Long Island here we come!

Tomorrow is the big day! Back to the 5K swing of things after a very long break. Cal, Denis and Lauren will also be running and I think we're going to get just about the best weather possible for an end of July weeknight. Should be around 78 degrees and sunny w/ some clouds. We ferry over at 4:50pm and hang around until race time. After the run Camp Harborview is hosting a BBQ w/ "live music" (an 80's band should not count as live music!) And following the race Cal and I can breathe easy because we're off on Friday to head out for Ash's bach party!

Here's a clip of long island, the route takes us from the top of the fat part out to the very point of one end and back. Should be really beautiful views in any case!

I downloaded a bunch of new tunes to keep me amped for the duration of this run, its an amalgamation for sure but I'm pretty psyched about it!

The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars

Guilty Girls - Buffalo Tom

Smile - Uncle Kracker (shut up its a good song)

Kiss With a Fist - Florence & The Machine

Paris - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Get Some - Lykke Li

Trouble on the Way - Mona

Young Blood - Naked & Famous

Right There - Nicole Scherzinger (who needs to come up with an easier stage name)

S&M - Rhianna

Home - Simplified

Fell in Love With a Girl - White Stripes

Due to my lack of preparation for this race, my motto this go round is going to be a constant mental replay of:

In June, I came in at 34:22, my goal for this month is to come in at 34:21 or less. This number needs to improve for the August 5 Miler to be any sort of success. So wish me luck and look for photos and updates beginning of next week.

In addition to dedicating each race to the memory of Grandpa Hudson, I'd like also to dedicate this month's race to John Neugent a new friend through the ALS Association of MA, soon to be new father and currently braving an ALS diagnosis. His brave battle is humbling, his excitement to be a new dad is beautiful and he is yet another reason that I run tomorrow to raise funds for ALS. So please donate to the Community Fund by clicking the link on the right to help all ALS patients and support givers alike, no amount is too small!

Thank you!

Fly in July

Happy July faithful readers! It's been just over a month since my last post, have you been dying to hear from me? Waiting for a Molly update with baited breathe?

The break between races this spring was very small, I pretty much had one every two weeks. But since the Krit classic in the beginning of June I have had a lengthy sabbatical. I could lie and say I have used the sabbatical to train and run in the heat but that would be a gross mistruth! I have run a few days here and there but nothing like the spring and certainly not as much or hard as I should be to prep for my next 3 races.

In 3 weeks, on July 28th I'll be running the Boston Harborthon 5K on Boston's Long Island. The ferry ships us over at 4:50pm and we'll run around the island in support of underprivileged inner city kids. My roommate Cal can be credited for finding this gem. I have never been to the Boston Islands in my almost 5 years living here so it will be interesting to see them and to see them while running should be beautiful, unless it rains but it can't possibly be colder than the April run in RI so I'll take it either way. And to celebrate Cal's first 5K we'll be off the next 3 days to party hard for A-Bake's Bachelorette Party! WOOHOO

Just 3 short weeks after that it will be time for the August Race. I have yet again gotten brave and signed up for another 5 Miler. This one the Puma 5 Miler in Westford, MA. I'll be running with the Laurens (Hudson & Williams). Thankfully its in the evening and hopefully it's not 9 million degrees! I trust with Lauren Power from my Laurens I'll be able to make it through.


To prep myself for these 2 races after such a long break I will be starting a one month boot camp this Saturday in Southie, and Mr. Andre Thomas has promised me the best body I have ever seen. I anticipate wanting to punch this man multiple times throughout the month but I have a bridesmaid dress to fit into and some races to run for Bumpa so I'm expecting him to keep his promise through my yelling and swearing.


And the weekend after the Puma 5 Miler, on Saturday the 27th I will be hosting the 1st of 2 fundraisers for the Richard W. Hudson Sr. Community of Hope Fund. To date I have over 38 prizes lined up, the Wall Warrior's Calendar is a week or two from print and Papagayo margaritas are calling my name! Please join me in raising some crazy money for the fund!


Once the 1st fundraiser is passed I'll be looking at a week's worth of vacation down the Cape, the 15th Annual ALS Cliff Walk with ALL of Hudson's Hoofers, Mel and Joe's wedding in Gloucester and DUN DUN DUN DUUUUNNNNN the Rugged Maniac 5K in Southwick, MA on Saturday, September 24th! 3.1 miles of muddy, sweaty, barbed wired madness and I CAN NOT WAIT! I have promised Ash not to show up to her wedding in a cast or with a black eye so training for that begins August 6th when boot camp ends, if you know of a sweet playground in your area let me know we have some recreating to do!

Check back soon for a playlist for the Harborthon sure to be replete with islandy jams and again shortly thereafter for race finish time and photos.

***June 19th, 2011 would have been he and my Gram's 63rd anniversary, July 4th, 2011 marked another year in honor of his service to our country with the Seabees and July 11th and July 17th, 2011 will be the 60th birthdays of his daughter in law and 1st born son and my Mum and Dad, Anne and Richard W. Hudson Jr so for these 4 milestones he missed and was missed dearly; please donate to the community of hope fund by clicking the link on the right and give the gift of comfort and support to another suffering from ALS***



June Jaunt

Happy June to you all!

