Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The week after Boston

So I have been pretty crazy this week balancing work, lacrosse, my boys games and schedules and doctors appointments.  Last Tuesday after the race I noticed my left foot was very sore and painful.  It took my breath away to bear weight on the outside part of my foot.  I decided to take a week off from running and to crosstrain instead.  I went to spinning class on Wednesday and felt good but not fully recovered.  On thursday I squeezed in a 30 minutes on the stairmonster before lacrosse and work.  After my shift in labor and delivery and being on my feet for 8 hours I was hobbling by the end of my shift.  I called my orthopedic doctor to see what is going on with my foot.



This is what I ended up with!  He is thinking I may have a stress fracture so I had to get x-rays and a bone scan done.





I keep telling them that where my foot hurts there is no bone...I am thinking its my left peroneal tendon and I need some ankle strengthening or physical therapy.



And according to my bone scan I have a little crooked spine!!  Never ever knew it looked like that before!  So I am still awaiting my official results from my doctor and just cross training in the mean time.

I have to say this is very difficult to wait and find out what is wrong with me...I have major "runner's envy" and get a little emotional when I see others out running!   I hate all the questions I get and comments about "taking a break" from running.  I feel a little lost without my running and that felling it gives to me.  I know this is only a small piece of time but I has felt like eternity this past week.

On a positive note I was able to find a wonderful place while waiting between my bone scans.  It is called the Great Harvest Bread Company in Newark, Delaware.  Oh my goodness it was delicious and we talked to the owner for a while about the breads and how everything is made all natural and fresh daily.  They do not use preservatives and only use local ingredients!  I bought a whole loaf of Cinnamon Chip bread and Cinnamon butter!



This was a huge success in my house and my boys devoured it the past 2 days!!  I ordered more bread for tomorrow and cannot wait to try the High 5 Fiber bread.  I definitely found a new hot spot!

Happy Running!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Boston Expo and Free Swag!

We got to Boston safe and sound.  Ittook us about 6-7 hours to get there and checked into the Doubletree Hotel for the night.



As we checked in they handed each on of us a WARM chocolate chip cookie!!  Yes please!  After we dropped off our luggage we headed out for lunch and over to the expo at the Seaport World Trade Center. We ate at Jerry Remy's.



We sat outside and had an amazing view of harbor while we enjoyed our delicious food!  This restrauant was a lot of fun and perfect for the sports person.  We sat next to a few other runners and talked for a little while before we walked down the street to the expo!  The expo was super easy to get to and not too crowded.  Last year we went on a saturday and it was jam packed.  I definitely felt like we were able to move around a lot easier and see everything we wanted to.  I picked up my race number and packet without a wait at all.



Picking up my race bib!





So free swag from the expo!



My hubby got this really cool shirt that is super soft and comfy from the North Face booth.  This expo has a ton of vendors and exciting new products.  I picked a few items and I registered for the 2013 Goofy's Challenge at the RunDisney booth!!!  I then went over to "heaven" and had my gait analyzed at the Brooks Pure booth.  This was pretty neat...they had you run bare foot on the treadmill going at 5.5 mph and recorded your stride.  I have a "near perfect gait" the little Angel told me!  Go figure!



I alternate between my Brooks Pure Connects and my Newtons so this w

 

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Reapply Sunblock



I will now have my name down my arm for a few weeks!! I don't think you can tell in this picture just how bad it is!  I had sunblock on but I maybe should have reapplied!

Monday, April 16, 2012

Boston Marathon 2012 - Part 2

Once I started the race I felt great and let go of the fact that I did not have my Garmin to watch my paces.  The crowd support from step one to the finish is like no other race I have ever experienced.  Everyone cheers for you and is so encouraging.  I had my name written down my arm and people were so encouraging shouting for me.



Thanks to my new friend April for writing my name for me!  The first 4 miles were ok I felt pretty good but it was hot!  I made sure to stop and grab water at every water stop along the way.  I have to be honest I usually don't take water in races until after 5-6 miles but today I was afraid of the heat.  Mile 8 my legs started to feel heavy and my feet felt like cinder blocks.  At this point I just decided to take in the crowd and enjoy the race regardless of my time.  I told myself just get to the half and I could reassess.  I passed through Wellesley and all the screaming girls!!  I did not stop for a kiss but laughed at their signs.  I started chatted with other runners and gave out many high fives.  People were giving out bagging with ice and I put some down my sports bar and on my neck to stay cool.  I got to mile 19 and my right leg felt like jello!!  I have never had this happen before and it made me very nervous.  I also stopped sweating and started to get the chills.  I grabbed some Gatorade and had a honeystinger gel.  I was reaching Heartbreak Hill at this point and decided to walk a bit due to my symptoms.  I was not alone in the walking and was talking to a very fit gentleman who was from Texas.  We reached the top of Heartbreak and took off running again.  Mile 22 I saw my son's little classmate and her entire family!



Me at 22!  Don't let the smile fool you!

