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Weekly Wrap for 11.26.18-12.2.18: Taking a Break

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Not from working in NYC but from training for a big race. The next one is not until February 10 so I can have a few weeks of short weekend runs.

Last week –
  • Monday – Only two days after my hilly half. My legs felt ok so I planned to take them on an easy run through the lights in the park. But it was raining hard. Obviously someone was telling me to rest one more day. Instead I met a friend for a drink.
  • Tuesday –Today it snowed. Not a lot but just enough to wreck havoc on the drive to work. Luckily it stopped by the time I got out of work. I never turn down a chance to run with my “Sole Sisters” so I met two of them to a run around the UAlbany campus.  Of course as soon as we started to run, it started to rain. (At least just a steady drizzle.) Afterward I met my BFF for a walk around the mall.

actually only 3.5 miles

  • Wednesday – Off to NYC (again) by train.  I got there earlier than usual and of course I had to go for a run.  I took the crosstown bus and took a chance that the East River route would be lit up. (It was the night that they lit the tree at Rockefeller Center so I wanted to steer clear of that area.) It was and there were other runners too. Afterward I ran/walked back to my hotel and watched the tree lighting on the TV at the bar.

  • Thursday – Back after work to my trusted Central Park running route. I surprisingly ran into Cari and we ran for a while and then walked and chatted.

I continued my walk back to my hotel so I could see the lighted tree at Rockefeller Center.

  • Friday – Rest day and an uneventful train ride home.
  • Saturday – I was up in the air on whether or not to run a local 5k or an easy run with friends. I decided on the run followed by brunch and errands.

at the Corning Bike path

  • Sunday – A rainy rest day and anniversary dinner out with my Mah Jongg friends. We’ve been together for 10 years!!

3 missing from photo

This Coming Week –  

  • Monday -jury duty, 3 miles
  • Tuesday –  rest day, tennis sub
  • Wednesday – 3 miles
  • Thursday –3 miles 
  • Friday – rest day, mah jongg chez moi
  • Saturday – Race Night – Last Run (5k), Sole Sisters party after
  • Sunday – Race Day – Winter Series #1 (3m), Tennis Holiday Party

Please link up for the Weekly Wrap hosted by these wonderful bloggers Holly @ HoHoRuns and Wendy @ Taking the Long Way Home

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Happy Running! How is your running going? What’s new with you?  Any big races on the horizon? Do you have an off season? Please share.

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Ultimate Coffee Date – December

It’s that time of the month…

to join up with Coco & Deborah for their ultimate coffee date.

I cannot believe this is the last one of 2018!!!

Over coffee…

I’d tell you that I am sick of winter weather is it’s only December 1!!!  The traffic jams, the slippery paths, the layers of clothing…. Everything!!

-6 with the windchill….. and ice on my favorite running route

Over coffee…

I’d tell you that I am working in NYC for 8 days in December.  That’s a lot of holiday trees and window views and a lot of avoiding crowds on the sidewalks.

Over coffee…

I’d tell you that I love running in NYC.  It’s my favorite thing to do in the winter since there are lighted places to run but I am excited to do some other things besides run.

tix for Dec 10

and

tix for Dec. 19 – Woo Hoo!!!

Over coffee…

I’d tell you that that the Sole Sisters are planning our next Girls Weekend.  It’s April 26-28, 2019. We registered for the race, picked out the hotel… The countdown is on.

Related image

Over coffee…

I’d tell you that I surprised myself with my recent half marathon. I thought that I was undertrained so I would have DOMS but I did not. I thought all that walking and thus a slow finish time would bother me but it did not. I thought that I would not enjoy this small insanely hilly race but I really DID!

Thumbs up for the Pelham Half Marathon

Over coffee…

I’d tell you that I found this out Wednesday…

I did have a guaranteed entry qualifying time from the Brooklyn Half but still, I was worried.

Anyone else running the NYC Half? or the Brooklyn Hot Chocolate 15k? And if you live in NYC, I’d love to meet up and run in December. Has your November weather been as lousy as mine?

Happy Running! Got anything to spill? Share it here!
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Friday Five – November Runfessions ’18

It’s that time again. Time to get things off my chest about my most recent race-cation in France with Marcia’s Runfessions at Marcia’s Healthy Slice…

1. I runfess…

I know that I made the right decision to DNS my Thanksgiving Turkey Trot but there were so many friends who did run, I had major FOMO.

