Caitlin Milbury is a fellow Core Fusion teacher, Ruckus Race teammate and one of the funniest people I know. She is planning to run the NYC Marathon next month and is guest posting her story here today. Love her playlist and want more Milbury? You can take a Core Fusion class with Caitlin this week at exhale Battery Wharf or Back Bay.
Caitlin’s Top Running Songs:
Caitlin’s Story
After a cup of hot coffee and a cliff bar I look at the clock and realize it’s now or never. I lace up my bright red and yellow Asics and reach for Watson’s leash, a welcome replacement to my ipod in recent months. The first breath of morning air fills my lungs and I am invigorated. My mind and body know this feeling well and Watson and I find a rhythm almost immediately. We keep a moderate pace to ensure we have time to digest the visual feast of the autum morning before us. After my GPS watch beeps indicating we have just clocked mile one, I look down at a set of two different colored eyes and a big tongue hanging out the side of Watson’s mouth and exclaim in my highest pitched baby voice. “Are we going to go for a run, Watson?! Yes we are, yes we are!!”
As a young adult I feared running as a direct response to my big sister Alison. It all began the day I witnessed Alison elbow a fellow runner and friend directly in the ribs at the finish line of the Lynnfield, July 4th 5k race. Alison won her age group that year and just about every other year she has run. Alison defines competitive and as a younger sister, I always felt like I had to live up to her standards. That day, I officially decided I wanted OUT of running races. So every year, my family would walk down to the center of town and get their bibs together while I pretended that I preferred a cinnamon raisin bagel and cartoons. I always felt a twinge of jealousy, but never enough to join.
My oldest brother Owen was the first person to convince me to run a race in 2007. I had just graduated College and without organized sports, signing up for a half marathon was just the motivation I needed to stay in shape. The training was long and arduous at times, but Owen and I spent many a morning along the Charles River chatting about life as we passed a bag of Mike and Ikes back and forth (critical for keeping both your blood sugar and morale up). When we crossed the finish line, the sense of accomplishment and pride was like nothing I had felt before. I get it! Running races doesn’t have to be about winning or be the fastest, it’s about the experience!
In 2008, Owen and I signed up for our first full marathon in Washington DC. Marathon training is not joke. You make a plan and you stick to it. You cut the weekend partying (to a minimum) and you focus on eating healthy and getting the necessary sleep to complete each long run. Two nights before marathon day while I was trying to catch some critical Z’s, Luke, my second oldest sibling decided that HE TOO would run the marathon. Alison, who dropped out of training due to a fracture in her foot was more than happy to sell her bib to Luke (for more than face value of course). Luke had completed the DC marathon two years prior but was rushed to first aid due to dehydration. As a result, he swore off running. In fact, the only sneakers Luke had that weekend still had the timing chip on the laces from the race two years prior. “Luke, you can’t just run a marathon without training,” I pleaded. “Yes, I can” he assured me.
Luke joined the earlier risers and headed to the start line. He held pace for the first 2 miles, but then suggested we go ahead. I felt relieved that Luke had decided to use his better judgment and drop out. I spent the next several miles focusing on enjoying the experience and giving my best friend and brother a celebratory high five as we conquered one mile at a time. At around mile 15 my rhythm was broken when I heard, “OWEN! CAITLIN!” I recognized the voice as my sister’s and turned around to find Luke running alongside her with a grin I will never be able to erase from my memory. My three siblings, my best friend, and I spent the next 11.2 miles together high fiving and declaring, “Milbury Rules” over and over.
I am presently training for the NYC Marathon that will take place on November 6th2011. As training comes to a climax sure there are days I am exhausted, but overall I find myself more present in my everyday life. The mere act of running forces me to remain focused and present, skills that are increasingly under practiced in the age of the Iphone. Some may say I’m crazy to run 26.2, but trust me, running a race trumps watching TV any day of the week.
I have decided to run for the Nature Conservancy in honor of my late uncle who was a passionate runner and conservationist. I am committed to raising 3,500 dollars for the Conservancy. If you would like to make a donation, please follow the link below…
http://www.crowdrise.com/NatureConservancyNYC/fundraiser/CaitlinMilbury
Thanks!
Caitlin
[mindbodyblissful.com]
