New England Running: The Great Stew Chase!

This weekend, my mom, my brother, and I drove out to Lynn, MA so that Dave and I could run The Great Stew Chase, a 15K road race that is held every year. Usually, it takes place in February, but due to the amount of snow that we got this year, it had to be rescheduled to March. The field was very small, and it was not the most beautiful course, but overall the experience was great! Especially after running the Hyannis Marathon last month (which was organized horribly), I really appreciated how much support there was for the runners.

For an entry fee of only $12 (or $25 if you wanted a sweatshirt), runners gathered at the starting line and waited for the signal to start- the blare of someone's car horn. Lynn police officers were stationed along the way to ensure that traffic was stopped, and there were volunteers along the way to point corners. At the end of the race, stew, rolls, and cookies were provided for all of the runners as part of the entry fee, courtesy of the Lynn Athletic Club. Especially with small events like this (I think there were only around 150 runners), it is often difficult to find vegetarian options, and if they are available there often is only a small amount. There was no such problem with this race- and the stew was goooood. Especially after nine miles in the cold.

I've never really run a race this small before, but the feel of it was really nice. People don't take it so seriously, everyone is friendly, and it was much more laid back. One woman ran with her dog, which is something that is usually prohibited. Of course, I instantly fell in love with her and was covered in dog hair by the time she and her owner left. (Ah, I can't wait to get my own dog.. someday.) Running with Dave for his first road race was nice as well. He runs quite a bit, but hasn't entered a race since high school track. I have to say that it was a little frustrating trying to keep with his fast-slow-fast-slow pace, but I wanted to stay with him. Towards the last few miles, we were both really pushing, and he eventually pulled ahead of me. I was pretty annoyed when we got to the finish and didn't bring it in together, the way that we ran the race. It wasn't until after I went through and got my water at the car that I looked at him and realized that it was stupid of me to feel that way; this was his first race, and if he could have pushed it for a better time and left me in the dust, then it was silly of me to be irritated by that. I don't know how he feels about running more races, but if we do another one, I'd bet that we don't stay together for the duration.

So congrats to the little brother on his first race, kudos to the Lynn Athletic Club for putting on such an enjoyable run, and as always, a thanks to my mom, who so patiently drives us out to sit and wait at the finish line.

Already Tuesday. Countdown to graduation: 45.

We're gettin' there.

R.

Let's All Forget About Sarah Palin

and remember Geraldine Ferraro.

La Primera

Hello, World of the Blog-o-sphere.

Today is Saturday, the 26th of March, 2011- the first post of Fish and Bikes! In the midst of some soul-searching, the consideration of my upcoming graduation, and my decision to move West over the next few months, I have made the decision to deactivate my Facebook and try to keep up with writing a blog instead. I anticipate that the Facebook will be back in action over the next few months, but it was time for a break.

It is interesting to think about what Facebook has done for our real relationships with people. As I was discussing with my lovely friend Risa the other day (find her blog here), it seems to create a lovely index of every person that you have ever met while sort of creating a false sense of connection. You no longer need to call/email/write/text someone to see what they are up to; instead, you can find out everything that is going on in their life by going to their page. Before you know it, months have gone by without contact, but Facebook has already informed you that they broke up with their boyfriend, got back together, completed finals successfully, and are out for dinner to celebrate their mom's birthday.

There is probably some hypocrisy in making that conclusion as I'm starting a blog. And really, the Facebook will be back eventually. This is more of a test for myself to try to be more thoughtful and genuine in my own relationships. We'll see how it goes.

In other news, spring break is over and there are only a few weeks of classes left. I spent my break in Naples, FL with my grandparents, overlapping for a few days with one of my cousins. It was a nice relaxing break, much needed in the busy schedule that I have been negotiating this year. It was sad to fly into Boston with snow falling, but spring is just about here, and with it my move from the East Coast.

I believe that's enough for Day One. Hope you stick around and enjoy the ride.


Sincerely,
R.