Darn…I like their medals this year too…

and I would have won an age group award for the first time.

2. I runfess…

I did not DNS the Thanksgiving race because it was too cold.  I had all my layers ready but I was worried about running a race so close to my half marathon (which was two days later.) The coach told me to run it easy and not to race it but knowing me, I would have….

3. I runfess…

Although I have complained about all my travel for work, I will miss some of my favorite running routes.  I will still be traveling but to NYC.

4. I runfess…

I feel grateful to still be setting PRs this year. As I age, I hope I will be able to accept getting slower.

5. I runfess…

This year I will have the lowest total mileage since 2014.  I guess if I am healthy it shouldn’t matter.  But since I do not do any cross-training and I rarely play tennis anymore, I feel like I should step it up.

2018 – 886 miles so far
2017 – 1041.5 miles
2016 – 1046 miles
2015 – 969 miles

It’s Friday so I’m linking up with Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 linkup! Join in! Don’t forget to link back to your hostess and visit some other bloggers.

Happy Running! Anything to runfess this month? Please share.

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November Report Card

Image result for welcome december

This was supposed to be a big racing month -5K, 10k, 15K, Half Marathon!!

Unfortunately the weather interfered with two of those races :(.

Here’s how the month went:

Weekday Runs:

I was able to run at least 3 times outdoors most weeks which is great because I HATE the treadmill (though a snowstorm forced me on it once.)

I ran a few times while working in NYC and on Long Island. Otherwise I ran locally. My weekday runs were usually around 3 miles (occasionally more and occasionally less). 

Unfortunately I missed ALL of my Turkey Trot Training Monday group runs. I missed ALL of the Saturday ones too but I had no intent of attending those. Although I love this group, if my work schedule does not change, I will not sign up again next year.

Long Runs:

I did my best to get in a few long runs in to prepare for my 33rd half marathon this month. It helped that I have great running friends.  

Total Mileage:

I’ve run 78 miles so far this month. It may be a slight increase over last month and I am still behind on my 1000 mile yearly goal. But the important thing is that I am feeling healthy so all is good.

Races:

November is usually a popular month for racing and this November followed suit. I ran the Stockade-athon 15k and got a PR. Unfortunately the Girls on the Run 5k a week later was cancelled. Then on Thanksgiving Day, I DNSed the Troy Turkey Trot 5k.  Two days later I did run the HILLY Pelham Half Marathon and won my age group.

Cross Training:

Due to my work schedule, I only played tennis once and I did NOT work out at the gym at all.

I did not walk at lunch at all. Of course, I got a lot of steps in during my work time in NYC.

Other News:

Despite all my work travel, I was able to squeeze in some friend, family and hubby time. I even saw TWO movies (Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star is Born.)

Feeling healthy so Life Is Good.

Looking Ahead:

Half Marathon #34 is February 10, 2019. 

This is my list so far for the next 2 months:

  • 12-01-18 – Jingle Bell Run 5k ???
  • 12-08-18 – Albany Last Run 5K
  • 12-09-18 – Winter Series #1 (3m)
  • 01-01-19 – Winter Series #2 (3.5m)
  • 01-13-19 – Winter Series #3 (10K)
  • 01-24-19 – Winter Series #4 (15k)

(Winter Series races are local and FREE)

I am linking to Deb at DebRuns for her December Race Linkup:

No monthly goals.

This motto worked for 2016 & 2017 so I’m sticking with it in 2018!

I’m linking up with these wonderful ladies:

Erika @ MCM Mama Runs, Marcia @ Marcia’s Healthy Slice and Patty @ My no-guilt life for

My Topic is: Give your running month a letter grade.

I’d say overall a B+

Despite my busy schedule, I did my best to get in my weekday runs. My long runs actually got done but were not as long as they should have been. I did play tennis once but did not go to the gym at all. I ran a 15k race PR and a half marathon.

Not a bad month but feel a lacking in the mojo department. (I even DNSed a race which is so unlike me.) It is maybe the cold weather and early winter snows.  I better get used to it.  It’s only just begun.

