Keep going

No matter how many miles you run or how many carbs you eat, you’re never guaranteed a “great race.” I had a few “what if…” moments on race week but shut them down quickly. You can be prepared for anything — weather, stomach issues, something feeling “off” — but what you focus on expands. So instead of dwelling on the “what if’s” every night I reminded myself: I am healthy. I am strong. This became an even greater test of mindset when two of three kids tested positive for Influenza last week, and while I may have gone a little extreme (yes, I wore a mask 😷 handing out meds), they got sick and I showed love in other ways.

When someone in the family sets a big goal, everyone has to be on board or it’s not going to work. It was a big ask telling Pete this training block would be different. This time I knew I was ready to aim for a BQ..

A little history about a "BQ" (Boston Qualifier): The Boston Marathon's qualifier (BQ) system, started in the 1970s to control growth, became hyper-competitive post-2008 as demand surged, leading to "rolling registrations" and cutoff times (the buffer) faster than the standard, with record cutoffs in 2019, 2021, 2024, and 2025, making the buffer a key factor for acceptance alongside age/gender standards, which the BAA adjusts yearly.

Early morning runs stayed the same, but on 18–20 mile Thursdays I couldn’t do late-night kid pickups the night before. It meant more sourdough pizza nights 😉 and missing their first ski weekend. But they “got it.” They got the big goal.

We all have our seasons. Last year Catherine introduced the phrase “locked in” — and she proved it, becoming All-Mountain Champion for U16 at 13. Today, I told myself to “lock in” over and over. When Pete trained for heli skiing, we got it. When Shannon wanted her back handspring, she flipped a hundred times until she had it. And Danny boy — our Wizard of Oz — ended his football season on offense with a pick six.

I watch them all and feel inspired. I’ll keep setting big goals too. Persistence + patience. Marathon #7… and here is to staying positive that a 4 minute and 10 second buffer will be what I need to run Boston ‘27. I have decided to race again in the Spring with the goal to break 3:40 in order to increase my buffer.

Some notes found from 5/7/23 that I share to show set-backs, overcoming set-backs and everything in between. It is cool to see what can happen within 20 plus years. Keep going.

minor details...

'95 - '99 highschool 

1 yr track - disclocated hip skiing - 3 yrs swimteam - heavy periods, no restrictions 

'99 - '03 college - dayton - london

crew team - restricting - long distance running - low fat - reynauds - under-fueling - chicago marathon ‘01

'03 - '10 vail ski bum - boston

mtn running - alcoholism - restriction - anxiety - absolutly zero intent to run a marathon again

'10 - '14 love - wedding - fertility - chicago 

no running - ivf - spontaneous pregnancy

2 more babies

"clean eating" - orthorexia

barre teacher

'15 - bumps - colorado

yoga teacher training

'18 running

stress fracture - hashimotos 

'20 pandemic 

ketosis - controlled eating - lost menstral cycle 

'21

trained for London - got injured - ran London

'22

trained for NYC - got injured - ran NYC

discovered RED-S - discovered orthorexia

africa - learning flexibility

@r_mcgregor - @drnickykeay - @female.athlete.nutrition

'23

RED-S recovery

have had 3 periods - stay healthy - goal get strong af

'24

set goal to bq

‘25

locked in - no restrictions - bq at cim