8 days away with friends in Naples, FL was fabulous.

I also turned a year older yesterday!

Last Week-

• Friday – First full day of my tennis vacation. While some took tennis lessons, I went on a short run and then played doubles with them after (very rusty lol). The weather was perfect for our first visit to the beach. I was in heaven (love relaxing, reading in the sun and floating in the Gulf). We ended our day with dinner out.

• Saturday – Mostly a repeat of the day before except for a different beach and a different restaurant. But while the tennis lessons were happening, I ran a 5k race. It was in a new location for me. The highlight was meeting Jeannie Rice (and winning my age group).

I got back in time to play doubles too. The meal tonight was French and a stranger bought us two bottles of wine. Doesn’t get better than that?

• Sunday – Tennis got cancelled due to rain but I did get my short run in earlier. And since it wasn’t a beach or pool day, we took a Trolley tour of the city and then had dinner and drinks at the movies. We saw The Devil Wears Prada 2. The movie was meh but the food was delish and we sat in lounging chairs. We also went out for ice cream afterwards.

• Monday – The beautiful weather returned so we repeated our usual vacation activities. We chose a different beach (our favorite) and had dinner downtown and walked around before and after.

• Tuesday – Another perfect weather day for running and tennis. Instead of the beach, some went shopping and some (like me) preferred to hang out at the pool. We had dinner at the cafe by the pool. Tonight was our designated book night. We discussed The Midnight Library (have you read it?) Afterward we took a Sunset Cruise. The clouds rolled in and we thought the sunset was going to be a bust. But no, amazing red skies!! And we had delicious ice cream after.

• Wednesday – Last full day of the tennis vacation. Last warm sunny run and tennis and last day at the beach. We had dinner out (of course) and then went to see the Carole King Musical. We all enjoyed it (even though everyone had seen it before.)

• Thursday – Time to head home. For once, no airline drama.

• Friday- I had taken the day off in case I had flight issues. But I decided to keep it. I went to the gym, unpacked and did laundry, visited the tulips,

many past bloom but still beautiful

went for a long walk w/Jenny

and played mah jongg

my mj friends surprised me with a cake.

• Saturday – MY BIRTHDAY!  Rain spoiled my day. I had planned to go for a long run with friends and out to brunch.

Instead I walked in the mall. My friend Heidi joined me for 5 of my 10 miles and we enjoyed brunch together.

And I went out to dinner at a French restaurant with my hubby.

it was yummy!!

• Sunday – Mother’s Day – run, Mother’s Day brunch w/family.

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday -run, pickleball lesson
• Tuesday – gym, walk, b-day dinner w/BFF
• Wednesday – run (training challenge group)
• Thursday –run
• Friday- gym, walk, mah jongg
• Saturday – Walk and Brunch, volunteer at Library book sale
• Sunday – Boilermaker Erie Canal 10 miler

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• • Tuesday – Tropicool 5k Race Recap
  • Friday – 5 Ways I Stayed Fit on Vacation

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races?  Do you race while on vacation? Any upcoming travel? Do you celebrate your birthday with a run? Any fun Mothers Day plans? 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.

No snow pictures this week…

Even a few flowers.

And 70 & 80 degrees for a few days!!

Last Week –

• Sunday – I started the day at the gym…

Afterward, I went for a walk at a nearby arboretum (as I did last Sunday).  This may be my new Sunday routine…

a few blooms…should see more each week.

I spent a lot of time raking and pruning…

look what I stumbled upon…

Eventually I did do our taxes.

• Monday – Gym before work. My friend Jenny asked me to meet her for a run before work …

I took it slow but my legs felt surprisingly good….

After work, I attended my monthly dinner out with my tennis friends.

always a fun time!

• Tuesday – Just a walk at lunch with Jenny

and after work, a walk with a former co-worker (before the rain!).

80 degrees! Even the trees have finally started blooming

• Wednesday – Gym again before work.

After work, I met up with the Training Challenge runners (for week 4). 5 min walk, 90:30 run walk intervals 12x, 5 min walk.

ran with 2 runners today but it was warm, muggy and I was pooped… but they did great!

• Thursday – Just a run before work with Jenny.

it was muggy but felt much better than yesterday.. I guess I’m a morning runner…

After work, some errands which included a library visit..

yay. saw my first cherry blossom tree!!