I am also joining up with Running on Happy, Suzlyfe, Crazy Running Girl, and Coach Debbie Runs for the Coaches’ Corner linkup

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Happy Running! How did your November turn out? Anything exciting planned for December? What grade would you give your running month? Does the cold weather zap your mojo?

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Four Somethings – November

January 2018 Share Foru Somethings #ShareFourSomethings

Thanks to Laurie from Meditations in Motion, I discovered a new link up started by blogger Heather Gerwing. The last Monday of each month, Heather invites other bloggers to share their “Four Somethings”: Something Loved, Something Said, Something Learned, Something Read. If you are a blogger, you may post your Four Somethings too!

So here are mine:

Something Loved.

NYC at Christmastime.  I know it’s only November, but the city starts buzzing after Halloween.

Something Said.

In a review of the movie A Star is Born (which I absolutely loved) –

“…life is about taking risks and some of the greatest rewards come from throwing away everything that feels safe.”

So obviously this can apply to life as well as running.

  • Does it mean that I should sign up for the 2019 NYC Marathon????

  • Does it mean that I should retire from my current job?

Something Learned.

I always learn something from every run and every race. The problem is remembering what you learned and applying it.

So what did I learn from my most recent runs and races?

I learned:

  • I can still PR at age 65.
  • I don’t need to put in a lot of miles to be successful in my races.
  • I missed racing on Thanksgiving Day.
  • Running in frigid temps is uncomfortable but doable.
  • Hills won’t kill you.
  • Walking up huge hills in a race will prevent injury.
  • Expensive races don’t mean better race experiences.

Something Read.

Image result for the leavers

The Leavers is about an undocumented mother who suddenly disappears and the young American-born son she leaves behind. Of course with our current immigrant situation, it seemed very timely.  I really enjoyed the story and its characters.

Happy Running! What are your FOUR somethings? Share at least ONE.

 

 

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Weekly Wrap for 11.19.18-11.25.18 – Running Before and After the Turkey

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Back to guess where?  And my last Half Marathon for 2018!!

Last week –
  • Monday – Though I was tired from the weekend, I do love my NYC runs. I started along the Hudson River

but for safety sake I ended up running on the city sidewalks. Crowded for sure but I got to see some the holiday decorations.

  • Tuesday – Today after work I took the subway to Central Park. I was hoping to run with Cari but she was stuck at work so I was solo. Not really. There were lots of runners in the park.

I walked back to my hotel. Again admiring the lights of the city at Christmastime.

  • Wednesday – Rest Day. Train home after work.
  • Thursday – Race Day – Troy Turkey Trot 5k. Well the night before there was a train derailment which led my train to be stuck an hour away. My hubby picked me up but I didn’t get home until after 11 pm. I also woke up to negative single digits with the windchill so I decided to skip the race.

It felt really strange not to race on Thanksgiving Day. I had done a turkey trot every year since 2009 (except 2012 when I was injured.) I waited for the temps to warm up to double digits and ran my own 5k. It was not fun but got it done.

Later in the day I ate back all the calories I burned and more at the family Thanksgiving dinner.

  • Friday – Rest Day and drive to Pelham with Alyssa. After checking into our hotel, we picked up our bibs and carb loaded at dinner.

Then we walked off our dinner at a nearby mall.

  • Saturday – Race Day. Pelham Half Marathon – the hilliest race ever. I mean I had problems even walking up the hills. But Alyssa and I survived and had fun. It is great local race. I even won my age group.

does it count if I was the only one in my AG?

  • Sunday – Rest Day and I deserved it!

This Coming Week –  

  • Monday – 3 miles??
  • Tuesday –  3 miles, mall walk with BFF
  • Wednesday – train to NYC, 4 miles
  • Thursday –3 miles (in NYC)
  • Friday – rest day, train home
  • Saturday – Long Run with Sole Sisters (6 miles) or Jingle Bell 5k
  • Sunday – rest day and anniversary Mah Jongg dinner

Please link up for the Weekly Wrap hosted by these wonderful bloggers Holly @ HoHoRuns and Wendy @ Taking the Long Way Home

WWSki-Orange

Happy Running! How is your running going? What’s new with you?  Any big races on the horizon? Did you experience the arctic chill on Thanksgiving Day?  Did you run a Turkey Trot? Please share.

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Friday Five – Vacation in France – Pt. 3

It’s Friday so I’m also linking up with  Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five linkup! Join in! Don’t forget to link back to your hostess and visit some other bloggers.

