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  1. Saturday, October 6, 2012 - Mission accomplished!!!
    Saturday, October 06, 2012
  2. Sunday, September 30, 2012 - Fall is in the air...
    Sunday, September 30, 2012
  3. Sunday, September 23, 2012 - A run of global significance...
    Sunday, September 23, 2012
  4. Sunday, September 16, 2012 - Fall is in the air and we are back on the air!
    Sunday, September 16, 2012
  5. Sunday, September 9, 2012 - Down to the home stretch!
    Sunday, September 09, 2012
  6. Sunday, September 2, 2012 - We turned 21... Cheers!
    Sunday, September 02, 2012
  7. Sunday, August 26, 2012 - Pushing through 26 on the 26th!
    Sunday, August 26, 2012
  8. Sunday, August 19, 2012 - 19th on the 19th!
    Sunday, August 19, 2012
  9. Sunday, August 12, 2012 - Thinning out the ranks...
    Sunday, August 12, 2012
  10. Sunday, August 5, 2012 - Down to single digits!
    Sunday, August 05, 2012

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Saturday, October 6, 2012 - Mission accomplished!!!

After 26 long weeks, our mission has finally been accomplished and the 26for26 challenge was a success. As we rounded the corner on to Boylston street and made our final steps to the Boston Marathon finish line by Copley Square, I cannot think of a better way to finish this journey than with the cheers of people waiting to celebrate with us.


 
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 10/6/2012 3:35 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

Sunday, September 30, 2012 - Fall is in the air...

It rained as we proceeded along the route this morning. Although it was not a downpour, it was the first run during our 26for26 challenge where we were wet enough that we had to change to dry attire immediately after crossing the finish line. Today began with Metro West, like the rest of New England, performing its fall dance. The recent seasonal change was obvious and the morning was chilly with drizzle and grey skies lurking in the ... àĦǘ&ǘ&(<< MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 9/30/2012 7:20 PM | View Comments (10) | Add Comment

Sunday, September 23, 2012 - A run of global significance...

The Boston Globe joined us today for run number 24 along the Boston Marathon route making it a memorable one for sure as we close in on our goal of 26! Johanna, a reporter for the Globe, wanted to be a first hand witness to the action and so she accompanied Bill McCabe and I for the ride to Hopkinton, using the time to take notes as she quizzed us as to our backgrounds and motivation for the 26for26 ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 9/23/2012 11:57 AM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Sunday, September 16, 2012 - Fall is in the air and we are back on the air!

The 23rd of 26 was completed this morning with delightful New England early fall weather greeting Bill McCabe, Pecharo Mede and I as we made our way to the sleepy town of Hopkinton for yet another dance down the Boston route. As our reliable driver, Chris Baker, steered the van towards our starting destination point, we received a call from Dwane Morgan informing us that he was on his way to the starting line as well to ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 9/16/2012 2:38 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

Sunday, September 9, 2012 - Down to the home stretch!

By this, our 22nd consecutive run, we now all know exactly what to do in our Sunday routine. As the weather begins to change towards fall we are down to 4 more excursions to Hopkinton to complete our mission and finish this 26for26 challenge! As we approached the starting line the police officer at Hopkinton green showed a flash of impatience with us as we first arrived. We had barely jumped out the van when the officer motioned ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 9/9/2012 2:07 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Sunday, September 2, 2012 - We turned 21... Cheers!

For the 21st run we pulled out all the stops and ended with a wonderful celebration accompanied by family and friends at Marina Bay. Food for our stomachs and food for our souls with good conservation about running and a myriad of other subjects kept us going well in to the afternoon.

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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 9/2/2012 4:51 PM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

Sunday, August 26, 2012 - Pushing through 26 on the 26th!

With number 20 successfully knocked down today, only six more runs remain before we can plant our victory flag on the summit of our 26for26 goal. The day began as Bill McCabe pulled in to the parking lot at Marina Bay with 7 minutes to spare followed shortly thereafter by George Cataldo and John Willner. At 6AM sharp Pecharo Mede showed up appearing to still be half asleep. Pecharo's slow walk to the van and heavy eyes ...
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 8/26/2012 1:40 PM | Add Comment

Sunday, August 19, 2012 - 19th on the 19th!

