Scare Brain Cancer Away 5k 2015

This past weekend, I ran yet another 5k. This would be my third this month (on top of Chicago Marathon), not my usual racing style, but it has been fun and stress-free which is what I am going for right now. I decided to run the Scare Brain Cancer Away 5k, located in East Rochester.

I had never done this race before, because it always fell on the same day as Pumpkins in the park which is a race I have done for 6 years now (2014, 2013 & earlier). This year however, PITP is on Halloween  which meant I could actually try out another race without missing the other.

Course has a lot of turns for a 3.1 mile race!

I figured this was a good opportunity for another fun race, no stress and just see what happens (as with the others I have done this fall since Erie). B came with me, and brought one of the dogs to walk around while I ran. It was nice having the support, and gave me something to look forward to at the finish.

After a shorter warm-up, and a mad dash back to the car to change into my flats- I lined up far left shortly before go time. Once I got through the initial mad dash of the crowd I just tried to settle into a comfortably hard pace and find some people to try and stick with. I went back and forth with a girl for the first mile, finally I was able to pull ahead and stay there. I also bobbled back and forth with one guy, and would continue to do so for the remainder of the race.

I felt like I was holding a good pace and not fading too hard but I wouldn't look at my watch because I didn't need to know. Once I hit the second mile though, I decided to see where I was at. 6:14 for mile 2, and I was feeling good- oh shit I should probably speed up. Basically a slap in the face to wake up, bad habit to fall asleep in the middle of 5k's pace wise.

Apparently all that box lifting from moving left me jacked up top. Also don't mind my little Elivs meets Snookie Poof on top of my head- I was lazy.

I cruised in the last mile, saw B and Pepper around 2.5 which was good a good pick me up and made the final turn to the finish. I was really happy to see the clock and that I was under 19 again, which is the second time that has happened since August (well, and ever). So close to a PR, and I do think I would have had it had I not gotten complacent in the middle mile. Oh well, I'm not mad about it in any sense. In fact, I'm happy with the times I have been able to run lately coming off my own big race, as well as another marathon thrown in the middle.

My data for the race

Official time for the race was 18:55, which put me at 4th female and an age group win. 

So another weekend down and another 5k under my belt. Happy with the progress and enjoying the way running is going right now while having the time to give other things in life some priority. Next weekend I will be doing Pumpkins in the park costume 5k, and I roped Heather into joining me (stay tuned for costumes, because we don't even know yet). 

Courage Run 5k 2015

Coming off of Chicago Marathon it certainly wasn't in my plan to race a 5k only 6 days later. Reality is I had never ran for 4+ hours before and wasn't sure how recovery would go. To my surprise, I bounced back pretty quickly. I was feeling good, and I knew that walking, easy running, and focusing on sleep and hydration really helped during the week. Because of this, Friday when it was brought up to me about a 5k on Saturday I didn't immediately rule it out (also didn't immediately say yes).

In the end I decided I would do it, it was a close to home race for a good cause and admittedly knew I could probably walk away with a little cash. I also was confident in my self control to back off if I felt like it was too much.

It was a cold morning, but nothing a few layers couldn't handle until I did my warm-up. The drive was short to Hamlin, maybe 15 minutes and that included weaving around cop cars on every corner. There were 2 races going on within a mile of each other. The other race was a 15k/5k, and shared part of the same course as the 5k I was doing, but the different start times made it easy. I think the cops were confused which race was which though.

I did my warm-up solo, and then went and found Kraig and his wife Chelsea. I did a few strides and stayed loose while the SMALL race field gathered at the start line (64 people). I had stripped down to shorts, compression sleeves, my Bergen Elite singlet and my racing flats. I absentmindedly forgot to put my arm warmers on (*forehead slap*). When we started I stayed with Kraig, but then realized he was going out far faster than I was willing to take on that day so I backed off. Bye!

I had been told before the race, that there would be an uphill after mile two, but then downhill last quarter mile or so. Mile one went smoothly, and I was chilly but not too bad. Mile two went by about the same, wasn't feeling amazing but held steady. Then I saw the mile 2 marker, and I saw the hill. It wasn't gigantic, not in any sense but I wasn't in the mood for it and the headwind kind of just made me hate it a tiny bit more. I dropped a few curse words and remember saying to myself "just pump your arms and get up the hill then you can take downhill finish". Problem was, I couldn't pump my arms because they were so cold due to my stupidity not putting arm warmers on and the wind going into them. I just said it is what it is, and knew this was going to be a big positive split mile- oh well.