• Friday- A gym morning, walk at with Jenny at lunch (in a new neighborhood) after the rain…

my first tulips of the season…

and mah jongg at my house in the evening.

• Saturday – Long Run and Brunch.

Half marathons may be over for a while but I still need to keep in shape since I have two 10 mile races at the end of May.

I was glad to have company on most of my 8 miles… and catch up with the others at brunch.

the weather was great (a little too warm and sunny but not complaining since cold temps are on the way…

In the afternoon, I got my COVID vaccine (as I am headed to Fla soon.)

• Sunday -gym, walk, visit to Barbie exhibit at NYS Museum

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday –  run, pickleball lesson
• Tuesday – gym, walk
• Wednesday – PM run (week 5 of training challenge)
• Thursday -run
• Friday – gym, mah jongg
• Saturday – Bill Robinson Memorial 10k
• Sunday – gym, walk, ???

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Reasons to Race Often
• Friday – Runfessions

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races?  How ‘s your weather? Any signs of spring? 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.

Looking forward to consistent spring weather. It’s warm one day and then back to freezing the next.

Maybe it will change now that it’s April?

Last Week –

• Sunday – Just a morning visit to the gym followed by errands, cooking and other Sunday catch-up stuff with a walk around the mall late afternoon.
• Monday – WFH for the first two days so I squeezed in a run at lunch… My legs weren’t having it and I was overdressed.

signs of spring? nope.

and a visit to see my granddaughter after work.

she is getting sooo big…

• Tuesday –  Another morning visit to the gym and a walk after work with Jenny.

between rain showers and the only flowers seen were painted…

• Wednesday – A long day of teaching live…

my reward for being at work at 7am!

and week 2 of the Training Challenge (but my first week mentoring).  5 min walk, 1:1 run/walk 10X 5 min walk.

sorry last year’s pic… it was chilly today too but not sunny…

Happy Passover to those who celebrate!

• • Thursday – Another long day of teaching live…

day 2 and a cold brew!!

and it rained All Day!

I had planned for a run/walk with Deb on a nearby bike path…

but instead I drove home.

A little while later, the rain had stopped!! Out I went!

breezy, damp and COLD!! 30’s…brrrr!

• Friday-  TGIF! Live teaching…

day 3!

and no running or walking.  Just Mah Jongg in the evening. (first time playing with the 2026 card = won 2x).

• Saturday – Long Run and Brunch.

Not sure if I am tapering or training… I did 7  miles last weekend and 13 the weekend before. I decided to try for 8 and call it a day.

Got the miles in solo on the rail trail but no running friends brunch today..

finally good running weather – this is the tail I will be running 13.1 next Saturday… saw my first daffodil!

Instead a new event:

not as much fun as the last one here.. food was meh. drinks cost $ and the egg hunt was lame…

• Sunday – Gym closed so just Easter dinner with the family.

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday –  run 
• Tuesday – gym, walk, dinner with former co-workers
• Wednesday – PM run (week 3 of training challenge)
• Thursday -run, walk with BFF
• Friday – gym, mah jongg
• Saturday – Helderberg to Hudson Half Marathon
• Sunday – gym, taxes!!

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Belated Blogoversary
• Friday – 18 Years Later

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races?  How ‘s your weather? Any signs of spring? What are you doing for Easter or Passover? 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.

A quiet week after I arrived home from Asheville (except for a work trip to NYC.)

No races scheduled until April 11.

Last Week –

• Saturday –  New Belgium Asheville Half Marathon

My friend Sue and I stayed in the race hotel so we took their shuttle to the start. The weather was perfect. The race was well organized with beautiful scenery. But holy hills. Never ending. It was a struggle but we finished, got our free beer and even won age group awards.

We had lunch in the nearby River Arts District, strolled the galleries and then took the shuttle back to our hotel.

After a long hot shower, we kept moving with a visit to the botanical gardens and finally ended the day downtown with a delicious Mexican dinner.

• Sunday – Sue took an early flight home so I was solo.

I had booked a trolley tour of the city. And it was perfect. I learned and saw a lot but unfortunately I only had time to get off for one hour stop before lunch, checking out of my hotel and heading to the airport.

