Bring On The Double-Race Weekend

With the wind howling outside my window, I take to the blog to work through the million thoughts racing through my head. Hold on a second while I pile on another sweatshirt and a third blanket. Oh and get a puppy to start snuggling me for warmth.

Do you all have the scene? Good.

See here's the thing.

While I sit here tippity typing on my little laptop, the daunting task of this weekend seems like a million miles away. Oh double race weekends ain't got nothin' on me.

Now this weekend is my seventh multi-race weekend of 2014 so I am not so nervous about the back-to-back factor... more of the races themselves.

This is just my second obstacle course and road race weekend of the year.

On Saturday, I will be tackling my first Spartan Race EVER! Now I have been vocal about not really being an obstacle race type person, but when an organization dangles a complimentary entry in front of my face the wheels start turning. Thanks again Spartan for the entry!

Also whenever a scary race - obstacle or not - comes my way, the "then" or "before" me starts rearing its ugly head. "Why are you even considering doing this race? There is no way you will finish." "Why even try?"

Oh no you didn't old me. Oh no you didn't.

Then the "now" me starts moving my fingers and BAM I am registered. Scared, worried and unsure, but nevertheless I am registered.

So that same scenario happened again during Spartan registration, but the confirm button was set.

Originally I was supposed to race with my friend Beth, but she unfortunately suffered an injury so I am tackling the feat solo. Eek!

Again if anyone will be there please take pity on me while I try not to throw up from nerves. :P Yes I find these short obstacle races more unnerving than the 6 marathons I have completed.

That is the good thing about this Spartan race on Saturday - it is a Sprint and it takes place at my old second home: Fenway Park!

And we all know my thoughts on bling. Pictured above is the 2013 medal. Pretty freakin' sweet! Yes I will scare and psych myself out if in the end I get a piece of bling like that.

So again as I type I knew the nerves would be put into perspective and I would feel a real sense of calm.

Well until I actually get there. Then all bets are off! Be prepared for ridiculous photos tomorrow morning on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!

Now the MAIN goal at Spartan is to complete the race injury free...

... because the inaugural South Shore Half Marathon, which was supposed to take place November 2, is happening on Sunday.

Now I would really like to be in one working piece for this race. :) I have already decided I won't be racing racing the race (that make sense?) since I am not in PR form right now, but I would like to enjoy my experience.

Plus I love being part of inaugural races and there is a Finisher's Medal! Woo!

***

So while I go into this race with nerves I am proud of myself for trying!!

I came across this picture on Pinterest and related to it immediately.

After signing up for and completing both the Dopey Challenge and my Half Ironman that I am more willing to try! Even though these endeavors scare me to the core at least I am putting myself out there. I am giving myself the possibility to succeed. Before this weight loss and fitness journey that wouldn't have been on my radar. Now it is becoming the norm. And don't tell anyone this, but I kinda like it.

***

Whether I stumble or bumble or fall on my face mid-burpee, I am attacking this weekend with everything I have. All with a smile on my face and pride in my heart.

Oh and maybe a cute set of braids. Hey! I have to learn to tame this mane as I take the next 10 months to grow it out before donating it to charity.

***

Have you tackled a multi-race weekend before?

A Fun Fall Day in Portland, Maine...

New England in the Fall can't be beat! I love living in the Boston area since the city is a great start point to head to ANY of the other five New England states.

The wife and I favor Maine as the second-best state in New England... after Mass of course. ;)

So when my best friend and her family moved to Portland, Maine earlier this year, Portland has become a once-a-month visit. Portland is just an hour and 45 minutes from where we live in Somerville, which can be a nice day trip with my love.

We try to get on the road nice and early after a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts of course.

Once we were caffeinated, it was time to hit the highway. Many may think highway travel is boring, but I take it as a fun chance to people watch.. and make the wife play ridiculous car games or have a sing off. I mean she is trapped in there with me so she HAS to enjoy my rendition of Montell Jordan's This Is How We Do It!

We passed through Massachusetts on to New Hampshire, reminiscing about previous outings North and finally in to Maine. I always feel a sense of relief when we hit Maine - not sure why, but it is just such a calming place for me.