When I got to the top of the hill there was a big crowd of people cheering, I laughed at the high school boys yelling "Next stop, BOSTON MARATHON!". Smiled, and stared at the steep downhill to the finish and cruised in. Like my 5k two weeks prior, I was pleasantly surprised to see 18:XX when I could see the clock for first time- 19:05 Finish time.

Official time was 19:05, apparently I stink at stopping my watch (which is odd considering how much practice I have doing that at finish lines;))

Kraig took third (but an unofficial win due to first 2 being in HS and can't accept prize money), and I was fifth overall (first female). So we both walked away with over $100 cash in hand. We did a short cool down, chatted with his wife and waited for our awards while drinking the race out of coffee.

This was a great race, one that is held in honor of a local woman who was taken too soon because of Breast Cancer. While yes it was small, it was well run race with nice shirts, reasonable entry fee, good prizes and a decent course. You could tell most everyone there knew and loved the woman (also named Laura) it was in memorial for- touching to see her friends and family come together in the community.

Chicago Marathon 2015

One of the biggest pieces I left out while talking about the incredible weekend in Chicago, was obviously the race. It feels very different to write up a recap for this marathon. Sure, I DID run a marathon- my thirteenth to be exact, but this wasn't "my" marathon to recap. It was quite a bit of "ours" but mainly "hers"(Britt).

While the marathon thing isn't new to me, this was the first time I would run Chicago and also the first time going into a race without my own personal goals. My goals all had to do with Britt- helping her achieve marathoner status, and hopefully enjoy it along the way. As the weekend came, I was really glad that I had decided to do my goal race before this, it allowed me to be totally present in Chicago and not worrying about what was next.

The morning started with a walk to the park with the rest of the ladies, some photos at the Bean and obviously a selfie or two along the way. All of the cadets were calm, collected and I could tell we were all just excited to be ready to go!

Things were pretty well organized around the start (gear check, bathrooms, corrals, etc.) so we maneuvered through with relative ease. Once we were in the start corral we ran into some of the other ladies and exchanged good lucks and also some "You are NOT a chicken" (had to be there...).

Pre- Race Selfie with Michele!

The first few miles were just, different. But in such a good way. I wasn't stressed, I wasn't even worried about Britt taking off like a bat out of hell and trying to slow her down. Did we go out a little faster than planned, yes but not much. We looked around, commented about all of the people, and just smiled our way through the city buildings.

We knew we would see Ashley, my Mom and hopefully a few others within the first 3 miles. Sure enough, I saw Ashley (with her husband and Jennie in tow) and yelled her name with a smile and wave. A little while later we crossed a bridge, and oh there's Mom! We both got excited, and then joked that in about 30 seconds there would probably be a video of us screaming on facebook. We were wrong, but she did get some good pictures:)

The miles ticked away pretty quickly, we focused on puppies (yes, I'm serious) and reading funny signs. We sang when we heard songs on course that we knew, and simultaneously did dances that weren't even planned.

We watched for people we knew, sometimes we saw them and sometimes we didn't. We saw Jenny a few times which was a great- so glad we finally got to meet in person! We saw Grayson, one of our amazing Saucony leaders and her ladybug balloon overhead. Before we knew it we were looping back through for the half, and got another fun Mom sighting to boot. Still smiling away.

Miles 13-16 were pretty much on point with the first 13, but admittedly it was warming up and we knew that anything can happen that second half. Britt took a bathroom stop, I used this as a good chance to stretch. My left Achilles was a little tight and it needed a little TLC, the paces were pretty unfamiliar to me so my body was adjusting and stretching did wonders.

After that bathroom stop mile, we got right back down to business. We continued with alternating water/Gatorade every other mile. We were both using Honey Stinger energy chews for fuel, which worked really well and paired that up with water stops. I also took two Hammer Endurolytes mid-race as I knew it would be helpful with the rising temperatures.

I could tell the later miles were wearing on Britt(It's expected as she was entering new territory!), but she was doing an awesome job keeping her head up. We still had mid-run dance parties when a good song played, she commented on how fast some of the miles were going by mentally, and we still got excited pointing out all the dogs on the course {can you tell we are dog mom's?}.

