The Fast Road to the Boston Marathon

One of the world's oldest annual marathons and most prestigious road races, the Boston Marathon, takes place this coming Monday, April 20th. To gain entry via qualification is a major feather in the cap of any racer. In 2015 we have 2 Canadian Mudd Queens racing among the most elite runners in the entire world. Jen Milligan is 35 and from Ottawa, Ontario and Darcy (Patronus) Yee is 48 and also from Ottawa. We sat down with these fiercely fast women to talk to them about what it took to embark on such a phenomenal athletic endeavour.

CMQ: Have you participated in the Boston Marathon before?

Darcy: This is my first Boston. I qualified in Ottawa running my second marathon. I look forward to everything about Boston: the buzz, the expo, the crowds (especially the screaming girls at Wesley who you can hear apparently a mile before you enter the campus), the hills, and the challenge of making it up Heart Break Hill! I want to go to Fenway that afternoon!

Jen: I have run the Boston Marathon once before.

CMQ: What does it mean to you to run the Boston Marathon?

Darcy: I’m not really a natural athlete, and I certainly never thought of myself as a distance runner. I’m short, not amazingly strong, nor amazingly fast, and in all honesty, not amazingly anything. I was also described as ‘very coachable’ as a kid. I like to train and learn things.  So my athletic journey was full of ‘good try’ and ‘way to go’ acknowledgements. Achieving a Boston Qualifier was the first time I ever achieved a standard. I felt a bit like Sally Field at the Oscars, “You really like me” or rather “I’m really not that bad”.  To make it to Boston, is going to be my Olympics. I’m to go remember it and embrace it!

Jen: Having run Boston before it is a pretty amazing experience that you don’t get at other races.  Having people lined the streets, cheering you on, holding up signs, kids giving you freezies and oranges, and there is never break of people.  People are literally cheering you on every step of the way, even as you are walking to the start line you have people holding signs and cheering you on.

CMQ: Did you follow a special training plan to prepare for Boston?

Darcy: I followed a 15 week marathon training program that asked for 3 runs a week: LSD, hill/800m repeats, tempo run. It is also a program where the long runs are based on duration rather than distance. There was as sense of flexibility that I felt most suited the household rhythm (working full time, spouse who works shift/weekends, preschooler). It is a training program set out by Benji Durden. I also continued CrossFit 3 times a week and a OCR specific training session once a week in addition to my running.

Jen: The training plan I use is the Boston Bound one from Hal Higdon. I’ve used his programs before and I really liked them.  A typical week would be running 5-6 times, Monday’s were either a rest from running or a light run and I would just take it week by week depending on how I felt after the Sunday run.  I was also doing Crossfit 3-4 times a week and Yin Yoga once a week.

 

Jen Milligan

CMQ: Nutrition is a key element to this elite level of running. With all your mileage you've been logging what are some of your favourite meals to properly fuel your body?

Darcy: I don’t follow a specific meal plan/diet. I used to try to be stricter with what I ate, but I felt it caused me more stress than anything. In general, the only things I avoid is processed sugars/foods. I eat all sorts of grains, dairy, meats, veggies, fruits. But really nothing is forbidden. My husband would say I enjoy chips a bit too much...but that is another topic!

Jen: My favourite dinner would be fish, sweet potato and broccoli or asparagus and milk.  I’m not very pick so I will pretty much eat anything.  I would have a banana before I go out for my run in the morning if it was under 10km then Oatmeal for breakfast with homemade muffin and OJ.  Another snack in the morning, lunch would be a sandwich or leftovers, then another snack in the afternoon which is either Berries and greek yogurt or a smoothie with greek yogurt.  Then dinner time and for a bedtime snack I usually have Almond  butter on crackers or graham crackers with some sort of little chocolate and maybe some jube jubes.  I also try and drink a lot of water through out the day and I have one or two teas as well.

CMQ: What types of things do you do to stay relaxed and stave off injuries during your training regimen?

