Boston Triathlon

I signed up almost two weeks ago to compete in my first triathlon.  Without swimming more than twice prior to the race, I think it went pretty well yesterday!

A group of my friends/coworkers were all competing- for 3 of us it was our first triathlon and had signed up last minute, so we were a little nervous.  When we arrived to the race, it was a bit overwhelming.  There were a lot of fancy bikes and people with other high end tri gear who had clearly done this many times before.  My friend, Allison (who wrote earlier in this blog) sent me a picture the night before of how I should set my transition area up which was helpful.

my transition station

Once we were all set up, we wandered down to the beach to take a look at the swim course- the part I was dreading the most.  It didn't look so far from the beach, which helped ease my nerves a bit.  

I couldn't wait to get through this first finish line because it meant the hardest part was over for me.  We met about 10 minutes before the first wave was set to start for a pre race meeting where they went over all the rules and details of the course-  I have to admit that it went in one ear and out the other as I was getting anxious.  My friends and I were all set to go in different waves.  Since I had signed up for the beginner women's swim wave, I was the last wave of the race and didn't actually start until close to an hour after the first wave.  The other women in my wave were very friendly and all encouraging each other as many of us were first timers.  Before I knew it, we had the go ahead and it was a sprint start on the beach into the water.  The first leg of the swim seemed to fly by as I was more focused on getting some space to swim.  Once I reached the first turn buoy, the field had spread out.  I swam a mixture of every stroke (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke), switching as I'd fatigue with each one while trying to save my legs as much as possible.  I had never swam a half mile straight through in my life until yesterday, so I was pretty proud of myself (and relieved) when I made it back to the beach!

My transition went smoothly and I didn't get stuck in my wetsuit, so I was off on my bike in a matter of minutes.  It felt good to be moving a bit faster and actually be passing people to make up for the time I lost swimming.  When I got to the running portion, it took a mile for my legs to feel somewhat normal again after all the swimming and biking.  I felt like I was trying to run on legs made of jello, which made me doubt how the rest of the run was going to go.  Everyone on the course was cheering each other on and high fiving as we passed each other on the out and back course.  It was a beautiful course for biking/running that ran along the water in South Boston.  It was great to hear my friends who were already done cheering me on at the finish line as I finally made it in!  Instead of medals, they gave everyone a Boston Triathlon pint glass, which is a great addition to my collection (and much more useful than a medal).  All in all, it was a great experience and I will definitely be doing another triathlon in the future!

view of the finish line the day before at the race expo

"a wicked good race...an even better party"

the gang after finishing the race

Later that day I hosted a few good friends over at my place for dinner to relax after the race and catch up.  One of them brought this adorable (and delicious!) cake. 

I'm so fortunate to have an amazing group of friends to support me and cheer me on through all these races!  Next up is the Maine Marathon in Portland October 6- I can't wait!  I will also be signing up for the Boston Marathon again at the end of this month and will be rejoining the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team- I hope you all continue to follow me on this journey as I raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to bring us closer to a cure. :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

-S

Back to Training

Time definitely goes by much too quickly in the summer and I realized I had not updated this for a while.  I got back into running after recovering from my hip injury about a month ago and so far it has been going well!  I am signed up to run the Maine Marathon on October 6 and am looking forward to it.  

I also just signed up for my first triathlon on Tuesday with a few good friends.  It is just a week and a half away, so I have not done any swim training which makes me a little nervous!  Luckily, I have been biking and running on a regular basis, so it should be a fun race once I get past the half mile swim.  I will definitely post an update after!

With the heat the last couple weeks, most of my runs have been early morning runs.  The view below definitely works as a good motivator to get out and get moving!

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying this beautiful summer!  Stay cool :)

-S

Boston Strong

As I sat down wondering how to begin writing about my thoughts and feelings surrounding this tragic event, I found myself reading through my previous posts and remembering all of the positives.  A little over a week before the marathon I posted, “As the race gets closer, I find myself getting more and more emotional about it.  9 days to go and just the thought of crossing that finish line brings a few tears to my eyes.  I have run other marathons, but this one proves to be the most meaningful.  Embarking on this journey, I never imagined the emotional impact this would have on me.”  As I reread this Monday night it brought the tears flowing all over again.  I never would have imagined the emotional impact this race would have on me.  Within 24 hours, I experienced about every emotion imaginable.

