Hello!  Hard to believe that it has been over a year since my last blog!  I thought I would catch everyone up on my running and fundraising results last year and share my latest running challenge.

Boston.  2015!  I was so happy to finish the 2015 Boston marathon and accomplish my goals for the race and for Dana-Farber.  The run was cold, wet, but still wonderful.   I am so jealous of the gorgeous weather this year! (more on that later)   Heading to the starting line in ponchos was not a great sign and the rain came down pretty steadily for the whole race.   I tossed my poncho to a clown (totally random but true, an actual clown, full makeup and costume) around mile 13 and kept going.   Once I got past Heartbreak, I was overcome by emotion.  So proud to have made it that far and representing my donors and their loved ones.  In the final tally, I finished the marathon in under 5 hours (4:48) and raised $13,810 for cancer research!  At this year’s Boston Marathon, I volunteered at the finish line for Dana-Farber, escorting Dana-Farber runners from the finish line to the DFMC headquarters at the Marriott Copley.  I appreciated this so much last year and it was a fun day, helping folks back to the recovery center.  I had a great time with Dana-Farber and will run Boston again with them–it’s an amazing cause and group of people!

Half Marathons.   I ran a few half marathons following Boston and leading up to the end of 2015.  I always love to run the Wallis Sands Half Marathon and the Seacoast Half which are our two local half marathons.  I sign up for those every year, if nothing else to try and keep in shape for a spring and fall half!

Inagural Stratham Half Marathon June 2015.  This race looked fun and was right in my backyard–running on some of my usual training roads. The course was challenging in itself, very hilly, but that day it rained all day–torrential downpours!   This race was the wettest race I have ever run, we were drenched from the start.  My family watched me run by from inside the car and my youngest remarked “I don’t know why anyone would do this”.   Good point.  Here I am at the finish but the photo doesn’t reflect just how wet we were!  Sadly, it looks like there is no 2016 race.  Looks like the medal may be a collector’s item!  I’ve run a few inagural halfs in the past few years, perhaps i’m a jinx.   Anyone remember the Applecrest half?

2015 Stratham Half Marathon

2015 MCM

Marine Corps Marathon 2015.  This was my 3rd running of this marathon and it was another great weekend in D.C.  Unfortunately my running buddy couldn’t run it at the last minute but we still had a fun race weekend except that I had to go run 26.2 in the middle of it!  I love this race, the Marines, the excitement but not “the bridge” across the Potomac from the National Mall to Crystal City.   That bridge gets me every time!  I am not running this in 2016 but perhaps odd years and I’ll return in 2017 to the “People’s race”.

2015 was a great year for running.  I ran two marathons, raised over $13K for  Dana-Farber and met a few of my goals.   I’m setting new and different goals in 2016.  More on that coming soon!  Hint: you may notice I’ve redecorated this page with some clues as to my next big challenge.

-Jenn