We arrived at my best friend's house and were promptly greeted my an energetic 2-year old who was ready to start our adventure! We would be heading to Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook.

Photo Courtesy of Smiling Hill Farm

Smiling Hills Farm was an adorable place that was offering hay rides, pumpkin patches, a tiny zoo, a petting zoo and cute wooden installations for kids - and adults - to climb on.

It was awesome watching Jo run from sight to sight.

Entry fee was $5 per adult and $2 or 3 for Jo. My BFF and I each opted to buy some coins in order to feed some of the animals. 50 cents per coin.

A little Non-Scale Victory here: I was nervous attempting to fit into the kids' train but I did it!! It felt awesome! Now getting out of the train on these old bones - not so awesome. :P

It was a chilly morning so we all tried to keep moving as much as possible so once all the things were climbed that could be climbed - it was time to see some animals.

But we wanted to pet some fuzzy creatures!! Off to the petting zoo portion of Smiling Hill Farm we went.

And then it was selfie time!

I mean I hhaaaddd to do it. I had to photobomb the goat's selfie.

Since the morning was turning colder, we opted to skip the hay ride this trip and get some lunch.

And when at a dairy farm - you try some of their own low-fat chocolate milk.

Jo loved it and was enjoying the treat. She is one entertaining lunch companion for sure!

While the morning may not have tuckered Jo out as much as I expected, we headed back to their house for nap time. Yes it ended up being nap time for both Jo and the wife, which gave the BFF and I plenty of time to sneak in a run.

Win-win for all.

After working up a little sweat, we needed to relax and refuel.

So off to Rising Tide Brewing Company we went.

The afternoon was warming up so we opted to take advantage of the outdoor area and play some bags.

Or Jo just worked on putting the bags in the hole. :P

On a side note: how adorable is her Wall-E vest??? I want one ASAP.

Rising Tide has a great selection so I opted for a 4-taste flight ($8).

My flight featured: Zephyr (American IPA), Daymark (American Pale Ale), Ishmael (Red Ale) and Armanda (American Brown Ale). My favorite was Zephyr!!

You could also purchase a beer or growler as well (prices varied). There was a big crowd that day and a great vibe.

How cool is this local art? Boy I love Maine.

Doesn't your table at a brewery normally feature a sippy cup? We know how to roll.

The wife was pretty excited to test out El Corazon food truck, which paired well with her cerveza. ;)

While we unfortunately had to cut this day trip to Portland short to get home in time for the wife's hockey game, we had an amazing time.

The day featured nature, fuzzy animals, a run, a nap, local craft beer and lots of laughs. What more can I ask for?

I'm ready to start planning our next trip to Portland...

***

What is your favorite way to spend a crisp fall day?

REMINDER: Momentum Jewelry Giveaway Ends Monday (11/17)

My Momentum Jewelry giveaway launched on Monday! You can see the original post here.

But since I love you all so much :) I am adding additional entry options! So click below and increase YOUR chances to win!

***

(If you DO plan to do the blog post entry, please leave it on the original post)

Here’s how to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will run from Monday November 10 (11:00am ET) to Monday November 17 (Noon ET)!

Winner will be announced on Monday!

The 5k That Was A Little Longer... Boston River Run 5k Recap

How could you NOT be pumped for a 5k when you show up and this is the course view? I mean really?

The 3rd Annual Boston River Run 5k took place along the Charles River on a chilly Sunday morning (11/9).

My alarm went off at 7am on November 9 so I could complete my race ensemble. Yes it was an entire ensemble. I was psyched to try out my new comic book themed Sparkle Athletic skirt and made my whole outfit around it.

Yup - that's a sparkle cape! Big thanks to my wife for sewing it for me the night before. :)

I knew the race was offering ample parking, but for some reason I still got there before 8am - an entire hour before the race started. I am NEVER this early. Maybe it was because I was flying (see what I did there) solo to the race letting my wife stay home and play video games instead. Aren't I nice?

While the temperatures pre-race weren't welcoming, the entire River Run crew (organizers and volunteers) were very warm and friendly.

I picked up my bib and long-sleeved tech t-shirt before scoping out the post-race snack table. Priorities!