The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge had a pasta party for all 550 DFMC runners and their friends/family on Sunday afternoon.  It was a celebration of all of our accomplishments from raising over $4 million as a team to directly fund innovative cancer research and all of the hard work and training we had put in for this race.  While they were right about not remembering all of the exact words that were said by our different speakers, I do remember this statement “You will not remember everything we have said here today, but you will remember how it made you feel.”  At that moment, I was happy, excited, nervous and trying to put it together in my head that “You are running THE Boston Marathon tomorrow”.  I was already planning out my fundraising for the next Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge and more ready than ever before to cross that starting line at 10:40 Monday morning.

The patient partners with their runners at the DFMC Pasta Party

Getting ready to cross the finish line Sunday evening

With a friend from MN who was also running

Finish line

Running for my mom and dad- both cancer survivors 

Monday I rose before the break of dawn to head into downtown to catch the shuttles to Hopkinton with my Dana-Farber teammates.  It was a little unnerving as the bus took a while to drive out to Hopkinton- no matter how many marathons I’ve run that shuttle ride always makes me question how far I am about to run.  In Hopkinton, I was able to meet and bond with many more of my Dana-Farber teammates as we all prepared for the final leg of our journey.  

Arriving in Hopkinton

With DFMC training coach Jack Fultz

With teammate Cary

Ready to run

With teammate Brooke at the start

We were not lined up at the starting line for long before they had us on our way from Hopkinton to Boston.  Immediately from the start there were crowds of people cheering us on.  The first part of the race is mostly downhill, so naturally I took off a bit fast between the downhill terrain and excitement of running the Boston Marathon.  I glanced at my watch after the 10k mark and realized I was flying, but I felt great and kept on pushing.  Between the “Go Sarah!” and “Thanks Dana-Farber!” yells from people I had never met in my life, it was impossible to slow down.  The energy on this course is unlike any I have ever experienced.  The “screech tunnel” at Wellesley certainly lives up to its name.

A little over halfway through, a hip injury I had been battling started to flare up as I had feared it would.  I continued on, but my pace slowed significantly.  I remember seeing the arch that stated, “the Heartbreak is Over!” at the top of heartbreak hill, little did I know that the heartbreak was far from over and everything was about to change very soon.

I ran into my friend, Leah, right around mile 25 who told me what had happened at the finish.  I didn’t process a thing she had said and kept on running with the other runners- when you reach mile 25 of the marathon, you aren’t really processing much of anything other than crossing that finish line.  I was stopped shortly after mile 25 and at the time was told that there was another package that was a suspected bomb being inspected about 50 feet in front of us.  All of us runners were in shock at the time- none of us would have ever imagined having to process the thought of bombs at the finish line and a potential threat right in front of us.  I froze…do I go around the barricade and try to get to the finish to help out?  Do I stay nearby because if that is a bomb and it goes off they will need my first responder skills?  Or do I turn around and walk towards an area that is hopefully safer?  Some ran around the barricade, others dropped to the ground and started crying and many, like me, stood frozen unsure of what was really happening.  I pulled my phone out and saw message after message pouring in….I turned around and started walking away from it all in shock. 

It took quite a bit of time, but I was finally able to reach my parents and some friends to get the word out that I was alright.  It wasn’t until I heard the fear in my parents’ voices that I realized how severe what had happened was.  Fortunately, my friend Jenna was able to get through to me.  She and her boyfriend were able to get where I was by car and drive me home.  

I didn’t look at the news because I was not ready to see what exactly had happened until after I had showered and we got to the restaurant we had all planned to meet at for dinner prior to the race.  All the TV’s were on the finish line, showing over and over again the horror of what had happened.  I was so relieved all of my friends were safe and I had never been so thankful that my legs hurt as bad as they did because it meant they were there.  Monday night, it didn’t seem real…I felt numb.  How could something like this happen?

