Wife Mother Runner Hartford Marathon Foundation Archives

Giving Back To The Sport I Love

October 9, 2016

This Fall I signed up to volunteer for several race events with the Hartford Marathon Foundation. For the Hartford Marathon I volunteered to work the merchandise area of the expo at the XL Center. I worked on Thursday from 2:15 – 7:30.

I arrived to the expo on time and checked in at the volunteer check-in area. From there I was given a t-shirt and a swag bag and was instructed to head to the merchandise area where I met up with the other volunteers working there.

The expo was set up a different way this year. When you arrive, you met with the volunteers to give you your bib and race information. After that you went around a corner to the shirt area where you received your shirt, then the gear bag for race day check-in of your gear. Then you went around another corner to the RunHMF merchandise area where there was a great selection of RunHMF shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, tanks, hats, beanies, glasses, mugs, magnets and much more. The organization of the layout of the expo was perfect to weave the people from the registration desk, to the shirts, to the merchandise, forcing them to walk through that large area of Hartford specific merchandise, giving it a lot of visibility.

I stationed myself at the T-shirt bar and helped people find shirt sizes they liked along with any additional help they had with merchandise on the floor. It was a lot of fun to watch people come around the corner and see all of the items for sale and the looks on the faces of first timers at a race expo. I had the pleasure of talking with one runner named Sara. She was shopping specifically for half marathon merchandise. This race was going to be her first half marathon, and I completely related to how she felt about wanted to wear something proud about having run a half marathon. So I helped her decide on purchasing the 13.1 grey and white sweatshirt. She was aiming for a 2:30 finish time and I told her I was as well so I was hoping I’d see her at the race.

I saw a few friends come through to shop like Kimberly Markey and Lori Connelly so we talked and then they continued on to shop the rest of the expo. I also made it a point to Face Book live stream so others could see the merchandise that was being sold for when they pick up their packets the following day. It was a good way to give people a preview of what they wanted to purchase.

I had a great time volunteering and look forward to doing more things like this in the future. I plan to volunteer and pass out medals for the kid races at the Movember races in Middletown. My kids are interested in running the mile run so that I could pass out their medals to them. It was a great experience to be on the other side of the experience and give back to the sport that I love so much. I also enjoyed talking to the runners and interfacing with them, discussing their expectations for the race and what they have run in the past.

The Hartford Half Marathon

October 22, 2015

On Saturday, October 10, 2015 I ran the Hartford half marathon for my first time. I had been nervous about running this race, especially for driving into the city and finding parking. I left my house at about 5:40 and I arrived in the city by 6:15. The plan was to meet the girls at the Hartford stage parking lot. I got off the highway and saw the start and finish line area and there wasn’t any traffic at all. I drove over to the Hartford stage parking lot but it was still closed. So I texted the girls and ended up back at the lot across from the start and finish line. I found Diana and we walked over to the gathering area use the Porta potties because there were no lines and then we went back and sat in my car for a little while. I was very surprised that there was nobody around considering this was such a big race and it started in a little over an hour from when we arrived.

At 7:00 we walked over to the Bushnell Park and try to locate Anne and Kimberlee. We used the Porta potties again just before we headed over to the starting line and on my way there I saw my new sponsor Ron as he was directing people. We took time for a quick picture and then Diana and I went to locate Kimberlee and Anne.We found them five minutes before the start listen to the national anthem and then we were off for the race.

Kimberlee decided she wanted to run her own race so she took off ahead of us. My intent was to take the advice that Dimity gave us at the Girls Night Out on Thursday night; which was to start off the first half slow so that you will have enough gas in the tank for the last half of the race. I also wanted to enjoy the now and savor the moment. I wanted to enjoy the race and have FUN with my friends. I definitely had a great time.

The course was nice and we were maintaining a good pace for the first few miles. At around mile 8 we started walking a little bit more because Anne was trying to get her sugar regulated. At that time Diana went off ahead of us. So we planned to just meet her at the end.