I spotted some familiar Nestle Nesquik bottles and got a little excited. But then I saw...

Ahhh maybe the Bunny would be there?!?!?! Unfortunately not, but still happy to see low-fat chocolate milk at the Finish.

On my way back to my car, which was thankfully RIGHT near the Start Area (yay ample parking), I spotted Melissa my Weight Watchers member who would be tackling her first official race! I was psyched for her. We chatted before friends Jaime and Susan joined us. I was the meanie that made us stand outside the car to get acclimated to the chilly weather.

Finally I looked down at my iFit tracker and realized it was quarter of 9 and time to head over to the Start Area. I threw my shirt in the car and we headed over. On the way I found a dollar on the ground and thought it had to be my day. :P

The Boston River Run 5k opted for a two-wave start so those with a 9:30 min/mile pace or faster went in the first wave and the remaining participants went in the second wave. I LOVED the amount of families and pups I saw out for the race.

Susan and I lined up together and discussed our game plans - have fun and Finish. Game plans set. ;)

After photo bombing a couple's cute pre-race photo, it was time to get the party started.

Right off the bat I realized I lined up too far back to start off the race at my pace. Since I could feel in my bones that I wasn't going to PR, I took the opportunity to focus on negative splits.

The entire first mile it felt like my feet were frozen. I wasn't sure if it was a mixture of cold temperatures and my decision to wear racing flats (my ASICS Gel Hyper Speed 6) or what, but it was sort of uncomfortable. I didn't think my stride was very consistent for the first mile.

Mile 1: 7:44

The course was familiar as many of the 5ks I did this summer took place along the Charles River. But with it being November, the leaves were gorgeous colors and the water calm - it was breathtaking.

All proceeds from the race benefited the Andrew Graham Semper Fi Fund Helping Students Succeed, which gives a scholarship annually to a Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School student annually. So the race featured many veterans cheering or participating. It was a great sight to see.

I was trying to snap a selfie with more cape action but my arm is only so long. :P

Mile 2: 7:25

Okay negative splits were in my sights.

Just after passing the Mile 2 marker, I passed a couple and the guy turned to his girlfriend and said: "Did we just get passed by a girl in a cape?"

Why yes sir you did!! Don't hate on my outfit! :) I think he just wanted some of his own sparkle.

After passing that pair, we came to a fork where we could've gone left or right and I followed the folks in front of me who were going right. There weren't any volunteers at the split so I trusted my fellow runners.

Plus there were some green arrows on the ground so I just assumed they were from our race.

Well you know what happens when you assume. :P

We all went the wrong way, which added roughly .08 to our race.

A note from the race organizers:

There was an issue with the race course arrows.  They were moved around by a race that took place yesterday without our knowledge.  We thought we caught them all until we heard from finishers. The actual course - USATF 3.13 miles is here: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=522222 and does not go behind the VFW.  We estimate that this revised course behind the VFW and then over the bridge would have adde ~.08 miles to the course for anyone who went that.

I thanks the race organizers for recognizing the mishap and addressing it. I am not sure what percentage of the racers went the wrong way, but I feel like it was a majority since we were all following each other. Haha.

As we approached the Mile 3 marker (where my Garmin already had me past 3 miles - see wrong turn above), there was a group of very energetic volunteers! These high schoolers were taking their cheering duties seriously and I appreciated their efforts.

Photo courtesy race photogs (for free)

Mile 3: 7:23

Down the line there was a teenage girl near me and my goal was just to beat her. It is the little things that help you turn up the speed at the end of a race.

I opted for a leap across the Finish.

Photo courtesy race photogs (for free)

Official Finish Time: 24:12

Now the race is basing the pace on the 3.1 miles, but I knew it was closer to 3.21 so pace is actually faster. My Garmin officially clocked me at 3.24 for the race.

Second place in my age group - ahhhh!! I wish they had our ages on our calves like in triathlons so I had an idea that I was so close to winning my age group. Oh well... it is still amazing to be in Top 2!

Once my race was done, I grabbed a water and low-fat chocolate milk and headed back to the Finish shoot to cheer on my girls.

