Boston Harvest 2013

This story starts with last year's Boston Harvest 5k. Shane has been working around the clock since about 3 days after the 2012 race ended to make this year's version bigger and better. He added a 10k option and got more sponsors, more donations, more door prizes, and just more everything. The goal this year was to have 300 participants. Thanks to an estimated 800 man-hours we reached, and possibly exceeded, this goal.

Friday night we packed up the kids and sent them off to Shane's parents for the night. Then we frantically packed vehicles and double checked mile markers and signs. We had caught a teenager stealing the handmade scarecrow mile markers from the trail so we had to check every last detail ten times over to be sure everything was perfect. Shane picked up cookies, cake, chips, and made Gatorade while I made parking signs and buckets for door prize drawings.

Parking signs

My car

Shane's car

 

Handmade mile markers

 

By the time we made it to bed Friday night I had no idea how we would make it through race morning. However, we were up and moving shortly after 5am and we got everything set up right on schedule. We never could have done it without all of our wonderful volunteers. They erected tents, set up tables, registered runners, handed out packets, and generally turned chaos into calm.

 

Food table

 

Cake with a certain child's fingerprints

 

 

At 9am we were ready to launch the 10k runners. I was originally registered for the 10k but I developed a bad cold in the days leading up to the race and I didn't want to be MIA for over an hour so I dropped to the 5k. As the 10k began I rushed to set up the awards table, food table, and door prizes for the runners upon their return. A short 15 minutes later it was my turn to toe the line.

 



Big Beaver Big Dawgs

 

As we took off I tried to hold back. I was breathing okay and I began to hope I might do okay despite my cold. I was running with our friend's son and we put down a 7:40 mile. I felt fine and wasn't even breathing hard. I started to get excited but I guess it was premature. As we approached the turn around I began to feel my chest tighten up. I kept pushing but quickly went from congestion to pain so I pulled way back. My friend's son kept up the strong pace while I struggled to breathe coming in at 8:30 for mile 2. In mile 3 I began to assume I was going to have to walk. I really eased up and trotted while a few men passed me. As soon as a woman passed me I pulled it together and sped up again. I managed to fend off all of the other approaching women. Mile 3 ticked off in 8:48. I held steady for the last .12 miles and just crossed before the next woman.

 

Waving to our amazing photographer, Jesse Meyers

 

 

Finishing

 

My chip didn't register as I crossed the mat and I forgot to stop my Garmin so my time is off. But the official results are listed as 25:54 for 24th overall, 7th woman, and 1st in my age group. I'll take that for being sick, up all night, and stressed all morning!

 

Boston Harvest swag

 

As soon as I finished I stumbled up to the finish area to get back to work. My mom and the other volunteers had set out the door prizes and drawn bib numbers while the races were happening so I spent the next half hour handing out 130 prizes to the lucky winners. Meanwhile Shane was getting the official results printed out and the clown and Kona Ice truck entertained the kids. Unfortunately, our scheduled band did not show up so the adults were less entertained.

 

Lulu the Clown was a hit again

 

As soon as the results were available we handed out plaques plus gift certificates to the top 3 men and women in each race plus the top master man and woman. The top 3 men and women in each 5 year age group each received a medal. Every kid got a finisher medal on top of being eligible for an age group award. And there was a midpack award for each race as well. Our hope was that everyone would go home with something between awards and door prizes.

 

Age group awards

 

Kids' medals

 

Midpack awards

 

Overall awards

 

Even the dogs got medals

 

It began to rain as we started the awards ceremony. Thankfully it stayed at a light drizzle until we were just finishing cleaning up. Everyone except our most loyal volunteers and friends had left by the time it really poured. We quickly broke down the tents and tables and cleaned up the garbage and signs. Before we knew it the ballfield looked like we had never been there and the trail was empty. We were left with 3 vehicles to unload in a downpour but it didn't put a damper on what turned out to be a really great day!

 

There is no official total yet but we feel confident we exceeded the $4,000+ we raised for Rex's fight against Batten's Disease last year. As soon as the final bills (port-o-john rentals, timing fees, etc) are paid and the final registration check comes in we will be able to give Rex and his family the proceeds from the race. Seeing Rex's face light up at the race made it worth all the time and effort and frustration. He is such a sweetheart!