At mile 9 we entered Elizabeth Park. It was a beautiful park with rose gardens and they had a candy table there for the runners. We continued on through the the park and then went on back towards the city.We were taking our time so we could use this run as a training run. I was concerned about my leg acting up. We finished the race in 3:08. Not a fast race for me, but 13.1 miles under my feet.

After the race, we met back up with Diana and collected our awesome Hartford Marathon Foundation reusable water bottles and snack bags and then went to the food tent to get our post race fuel. They had corn muffins, pumpkin bread, bananas, chili and milk. They sadly did not have chocolate milk. After eating we went to collect our Triple Challenge Race medal and jacket. I was VERY happy to have them! Those were some tough races. Tough enough where I am not sure if I will do that triple challenge again next year. But you know the bling always entices us when the registration opens in the beginning of the year.

I saw Dimity and Denise again at their booth. I didn’t realize they were going to be at the race Saturday. I thought they were flying home; but I saw Dimity earlier in the morning before the race and she told me to stop by their booth after the race. I took pictures with them and got a cute Mother Runner shirt. It was great to see them one more time before they head home.
As we were walking around I bumped into my friends Bob and Mary and their daughter Elizabeth. We talked for a bit and then Anne and I went to find the beer garden. We got our Harpoon ale and drank it in the designated area, took some pictures and then went on the hunt for the Amethyst jeans.

I read in one of the emails that there was going to be a pink truck that was giving out jeans for a $10 donation. I had to check it out! We finally found them on the far side of Bushnell Park. Next year they need to get a closer spot so more people can take advantage of their special deal. You give them a $10 donate and they donate food, money and a pair of jeans to someone in need.

I said goodbye to Anne and made my way back to my car. As I did, I had to cross the area very close to the finish line and it was exciting to see the marathon finishers trickling in. I decided to stand there for a little it to watch. I had to get home for my daughter’s family birthday party. I knew my friend Michael was going to be crossing the finish line close to 1:00. I tried to wait and watch for him. I was texting his family to find out where he was. But somehow I missed him! I was bummed, I really wanted to see him cross the finish line of his very first marathon.

The Hartford Marathon Foundation put on a fantastic event. It was never in my plans to do this race; but now that I have done it I think I’ll consider it again next year as I use it for a training run toward the WDW marathon. The Hartford Marathon Foundation has great support on the race course, with sufficient water stops, a good size expo, an excellent pre and post-race area and plenty of support and communication throughout the time leading up to the race.

Will I see you at the Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon next year?

Middletown Half Marathon Training Run

April 4, 2015

I have the “hilly” Middletown Half Marathon on my schedule for next Sunday and it’s been haunting me lately. I haven’t done long runs as religiously lately because of my ankle. But I wanted to get in a decent 10 miler before the race weekend so I wasn’t going to the race completely unprepared. I think back to when I was training for my first half marathon in 2012 and how I was do diligent about getting in my training runs and how dedicated I was to following Jeff Galloway’s plan to the T. Now I have slacked off a bit. I am not expecting this race to be pretty; but I am hoping to complete it under 2:45. That’s not a good number for me. My best half is a 2:25 finish and that was 2 years ago. If I can survive this half marathon and my leg recovers from it pretty quickly then I am going to sign up for the Cheshire Half Marathon which will take place 2 weeks after the Middletown Half. I’m trying to listen to my body and let this injury heal. I’m trying not to push it in terms of speed so that I can do the races and still walk the next day. So there is a good chance that I can do Cheshire because I feel pretty good now after completing my 10 mile run.

