Weekend Wrap Up: Running And Spinning And Christmas Tree Oh My!

Go Go Go! It's how I have felt the past two weeks. I keep attacking my To Do list, yet it keeps growing. Has anyone else had that? Every time I think I am all caught up - seven more things get added to the list.

Now don't get me wrong they aren't all horrible adult-like tasks, it's just continuous!

I am looking forward to finally getting a chance to veg out this upcoming weekend.

But for now it is time to share all the fun stuff I did last weekend. ;)

Are ya ready? Get your cup of coffee and dig in...

I woke up Friday night on the high from Thursday. No not that kind of high. It was a running high. On Thursday night I hit 1,000 miles run in 2014! Woo!! :)

So Friday brought a happy heart and tired legs. Luckily my friend and Tedy's Team running mate Page was up for some slower miles. We had a great time catching up on our weekly Friday Five. We had missed it the week prior as she was in Cayman for a half with some of the other Tedy's Team crew. Yes I was super jealous!!

I was saddened to her her husband's uncle had passed away earlier in the week from a Stroke. It just reminded us again why we do what we do!!

After a quick clean-up, it was off to lead my final Weight Watchers meeting of the week. This is such an amazing and motivating group. The group works with adults with down syndrome so five of the participants have Down Syndrome. I learn something new from this group every week and always walk away with a smile on my face. :)

Now one would think hey it is weekend time... nope! Paperwork paperwork paperwork was ahead of me. I caught up on all the unglamorous ;) part of work before moving on to the next thing.

Friday afternoon turned into an afternoon of errands before heading to the Cambridge Side Galleria Mall to pick up our bibs for Sunday's Cambridge 5k Yulefest 5k.

With Boston Marathon training officially kicking off Saturday, it was time to restart the Friday night tradition of movie and Zensah compression everything. We opted to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. One of my all-time favorites.

Saturday would be the first of many Tedy's Team runs this winter. It was great being reconnected with teammates and meeting new ones. I was pretty happy to see the schedule call for 6 miles since my legs were still kind of tired.

Following a quick breakfast and blog session, it was time to head back in town for my friend Beth's Flywheel Fundraiser. Beth is running the Boston Marathon for Dana Farber.

I was excited to have my friend and fellow WW Leader Susan join me for her first ever Flywheel class.

I didn;t know what to expect having run six miles earlier in the day, but I still ended up 3rd overall on the Torq board. Woo!

We opted to celebrate with some well-deserved beers. :)

On the way back to the train, we caught part of a protest happening near the Boston Public Library. It looked as if the group was making their way down Boylston Street. The cops were redirecting traffic block by block as the protestors made their way towards somewhere. Cuhlearly I was paying attention to what was going on. :P

After making our way around the protestors, it was smooth sailing back home.

While the wife was at her nerd game night, I should've been uber productive. But instead I walked 2.5 miles on the treadmill then snuggled with the pups. Oops! :P I just needed a little zen time to recharge the body.

Plus I had to lay out my final race outfit of the year. Sunday would mark Race #52 of 52 for 2014.

As always it was a great time with my Slumbrew Happy Soles at the Yulefest 5k. You can read all about it here.

This shot even made it on to the Cambridge Chronicle's website. Yay high-fives! ;)

We wanted to stay and party with the Happy Soles all morning, but the wife had a hockey game. So we bid farewell, grabbed lunch and headed home to get her stuff.

My wife is my #1 supporter and at almost all of my races so it was time to pay it back and head to one of her games. It was cold in the arena so I made sure to keep myself moving the whole time. It was a rough loss, but she did great on tired legs. She had also run the 5k earlier that morning (40:12).

Since we hadn't done enough on Sunday, we made the decision to go straight from the game to buy a Christmas tree. The wife leaves on Monday to spend Christmas with her family in Chicago so we needed a tree sooner rather than later.

We headed to the Arlington Boys & Girls Club to pick a tree. We buy our tree there for special reasons. I grew up swimming at that Boys & Girls Club so I love being able to pay it forward to the kids there now by having our tree $$ go to fund their programming.

So while spending $50 for a tree hurt, I knew it was going to a good cause.

Plus isn't it a beaut? ;)

By the time we were home and the tree was put up, I was ready to crash. More blog work needed to be done, but it would have to wait until Monday. My eyes were refusing to stay open any longer!

I dragged my butt to the treadmill to squeeze in a 1.5 mile walk just so I could hit my activity goal on my Activelink. Molly came along for moral support.

It was a wicked fun weekend with lots of activity, laughs and love.

And hey I even managed to escape the weekend with Weight Watchers Points still left over! Yay for not being in the negative for the second-straight weekend. :)

***

Do you also feel like your To Do list is never-ending?

Race #52 of 2014: Cambridge 5k Yulefest 5k Recap

52 races in 2014. It began with 1st Run on New Year's Day and ended with December 14's Cambridge 5k's Yulefest 5k with the Slumbrew Happy Soles!

Yulefest 5k takes place in Harvard Square and is my favorite of the Cambridge 5k series.

Since I signed up early enough I received the sweet winter hat plus the t-shirt. But everyone who registered received the warm hat.

With MBTA Red Line service switching to shuttle busses for the weekend, the wife and I opted to attempt to find parking in Harvard Square for the race. It ended up being shockingly easy to accomplish. Since meters are free on Sundays, we got free parking to boot! Hollah! I was hoping this would be setting the tone for a good day.

We waited in the car til just after 8:30 before braving the winter morning to head to the Start Area.

