The turn into the home stretch came. The crowds cheered. Yet my usual big smiley-drive to the finish was no where to be found. One foot in front of the other I pushed to the big blue line that has crossed Boylston Street marking the finish of a marathon run for 116 years in the same location. I was part of history and a year that will never be forgotten.

I was pleased to be finished. It had started off as a hot day. Organizers had allowed athletes to differ their entry to the following year if they thought they were not fit enough to run in the heat, a first in the history of the race. The start was not until 10am, usually allowing the morning to warm up. I stood in my corral in Hopkinton, Headsweats visor on, sweat dripping from my crop top, as the temp rose above 80. My race goals were still firmly in my mind despite the warnings to slow 30 seconds per mile to allow for the heat.

I held pace for the first half as we streamed down the rolling hills of Ashland, Framingham and Natick. The crowds were immense, as were the hoses and spray tents. Wellesley College girls lined the course at the half-way mark, kissing the topless men who had opted for being cool rather than wearing their tops.

I was only seconds off a 3.10 marathon at the halfway, the height of the crowd cheering, pulling me down to Boston. I knew my pace would slow over the three hills of Newton but I was ready for it. As I turned the corner after the halfway mark my legs decided that was enough. Even though I had increased my electrolytes by taking on more Maxifuel Electrotabs in the preceding days I was cramping in my thighs. As they locked up a huge blister popped on my toe.

Utterly distraught the only thing I could do was grab frantically at ice handed out by residents lining the streets. With multiple cubes shoved up my shorts I could hold a pace. This pace became a death march, as the day got hotter. The race became one big water fight as hoses poured on to the course and air conditioning units tried to cool the air. Feet slapped on as everyone trudged to the finish, many passing out on the course.

Heartbreak Hill was a smooth roll up with an amazing reception at the top. With the hills ticked off it was all downhill to the finish, all excruciating eight kilometers. Stuffing in Maxifuel Viper Active gels kept my power up and I made it to the finish in 3.46.

Will I do it again?  Yes. In the words of Runners World guru Bart Yasso, ‘This ain’t no cake run’. They say you get Boston in your Blood, I couldn’t agree more. Now which race to qualify in?

Changing Goal Posts

With a foot that I could barely walk on over the Christmas break the outlook for 2012 was bleak. My pre-determined goals that I had set on reflection from 2011 were slowly slipping away. Not only was I unable to hit the monthly goals of speed, distance, and time I didn’t have a solution on how to get my foot back on track.

It is the harsh reality that goals change throughout the year and you have to work with them to get the best out of what you can control. I could control my treatment and advice. SpiroHealth’s Dr. Nicole Paine was instrumental in starting the diagnosis. It was whittled down from a terrifying heel fracture to a heel spur to a serious case of degenerative plantar fasciitis.

Treatment was my worst fear – complete rest. No running for five weeks. It nearly tore me apart not to be doing the thing I love. My mind-set had to change and so did my eating habits. Due to the lack of exercise I took advantage of Maxifuels sister brand Maxitone and used their protein based meal products to have healthy snacks such as Sculptress diet bar. This helped to keep my weight in check and support my muscles.

My first run back was bliss. Yes my foot still hurt but is was a dull pain, not searing. I could walk after and not limp. It was a 15 minute run. The goal was a sub three-hour Boston Marathon in three months time. I needed to re-evaluate that goal and make sure it still excited me.

On a new path with the pure solace that I could run again I chipped away at the mileage each week. Speed sessions were pretty sluggish and a time-orientated goal was not an option for this race.  Progress was slow, as was loosing the extra kilos but I was ever determined to get to Boston and at least finish it.

Swapping out my Headsweats beanie for visors as the sun shone in London was a real lift to my spirits. I decided to race the Breakfast Run, a 16 mile loop past the gorgeous Hampton Court Palace. Starting on the elite line was a real buzz, which held me strong to the end. I finished 15^th in the woman’s race and third in my age group. My foot was at minimal pain; all of a sudden the goal post of just finishing Boston had changed again.

My training diary looks more like a children’s writing book now with cross outs and comments all over my race plan. Being able to deal with moving goal posts has been a challenge for me, as I like structure. I believe I am ready for the 116^th Boston Marathon and will be toeing the line with 27, 000 other athletes on Monday April 16 as number 6748. I cannot wait and appreciate the fact I can run again. Love running.

See Penny rocking it out at on the elite woman’s start line, Whole Foods Kingston Breakfast Run.

The athletes and coaches of the Project Athena Racing Team  provide ongoing training, coaching, and inspiration  to Athenaship Recipients as well as attend several of the events to cheer on the Athenas.