The last 4 miles were a struggle because my legs were rebelling.  I had my phone on me and I text my hubby "I am sorry"...I had a moment where I felt like I was letting people down and not my normal PR self.  I approached Boylston and pushed to the finish.  I saw my hubby, Lauren, Scott, Mom and Dad!!  They had awesome signs and were ringing cowbells like no other!!!  At this moment I realized how truly blessed I am to have such and AMAZING support system and crew!!!!  I crossed the finish line proud and grabbed my good bag, Gatorade recovery, and my coveted medal.



The finish line area is pretty hard to get out of!  After meeting up with my cheer crew I went and got my massage and chiropractic adjustment.  I felt a lot better and was ready to go ice and get showered.  My family had made their way back to the Lenox so I just walked a short distance back to the hotel.  I entered the hotel and the entire staff and people in the lobby all started clapping and cheering for me when I entered and the concierge handed me an ICE COLD BEER!!  I was in heaven at this point!

I absolutely LOVE Boston and everything it has to offer.  I cannot wait to tackle this course again but not in 90* weather!!  See ya next year Heartbreak only that time I will not be walking!!

Happy Running!

Boston Marathon 2012 - Part 1

My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. and  I was ready to get the show on the road!  As I opened my door I was greeted by my two AMAZING friends and the Rocky theme song blasting!!  This made me laugh so hard I cried.  The hotel offered breakfast for runners and had quite a nice selection!  I had two cups of coffee, toasted a bagel and grabbed a banana then we walked to the start!  The bus pickup area was only about 3/4 of a mile from the Lenox and we laughed the whole way there.



Team Stacey Black!!



My ride to Hopkinton.  I sat next to an extremely friendly lady who matched my BRIGHT neon yellow shirt and hot pink socks.  We chatted the whole way and arrived with about 1 hour 30 mins until the start.  I hopped in line at the first set of port-a-potties and then walked into the Athletes' Village.



They had music playing, plenty of port-a-potties, tents set up for shade, waters, Gatorade and powerbar products.  I met two fellow runners from Delaware and we talked game plans.  It was my waves time to walk to the start so I checked my bag at the bus and headed out.  There was a huge backup of people and I had to force my way around 100's of wave 3 people.  I was getting super frustrated and ended up running to make the last half of my corral...on the way my Garmin decided to die.  This ended up being a true blessing!  Apparently my hubby placed it on the charger but it wasn't on properly so the battery ran all night long.  This was the start of Boston 2012!

Happy Running!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

On our way to Fenway Park!

Sunday we had a Red Sox's game at 1:30 so we spent the morning relaxing and drinking coffee from our coffee bar at the hotel.  Fenway Park is a pretty easy walk from our hotel so we were able to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery.  There are so many historic landmarks and amazing places in Boston.  We made our was to Fenway!



I saw the Citgo sign and said "can't wait to see that on Monday"!





Enjoying some of the "Worlds Best Italian Sausage"!  I decided to pass on the ballpark food and beverage due to the race tomorrow.  I did have a refreshing lemonade and fresh turkey sandwich which was quite yummy!  We had great seats right by the first base line and we were in the shade!  The Red Sox's won!!  My dad is a huge Yankee's fan so he and my mom spent the day around Boylston and Newbury Street.  We met them for dinner over in the North End again but this time at TerraMia.  Wow!  I highly recommend this restaurant!  Perfect meal for race day.  Once again we had to walk over to Mike's Pastry so my mom and dad could enjoy it too...Score!

Once we got back to the Lenox it was time to get ready for race day!  This was on our bed from the hotel...it had powerades, pretzels, chocolate, chips and coupons in it.





Race day gear.

Good luck runner's and stay cool out there!

Happy Running!

 

Checking out the finish line

Since we are so close to the finish line we decided to go check it out and take a few pictures...I am thinking with the heat they are calling for (85-90*) my finish photo may not be so pretty!!





Happy Running!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Saturday at Samuel Adams and Doyle's

Our two AMAZING friend flew into Boston today and we met them bright and early at the Brewery!!  Only in Boston baby!  We read that the tours fill up fast so we decided to get there for the 1st tour of the day at 10 a.m.



This tour was really fun!  We went through and learned all about the different ingredients, steps and phases it take to make a Samuel Adams Brew!  We also learned about "dry hopping" and yes it is a real term!  I seriously could not hold back my laughter!



After the tour we went into the "tasting room" where we sampled 3 different beers and we each got our own little glass to keep!  Good time!



One of the beers was the special limited 26.2 Brew!



My friend came up the slogan "hydrates while intoxicates" which was a hit at the brewery!  After we finished our sampling we loaded the trolley to Doyle's which is the first bar in Boston to have served Samuel Adams when all the other bars turned the product down in 1985!!  This trolley was the place to be!  Talk about a party mobile...the disco ball was going, the music was bumping and everyone was singing and having a blast!  The trolley runs ever 10-15 minutes from the brewery to Doyle's and back.  We all enjoyed a delicious meal and all tried a few more brews!



I went with the Chocolate Bock mixed with the Cherry Wheat.  Oh my this was tasty!



The Doyle's fist pump!!