Jaime (left) and Melissa (right)

I was SOOOO proud of my Weight Watchers members (Jaime and Melissa) for rocking the race! It was an honor to be there cheering for them, snapping photos and high-fiving them as they finished. :)

I love being near a Finish Line, plus the kids are adorable when you cheer for them.

Once everyone finished, we headed over to the Raffle table. I was taking my lucky dollar all the way to a prize. Or so I thought.

You had to be present to win your raffle prize so I waited through all of them ... and didn't win! Boo!

The Boston River Run 5k raised over $30,000 that day between the race and the raffle. Absolutely amazing. That will be one amazing scholarship.

It was a pleasure being part of the 3rd annual Boston River Run 5k - even with the route mishap. The race organizers and volunteers were friendly. The waterstop just before Mile 2 was well-staffed. The course was flat. Free race photos. Long-sleeved tech shirt.

All in all a race that I would certainly run again.

Can you tell my excitement?

***

Will you join me for the Boston River Run 5k in 2015?

Dani Dishes: Don't Justify Yourself

On this episode of #DaniDishes, it is time to remind ourselves that we do NOT need to justify ourselves to ANYONE! Be YOU and Be PROUD!

Dani Dishes: I Am A Fighter

On this episode of #DaniDishes instead of giving myself the I Am A Fighter speech while looking in the mirror ... I took it to youtube! :)  

My First #NBGNO Experience Was Awesome!

On Tuesday November 4, I attended my first New Balance Girls Night Out (#NBGNO) celebration in Boston.

My friend Susan and I met up at the Back Bay orange line stop at 5:45 to head to the Westin Copley in time for the 6pm kick-off time. Nothing like cutting it close... ;)

Big thanks to New Balance for the easy to spot signs to direct us to the right location, which was in a great room off one of the hotel's restaurants.

We checked in, received our wristbands for post-workout drinks and checked our backpacks.

Since this was a free meetup I was not sure what to expect, but the welcome board got me pretty darn excited for the night. PLUS, I was going to finally meet a few of my social media friends in real life!

We floated around the room checking out the sweet New Balance gear that Westin offers - for a $5 fee - to all guests to borrow during their stay. So adios "I forgot my workout gear at home" excuse when on the road...

There were also some PROMAX bars available. We calculated them at 6 Weight Watchers PPV each and decided to pass. I happily snacked on my 2 PPV mini Luna bar instead. ;)

Then I did a quick turnaround and there was the refueling station... the new limited edition Girl Scout Cookie Chocolate Milk from Nestle Nesquik were ready for us!! You know low-fat chocolate milk is my favorite way to refuel.

Thin Mint

Caramel Coconut

I had been itching to try the Thin Mint low-fat chocolate milk so I was psyched to see them on-site.

After a little mingling time, Caroline (@trendytrainer) and Sherri (@funfitflavor) gathered the packed room of ladies to go over the game plan for the night. Half of the group would be participating in a boot camp, while the other half headed out for a 3.8 mile run. Let's take a guess which option I picked. ;)

Caroline and Sherri

The run was being led by a pair of Run Westin concierges and stuck to a pace around 10-10:30. They said you could run faster if you wanted, but they preferred to keep the group all together. There was a guide in the front, one around the middle and two "sweepers" in the back. It was dark, but I made sure to bring my headlamp for extra light.

Thankfully we were sticking in mainly lit areas along the Charles River, but I was happy I brought my headlamp as well. It was a great chance to catch up with Susan some more (even though we had taken our 1-hour weekly walk earlier in the day).

Mile 1: 10:31

We stopped under the Longfellow Bridge to find the trophy wall. I had NO idea this was there. It is just a wall of trophies left by random people. The Run Westin concierge pictured actually left two of the trophies featured on the wall. She tried to leave a Westin cup there one day and it was removed because it wasn't a trophy.

Mile 2: 11:03

I took the opportunity to snap a couple of shots of this gorgeous city.

Mile 3: 10:30

For the most part the group did stay together, but there was some gapping happening between a few chunks of runners. We finished the run in front of the Boston Public Library for some group photos.

Final Time For 3.8 miles: 40:09

After a few photos, we headed back into the Westin to meet up with the bootcampers to refuel with some chocolate milk, enjoy some adult beverages and eat some healthy snacks. :)

O-M-freakitty freakin-G the thin mint chocolate milk was delicious! Mmm....