According to the stats, it was slow, but I did that intentionally. I didn’t push too hard and I chose a hilly route so I can prepare myself mentally as well as physically for the hills. I woke up so late this morning – 10:00! But I needed that sleep. I tried not to get upset that I slept so late, then made my tea and had my oatmeal and mapped out my route. I was on the road by noon. It was a really nice Spring day. It was very windy but it didn’t bother me and the sun felt good. I had my jacket on for the first 2 miles but was able to take it off and felt comfortable. The first 2 miles were a little hard for me because my leg was stiff; but I used pre-tape spray and rock tape today to hold it together and it worked out well. By mile 3 I was warming up but had the hills to conquer between miles 3 and 4. At one point I had to stop and catch my breath because the hills were kicking my butt. I tried not to walk too much of the hills and kept with my 30/30 intervals. But I think with this recent onset of fatigue I am experiencing it did kick me in the ass a little as I was going up the hills. I verbally said to myself out loud “I can do this!” I needed to remind myself of what I am capable of and I have been injured before and pushed through it. This was minor.

Around mile 5 I felt like I had a little spring in my step. Suddenly the running felt light again and I didn’t feel like I was struggling. So I tried to hold on to that feeling and kept moving forward. That was the mantra that was running through my mind today, just move forward. I chose a route that I hadn’t run in a long time because I wanted a change of scenery and to give my brain something to be distracted by. As I ran towards my “old running route” it was refreshing to see the things on the side of the road that I used to see every day. I saw my duck pond on Maltby Lane, I saw friends on another street that waved to me and my friend driving down the road beeped to me. That was cool!

When I had 2 miles left I had to keep reminding myself that I was almost done and was doing well for not having had a long run since the Princess Half Marathon in February. I felt confident that Middletown now isn’t as scary as it seemed to me a week ago and I am looking forward to the pre-race activities on Saturday with a 3 mile run with Jeff Galloway and then his running workshop in the afternoon and also the chance to meet Katherine Switzer and also see Amby Burfoot again! I blogged about her a year ago to date when I was doing my Boston Marathon themed blog posts.

So I’m happy and feel encouraged about Middletown now and I also feel good to have this 10 mile run under my belt. Looking forward to some good days ahead! The Spring weather was also a great mental boost for me as well. Who else is running the Middletown Half next weekend? Hope to see you there!

Philadelphia Training Run – 16 miles

July 7, 2014

This weekend I had a 16 mile training run on my schedule from Jeff Galloway. Being the holiday weekend I was looking forward to some down time and sleeping late. I figured I would do this long run on Saturday so that I could still get some sleep on Sunday and there’s no reason why I couldn’t also take a nap Saturday afternoon if needed. I am beginning to like cat naps!

I set my alarm for 6:00 just like I did two weeks ago. I got up made breakfast and was out the door before 7:00. I didn’t have a fixed finish time in my mind for how long this run would take but I knew that I wanted to get it done early before the sun got higher in the sky. It was a perfect morning. I don’t plan my runs around the weather, because when you train for a race, you have to train for any condition since there is no guarantee that race day will be the perfect day. But I’ve been getting lucky that my weekend runs have been beautiful days.

I am really enjoying getting out early like this while the family is still sleeping and putting in my miles so I have the rest of the day to do whatever we have plans for. I did the total distance in 3 hours 25 minutes. I was happy with that. My average pace was 12:49 per mile and I did intervals of 45/30. As it got warmer in the morning I felt that it was affecting me a little bit and I also had to be smart about it and not push too fast. I also thought of a new route where I wouldn’t have to climb 3 large hills on my way back home. I had one large gradual hill that wasn’t so bad. I actually ran up most of it.

How can you not enjoy such a beautiful morning?!

The next long training run isn’t until the end of the month. Since getting up early and putting in my miles has been tolerable, I am considering doing the Red Dress Run For Women 5K in Hartford this weekend. I better get my butt in gear and register for it! They are giving away cute bracelets for their finisher’s medal. How can I pass that up?!

