Baystate Half Marathon ...

Baystate Half Marathon

.. its been a few days, but here is my update on Baystate Marathon this weekend .. I did only run the half though! As you know from my last post, I was not sure what the restult of the race was going to be, I hadn't run long since the marathon, I was very nervous. 

The night before the half, my sisters and I went out to dinner.. and I am not like my most people the night before races. Most have a plate full of pasta and carb load. However I do have carbs, perhaps a side of pasta, or potatoes, but its never my main dish ... my pre race dinner is Haddock .. different than others.. but whatever works... and I won't change. However we went to Bertucci's and they didn't have Haddock, but they had Cod Al Forno.. so I ordered that.. delicious I might add... and I ate enough rolls.. for my carb loading.. ha! In the morning I always have the usual ... oatmeal, banana, and peanut butter at least 4 hours before the race, then a cliff bar about an hour and a half before.


Race Morning ... Mom, Dad and I headed down to Lowell High were everything started nice and early.. 

Dad and I, in front of Lowell City Hall

I was still pretty nervous, I did not want to fail miserably in this race .. nerves were going, it was a pretty cool morning but was going to warm up to about 50.. so it was going to be a perfect day for running. Kim met us, and she was so excited first half.. she couldn't wait to start.. I was feeling anxious in the opposite way. 7:55 we lined up in the corrals.. I went for the 8/min pace corrals .. and 8:00am we took off. 


I started going and realized I felt great.. I didn't want to get to ahead of myself, but my pace was around 7:30's and I tried to just keep it around there, for as long as I could.. I didn't want to burn out .. the baystate course is pretty flat, few rolling hills but nothing major ..its a double loop .. so i saw my parent's which was great ..

Around Mile 5

I felt great at this point and knew if I kept my pace .. I had a PR .. previous was 1:47 and Providence in August. I didn't want to keep thinking that the entire race though I just wanted to maintain and keep it going so I didn't drop drastically in pace. Well I kept going for the next 6.5 miles.. felt great pushed myself.. because as I looked at my garmin .. I knew I could get another PR ...

1:44 FINISH .. PR of 3 Minutes!!!

I crossed that finish line and honestly could not believe that I PR'd again.. and by 3 minutes .. the day was perfect.. and now I just wanted to see how Kim did .. and before I knew it she was coming in .. so Happy that she was finishing up .. Kim finished her first half in 1:51, so happy that she finished!! I was so happy for her was an overall perfect day!!!

SO Happy!!!

Kim and I

  

Happy Friday .. !

.. Sunday I am running the Baystate Half Marathon.. Thanks to my friend Robin, who gave me her number because she is kicking butt at the Runners World Half this weekend! I am really excited to run the half, it will also be one of my best friends first half so it will be great to experience this with her! 

... Although .. while I was sitting here at work .. looking over the course map, thinking of my race strategy.. because obviously .. I would love another PR .. 

Half Marathon Course

I really thought .. wow I wish I was running the full ... am I CRAZYY?!?! I just ran a full less than a month ago! I think it's just the course is pretty flat.. Here is the full course...

Full Marathon Course

I know on Sunday I really am going to wish I was running that full.. the energy will be flowing, I don't think I have ever been at a race were there is a full and a half and I am only running the half! Although I am very excited/anxious for the half.. here goes .. I will let you know how it goes in a few days .. have a great race weekend!! 

PS...

Perfect running weather too!! ..

Jennifer's Run 5k

Jennifer D'Amour, a member of the UMass Lowell cross country and track and field teams from 1994-98, who tragically lost her life in a car accident in May of 1999.

Start of the Race

Honestly... I wasn't sure how the 5k was going to go, I wasn't expecting anything out of it.. I hadn't raced a 5k .. since April. Saturday morning was cold, the first really chilly morning  frost on the cars, about 40 degrees .. I got out my gloves, my running tights.. and headed down to UML with my mom. My friend Kim was running it too. The run was basically filled with lots of UML alum, and local people. 

Kim and I before the 5k!

Coming to an end.. kind of blurry but it works

Needless to say I ran another PR with the race.. a 22:20 according to my garmin.. 22:14 with the race results! I was pumped.. 5k's are not my favorite but glad it turned out so well! 

Can't give it up ..

So now that I have accomplished my goal.. what do I do ... 