Once Susan and I felt properly hydrated, we headed to the bar to get some wine before gathering around Caroline and Sherri to learn how to stay fit while traveling. I was happy to hear many of the same tips and tricks I use myself.

New Balance raffled off a sweet NB luggage bag, but alas I did not walk away a winner. :(

So Susan and I opted to hit up the Photo Booth next. I mean any event with a photo booth is winning. :)

Of course I once again snapped a selfie. :P

Before heading home, I had to snap a selfie with Chris - aka @RunWestin. We had been chatting online, but as always it is great to meet an online friend in real life.

Can you feel his excitement over meeting me?

Just after 8, the #NBGNO celebration came to an end, but not before we got a sweet little swag bag.

I was sad to find out that this was the fourth and final #NGBGNO event in Boston for the year. Well, at least I made it to one. I can't wait to see what they offer in 2015.

***

In the meantime I could set up my own Girls Night Out meetups through their website.

GNO Meetup helps you create your own unforgettable Girls Night Out. Just map your route, invite your girls, and go!

CREATE YOUR RUN.

It’s as easy as picking a starting point, time and distance. Then share it with your friends, or set your run to ‘public’ so anyone else can join too.

FIND NEW ROUTES & DESTINATION OPTIONS.

Map your own route or find one recommended by other users. We’ll even help you pick a destination and suggest places you may want to check out after your run.

JOIN BUZZ RUNS IN YOUR AREA.

Get text or email alerts whenever new group runs are created nearby. Filter by location, time or distance to find runs that work for you.

***

Special thanks to New Balance and Got Chocolate Milk for a great evening!

***

Have you ever been to a #NBGNO event?

Have You Heard of #WWCHAT?

Do you love Weight Watchers? Do you want to learn more about what Weight Watchers is about?

Do you love Twitter?

Do you love chatting?

Do you love connecting with new friends?

Do you love me?

Woah! I went a little off base there. My bad.

***

I've been attending Weight Watchers meetings since November 2, 2009 and couldn’t imagine my life without them. The ideas and suggestions from the group are great AND they gave me a sense of belonging. Sometimes during my life I felt like I was the only person dealing with certain problems, but joining Weight Watchers showed me that I wasn’t alone – people “got” my struggles.

Thanks to Weight Watchers I have shed 64 lbs (took me 2 years and 2 months to reach goal) and I have been working on maintenance since February 2012.

Social media enhanced my meeting room experience. I feel like I always have people in my corner or someone to turn to when I need help. Or if I need a reminder to step away from the cupcake.

Twitter and Facebook have opened my eyes to so many new Weight Watchers friends. It is amazing to connect with folks from all over the world that enjoy the WW program as much as I do. It also gave me an avenue to motivate/inspire WW members that do not get the meeting room experience – the online only members.

***

Twitter chats are fun ways to connect with other members of the Weight Watchers community and get some great support and motivation.

Since October 16, 2013, we have "met" each Wednesday night from 8pm-9pm Eastern Time to discuss different Weight Watchers topics using the hashtag #wwchat. There are usually 5-7 questions posed by me (@IrishEyes1982) for folks to answer.

Each week I hope participants find motivation, get tips, make new WW friends and find a sense of community like that in the WW meeting room.

***

Still want to know more? I asked some participants to share why they like #wwchat so much and here is what they had to say:

"I've only participated a few times, but I love having a group of other like-minded people on the same journey to bounce ideas off of, and get inspired by." - Amy, @amyjrock

"It's the perfect midweek pick me up! My meetings are Saturday so it just really helps me stay motivated and focused during the week. I look forward to it all day on Wednesday. It's also a great source of tips & tactics." - Angela, @lovelysplendor

"Here's what I love the most - people on the same path as me, who are closer in age to me than my meeting. Don't get me wrong, I love my WW "moms" but sometimes it's hard to relate or be related to because we are at different points in our lives. Our weekly chat helps me in that way, by connecting me to people who are on similar journeys in more than one sense." - Kristen, @kitenarie

"I love being able to chat with other people around the country- and world- who are similar in age and struggle with some of the same things I struggle with. It's good to feel like you have support especially if you don't have a great "real life" meeting." - Sarah, @SparklyRunner

"It's like a giant virtual WW party where it doesn't matter where you are on your journey or where you have been...you're accepted. You opinions & suggestions are appreciated." - Suzi, @SuziStorm

***

Will you be joining us for #wwchat?

