Looking back on May

I've been contemplating writing up a report for my past two big events this past month, but the more I think about it, I can just wrap it into one. Why the heck not. You may have noticed I attached a new banner at the top. Each of those pictures have great meaning to me, and each brings inspiration to be and do better.

Running in May

May started off with school ending, and one of my best semesters (grade points wise). I think by the start of May I was coming off the hectic, tragic, truly inspiring events of the Boston Marathon. I say inspiring because so many people who aren't part of the running community came together plus it affected the whole city and sports teams. I vow to return in 2014 to Boston.

I did a few big events that I really wasn't training for or focusing on at all. They both pretty much happened on a whim. Thanks to my good friend from the County I was able to run the Fredericton Marathon on May 12th a mere 28 days after the Boston Marathon in Canada. Not really sure what I was thinking but hell it was great! Really awesome to run somewhere new. Like I said no goal in mind going in, but we decided soon after arriving that we needed to show those Canadians no Mainer's are to be ignored and come GCI 50k they better be nervous because this year is the National Championships. We ran 2:54 and 2:55 respectively for 5 and 6 place. Excellent showing.

Side note: The Great Cranberry Island Ultra Marathon staff (AKA Gary and Mary) announced that this would be the last year of the BEST RACE EVER. If you're on the short list of participants or really should be, make sure you run. Maybe not the whole thing, but come get a training run in. It's truly an experience you don't want to miss. This will by my focus of the summer. I had signed up for a 10k a week after, and I plan to run the 10k, but the 50k means more to me as it's the last edition of this spectacular event. 

The other big event was Cabot Trail Relay. I got an invite sometime in March to run for the Rhino Redux team, on the four teams from Maine. Some absolutely great people on all four of those teams. The Maine-iacs grabbed first for the 17-leg 178 mile relay, while my team the Rhino's grabbed 6th, the Maine Hags 7th, and Maine Running Fossils 70 out of 71 teams. 

Again another event I vow to return to. (I think this is become an addiction far beyond what I originally thought). I got to run two legs coming in 3rd for leg 1 and winning Leg 13 at 2am in the morning. My only regret is having a coffee at midnight. Note to self Coffee past midnight when nervous doesn't settle well!

Leg 1: 

Leg 13:

May's mileage was down a bit from where it could be, but running is a gift and I wanted to be at least healthy through this month so the summer would start off with a bang. June through August will be tough as i've got big plans running, work, school, and wedding planning going on. 

By the numbers

186.8 Total Miles 

1 Marathon (28 days after the Boston Marathon): 2:54:26 3rd Fastest Marathon out of 6 total now.

2 Cabot Trail Relay Legs (L1-3rd place, L13-1st place)

Run on my friends.