
Yesterday I ran a new race (a new race for me).
And next week, I head to Florida for my annual tennis vacation.
Last Week –
- Sunday – I started the day at the gym.. (Minimal reaction to yesterday’s COVID vaccine.)
I had planned to walk at the arboretum again but it was pouring…
Instead I did my walk in the mall before (and after) meeting my BFF to see the Barbie exhibit at the NYS Museum.
I had actually seen a similar exhibit in Montreal in 2020
and a short visit last year to one in NYC.
I’m not a big Barbie collector but I did have one when I was younger. Did you? It was fun to be nostalgic and see how they have changed with the times.
- Monday –My friend agreed to meet me for a run before work at the high school track…
I got talked in a speed workouts. A mile of 200s and then 2 miles of 400s. That will warm you up!
While I was working, I was also tracking some friends running the Boston marathon. (The perks of WFH.)
After work, I went to my first week of Beginning Pickleball lessons. Yes, this is my third time taking this class and the instructor wasn’t happy but I don’t play in between sessions so this gives me the opportunity to play once a week with beginner players.
But it was so cold and windy. I FROZE!!!!!
- Tuesday – Another gym morning (and still feeling like winter) … and a walk after work.
- Wednesday – Another chilly drizzly day. Where is spring?
After work, I met up with the Training Challenge runners (for week 5: 5 min walk, 90 sec run, 60 sec walk repeated, 5 min walk.) It wasn’t as chilly as it has been but if you look at the photo below, you don’t see any runners. There were some runners in the Intermediate and Beginning groups but my Run Walker did not show. I had to run alone.
- Thursday – I started the day again with a Jenny run (but not on the track this time.) I do prefer morning runs and the sun made all the difference. We ran our run walk intervals with negative splits as I misjudged the time and ran an extra mile. (Again it helps to WFH so no one noticed that I was late.)
I headed to office after lunch…
and then afterward, I went for a walk at nearby UAlbany to take advantage of a sunny day (They have been rare lately) and to kill time until…
I could visit my granddaughter.
- Friday- A gym morning, a walk at lunch with Jenny in a nearby park and mah jongg in the evening.
- Saturday – Bill Robinson Memorial 10k.
I’ve run a 5k here but never this course. I knew it would be hilly and I was right.
I did my best but since I never train on hills, I was cautious and ran/walked up them.
I definitely need to run on hills if I ever do this race again.
Though there were not a lot of runners, I knew many of them and I had a good time. I even came in 3rd in my 10 year age group.
After brunch (and a shower), I went to a tour of a historical home.. It was interesting but I was disappointed in the gardens…
On the way home, I stopped off at Washington Park to check out the gardens there (Tulip fest is in 2 weeks!)

many have not bloomed yet but the ones that had were beautiful. worth the trip. (many more pics on FB/IG)
Last stop was grocery shopping!
- Sunday -gym, walk/run, nail appt, cooking, time to start packing for my trip…
This Coming Week on the Run –
- Monday – DAY OFF – gym, HIKE, pickleball lesson
- Tuesday – run, haircut
- Wednesday – run (training challenge week 5), pack!
- Thursday –very early flight to Ft Myers, pick up rental van, drive to Naples, lunch, unpack, pool time, grocery shopping…
- Friday – run, tennis, beach, dinner out
- Saturday – Tropicool 5k
- Sunday – run, tennis, beach
This Coming Week on the Blog –
- Tuesday – Bill Robinson Memorial 10k Race Recap
- Friday – Ultimate Coffee Date
Happy Running! Training for any big or small races? Hilly or flat races? How ‘s your weather? Any signs of spring? Any vacations planned? Please share.
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.















Wow, Darlene, what a busy week! Congrats on your AG award in the race. Will you be racing in Florida?
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Maybe a 5k. But definitely running in a rank top. Lol.
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I am not a collector, but definitely had my share of Barbies as a kid — as did my daughter — so I think I would enjoy the exhibit.
Congrats on battling those hills. There are a few hilly races around here that I’ve done, and wished I’d done more hill work to prepare for.
Enjoy the tulip shows!
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The tulips will be beautiful this year I think. Just delayed.
And yes I need to do some hill work. Have a hilly 15k in July.
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Oh my gosh! I’m reading a book about the first Kentucky Derby and Ten Broeck is in there as one of the leading horse people of the day! What a coincidence!
I hope the air is clear for your visit. We are getting such awful smoke from wildfires. I think they are more contained where you will be but it has made outside time absolutely miserable, which is nowhere near as important as all the damage that it has done. We need rain.
Yes, I had Barbies. It’s really incredibly the cultural importance that she has maintained through all these decades. I love it.
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Yes. Barbies have definitely changed with the times.
Hopefully the air is clear on the west coast.
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