Survival. The name of the game this Marathon Monday

What a tough day today for all the runners. Man I feel for all of them that attempted the run on Monday. And I respect all that took the offered deferrment till next year. And I appreciate the fact the the Boston Marathon organizers took that step to help combat as many unnecessary health incidents as possible. It was a brutal day in Boston.

Kevin and I had been talking about his strategy for a couple of days before the race. Kevin changed his strategy from trying to beat last year's time to making it more like a training run and staying healthy. My strategy for him was just to come back to me.

After Kevin left on Monday morning, I chased him starting at mile 17. Once again I took the T out to Woban station, got my starbucks there, and then trekked about a mile to get to the race route. I walked that mile and sweated the entire way. While waiting for Kev, standing in the sun, it was all I could do to think about the sunscreen I sent away with Kevin (rightfully so) and that I was now so missing! So all of this said, I could only stand back and imagine what it was like for the runners on this very warm New England day.

The thing about the Boston Marathon is that there is a definite comaradarie felt between runners, spectators, and runners and spectators. And I love that atmosphere that just encompasses this race. While at mile 17, I met a group of ladies waiting for their runner and they were so nice to me. When I was standing with my poster with "Run Kevin Run" emblazoned on it, and the bottle of gatorade that Kevin had sent with me to hand him just in case he needed it, and my phone so that I could snap a picture when he got to me, I asked one of the girls if she could just help me out and just snap the picture with my phone and she was right there ready to help. She got an awesome picture! Thanks stranger girl!!!

Kevin looking REALLY strong and healthy at mile 17

Once he went by, I got all my gear together and ran that mile back down to the station and made it on the train. Just like last year, the train was packed! But people were just so nice and made space for me to get on. I met a couple of girls that were following their boyfriends/Husbands and we got off together at Kenmore station (mile 25) and waited for all of them (including Kevin) to come by. Yep we managed to see them all! Kevin looked like his hamstring was a bit stiff but I knew he was going to make it to the finish line with no issue and that was comforting.

Mile 25...a bit slower pace...

Once Kevin and I met up after the race, I was shocked! He looked in such better shape than last year! He was ready for starbucks and seemed to be feeling pretty good (I honestly thought he might have been a bit delirious!). 

Kevin at starbucks after the race! Looking pretty good!

Once we got back to our room, there was a surprise for Kevin from his team at Luke's Locker! They had sent Champagne and 2 cards. One card read "I had a great race! (Open this)". The other card read "That race sucked! (open this)". Kevin immediately went for the "I had a great race!" card. That said a lot. He felt great! 3:07 was his time on Monday. And that is AWESOME for a race like this on a day like that!!

Kev's Dallas peeps sending best wishes....

To end the day, we had Thai with Jim and Adele and her nephew Frem who is graduating from Harvard in May. Very nice dinner and I am sure we will all get together again in Dallas. I know Kevin and Jim will be seeing each other soon as they will be off to run again together sometime this week!

The madness never ends!!

Records expected to be broken today in Boston

Weather records that is!

Kevin left for the bus this morning at 5:30. A little tired but in good spirits. Temperature when he left was 62F.






It's forecasted to be 75F at start at 10am. And at the finish it should be around 85F. HOT! Runners told to take pre-cautions and to listen to their bodies and how they are feeling. Hopefully everyone will be ok today!

Kevin sent these photos from the start in Hopkinton. Glad he and Jim hooked up. The company will be nice for both.

Athlete village at 6:30am....quiet at that point...




Kevin and Jim relaxing under the tent. They've got 3 hours before race starts!



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I RAN BOSTON!!

It was a 5k though......but it was great! Great day for a short fast race! All the elites walked away with course records and I walked away with a PR of 28:52! Felt great.

However, my cheerleader was a little slacking in the cheerleader dept. He never saw me! He was at Starbucks. He did manage to snap this photo at the start of the race......OF THE ELITES!!





Can I just say what, WHAT?? Hellooo!!! Not in that group! I'm just a jogger, remember!

Kevin, just leave the cheerleading to me!

After that excitement, we met up with Kevin's friend and fellow runner Jim and his wife Adele. Nice brunch...on the patio...in the sun. And then they were off to Fenway park to see the red sox and Kev was off to our room to put up his feet, and I was off to shop!

Kev and I met up later for Thai food at the same place we ate last night (you know Kevin....why change things that are working).



And then we came back for an early night to rest for what is going to be a grueling day tomorrow!