Joining Me Sunday At The Boston River Run 5k?

The 3rd Annual Boston River Run 5k is taking place on Sunday, November 9th… and you will WANT to be there!

The Boston River Run 5K is a spirited, patriotic run that takes place Veterans Day weekend. The run offers a family-friendly course that welcomes runners and walkers of all ability levels. From first time 5k’ers to competitive running club enthusiasts, all are welcome.

The Boston River Run 5K was created to honor Sudbury’s own Corporal Andrew Narcus and is represented by all branches of US service men and women.

Whether Andy was being a loving son, loving older brother, a friend, a teammate or being a Marine he carried himself with the highest honor and respect. Sadly on December 19, 2002, Andy was killed by vehicular homicide during his travel home for the holidays. Andy was 21 years old. The person who killed Andy was never found and the case was never solved.

The race takes you along the gorgeous and iconic Charles River – one of my favorite places to run in Boston – and doesn’t require crossing any streets. Score!

With a 9am start time, the air should be crisp and one can only hope for a perfect New England morning. <<knocks on wood>>

Your $35 entry fee ($40 on race day) includes:

• Chip timing
• Digital time display at finish line
• USATF certified distance
• Long-sleeve technical race shirts for all registered participants
• Trophies for top 3 men and top 3 women
• Awards for top finishers in each age group
• Raffle prizes
• Free bag check

Okay okay they had me at long-sleeve TECH race shirt. That is a huge score for race swag lovers like me.

All proceeds benefit the Andrew Graham Semper Fi Fund Helping Students Succeed, which gives a scholarship annually to a Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School student annually.

Oh did you miss the part where I mentioned raffle prizes? As of 10/21/14, the organizers had over $12,667 in prizes donated from local sports teams (hint hint: Bruins) and other businesses. How about ten “try scuba diving” lessons (value $1,000) or a US rafting trip to Kennebunk, Maine (value $2,528)? I will definitely be buying some raffle tickets for those. Tickets will be available for purchase at the race via cash, check or credit card.

So before you lace up your sneakers to head out on your next training run or you are getting the iPad hooked up to your treadmill to do your walk, register for this sweet 5k for a good cause.

Hey if you are lucky maybe we will snap a mid-run selfie together at the race!

***

Who is going to join me Sunday, November 9th at the Charles to support a great cause? You know you want to! Register today! Make sure to join Team Weight Off My Shoulders…

South Shore Half ... The Race That Wasn't!

On Sunday, November 2 I was set to ring in my 5th anniversary of joining Weight Watchers with my 24th career Half Marathon (9th of 2014).

But Mother Nature had a different idea...

On Saturday, the wife and I packed into the car and made the trek to Marathon Sports in Norwell to pick up my race packet. Sweet sweet race swag being offered up for the inaugural South South Half!

We enjoyed lunch at a local pub and headed back home to carboload for the race. ;) As we were doing some housework, a text came in from my friend Lauren at 6:53pm: "You see south shore half got postponed??"

Ummm what? I had ZERO idea. I had no email so I went to social media. It was true. The race had been postponed. Thankfully Lauren also shared the email with me.

BUMMER! Thankfully they were able to reschedule the race for 11/16 so I will still get to run my 24th half marathon, but for many of my friends they are not so lucky. Plans were already made and as we know no refunds! I will commend the race for letting folks transfer their registrations if they can't run.

I still am not sure why I never received an email. If Lauren hadn't contacted me I would've been completely in the dark. Since I was out of the loop, I made sure to spread the word from my own social media channels to save my friends early morning rides to a race that wasn't happening.

I'm not sure what happened on the lines of communication, but it seemed like many missed out on the email or Facebook message. It is funny how much I rely on Twitter now. This race doesn't have a twitter account so I forgot to turn to Facebook for answers.

But I will be there on November 16 and hope for better weather conditions...