We had spring-like weather for a few days. I completed a virtual 5k. And I ran my second Pandemic race of 2021 – a five miler. Another PW but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Last Week:
- Monday – It was International Women’s Day and the weather cooperated with sunshine. I was able to get my run in at UAlbany at lunch since I had to stop by my nearby office anyway.
my skirt had 261 on it.. you know what that means, right?
It was even more special since I ran this virtual race with Cari in NYC and Liz in the UK. Truly “international.”
- Tuesday – The temps were even warmer today and there was some sun… I managed to squeeze in another #weekofpi run to honor Kim. Unfortunately the wind was back.
starting to change my wardrobe – no beanie and no tights!!
- Wednesday – So exciting that it actually felt like spring. I had the day off due to some early morning appts and then a hiking date with two friends. No running today (sigh) but a good day nonetheless. We decided on Plotterskill since my friends has not been there before. We were hoping to see some waterfalls and hopefully not too much ice or mud.
Well, it was not what we thought – very very icy steep slopes to scale up and down, endless uphill snowy climbs, dangerous rivers crossings….so 7.5 miles later (and 5 1/2 hours) I was very relived to be in one piece. In fact, when we exited the last part of the trail, there was a sign “Trail closed due to dangerous conditions.” Yikes.
these pics were taken early on… for most of the hike, we were trying to stay upright.
so happy to see that wire to hold on to…
But the weather was beautiful – warm and sunny. An afternoon off from work to spend with friends was wonderful. And though at many points, I yelled “I can’t do this,” I did it!!
- Thursday – I wanted to get in a run since I skipped yesterday but a busy work day meant that the best time to run would be before work. But I dawdled with my coffee and had to squeeze it in my neighborhood during lunch. However, I thought it a good idea to check out the water line trail….Note to self: mud is just as slippery as ice. It was sunny and a little breezy but it hit 50 degrees so no complaints here.
gone are the gloves, beanie and tights…soon the vest came off. I think I could have worn a tank and skirt.
After work, I quickly stopped by to pick up my bib for Saturday’s race
and then I met a friend to walk. Since the clocks get turned ahead on Sunday, next week, our walks will return to the rail trail after work 🙂
a little rain and then this… a lucky sign, right?
- Friday – My plan was to rest up for my race the next day. It was sunny but not as warm as Thursday and a little windy and so I used my lunch hour to take a walk in town.
- Saturday – A race. As with my other Pandemic races, I approached this with a relaxed attitude. Connect with others and enjoy the experience. It is hard not to want to be competitive. But I know this is not the time for that. Unfortunately the warmish temps we had in previous days did not continue. It was freezing. To make mattes worse, it was WINDY. Seeing friends and participating in a “live” race was worth the discomfort. I can’t wait to run another.
I didn’t thaw out until mile 3 lol
I was going to run again on Sunday but it was forecast to be even windier and cloudy so I sucked it up and stopped on the way home to run 5 more miles (although there may be have been more walking than running.) My 10 mile LSD streak continues!
I added a jacket and had to stop to eat my post-race lunch halfway.
You would think that he ran 10 miles!!
- Sunday – With my run out of the way, that left the day for biking and hiking! I left early since it supposed to get windier and either snow or rain.
Well, you know my obsession with waterfalls so I went back to High Fall Conservation Area. I had been there last spring. Boy, was I surprised to find zero ice and snow…dry as a bone. That gave me plenty of safe places to explore.
3 waterfalls and marked and unmarked trails all to myself 🙂
On the the way I stopped at an apple orchard.
I mean it was “PI” day, right?
This Coming Week –
- Monday – run, walk
- Tuesday – rest day, bike, walk with friends
- Wednesday – run, walk
- Thursday – run, walk with friends
- Friday – rest day, bike, walk
- Saturday – LONG RUN
- Sunday – rest day, bike, walk/hike
I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for
I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.
Happy Running! How is your running going? Doing any virtual races? Any in-person races planned? How’s your weather and its impact on your running? Please share.
My First 5K and More... 
I loved doing the Zooma race “with” you and Cari and love the image that was created! A good week for you. We’re a long way from races here still, I think the trail ones will come back first.
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Hope you do get to race. Until then maybe another virtual.
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I don’t normally do that much racing so I’m OK with not going back to that for a good while. I have three long virtuals to finish – a Land’s End to John O’Groats (60 miles to go), a round Iceland one (300 to go) and a cross-US one for Ben the 401 Marathons guy that I won’t finish but will get a tshirt when it ends!
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That’s a lot of miles!!!
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Another great week for you and I’m glad that you were able to do an in-person race with friends!
Happy Pi Day! From what I can see, that pie looks yummy! I’m cooking an apple pie with dinner later on tonight and I am already looking forward to it lol.