Thankfully it was a bright and sunny morning, but a tad chilly - low 30s according to the weather app. The party area/pre-race Slumbrew meet up spot had moved this year. It was slated as being a larger space than in previous years so I had high hopes it would be able to manage the large crowds.

The wife and I made our way to the Slumbrew tent to say hi to the rest of the Happy Soles and stash our bag before making our way to another part of Harvard Square to get our IDs checked and our bibs stamped to prove we were 21.

Around 9:15am we made our way over to the Start Line.

Instead of just passing the time by shivering, I was able to bust a move to the Start Line live DJ! Thanks for playing Jump Around sir - I needed the warmth. ;)

Being in line early gave me plenty of time to say hi to all my friends making their way to the Start Line.

Oh hey Amy!!

With the countdown on from Race Director, Eddie, I reminded myself to give it my all today, but to be okay with whatever the results would be. I was going on some tired legs - 6 mile run & 1 hour Spin class the day prior - and didn't want to walk away from the final race disappointed.

I love the Yulefest 5k course and since this was my third time running the race I was familiar with it.

The horn went off and we shot out of the Start shoot.

I love that this hot makes it look like I am the lead runner in the race. :P Thanks for the free photos Cambridge 5k! :)

As soon as I passed that start mat, I felt tired. I made the decision to not look at my Garmin unless it was at a Mile marker. I didn't want to get caught up in pace this race.

So I focused on the fun costumes around me and the Cambridge scenery.

Mile 1: 7:19

The race is flat for the most part, which was a treat for my legs.

I was proud to see a pace faster than say 9:00 min/mile on that first mile since that is what it felt like to my body. I didn't think I was moving as fast as I was. Anyone else ever experience that?

The streets were quiet for the most part when it came to spectators, but the volunteers were doing their best to keep the streets safe and the atmosphere lively.

Mile 2: 7:18

The final mile became a mental game. I wanted to just stop. My legs were feeling tired. I had to dig deep and shut down the voices in my head. I drummed up all the motivation I could. I thought about how I feel near the end of a marathon or how I kept going in the final miles of my Half Ironman this year. I could complete the final mile of a 5k. I had to give myself some perspective.

I also knew the final mile included the only hill of the race.

As I made my way up the final push, I could see a guy using the hill for hill repeats. Show off. ;) Ha! Okay I thought that in the moment because I was tired, but it gave me a little umph to push through up the incline. I knew I would be sailing down to the finish.

I wanted the Finish to be just over the crest of the hill, but alas there was .3 to go. I just kept my eye on the Finish Line. I may or may not have also picked a person in front of me and focused on finishing ahead of them for inspiration.

Mile 3: 7:20

Yeah I lost some steam on that hill. But worked my butt off to Finish strong.

I had the course a little long and apparently started my watch late or stopped it early.

Official Time: 23:08

Good for 316 out of 2,024 overall and 74 out of 1,048 females.

I am definitely proud of how I did relative to how I felt.

As soon as I crossed the Finish, I grabbed a water and turned right around to cheer folks into the Finish.

Folks had some amazing costumes.

I love cheering on runners and dishing out high-fives... especially when those high-fives go to fellow Slumbrew Happy Soles!

Unfortunately I don't have a shot of the wife crossing (40:12) because I was too busy jumping up and down. Ha. Oops. But I am so proud of how she did. It was her first race since the half in July!

After we saw the final racers cross the Finish, we headed back to JFK street for the post-race party.

And that is when it got crowded.

We had our bib stamped already to show we were 21 (in lieu of wristbands) so we headed in the corraled post-race party to a mass of folks. We needed to get from the front of the party to the back where the Slumbrew tent was. But the crowd was thick and wasn't moving. I'm not sure if people didn't know where to go or they just grabbed a beer and stopped in their tracks. But it was wicked hard to move from one end of the party to the other. I am claustrophobic so you can only imagine how my anxiety level was rising during this pushing fest.

The wife and I picked up other Happy Soles along the way and finally squeezed our way to the Slumbrew tent. I made the decision then and there to not move from the tent until I had to leave. So we had to cancel our team picture in front of the stage (which was at the front of the party) and opt for one near the tent. We squeezed as many of the 121 Happy Soles into one picture/video as we could.

I felt the post-race party was more cramped than in previous years. I was thankful to have the area behind the Slumbrew pouring station to hang out with the team and have some breathing room. The anxiety level definitely went down to normal once I was in that space.

I would love to hear what others at the post-race party thought of the congestion.

I want to give a big thanks to Slumbrew owners, Caitlin & Jeff, for being so generous with the Happy Soles by sending each team member home with a 4-pack of Happy Sol. Amazing, right?

It was great hanging out with Slumbrew friends and meeting new Happy Soles post-race.

But with the wife having a hockey game we had to call it early. We gave hugs to all and headed out. Thankfully the back of the party where we were had an exit we could leave to avoid going back through the massive crowd.

On the way out, I had the pleasure of meeting blog reader Christine! Thanks so much for recognizing me and saying hi! :)

***

Overall, Eddie puts on a great race with good swag, free race photos, lots of tasty local beer and good tunes. I was a little disappointed in massive back-up getting through the post-race party, which I didn't experience the previous years. I know when you move a party area there will be some growing pains and I think they were felt. At least by me.

I was proud that a teammate noticed and appreciated that I thanked every volunteer/cop on the course. Made me smile.