After we ate went loaded back onto the trolley then went to the Lenox Hotel to check in.  This hotel is gorgeous and prime location!  It is located right on the corner of Boylston and extremely close to the finish line!  We had a little mix up with our room and they upgraded us to the Paul Revere suite!  Check out the view from our window!



Front view.



Side view!! Does it get any better??



The hotel and New Balance definitely have a connection!  Our room keys were even New Balance sponsored!  I have to say this definitely caught my eye and I had to walk down and check out the New Balance store!  They gave away game pieces where you could win a variety of prizes...I recieved 10% off woot woot!  I did purchase a wicked cool t-shirt!  Upon walking out of the store I was greeted by my friend dressed up in the New Balance Sneaker costume cheering " Go Stacey " !!  I am so blessed to have such amazing friends in my life and to have them here with me to share this experience!



Even the employees at New Balance loved the humor we provided!

Priceless memories are being made in this town!

Happy Running!

Top of the Hub and Mike's Pastry

So Saturday night we meet two friends who live in Boston for drinks at " the Top of the Hub".  This place was breath-taking! I forgot my camera to capture these amazing views.  It is located on the top floor of the Prudential Center and has all glass windows so the views are spectacular.  I hydrated with water while everyone else enjoyed more festive drinks.  We then hopped in a cab ( crazy drivers ) and made our way over to the North End for dinner at Strega!  This restaurant was delicious but PACKED!  Our friend had made reservations months in advance and I would suggest doing the same if you decide to go there while in Boston.  I love the Italian culture and our waiter was very Italian...After our meal he brought out shots of Strega which I said cheers with but could not drink.  Mike's Famous Pastry is only a few steps down the street so of course we has to stop and get a few!  The line to Mike's was wrapped around the block but their policy is no single file lines so we walked right up and in and within 3 minutes our pastry and cannoli's we wrapped and ready for us to go!  I got my favorite peanut butter cannoli, my hubby got a frangelico cannoli, and an extra chocolate dipped chocolate chip!  We enjoyed them back at the Lenox with coffee and night caps.

So sad I forgot my camera.

Happy Running!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Boston Expo and Free Swag!

We arrived in Boston safe and sound.  It took us about 6-7 hours to get to the Doubletree Hotel.  Once we checked in they gave us WARM chocolate chip cookies!



After we dropped off our luggage we headed over to grab a bite to eat by the expo location.  We went to Jerry Remy's and sat outside with an amazing view of the Harbor!





The food was very good and I really liked the atmosphere.  This restaurant is perfect for the sporty person because they had a ton of different TV's with the games on!  We sat next to a few other runners and talked for a little while before we walked down the street to the Seaport World Trade Center.  The expo was super easy to get to and not over crowded at all.  Last year we came on a Saturday and it was jam-packed.





Picking up my packet and race number was very quick.  There was no line and I walked right up to this very friendly lady who was so sweet!  We then went in and checked out all the merchandise!



I love a Boston accent!



My hubby found this super soft and comfy shirt at the North Face booth!



My bib, t-shirt and some free swag!!  I love the little packets of rice and peanut butter that were in my race bag!  After we checked out a few vendors we went to "heaven" and I had my gait analyzed by a little Angel!  The Brooks Pure line had a very cute set up with a harp player, little angels all around and you could get you gait analyzed then have you picture taken with Gandhi wearing Brooks!



I decided to have my gait checked out since I have never had it done before!  They had me run barefoot on the treadmill at a 5.5 mph pace and recorded my stride.  They then set it up on a screen in front of me and did measurements of my stride and where my stride should be. The Angel told me I have a "near perfect stride".  Really...Go figure!



I found my Christmas present!!!!  I fell in love with this treadmill and I cannot wait until they start selling it!

We tried a few different samples of new products then headed back to our hotel for a good night rest!

So excited to be in Boston!

Happy Running!

Beantown weekend begins!

We are headed to Boston for the marathon and a few days of fun!  My mom, dad, hubby and two AMAZING friends are going with me!  Let the good times begin!





Happy Running!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Fogo De Chao...

Yesterday I took a rest day and really enjoyed every second of it!  I usually get a little anxious if I don't get out and move around but yesterday I was quite happy being a bum.

Today we had early lacrosse practice then my brother, his friend and I we to the amazing restaurant called Fogo De Chao!  Oh my goodness...If you every get the chance to go here I highly recommend it! But go hungry because there is a ton of food!



All the different meats the continuously bring around to your table!  And they also have a pretty delicious salad bar with tons of meats and cheeses as well.



Biggest mozzarella balls I have ever seen!

Everything was so yummy and the service was exceptional.  We took a quick tour of South Philadelphia then headed home stuffed.

I decided to squeeze in an 7 mile run this evening and was a little nervous doing this after eating all that food!  But shockingly all went well...I did 7.5 miles in 57 minutes with lots of decline and hills!

Today we got an email from our hotel in Boston stating that they are offering free breakfast to runners on race day and complimentary ice baths after the race!!!!!!!  I feel in love with this place before I have even stayed there!  I cannot wait to head to Boston!

Happy Running!