Nine Miles. Nine Degrees.

Well it’s been quite a busy week in marathon training land!  Every Saturday the MS Marathon team holds a long team run and last week was my first run with the team.  9 miles in 9 degree weather. Delightful.  On Friday night I had a gig with WTL at Toby Keith’s in Foxboro, so it was already going to be a struggle to get up early the next day and run.  I decided not to drink at the gig… got some interesting looks from the guys lol, but in the end I think it helped.  I woke up Saturday feeling tired but otherwise fine.  Then I pulled up the weather on my iPhone and saw this.

Christ.  This would certainly give my winter running gear a run for its money! I got to Forever Fit in Newton and met up with the team.  I decided to give myself a little bit of head start knowing that I was slower than most of the team and set out on the route that Coach Karen had mapped out for us.  We actually got to run a little bit of the Boston Marathon route and got a taste of the Newton hills which was cool! Down route 16, left on Walnut street, then left on Comm ave and run till you get to BC.  Turn around.. run back. Whew.  As expected I’m the slow poke of the team, but I’ve decided I’m ok with that… just going to keep working hard and not let it bother me that I was getting passed left and right. Haha.  And my team is the best… I got so many high fives and “thatta girls” along the way, I couldn't help but feel motivated.

From the waist up I was toasty warm but for that kind of weather I have to revisit what I wear for bottoms.  My Under Armour leggings did not cut it.. I literally felt like I had two icicles for legs and when I showered later it burned like HELL to let water hit them… almost like I had wind burn or something.

This Saturday will be 10 miles.. my first double digit run since October of 2012 at the Amica Half Marathon in Newport. Weather is looking positively balmy (hello 40 degrees!) so I’m excited!

123 days....

xoxo
Ash

"We choose to run for those who sometimes can't."

I am running the 2014 Boston Marathon on the Marathon Strides Against MS Team! To make a donation to help end Multiple Sclerosis please visit my personal fundraising page:  http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=12612971&pg=personal&fr_id=22897