I have to say she was SO mentally prepared for those later miles (whether she realizes it or not). I didn't need to tell her to set small goals when things got hard, she just did it. I didn't need to tell her to be consistent with fueling, she just did it. I didn't need to tell her to increase fluids when it got hot, she knew. So maybe her training wasn't 100% what she wanted with some speed bumps along the way, but her mental game was on point and I was very proud!

We celebrated little victories along the way, which is always a good thing to help keep you positive. After this mile, only single digit miles left! Or, hey here comes mile 20- the furthest you've ever run! Quite a few "Can I get a hell yeah?!" every time we hit 21, 22, 23 and so on- new mileage PR's for her. I tried to remind her of the amazing things that she's got to look forward to (BEER, Buffalo Bills Football, Team celebration dinner, BEER) at the finish.

We would hit a mile, and I told her "hey 5 miles, how many times have you ran 5 miles- that's nothing!". I tried to give her the right amount of encouragement without being overbearing, hopefully something I accomplished. We took walk breaks for water, and stretch breaks as needed. Setting little goals to keep going, "okay when we get to that green sign, we go". She kept trucking on, and not once questioning that finish line.

When we were in the final mile I could see it on her face, that sense of "this is happening". It made me so happy, and I think we were both more emotional than we led on at the time. I heard my name yelled loud and cranked my whole body around to see my friend Mark whom I met in O'hare last year while we were both stuck for flight delays. It was a great boost at the end, and of course sped me up a bit. I think this happened a few times, we would see someone and I'd get excited then Britt would pull back on my reins. Sorry for that, I just love people cheering for us! :)

We made the right turn to go up the "hill" and chuckled as this would normally be a speed bump for us upstate NY girls. Then there was a 400m to go sign and we both noted the fact that in the distance of ONE lap around a track we would be done! With 300m to go, all of a sudden Britt took off. She found that final gear and left me in the dust, I chased her down weaving through everyone and we crossed the finish line side by side. In fact, our times are identical! I love our finish photo, it shows how happy I was for her and her emotional "this is real" face.

She did it, she became a marathoner on October 11, 2015 and I got to witness the entire thing. In all honesty I think I'll remember more about HER first marathon than I do my own. I know I get emotional just thinking about it!

All in all Chicago marathon was everything I was told it would be. The course is pretty dang flat (Erie is definitely flatter, if you are interested), the course was scenic and entertaining. There were lots of crowds, the bridges with carpets rolled out was cool (I love Bridges!), the neighborhoods were electric and finish views were fantastic. I admittedly still think Boston is a little louder and rowdier though, Chicago put up a good fight- but it's really hard to battle the sounds of the Wellesley women and Boston college partiers. It was great to knock another marathon major off the list and obviously experience it in an unforgettable way with a great friend.

So, Chicago was my 13th marathon. Lucky 13, and I truly feel like I was lucky. I had great chance to support Brittany, represent two power companies in the industry, and spend the weekend with many other amazing and inspiring women. Lucky 13, yup..lucky indeed.

Chicago & Saucony 26 Strong

When you get off a plane, have bags under your eyes, a froggy voice, a little wobble to your walk and a suitcase near it's breaking point all while wearing a big smile on your face- you know you did the trip right. By those standards, Chicago Marathon weekend was an utter success.

I spent 5 days in Chicago with Brittany, my Mom and the rest of the Saucony 26 Strong ladies. It was a wonderful coincidence we would be doing Chicago Marathon for the program this year, as it meant extra time with my Mom who I don't see often (she splits time living between NY and CHI). Britt and I flew in a day early to stay with her, relax, unwind and gear up for a fun filled weekend. Of course we kicked off that first night at the local pub, and tasted our way through local beers and fantastic food. 6 meals, 3 women: we don't mess around.

On Friday Britt and I took the train into the city so we could check into our hotel and do some things on our own before the group came in. Let me just say, our hotel (Renaissance Chicago) was amazing and we felt spoiled beyond belief. Saucony/Competitor gave us the royal treatment for sure.

Then it was time for the expo, packet pickup and meandering around. We visited our favorite booths (Saucony, Nuun, Goose Island, Zensah, Gen Ucan) but also didn't make a day of it (Pro tip: don't waste your energy, or something like that).

