October 11, 2010 by Darlene

Monday Goals

Recap of last week:

My weekly goal was 17 miles. I did 17 ! YAY!
I ran a 5K race. I finished over 30 min (but it was hilly!)

This week’s schedule:
Monday – tennis after work
Tues – tennis after work
Thurs – hair appt after work
Fri – hayride after work
Sat/Sunday – boating (for the last time)

This week’s running:
Tues– 3 miles before work
Wed- 4 miles after work
Fri – 3 miles before work
Sun – 6 miles

Weekly Running Goal = 16 miles
October Monthly Running Goal = 60 miles
Yearly Running Goal = 300 miles ( I passed it – can I make 500?)

Happy Running!

October 10, 2010 by Darlene

Running and Fall Foliage

The days are getting shorter…the temp is getting cooler..our boating days are ending!!!!

Today could have been our last day on Lake George and my last day running in Bolton Landing.

As soon as we arrived, off I went down 9n trying to decide if I can run a 10k.

The road is hilly and I stopped a lot… I brought my camera and couldn’t resist capturing the foliage. There was also a town-wide garage going on and I stopped at several (I’m glad I didn’t have any money!)

After I got back to the marina, we headed out to spend the day with our friends on Speaker Heck Island…barbecing…drinking…celebrating the end of a perfect boating season!!

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Happy Running!

October 9, 2010 by Darlene

UAlbany Homecoming/Fall Festival 5k

This race was a first for me. I had originally planned & registered for the Falling Leaves 5k in Ballston Spa (where I won my age group last year). But my 2 friends wanted to go to the UAlbany reunion activities so this fit better into the day.

I play tennis here all summer but I’ve never run here. I did hear that Perimeter Rd is quite hilly but I hoped this course would be flat.

It turned out to be a perfect running day – sunshine and cool temps. In fact, it was chilly when I arrived.

There was a pretty small crowd – about 120 – mostly college students with a few ARE runners mixed in. I decided to run without my jacket because I knew I would be warm and I was right.

I was wrong about it being flat. In fact, the course consisted of one hill after another. It never ended. Part of it was a trail run along the pond. It was pretty but exhausting.

There were no mile markers so I may have run the first 2 miles too fast but by the last hill, I had to walk. This of course, wrecked my time & I finished at 30:28.

This was not a PR but not bad for this HILLY course. They gave out awards for the 1st place in each age group and I was 2nd. I think you got a cookie & a dog bone on a string (Great Dane is the school mascot). No great loss there!

My college friends did not arrive for a while so I waited and relaxed.

The rest of the day was spent reminiscing and chatting. We toured the campus and took some pics.

check out the rainbow

Eventually, I went home to change and met everyone at a restaurant for dinner before we headed back to campus to listen to Barbara Walters.

Barbara Walters was very interesting!!! Afterwards, we headed to Starbucks to continue the evening…

Happy Running! Hope you had a good day!

October 7, 2010 by Darlene

3 Things Thursday

I’m going to see the movie The Social Network tonite. I’m pretty excited …being I’m so into Facebook & blogging.
It has been raining all week. I have been forced to do the treadmill thing – 4 miles on Monday & 4 on Wed. I hate it but I better get used to it since it is getting too cold & dark to run before or after work. (At the moment, it is nice out but I gotta get going to meet my friend…)
Next 5K race is Saturday…it’s a small one…only 100 runners. It’s at UAlbany where I went to college. It’s part of Homecoming/Reunion weekend. Goals unknown…don’t know the course or the weather… I will just try to have fun!!! (Who am I kidding? A PR would be nice!)

Happy Running!

October 5, 2010 by Darlene

Rain is back… so is the Treadmill

I can’t remember the last time I ran on the treadmill. I think it was in March or April. I had forgotten how much I hate it…

It’s hot and stuffy in the gym
There’s only one (good one) & I have to wait til it’s free
It takes forever to go the same distance (I run slower but it feels faster)
I have to drive there so run time is reduced by adding travel time
It’s BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It costs money to buy the TV shows to download on my iPod
I costs money to belong to a gym
I have to remember to charge my iPod

But you gotta do what you gotta do…

I get to watch my fav TV shows (The Good Wife, Criminal Minds, Law & Order…)
I bump into folks I know there
If it’s cold or raining, I can still run
It saves the soles of my running shoes
I don’t have to worry about what to wear
I can do it at any time & don’t have to worry about darkness
It’s safer than running on the side of the road
There’s always water & a bathroom close by

BUT I STILL HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Yesterday I ran 4 miles on the treadmill and it took me a long 58 minutes!)

