Team Pink Cadillac - Team Picture
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
2011 Jersey Shore Relay Marathon - Runapalooza
Wow! What a fun day. We got up VERY early for the drive down to Seaside. Our start time was 8:40 am & it was about 44 degrees with the wind whipping off the ocean. Good Lord it was cold! We must have gone back to the car 4 times before the race started to get warm. At 8:40 & after a quick run to tinkle John was off. Phew, I did not want to run the first part of the race. I don't know why, but I wasn't mentally ready to take off & run 6.1 miles. After much debate & a lot of whining, we made John run the first leg. Actually, I think he volunteered, but it was more fun to whine to him about how cold we were & lets face it, he was no match against us 3 girls. We did have to take the route guide away from Katie for a few minutes, as she started to panic about getting lost. After much reassurance, we let her have the directions back, but only if she promised to stop worrying.
After the start Katie, Mary Kate & I ran back to the car, piled in, turned on the heated seats & headed north to the nearest gas station. We seriously needed to fill up & warm up! Unfortunately, I also decided that I needed a big ole cup of hot tea (big mistake - but keep reading to find out why). Then we had to find the nearest Wawa because I had to deliver 1 Wawa pretzel to John upon his finishing of his leg of the race - or else. Hey, he agreed to lead off, it's the least we could do to get him a stale pretzel, right? Right.
When we got back in the car & headed up to Brick Beach III (who knew they even had a I or II?) it started to sink in that I would have to run the next leg. I was secretly hoping for the Manasquan to Belmar run, as it would be like running my regular runs, but Katie was nervous about getting lost (& we never let her live that down all day) I knew that leg 2 would be all me. As we waited in the parking lot, still freezing our butts off, people started to come in. No sign of John in the first few, but after about 50 minutes, we saw him. It's kinda hard to miss someone that is 6'4", so I knew it was time to go. I think I had about 5 layers on & my iPod, which I have to thank Katie & Mary Kate for reminding me because I almost forgot.
Running up route 35 along the ocean is not my idea of a great time. To add to this, the Township of Brick is replacing all the sewers along the run route. The pipes are now above ground & if you've ever been around sewers while they are under construction, well lets just say it smells like poop! Not exactly the nice salt air I was expecting. This is where things took a turn for the worse. The first mile seemed like 5 miles & I couldn't believe that my garmin watch hadn't beeped yet. It has a setting to beep at every mile. When I looked at my watch & saw that I had run barely a 1/2 a mile I knew I was in for it. But I didn't panic & just kept going. At a mile & a half, however, I got a cramp, a really bad one. Damn tea! I was so afraid it would totally sideline me, so I had to walk. It felt like I walked a really long time, but it really only turned out to be about 3 minutes. After much side rubbing & cursing, I was back off & running. As I made my way north towards Mantolooking into Bay Head & to the 3.5 mile mark I started to feel the twinge in my knee, but I knew if I thought of something else, it would go away & I would be ok. At this point, I knew where I was & how much further I had to go & as each mile ticked off my watch I knew I could make it.
When I got into Point Pleasant I was so excited I think I even started running faster. I knew I had to make it to the inlet & then I could go to the car & cheer on Katie & Mary Kate. When I got to the transition point I couldn't believe all the people standing around. I kept looking for Mary Kate, but then thought to myself, look for John, he's 6'4" easy to spot & there they were. A quick handoff of the baton & then we were back to the car.
This was the best part of the race. As Mary Kate made her way over the Brielle bridge, we could race over to Katie's sister's house (which was conveniently next to the 3rd transition spot) fill up on Entemann's & use a real bathroom! We were greeted by a great sign & lots of snacks! A quick change into very cute running clothes & Katie was up for the 4th leg.
Back in the car & headed toward Belmar, we were more than 1/2 way through the race. For a bunch of runners that had never run together & John being a last minute sub, our team rocked! When we got to D'Jais Mary Kate took off again. We really couldn't have done it without her. She ran the longest out of all of us 7.6 miles!!!! She totally rocked it! We made it back to the convention center just in time to see her race our pink baton across the finish line! Woo hoo - go Team Pink Cadillac!!!
It was a great day & although this is a very long recap of the race, we had a great time. Our team was awesome & many thanks to my friends Dori & Joel for including me this year in the relay. Our relay time was 3:51:55 & we are totally going to smash that next year!
Here's a pic of Mary Kate crossing the finish line! Yay Mary Kate!
