Author: Darlene

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21 Things About Me

I haven’t been tagged but I have read quite a few of these so here goes nothing:

  1. I am a coffee snob… I make a latte every morning…I won’t drink instant or bad coffee.  Starbucks is my fav coffee shop.
  2. I am a cat person.  I have five.  I do love dogs but they are too much work.
  3. I hate to swim because I don’t like to get my hair wet.  I have unmanageable frizzy hair.
  4. I don’t change jobs often.  I’m on my third job & I had the first for 22 years.
  5. I hardly ever cook.  Fortunately I don’t have to now that the kids are out of house. I am lucky that my hubby doesn’t mind fending  for himself.
  6. When I do cook, I go all out.  I search out gourmet recipes online & make new complicated dishes.
  7. I love photography.  I am never without my camera.
  8. I am not very athletic.  In fact I am pretty uncoordinated.
  9. I started playing tennis in my 40’s and my tennis team came in 3rd in the nation in the 2002 championships in Palm Springs.
  10. I tried learning golf several years ago and I was really bad at it so I gave it up.
  11. My favorite board game is Scrabble.  My friends & I play it at the beach on vacations.
  12. I am hardly ever home.  I work during the day & in the evening I either play tennis, run, yoga class, shop, go to a movie or play mah jongg. (Thank God for Tivo.)
  13. I am a closet teenager.  I love the Twilight Saga, Hunger Games and have even watched 90210, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Everwood on TV.
  14. I usually run by myself because I have to squeeze it in when I can and I run so slow that it would annoy serious runners.
  15. I am very competitive.  This is why I run better in a race.  So I sign up for a lot of races. (Yeah, like 20 a year!)
  16. I am obsessive about matching my clothes.  I mean colors, brands, everything.  It doesn’t matter whether it’s work, dress up, tennis, running…
  17. I hate to clean but I hate when things aren’t tidy.  So I have a cleaning lady.  I wish I could afford her to come more often. (And I don’t want my cleaning lady to think I’m messy so I straighten up for the cleaning lady!)
  18. I have a great memory but only for numbers.  Yes, I know all my credit card numbers by heart.
  19. I love desserts.  I always look at the dessert menu first to make sure I have room.  I have even just had desserts for a meal.
  20. I love to travel.  I visited France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Spain, Austria (while in college) and since then France, Holland, Greece, Israel, Russia.  I would love to go to Alaska, the Orient, and on an African safari.
  21. I love being near the water.  It could be the ocean, river, lake… I don’t care. I find it so relaxing.

That was fun.

Happy Running! If you haven’t been tagged, just  do it. I love  getting to know more you.

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It’s December!

67 MILES

November wasn’t a high mileage month since I ran my half marathon at the beginning of the month and I was not training for anything else.

Here were my goals for November:

  1. Hope to continue to run pain-free – YES!
  2. Continue tennis & yoga once a week – YES!
  3. Run 3-4 times a week – YES!

    Santa Clarita Half Marathon

  4. Survive Half Marathon #5 – YES (but wish I had done better)

    after the Run off that turkey 5k race

  5. Run a 5k  (& finish under 30 min.) – Ran 2 5k races (finished at 27:58 & 28:11)
  6. Join a gym & start to cross-train – Not yet….

    Stockade-athon 15K

I did run my first 15K race & I am pleased with how I did!!!

December Goals:

  1. Play tennis & do yoga once a week
  2. Run 3-4 times a week
  3. Run at least 15 miles per week
  4. Finish the year with 800 miles
  5. Run a 5k  (& finish under 30 min.)
  6. Choose a Half Marathon for the spring
  7. Join a gym & start to cross-train

Happy Running! What are your goals for December?


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Pace or Time?

Awards at races are given out based on the TIME that you cross the finish line.

Personally if you want to improve your running speed, shouldn’t you be looking at PACE not time. After all, some 5ks are calculated at 3.03 miles and others at 3.15 miles.  The same goes for 10Ks, 15ks and Half Marathons.

Naples Half

Santa Clarita Half

Obviously, the longer the course, the slower your finish time will be.