Hilary Donahue contact me earlier in the week to inform me that she was going to join us at Hopkinton this Sunday for 14-15 miles as she is currently in training for the New York City Marathon. New faces are always welcome as we continue on the 26for26 challenge. As we met for our usual departure Sunday morning, Bill McCabe showed up on time as normal but with something not so normal to share. He informed me that today's run was ...
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 8/19/2012 2:06 PM | Add Comment

Sunday, August 12, 2012 - Thinning out the ranks...

The pictures tell the tale of the day: 5 of us set out from the starting line in Hopkinton, and in the end only 2 were left standing at the finish line in Boston. You can blame the humidity that hung thickly in air suffocating our lungs for the 26.2 miles as the culprit for thinning our ranks on the march towards Boylston street.

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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 8/12/2012 1:43 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Sunday, August 5, 2012 - Down to single digits!

As I listened to the news yesterday, I heard the weatherman declaring that the weather pattern parked over Massachusetts for the past few days had brought with it humidity which rivaled the worst southern Florida has to offer. While we are accustomed to summer humidity, we do not have a page in the New England weather manual for such soupy conditions. All of this foreshadowed a difficult Sunday run.As three of us stood at ...
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 8/5/2012 1:47 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Sunday, July 29, 2012 - Sweet Sixteen!

It was a great start to the week beginning with an email from our good friend, Dwane Morgan, looking to follow through on his pledge to meet with us at some point along the course for a number of miles on one of the remaining 10 outings. We also heard from Alma sending her best wishes and encouraging us onwards towards our goal still looming weeks ahead. She is with us in spirit even if the ...
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 7/30/2012 5:54 AM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

July 22, 2012 - The tale of Paul Revere...

The week started with a kind email from Billy Hartford to check in on us and also to renew a promise that he and a few other L Street members had made regarding organizing another bicycle outing. Their plan would be to meet us at some point along the route for for a show of welcome support.I also heard from Bernie Alcock who seemed eager to join us this week for ...
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 7/22/2012 2:01 PM | Add Comment

Sunday, July 15, 2012 - Onward!

It all seemed so routine this morning as Josh Nemzer, Bill McCabe, George Cataldo, Robert Norton and I were driven yet again to Hopkinton. Chris, our faithful driver, has been punctual to a point that we can set our watches by him. We are, at this point in the succession of runs, a well oiled machine running seamlessly, and were at the starting line in Hopkinton at few minutes shy of 7AM. The Hopkinton green was somewhat active ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 7/15/2012 2:04 PM | Add Comment

Sunday, July 8, 2012 - The Halfway Mark

At 7:30 this morning the L Street Running Club launched preparations for the 2012 fall marathons. Normally we would have been there to join in the planning and celebrate with fellow runners and friends, but this season is far from being normal. Instead of joining the great members at L Street, we were somewhere in between miles 10 and 11 along the Boston course battling forward to the half way mark. Today we completed our 13th consecutive weekly run with the ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 7/8/2012 1:24 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

Sunday, July 1, 2012 - Hotter and harder...

...was the short story of today's run. Josh Nemzer, Bill McCabe, George Cataldo and I were in Hopkinton on time this morning for run number 12 - so close to the half way mark of the 26for26 challenge.The march for Copley Square started in the same fashion as the previous 11, but this one did not present us with the best of running weather. July in Boston is notorious for its heat waves and ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 7/1/2012 3:17 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

Sunday, June 24, 2012 - 11 Down, 15 More to Go!

I must begin this report with a correction to a previous post. Two weeks ago Ricky Coyne joined us to go the distance in memory of his mother. The write up for that week mistakenly indicated that Rick, despite lacking much recent training and running, was able to complete the 26.2 Boston route in a time of 4:59, but of course I meant to type the actual time of 3:59.Sorry, Rick! History has been corrected and 3:59 has ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 6/24/2012 1:29 PM | Add Comment

Sunday, June 17, 2012 - Father's Day Run!

This Father's Day, we wanted to show our deepest appreciation to God for His blessings: first in providing us with the strength and determination to go the distance and secondly for the magnificent weather gracing us for this 10th consecutive run of the Boston Marathon route.George Cataldo, Bill McCabe and I arrived in Hopkinton yet again at 7am sharp and after a brief hesitation to have our picture taken, we pushed the right button on the our watches and we ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 6/17/2012 1:34 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 9 down, 17 to go!