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I had planned to bake an apple pie. I bought the apples but this was so much easier. Can’t wait to have a piece. Maybe I should have run today.
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Great job on the Zooma race! I couldn’t figure out how to do it. I kept getting an email reminding me to sign up – and then when i tried to sign up, it said i was already registered! So, I went out and did my own run that day, but it wasn’t part of the virtual event. My next race may not be until fall – I had one scheduled for May but it just got moved to the fall and I’m currently due in July. Oh well!
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Most of our local races are cancelled or moved to the fall too. We have one company that is trying to put on safe races. And it really was.
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Congrats on a solid week! Nice job on the virtual and how fun to get to do another in person race. We won’t have them here probably until fall. Not sure I am ready to be around that many people yet anyway! Have a great week ahead
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This race wasn’t that big and very well-organized. But I know that everyone feels differently about what is safe and what isn’t. I enjoyed it. Needed a bit of normalcy.
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Congrats on your race, but boo to the cold and wind. The wind is really a buzzkill this time of year, isn’t it?
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It is. And there is no end to it. But eventually spring temps will return.
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It’s really too bad your race was yesterday! This morning wasn’t warm, but much better than yesterday. It is what it is though.
Always hard to tell where ice will linger & where It doesn’t — I was relieved the path I chose for Friday was completely ice free.
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True. Can’t change the weather. I was just happy to be racing.
I do think all the local bike paths are clear now which means crowds.
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Congrats on your race! Glad you got to do another live one. Its been windy here too which makes running feel a little harder!
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It sure does. And yes I was so happy to be out doing something rather normal.
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It was so windy for my race today! But even so, I don’t care. It was just nice to be out there running with real folks.
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I know. The same here. I didn’t care. I was just happy to be there.
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Yay for pie on pi day! And yay for another race, but boo on the wind. It really can suck the joy out of a run. Fantastic photo of that rainbow!
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Wind is the worst. Worse than the cold. Today again it is windy.
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Sounds like the wind blasted all of us last week, on more than one occasion! I’m thankful most of my days were pretty warm, regardless. Thanks for Pi’ing with me last week!! It was graet to have so much support ❤
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It’s fun participating in your pi runs.
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Love the rainbow- so pretty! Your kitty is a cutie…sounds like a solid week Darlene, lots of fun!
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Thanks. It was a good week. I wish this week could be as warm. But doesn’t look that way. Hurray up spring.
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That cold Arctic wind is the worst in the winter! Great job on your races!
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Thanks.
And windy cold March continues today…
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We were blessed to have a cold, but sunny and low wind day for our race. I would have been pouting if we had wind! Glad you got to enjoy the race. I’m still hobbling around on sore legs from my race oof!!!
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I wasn’t pouting because I was so happy to be racing. Or I was too frozen to pout lol.
Glad the racing conditions worked out for you and hope you recover quickly so you can do another.
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Congratulations on your race/long run. That’s hardcore, adding on 5 extra miles in the cold like that.
i did bake an apple pie and it was a huge pain! All that peeling and chopping… you were smart to buy one!
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5 miles after a race was tough. I used to do it all the time but maybe it was the cold and wind…
I bet your apple pie tasted better but it is so much work and then it’s gone so quickly.
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Busy week for you and congrats on an IRL race despite tough conditions. Thanks for joining us for the ZOOMA IWD virtual Fun pic of the 3 of you.
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It was fun to run together “virtually.”
And those conditions were tough but since I was so happy to be there, it didn’t matter as much.
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Nice that you got to run “with” Cari & Liz! And yay for another in-person race!
That hike on Wednesday sounds tough!
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My virtual was fun. But a real race was just what I needed.
And yes the hike was tough and scary.
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So many fun things this week! That waterfall is just gorgeous, and I am so glad you had a real race.
I do love your weekly explorations and I can’t wait to see what your local trails look like in spring and summer!
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Muddy in the spring. I hope once things open up I will still hike.
A real race was the highlight of my week.
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hooray for real life racing! awesome :). I’m a little envious here ;-). Love the waterfalls too. And kitty definitely looks like he’s related to my two tuxedo rascals.
love that you closed off pi day with a pie. I mean, if I didn’t approve of that, would I even BE run-laugh-eat pie???
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I know. Our cats are twins.
I thought you’d approve of my pie. Did you have one?
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Congrats on another race! I love your attitude with them…just have fun! Ugh, the wind can definitely make a race even harder. Now I am getting jealous of all of your races. 🙂
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Hope you get to race soon.
I didn’t realize how much I missed it.
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Yay for running in another race! Glad you were able to stay upright on that slippery hike. It looked beautiful, though!
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It was beautiful but I might have been too nervous to enjoy most of it.
The race was the highlight of the week for sure.
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