What I Don’t Know About Triathlons

April 24, 2014

This year with my one word resolution, my word was to GROW. Well I think I am going to take the plunge this year and do a Women’s Triathlon. I was considering doing the one in Norwalk in August, but it may conflict with my schedule. So today Kim posted about the Hartford Marathon Foundation’s Women’s Triathlon that is good for beginners. I am way more than a beginner!! I know NOTHING about triathlons. The good thing is, it is a sprint triathlon and a women’s only triathlon.

Like I just said, I know nothing, what I do know is, I can run and I can ride my bike pretty well. Last night when we went to Sports Authority to get a pink batting helmet for my daughter I ventured over to the swimming section to see what they had for goggles, swim caps and bathing suits. I just stood there at the wall and saw ALL the different goggles and shook my head.

What do I wear for the swimming part? A one piece bathing suit? Is there something special I should buy?

Do I wear a swimming cap?

What goggles do I wear?

How the hell do I swim??

Then there were the bathing suits. I figure I can’t wear the cute mix and match bathing suit pieces from Target for the actual swim part. So I’ll have to invest in a one piece bathing suit. That’s going to be a scary site squeezing my body into a non-flattering one piece bathing suit that doesn’t have a skirt to cover up my booty! These suits are around $75.00. I am going to check out Kohls.com and see if they have one piece suits that I can use my coupons for. My husband already complained that this sport is getting to be expensive!

I listen to a podcast called Two Gomers and they have shared their experiences learning how to train for a half marathon, then a marathon and now they are actually participating in their first triathlon on April 28th. I have listened to their training and how much they have grown and learned about doing a triathlon. They have good swimming tips and also recommended a book called “Triathlon Swimming Made Easy” by Terry Laughlin (total immersion swimming)

What do I bring to the race?

How do I set up for transitions?

Do I need a license for USAT?

What is USAT?

This is going to be an interesting summer as I prepare for this race. I haven’t registered for it yet, but I am planning on doing it. I already ride my bike at least twice a week. I have to begin doing a ride, then running to prepare for that transition from bike to run. Oh yea, transitions…. that’s another thing I am clueless about!

How do I transition from the water to my bike?

Do I get naked and change into riding clothes?

What do I do about my hair?

Will I have goggle marks on my eyes? LOL

In all honesty it does sound like a lot of fun as long as I don’t drown in the water first! I’m sure I’ll be last in the race, but as long as I have fun doing it, that’s all that matters. I will research into the results from last year to see how the other women did. That will help me have a goal to shoot towards. I also need to invest in a bike computer so I can keep track of my mileage and pace besides using my iPhone. I think I need a waterproof watch or garmin type watch to also help me with my splits.

Stay tuned as I invest in this new challenge this summer! It should be VERY interesting!

Harvard Pilgrim Middletown Half & Legends 4-Mile

April 7, 2014

What an amazing weekend! First I had my Providence 23 mile training run on Friday with pizza with my family that night.

Saturday I went to the Jeff Galloway seminar in Middletown and went out for a quick bite to eat with Kim and Nicole at Tuscany Grill as the UCONN men were playing! The Waldorf salad was DELICIOUS! And the beer wasn’t too bad either! It was fun to hang out with the girls for a little bit.

Sunday, I had the great experience of visiting with Jeff Galloway again ALONG with Amby Burfoot and Bill Rodgers. The Hartford Marathon Foundation hosted the Inaugural Harvard Pilgrim Middletown Half & Legends 4-Mile in Middletown, CT. What a fantastic event!

The day was beautiful, couldn’t ask for a better race morning. The race didn’t start until 11:30 which is also nice for a Sunday morning! The “legends” were at their tent at 10:15 so I went to visit Jeff and got autographs and pictures.

Jeff and I at the Seminar

Amby Burfoot and I

Bill Rodgers and I

I was a little star struck. Yea the are maybe considered “just runners”, but to me they are stars! They are awesome. They are also down to earth, chill, cool guys!