My flight to CTL was fine (I even had my last local beer) but there were several delays on the next flight and didn’t get home until after midnight!!

• Monday – Just in case I had flight issues, I took the day off. It was 85 degrees the day before and today 30 degrees and snow flurries!!!!!!!!!

I did laundry and errands and there was rain and snow flurries most of the day.

I finally went out for a run in the afternoon.

chilly, dreary and drizzling 😦 But legs felt good. So isn’t it  already spring?  or maybe they mean when it feels like spring?

• Tuesday – A WFH day with a gym visit before work and a walk with Jenny at lunchtime and another in the mall with my BFF after work.
• Wednesday – Another WFH day and after work, it was the first week mentoring the Training Challenge and I was supposed to lead the run/walk beginners group.

The trainer in NYC got sick and I had to take a train to NYC in the afternoon in order to work in Jamaica Queens  the next day.

Plans are meant  to be broken and so I decided to switch my Broadway tickets to tonight so that I could run after work on Thursday.

There are things to see and do in NYC…

yes and there was quick meet up with Cari..

• Thursday – I took an early subway to Jamaica, worked all day and then took the subway back to Manhattan.

I quickly changed into my running clothes and headed out to take in some sights and run in Central Park….

Guess who I bumped into in Central Park? And it was 70 degrees!!

• Friday- I checked out of my hotel, took a subway to and from Jamaica for work. And then I took the train home in the evening.
• Saturday – Long Run and Brunch.

Yes, I still needed a long run since I have another half marathon in 2 weeks.

But I was too pooped to run 12 miles…  So I carpooled with Deb and ran/walked with Sherry until it was brunch time (I think we got in 7 miles).

25 degrees with sun didn’t feel so bad and the company helped…

In the evening I went out to dinner with a friend and to see Legally Blonde the Musical at a local high school. Her grandson was in it.

amazed at how good the students were – Broadway quality singing!!

• Sunday -gym, catch up stuff, maybe the boat show with the hubby?

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday –  AM run 
• Tuesday – gym, walk
• Wednesday – PM run week 2 of training challenge)
• Thursday -PM run
• Friday – gym, mah jongg
• Saturday – Long Run, Adult Easter Egg Hunt/Brunch
• Sunday – gym, Easter dinner with family

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Spring Bucket List
• Friday – Ultimate Coffee Date

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races?  How ‘s your weather? Any signs of spring? What are you doing for Easter or Passover? 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.

Wish me luck.

I am running the NYC Half Marathon (for the 3rd time) today!!

2019 with Cari!

1. 2019 (recovering from a calf injury)
   • 2020 (virtual since it was COVID cancelled)
   • 2022 (virtual in order to get into 2023)
   • 2023 (DNS – broken foot)
2. 2024 (recovering from a sprained ankle)

2024 with 3 friends

I’m particularly excited because it will be my last time running this race but for the first time, I will be running over the Brooklyn Bridge.

Last Week –

• Sunday – Another gym morning and beautiful weather.

In the evening, I went to a goodbye party for one of our running friends who is moving to Mass to be closer to her grandkids.

We will miss Judy (2nd from left bottom row) but hopefully she  will stay in touch and she will come to our race-cations.

• Monday – WFH all week… YAY!

I was going to go to PT before work but with such a busy week and my back feeling better, I cancelled.

Another beautiful day and so I went for a run at lunch.

sunshine and 60 degrees – snow almost gone!!

I know it is fake spring because it’s March in the NE and I looked ahead at the weather…

After work, I took advantage of the nice weather and went for a walk with my granddaughter.

• Tuesday – A busy work day but I did go for a walk on the rail tail after work with a friend. It felt like summer!!!

70 degrees means ice cream sandwich time!

• Wednesday – I got in a gym visit before work…

and then after work, I had plans to go to UAlbany to run a loop and then to meet my friend Heidi to run another loop with her. It was very windy all day and as soon as I was done with work, it started to pour.  So we cancelled.

I went to do some errands and of course the rain stopped.

So I headed to the rail trail before the next bout of rain.

• Thursday – I cancelled my chiro appt for today for the same reason as above.

Instead I went out to dinner and to a show with my tennis friends.

dinner and company were great, the play meh

• Friday- I stopped off at the office, got a new phone (at lunch)

17e – I preferred the size of my 13 mini but at least the battery life will be better...

and then after work I planned to squeeze in my last run before the big race. I looked outside and a snow squall!! What?  I took it as a sign to skip it.