Upcoming Project Athena events:

June 13-17, 2012- Grand Canyon R2R2R

July 14, 2012, Richmond, VA- Project Athena Richmond Relay Marathon

October 28, 2012- Marine Corps Marathon

November 3, 2012- The USATF Trail Marathon National Championship

Learn more about Project Athena Foundation by going here.

“The cycling community is always growing and we recognize our sponsorship of the Epic Cycle Series as a solid way to enhance Headsweats’ brand recognition,” says Alan Romick, Headsweats founder and avid cyclist. “We are pleased to partner with NBC Sports Network for this exciting opportunity.”

NBC Sports Network will continue its daily coverage of the 2012 Paris-Nice today at 4:30 p.m. ET. Throughout the Paris-Nice and the Epic Cycle Series coverage, viewers can look for special promotions offered by Headsweats.

In addition, for the third consecutive year, Headsweats will sponsor the “Ask Bobke” segments which will air on NBC Sports Network during coverage of the 2012 Le Tour de France.

Andrew Skurka

In his slideshow, “Circling Alaska & Yukon,” he will recount his epic 4,700-mile 6-month hiking, skiing, and packrafting journey with stunning imagery, entertaining videos, and captivating stories. In his informative clinic, “Ultimate Hiking Gear & Skills,” he will explain what you need on your back and between your ears to make hiking fun, instead of an arduous chore between camps, without sacrificing your comfort or safety.

View Spring 2012 Lectures & Clinics

For an updated schedule and complete event information, visit his website. http://andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule/

Facts about Cardiovascular Disease
o    80 million Americans have cardiovascular disease – that’s 1 out of 3 adults
o    It is the #1 killer in women- with estimates of over 400,000 deaths per year
o    It is the#1 killer in men- claiming more than 600,000 lives per year

David Watkins, founder of Ironheart Racing Team, tells how Ironheart Racing came about.

Ironheart Racing started out as a mission to complete Ironman after undergoing open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve in 2005. The goal was to teach my children that no matter the circumstances, no matter what others may say, “if you believe in yourself, work hard and stay focused, you can accomplish amazing things.”

Surgery for me was a 17 hour day which included two trips to the operating table. After the 1st attempt, my heart stopped functioning and was without a beat for 5 minutes. While my surgeon manually opened me up and began massaging my heart, he asked for my family to come in and say any ‘last words’ before I was brought back to the OR. “Fight, be strong… we love you,” was what they said.

I recovered, only to have a stroke a month later which left me temporarily without vision in my left eye. 6 months later, I ran a very slow half marathon. 7 months after that, I found myself at the starting line of Ironman Coeur d’alene. I was the last one to finish that day, but it took me over the 17 hour cutoff time.

We now have elite and beginner athletes racers from across the  globe. As of December 2011, we had over 200 athletes represented in 43 states and 6 countries. Many have gone through similar cardiac issues/surgeries and use endurance sports as a way to stay healthy and inspire others. Some have simply joined to help spread awareness of congenital heart disease and healthy heart living through exercise and competition.

Are you up for the Ironheart challenge? Learn more about Ironheart racing here.

The first day was incredibly enjoyable, including a short walk/run on the beach, running probably the best single track section of the entire coastal trail with Michael, and just enjoying constant ocean views for hours on end. In addition to the scenery, even the smell of the air was so refreshing and clean. After only about 7-8 hours of running the sunlight was already about to disappear, and that’s when I watched the first of two amazing sunsets that weekend. The clouds above the ocean turned bright red, while the water became a deep purple; I needed to appreciate the first sunset because I knew I wouldn’t be in such a “comfortable” state for the second one. Going into the first night my legs and feet were feeling fairly good. I decided I would try to complete the first 50 miles in 10-11 hours which, thanks to some rolling hills and ideal conditions, I was successful in doing so. By the beginning of the first night, Dawn and Michael were still my only crew, and since I wanted them to get some sleep I decided to continue on my own. This was probably the most surreal and enjoyable experience I had; running down the middle of the highway completely by myself, without a car in sight, looking at the black open ocean and a yellow moon above me. Having the support of a strong team is essential for successfully finishing adventures like this, but the enjoyment of being completely alone with nature especially at nightcan be unforgettable. It was so quiet at times I could hear a car coming from miles away. Sometimes the waves hitting the rocky coast were so loud I turned around thinking it may be a truck I somehow didn’t hear coming up behind me. After my friends Eugenie and Anthony joined us, Anthony and I ran 12-15 miles in the dark, we were now a team of 5; ready to begin the second day.

