Strava Marathon (S. Boston, MA)
Finish Time: 4:13
Pace: 9:40
Temp: 56
Conditions: Mild and Sunny
Run For: Nancy
Recap:
There is nothing better than some springtime weather in February in Boston, especially on a weekend day. I wanted to take advantage of this warm weather by getting outside to run a majority of this marathon for Nancy. This one I broke down into three different segments with the first leg being run at Castle Island in South Boston. This particular route is a familiar one as it has always been a popular place to run with our Team Challenge New England team over the years. We have been coming to this spot for years so it was so nice to be able to get back here on such a nice day.
I also had some company for the first five miles of this marathon by my friend and fellow TC teammate Sara and her two friends Michelle and Jessica. We ran around the reservoir together chatting which made the miles fly by, like they always do when you run with a group.
We started out early so it was still chilly, but each mile you could feel the weather getting warmer and nicer. I covered another eight miles solo around Castle Island and made my way down towards Carson Beach as the temps rose and the amount of people out enjoying the day increased as well.
After a short break for some food/fuel I came back home and ran some more miles around the neighborhood with Sharon who did a 5k with me on the bike path near our house. It was great to have someone to run and letting Sharon dictate the pace was perfect as I was able to just follow her lead.
Having done the majority of my running this winter on the treadmill, I was definitely feeling the difference from running outside most of the day. The weather was so nice and I was also aware that I was not keeping up with my hydration. Not to alarm anyone, and I was not dehydrated but I do know from running for so long, I’m very well in tune with my body and knew I needed to increase my liquid intake.
Once I was able to get back home and have some water and electrolytes, I noticed the sun starting to set so I was losing daylight. With seven miles left to go I transitioned to the treadmill to finish up the final leg of this marathon. I was tired and could feel the soreness in my muscles but being able to take advantage of the unseasonably nice day, with some good company, made this marathon an enjoyable one.
Running for Nancy also made this marathon enjoyable because she is an old friend who I’ve known for a long time. I met Nancy for the first time during my very first season with Team Challenge back in 2010. She was part of the 110 plus members of the New England team we had that year. I have lost track of the number of seasons I’ve done with Nancy and the number of trainings and races we have done together. It’s just too many to count and that is a good thing and makes me happy.
Nancy is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and she has had an impact on a countless number of participants with Team Challenge. She is open and honest when it comes to what she has been through and with what Crohn’s Disease is all about. She is kind and caring and anyone who has questions or is struggling with IBD, Nancy’s compassion for people shines through as she listens and offers advice.
We have come a long way since Nancy was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease years ago with a number of new treatments and options for those with IBD. However, even with the advancements surgery sometimes is the only option at times and that was the case with Nancy just a week ago. No one ever wants to resort to surgery so I just hope this works for her and that she can recover and feel better quickly.
Thank you, Nancy, for being a dear friend and THANK YOU for allowing me to share your story and run for you. It was my honor to do this and I couldn’t imagine being on this journey to 100 marathons without running one for you. You are the definition of a true IBD warrior and you inspire so many. This 26.2 was for you!
26.2 FOR YOU 