Temp forecasted to be a high of 87F! When Kev starts its to be around 71 and when he finishes, 81. Tough, tough weather for running a marathon! He has managed to change his mindset on this race now and the goal is to finish and finish safely. Thank goodness for that!

I will head out to meet him around mile 17 and then head back into Boston to see him at mile 25. But the best part of the day will be just to see him feeling ok after the race.

Good luck to ALL the runners tomorrow, extra good luck to Jim and Kevin. Can't wait to see all cross that finish line! Xoxox









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Boston swag!

So today we went to the expo. This year is was a bit farther away than last. We took the T here in Boston and had to change a couple of times. But got there with ALL the other runners! OMG! So busy. We both picked up our packets - if you didn't know I am running the 5k on Sunday (what??? I know...a 5k). Kev's packet pickup was in the front, and mine was in the very back of the convention center, I mean the VERY back!...fair enough right???

We got our stuff and walked around. This expo is huge and full of so much stuff you want!

Here is what we walked away with...


New orange marathon jacket for Kev, blue finisher tshirt for Kev, black souvenir tshirt for Kev, marathon visors for kev,pink socks for me (YAY!) and sunscreen for all! (we are gonna need it).

I did get a tshirt for my race but it is a bit big :(. I'm not sure if I'll wear it but I so wanted too...


Ran in Boston and all I got was this baggy tshirt! LOL!

My race is in the morning...easy peasy stuff. Looking forward to it!

Deja vu.......Round 2

Well, here we are again in Boston!

We've both trained quite a bit - more than quite a bit for Kevin - and we've run a few races since my last posts from the Sacramento CIM.
Kev came in 1st in his age group at the Trinity river run 5k (what??? A 5k....slacker!) in Dallas. Then we both ran the 15k Gate river run in Jacksonville, FL with my brother Mike in March. PR for me and Kev both! Then we both ran the Rock n Roll half in Dallas first of April. PR for both again and Kev was 5th in his age group and 38th overall. 38th out of around 11000!
And now back in Boston for Kevin's 2nd attempt at this race.
So, we arrived to BEAUTIFUL weather, sailboats on the bay and tourists all around which hints to the 80 degree weather forecast for Monday. I love it! But pretty warm for a marathon...
View from room...sunny skies...


Anyway, had dinner at a favorite sushi place tnite and had a great waitress named Nan. She is from Thailand. Told her that visiting Thailand is on our bucket list. I think we are going to have to find a race there for Kevin to run!
Naan (a fan) and Kevin:



Ok, till tomorrow...

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Reality check

Ok. Kevin got up this morning looking pretty good and ready to represent Team Luke's and hoping to run a sub 3 race today. Looking pretty fit and in good spirits at 4:30am I must say!

Go Kev!!

But OMG! He ran a 2:54:36! Better than what we all were expecting!!  Especially given Kevin's physical state the last few weeks with cracked ribs from a fall and a sore calf and a pulled hamstring....I was really just hoping that he didn't have to pull out of the race myself, but no.....he smashed that sub 3 goal (and hope)  to bits!!!

And Team Luke's did great! Actually they did Awesome! 


Andrew Cook - 2:20:33

Brian Schmidt - 2:43:26
Becky Angeles - 2:44:13 (Olympic Trials Qualification!!)

Michael Agulair - 2:44:16
Stuart White - 2:45:14
Kevin - 2:54:36
Cak Grant - 3:00:58


Here are some photos of Team Luke's. Way to go team!!!

Kev looking very Usane Boltish at mile 10!

Brian gets direction from JC

Becky tearing it up and Michael is on her heels

Looks like a second place age group pace for Stuart

Kevin heeds JC's revelation

California dreamin

Yes...and on such a winter's day!
Kevin is running the California International marathon tomorrow in Sacramento.
We arrived this afternoon and were a bit surprised to see that the winds that were so brutal this week in California seem to still be blowing pretty strong.





However the forecast says they should completely diminish by the morning and the weather looks to be sunny with cold temps...pretty good for runners.
Did I mention, or do I even have to for all those we left behind in Big D, that the weather back home basically sucks. All our friends who are running the white rock half or full marathon, we so feel for you. Hoping that the forecasters get it wrong and that cold front does not come through till after the race. We wish you good luck for a good race!
We just had Thai for dinner. By now you know the food routine I am sure :).




And now Kevin is stretching and getting ready for hopefully a good nights rest. His morning starts at 4:15. Mine....maybe at 6:30. Oh the life of a cheerleader!

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