Twenty Miles ... & Chocolate!

My alarm went off at 4:45am this morning.  Thats earlier than I woke up all week.  By 6:30am, I was at my running partner Nancy's ready to run.  Nance had told me about her neighbor who she's been running with a lot.  Kristen is super fast and I was up for the challenge.  Nancy and Kristen are planning on running Providence and they wanted to do 20 today.  I wanted to do 18 but deep down if I did the whole 20 I wasn't going to be disappointed.  At 6:30, us three ran four miles and watched the sun come up.  While running around the neighborhood, we realized it was hot.  Like almost 50 degrees hot.  When we got back to Nancys, our other friend Leslie was waiting for us.  (Leslie isn't training for anything so she didn't want to do as much). We all quickly stripped down to t's, grabbed our water bottles and off we went.  I can tell you right now I'm shocked how great I felt.  We probably stopped for about 4 minutes at Nancy's around mile 4 and then didn't stop again until Mile 15 where we refilled water at Dunkin' Donuts.  We ended up with about 6 minutes total of stoppage time.  But 8 of these 20 miles were under the 9 minute pace. I can't be more pleased!  I did try to quit on the girls at the end, but they wouldn't let me.  Even slowing down to make me stay with them.  This is the confidence boast I needed.  I can do this on April 18th, and I will!!  Here's the key- run with people who are faster than you and you will get faster too! (Beck- can't wait for you to join us!)

20 Miles/3:04:37/9:14 pace!!!!

Mile 1: 9:02

Mile 2: 9:05

Mile 3: 9:10

Mile 4: 8:52

(~4 min break, not timed)

Mile 5: 8:54

Mile 6: 8:50

Mile 7: 8:58

Mile 8: 8:47

Mile 9: 8:36

Mile 10: 8:39

Mile 11: 9:03

Mile 12: 9:04

Mile 13: 8:58

13.10 Miles 1:56!!!!!!! 

(not including the break we took at Mile 4 to strip/grab water, prob 4 min)

Mile 14: 10:06 (HUGEEE HILLLL)

Mile 15: 9:23

Mile 16: 9:05

Mile 17: 10:07

Mile 18: 10:06

Mile 19: 10:10

Mile 20: 9:40

When I got home I had very limited time before heading into Boston for Gretchens baby shower at the Langham Hotel. Have you heard of the Chocolate bar at Cafe Flueri inside the Langham?  Well it was pretty amazing!  I'll let the pictures do the talking...

 And below are my plates.  I got several goodies and a vanilla crepe with berries and bananas!! Yum!

 Gretchen is only 7 weeks away from her due date and in these pictures you can barely tell she is pregnant!

If you haven't checked out Cafe Fleuri in Boston, you should.  A buffet of the most delicious desserts you could ever imagine= heaven.  And I'm not even a sweets girl!!!

I've had quite a Saturday and its not over yet.  (I also shopped at the Loft with bff Courtney and made Seafood Lasagna). Now off to hang out with my girlfriends.  Let's hope I don't fall asleep on them.  Happy Saturday!