I am the type of person that loves working out obviously  however  I love having a goal to work towards. I just accomplished a huge goal, and now that I have recovered what is next.. I have so many fitness, athletic things that I want to accomplish.. here are some:

Qualify for the Boston Marathon

Get better with the TRX

Half Ironman

Fitness Competition 

Perfect my Yoga Skill

So back to Running ... Running is something I know how to do, something I have become fairly decent at. Its just what I do it clears my mind, get me through the day at times..its just running. Although I don't want to become bored with it, I know that I can - I have before. I however also love strength training, lifting weights.. the problem here is they counteract with each other. I can go strength train all day, then go run many miles I just love it all. Winter months are coming, I want a new challenge, new goal. I always go back and forth about competing in a fitness competition, I have for years. My friend Alex came to me and she wants to do it too .. and I thought well perfect lets do it .. 

I had researched a couple different trainers/studios to train for the competition.. however I came across Body Ambition with Janelle Nicolo, which is located in Middleton, Ma. Janelle emailed me back and I met with her Monday. I went over the program and what to expect.. Janelle made sure that I would be okay with not running the many miles that I had been use too. I had thought about this before I was going to make this move, I am ready for the new goal. I am okay with that. After speaking with Janelle I have decided that I will start the program November 1. Its been a couple days since I met with Janelle.. and I read a lot of blogs, once again I love to run, I have fallen in love with running. All these blogs that I read are very motivational and all the different people have accomplished lots of goals, different races.. and some have just finished the Chicago marathon, people that are going to run the Nike Woman's San Francisco Marathon this weekend.. and my love for running comes back, well it actually never left. I am still have the runners "high". At that point I knew it wasn't my time to switch from running to fitness competitions .. I need to focus on getting that BQ .. and accomplish that goal before any other ones. Right now I have a love for running and that is were my heart and focus is ... right now that is were I am going to stay. If I am not going to put 110% into something its not worth doing.. so I will be running till I get that BQ :)

Athleta Burlington goes SpiNNing !

Last night the Athleta Burlington Team went and took a spinning class from one of our managers Marnie who teaches at Reading Rac. I have taken many spinning classes, and this was by far one of the toughest ones I have taken! The class was packed with the regulars for the spin class .. we took up the entire back row with our matching shirts, the Space Dye Seamless Racer Back Tank. 

The room was all decorated  in Athleta .. and we had a black light, it looked awesome! 

Spinning with Athleta Burlington Girls!

Nancy, Robin, Chris, Sarah, Vanessa, Marnie, Emily, and myself

Rock and Roll Montreal, Canada

Montreal is finally here .. after months of training - early mornings, track workouts, long runs, all summer long in the hot and humid summer.  I couldn't be more excited to see if this would all pay off. I just wanted to break that 4 hour mark. The Portsmouth - Seacost Slackers headed up to Montreal on September 21.. was a nice ride. 

Saturday we went to the expo picked up our numbers ...

Official Marathon #

After the expo Mom, Katie and I headed out and did some exploring around Old Montreal ..

Having Lunch

Katie and I 

Pasta Dinner 

Ready to run ..

Then the day is finally here after months of training September 23, 2012! I woke up nice and early 4:30 am and had my usual pre-race meal oatmeal, banana, and peanut butter. The race wasn't till 8:30 but I wanted to have time to digest and get ready.. nerves were flowing and I didn't have the best sleep. We were meeting everyone in the hotel lobby at 6 to head to the metro and go over to the race area. I relaxed after I had my breakfast, got ready and called my mom and Katie and went down to their room and said a quick hello before meeting everyone in the lobby.

Seacost Slackers

Katie and I

Josh - Angela and I

My adrenaline was going I was so excited and just wanted to get there and race.. the marathon didn't start till 8 seemed like forever away. I can remember waiting around so anxious, thinking to myself I hope this all falls into place.. what if it doesn't. A million thoughts running through my mind...finally I was off

The race was pretty windy, I felt great the entire time.. I tried not to look at my garmin too much but it was so hard. I wanted to hit that goal. I couldn't believe how great I felt though out the race .. then mile 23 hit.. the WALL.. i hit that wall hard.. but I pushed through. I knew I would break 4.. it was only a 5k left come on Maggie you can do it, I kept telling myself. My slowest mile was 24, which is respectable.. I will take it. I picked it back up .. 

Sometime during the race ...

Smile.. I am going to do this ..

Few more steps and you will be done!

