New year, new priorities

In elementary school, I remember a "song" we sang in music class about New Years Resolutions. I'm pretty sure it was 3 notes and we hit sticks while we went around the room making up our ten year old New Years Resolutions. For some reason, this has played over in my head in the last few weeks as I think about goal setting for Boston 2018.

Honestly, I almost didn't think I could do it this year. By the time I got word that I was lucky enough to have been awarded a bib from MVS in December, to say I was exhausted would be an understatement. Waking up at 5, to get Zoe to school by 6:30, to get me to school from 7:15-4, to get home to get Zoe and dinner on the table by 6, to get her in bed actually asleep by 8:30 all week- not only made for a tiring week, but also meant I didn't do anything well. I couldn't spend the time with her that I wanted to, I couldn't find a rhythm in my clunky lesson planning, I didn't want to have to make dinner (what's wrong with bagels every night?), and I certainly didn't have time to run. And I truly mean that- sometimes I check myself on the "I didn't have time" and try to replace it with "it wasn't a priority" to see if it's a better fit for what I'm trying to say. Running was totally a priority, but my job at school was never done, and my kid was way more important.

December ticked on and I was frustrated. In 3 weeks, I'd run twice, and was ready to kill somebody. And I was irritated that I couldn't figure out how I could possibly fit Boston into my life. I was so confused. Did I not want to run? Was that normal? Or was I finally saying "enough is enough" and letting it go? Had I been abducted by aliens? GAHHHHHHH!!!!!!:JJGKJALDKJGALSJKDGLAKSDJGJLKDSG

"Well, maybe if you run more, you won't be so angry...?", suggested a friend. That made me giggle. Truth.

The idea of Boston 2018 started last June, when Jemblidge and I signed up for the Allentown Marathon in September, in hopes of running Boston together. Like a rockstar, she qualified, and fingers crossed, I applied for a bib through MVS. I reflected on this as I thought about what running this spring meant to me. Who knows if I would ever get a chance to run Boston with her again?

Well, not with her, let's be honest. Kid's super speedy!!!! But- we would be on the training road of ups and downs, the expo getting our bibs, and on the MVS bus to Boston, and taking 2309859835 pictures at Athletes Village!!!!!! And consuming all the beer and sushi after.

Also Shalane won the NYC marathon and contributed to a great piece about what it means for women to support each other in running. In it she says, "When we accomplish great things on our own, they don't feel nearly as special." Having my Jemblidge train for Allentown at the same time as me helped keep me honest in a summer when my priorities were focused on moving and not 20 mile runs. We had a good race and I worked hard this fall to continue to get in shape via MVS track, and was happy with my Newburyport half marathon time of 1:47 when it was 60 degrees and super humid.

Shortly before the holidays, I decided that running Boston was, duh, absolutely a priority and I'd have to shuffle my life like index cards and do some weeding of other stuff so that I could fit in the training. I took our vacation week to reflect and figure out how I could streamline some things at school and home. Part of this included buying a treadmill, not just because of the bizarre weather we've had lately, but because it will give me the option to fit in a few miles at 5am if that's what I need to do, or at 7pm if that's what I need to do, etc. I feel like I just purchased the gift of time. (I will have to write another entry on the extensive research I did and how I decided to purchase the Spirit XT385 from a local shop in Salem, NH.) My 8th marathon and 5th Boston are apparently in the forecast.

Coincidentally, this weekend called for 14 miles, and Saturday morning was a balmy 60 degrees and partly sunny and it was FABULOUS. Then at mile 13, the skies darkened, the temperature dropped 15 degrees, and a cold rain washed all.the.sweat into my eyes, which was really quite interesting as I booked it down the home stretch of route 97. #winning

One analogy for all of this is how I feel about JT's new song, "Filthy." We have a love hate relationship. It's growing on me. Plus, ALL THE DANCING.

Haters gon say it's fake. SO REAL.