So I thought that I ran faster for my 5K  on Nov. 24 than for my 5K on Nov, 26.  I finished in 27:58 on Nov 24 and in 28:11 on Nov. 26.

As you can see my PACE was faster on Nov 26 (8:57/mi) even though my time was slower.  The 5K course was longer!

So maybe I should re-calculate my PRs and revise my future racing goals!!

Happy Running!  What’s more important to you – time or pace?

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Two (or More) for Tuesday

  1. I am happy to report that my house is decorated for the holidays!!! It did seem funny to put up snowmen decorations outside & inside when it is 60 degrees!! Yes, we’ve had a heat wave.  I’m not complaining…I hate the cold!
  2. I’ve been too busy to run (or is it not motivated?)  I had planned to run 6 miles on Sunday but decorating took longer than anticipated & we had plans to see Mannheim Steamroller & then go out to dinner to celebrate a friend’s birthday…only got in 3 miles!! Last nite, I subbed in my tennis contract, this morning I was too tired to get up early and tonite I play tennis again.  No running  😦
  3. There’s a  whole lot of eating going on…. birthday dinner for a friend, birthday dinner for my mentee, birthday dinner for mentee’s son, holiday dinner with an old friend, mah jongg holiday dinner, work holiday party, tennis holiday party….and that’s not counting Christmas and New years!!!  Oy vay!!

Happy Running!  Any hints on surviving the holidays?

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Last Week in Review and Two 5K Races

Monday – 1.5 hours tennis
Tuesday – 4 mile run
Wednesday – 1.25 hours yoga
Thursday – 5K race
Friday – REST
Saturday – 5K race
Sunday – 3  mile run & decorated the house for the holidays!

Happy Running!

 

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Run Off That Turkey 5K Race Report

Another new race for me.  I knew nothing about this race except that it was a 5K. I knew I would eat a lot on Thanksgiving and running would be a good idea.  A race would motivate me to run at least 3 miles!

It turned out to be a perfect morning for a race…sunny & in the 50s. I got there early because I wasn’t sure where I was going.  No signs but eventually I located the church where it started & parked across the street in the school parking lot.

I was pleased to find out that they gave out gloves instead of shirts (I have enough race shirts!!!) But it was a small race so no chip timing again.

I waited in my car until the start…it was chilly and this time I didn’t overdress.  I left my jacket in the car.

As usual I had positive splits.  But I didn’t care.  I knew I was running fast and I said to myself “So what!”  My first 2 miles were under 9 min pace.  This is a first for me…even in my 5K PR, this didn’t happen.  But the last 1/2 mile was uphill and I slowed down a lot.  Also according to my Garmin, the race was 3.14 and Thanksgiving’s was 3.03. 

So I finished at 28:11.  I’m happy with that.  I knew it wasn’t as flat as Delmar so I didn’t expect a PR (but secretly hoped for one.)

after the race

Though I didn’t know anyone running this race, I did bump into nice people:  a DMer and someone who reads my blog (someone reads my blog?)  I hung around with 3 women that I’ve met at many races and who run even more 5k races than me.

It took forever to have the awards ceremony…like almost 2 hrs.   So we chatted about racing.  They are older than me and they all won AG awards.  Me, I came in 4th.  If I were older or young, I would have gotten an award.

I feel like I have gotten most of my speed back.  I don’t think about my injury anymore.  I am starting to like 5Ks again!

Happy Running!  Did you run off that turkey?

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It’s that time of year

After Thanksgiving, it seems that one should start getting ready for the holidays (Well, they’re been playing Christmas music since the day after Halloween!!)

  • Time to order my holiday cards – thanks to Shutterfly, this was easy.
 
Stationery card
View the entire collection of cards.
  • Time to decorate the inside of the house – I have a lot of snowmen that I put on various tables & all around the house. (I love snowmen or snowpeople!!) It takes quite awhile so it’s not done yet… We used to put up a real tree when the kids were around but now I just have a small artificial tree and a menorah.
  • Time to decorate the outside of the house – It’s a little too warm to buy & hang  the wreaths but I have located the lights for the windows and the flags, snowmen for outside, etc.
  • Time to shop – I bought myself an iPad (don’t laugh.. I needed/wanted it) and my hubby some clothes, still have to buy gifts for my mentee & her kids as well as a grab bag for a tennis party.