Will I be back next year? Of course. I know Eddie always tweaks the races to give the participants the best experience!!

***

Were you at Yulefest this year? What did you think of the post-race party area?

Dani Dishes: 52 Races In 2014 - Check! 12/15/14

On this episode of #DaniDishes, it's time to celebrate completing 52 races in 2014! :)

Join The Slumbrew Happy Soles For American Fresh's Free Monthly 5k

Does beer motivate you to work out? Are you looking for other like-minded runners/walkers? Also known as beer runners! ;)

Well you have come to the right place!

The Slumbrew Happy Soles are a group of fun-loving folks who run, run-walk or walk to the Finish Beer Line! :) The Happy Soles love to participate in the entire Cambridge 5k series as well as many other local road and trail races.

For those that don't know Slumbrew is an awesome brewery out of Somerville, MA. Slumbrew recently opened a brewhouse at Assembly Row in Somerville, known as Assembly Fresh and have been gracious enough to offer a fun and free monthly 5k from this hot new spot.

The route is along the Mystic River and around the Assembly Row outlets. It is mainly on the bike path and involves crossing very few streets near the outlets.

We hosted our first fun run on November 30 and are looking to make this a monthly thing come 2015! The brains behind Slumbrew, Caitlin and Jeff, are stepping up the fun run game!! In addition to offering water and bag check for all participants, there will be some sweet post-run/walk snacks.

Oh and plenty of beer on tap to purchase.

Mmmm beer.

Oh sorry got distracted by the gloriousness of the Porter Square Porter above. (My personal favorite!)

After a great run or walk - where alllll paces are welcomed and encouraged to come out - there is time to catch up and make new friends over a beer.

We had an amazing turnout at our first 5k on November 30 and met a ton of new Happy Soles!

Itching to get out and meet these AWESOME Happy Soles? I know you are! You can catch the crew at the next monthly 5k on January 11 at 11am.

Looking for a way to remember this great event - feel free to RSVP to our Facebook event here or join our Facebook group.

***

Will I see you on January 11?

Gobble Gobble Gobble 4-Miler Recap

Turkey Trot dread!

For years growing up my mom and I would bundle in the car early on a holiday to go cheer my dad on at some race or another. Ugh! So early and so cold. Why would ANYONE do this by choice.

Fast forward to Thanksgiving 2014 and I am bounding out of bed to run my third-straight Turkey Trot race.

Ohhhh how times change when you catch the running bug. :P

On Thanksgiving, I happily woke up at 7am to get in a little stretching, foam rolling and biking (darn hurt left hamstring) before my friend Heather was set to pick me up for the race.

We would be running the Gobble Gobble Gobble 4-Miler together in Somerville, MA for the second year. :)

I made sure to lay out #FlatDani the night before so I wouldn't leave anything at home when I inevitably rushed out of the house.

Heather had picked up our bib the day before at Marathon Sports so she had the bib and t-shirt with her. Yes I made sure to leave myself a post-it note as a reminder.

Love when we get a long-sleeved shirt as the swag.

Race was set to start at 9am so Heather picked me up at 8:30. Ahh I love races in my town. :)

Her husband dropped us off so we could avoid any parking hiccups as well. Score!

We arrived at 8:43 and headed straight to the Start Area. There isn't a specific start line it was more of a Start Area. The race was chip timed, but it went with the "mass start." This means everyone's Start Time was based on when the Gun went off NOT when you crossed the "start line."

Since this is a great local race I saw a ton of people I knew. Yay!

Slumbrew Happy Soles in the house

My awesome Weight Watchers member Melissa who was running her second official race and first 4-miler!

With awesome motivation in my heart, it was time to get the party started. Heather had to take a lot of the summer/fall off due to injury so she was setting the pace for the morning. My goal was to keep her moving forward. :)

Since I was too busy talking, I didn't realize that the race was off. Since there wasn't an actual marked Start Line I just started the Garmin where I thought it was. :P

We thought the weather would be MUCH colder than it was - real feel was expected to be 14 - but we really lucked out. Pretty morning and not nearly as chilly. I was happy I opted out of my vest when I got out of the car.

I love running through my hometown because at every corner there are fun memories to relive. Plus it is always fun to catch-up with a friend while running.

It was great focusing on Heather and her race since it took my mind off of anything else.

Mile 1: 10:23

As we passed through Ball Square, we saw our friend and fellow Happy Sole Lori. Great briefly catching up with her and getting her thoughts on the Ugly Sweater Run that I would be running a couple of days later.

Heather remembered me lying to her about the hills the previous year so I kept it real this time around. ;) Heather was feeling the heat as she overlayered so we took a break after a water stop to take off at least one layer to try and cool her off.

Mile 2: 11:02

It was great seeing so many folks out getting activity in before enjoying their Thanksgiving meals. 4 miles is better than none, right?

So many families were out being active together. And let me tell you people were bringing their A game in the costume department. I felt like I seriously slacked, but I thought it would be colder than it was.

We hit our final major hill on Central Street and Heather owned it. We both buckled down and powered up that sucker. It wasn't pretty, but it got OWNED. Plus the Mile 3 marker was just after the work was done.

Mile 3: 10:14

We were in the home stretch. The final mile down Summer Street featured a brief incline then went downhill to the Finish. I mean you can't ask for a better way to finish than on the down. Am I right?

I kept reminding Heather that coffee would meet her at the Finish. Oh yeah that put a little pep in her step. :) Now she wanted Starbucks, but because of my shirt I had to make sure we went to Dunkin'.