Ok, I promise this is the last post about France (unless I get to go there again LOL).

So here are five non–running-related things that I loved about my vacation in France.

1. The People I met.

I know many people think that French people are snotty. Many people think that the French don’t like us Americans.

I found that both of these feelings to be far from the truth.

All of the staff in our “small” typically French hotel in Paris were so helpful.  They served us breakfast the day we arrived even though breakfast hours were over.  They made me breakfast to go the morning I left before it was too early for the hotel breakfast.  They were always helpful is giving me advice on where to go, how to get there, etc.

I stayed with a family in Sanguinet. The wife got up at 5 am each morning to take the train to Bordeaux where she was getting another college degree and when she came home each night at 7 pm, she prepared us a multi-course gourmet meal…every night!

In many of the cities, we got lost. Each person we encountered was super helpful in getting us directions. (We even had to stop at a vet’s to use their landline the first night we arrived in Sanguinet…long story!)

I could go on and on about other friendly folks – the runner on the subway and the lady in the airport shuttle.

2. Their Transportation System

So easy to get everywhere…subways in Paris, TGV from Paris to Bordeaux, Tram in Bordeaux, train from Facture to Bordeaux, RER from Paris to St Germain-en-Laye.

Not to mention boat tours, train tours and bus tours.

Wish it were that easy to get around here.

3. The Food (and Wine)

I got spoiled. But everything tasted so good. Did I eat healthy? Well, most of the time…but those desserts….

4. The Architecture

Since I had visited Paris at least 10 times prior, I wanted to see things esp. buildings that I had never seen before.

I visited districts in Paris (new to me) like La Bastille, La Nation, Vincennes, Saint Sulpice and St Germain en Laye. I also toured Bordeaux, Bicarosse, Arcachon and Cap Ferret (SW of Paris).

5. The Art Museums

I’ve always loved art.  When I was a kid I wanted to be an art teacher. That was before I realized that I had no talent.

To get my fix, I would illustrate everything when I taught French and I would visit art museums when I got the chance.

Well, as you probably know, France is a mecca for art.

I have in the past visited Musee d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Musee Marmottan, Louvre, Rodin museum and more.  I wanted to see the special exhibits in the Petit and Grand Palais but no time.

I did get to see the new Fondation Louis Vuitton.

Happy Running! What are your favorite non-running-related things about your favorite city? 

 

 

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TOTR: Racing Mistakes

It’s Tuesday so I’m linking up with these wonderful ladies:

Erika @ MCM Mama Runs, Marcia @ Marcia’s Healthy Slice and Patty @ My no-guilt life for

Today’s Belated Topic is: Racing Mistakes

If you have raced, you have made a mistake or two or ten.

I race a lot, so you can imagine all the mistakes, I’ve made.

I have so many that I have to divide them into categories –

Before –

  • Not training properly.
  • Not training on hills for a hilly race.
  • Dressing too warmly
  • Not dressing warm enough
  • Not using the facilities before
  • Not bringing throw a ways for cold race starts
  • Not bringing a bag to check for clothes after the race
  • Not carb loading the night before a big race
  • Eating the wrong foods the night before a big race
  • Wearing something new
  • Not lubricating and getting chafed
  • Not using sunscreen and getting burned
  • Putting too many miles on the feet the day before a big race
  • Arriving late for a race
  • Not charging your watch
  • Not starting your watch
  • Not DNSing when injured

During –

  • Not hydrating enough
  • Not fueling enough
  • Eating the wrong fuel
  • Starting out too fast
  • Walking too often
  • Mentally giving up on a race
  • Not DNFing when injured

After –

  • Not hydrating
  • Not re-fueling
  • Not stretching
  • Dwelling on a disappointing finish time

I would like some do-overs on these races (and others):

Happy Running!  Have you made any of the above racing mistakes?  Any others?

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Weekly Wrap for 11.12.18-11.18.18 – It’s beginning to look a lot like….

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New work travel location and a few cancelled running events due to an early winter.

Last week –
  • Monday – Most of my running friends were off for the Veteran’s Day holiday and went for a morning run but I had to work so waited until after work. It was a slog but got it done.

at UAlbany where there are lights

  • Tuesday – Drive to LI for work. It was my first time going to this location (even though it’s where I grew up.) I had no idea where to run but it didn’t matter because it was raining. But then it stopped and it was still light so I headed to Eisenhower Park hoping to find a route to run on. And I did.