We woke up this morning to another beautiful New England day. The weather was a huge gift as we headed towards Hopkinton to deliver the ninth of the 26 Boston Marathon route runs upon which we have our sites set.Ricky Coyne joined George Cataldo, Bill McCabe and I to celebrate his mother's life and honor her memory.Despite the fact that Rick has not been running much during the past few months, the memory of his mom ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 6/11/2012 11:59 AM | Add Comment

Sunday, June 3, 2012 - A tale of 2 runs...

The best running weather yet set the tone for the stretch of the 26.2 miles from the main street in Hopkinton to the busiest street of Boylston.The sun peaked out by the time Bill McCabe, George Cataldo and I stood on the starting line after the heavy rain that lingered through all of yesterday. It was cool enough to force us to have long sleeve shirts for the first part of today's run.
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 6/3/2012 2:28 PM | Add Comment

Sunday, May 27, 2012 - Lucky Number 7!

Let's talk about this 7th Boston Marathon, but before we dive into the details of this morning run, it's appropriate to reiterate the fact that you know that 26.2 miles is a very long distance particularly when such a distance is traveled on foot.It is a long way from Hopkinton to Boston, no matter which way you break it down, and after 7 in a row the last 10k is still another whole race ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 5/29/2012 8:48 AM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

Sunday, May 20, 2012 - 6 down and 20 left!

The good news came fairly early this week - all the local meteorologists were in unanimous agreement for the weekend weather telling us that the chance for rain was zero and the chances for blue sky and bright sunshine was one hundred.We thanked God for watching over us and providing another great day to cover the 6th of the 26. Bill McCabe, Dennis Reidy, George Cataldo and I lined up at the starting line in ...
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 5/21/2012 7:24 PM | Add Comment

Sunday, May 13, 2012 - Mother's Day 26!

Josh Nemzer, Bill McCabe and I met with Arlington's Ray Charbonneau at the starting line in Hopkinton a few minutes before 7 this morning. Ray heard about the 26for26 challenge through our friend, Reno Stirrat. We have not met Ray prior to this morning and as we began making our way towards Boston we found out that he has been a runner for years and he is the author of a book, "Chasing the Runner's High". Ray's running ...
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 5/13/2012 2:36 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Sunday, May 6, 2012 - Another one down!

Charming weather and precise arrangement set the tone for the 4th of 26. Chris Baker, our van driver pulled in to the parking lot a half and hour before 6am. Josh Nemser was 15 minutes after that and then Bill McCabe showed up at 10 minutes to six.By 6 am, all were aboard and we were on our way to Hopkinton. Does Chris know the way ...
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 5/6/2012 4:43 PM | View Comments (8) | Add Comment

Sunday, April 29, 2012 - Everything you would want...

... for 26.2 miles came together today for marathon number 3. Bill McCabe, Dennis Reidy and I were driven to Hopkinton on this chilly April Day. Enough is said when jackets, hats and gloves are needed with the temperature at 34 degrees in Metro West. Granted that the temperature moderated slightly as we approached Wellesley, but such conditions would have been ideal for Monday April 16th! Maybe next year!

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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 4/29/2012 1:44 PM | Add Comment

Sunday, April 22, 2012 - Two down and twenty-four to go...

Bill Mccab from the L Street Running Club joined me for the 26.2 miles (Hopkinton to Boylston). Our driver Chris Baker picked us up at Marina Bay at 6AM and we were standing at the starting line in Hopkinton a few minutes before 7AM. It was a far cry from last Monday at every level: no large crowed - actually ... << MORE >>
Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 4/22/2012 2:03 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Monday, April 16, 2012 - The hardest one yet...

Congratulation to the L Street members who participated in the 116th Boston Marathon and for that matter congratulations everyone who stepped up at the starting mat in Hopkinton. The marathon is such a long distance that it really tax runners physically and mentally. Be proud that you went the distance today - it is not just any 26.2 - this one was meaner than the rest.
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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 4/16/2012 4:46 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Sunday, April 1, 2012 - Getting close...

There is no talk of pranks or jokes this April Fools Day in Boston.  All discussions locally quickly turn to the third Monday in the month and the upcoming Boston Marathon in which I, along with 27,000 other runners, will run that same route that hundreds of thousands have already run over the past 115 years of it rich history - each of them with their own interesting tales to tell.  It is a proud tradition in ...

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Posted by Hassan's 26for26 Blog at 4/1/2012 5:02 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment
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