Thank you!

A special thank you from the children of Jumpstart!

Look for Me!!!

Here is my official marathon outfit! I'm number #22195! You can track me on a iPhone my downloading the Find My Friends App and searching dmpillion@gmail.com or following my bib number of the BAA website. Below is some more information about race day:

• Please do not call me or text me tomorrow. I'll be listening to the great playlist compiled by my supporters! If you would like information about where I am or friends and family are meeting, please call my super hero boyfriend Mark 818-730-5235
• Course Map: http://www.boston.com/sports/marathon/course/map/
• Follow Me: You can follow me by downloading the app Follow My Friends for iPhones and searching dmpillion@gmail.com or on the BAA website by my bib #22195
• Meet Me: If you would like to meet me on the course, please let me know where you will be so I can look for you. I won't have my glasses on so make sure you yell out my name. If you know which side of the street you are on it will make it easier for me to see you, or if you have a particular helium balloon, let me know.
• Marathon Outfit: You can see my marathon outfit by visiting my blog: http://deerunsmarathon.blogspot.com/
• Heat Race: It will be warm tomorrow. If you are planning on meeting me you can bring a bag of ice, I'll cool down with. Due to hot weather this will be a slower run. Below are approximate times I'll be at different landmarks.

10:40 a.m. Danielle starts the marathon

Approx. 1:40 p.m. Wellesley College

Approx. 2:30 p.m. Prep Talk from Coach Rick (left side of the street)

Approx. 3:40 p.m. Heartbreak Hill

Approx. 4:40 p.m. Coolidge Corner (Jumpstart on R hand side of the road)

Approx. 4:50 p.m. Kenmore (Jumpstart on L side of road)

Approx. 5 p.m. Finish

Meet family and friends at Family Meeting Area “P”

Thank you so much for all of your support! We have raised just under $90,000 for Jumpstart!

Pasta Party

We had a great pasta party last night with the Boston Marathon Coalition, which includes Jumpstart. I was so honored to receive the Spirit Award for attending the most training sessions in our group. I could have never done this without all of your support!

Bib Pick Up!

On Saturday I picked up my bib number! It was so exciting at the World Trade Center with thousands of other runners. Then walking around the City proudly with my orange and black runners bag filled with an official 2012 Marathon Runners shirt and other garb! Can't wait until Monday!

Jumpstart

Jumpstart is the amazing early education nonprofit organization I am running for. Below are a few photos of their programs.

Week 18 Run

Tapered down our runs today - ran 8 miles. I hadn't run in 2 weeks because I was deathly sick, but running today felt great! I can't believe we are about 1 week away. After 5 months of training we are down to it!!!!

Week 16 Run

Ran 21 miles today!!!! From the starting line to the top of Heartbreak Hill - so exciting! My feet were swollen, but all in all it was a good run. I walked a few miles, but it saved my energy later on in the run. Only a few weeks until the BIG day!

Week 14 Run

Last week I couldn't finish 18 miles and it was terrible - having a bad run is awful! This week finished 19 miles - yeah!!!

Mark's Marathon Journey

You may or may not know my boyfriend Mark, but he is amazing and supportive! Every morning he drives me over to Newton Center at 7:30 a.m. to drop me off for my run and picks me up whenever I complete the allotted miles for that day. In the beginning this was 2 hours, but as the runs have gotten longer it is more like 4 or 5 hours. This video is his point of view... pretty funny :)

Week 13 Run

Holy Rain! It was a very wet 13 miles. David and I kept a good pace and we ran to the finish line (almost to the finish line - you don't want to jinx it!). On the way home we had 1.5 miles left and it down poured! I don't think thus far I have run that fast on the way home!! Below is my vlog, but also a picture of me and my running partner David (our nick name is Double D)

Week 12 Run

Today was the worst run ... everyone tells you that you will have a bad run. I had no idea what a "bad run" meant - well, now I do. The whole week I hadn't been sleeping very well. From the beginning of the run it was terrible. At the first water stop Coach Rick was there and as soon as he saw me he said "You are having a bad run" and I burst into tears. My muscles hurt, and mentally the run was torture. At mile 15 (I was suppose to run 18) I threw in the towel and had Mark pick me up. It was devastating. The only good side of it, was that I now know what they mean when they say a bad run and no matter what happens on the day of the marathon, I am prepared.

Below is a video of all the runners before we head with some encouraging words from Coach Rick.

Week 11 Run

Wow - I can't believe we only have 3 long runs left before the marathon! Next week 18 miles, then 13, 19, 12, 20, 13, 8 - OMG! This past week, while I was running, I spent a lot of time (hard to believe, but you have so much time!) thinking about how truly lucky I am for my family, friends, and job. Also, how proud I am for running for Jumpstart, they are an amazing organization, and they are helping thousands of children grow.

Week 10 Run

WOW - 16 miles is a long run! Coach encouraged us to get our bodies use to walking and then getting back in the run for water stops - well, let me tell you, I gladly took a few of those! Knee was bothering me, but not too bad. Got lots of great advice from friends this week and worked my IT band like a mofo! And it was excellent!

Love this!

The Finish

For months you prepare for the journey, a mere 26.2 miles. All downhill at the start, a drop of over 300 feet. But the hills near the end define the race. The hills of Newton dictate the training. Training to replicate race conditions, the wise runner mixes long runs with interval repeats on grades to strengthen the legs for the steep climb and steel them for the rugged descent.

Run, diet, rest; everything works together. Long range goals and short-term plans evolve into a race day strategy, culminating in achievement, satisfaction, and the realization of a dream.

We pay tribute to all who run the race!

(3rd floor Nike Town)

Week 9 Run

Today's run was great! The entire run I focused on energy conservation, not running too fast in the beginning and saving energy for the last few miles. At this point in the training I'm getting use to being uncomfortable and the end of the run, and focusing on positive things - like, holy crap, I can't believe I've run this far! Also, stretching (seems obvious) but I realized today I am not stretching enough. When I stop at the water break or for a stop light I make sure I'm stretching my legs and feet to keep my muscles from tensing up. Last week's run was so emotionally and physically depressing, I'm so thrilled my body is getting stronger and accustomed to long runs.

Week 8 Run

Wheww - we ran 14.44 miles... the beginning was great! Last 2 miles were torture on my knee - which tells me I've already blown through another pair of sneakers, time to get another pair. Completed the day with an ice bath, hot shower, nap and amazing food (on the couch of course!). Running for Jumpstart is amazing, they are a great nonprofit and I am so proud to run for them and raise money for them.

Week 7 Run

It was cold, it was snowy and it was slippery! But I ran 13.1 miles today - that is a half marathon - I can't believe it. I never thought it my entire life that I would run that far - in the snow no less! There are different packs of people who run and I kept up with someone of the people who are pretty fast (I was so excited!) Took a hot bath rather than a cold on - for obvious reasons :)

Running during the week felt great, and I'm excited to run more this week (I can not believe I just wrote that!) Also looking into some yoga classes to keep stretching!

Week 6 Run

WOW! This was a very tough run. Admittedly I did not run during the week - lesson learned! One of the folks I run with, David, was very supportive and we finished the run (you can probably guess I run in the back of the pack - but it is only to ensure that no one is left behind!)

I took a semi-ice bath after the run - and of course took a video (Mark thinks I'm nuts!)

Week 5 Run

We ran 10 miles and I was exhausted - so exhausted I forgot to do a video! It was a long run, all the way to the reservoir and back. I'm excited we are running the marathon course, so we are comfortable with it. Of course after the run, I ate and passed out for 5 hours ... I'm beginning to think I need to start taking ice baths.