Hills

Not only do you have to charge up them, you have to keep going strongly over the other side.

Runners are happy to give advice and tips and I'm usually eager to listen. One of the most common bits of advice I've been given, more than any other in my preparation for Boston, is to run hills. Practice not only running up them, but down them. The Boston Marathon is well known for the Newton Hills that rise to a crescendo at Heartbreak Hill but what many don't realize is the reason these hills hurt so bad is because the first 16 miles are run mostly down hill! That can be tough on the quads!

One of my favorite loops takes me up Farm Street in Wakefield then down Main Street in Saugus, about a mile up and a mile down each side. If you hit it with a few miles in your legs, and run it strongly, you can really feel a good burn in your legs and lungs.

Down the backside I usually fly by the Elks Lodge in Saugus but, Saturday May 7th, it's going to be a destination. Friends we've met through the Jett Foundation will be hosting Beat Duchenne, an evening of music and fun featuring Acme Music Trio right along side a hill that has led me to Boston. Check out their website and consider going or supporting them.

I've often said running is the easy part but, really, it's easier to climb the hill together while rocking it out.