  • Wednesday – After work, I headed back to Eisenhower Park but just for a short walk. It was freezing and I had connected with two friends from high school with whom I would be having dinner. No time for a run but had a fun evening.

two of my best friends from junior high & high school – and yes, they’re twins

  • Thursday – Well almost another Rest Day. I planned to run on the treadmill before work but bailed. After work, I had to tackle the long slow drive home from LI. It was forecast to rain but it turned out to be a blizzard so I spent an extra night there. And guess what? I actually ran on the hotel treadmill. Hated every second but got it done.

  • Friday – Rest Day. Today I made the long drive home. No time to run as I had a hair appointment after work and a race the next day.
  • Saturday – Race Day. But the Girls on the Run 5k got cancelled due to the weather. I had run this race before but it was in a new location. I basically was going to do the race to support this charity and to meet up with the STEM coaches and runners. I was thinking about not running it even before it was cancelled (too tired!!!). So instead I ran a leisurely long run with my Sole Sisters followed by brunch. Love my running friends ❤

at the Crossings where they shoveled the paths 🙂

Then it was date night with the hubby. Movie (Bohemian Rhapsody) and dinner.

  • Sunday – Today I was supposed do a fun run with friends.  It was called the Raffle Run and you run for an hour completing a one mile trail loop as many times as you can. Each time around, you earn a raffle ticket which is entered into a drawing to win a prize. This was cancelled as well. So instead I did errands, cleaning, packing and picked up by race packet for Thursday’s race.

I decided to downgrade from the 10k to the 5k. And my coach agreed.

This Coming Week –  

  • Monday -train to NYC, 4 miles
  • Tuesday –  3 miles (in NYC)
  • Wednesday – rest day, train home
  • Thursday –Turkey Trot 10K 5k, Thanksgiving dinner
  • Friday – rest day, drive to Pelham
  • Saturday – Pelham Half Marathon
  • Sunday – rest day

Please link up for the Weekly Wrap hosted by these wonderful bloggers Holly @ HoHoRuns and Wendy @ Taking the Long Way Home

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Happy Running! How is your running going? What’s new with you?  Did you race on Thanksgiving? Any big races on the horizon? Please share.

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Friday Five – France Vacation – Pt. 2

It’s Friday so I’m also linking up with  Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five linkup! Join in! Don’t forget to link back to your hostess and visit some other bloggers.

Ok, you are probably tired hearing this but I RAN.In.France.

As a former French teacher, this was a dream come true. So I am pretty much obsessing about it until something better comes along.

So here are five running-related things that I loved about my vacation in France.

1. Running in person with someone I met online.

I first met Karen virtually through her blog. (Now I follow her on IG.)  I also have met her IRL during two of her trips to NYC. She is as nice in person as she is online.

She lives in Paris and I was excited to run with her there.

It was a real treat to meet up, run, chat, and experience in person the route that she normally runs on.

2. Running in Bois de Vincennes.

On a previous trip to Paris ages ago, I visited Bois de Boulogne. But I only know Bois de Vincennes from Karen’s IG posts.

I was able to run there at both the beginning and end of my trip.  I entered the park in different locations to be able to run on different paths..

As you can see it is beautiful!!

3. Running in a small rural town.

I spent several days staying with a family in Sanguinet which is located in the SW, not too far from Bordeaux.

It was totally different experience than running in Paris. I ran there almost everyday. Luckily I spoke French because I did get lost the first day on my way back from the lake.

But I ran the next two days on different roads without getting lost 🙂

4. Walking on an above ground walkway (Coulee Verte).

I asked the hotel owner for a different place to walk/run besides along the Seine and in the parks.  He explained that I could take some stairs near Place de la Bastille and walk/run forever on this walkway.

He was right. It was a great place walk or run.  If it weren’t the day before my race, I would have joined all the other runners on this path.

5. Running a Race.

I was fortunate to find a race that was scheduled during the time that I was in France. (That was part of the plan.) I ran the 20 km de Paris at the end of my trip.

It was an amazing experience that I’ll never forget.

Happy Running! What is your favorite city to run? Why?