After an interesting ride on a school bus back to downtown (WTF my luck with school buses and marathons?! See Boston 2015 bus to start line), we decided it was time for a trip to Eataly. All I can say is, that place lived up to every bit of hype Britt made about it. We had amazing food, wine, and walked around for a while afterwards. I immediately texted B and told him we HAVE to come here together.

Before we knew it, it was time for the meet and greet back at the hotel. I was so excited to see some of the women that I already knew and also meet the others that I hadn't met before. Most of us had interacted enough on social media throughout the process that I felt like I actually knew them. Spoiler: Many are so much more awesome in person. The organizers of the program (from Saucony and Competitor) went above and beyond for all of us, they really love what they do. A few of us went to the hotel bar afterwards to continue chatting, and also greet the others that flew in later in the evening. We made a pretty good welcoming committee if you ask me :)

Britt, Me, Lindsey and her cadet Olivia

Saturday was when it all really got going though. I went out for a few solo miles first, to honestly just allow myself to appreciate how happy I am lately. More on those reasons another time, but in general life is just really freaking good right now- and a crisp run in an amazing city allowed me to appreciate it even more.

Good Morning Chicago!

I met up with the rest of the group and we had a great morning full of running, photos and of course smiling and laughing along the way. A few of us even got a smaller second photo shoot as we hadn't been to San Diego earlier in the year for the other ones. Monkeyed around for a bit, and we giggled our way through some more photos. I can't wait to see them all!

The 26 Strong Ladies!

We met back at the hotel with the rest of the teams for brunch. The food was amazing, the coffee was so-so, but the company and the 'entertainment' was second to none. We chatted, got to know each other more, and then listened to an exceptional speech by Sharon Barbano. Sharon is a highly decorated runner, and also the VP of Public Relations for Saucony. She made us laugh, smile and even got a few tears (Angela and I at least!) all while inspiring us to be 'eagles' and "Find our strong". I vote for her to write a book, or at least record her speeches.

Later we took Uber out to the expo again, our driver was wearing Saucony- talk about a good omen. I'm sure Jaleel (wasn't that his name ladies?) loved us, we laughed and selfied our way through the drive.

From Lindsey's IG

Upon returning to the hotel, a group of us were hogging seats at the hotel bar/lobby. We chatted, greeted people as they came in, and clinked our glasses to a great weekend. I almost fell off my bar stool running to see Michele when I saw her walking through the lobby, I then ordered her a glass of wine and told her unwind. I saw her only a weekend prior when I ran last few miles of her marathon with her- but couldn't contain my excitement to spend more time with her! An afternoon of running and life chat with some women that inspire the hell out of me, yes please.

Jenny, Michele, Lindsey, Me

Ashley, Ruth (Ashley's MIL), Lindsey, Theodora, Jenny, Me & Michele

I wish I saw these ladies more, it was so much fun to be able to sit and hang out in person. I could see some of us doing dinner and cocktails together (and running together!) on a regular basis.  My Mom's quote of the day "Don't you have any ugly friends?"

Saturday night brought Chicago style deep dish pizza, good luck phone calls, delivering Britt's pre-race gift/card and obviously bumming around in compression tights. Race weekends really are fun, I love the whole process.

I don't think I stopped smiling all weekend. I was constantly surrounded by inspiring, kick-ass women supporting one another. In a world that spends a lot of time trying to tear us down, it was refreshing to be in an environment that was completely opposite.

Sunday night was so bittersweet. We knew we wouldn't see anyone after that, and saying goodbye after a weekend like this was just plain old hard. It's funny how you can really get to know people in a short amount of time, and feel like it's been forever. We laughed and celebrated over a fantastic family style dinner at Beatrix, and I didn't want the night to end.

I am so grateful for this opportunity, and chance to experience it all with Brittany. We made the most out of an already amazing weekend. We embraced meeting new people, feeling silly in photo shoots, spending time with the other women, and representing the companies the best that we could. Most importantly we embraced the heck out of the program's main point: to run a marathon side by side and support one another. Britt and I got to spend a ton of time together and it only made our friendship and the experience that much better. I can't imagine having gone there and not been by her side, it's HER day not mine. I have my recap of the marathon coming, in the mean time go read Brittany's!

My cadet. My fellow runner. My fellow Buffalo Bills fanatic.
My friend, who now carries the title: MARATHONER!