As we passed the VFW outside of Davis, we gave it everything we had in the tank.

Ouch! Need to work on my "I am almost done" face. Eek!

Mile 4: 10:15

Now my Garmin put us at 4.05 and a 42:24 Finish Time, but as I mentioned the Somerville Road Runners were working on a "mass start." Therefore, our official time was 43:09 - good for 1,605 out of 2,405 overall, 785 out of 1,334 females and 296 out of 486 in division.

I am listing both Finish times for my own record. :)

We beelined it for the Dunkin Donuts to get some iced coffees to celebrate before being picked back up by Heather's husband.

It was a great morning with a good friend. I loved running through Somerville and am happy to make the Gobble Gobble Gobble 4-Miler a tradition. Plus the race benefits Project Soup and Somerville Track PAC.

Also SUPER excited that Melissa finished the race and ran the entire thing - her main goal!! I was beaming when she shared that. :)

***

Do you have a Turkey Trot tradition?

Less Than 100 Spots Left In Cambridge 5k's Yulefest 5k 12/14!

My FAVORITE Cambridge 5k race of the 4-race schedule is definitely Yulefest!

Long before Christmas, there was a quirky winter festival named "Yule" that people really loved.

Yulefest 5k takes place in Harvard Square at 9:30am on Sunday, December 14.

The race starts & finishes in front of Harvard Yard and is immediately followed by an epic block party on JFK Street. Have I mentioned the course is pretty flat???

Your $40 registration includes a great C5K winter hat and free food & beer at the post-race party (featuring MC Ren Select spinning old school hip hop & holiday classics).

Did you see that folks? A winter hat, food AND free beer!

And I am NOT talking 'bout Michelob Ultra! I am talking the fine local brews from NOTCH, Night Shift Brewing, Downeast Cider and of course my personal favorite Slumbrew! In case you are wondering, NOTCH is my second favorite.

There are less than 100 spots remaining in the sweet race and party so NOW is the time to register. Make sure when you do you join the outstandingly awesomely awesome Slumbrew Happy Soles! All paces welcome!!

We are currently the second-largest team in the race and by far the funnest. Yes making that a word no matter what.

Wouldn't you like a gaggle of folks screaming for you as you came barreling down the Finishing chute?

Do you REALLY want to be left out of the coolest event of the year? I. Don't. Think. So!

American Fresh Assembly, Slumbrew & A 5k Fun Run/Walk

Have I told you lately how much I love Slumbrew?

Well if I haven't then let me do that now. What's not to like about a local Somerville brewery putting out delicious beer and rockin' a sweet running team - the Slumbrew Happy Soles - who welcome folks of all paces?

Nothing is not to like. Does that make sense? Did I use the right negative and not a double negative? Eh... moving on!

If you haven't heard, the lovely brains - Caitlin and Jeff - behind Slumbrew have opened up a hot spot at Somerville's Assembly Row.

American Fresh

American Fresh can be found on the corner lot of Assembly Row across from FUJI and Off Saks 5th Avenue Off 5th.

I headed over there on Opening Night - Wednesday, November 19 - to celebrate a running milestone (hitting 900 miles for the year - pictured above).

American Fresh is actually constructed out of old cargo containers. Cool right? Well since it is frigid in the Boston area in the winter, the whole area is covered by a large heated tent so we can enjoy good local beer into the winter months. Woo!

In addition to serving amazing beer...

... American Fresh also offers a great menu featuring some great local finds.

Like Fluff!!

But wait there's more! ;)

You can also support other local artists and companies by shopping local like Q's Nuts, TAZA Chocolate and more.

Wicked cool space, right?

After joining some delicious mac and cheese

Photo via Facebook

or charcuterie

Photo via my friend Kim

you may want to load up on some Slumbrew swag!! They got your back!

But parents may be wondering what they can do with the kiddos while enjoying a brew... enter the legos!

Photo via Facebook

It's like a playground for all ages. :)

So when are you planning on stopping by American Fresh? When you do make sure to tip the staff, they're pretty awesome!

***

Keep an eye out for Slumbrew's brewery to open - Boynton Yards - even more Slumbrew fun to be had in Somerville!

***

Looking for a fun 5k run or walk to take part in during Thanksgiving weekend? Join the Happy Soles and I at 11am on Sunday November 30th at Assembly Fresh!

Check out the Facebook Event!

We'll have bag check, water, snacks and beer for purchase! :)

***

What is your favorite Slumbrew brew?

*RECAP* Inaugural South Shore Half

The South Shore Half was originally set to take place on November 2 ... but that never happened.

Sweet Swag!

Due to weather advisories, the police and fire department decided to postpone the race.

Thankfully it was a postponement rather than a full on cancellation. They pushed the race back to November 16. Yay I was free that day. Boo it would be the day after my first Spartan Sprint at Fenway Park. Ummm... ouch?

I wasn't sure how sore I would be after the Spartan Sprint, but I had committed to do the South Shore Half so no matter what I would be there.

The morning of the race the alarm blared at 5am and I bolted crawled out of bed. My upper body and legs were sore, but manageable. The wife and I loaded into the car by 5:30 and were off to get her some much needed Dunkin' Donuts.

According to Google Maps, the ride should've taken us about 50 minutes ... well on that early Sunday morning we were there in just over 30. Ummm yay extra time in the car? Well it was a real feel of about 22 degrees so I stayed in the car with her until 6:30. At 6:30 I dragged myself out of the warm car and onto the shuttle busses. Participants and spectators would be parking at the Hanover Mall and racers would take the 5 minute bus ride to the Start Area at Norwell High. Spectators would take a later bus to the Finish in Norwell Center.

