Marathon Monday is without a doubt the best day of the year to be in Boston. I literally don’t have a voice today from screaming for HOURS, but it was totally worth it. Yesterday could not have been more beautiful, weather wise. We set out early to get a prime spot at the corner of Hereford and Newbury Streets, and except for a quick lunch at Sonsie, we spent the entire day there.
Being a marathon spectator is tiring! I did all sorts of jumping up and down and screaming as the inspiring wheelchair racers came flying through.
I followed the Boston Marathon stream on Twitter and quickly became the source of news for everyone around us. As Americans Desiree Davila and Ryan Hall took the lead in their respective races, we just got more and more excited. Davila came up Hereford Street strong on the heels of the eventual winner, Kenyan Caroline Kilel. The crowd was electric as these two came through!
Not far after the elite women were the first elite men. You could feel the tension in the air as Geoffrey Mutai and Moses Musop came up Hereford Street. They were there and gone in seconds.
We waited for Ryan Hall to come running through. He finished an impressive fourth with the fastest marathon time of any American in any conditions.
Watching the elite runners was fascinating; they are in serious shape! But my favorite parts of the day were definitely when the regular runners came through. I loved yelling out people’s names or charities and seeing their faces light up with recognition. It was fun to help runners with that final push up and around the corner until they saw the finish line. I know from experience just how difficult that moment can be and how far away the finish line can seem.
Lunch at Sonsie followed our marathon spectating. I love Sonsie for its laid back, European feel and the doors that open on to Newbury Street.
I had my first Sam Adams Summer Ale of the season. . . and then decided I don’t really like it!
Lunch was fantastic. We shared the asparagus and beet salad with flower blossom chevre. The chevre was so rich and creamy that we ended up scraping every last bit from the plate. The asparagus was grilled, a definite nod to summer.
We also shared one of Sonsie’s pizzas, mushroom with caramelized onion, mozzarella and brie. I adore the pizzas at Sonsie, and this was a great combination of flavors.
We finished the day with a 3.5 mile walk home and some sushi. Spectating is exhausting work! I am inspired to start running again, once I figure out a time I can be away from my computer.
Ever since I started working from home, and especially since I have gotten more work, it is easier and easier to sit at my laptop for just another hour. . . and then the day is gone. I think everyone assumes that once you have a flexible work schedule you can just do whatever you want and have plenty of time to exercise. I am actually finding the structure of a full time job made me work out more. My days now are unpredictable and always changing, so it’s been really tough fitting workouts in, and I really want to figure it out. I am also a really bad sleeper which in turn makes me exhausted most days thus repeating the cycle of not working out.
How do you find/make time to work out?
Tags: beer, Boston, Boston Marathon, Food
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Watching the marathon is tiring- and sometimes when I’m focusing too hard to find someone I know, I get a headache haha. I’m sure it’s much harder for the runners, of course 🙂
I’m going to agree with Michelle that I think your best bet is probably the morning 🙂 That way you’ve got a work out done before you even start working. I always struggle with this because I’m most productive in the morning so I never know which of the important things I need to do (including working out) I should do first!
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I’m sorry I missed you out there! I was looking for people, but it’s sooooo crowded… and I was in pretty rough shape by the time I got to Hereford!
The past few years I’ve been a spectator on the corner of Hereford and Commonwealth, it’s such a great spot to cheer people on…. they’re so close to finishing and they know it.
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Such a gorgeous day! I did a lot of spectating too — at the game and the marathon… and I have a sunburn to show for it!
We have been trying really hard to get back into working out regularly. On weekends, we try to get moving early and get a run in first thing so we don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. Usually I feel inspired to do yoga afterward to stretch out. On weekdays, it’s much harder. We have to motivate ourselves to get out for a run right after work or we become couch potatoes.
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Fun day!! I was so hoping to get in and be a spectator, but the hubs had to work in the morning so he didnt get home until noon and it was just too late to try by then, but we did havea nice afternoon. However its been too long since I’ve watched the marathon and I realy want to next year!
Yeah I agree with the others…sounds like first thing in the morning would be the best for you. Or schedule it into your day like you would any meeting. Also depending on what you want to do, like if you wanted to take a class, those are at set times so you’d have to make a point to be there, then if say your taking Body Pump at the gym you could go earlier to get in a run before (or after class). Or plan it around another errand, like grocery shopping, or even a planned “treat” after..like treat yourself to a yummy coffee or iced tea after your workout. Once you start it will be easier. You could also get into your workout clothes first thign in the AM, so thats one step in the right direction.
Wow that was quite the rambling answer haha. Just think once you start working out, it should help with your sleep!
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Seriously!!! better coverage of the marathon than most major news networks… Lunch is the time I workout or 6pm. I can never workout on an empty stomach. I used to in high-school, but always felt nauseous. At lunch or at 6pm – my stomach has woken up and I can workout without feeling sick. Also, a workout at that time of day is like a second-wind – no 2:30 slump ever.
just my $0.02 = but great job on the photos and the coverage of the marathon.
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It was such a gorgeous day! I think next year I may take the day off so I can truly experience it 🙂
I think it’s really important to add exercise to your schedule and not be available during that time. Like if a meeting/call comes up – say you’re not around 12-1… or whatever other time slot is best for you. I feel like it should be easier without a boss standing over your head or scheduling a last minute meeting you can’t get out of. Maybe I’m dreaming though. It’s definitely tough to get workouts in no matter what the (working) situation is unless you make it a priority.-
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