After the start Katie, Mary Kate & I ran back to the car, piled in, turned on the heated seats & headed north to the nearest gas station. We seriously needed to fill up & warm up! Unfortunately, I also decided that I needed a big ole cup of hot tea (big mistake - but keep reading to find out why). Then we had to find the nearest Wawa because I had to deliver 1 Wawa pretzel to John upon his finishing of his leg of the race - or else. Hey, he agreed to lead off, it's the least we could do to get him a stale pretzel, right? Right.
When we got back in the car & headed up to Brick Beach III (who knew they even had a I or II?) it started to sink in that I would have to run the next leg. I was secretly hoping for the Manasquan to Belmar run, as it would be like running my regular runs, but Katie was nervous about getting lost (& we never let her live that down all day) I knew that leg 2 would be all me. As we waited in the parking lot, still freezing our butts off, people started to come in. No sign of John in the first few, but after about 50 minutes, we saw him. It's kinda hard to miss someone that is 6'4", so I knew it was time to go. I think I had about 5 layers on & my iPod, which I have to thank Katie & Mary Kate for reminding me because I almost forgot.
Running up route 35 along the ocean is not my idea of a great time. To add to this, the Township of Brick is replacing all the sewers along the run route. The pipes are now above ground & if you've ever been around sewers while they are under construction, well lets just say it smells like poop! Not exactly the nice salt air I was expecting. This is where things took a turn for the worse. The first mile seemed like 5 miles & I couldn't believe that my garmin watch hadn't beeped yet. It has a setting to beep at every mile. When I looked at my watch & saw that I had run barely a 1/2 a mile I knew I was in for it. But I didn't panic & just kept going. At a mile & a half, however, I got a cramp, a really bad one. Damn tea! I was so afraid it would totally sideline me, so I had to walk. It felt like I walked a really long time, but it really only turned out to be about 3 minutes. After much side rubbing & cursing, I was back off & running. As I made my way north towards Mantolooking into Bay Head & to the 3.5 mile mark I started to feel the twinge in my knee, but I knew if I thought of something else, it would go away & I would be ok. At this point, I knew where I was & how much further I had to go & as each mile ticked off my watch I knew I could make it.
When I got into Point Pleasant I was so excited I think I even started running faster. I knew I had to make it to the inlet & then I could go to the car & cheer on Katie & Mary Kate. When I got to the transition point I couldn't believe all the people standing around. I kept looking for Mary Kate, but then thought to myself, look for John, he's 6'4" easy to spot & there they were. A quick handoff of the baton & then we were back to the car.
This was the best part of the race. As Mary Kate made her way over the Brielle bridge, we could race over to Katie's sister's house (which was conveniently next to the 3rd transition spot) fill up on Entemann's & use a real bathroom! We were greeted by a great sign & lots of snacks! A quick change into very cute running clothes & Katie was up for the 4th leg.
Back in the car & headed toward Belmar, we were more than 1/2 way through the race. For a bunch of runners that had never run together & John being a last minute sub, our team rocked! When we got to D'Jais Mary Kate took off again. We really couldn't have done it without her. She ran the longest out of all of us 7.6 miles!!!! She totally rocked it! We made it back to the convention center just in time to see her race our pink baton across the finish line! Woo hoo - go Team Pink Cadillac!!!
It was a great day & although this is a very long recap of the race, we had a great time. Our team was awesome & many thanks to my friends Dori & Joel for including me this year in the relay. Our relay time was 3:51:55 & we are totally going to smash that next year!
Here's a pic of Mary Kate crossing the finish line! Yay Mary Kate!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
National MS Society - MS Bike - May 21, 2011
I'll be doing this ride May 21, 2011 to support a friend who was recently diagnosed with MS. Please visit my donation page to make a donation. Every dollar is greatly appreciated & no amount is too small. Thank you!
Why You Should Sponsor Me
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society will use funds collected from the MS Bike Tour to not only support research for a cure tomorrow, but also to provide programs which address the needs of people living with MS today. Because we can fight this disease by simply riding a bike, because we have chosen to help thousands of people through a contribution to the MS Bike Tour, we are now getting closer to the hour when no one will have to hear the words, "You have MS."
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NJMBikeEvents?px=9118691&pg=personal&fr_id=15051
Why You Should Sponsor Me
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society will use funds collected from the MS Bike Tour to not only support research for a cure tomorrow, but also to provide programs which address the needs of people living with MS today. Because we can fight this disease by simply riding a bike, because we have chosen to help thousands of people through a contribution to the MS Bike Tour, we are now getting closer to the hour when no one will have to hear the words, "You have MS."
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NJMBikeEvents?px=9118691&pg=personal&fr_id=15051
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