Photo Finish 5k 2015

This past weekend I pinned a bib on my singlet for the first time since Erie, albeit with much less internal pressure about a time goal. I had originally thought I would run Syracuse Festival of Races on Sunday, but due to logistics and it generally being a really busy time for me- it didn't make sense (it also would have meant breaking plans which I don't like to do). So I knew if I wanted to run I'd need a Saturday race to leave Sunday free for going down to Wineglass Marathon to spectate, as luck would have it there was a perfect race.

The Eastman House Photo Finish 5k was logistically what I needed. I wanted to get my butt back out there after Erie, and build a little running pep for Chicago next weekend. Close to home smaller race, good course, and all for wonderful causes (MANY charities benefit from this race). 

Saturday morning I was a bit slow moving getting ready, and walked right out the door without my racing flats. That pretty much just says how little I cared about the actual race (normally I get EVERYTHING ready the night before). I realized I forgot them when I was almost there, and it was a pretty nonchalant "meh" while sitting at a stop light.

It was cold, but admittedly I love that kind of weather for races. I bundled up and did a few miles before the race then stripped down for some strides at the start line. I felt good but really had no idea how the race would go, and my only plan was to not stare at my watch the whole time.

We started and I instantly went out too fast (I can drill a marathon pace in my head but 5k's, not so much). Slowed down about half mile in and held that to cross the first mile in 6:06. I knew I was gonna back off a bit (not necessarily by choice, ha!) and just rolled with it. Second mile was uneventful and I was just keeping the lead guys in my line of sight, I was lead female and hoped holding on to the guys might help keep me there. Mile 2 was 6:18 (read: how not to pace a 5k), but I felt decent so my goal  was to try pick it up for the last mile.

I look super grumpy, don't mind me.

We ran on East ave past the front of the Eastman house so there were some more spectators which gave me a good boost and helped me pick it up. Made the final few turns and went back and forth with a few guys. I turned onto the Eastman property and saw the clock was at 18:5X which made me happy because I really wasn't sure what I was at. I finished in 19:07, which is technically my second fastest 5k behind Bergen in August. I don't regret not staring at my watch, but I do think I could have dipped under 19 again had I actually known where I was at a little sooner. But, again it wasn't a goal race.

Much like Erie told me about other distances (basically, I have a lot of room for improvement in half marathon and down), this just reinforced that. I love marathons but I do have a strong desire to work on some other distances as well. Although, I don't see myself drifting too far from the distance- mainly I'd like to see some big drops in my half and 10k times. 5k is great but I just don't enjoy them the way that I do some of the longer stuff(everyone has their preferences!). Once in a while it is good to get out there and do them though, and I plan on a few this fall after Chicago.

I cooled down with a friend, and then a little more solo before waiting for awards. As first female I won a book, museum tickets (to the Eastman house), and also $100 donation to the charity of choice in my name. I chose KMB for answers. I have talked about this non-profit a little bit before, but it has grown a ton since then. It was founded by friends/family members of a girl with whom I went to high school with. They are doing wonderful things gaining support and raising awareness about eating disorders. If you have a minute, please take the time to hop over to their website or Facebook page and see what they are all about.

Next race, CHICAGO MARATHON!!! I am really excited for this upcoming weekend with Brittany and the rest of the Saucony 26 strong ladies!

8 Reasons you might consider a coaching change

As many know, I was a self coached athlete for a long time. I succeeded with it (until I didn't) and gained invaluable experience, but I also learned a lot when I became a coached athlete again last year. I have talked about why I hired a running coach, all of which I still think are valid. I also wrote some notes down about working with a coach after a year, which the differences still hold true (coached vs. self coached). But I figure now is a good time for the third installment of coaching posts, knowing when to move on to another coach or to self-coaching.

Lets look at a few reasons, you might want to reconsider the coaching thing or at least have a good discussion about what changes could be made to have a better working partnership. Also good to note that many of these could be role reversed in situations coaches might choose not to work with athletes any longer (only fair to mention that).

1. Your training styles are TOO different. Changing the way you approach things in training can be a great way to add a spark, but there is also a limit. Changing the way you do everything, is a recipe for injury or burnout. Usually you can spot this kind of difference quickly though, during discussions with a coach (or potential) be sure to chat about what kind of training you have honestly been doing and what kinds of things he/she would implement into your training.