Tuesday, I went to catch the train to retrieve my finish line bag with my belongings.  The station was completely silent except for the footsteps of the National Guardsmen pacing the platform.  As I sat waiting for the train, all I could do was cry.  I got off at Arlington station to walk to where I was supposed to retrieve my bag.  Police and their K-9 units along with the Nation Guardsmen stood as a pack keeping an eye out in the station.  Once I got to the street, I saw there were already flowers and memorials along the barricades on Boylston- the city truly had pulled together.  I stared down Boylston towards the finish line in disbelief.  Finally, I made it to where all of the bags were.  Runners were exiting the building- most with tears in their eyes.  The volunteers insisted on me receiving a medal (I told them I hadn't finished and shouldn't receive it) reassuring me that I would have finished and had earned it.  The B.A.A. volunteers were absolutely amazing and did an excellent job at handling the situation at hand.

Receiving my medal

The volunteers were beyond amazing

After the photographer insisted I smile with my medal

My deepest sympathies go out to those who lost their lives or were wounded throughout this horribly tragic event, as well as their loved ones.  It still does not seem real and deeply saddens me that so many have this long road of recovery ahead of them.  I have no doubt that they will persevere and make excellent recoveries.  The days and weeks following this event have proven to be difficult as a wide array of emotions continue to follow these events.

All in one day, I experienced some of the best moments of my life and some of the worst.  It is a lot to process, but I know I will be okay and get through this.  We as a city will all get through this- we are all Boston Strong. I plan on being back next year, running faster than before, raising more money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and crossing that finish line stronger than ever.  

The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team and staff have pulled together in an amazing way over these last couple weeks and I have made lifelong friends through all of these experiences.  It is a true blessing to be a part of such a great organization.  They have provided us with many resources to help us all cope with this tragedy.  Fortunately, all of our runners are healthy and in good shape, however some family members of a teammate are not as fortunate.  My thoughts and prayers are with those injured and their families every single day.

While I did not cross the finish line, I am proud to say that you helped me raise $5,500 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  While these tragic events may have occurred, there are still positive thoughts to think about- the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team brought in over $4 million to directly fund innovative cancer research and donations are still coming in!

The sign I intended to hold up at the finish line for all of my supporters

I feel as though all of these words can’t even begin to describe all the emotions/events of the last couple weeks, but I wanted to share some of it with all of you.  I can’t say thank you enough to all who have supported me throughout this entire journey and have kept Boston in your thoughts and prayers.

Stay Boston Strong.

-S

Final Race Preparation

In the last week, we have raised nearly $1,000 for the cause bringing the total up to $4,700 to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute...wow!  I am amazed to the point of tears by the generosity of all of you to donate to such a fabulous cause and help bring us closer to a cure!  Thank you all!!  

With the race being just 2 days away, the final race preparation has begun.  Yesterday I picked up my bib number and wandered around the race expo.  The excitement has begun in the city as runners from all over the world arrive.  With all the nerves/excitement built up about the race, it makes me want to go for a run to calm down, but my training plan has the final two days as rest days and I need to save  my legs for Monday!  Tomorrow, the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team has a pasta dinner together which will be a wonderful event reminding us all why we are running on Monday along with some team motivation.  I will also be taking the next two days to mentally prepare myself for Monday and reflect on the stories that have been shared with me that have inspired me to fundraise/train even harder for this cause. 

"That's the thing about running:  your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success.  They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is."

-Kara Goucher (one of the elite American runners who will be racing on Monday)

She couldn't have said it better.  My last few long training runs have brought tears to my eyes as I realize how blessed I am to have the support of all of you and how passionate the people in my life are about making the world a better place.  It saddens me that so many people in my life have been affected by cancer in a negative way, but I have great hope for the future as medical advances continue that more of these stories will become positive ones.

For those who still wish to contribute, simply click here to be taken directly to my fundraising page.  The donation process does not take long at all. :)

I don't think I can thank all of you enough for the difference you have made in benefiting the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to directly fund innovative cancer research!