Then I packed and played mah jongg.

• Saturday – Stan, Sherry and I took an early train to NYC. After we checked into our hotel, we had lunch and then we headed to expo which was held at the Javitz Center (for the first time).

shirt= lavender/light pink… what would men think of this?

Eventually we carb loaded at …

for pizza or pasta

and

don’t usually drink the night before a race but wth!

Afterward we visited the new One Times Square viewing deck

amazing views

and then took the subway back downtown to try to go to bed early.

• Sunday – RACE DAY! UNITED NYC HALF MARATHON!

Our hotel is downtown so it will be easy to catch the subway to the race start which is in Prospect Park, Brooklyn… but more inconvenient after the race which ends in Central Park.

More details to come…

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday –  OFF – train home
• Tuesday – hair appt
• Wednesday – PM run
• Thursday – AM run, PT talk, pack
• Friday – FLY To Asheville, NC
• Saturday – Asheville Half Marathon
• Sunday – sightsee, fly home

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – United NYC Half Marathon Race Recap
• Friday – 5 reasons to Run a Half Marathon Tomorrow

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races?  How ‘s your winter weather? Any signs of spring? Any race-cations planned? Have you been to Adheville? 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.

Yesterday I ran my first March race and it will be followed by half marathons on the next two weekends…

But I’m mostly looking forward to spring temps and our snow melting.

Last Week –

• Sunday – I started the day at the gym…

Then met a friend for lunch..

we had food in addition to those delicious martinis…

• Monday – WFH all week… YAY!

But today I had the DAY OFF!

Trying to get back into hiking and it’s been awhile.

I planned to get in an early run but with 6 degree temps, I went back to the gym instead.

 We drove to the Berkshires. However due to the snowy conditions and cold weather, we did 3 short hikes, had lunch, walked around town and then ended the day at our favorite ice cream spot…

too cold to stay out on the trails long but not too cold for ice cream…

• Tuesday – I had planned to do the run today that I skipped yesterday.  But I didn’t look at the forecast.. still cold with heavy SNOW!

followed by sleet and FREEZING rain!!

Even too hazardous to drive and walk in the mall.

• Wednesday – Back to the gym before work…

and a run at UAlbany after work. Since I hadn’t run since Saturday, I decided to run one loop solo and then meet a friend to accompany her on a 2nd (slower) loop.

sun & 40 degrees!! heat wave!

• Thursday – Another gym morning and my last run before the race.

Well, it RAINED all day.

Finally when I was done working, it seemed to have stopped so since I was meeting a friend at the mall to walk, I stopped off at UAlbany .

very gloomy and wet

I did get in a few miles before the sky opened up…

• Friday- Just work.

Mah jongg was cancelled since most of the ladies were on vacation. So #flatme time and weather stalking for the next day.

• Saturday – Electric City 10K.  I’ve run this race several  times before (it was originally a 5 miler) and unfortunately we’ve usually had the worst weather.

There were two of us running it (plus 1000+ other locals).  I carpooled with Deb and Barb (although they were injured and were only going to cheer). It poured on the drive over (which made me nervous since I wasn’t prepared for rain).

But it stopped. Phew. We parked in the parking garage and hung out on the Casino Lobby, socialized until the race began.

It was quite humid and not as windy as predicted so I was overdressed.

The course was slushy and full of puddles due the recent weather but no one fell and we both finished smiling.

As soon I was done, the skies opened up.  Lucky again to have a dry race.

Afterward, we met those friends who were not racing for brunch.

• Sunday – I plan to head to the gym in the morning and in the evening, we have scheduled a goodbye party for one of running friends who is moving to Mass to be closer to her grandkids.

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday –  run
• Tuesday – gym, walk
• Wednesday – run
• Thursday –  gym, dinner & Cap Rep play
• Friday – run, pack, mah jongg
• Saturday – train to NYC, expo, carb loading, etc…
• Sunday – NYC Half Marathon, train home

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Electric City 10k Race Recap
• Friday – 5 Ways To Get Race-Ready This Spring

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races?  Run any in 2026? How’s your winter weather? Any signs of spring yet? 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.