The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-384 – Stephanie Bombs to BQ (Audio: link) audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4384.mp3] Link epi4384.mp3 MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks - http://www.marathonbq.com/qualify-for-the-boston-marathon-in-14-weeks/ Hello and welcome to the RunRunLive Podcast episode 4-384 How are we doing?  Looks like spring is finally arriving up here in New England.  I was out in the woods this week doing a little, slow trail running with Buddy the Very Old Wonder Dog.  You can feel nature getting ready to explode.  Buddy is getting pretty slow, but I wait for him to catch up and he does ok.  He even breaks into a run every once in a while.  It hasn’t greened up yet, but it will towards the end of this month. The ground is wet, and the snow is mostly gone.  But even the mud smells fecund in its dormancy.  There are a lot of trees and branches down.  From all the nor’easters we had.  I might go for a walk with my old dog today and bring my axe to clear some of the dead fall out of the trail.  My wife is always telling me I shouldn’t drive around with an axe.  I’m not sure I understand the safety concern.  I was sharpening my axe last week and wondered how many people in the world still know how to sharpen and axe?  Such an ancient thing.  We humans have been rubbing stones against metal for a few thousand years. Yes, the dog is still alive, I’m still alive and the woods are coming alive.  Today we have a great story for you.  I talk with Stephanie who decided to become a runner the day the bombs went off in Boston 5 years ago.  From the emotional beginning, she’ll be running her first qualified Boston this year, on that anniversary.  Compelling stuff. In section one I’ll talk about active tapers.  In section two I’ll talk about hope and emotional intent.  Yes, I’m a little bit more than a week out from running my 20th Boston Marathon.  If you want to follow me my number is 18051.  Solidly in the midpack with a 3:33 qualification time.  It looks like we are going to get good running weather.  50’s and overcast.  This may be a good year.  But you never know in New England. I’m in my taper.  This week still has a few quality workouts in it but next week I’m sure we’ll be shutting it down.  My weight is good.  My fitness is good.  I’ve got a little pirifomis pain but I’m working through it.  All in all I guess I don’t have any excuses! … Racing is like life.  You have to find that knife’s edge between too little and too much.  Too fast and too slow.  It’s a balancing act.  Picture yourself walking along that mountain ridge.  It drops off into the depths precipitously on both sides.  But we have trained.  We know how to walk the edge with confidence and aplomb. On with the show! … I’ll remind you that the RunRunLive podcast is ad free and listener supported.  What does that mean? It means you don’t have to listen to me trying to sound sincere about Stamps.com or Audible.. (although, fyi, my MarathonBQ book is on audible) We do have a membership option where you can become a member and as a special thank you, you will get access to member’s only audio. There are book reviews, odd philosophical thoughts, zombie stories and I curate old episodes for you to listen to.  I recently added that guy who cut off is foot so he could keep training and my first call with Geoff Galloway.   “Curated” means I add some introductory comments and edit them up a bit.  So anyhow – become a member so I can keep paying my bills.   … The RunRunLive podcast is Ad Free and listener supported.  We do this by offering a membership option where members get Access to Exclusive Members Only audio and articles. Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! Links are in the show notes and at RunRunLive.com Become a member … Section one – Active Taper- http://runrunlive.com/coach-why-am-i-running-speedwork-in-my-taper Voices of reason – the conversation Stephanie Ames Virding Marc