2. You are constantly injured/burned out. This is a clear sign that something is wrong, and that changes need to be made. Is the training too much? Do you need time off? Some of this could be a negative effect of # 1, training too drastically different than you were. This isn't placing blame, it's simply recognizing something needs to change.

3. There is no trust. Like any relationship, the trust needs to be there. You need to be able to trust the workouts and the plan you are given, and trust the person giving it to you. If you trust that person, and their plans you are more likely to stick to it (and not slack off, or deviate/do more than you should be) which will make you more successful. You also need to trust that your coach has your back, will support you, and has your best interest at heart. Yes, you are paying them to do a job- but would you continue to pay an employee to work for you if you knew you couldn't rely on them?

4. Communication is lacking. Much like number 3, this is crucial in any relationship. Being able to talk to your coach is very important. You need to be able to ask questions (and get answers), you need to be able to make training adjustments if something isn't feeling right, and you need to be able to adjust the schedule to life. Being able to talk about how training is going, or how to prepare for a BIG upcoming race are vital. You don't see NFL coaches taking vacations right before a playoff game do you? You also don't see pee-wee soccer coaches just sending the kiddos out on the field without some instructions. Whether you are a newbie or a pro, the communication lines should be open.

5. It's adding stress. This is one that is tough to quantify or judge. As runners we are constantly trying to learn how much to push when things get tough, and when is too much. If having a coach is stressing you out (undue pressure or frustration from lack of trust/communication) or the training load is too much for you on top of your general life, it might be time to back off a bit. Running is fun (most of the time), and if you aren't enjoying it or it is not adding to your life what is the point?

6. You're not improving/You're not getting what you need. This is kind of a combination of all of the above. But in general, if you are paying someone but aren't getting what you need- why keep paying them? We all need different things, there is nothing wrong with admitting that you need more or less from someone. This could be a great conversation to have, let them know what you are looking for and if that isn't an option you have your answer of what to do. You shouldn't compromise your personal beliefs, training, or happiness to suit someone else.

7. The reasons you started, are no longer valid. There are so many reasons to hire a coach, from complex reasons down to a simple desire to get faster. But just because someone helped you get where you wanted to(in life or running), it doesn't mean you are tied to that person forever (assuming you're paying the person, otherwise we can refer to that as using someone...don't do that). Whatever the reason being, if you aren't content where you are and feel it's time to move forward then there is nothing stopping you. Life changes, goals change, people change, your methods will change along with all of it.

8. It's no longer feasible. Add up the shoes, the fancy clothes, the race entries, and then a coach and that 'cheap sport' gets a lot more expensive. Organizing your finances in a way that allows you to have a coach is one thing (cable TV or a running coach? Personally I'd pick the coach), but jeopardizing your finances is another. Lets just leave it as, if you are unable to pay your bills like an adult and still continue training without the aid of an irresponsible/disrespectful GoFundMe page- it's time to re-prioritize. Be a responsible adult first, and runner second.

I will file the last year under a reason and a season, no regrets.

I guess it's probably pretty obvious why I would choose to write this post, I am no longer working with my coach. I've heard a lot of "I thought things were great" comments based on my previous posts about coaching, which I understand. But there are always two sides to every story, and as we all know- we rarely see the whole thing as posted online. He helped me in many ways the past year, pulling me out of a rut and helping me find more productive ways to train than I had in the past. Obviously I have seen great improvement in a lot of my times and that isn't something I am trying to discount. But that doesn't mean that there weren't ups and downs along the way, I simply didn't find those important to share. He guided me and I did the work, like a coach/athlete partnership should.

In the weeks leading up to Erie things were changing though, and it was more clear to me that moving forward on my end was imminent. Chalk it up to a combination of the above reasons. Most importantly though, I feel comfortable with myself and training that I'm excited(and ready) to be in control of it again. The details are not important and except for a few of my taper fueled frustrated tweets(the internet doesn't forget), the dirty laundry doesn't need to be aired. At the end of the day I respect our differences and know that I learned a lot that I can use going forward. Live, learn, and move the F on.

I'm looking forward to playing with my training a bit, but still using what I have learned to avoid past mistakes. I do also think being a little more 'relaxed' with my training the rest of the fall will be a good mental break for me before gearing back up for Boston. Maybe I will look at other coaches in the future, but in the mean time I will enjoy the perks of being self-coached again. Fall is my favorite time to run so the motivation won't be lacking, and on days that it is- who cares :)