Congrats to the race crew for having plenty of busses for the runners and my wife said there were enough for spectators as well.

(Note: I did receive complimentary entry into this race, but all opinions are my own - ain't nobody got time for lyin'!)

When I arrived at Norwell High, I headed straight to the gym to meet up with my friend Steph, who would be tackling her first half marathon! Woo! We are teammates on the Slumbrew Happy Soles so it was great to see a familiar face in the crowd.

We chatted in the warmth of the gym while other runners poured in. I wondered of the original registrants how many would be showing up on the new date. Personally I knew three friends that had originally signed up wouldn't make it due to other plans. But the gym seemed pretty packed in my opinion.

We made the decision to finally leave the warmth of the gym around 7:10 to hit up the port-o-potties and bag check then off to the Start Line we went. There was just a hoard of people heading that way and as we approached the Start Arch an announcement was made.

We were told to line up on the opposite side of the Start Arch from where we were all standing. Umm... ok. Can I tell you that was tough with the amount of people. Note the sea of people trying to make their way through the people already standing on the other side. Does that all make sense? Can you picture the cluster that ensued?

It was frustrating since people didn't want to move to let others into the corral. I would recommend another tactic to the race director next year, but I knew it was the first of this race so kinks would need to get worked out in the future.

But once we were on the right side, I caught a woman's unique running outfit.

Okay I'm kidding. ;) This was a spectator who was walking in the Start Area with her husband. Still not sure why she was there, but I had to snap a pic of the furry boots.

Due to the cluster, the race went off about 7-8 minutes late, which was okay with me as I was still trying to stretch and get my music in order. Yes I opted to run with music for this race since I wasn't sure how many spectators would be out on the course. I knew Disney music would keep me going. :)

Before I knew it I heard the MC doing a countdown and we were off. Here we go Half Marathon #24 overall and #10 of the year.

It was definitely chilly out. I couldn't feel my toes during the first few miles of the race.

Mile 1: 8:43

During Mile 2 I made the smart decision to stop and retie my sneakers. Unfortunately it took me awhile to do it since I couldn't feel my fingers when trying to retie the shoes. Ha. I wasn't sure how long I would be there attempting to get this done. I was wicked happy to put my gloves back on once I was finally done tying.

We also passed the Mile 12 mile marker and I thought "Man that seems really far away right now." But I tuned out the negative voice and focused on living in each mile.

Mile 2: 9:21

I had glanced at the course map, but hadn't seen any elevation chart so I had no idea what to expect when it came to the hills on the course. The website did say it was NOT a flat course. :P There was an interactive map on the website, but I didn't explore it.

Mile 3: 8:33

And they were right.

5k Mark: 27:46

Big thanks to Racewire for texting me the 5k and 10k updates during the race. I was then able to tweet them to my followers. :)

Just after the 5k mark, we hit the first hill.

Ouch! My legs were definitely feeling the stairs from the day before when I started working my way up the hill. I just kept telling myself one foot in front of the other! My mantra for the day.

Mile 4: 8:48

There were more spectators out on the course than I expected, but we were running through local neighborhoods and many folks were standing at the end of their driveways with signs and music. It was cool to see so many kids out cheering for their moms or dads. I pretended that they were cheering for me as well. ;)

Mile 5: 8:42

I loved the amount of water stops on the course. I made sure to take water at each stop and walk for at least 10-20 seconds to let the legs recharge. The Mile 5 water stop would double as a Mile 9 water stop so we were able to get Gatorade twice on the course.

We took an overpass over Route 3 and headed towards the out-and-back portion of the race. As we made our way to another neighborhood, we saw the lead police escort coming towards us! :) I had to snap a pic of the lead runner.

He was making it look effortless.

It's always so exciting to see the lead pack during a race. It is motivating, inspiring and fun to cheer them on.

The rolling hills rolled on with a beautiful quaint New England background. During the uphills, I reminded myself that what goes up must come down. But on the downhills, it was what goes down must go up! (Okay folks let's stay PG ;)) I tried to soak up the downhills as much as possible, but knew I'd be facing another uphill at some point.

Mile 6: 8:40

Racewire had photographers along the course, but I never seemed to notice them until I had already passed. Once I hit the 10k mark, I realized the front of my Sparkle Athletic skirt was stuck in my jacket ... and yes Racewire caught it on camera. Oops! :P

10k Mark: 55:09

I had never been to Norwell before so it was a great chance to see the gorgeous houses and cute neighborhoods. The loop we did through Brigantine Circle was adorable. I loved the feeling of this small town race.

Mile 7: 8:29

As we completed the circle, we headed back towards Route 3. I cheered on the folks heading towards the circle and tried to high five some folks. Not everyone was as excited as I was. :P

I stopped at the water stop during Mile 8 and took the opportunity to take a KIND Snacks break. I like using the KIND Bars as half marathon fuel.

I did a little extra walking that mile in order to eat my snack and stretch out the legs. They were really starting to get sore, but I was ready to push through.

Mile 8: 9:12

Bravo to the race for also handing out PowerBar Energy GUs. While I don't use them, my fellow runners were thrilled for the extra fuel.

Mile 9: 8:39

I checked in with the body and could tell the legs were sore and tired just like the upper body. Apparently the middle part of me was fine and excited to run. It was just everything else that was ready to be done.

