It took about a minute and a half for the green route to go across my screen but it took three hours and 23 minutes to run it. Felt great. Now my muscles need some serious recovery.
Another email to my colleagues running the Boston Marathon
From: Kaye, Eric
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2012 10:39 AM
To: , Michael; , Emily T.; , Katherine; , Jacqueline; , Megan Eileen; , Sydney K.; , Katherine
Subject: Marathon Weekend Guide - Appendix A
I came in this morning to find the Marathon Weekend Guide right in front of my computer — on the day before the one month mark to the Marathon — and I’m not supposed to stress a little bit? It’s going to get crazy over the next 31 days so I hope a lot of this is also helpful for you.
Lesson A. Keep everything in one place.
Put those medical forms in your desk and leave them there. Do not move anything. Just keep everything in one place. Take care of your DFMC check-in on Friday April 13th. Go straight from work to the Marriott. That way you have all of the forms you need at your desk already.
Lesson B. Take a half day on that Friday.
The week leading up to the Marathon will be very distracting. Everyone in the office will keep asking you “Are you ready?” You may have some difficulty holding back from punching them when they ask that question. What do they expect you to say? Set up your week ahead of time so you’ll have a lot of work to get done Monday to Thursday. By 3:00 PM Thursday you will not have the head to focus on any work. Therefore, before you hit the wall in the office, do your best to stay distracted by work and not by checking the 10-day forecast. Try to leave the office by 1 or 2, and head over to the Marriott for DFMC check-in that Friday.
Lesson C. Ways to fit in over the weekend.
I’m not a superstitious runner, but, if you are, you need to know a couple things. 1. Do not wear your DFMC singlet during a run or race before the Marathon. And 2. Do not wear the Adidas long sleeve tech shirt on race day. That’s a common rule anyways — it’s “bad luck” to wear the race shirt on race day. Just making sure you all look the part, too.
Most runners look super intense at the expo so don’t get distracted by how un-cool most people are. At the expo, remember to: 1. Get the adidas poster. 2. Don’t buy any shirts with the words “wicked,” “pissah,” “hahhhtbreak,” or anything that just has the awful vernacular of the Boston accent. 3. Bring another bag because you will probably buy a lot of stuff and you don’t want the Marathon bag to rip before you even get to Hopkinton. 4. take lots of photos. 5. get your expo shopping done before Saturday afternoon. It gets really hectic in the expo after 2 PM on Saturday. You can’t move around in there.
Lesson D. Practice your sleep.
You are going to have so much nervous energy. Make sure that by Sunday night, the moment you hit your bed, you fall asleep immediately. Wake up early Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You’ll be sleepy by the Pasta Party.
Lesson E. Don’t be late
The bus ride to Hopkinton is going to take a LONG TIME. Even if you are at the line for the busses by 6 AM you still won’t get to Hopkinton until about 9:15 AM. Pay a friend to drive you to the bus in the morning. Get in line by 5:30 AM.
Lesson F. It’s fun.
When else in your life will thousands and thousands of people cheer your name? It’s a weekend long party and you need to approach it that way. Get ready for it to be fun.
Israel last week (via msnbc). Good thing I am going there in the summer. It’s going to be so hot. Do you want to go to? Find out more here: Mission-to-Israel.
And he didn’t mention my Jimmy Memorial Golf Tournament…bummer. I’ve been fortunate to hear him talk many times and I hope you take a listen too. Watch here.
“If it weren’t for the bravery of a hotel worker who risked his life to drag her to safety, she would have.”
If I were at TED2011, I would have heard the presentation behind, “I wish this was.” What a thought provoking sticker. I know I have asked myself that question countless of times—in fact a few times this past week since two lunch places have closed near my office.
As my mind wandered today on the T, taking the shuttle from my office, reading through emails, walking to Trader Joes, and elsewhere, I looked at everything a little differently. As I said, it’s thought provoking. Here are a few of stickers I would have posted around today.
“I wish this was were a neighborhood that paid attention.” @ Stop sign. There haven’t been a lot of homeless people begging by Starbucks recently, but maybe we all should think again about acknowledging the people who we don’t even make eye contact with.
“I wish this was were curable.” @ Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Just saying this today made me feel more engaged with my work and Dana-Farber’s mission. Reminded me of a the ‘Create a plan to lose your job’ challenge during NextGen:Charity last year. Which, for me, would mean that we’ve made cancer very curable. That is our goal, right?
“I wish this was not a vending machine.” @ Office. It is time for me to stop finding the lazy snack option. Does anyone think it would be crazy to have fresh fruit readily available in offices? What are the healthier options other than Peanut M&M’s?
“I wish this was April already. Or spring.” @ Everywhere. A few weeks. I know. This winter has hung around for too long. April is going to be a big month, so I’ll be patient. But can it warm up already? Will the snow melt? Please?
Where would you put a sticker?
Carbo-loading; Just maybe the weather screws me over again…
Back in December, I was holding my first fundraising event: A milk and cookies brunch at a Restaurant in Boston. I had some great bakers enter the contest, which would be judged by all guests who attended the event. I got to sample many of the cookies a day or two before the event and everything was looking good until Boston got 12 inches of snow the morning of. 15 brave souls showed up, not counting my mom.
Now, I am hoping to redeem myself this Saturday with a carbo-loading brunch. Bagels, muffins, cookies, and cupcakes—same restaurant (Dillons on Boylston St) and from 12pm - 2pm— to help raise money for Children’s Hospital Boston and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Still all that charity doesn’t seem good enough for the weather gods. Forecast for Saturday: Showers, and a chance of wet snowflakes. FML. April 17 and a chance of wet snowflakes??
It’s all still going as planned though. Boston runners, yes many of you, stop by the Expo and then come to my event. I can promise you will be fed well. You’ll have and ample supply carbs. A chance to talk to other Boston Marathon runners. And the opportunity to help two world class hospitals and care centers, right here in Boston. So, I left the link to the event above, and here’s a map for Dillons (right across the street from Hynes). To see how close I am to my fundraising goal, please see my fundraising page, www.rundfmc.org/2010/erick.
I love that you can see tiny specs of color stretching all the way through the photo—sucks that those runners had to run up hill even before the starting line. I still can’t figure out if I knew there was someone taking a photo or if I just always look that badass.
Just came across this. I want to do this after Boston…so many good choices.
Christmas Cookies!
If you are a fan of cookies, and not of this snow in Boston, come to Dillon’s this morning! Reblogging cookies and later eating ‘em.
Boston - Dillon’s - 11am to 2pm - Cookies - Milk - Hot Chocolate…to help cure cancer www.rundfmc.org/2010/erick.
