Tuesday, April 21, 2009

(s)Wellesley Sisters

Will and I took a short break from our running regimen to travel to a magical, far away land. Upon our return, I found myself requiring a little bit of inspiration to get back on track with our training schedule. After a short but satisfying run in the park, I came home to read about the Boston Marathon that just took place this past weekend. Imagine my surprise and delight when I came across this slideshow about the "Girls of Wellesley" on the website for a popular runner's magazine (Runners World). Although the slideshow is informative and amusing, it's not quite able to portray the magnitude and goosebump-inducing thrill of experiencing the Wellesley Scream Tunnel first-hand. You may find the slideshow here: http://www.runnersworld.com/photo/wellesley/home.html

Coming Soon: Pictures and notes from our trip to Paris.

Monday, March 9, 2009

How it all began...

My husband and I enjoy outdoor activities when we're on vacation. When we're home, however, our favorite pastime is vegging out in front of the tube. We decided, at the end of 2008, that it was time for a healthy lifestyle change. After a friend of ours ran the NYC ING Marathon this past Fall, we were inspired. Completing a full marathon was on my Bucket List since I cheered the Boston Marathon runners as part of the Wellesley "scream tunnel" my freshmen year in college. When I found out that Will was also willing to give this "running thing" a try, I was ecstatic.

On our first run, we barely managed to jog 3 blocks before we were embarrassingly heaving by the side of the road. We've made improvements since that first day but we still have a long way to go. Somewhere along the way, between the feelings of nausea and physical pain, we began to enjoy ourselves. Not only did we feel our hearts and lungs becoming stronger, but we started to look forward to our runs. When I'm enjoying an easy-paced "run" (aka jog), I often find myself reflecting and meditating. It's a peaceful time that I cherish now.

Will and I, along with some church friends, decided to train for the NYC Marathon for 2010. We joined NYRR and have run 3 out of the 9 races to guarantee our entries for 2010. In the mean time, to keep ourselves motivated, Will and I have signed up for the 2009 Chicago Marathon. It will be our first, and hopefully not our last marathon. Keep checking back to see how our training is coming along!