The Hay is in the Barn?!?!?!?!

Well 2014 has been an odd one. The year started out on a high note. I went to the USA half marathon Champs with no hopes of making the World Half marathon team. The field was loaded, I was only starting to feel like I was getting some speed back and I just didn't think it was possible. Well guess what I did? GASP.....I went in to the race with zero pressure. The night before I figured what the hell? What do I have to lose? I want to break 1:12 at some point...what better day than my birthday? Well guess what the result was? I got 4th, a new PR 1:12:29 and I made the world team!!!! Sure I didn't break 1:12 like I want to eventually but honestly I knew that it wasn't going to happen in the fitness I was in. So a new PR was CRAZY!  The news that I made the team was very welcome as I received it while boarding the plane to Mexico for a fun filled few days with some of my closest friends. It gave me a few days to celebrate a big dream coming true!

                                                 Are you kidding me?!?!? I made the team!

It turned out Mexico was just what I needed to get the juices flowing again and I came back ready to roll. With just 13 weeks until Boston I knew it was time to get back to some big volume. I do have to be honest though I had a slight thought of scratching Boston and making my sole focus for the early fall the World Half champs. For me the marathon is my baby, I love it, I thrive in the training BUT when I race during my build up it is honestly a complete crap shoot! I have had both kinds of build ups. For my build up in the trials and New York I couldn't get my legs to do ANYTHING in racing. Than I had my build up to Twin Cities and I was pretty much hitting my PR's in every race. All this went in to my talks with Scott and ultimately we decided I could do both. Sadly I raced 3 times leading in to Boston and sadly all 3 left something to be desired for sure. Don't get me wrong Copenhagen was the experience of a lifetime. I learned a lot of things. One being that time changes and me do not do well together. I didn't sleep all week until I finally took a melatonin two nights before the race. The melatonin helped me get some much needed rest but still didn't make up for the days before I wasn't getting sleep. I even raided the mini bar in our hotel room the night before the race and drank half of the little red wine at 2 am hoping it would make me sleep. I mean seriously I have a glass of red wine at home and I pass out. Unfortunately the wine ended up being an expensive sleeping pill that did not work. But lesson learned! I also learned I need to not be such a picky eater. Traveling to a different country means I need to just eat what I can to get nutrition and not be a big baby!  All in all I am bummed about the race. My fitness is beyond anything it has ever been at and I couldn't get it to translate on race day. The day I really wanted to shine I was stale, flat and wanted to cry.

       Women's USA team with a 5th place finish! Thanks to the top 3 running some big PR's


Moving on I can not change anything that happened in Copnhagen. I still got to hang out with some really fun people. I got to know Clara Santucci and Matt Lano better. I must say I LOVE those two. Both are such great people with so much talent and ability. You will be seeing their names a lot in years to come! Plus I got to hang out with my teammate Mattie which is always great! Not to be sappy or anything but the group of ladies I hang out with have really become some of the greatest friends! The five girls on our team were just great and it was awesome to see Annie and Lauren run such big PR's. Oh and I got to talk to one of my long time idols, Colleen De Reuck. If there are any three people I could sit down with and pick their brains for knowledge it would be her, Deena Kastor and Meb. They have all done some amazing things and haven't let age slow them down...INCREDIBLE!

                                                     What a great team to be a part of!

                                The Elliptigo guys helping me out with some final Boston prep!


I'm finally back home after a couple weeks away and I can not believe it but we are only 13 days out from the big day! Boston is just around the corner. As they say...the hay is in the barn....all my work is done. From here on out all I can do is relax and believe in myself. This is the time that makes me laugh. I can not tell you how many miles I put in leading in to this race but with two weeks to go I always think. Oh crap I wonder if I did enough? Truth is. Yes I did plenty! I had some great workouts and long runs that have shown me my fitness is at a point it has never been before. My final beast of a workout was completed at sea level (with the help of the amazing guys at Elliptigo, Darren Brown and Bryce Whiting. I mean seriously what sponsor goes out and helps you with a 24 mile day? This company is something else!) I did 20 miles in and out in 2 hours, and I felt amazing! I know I'm ready for this. I can't wait. This will only be my 3rd marathon but I'm hoping its the one that reminds me why when I crossed the finish line at the trials in Houston I said "THIS is my race! I want to keep doing these and nothing else". To be honest sometimes I just have to remind myself how lucky I am to get to do what I do. Sure I am not the fastest. No I won't WIN Boston but I am a good runner. I have my own set of goals that will make me feel accomplished and I can not wait to tackle them! Here is to hoping Boston give me some magic!!!!

These girls are some of the greatest ladies around! So grateful for their support every single day!   (Oh and the always supportive Richard who is gonna get some Boston magic himself!)