In the early morning hours of the second day, we were approaching the Bodega Bay area along the coast. I was expecting the weather (according to the forecasts) to be around 50-60s during the day, and mid-upper 30s at night. However, I, along with my team, were unpleasantly surprised to encounter temperatures as low as 24 degrees in some valley areas. I was wearing almost every item of warm clothing I had brought, and was still near shivering if I began to walk. The water in my hand bottles became so cold it would almost hurt to swallow, and my face became numb quickly. Fortunately I had Dawn running with me to share the frigid experience. We made it through the early morning hours, and was very pleased to see the faint pink sky that signaled the coming sunrise.

During the morning hours of the second day, and after dealing with some foot issues, I soon realized I was going to be closing in on the 100 mile mark sometime in the early afternoon. Mentally I tried to take everything in 10 mile increments, and this allowed me to run the first 100 miles in 26 hours and 30 minutes (my fastest 100 by around 7hours). I was very pleased with this pace, but knew in the back of my mind there was along and extremely difficult 50 miles ahead of me in Marin County. By the afternoon/early evening of the second day we had our complete team, ready to finish this adventure together.

To read the rest of Dave’s experience visit his Facebook page.

Here are some of the team’s  key accomplishments:

Races:

• The team is currently ranked 2nd in the nation – AR Power Rankings. They had a great chance to be ranked 1st but team member Cyril became ill at the US World Qualifier and the team finished 2nd. The runner-up finish has energized the team to work even harder in 2012 to stand on top of the rankings.
• Jeremy Rodgers qualified for US Canoe and Kayak Wildwater Team and  will represent the USA at the 2012 World Championships.
• Jeremy Rodgers won the Teva Games Downriver race – see the  race report
• Mari Chandler won her age group at the Duathlon long course World Championships despite coming off a 6 day non-stop race 2 weeks before and not owning a TT bike.
• Jen Segger won Ultraman Canada
• Jen Segger won the Whistler 50 mile ultrarun
• The team finished 3rd at the US World Championship Qualifier – race report
• The team finished 3rd (1st American) at the Canadian World Championship Qualifier – race report
• The team finished 7th (1st American) at the Switzerland World Championship Qualifier – race report

Additional accomplishments:

• DART-Nuun created an exciting Ultra endurance racing video.
• The team put on races including the Trioba adventure race and Malibu Day & Night trail runs and hosted events such as ProClub series of clinics in Seattle and mountain bike night ride clinics in Los Angeles)

For a complete list of the team’s race results and events visit the DART-Nuun site.

We wish Team DART-Nuun all the best on their 2012 adventures!

David Wronski

David  Wronski runs to test the human limits of endurance, and plans to be on a lifelong journey to see what those limits are. Running in a barefoot style (wearing Vibram FiveFingers) his last big adventure was the Brazil 135 Ultramarathon which was and will be his last organized ultramarathon race. After completing this distance in grueling mountain conditions, David knew his mission to search for a personal distance limit would have to take precedent over races. 135 miles is traditionally the longest non-stop race offered in the world on mountain trails (not including stage-races, or road races).

Upon completing the Brazil 135, which is a portion of Caminho Da Fe (Path of Faith) in the Serra Da Mantiqueira Mountains, David became the first person to ever complete a 135 mile race wearing only Vibrams. He is also the youngest finisher ever of the Brazil 135 and the life-changing experience has lead to more adventures.

On December 16th, 2011, David and a team of friends will begin a 150 mile adventure, running on the California Coastal Trail starting from Mendocino county, and ending in Sausalito, 150 miles later. When he completes this, he will move to the Tahoe Rim Trail 168 attempt in July of 2012. After a  successful completion of  that run, David plans to make a massive effort to break the record of the 211 mile John Muir Trail, by running non-stop.  David does not sleep at all on any of his attempts.  He only attempt single stage runs, and will be awake for 45-55 hours for the Coastal Trail attempt.

See more about David Wronski and his ultraruns at http://www.helpdavidrun.com/. Learn more about the Coastal Trail here.

Good luck, David!

Kevin reviewed our Snowflake Performance Beanie after a few days of skiing.  Check out what he has to say.

If you are an athlete, skier, rider, or outdoor enthusiast, then a Headsweats hat or beanie is perfect for you.  In the mountains, temperatures fluctuate rapidly.  One minute you might be sweating, doing a non-stop mogul run and the next, you are freezing, sitting on a eight minute chairlift ride back to the top.  Enter Headsweats.

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