In seventh-grade, I decided to be an English teacher when I grew up because I thought there would be nothing better than spending my days reading and writing.  Never in those thoughts did I think about having summers off with Liam.  However, almost thirty years later, I get to earn a living doing something I love and enjoy two months off with Liam.  I often explain that I have the best of both worlds.

I feel the same way about running.  I have a supportive fun group of people to join on runs but also get the pleasure of going out solo.  Once a week, I am able to run the Boulevard before picking Liam up at school.

I love both of these runs for different reasons. When I am with friends, the time flies by! We pick up right where we left off, talking and laughing.  I wondered how we were able to connect quickly.  A line from Big Little Lies sums up what I am trying to put into words:

“It was interesting how you could say things when you were walking that you                    might not otherwise have said with the pressure of eye contact across a table.”

I love when a group run can push you to go a little faster than you normally would.  I also love when you can pass the time chatting and forget that you are engaging in a challenging physical activity.

My solo runs also hold a special place in my heart.  I can zone out and focus on the world around me.  I can listen to my embarrassingly pop-filled “Run Run Run” playlist on Spotify.  My pace is mine alone.  Even though I can go as far as I’d like, my distance tends to be two miles around the neighborhood and exactly 3.1 miles when on the Boulevard.  I can focus on my breathing and my form.  (My form is causing underpronation. I’m learning about it and trying to correct it myself.) When I started running the Boulevard solo, I noticed a lot of things that had gone previously unnoticed while chatting.

When I first began running on my own, I thought the time would drag.  While it doesn’t go by as quickly as it does when I am with a friend, I love having the time with my mind to challenge myself to get better at something that previously seemed impossible.

While BRG was an amazing, life-changing experience, it was a commitment that required the support of my family.  For those fourteen weeks, Mike, Liam, and I were on auto-pilot.  On Mondays, Mike relieved me at Liam’s ninja skills class so I could make it to Providence for 6:00.  Thursdays were a little less challenging, but we just exchanged a kiss as he walked in the house and I rushed out the door.  I was also doing my usual Tuesday yoga class and taking a course at Bryant.  It was a busy spring!  When people ask how I have time to work out, I give Mike a lot of credit for being fine with his wife being out of the house a few nights a week.  Being a fantastic team, we made it work.

Since finishing BRG, most of my runs have been solo.  I was heading to Rhode Runner for their Wednesday evening runs but fell out of the habit.  (Mental note: get your butt back to Rhode Runner on Wednesdays.) Each Sunday, I look at the weather forecast and map out the afternoons best for running.  The night before, I pack my running clothes in what has become my running bag and place it next to my school bag.  After school, I change my clothes and head for the Boulevard.  I am able to beat the worst of downtown traffic, pick Liam up from school, and still make it home before Mike. These runs are peaceful but sometimes lonely.

After a few months of mostly solo runs, I’ve been fortunate to participate in two races in two weeks.  I forgot how encouraging it was to run with a group!  I enjoyed chatting with others and the energy of races.  I loved running with a thousand other people.  Because I wore my Rhode Runner shirt, others in the community cheered for me as we passed.  Being part of the group is such a supportive motivator!

This weekend’s Monster Dash was a lot of fun!  The course was set in beautiful downtown Providence. People were very much in the Halloween spirit and dressed up.  It’s amazing to think that people run in elaborate costumes and face makeup, but they manage to make it look easy.   The highlight of the course is getting to run through the tunnel usually only used by city buses.  It was a dark and spooky with people dressed as zombies trying to scare you.

 

Because I wasn’t feeling great that morning, my hopes weren’t high that I would even beat my last 5K time.  Maybe it was the clean, rainy weather, but I managed to PR!  I’ve shaved five and a half minutes off of my 5K time since April!

Liam and I signed up for many races this fall.  While they’re not overly expensive, the cost adds up.  After Monster Dash, I decided not to sign up for any races until next spring.  After going a few months without running with a group, I forgot how important it is to give and receive support.  My BRG companions, who only a few months ago could not run for four minutes without feeling like their lungs and legs would give out, are getting stronger and faster.  Although I am happy that I am continuing to run and make progress during solo runs, it is nice to have a supportive group to cheer you on at a race!

The Newport Bridge Run always intrigued me.  It looked like such a unique experience, even though it began at sunrise and required shuttles to get to the starting line. Every year, I would see updates about the race and social media posts from friends who completed it or went in support of another runner.  While I longed to be part of it, I never really thought it would be something I’d achieve. At a Blackstone Boulevard 5k over the summer, we decided to sign up for the Bridge Run.  While it seemed like a great idea at the time, each time I drove over the bridge after signing up, I questioned that decision.

Of all the races I’ve run, this is the one that made me the most nervous.  I could barely get myself to sleep the night before.  That morning, I could not bring myself to eat, forcing down a breakfast bar on the drive to Newport.  Being a self-proclaimed “precrastonator,” I planned to get there twenty minutes early.  When I arrived, the parking situation was a nightmare.  After wasting ten minutes roaming a full parking lot, I managed to find a spot up the street.  Now, I was worried because I was late.

I managed to sit next to the most delightful lady on the bus ride over the bridge.  She was a kind British lady who lived in Newport and walked this race several times.  “My friends and I walk it.  They give you an hour on the bridge.  If we need an escort off, then that’s what we do.” We made small talk.  Usually, I am not a chit-chat with strangers on transportation kind of person.  On this occasion, it calmed my nerves.

 

3,000 other runners were waiting for the race to begin. As soon as I met up with my BRG friends,  I knew I would be okay.  As the sun rose over the ocean, I felt better an better about this experience.  We made our way to the twelve-minute mile group, doubtful that we would stay at that pace up the steep incline of the bridge.

 

The race was definitely one of the high points on my running journey! (Yes, that pun was intended!)  The energy of the crowd was supportive.  The smiles from volunteers and support personnel helped me through.  I loved some of the quirky smiles from bridge workers, seeming amazed that we would get to Newport at 6am with the intention of running over this tall, long bridge.

While running, I chatted with one of my favorite BRGers, Meghan.  We instantly clicked and spent most sessions chatting.  During BRG training, we ran twice a week, filling the time with silly stories and laughter.  My friendship with Meghan is one of my favorite rewards of joining BRG.  Early on in training, we made a few running goals:

1. To look like we are enjoying ourselves while running
2. become BRG pacers and pay it forward (Our pacers got us through some tough nights.)
3. Run a 10K
4. Run a half-marathon

We reflected on our goals while running the bridge, making a point to smile whenever we saw photographers.  We easily laughed our way through this run.

One of my favorite takeaways of BRG is the friendships.  In fourteen weeks, we transformed from a group of strangers with individual goals, to friends who cared about each other, pushing and supporting through goals.  We managed to stay in touch through running.  It’s great to be able to pick up right where we left off.  Since we chat through our runs, we got to know each other fairly well.  I’m thankful to have a running buddy to share progress and vulnerabilities.  We remind each other how far we’ve come and that we can achieve whatever goals we set for ourselves.  Now that we’ve successfully completed a four-mile race, I know we can work our way up to a 10K and a half-marathon!