarium truck needed to get to Charlestown (where we park it - Central Wharf has limited space) and I wanted to get some miles in so bam I made the decision to drive it over there and run back!

New England Aquarium transport truck parked on Central Wharf

Crossing the Charlestown Bridge (by truck)

On my way back, running along Boston's Harborwalk

After crossing back over the Charlestown Bridge (on foot), passing the new Converse headquarters building

Weekly goal = 40 miles
Long run on Monday = 18 miles
Miles so far = 18
Miles to run while in Philadelphia this weekend = only 4!

THANK YOU!

A HUGE shout-out and thank you to the anonymous donor of $1000 to my fundraising page.  I have been blown away by people's generosity these past few months, and this is just icing on the cake!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

And the kids who benefit from our outreach programs will surely be thankful as well :-)

Cross Training: Snowshoeing

Waking up the morning after a snow storm is mixed with excitement (snow!) and dread (how am I going to get my run in?)… unless you decide to call it a cross training day.  That is exactly what I did, and took Charly dog into Franklin Park for 45 minutes of snowshoeing.

The old zoo bear cages, built in 1912

Charly LOVES the snow

2nd Annual Bake Sale

Thanks to my awesome wife for hosting another bake sale this year, to help me with my fundraising! PS I made chocolate chip cookies for the cause ;)

Franklin Park 15

Work got in the way and I couldn't run with the team Saturday morning.  So THIS morning I got up even earlier for a 15-miler.  To my dismay, I found a thin layer of snow on the ground from last night's precipitation, so I donned the trail runners and made Franklin Park's paths and car-less roads my target. A bit slow-going in the beginning but once the sun shone bright and the salt trucks came through, I was golden and finished with a sub 8:00 pace: my usual long run goal :-)

A Quiet Saturday Run in Backcountry Vermont

Wow. What a difference. Went for a run this afternoon on the dirt roads of Music Mountain near Stockbridge VT. It was amazing. No street lights, no cars, no horns, no intersections... just me and the scenery and the light snow falling. And quiet. Lots of quiet. It was awesome. 

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 ;)