Breaking into the Double Digits and Other Updates

I've been very bad at blogging lately.  Now that the year-end at work is coming to a close hopefully I'll have more time to post regularly.  I figured I'd give a brief update of where I stand on the training and fundraising front.

Luckily, on the training front I can update you pretty easily because all our training has had a general theme...snow (with some sub-freezing temps thrown in there just for fun).  I kept up with my long runs over break and our first training run back on January 8th was supposed to be not only our first double digit run but also our first run out towards Newton and the infamous Newton Hills.  Due to the snow that was coming down on us that day, we were treated to a shorter 6 mile run towards Hopkinton and an intense cross-training session to make up for the shorter mileage.  I'll get into cross-training in another post but let's just say I went to the grocery store the next day and had to strategize how to get a can of beans off the bottom shelf without embarrassing myself next to an elderly woman.

The following Saturday we finally attacked an 11 miler and the Newton Hills.  I felt great through the hills.  I took my coach Sarad's advice and hunched over slightly up the hills, not straightening up until I was through the crest of the hill, and only looked a few feet ahead of me and not at the huge incline I still had to defeat.  I didn't tighten up until around mile 8 after the third water stop.  The killer though was a hill some of the girls in years past had nicknamed "Mildred" which, like Heart Break Hill, comes right near the end of the run, is long and steep, and on this particular morning was covered in snow and slush.  I managed to jog the entire way up but I honestly probably could have walked it faster.  By the end of the run my legs hurt like they never had before and it took me a full 30 minutes to stretch them out before I felt like I could drive home.

Finally this past Saturday we went towards Hopkinton again for a 12 mile run.  It was bitterly cold at around 15 degrees and with the wind it felt even colder.  Our other coach, Kelly, sent around an email before practice reminding us to dress appropriately.

"10 to 20 degrees: 2 tops, 2 bottoms. A jacket over your base layer and wind pants over the tights."

I had on three tops, two bottoms, and a scarf.  With all the layers I had on I felt like I had suddenly gained 10 pounds and by the end of the run I really just wanted to pull off and ditch my extra pair of pants and scarf (but didn't because I'm cheap and I paid good money for them).  My body temperature must run hot because I clearly didn't need to bundle up so much.  As it's been continuously  snowing in New England, the sidewalks were not well plowed so we also had to battle cars on Rt 135 pretty much the entire run as we made our way into Natick for the first time.  My teammate Manny said that a PeterPan bus driver actually looked him straight in the eye and tried to run him off the road.  In my year and a half driving in Massachusetts with Mass drivers, I don't doubt it.  Aside from the temperature and traffic issues the run went very well and I finished in about the same time I finished the 11 miler and not nearly as sore and tired.  I estimate my pace was about 10:30 min/mile which is great for a long run and right where I want to be.

So what's on the agenda for this week?  Recommitment is on January 31st so we've all been working to get in the last of our donations to reach our fundraising minimum.  As of tonight I have $2,405 in donations!  (This includes $300 from my bowling tournament that hasn't hit the account yet) which is 74% of the way to my goal!  Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far! If you'd still like to donate it's not too late!  Here's the website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ma/boston11/klauro 

This week I've also been preparing for my main fundraiser!  I'm having a bar night at the Lansdowne Pub on Saturday just in time for recommitment.  I've been spending the week gathering donations for the raffle.  Thanks to the generosity of some local businesses I've got some great prizes and it finally looks like I'm all set!  Stay tuned for all the pictures from the event on Sunday!

Ok I think I've bored you enough with this "brief" update that became not so brief.  I promise to update you all on my training more frequently in the future!

TNT Bowling Tournament

Last Thursday I hosted my first fundraising event and got a taste of the challenges of event planning.  I coordinated a bowling tournament at Lucky Strike in Jillian's which is located right behind Fenway Park's center field bleachers.

The initial set-up of the event was a breeze.  I called Jillian's up and they quickly agreed to let me use 4 lanes for 2 hours and threw in a plate of chips and salsa for the group.  The only catch was that they only times they donated lanes were Monday-Thursday from 6-8pm.  Since many of my friends work outside of the city and/or work long hours some nights, it can be difficult to get down to Fenway by 6pm and therefore it was difficult to get people to commit to coming in advance.

My second challenge was figuring out and obtaining a prize.  I contacted a few restaurants and cafes around Boston to ask if they would donate a gift certificate.  Most seemed vaguely interested but needed a letter from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society officially endorsing me as their fundraiser...which I didn't have.  Because of the holidays I was getting crunched for time so I quickly emailed Jillian at the Massachusetts TNT HQ and voila!  I had the letter in about 24 hours.  The Improv Asylum in the North End came through and donated six tickets.

Finally I decided I wanted to make an inexpensive but fun trophy.  I really impressed myself with my craftiness on this one.  Take a look at the pictures of the trophies below and the pics from the event itself.  We ended up having 13 people including myself participate in the event instead of the 20 I was hoping for.  Even so, we had a great group come out and everyone had a good time.  My co-worker Jess, her boyfriend Chris, and her roommate Sary ended up winning by 5 pins but I bowled the highest score in a game.  I think my 150 is a PR!  Hopefully, I can achieve a few more running PRs in the coming months!

The Trophies!

The Champions:  Sary,  Chris, & Jess

See the photo page for all the pics!

Oh Hey, 2011

Well the New Year kind of snuck up on me there which is why this post is coming a few days late.  I guess I will be a little cliche and join the masses of bloggers out there and write a post reflecting on "how far I've come" in 2010 and what I'm looking forward to in 2011.  So let's see...what is there to note in my life from the beginning of the new decade?

• I spent my first full year in the working world (and haven't been fired)
• I finally ditched my flip phone from 2006 (yes, it did have an antenna) and joined the present with a smart phone
• I ran my first race (a 4 miler in Central Park in April) followed by three more including my first half marathon
• Left the country twice (UK & Ireland in March; Bermuda in May)
• Learned to love sushi
• Saw Tom Petty and Crosby, Stills, and Nash in Saratoga, NY
• Went to three Beer Festivals and two (official) pub crawls
• Was completely surprised at my first surprise party
• Had three different jobs over the course of the year (which will happen in 2011 as well now that I think about it)
• Went skydiving (lived through it and didn't pee my pants before, during, or after)
• Went camping and white water rafting for the first time
• Joined a broomball and dodgeball league and managed not to injury myself too badly

So what's in store for 2011?

• I will run the Boston Marathon (obviously but it had to be said)
• I will run 500 miles (9 down as of today)
• I will finished up my third and fourth rotation and graduate from my finance rotational program at work
• I will find a full-time job and may have to move out-of-state to do so.
• I will complete in my first triathlon.
• I want to hike a mountain or go outdoor rock climbing or both
• This is the most important one which seems to be an ongoing goal: I will cut the drama and bullshit out of my life.   I don't have the time or energy for it anymore.

I won't call these "resolutions."  Most of these items have been on my list for awhile now and I don't like having one date to set goals.  If you attach some kind of fake importance to a date chances are if you start to fail you just wait for the next artificially momentous date until you try again.  If you want to do something, just go out and do it.  No excuses or procrastination (this isn't college anymore people).  So this is just a list of things I want to do soon to keep me focused on what's important to me.  If I achieve them great, if not I'll keep trying until they're off my bucket list.  Three days down, 362 to go.  Bring it 2011!