Happy Running!  How are you doing with your holiday to do list?

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Our Towne Bethlehem Turkey Trot 5K Race Report

Nov 24, 2011

This is the 2nd year for this race. Last year, it was pretty unorganized and many more runners signed up than expected. There are several turkey trots in the area with the big one being in Troy. Most of the elites run that one.

Things have changed a lot in one year.  Last year, I was only running 5ks and my goal was to get faster.  This race was and still is my fastest 5K at 27:30.

This year,  after an achilles injury, 5 Half Marathons and a 15K under my belt, fast I am not. But that’s ok.

This race also is being run on a different course.  (It may be the same 5k course as my first race!!)

Knowing many runners who were signed up for this race and it being so close to home, I was excited to run this race!!

It was pretty chilly…in the 30s!! I decided to wear some layers and as much orange as I could find.

I was wrong about this year being more organized.  They had ONE line to pick up your bib and it took forever.  I was glad I was there early. I bumped into running friends Janis & Bridget and then I found my good friend MaryPat.

me & MaryPat

 
When it was finally time to start, we tried to squeeze into the crowd.  Unfortunately, this race was not chip timed.  When the gun went off, it took awhile to get to the start (at which point I started my Garmin) and then it was really hard to weave through the crowd.
 
Delmar is pretty flat so my mind said “PR” but my body had something else in mind.  I was fine during the first mile but then I slowed and slowed. (Yes, this seems to be a pattern.)
 
I crossed the finish line a little over 28 minutes but according to my Garmin I finished in 27:58.  (I didn’t stop it immediately so maybe a few seconds less.)
 
 
I hung around waiting for MaryPat to finish.  I bumped into 2 more tennis acquaintances also while I was waiting.
 
 

Here comes MaryPat!

  

They were only giving out awards for the top finishers and the refreshments were water & Freihofer’s cookies so we left and went to Dunkin Donuts.   It seemed that everyone there had come from the race.  We chatted for awhile over a latte & a bagel before heading home.

I was cooking a turkey dinner for my hubby & myself and then going to a friend’s for dessert.

I love starting Thanksgiving Day with a race.  I am happy with my time.  It was faster than the last 5K I did! There’s always room for improvement!! (Tomorrow is another 5K race.)

Hope you had a

Happy Running! Did you race yesterday?

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The Thankful Post

In pictures:

I am thankful for my hubby and for his love & support

 

I am thankful for my 5 cats who continue to keep me entertained

 
 
 

I am thankful for being able to play tennis & for all the friends I have because of this sport

 
 

I am thankful for the women I have met running & for their inspiration

 

I am thankful for the times I spend on Lake George and for the wonderful people who live there

 

I am thankful for my Friday nite mah jongg games & the fun we have while playing

 

I am thankful for my junior year abroad and the amazing friends & experiences from that year

 
 

I am thankful for my high school friends and for the memories that we still share

 

I am thankful for being able to cross the finish line!!!

 
 Happy Running! Happy Thanksgiving!
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Good News and Bad News

This past weekend was the Philly Marathon. My running friend Mary was running it as HER FIRST MARATHON!!  We have a lot in common & have run many races together.  She ran the Stockade-athon the week before & had a terrible run.  So I was a little worried.  But…she did it!!! And she did great!!! I met her for coffee yesterday to hear all about it.  Her excitement almost makes me want to do one…I said almost!!!

 

 

Now the not so good news: 2 runners died during this race. One was from my area. Read the story here.

He was only 40.  He was an experienced marathon runner.  He even had completed 3 Ironman races (including the one in Lake Placid this past July). I know they said he died doing something he loved but it is still so sad esp for his family and friends…

 

Happy Running! Do you ever worry that running is dangerous?