TAPER TIME | April 11 | Lobstahs Run Fastah

One last brunch, high fives at the top, and all of the jumping pictures.

Miles: 10

Song in my head: Trumpets by Jason Derulo (because this run deserves a fanfare)

Brunch food motivation: Omelette

I know I said we had our last longest run before the race, but we still had a couple shorter long runs to knock out before race day. Taper time doesn’t mean we completely stop running. It just means we eat a lot, run less, and cruise into race day. Saturday was a 10 mile lap around (or rather an out-and-back) along the marathon course. The photo at the top of this post is at the top of Heartbreak Hill, the site of high fives and where we are going to crush it in exactly one week.

There was so much sun we didn’t know what to do with it. I had one layer on! I repeat one layer! Since this last weekend my laundry basket has been filled to the brim, nay overflowing, with clothes. I’ve worn a minimum, minimum, of 3 layers of running clothes every run. This season we’ve run through sleet, rain, snow, wind. We’ve found shelter on an indoor track for 16 miles at a time. We’ve run the course countless times, because it was the only place plowed. I’ve been mistaken for a transient in my layers of sweats getup. We survived a record 110.6″ of snow and danced our way through it.

Maybe it was the sun that caused all of the celebratory jumps for joy. Or maybe it was because after all of those hurdles we somehow managed to find our way over them. I don’t know, but what I do know, is that running through it and leaning on joyful people has gotten me here. In my very first post, I said that marathon training has to break you down in order to build you up into a stronger version of yourself, and I’d like to think that’s what it’s done. We started with 10 miles on our first training run and ended with 10 miles on our last.

After the run, Meesh, Allie, and I (along with so many others!) could not resist the temptation of these bad boys, and I succumbed to the bright red, lobster-patterned kicks and adorable puns, because you know how I feel about a good pun. “Prepare for the main course.” was Brooks’ tag line for these Boston-inspired sneaks, and I could not be more ready to serve up the main event. The lobster theme also perfectly summed up our long run friendship. (sorry ’bout it Brian! :)). For better clarification, see Friends reference here.).

It also sums up how I feel about all of you. I would not have reached this point without each and every one of you. I’m behind on my thank-you’s but know that it does not go without immense gratitude and a fast clap or two. Each time the winter was ready to take me down, I had a word of motivation, a quick note, a sweet campaign (Eric & Laura and Leonard I’m looking at you!) or a notification a donation was made to my page. As cheesy as it sounds, thanks for being my lobsters and helping me run fastah. (Ryan, my only follower, please don’t abandon me because of all of these cheesy puns.) We have raised over $5,100 for cancer research!!! We are more than halfway towards our fundraising goal. I still can’t believe how far we’ve come. We are one week away from the Boston Marathon! THANK YOU for being a part of those miles and milestones, for coming to events, for providing virtual cheers, and for seeing it come full circle. Thank you for supporting cancer research. I started running two years ago for my grandparents. This year I’m running in honor of two friends whose parents were diagnosed with cancer this past summer. They’ve been the inspiration behind the miles. You’ve been the push to get me there. Let’s get ready for the finish line.

Help us reach the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer. Give here: http://runDFMC.org/2015/elisek