Brenda's Week in Review: November 16, 2011

by Brenda Chroniak

While many teammates spent this past weekend looking forward to and recovering from another awesome BTT Banquet (thanks again to Jess Douglas for organizing, and to QT2 Systems and DDSMART reps for attending!), others laced up their sneakers and represented the Blue and Green at various running races.

Eric Lambi, Elaine Metcalf, Maura Olcese, and Steve Sian all had strong showings at the Chilly Half Marathon in Newton, while Audrey Perlow raced the not-so-chilly HCA Virginia 8K, placing second in her age group and 21st overall! Back locally in South Boston, Mary Beth Begley ran the Get Your Rear In Gear 5K, and it seems many people watched her rear pass them by--she won her age group that day.

This coming weekend we have team members really going the distance to earn an extra helping of stuffing next week, competing in Ironman Arizona and the Philadelphia Marathon. Good luck everyone! And please remember to post your results so we can highlight your hard work in next week's update.

Now, for your reading pleasure, learn how Maura had a hill of a good time running the Chilly Half this past Sunday.

I love local races. When it is all too easy to get caught up in the details of race season logistics, it is simply satisfying to roll out of bed, throw on a pair of sneakers, and bike to the race start (warm up the legs a little, right?). The 3^rd Annual Chilly Half Marathon in Newton was just that.

With just 411 runners, we gathered in the Newton South High school to stay warm for a 7:30 a.m. start. As the announcer sent us off, I argued with my legs and their lack of energy. For a fall race, I’ve found it difficult to stay motivated after the triathlon season. I put away my watch and ran on feel, determined to enjoy the experience. The course, despite its witty claim to fame of running down Heartbreak Hill, is full of hills – not the kind that are a nice opportunity to stretch the legs, the kind that make you mutter “holy gravity” and “just don’t look at the top.” Even so, I loved the local familiarity of the course, winding the bends of little neighborhoods, cheering on and being cheered on by the local running community, and catching breathtaking glimpses of the Boston skyline. The volunteers were friendly, encouraging, and on the ball. The weather was crisp, full of falling leaves, and I remembered why I signed up for a fall race in the first place.