Needless to say I did it.. 3:52! I was so happy 38 minute PR..huge, I couldn't believe it. All that training paid off... I was beyond excited/drained. Emotions were running .. I looked around for my mom and Katie but I couldn't find them anywhere.. I was so happy they came and experienced this with me. My family is the best and to have them support me is the best ever.. it is completely amazing. I had taken on a part time job at the beginning of the summer as well at Athleta, and the girls that I worked with were also so supportive of my marathon training it just such a great environment to work in. I also couldn't be more thankful to my friend Jason who helped me a long in this marathon training.. with my crazy track workouts, early runs. 

New Hardware! 42.2 KM Completed!!

Angela completed her first marathon .. so happy for her!! 

Roxanne and I having a beer post marathon 

My goal is accomplished ...I will now take a week off to relax, recover and take all of this in. I am so beyond thrilled. I have so much that I want to do, and so much that I can do.. I have a few more half's and races planned for this year.. I will see how they go.. I am excited for the Baystate half, one of my very good friends Kim has been training so hard for this. I am so excited for her, I know she is going to do great.. and cross that finish line with a huge smile on her face and since of accomplishment! 

All Kinds of Running

As you read in my first post last year was not my year for running. It is now a new year..and I wanted a year of PR's and so far so good


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Over the winter months after Marine Corps.. I fell off the running thing, did a lot of strength training, spinning. I was drained from running. A few of my running buddies were signing up for the Rock and Roll Montreal and I was not feeling it at all. 2012 I have accomplished all kinds of races ... 

First Race of the year together!

Back in March, my friend Angela was running an April fools 4 miler and asked me to run it with her. Why not .. although I hadn't really been running so I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out.. needless to say it.. it was a decent race..

F2529 MAGGIE BRICE         27 F   907 

Chelmsford MA        30:39.0  7:40   30:56.6 

Our Numbers! 

A few weeks later I decided to run a random 5k, in Portsmouth, NH the SASS 5k. I ended up winning  my age group! 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1    31 MAGGIE BRICE         27 CHELMSFORD         MA   24:22 

Medal!

In May I took on the challenge of the Tough Mudder .. a 10 Mile Obstacle course event through Mount Snow in VT. It was so much fun! 

Before the race began!

First Obstacle FREEZING water!!

Berlin Wall 

DONE Pat, Me, Brian - Tough Mudders!!!!

Between all of this I decided to sign up for the Montreal Marathon on September 23, 2012. GOAL = BREAK 4 Hours! I was determined to do so, and nothing was going to stop me. I was healthy and feeling great. I would put in whatever work needed to get done to get there. My friend Jason had given me a schedule which I began to follow that had me eventually running up to 50 miles per week and running speed workouts Thursday mornings!
4th of July fun run with Angela and Josh! We ran as Bandits so we didn't have numbers or exact times! Still fun. Hot and Humid day!!

John Carlson 2 Miler - Chelmsford, Ma. 

Next up ... a group of friends and I did the Color Run 5k, in Amesbury. Basically for 3.1 miles we got sprayed by paint.. on a hot muggy day to say the least

Color Run

All the people! 

 The color run was fun .. although it was a long day, and the paint did NOT come off easily. I was covered in blue for days. I had to use dish detergent to get it off! 

Katie and I after

Angela, Kim and I 

I was very BLUE!

.. Next little adventure I took, while I was training very hard for this marathon was ..

Spartan Race. Spartan Race, I took my time I wasn't taking any risk of getting hurt. Marathon training was going awesome and I didn't want to risk anything!

Before the Spartan Race - Xiomara and I

During Barbwire 

 

  

Done - Dirty and Medal!

Next... Rock and Roll Providence Half Marathon August 19, 2012 ! 

 I signed up late.. but needed one that would check my progress before the full .. so here I was again at the Providence half ... I was determined to PR. My friend Robin from Athleta was going to run with me.. so I could stay on track and hopefully break 1:50!

Morning of the half.. ready to go!

Seacost Slackers - Ryan, Me, Jack, Lizzie

Coming up the hill for the last mile!

Giving it my all

Rock and Roll Providence Half was a success! I PR'd by 3 minutes.. I ran a 1:47! I was so happy.. I gave the race my all. Robin really pushed me through the entire race. The Providence course is a tough one.. so I was very thankful that she was there!! 5 weeks till Montreal, 5 weeks to train hard! :)