Darcy: I realized from training for my last marathon that I must embrace my rest days. I used think I had to push through the pain and fatigue; but I realize now that I cannot. I actually use CrossFit as a form of active recovery. More often or not I scale the WODs, but the Monday after my long runs I actually feel better after CrossFit! Because my knee and feet have a history of bothering me, I am obsessively diligent about stretching my calves and dynamic balance work which I do a bit daily. Also, I wear a plantar fascia night splint during my marathon training.

Jen: Me, relax? (Laughs) This is something with which I struggle. I actually started my marathon training later because I was coming back from a back injury that left me doing very little for about 6 weeks.  I started doing yoga once week and incorporated more rolling and stretching into my daily activities and I have found that has helped.  I am still not 100% but I am feeling stronger each day.  I am lucky to have an amazing physiotherapist and massage therapist and good friends that try and keep in line when I want to go do something I should not.

CMQ: What are your personal goals for the Boston Marathon?

Darcy: I will be very happy to finish in 4:15 considering it is an unfamiliar and hilly course.

Jen: Before my injury I was hoping to qualify in Boston for the Boston Marathon next year so I would need to finish in under 3 hrs 40 min.  I have decided to go into Boston and not worry about my time and just have fun with it like I did last year. I am going to take it all in and enjoy the experience.

CMQ: How do you juggle your training with the daily responsibilities of life?

Darcy: This is by far the biggest challenge as I would love to set a schedule and get into a groove. But my husband works shifts and our son has his schedule too. I’m self-employed, so there is some flexibility in terms of when I can end my day, and fit in training before I resume my role as a parent. I also learned that I can break up a long run into 2 parts in a single day if needed, or complete back to back runs to ensure I have time on my feet. Ultimately, I have also learned not to stress if I have to give up a training run because stuff happens.

Jen: I don’t have any kids so makes training a lot easier for me. My work has very flexible hours so I fit it in even if I have to get up at 5 am for a run.

CMQ: Who are your biggest supporters?

 

Darcy (Patronus) Yee

Darcy: By far my biggest supporters are my husband and son. Andrew ensures our wee man is taken care of as I do my thing (whether it is training or a weekend trip); moreover, if our son was not so accepting of what we ask of him I would not be doing any of this. I would be amiss if I did not mention some amazing friends who happily take Dexter and essentially adopt him for a night or day if needed. Thanks to SC and KC.  Finally, I have a couple of friends and clients who consistently ask about my training and my next big race. They seem to enjoy hearing me recount the minutia of my crazy goals and sincerely treat me like an Olympian. I think everyone needs a Dorota and Nikolai in his/her life. I will also be thinking of them at Boston.

Jen: I would have to say the ladies I met through the Canadian Mudd Queens.  The ones I speak with on a daily basis keep me line, even though they probably get annoyed with all my questions. They make me think twice of doing something when I know I shouldn’t be.

CMQ: Do you have any lucky race day traditions you follow before a big race?

Darcy: I used to have more some, but I learned to simplify things.  A couple of years ago, it was the night before a race, and my son was up most of the night generally feeling unwell. I think I finally fell asleep at 4am, only to have to wake up at 6am to run a half marathon. I wanted to blow off the race, but my husband encouraged me to go anyway, and said he would take Dexter down to see me if he felt better. I threw on my gear, and ran out the door. I think I even just ate in the car. There was no getting into the zone, time to get nervous, fuss with my shoes/socks/hair. I think I even peed in an alley because I didn’t have time to get to a port a potty. Anyway, it was a really great feeling race. The boys even made it out to see me on the course, and I even saw them when I crossed to finish. It during that race that I realized I love having my family with me. So what I do, is I load my ipod with the latest pop tunes: Taylor Swift, Katie Perry, Meghan Trainor. Nothing I normally would listen to, but when one of those songs comes on, I totally envision our family dance parties.

Jen:  I like to have either steak or sushi and a beer the night before a race.

We are thrilled to cheer on Darcy and Jen during the Boston Marathon. If you would like to keep tabs on their progress on race day there is the 2015 Boston Marathon mobile app available in your App Store. Simply search "Boston Marathon". Join us in wishing these amazing women the best of luck on Mudd Queen Marathon Monday!