Happy Running (outside)!

October 4, 2010 by Darlene

Monday Goals

Recap of last week:
My weekly goal was 15 miles. I did 10.
I ran a 5K race. (in 29:10 – YAY!!)

This week’s schedule:
Tues – tennis after work
Thurs – tennis before work, movie after work
Fri – mah jongg after work
Sat/Sunday – college reunion weekend

This week’s running:
Mon –5 miles before work
Thurs- 4 miles after work
Sat – 5K Race
Sun – 5 miles

Weekly Running Goal = 17 miles
October Monthly Running Goal = 60 miles
Yearly Running Goal = 300 miles ( I passed it – can I make 500?)

Yesterday was the 2nd day of our annual weekend of Mah Jongg at Schroon River. I decided to go up for just the 2nd day. The weather was gorgeous and I should have run before I left but I didn’t. When I arrived, my friend, Bev, was returning from a run. I was so jealous!!!

We spent the rest of the day playing mah jongg, eating, hiking, play mah jongg…so much fun!

I got home late..too dark for a run. Tonite, hopefully…

The weather this week doens’t look good..is the treadmill in my future??

Happy Running!

October 2, 2010 by Darlene

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

This is my third time running this race. Again this year, I chose to race on a team with Albany Law School (where I work). There were about 19 of us (mostly students). We even had our own moisture wicking shirt.

I also planned to meet some friends here.

This is such an emotional race. I have so many friends who have survived a bout with breast cancer. This is why I choose to do this race each year. This is the sign I pinned to my back:

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. Sunny and cool – in the 50’s. I was cold when I arrived. My hubby came to the race and I made him take a pic before I met my group. (He hates taking photos.)

I then found some of the runners from the law school and tried to get a photo before starting the race.

Then I bumped into a tennis friend (the one who started me running) and her niece (a former student of mine). We started the race together.

I tried to get them to start near the front. But while we were talking a hundred or so runners ended up in front of us.

The race began and it was crowded. It took a while to get going and I tried to cut through the crowd and run up the BIG hill.

The race continued through the streets of Albany and then around Washington Park…I always think that’s flat but it’s not.

I tried to pace myself. My first mile was about 9:55, my 2nd around 19:35 and then I got a little tired during the 3rd mile. I heard an OLD guy breathing really LOUD and tried to pace myself with him…breathe out when he did but I couldn’t keep up (I later found out that he was 76!!!!). Then I spotted a law student & ran with her for awhile but she’s 22 and ahead she went. Finally I spotted the finish line and ran as fast as I could when I saw that I would finish under 30 minutes.

The gun time was 29:31 but my chip time was 29:10!! I’ll take it. Finally under 30 minutes for a 5k! Not a PR but my 2nd best.

Race Stats:
Gun time – 29:31
825/2147
7/63 (55-59 age group)
Chip time: 29:10
Pace – 9:24

After the race, I bumped into 2 runners (Cindy P & Kritstin K) from dailymile.com and Brigid, a runner from the begining running group. I finally found my hubby who was supposed to see me finish & take pic but of course, he was still watching and waiting when I arrived…

We then went home & I left to watch my friends play in the Super Seniors tennis championship. Then I visited with my mentee, went shopping & out to dinner. A full day!!

Happy Running. Hope you all had a good day!

October 1, 2010 by Darlene

Rain Rain Go Away

I know this is an old wives tale, but it works for me.

It’s been raining for 2 days. I do not RUN IN THE RAIN!!

Luckily I did run Tues evening. It was an awful run…too humid, too tired, too hungry. After 2 miles I could barely move but managed to run/walk 2 more miles.

I ran again Wed evening and felt so much better. I did 3 miles.

Now I keep my fingers crossed that the rain will stop. Tomorrow is the Susan G. Komen Race for Cure. I am running on a team with students & staff at the law school where I work. I think there are 19 of us. We have a team tee shirt – moisture wicking one too!!

I will be running for: Judy, Mary Ann, Maria, Ava, Sally, Phyllis –my friends who have survived breast cancer and for Dottie —who did not!

What is my goal for this race?

It’s going to be very crowded – probably at least 3,000 racers. It starts up hill and it’s slow going until the park. So, it’s not a race for a PR.

My 2008 time was 32:49, my 2009 time was 31:15. Those were both gun times not chip times. My chip time this year for the Freihofers (same course) was 30:39. My goal, I guess, is under 30:39!

Happy Running! Have a nice weekend and good luck to all those racing!