-S

Heartbreak Hill

For weeks people have been asking me if I am ready for the marathon and the infamous Heartbreak Hill- today I finally feel like I can answer this question confidently with a yes.  Yesterday marked my last long training run and I decided it was finally time to see what the hype about Heartbreak Hill was all about.  I ran out on the marathon course down Heartbreak Hill and the other Newton rolling hills realizing I was clearly descending most of the way and would have to turn around to ascend to get myself back home.  On the return trip I reached Heartbreak Hill at about mile 10 and found myself wondering if that was really the dreaded hill because quite frankly it didn't seem so bad.  Perhaps its because I spent most of the last few years running the hills of Tennessee- running up the dreaded Demonbreun hill frequently with my fellow Nashville runners, as well as trail running at the Warner Parks in which "hilly" is an understatement.  While I may feel differently about Heartbreak Hill when I reach it at mile 20 a week from Monday, I am feeling confident that there will be no heartbreak for me at that point in the race.  People tell me the rolling hills of the Boston Marathon are tough- I ask if they have run the hills of Tennessee recently...

As the race gets closer, I find myself getting more and more emotional about it.  9 days to go and just the thought of crossing that finish line brings a few tears to my eyes.  I have run other marathons, but this one proves to be the most meaningful.  Embarking on this journey, I never imagined the emotional impact this would have on me.  I have had many people share their stories with me and witnessed others fighting their own battles with cancer- it has brought on the urge to raise even more money so that we can see more success stories for those battling cancer.  The thoughts of all of your loved ones stories help me through when the going gets tough with long training runs and remind me why I am out pounding the pavement.  The temporary struggle and pain I battle with during a run is nothing compared to the battle others are fighting with cancer- this pushes me harder than ever before.  I hope that with my training and fundraising, I can ease the difficulty of the battles people fight with cancer every day as a part of a team much larger than just myself.  The $3,700 you have all helped me raise so far to benefit innovative cancer research is remarkable.  While it may seem like a small drop in the bucket, it is the collaborative effort of something much greater than that.  Since 1990, the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team has raised more than $56 million to directly fund the Barr Program.  Our team as a whole this year has a fundraising goal of $4.6 million.  Every single donation makes a difference in taking strides to a world without cancer.

Thank you to all of you who have donated, supported me, run with me and prayed for this cause as race day nears- all of you have made a significant impact!

To those who have not donated yet who would like to, the process is quick and easy!  Simply click here to open my personal fundraising page with Dana-Farber and follow the instructions.  :)

Enjoy the weekend!

-S

16 Days to Go!

Today as I was standing in line to purchase a Gatorade following one of my last long training runs, I heard someone behind me ask if I was running the marathon for the Dana-Farber team.  Before I could respond with anything further than a "yes", she shook my hand and held it while telling me "I can't thank you all enough for what you do.  I was treated at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute last year and they saved my life."  Taken aback by the gratefulness of this woman, I realized that this run and money raised to support the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute truly do reach out to more people than can be imagined.  The woman continued to tell me her story of her battle with breast cancer and how she has been cancer free for 6 months now.  She pulled out a picture of her grandson and bragged to me about him taking his first steps just a few weeks ago and how blessed she was to be here today to experience it.  She asked for my bib number so that she could follow me on race day and cheer me on.  It brought tears to my eyes to hear her story and I am so honored to be able to run proudly wearing the Dana-Farber logo on Marathon Monday.  Every donation truly does make a difference in someone's life- we just may not always hear about it.  I am blessed to have been able to hear the story of someone directly affected in a positive way by the organization I am running for and have extra motivation knowing that she is cheering me on every step of the way in 2 weeks.  

On the fundraising front: we have reached $3,200 in donations!  Thank you all for being so generous and donating to such a worthy cause!  I definitely think we can get to at least $4,000 by race day on April 15.  I am grateful to have the support of all of you!!  Together we are making a large impact in fighting the battle against all types of cancer.

My training has been going well.  Last weekend I ran 22 miles and have begun to taper off until race day (2 weeks from Monday!).  Today I put in 16 miles and was able to run in shorts as the weather is in the mid 50's!  I am definitely excited about the warmer weather coming around.  :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend and is able to spend it with family and friends!  Stay tuned for more frequent updates as Marathon Monday approaches!!

