Let it snow! And embarrassing secret/fact #1 of marathon running!

So winter finally hit Boston today with a lovely powdering of at least 4 inches of snow. While I love snow usually, it is really throws a wrench into normal running plans. It also means that I have to shovel the sidewalks (in Boston/Brookline, residents are responsible for shoveling the snow on the sidewalk....) and driveway at our condo building, which is such a joy. The DFMC run was already cancelled for today because of the snow, so I was largely on my own for the run. This is an older photo, but this is legit how Boston cleans the sidewalks they are responsible for....

After warming up for 30 minutes by shoveling the snow for the building, I somehow convinced myself to get out there for the planned 18 mile/29 kilometer run. My plan was to run the first 10-11 miles on my own, and then meet up at City Sports for TMRICE's Saturday morning run at 10am. That meant ~ 5 miles out of the city through Newton with a return through the dreaded Newton Hills trifecta from the marathon. Honestly, I thought about abandoning this run at least 3-4 times in the first few miles as I trudged through the slush and snow but decided to suck it up. Once I got to the Newton Hills, I was spurred on by all the other crazzies (runners) who were out there with me. It didn't hurt that I passed every single person I saw. "Heartbreak hill" was extremely challenging, especially with the difficult footing because of the snow but within a few minutes it was a distant memory. 

Made it to TMRICE on time but unfortunately even though there was a bunch of people there, no one was my pace or running my distance (thanks a lot Jill ;-)) The last 7-7.5 were lonely and difficult on the Charles, especially since the river was only plowed on the Boston side (thanks New Balance!) but the Cambridge side was a disaster. 

TMRICE gang pre-run!

Full details on the run here.

Some gross stuff to end the post! There are a few runner secrets/shameful facts when it comes to marathon running that no one wants to talk about or discuss. Today, one of the grosser ones, nipple bleeding during long runs, especially marathons. So first off, let's get this clear - I do not deal with this thanks to an amazing product called body glide. It is an amazing stick that prevents all sorts of chaffing and can help with blisters on your feet too. I was going to share a picture with you about nipple bleeding but that just seemed wrong. Anyways, if you decide to pick up running, don't forget your trusty anti-chafe stick.