Run up Peaked Mtn in New Hampshire

And the countdown begins...

I can't believe Boston is only 5 days away. We made the drive up to New Hampshire finally. It was a long, but uneventful drive. It's so dead up here. Spring/Mud season is the slowest season up here, so North Conway is empty. It's kind of nice. I always like the slow months up here. Snow is still everywhere in the high elevations and all over the ground in the valley, as well. John's been enjoying sledding on the snow mound left in the driveway. It's hard to believe we left full-on spring last week to hit the end of winter up here, but I like it.

This weekend is going to be busy. I spent an hour or so this morning getting logistics in place for the entire weekend, and I still don't know if it will work out as planned. We're making the drive down to Massachusetts tomorrow, and I'm going to hit the Expo/packet pick-up shortly after it opens. I can't stand being indoors in a huge mass of people so I've heard Friday is the day to do that. I don't care too much about the expo since I can't really afford anything, but I do want to check out the Running Skirts skirt bar booth just to see the new collection in person. I doubt I'll buy a new skirt, it looks like I'll be sticking with my cheetah print skirt I got off their sale page. (See photo below. Disregard the shirt, though.)

After the expo, I'll see if I have time to hit Mike's Pastry to grab a dozen cannoli before jumping back on the Greenbush Commuter Rail.
Saturday morning, I'll be up bright and early to head back into the city to do Pat's Run Boston Shadow Run. Pat's Run takes place at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ to honor the life of Pat Tillman and to support the Pat Tillman Foundation. This year, ASU alumni have organized "shadow" runs all across the country to run non-competitive 4.2 mile runs to coincide with the official run in Arizona. The Boston run will begin in Cambridge and run an out-and-back along the Charles River.
I've wanted to do Pat's Run ever since I snagged one of the San Jose Pat's Run shirts at a thrift store in Monterey, Ca. I didn't realize at first what the race was for; it just looked like a good long-sleeve technical shirt I could use for running. I was totally unaware that "Pat's Run" was for Pat Tillman when I wore it for the Big Sur 2009 10.6 miler.

 I later noticed the back said the Pat Tillman Foundation on it and got it. I feel like I'm honoring Pat Tillman every time I wear it, even if it's just to keep people aware of him. I'll be getting the official 2011 race shirt to wear on Saturday, and as I run, I'll be thinking of him. If you don't know much about Pat Tillman, I recommend either Jon Krakauer's book, Where Men Win Glory. Be warned it will bring you to tears and anger, but it's a story that needed to be told.
After Pat's Run on Saturday, I'll probably hit the after-party and then hopefully, John and Bryan can meet me to go to the Children's Museum or hit the playground at Boston Common. It should be a good day.
Sunday will be low-key. I'll hang out in Marshfield mostly, maybe go for a walk with the dogs along the beach. I'll need to hit Whole Foods to grab a few more food items, but that's about it. I'll attempt to go to bed early, but who really sleeps the night before a marathon? Especially Boston.
Monday, I'll head up to Braintree to catch the Colonial Road Runners bus to Hopkinton, and there the final countdown will begin....