-S

Make a Difference. Make a Donation.

My friend Amanda wrote the following for the blog and I wanted to share it with you all :)  Her and I have been through many of life's battles together throughout the years, along with quite a few laughs and ridiculous moments.  I am blessed to have so many amazing friends who are taking the time to support such an amazing cause!  Love you all!

I never understood running. Cardio is not my cup of tea, cardio does not do my body good and cardio usually makes me cramp in muscles I didn’t even know I had. However, to others running is their feel good, their drug. To these people, I call them crazy. Strait-jacket crazy, that is.

I wish I had the passion to run. I wish I had even the slightest interest in running 26 some miles, or even one mile for that matter. But, that’s where Sarah comes in. She has the passion, the dedication and the talent to run like a damned fool for 26.2 miles. The best part? She isn’t doing it for herself. She is doing it to help fund research for a disease that develops daily within innocent people. To help those whose lives have directly and indirectly been affected by that awful word. To find an answer. To find a cure.

Cancer has made its Oscar winning performance a few too many times in my life.

Vince and I met at the YMCA lifeguarding when I was a wee-tyke. He is a couple years older than me, but we clicked. At first, Vince was my crush. I oogled at him and drooled as any 15 year old girl would do. It wouldn’t take long for me to discover that Vince would become a lifelong friend. The friend that tells how it is, the friend that will punch you in the arm for being a girl, the one that will say the guy you are dating isn’t good enough for you and the friend that despite anything happening in their life, they are never too busy to listen.

In the end of December, Vince was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He had surgery in the middle of January to have masses removed and a few weeks later would find out the cancer had spread into his blood and lungs. Doctors started aggressive chemo treatments pretty quickly after discovering the severity of his cancer.

I don’t fear the outcome with Vince. I know he will make it through this battle, but it will be just that, a battle. To him, this is road bump in life. I’m a little more dramatic about it, because for starters I am a female, but also because I consider Vince to be a part of my family. Things like this aren’t planned. There is a plan once they do happen, but even then, nothing is concrete. I wish he didn’t have to go through this, I wish he could continue his everyday life as if he was a twenty-some-year-old man. But, he needs to be careful of what foods he eats, who he comes into contact with and how active his body allows him to be. He doesn’t view his diagnosis and treatment as anything more than that. It is something to beat, something to hurdle and then life will go back to normal. His positivity shines through and I know he will show cancer that nothing can bring him down.

However, about 9 years prior to this, my life would have its first introduction to the world of cancer.

The man I will forever look up to was taken from us just 3 months after being diagnosed with cancer. My Grandpa was one of the first men I would love (next to my father, of course). He taught me how to golf, how to say please and thank you, how to forgive, how to pray to God, how to be a girl, how to mow a lawn, how to dream but most importantly, he taught me how to love. We all know the relationship a Grandpa has with his first granddaughter. The bond is unbreakable and the love is unconditional. He couldn’t tell me no, but he sure would try. 

Cancer broke a bond that I will never be able to relive, a once in a lifetime love and a forever friendship that was taken far too soon. Speaking of my Grandpa will forever bring tears to my eyes and knowing his voice only remains in my memories is not my ideal situation—but I have been blessed with some of my memorable life moments because of this man. That in itself is pretty priceless.

Enough of my life.

Running in the Boston Marathon to any normal person is quite the opportunity. Obviously, to Sarah, it means a lot. But, knowing Sarah for all the years I have, her true determination for running this marathon and raising the money for cancer research is in her big heart to do things for others. In her selfless personality to give back. Since I’ve known this girl, she’s wants nothing more than to make a difference in the lives of others. She may enjoy to run (which is where we will always differ), but not as much as she loves to help people.

Every donation gives cancer less of a chance. Every donation puts research one step closer to a cure. Every donation makes a difference. Every. Single. Donation.

Please, take the time to help this (crazy) girl reach her goal and help cancer research find a cure.

Thank you again, Amanda, for writing this- and I ask all of you to please consider making a donation to day to bring us closer to a cure and a better future for others.  Thanks for your support!

-S