I also love these events because it gives me a chance to hook up with more Team runDisney friends! I saw Diana Boucher again and met Anne and Meg for the first time! I love making new friends at the races so we can hook up at future races.

My autographed bib

This was my first race that I ran with the Hartford Marathon Foundation, but it won’t be my last. They put on a great event! From the seminar the day before, to the medals and food at the end.

I appreciate getting a medal at a race, even if I only did the 4 mile race. They also had massage therapists which I took advantage of since I did want to work out some sore spots from my 23 mile run Friday. They give out TONS of food post race for the 4-mile runners and the half-marathoners. I just hoped they had enough food for the half-marathoners. In fact, I felt that they gave out too much food for the 4-mile runners. While it was nice, I don’t think they needed to give out bread, banana, water, pizza, rolls, pulled port and a cupcake to everyone. But you do get your money’s worth!

Kim and I at the finish

When an organization puts on an event and has that many nice things after it, it makes me want to register for another event they sponsor. They also had nice tech shirts and bags at packet pick up, too! I want to volunteer at a future even they hold to give back for such a great event they organize.

To top off a great day, the family and I went for a hike in our favorite place, Tyler’s Mill. It was a perfect day, racing, seeing friends, meeting legends, spending time with my family outdoors!

Everyone has a story – Alison’s story

January 28, 2014

On Sunday, January 12, four of us ran together at the WDW Marathon weekend to support our friend Kimberly Markey Torres. Alison Jackeman Nicklas is one of Kim’s close friends. This is her story…

“In 2010 I made a decision to run my first Marathon after having lost 50 pounds. I knew the only way I could do it was by joining some type of running training program and I found out the the Hartford Marathon Foundation had a terrific program. They meet up on Saturday mornings at 6:30 in the Summer and that June they made their first run a short “9 miles.”

When I arrived I was pretty nervous. So many runners that looked to be experts and here I was, having run as little as possible (although I had already completed 4 half marathons (without training for any!) As I was waiting for the training to begin, I looked over and saw this girl in a Goofy Challenge T-Shirt. It was from that very January and it was the COLDEST WDW Marathon Weekend – and I WAS THERE TOO! I didn’t run the Goofy, but my cousin did and I was so impressed to see that this young girl had done the same.

I decided to strike up a conversation and we chatted about that crazy January weekend that none of us will ever forget. As the weeks went on, we became more than just training buddies – we became friends. We finished the summer program, connected with another runner (Janice Small) and made a pact that we would go for Goofy together in 2011. It was a crazy thought, but I thought that if Kim could do it, so could i! We have not missed a WDW weekend together since. In fact, we have also done the Disneyland Half together!

In addition to training and running together, after our first summer running together as trainees, Kim and I became coaches for the Hartford Marathon Foundation and have supported more than 40 people through their very first marathon or their first “coached” training group. Kim and I participated in the RRCA Coaching class together and she has become family to me. She is not only fighting her own fight with breast cancer, she is also supporting my niece, diagnosed the same week, through the same fight. I am looking forward to many more years of training runs and races with her.”

I met Alison for the first time when I met Kim for the first time at the Cheshire Half marathon in April, 2013. She is just as sweet as Kim. We saw each other again for the #whyIRunDisney filming in December and we reconnected again in Disney and ran the 26.2 miles together. She was the leader of the pack.

During the race after the Expedition Everest roller coaster ride (which as you can tell here, she really loved!), her toe started to swell up. As we entered ESPN she was visibly limping so we had to encourage her to slow down and do something about her foot. Finally at a bathroom break she was able to elevate her foot for a while and it helped reduce the swelling along with drinking some more water. But she never complained! She kept leading the pack through the race course to get us to the finish line! Yet another Dopey finisher. I admire all you Dopey racers! I am making a serious decision to decide to do the Dopey race next year.

I am looking forward to running more races with you Alison! Hoping to run another 26.2 with you at the Providence Marathon on May 4th!

Tag: Hartford Marathon Foundation