This past Sunday was my June race. It was the Krit Classic III which took place in Andover, MA at the Andover High School. The race proceeds benefit scholarships for Andover athletes in the name of Krit who was a former Andover student that lost her life tragically in a bicycle accident on her way to work as a nurse.

Some interesting scientific news for you ... apparently a week's worth of vacation in Nantucket, ending with a harried ride from Hyannis to Franklin

immediately followed by an all day wedding shower/cookout/bachelorette party

DO NOT make for a great race the following morning at 9am!

The good news is that I completed it, I made a decent time (my worst to date but still under 35 mins) and it was a beautiful day and supported a great cause.

My finish time was 34:22, as mentioned my worse yet but with all the festivities behind me I am back on track for getting a killer race time in the July heat.

I still had bad luck with the photos but here's a small sampling of the day:

Check back in the coming weeks for training updates, race adds, playlists, photos and more.

Thank you to Lauren Mahler & Uncle Chuck and Aunt Sandy that donated during ALS Awareness month in May, you rock! and because of you and others like you I am up to $1,625 raised!

If you haven't donated yet please visit the fund page using the link on the right.



Fears, Cheers and Beers

The post has been delayed because of craziness at work but mark this as your official notice that I ran and completed the Harpoon 5 Miler ... and in addition beat my goal of finishing in under an hour with a net time of 51:57!

This race benefited the Angel Fund which is a Worcester based ALS fund with ties to Dr. Brown at UMass. For this reason I felt it extra important to have Grampa on my mind and with me while I ran so I made some inspiration to wear on my T-shirt.

I will not lie, I was petrified of this run. It was an almost completely flat course but for someone who is hard pressed to run 3 miles each month, an extra 2 was a really daunting obstacle. It was much smoother sailing than I expected and my shin splints played nice for the whole run. I have to assume Grampa was smiling down on me for things to have gone so well. I am very proud of my finish time, so much so that I have signed up for another 5 Miler in August.

Sadly the problem with this race was that I didn't have to drive so I couldn't store the camera anywhere and I certainly wasn't going to weigh myself down unnecessarily so there aren't anymore photos to share which is a shame because Harpoon put on a good party with lots of fun tents and funny team costumes. But my upcoming future races will require a drive of some sort so you'll be assured to get some better pictures than this go round.

Next week I'm off to Nantucket with the family so I hope to get in some good beach running/training while I am here because when I return ....

On June 5th I will be running the Krit Classic in Andover, MA in memory of a friend of a college friend that passed at far too young an age. In July you'll find me on the Boston Harbor Islands running a 5K to benefit children of the homeless and in August I'll be running with Lauren and Lauren out in Westford at the Puma headquarters in another 5 miler. So check in each month and follow along with my running and fundraising progress.

This summer is sure to be replete with hilarious training photos for the Rugged Maniac in August and more great playlists to steal.

Don't forget that May is ALS month, make a donation to the fund if you are able to benefit the ALS Association.

Thanks for following :)

5 Mile Style

After a week straight of miserable rainy weather I am ready to get out and run .... what I am not ready for is 5 miles of said running. EEEEEK! However I will rally and attempt to not be the last person to cross the finish line haha.

In order to complete 2 more miles than I am used to, I have enlisted a varietous (its a word now!) playlist strategically placing certain songs at carefully plotted points along my run so here goes, here's hoping I can finish in under and hour and without dying ... the promise of 5 beers to follow should help me make it through :)

I'm starting things off with a little poppy country:

My Oh My - The Wreckers (as a my oh my what the hell am I doing?)

And then diving in for the next 30 minutes with a little of this:

You Don't Know What Love Is - White Stripes

Wild Nights - Van Morrison

Diplomat's Son - Vampire Weekend

Don't Do Me Like That - Tom Petty

Life By The Drop - Stevie Ray Vaughn

Fire Burning on the Dancefloor - Sean Kingston (weird transition to keep me on my toes)

Rude Boy - Rhianna (cuz boys are indeed rude!)

Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen (arguably one of the best songs ever produced)

AND THEN AT WHAT IS USUALLY MY 5K FINISH TIME:

My Body - Young the Giant

(probably the best motivational song for a runner ever, which I will desperately need in the face of 2 more miles to go)

Nine in the Afternoon - Panic at the Disco

Love Me Dead - Ludo

Girls on Trampolines - Ludo

Bulletproof - La Roux

Wavin' Flag - Knaan (if it can inspire South Africa it has to do something for me right?)

Knock you Down - Keri Hilson

I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked - Ida Maria (awesome pump up song)

Cookie Jar - Gym Class Heroes

Like a G6 - Far East Movement

CUZ ILL BE LIKE A G6 CROSSING THAT DAMN FINISH LINE TO GET TO MY BEER!

Now this is a little over 1 hour of music, if I hit My Oh My again I know I have been too slow. So pray for me on Satruday, cheer for me on Sunday and if the world ends before this stupid race I am going to be really P O'ed at G-O-D because I'm amped up and scared out of my mind at the same time ...  for the race not the end of the world so stop trying to steal my thunder Jesus!

And dont forget its ALS Awareness Month and the Harpoon 5 Miler benefits the ALS Angel fund so this weekend is all about raising money and awareness for ALS so please visit the fund link and make a donation if you are able!

Thanks and check back Monday for photos, finish time and funny stories I'm sure! Happy weekend all!