I tried to turn up the tunes and just soak up the chilly morning air and be proud that I was out there getting it done.

That is what I love about running - it gives me time to work through issues or celebrate triumphs. Today was celebrating doing an obstacle race on the Saturday and the half on Sunday.

Mile 10: 8:52

Okay a 5k to go. I can do that. It was like my iPod knew what I needed to hear at that moment.

It turned out "Let It Go," "Go The Distance," and "Zero To Hero" in a row. I mean what more could I ask for. I was now changing from running to freakin' jamming! :P

During Mile 11, we turned off Wildcat Street and on to Pleasant Street, which meant we were back on familiar terrain. We would be overlapping some of the early miles as we headed to the Finish.

Mile 11: 8:11

I was needing some support and turned to social media! I called to my peeps for positive vibes and they came out in full force. :)

We were coming into the home stretch. I could see folks around me walking and I had a debate in my mind about walking. I thought if they could do it I could. While yes I could walk, it isn't what I wanted to do. I knew if I just kept running I would get to the Finish faster. The image of the free beer at the end put a little pep in my step.

Plus I soaked in the quaint New England feel for the final two miles.

Mile 12: 8:17

Guess I had something in the tank that I didn't know about. I was tapping in to some speed in the final 5k.

I need to send a big thank you to the volunteers and cops along the course. They were friendly and encouraging the entire time. I know it was cold for them to be standing in one place for so long.

With 1/2 a mile to go, it was time to start playing those games with myself. Just a few more sprints to the Finish. It's like a run around the block. Keep an eye out for the wife as distraction. Etc.

Mile 13: 8:02

I was behind a group of folks and I was ready to buzz past them during the final .1. :) I saw the wife just before the Finish and she even got a pic of me.

Can you tell my phone had slipped down behind my left knee? Yeah I was just trying to keep it from falling out. I had put it in the back of my pants for the final stretch and somehow it started slipping.

But I was ready to fflllyyy across the Finish... and I did.

Final Time: 1:54:00

WOO! My 24th-career half marathon and 10th in 2014 was done. :)

While my Garmin gave me 13.21 miles, I do know that Garmins can usually be off from the advertised 13.1. (Read more on that here)

I had a tough time catching my breath post-race, but thankfully the wife was there to help me slow down my breathing as we walked. I had to keep moving. If I stopped, I wouldn't start back up.

I beelined it for the beer line. Priorities, right? Well they didn't have chocolate milk a the Finish so I had to go for the next best thing. The Finish line featured water, crackers with peanut butter, gummies and a granola bar. I was surprised there weren't bagels or bananas. I was ready to hit Dunkins after so I wasn't totally disappointed.

The post-race party was held just past the Finish Line area outside McGreal's Tavern.

The Sierra Nevada IPA sure hit the spot. The race also offered free hot dogs and hamburgers to Finishers. I passed, but I loved the gesture.

Mmm beer and bling! A great reason to run 13.1 miles on a Sunday morning. :)

Big thanks to my wife for getting up early with me, driving me and being my #1 cheerleader.

Photo via Racewire

I do want to give a big shutout to Steph for owning her first half and finishing a tough course in 2:06:31. Yay Steph!

Photo via Steph

The wife and I had to head home so we hopped on the shuttle busses after grabbing an extra pint glass and were back to the car pretty quickly.

***

Overall the race was very well-organized. I was happy to see a comment on the race's Facebook page from the final runner of the day sharing how pleased she was with the volunteers and amount of support still on the course when she finished. THAT makes me happy and eager to run a race again when they spend the same energy on runner 1 as runner 1750. Bravo South Shore Half Bravo.

The swag was great. The post-race beer was delicious. The course was challenging.

What more could you ask for?

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Do you shy away from inaugural races or do you like to give them a try?

Five Fantastic Finds

Social media is great for a lot of things like getting a shout out from Montell Jordan (yup happened and I have it saved!) or it is a way to find new and exciting products. While I hold my tweet from Montell Jordan near and dear to my heart today I am ready to share 5 new products that have burst onto my scene. Now some may be old news to you, but they are new to me! Yes I live under a rock when it comes to some crazes. Shocking I know. ;)

Let's get this party started!

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1) Nuun Hydration

This is one where I am DEFINITELY late to the party.

Nuun is leading the way in portable hydration with three drink options to keep you refreshed and replenished all day, everyday. All three are ideal to help keep you hydrated and to make the most of the water you drink.

I tested two of the three versions of Nuun: Active Hydration and All Day.

The Active Hydration is a great way to replace the sugary Gatorade I normally use during long runs or races. Nuun has less than 1g of carbs, fewer than 8 calories, no sugar, no high-fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors or colors. All big plusses in my book when trying to keep a more natural approach to fueling while training. Plus the watermelon is a nice treat during a triathlon transition. ;)

Now I personally do not have a problem keeping myself hydrated as I drink at least 100 ounces of water a day. BUT plain water can get boring so I enjoyed adding in some Grape Raspberry All Day into my mix.

Did you know dehydration is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue? Sugary and caffeinated drinks take you on a roller coaster ride during the day, but with zero sugar, under 8 calories per tab, and a blend of A, B, C, D, E vitamins, Nuun All Day keeps you going.

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2) RUNFELLOW

I love promoting local companies and small businesses whenever possible and Runfellow fits into both. Runfellow is a Somerville-based runner-inspired gear company started by Jillian, who I have the honor to get to know the past year.