 

Rex and his family and friends

 

Overall, I don't think we could have asked for a better day. The course was dead on accurate, the weather was great until the very end, the volunteers were amazing, the participants were cheerful and patient, and everything just went according to plan. We are so blessed to be part of such an amazing community and running family!

Love the Run

Recently I was asked, "Do you love where you live for running?" I wanted to respond with a resounding NO. I dream about living in Colorado or California and running in the mountains. I imagine being trapped between the mountains and the sea so I can run along both. I want altitude and heat and technical trails.

And then I realized.... A lot of people would love to live (and run) right where I'm at. So I decided to capture why western Pennsylvania and, especially our little slice of the Yough River, is so cool.


How many places can you run for tens of miles and catch glimpses like this the entire way?

 

Where else can I appreciate the destructive beauty of an acid mine drainage waterfall?

 

I eagerly anticipate the day I catch a glimpse of the beavers who built this dam.

 

 

I can run 10 miles and treat myself to an icy treat and then run back, all without touching a road.

 

And as Independence Day approaches I am reminded just how much history lies in these lands. In this ancient, forgotten cemetery lies soldiers of both the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Alongside them lay the family members who suffered through food shortages, loss of their men, disease, and war.

Some monuments remain tall while others are broken or missing completely.

Margaret E. aged 1 year, 1 month, and 10 days.

List of the soldiers from both wars interred here.

 

Yes, it's true. Pennsylvania is a beautiful place to live and run. It doesn't change my desire to explore far off places but it does remind me just how lucky I am to have all of this just outside my back door.

Alpha Fitness 5k

After the Laurel Highlands Ultra relay yesterday (where I ran 24.5 miles of brutal, technical trail) my plan was to rest, nap, hydrate, eat, and pretty much do nothing today. I had gotten home somewhere around 1am and by the time I showered and crawled into bed it was nearly 2. I woke up to Shane getting ready for a local 5k at around 6:30 and rolled right back over. About an hour later my phone wouldn't stop ringing and I finally gave in and answered.

Shane begged me to come down to the Alpha Fitness Highway to Healthy 5k. There were only 20-some people there and he thought I could win. I told him he was nuts since I already had major mileage on my legs from the All Stars Week mileage game. I was just ready to go back to bed when the little voice in the back of my mind said, "Three more miles could only help your miles game team. You don't have to race."

So I threw on some clothes and my trusty Altra Torins. I didn't have time to do anything with my hair so I added a hat as well. No phone, keys, water, or anything besides my cup of coffee. I walked out the door and jogged down to the path. I found Shane and we got me registered. I drank my coffee and fretted about the burning scrapes on my leg from yesterday's relay tumble and the aches I've already accumulated this week.

The race started a few minutes late and I lined up right up front. So much for not racing huh? I know from past experience that sometimes just showing up is enough to win in a small race. So I went for it. The horn sounded and I took off with the front pack. There were two men and a woman just in front of me. The men were pulling away but the woman was running my pace. I pulled up shoulder to shoulder with her and just hoped to hang on.

Mile 1: 7:50

As we approached the turn around I could feel the fatigue of all the heavy mileage settling in. It didn't seem to matter how hard I pushed or how fast I turned over my legs. There was just no power left in my toe off and my pace began to slip. I high-fived my husband, who was leading, and then turned back toward the start. I saw the third woman was about a minute behind me and that gave me enough of a rush to keep moving despite slowly losing the lead woman.

Mile 2: 8:30

In the third mile I would have walked if our friend, Jennifer, hadn't been in third place and gaining on me. I kept glancing over my shoulder and she would be a little closer every time. The jolt of adrenaline would improve my pace for a moment and then my body would begin to shut down again. I told myself I just had to hang on for second place. I would never forgive myself if I let Jennifer catch me now.

Mile 3: 8:50

I saw the finish line ahead and I took one more glance over my shoulder. Jennifer was only 20 or so seconds back now so I pushed as best as I could. That ended up being 8:30 pace for the last .13 miles but it was just enough. Jennifer finished 8 seconds behind me.

Final time: 26:21

5th overall, 2nd woman, 1st in the 20-29 age group. I also won a gift card for a manicure and pedicure in the chinese auction. They only give awards for the 1st overalls and the first in each age group so I got a smaller trophy for my age group win. Shane won overall and got a huge trophy!

Just goes to show it's all about who shows up!

Our friends

(Shane and Emory in the back. Me, Jennifer, Lukas, Melanie, and Carina in the front.)

Got trophy?

Swag