Runfellow is a running community with a focus on motivating and inspiring fellow runners. Our positive, quirky taglines catch your eye, make you smile and push you a little further. We’re not just another running clothing company, we’re a community of runners and for runners.

Not only is Jillian offering cute tanks, tech shirts and long-sleeve t-shirts for both men and women, but she started a kickass running club in the Somerville/Cambridge area that meets every Tuesday night. Location changes every week and is announced on their Facebook page.

Picture Courtesy of Runfellow

I should also mention that $1.00 from each shirt purchased from the shop will be donated to the Young Survival Coalition, an organization and resource for young women facing breast cancer.

If you are looking for a fun shirt to wear to run/walk a race or spectate then check out Runfellow. And if you are in the Somerville?Cambridge area, come join in for a run. I'll give you your first high-five!

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3) The Skinnytaste Cookbook

Gina from Skinnytaste.com is one of my favorite bloggers out there. She is also a staple topic during my Weight Watchers meetings since she offers simple low-PPV recipes that my members LOVE because she doesn't sacrifice taste.

Did you know after having her two kids, Gina turned to Weight Watchers for help to lose weight?

So when a copy of her book happened to show up at my door (value $30) around my birthday I took it as a sign ... it was time to get to cooking. Fine! We all know my wife does the cooking in my house. So really it was time to highlight recipes I wanted my wife to make.

The Skinnytaste Cookbook features 150 recipes - 125 all-new dishes and 25 of her must-haves - covering breakfast dishes, dips, appetizers, salads that won't bore you, meat dishes, vegetarian dishes, desserts and so much more. It seems like she is including something for everyone.

In her first cookbook, Gina makes sure each recipe offers her personal story behind the concept, her tips for success dubbed "Skinny Scoop," as well as the nutrition facts. Super easy for my Weight Watchers friends to calculate the PPV of each recipe.

After drooling over the 100 delicious looking photos, I quickly dove into Gina's "Skinny Basics," aka her hints for creating a good-for-you kitchen and lifestyle.

I can't wait to dive in and have an entire weekend of enjoying her recipes starting with Dad's Jammin' Crepes (pt 51) and finishing with the Silky Chocolate Cream Pie (ps 295).

And the entire meal will be guilt free.

So if you are looking for the perfect gift for your spouse, mom, dad or fellow Weight Watcher friend, get your copy of The Skinnytaste Cookbook today!

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4) New Balance Glow Beacon Jacket

I am not one that easily becomes obsessed with running gear, but immediately after slipping into this jacket I was hooked.

An eye-catching layering piece, the women’s New Balance Beacon Vest features 3 levels of visibility details, making you visible from dawn to dusk. First, low-light visibility comes from the bright color, blending safety with style. Second, oncoming-light visibility comes from the 360-degree reflective trim, so you’ll catch the light when headlights and streetlights hit you at night. Third, no-light visibility comes from the revolutionary glow-in-the-dark technology on the sleeves and back: charge the Beacon Jacket under light and you’re ready to go, and ready to glow, day or night.

So what would I look like in the dark? Here you go:

It is a bit blurry since I was moving so quickly before the camera. ;)

In addition to the great reflective properties, the jacket also offers front zip pockets for storage, as well as interior media pockets for additional storage.

The New Balance Glow Beacon Jacket's versatility is well worth the $175 price tag.

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5) iFit Active Tracker

Just when you didn't think there could be another version of an activity tracker enter iFit!

The iFit Active fitness tracker (value $129) works with its mobile app to track your everyday activity, sleep, and nutrition, while providing you with the tools to live a better and healthier life.

After entering in my basic information and sharing about the Fox that I am, it was time to customize my settings.

My favorite feature is "Move Time." I set my iFit to buzz when I haven't moved for 30 minutes. It is the jolt I need when I am distracted in work on my computer or sucked into a TV marathon after work.

I also love that it is waterproof. I wore it during my pool workout last week and it lived to tell the tale. ;)

Now I do not use the calories portion personally, but it is a great feature for those that do.

Please excuse me while I go take some laps around my apartment to hit my 10k step goal!

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Which of these five fantastic finds will you try?

*RECAP* Run, Beer & Pretzels Equals Cambridge 5k Oktoberfest 5k Fun

For three-straight years it's rained during Oktoberfest 5k, why would we assume it would be any different on October 5, 2014. It was even raining on Saturday when I went to pick up my race bib and sweet t-shirt.

Thankfully the rain made other plans on Sunday and for once the Cambridge 5k Oktoberfest 5k would be held under the shining sun! Wahoo!

Since the race was a mere 15 minute ride from my house, I could sleep in until 8am and casually get ready for the race. Race would be kicking off at 9:30am.

Apparently I was a little too casual about the race as I almost left the house without my bib. Umm thanks honey for noticing that. Oops!

Maybe I should get back to laying my clothes out the night before ANY race not just the marathons. ;)

I enjoyed my water and toast with peanut butter on the drive over. I wanted to make sure I had some fuel in my body, but not too much that would weigh me down for the shorter distance race.

Oktoberfest 5k, which benefits Cambridge Family & Children's Service (CFCS), was moved to a different section of Technology Square in Cambridge and it was a great decision by race director, Eddie. The space is much larger than the previous space and allowed ample space for the post-race party and dance off.

I managed to run into a bunch of people I knew - blogger friends, Weight Watchers members, fellow Slumbrew Happy Soles and more - while wandering around before the race. I love being able to catch up with so many people at a race. It always puts a big smile on my face. :) Who knew I would be so happy meeting up with folks at races and making so many friends through running.

All of a sudden I checked my iFit and realized it was 9:20am. Yeah I should probably start moving over to the Start Area I thought to myself. I was going to be living on the edge opting not to wait in the never-ending port-o-pottie line and chance it.

I also need to promise that I did't purposely match my outfit to my race bib. :P It just happened to work out that way.

I opted to wear my lighter ASICS Gel Hyper Speed6 sneakers since they are more of a racing flat. I like how they are lightweight for the 5k distance, but anything longer than that I tend to stick with my trusty ASICS GT-2000s.

There are a ton of speedy folks that run in the Cambridge 5k series so I tried to get up to the front-ish to make sure I could get into my own groove with limited people passing me on the onset.

Oktoberfest is the biggest race of the Cambridge 5k series so there tend to be more congestion than at any of the other races so placing yourself correctly is crucial.

The gun went off and so did we. I did pass a couple right off the bat that seemed a little shocked at how many speedy people there were. Not sure what they were expecting at a 5k race. But the folks that run the Cambridge 5k series run the gamut from the 5:xx min/mile runners to first time walkers. That is what I love - everyone is welcome!

The course was different than in previous years and was touted as being flat flat flat. I liked the sound of it, but doubted it being pancake flat. FYI I was right. ;)

I tried to get into my own groove, but for some reason my body had other ideas. I felt sluggish right from the get go. I knew my lack of sleep and not pristine eating habits over the past week could catch up with me ... and they did.

I honestly thought I was running in place for part of Mile 1, but I trusted my body was in fact moving in a forward direction.

Mile 1: 7:23

Now normally I would be thrilled with that for Mile 1, but I was disappointed. I have been working on getting faster and it was paying off recently, but on this day the body had other ideas.

It is always something to remember - you never know which body will show up on race day.

So I decided just to go with the flow. Either way I would be thoroughly entertained by the costumes around me. Many folks took the German theme and ran with it. *Ba dum dum*

There are random droppings of spectators along the course so I relied on the volunteers for some pick-up energy and they didn't disappoint. Big thanks to those folks along the course directing runners, handing out water or offering up a high-five.

Oh and you can welcome some inclines to the party. As I traveled upwards I thought to myself how that was in fact not flat. :P I didn't really mind, but always find people have different definitions of flat.

Mile 2: 7:41

Lots of potholes on the roads of Cambridge so I made sure to triple check the ground before snapping my mid-run selfie.

Yup I felt myself slowing down, but just kept telling myself to move forward and either way the BEER would be at the Finish.

Just after Mile 2, I saw my Slumbrew teammate Pat sit down on the side of the road and grab his knee. I ran past him then made sure to back  track to see how he was doing. Without thinking about it I stopped my Garmin. Yeah that doesn't happen during a race. It did show me that Pat and I chatted for about 17 seconds. ;)

Pat said he was okay and didn't need medical help so I restarted the Garmin and got back on the course.

The final mile of any race is always a mental game with me. I started passing the time - since I didn't wear headphones - by counting my steps. It calms me down. I've also come to realize 150 steps is 0.1 miles so I play games with myself. I know cool kid. :P

Some of the course looked familiar as we crossed over some of the streets from the Cambridge 5k Yulefest 5k, which is held in Harvard Square in December.

The sun was high and the shade was at a minimum. The short sleeves, while they sucked before the race, came in really handy during the race itself.

Mile 3: 7:43

The final stretch included three separate turns, which made the final 0.1 seem like an eternity. But coming through to a bunch of cheers and familiar faces is always a joy!

Final Time: 24:16 (7:49 min/mile pace)

While I was disappointed with my time - no one to blame but me - I was extra mad to be 54 seconds slower than last year's Oktoberfest. Grr... Some races I seem to be going backwards in my speed instead of forwards. Again I know every day and every race is different, but it can still be frustrating.

Something I am going to focus on and work on in the future.

The good thing was the race was done, the water drank and it was time to move on to the beer and pretzels!!

Cambridge Brewing Company provided beer (Pale Ale and Pumpkin Ale, Swiss Bakers had the pretzels and Jason Wirth also provided food.

Eddie, race director, set up the square with 4 different beer tents pouring to try and shorten the beer lines, but unfortunately with 2100+ runners there were still lengthy lines at times.

We entertained ourselves in the line as best we could. :)

Just after 11am, we gathered as many of the 56 Slumbrew Happy Soles as we could for a team pic.

It is amazing being part of such an awesomely supportive and great group of people.

Big props to Slumbrew runner Craig who came in #1 overall with an amazing time of 17:05. How amazing is that? I wonder what it is like to break the tape.

With Craig and some other speedsters on the team, Slumbrew took the #1 team overall. Waaahhh!!

Our team never wins until Big Bad Wolf 5-Miler in September, when we were 2nd overall.

The prize? A growler of CBC Pale Ale ... which we all shared on the spot. :)

Victory tasted delicious!

After many hugs and high fives, it was time for me to head home and continue my Sunday. I missed the dance off, but heard a Slumbrew Happy Sole member actually walked away with the crown there too. Hollah!

So if you are thinking about checking out Cambridge 5k Oktoberfest 5k next year ... do it! You might see a familiar face ... or 10!

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Want in on the final Cambridge 5k race of the year? Join the Slumbrew Happy Soles and I at Yulefest 5k on December 14. Register here.