It was a busy week. But I am beginning to think they all are.

I fit in my runs and so training is done!

One more week until Half Marathon #60!!

Last Week:

• Sunday – Boating Sunday.

It threatened rain but the rain never happened.  Lake George is a perfect place to beat the humidity.

• Monday – Love my Mondays off. I planned to run first thing but again the forecast was for rain (that never appeared.) My friend and I debated where to go and it seemed less likely to rain in VT so off we went.  We had a lovely lunch and then hiked up to a waterfall.

1000 feet of climbing was worth it for the waterfall at the end.

5 miles for the day ended with ice cream…. No run, though.

• Tuesday – I got up very early and met a friend for a run on the rail trail.

new sights on the rail trail and we got 6 miles done before the rain!! (yes, I usually only run 3 but I had to make up for yesterday’s missed run)

My post-work walk plans got rained out so I headed to the library and grocery store (trying to stay dry.)

• Wednesday – Another pre-work run. Today was solo and in the hood and VERY VERY HUMID!!!!

Mums already? I dressed to match my cat LOL

No rain today so I was able to meet friends for a walk on the rail trail after work.

the artwork under the bridge is almost done

• Thursday – I took today off from work for an annual breakfast and track day. My former co-worker and I have been doing this every summer since the 80’s!!!

don’t you love that sign?… it was for the Travers race on Saturday.

As usual, I didn’t win much money but had a great time.

Unfortunately I got back too late to join my running friends at the last ARE-sponsored weekly trail run.

• Friday – Another rest day because I never run the day before or after long runs and races.

And I was hosting mah jongg … gotta shop and clean…

• Saturday – Long Run Saturday.

Just a taper of 10 miles.

I arrived early and ran 2 miles (in the rain) and then joined my friends for 8 more.

not the whole group.. missing 3 and the dessert plate…

To celebrate, we gathered after at the home of one of our running friends for brunch and mimosas.

yup, it was so nice that everyone could attend. What a fun bunch of “Sole Sisters.”

• Sunday – Boating Sunday.

It promises to be another gorgeous summer day.

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday –  run, walk
• Tuesday – run, hair appt
• Wednesday – run, walk
• Thursday – rest day, trail walk
• Friday – rest day, mah jongg
• Saturday – Rave 4 the River Half Marathon
• Sunday –  Boating Sunday

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Share Four Somethings July/August
• Friday – Ultimate Coffee Date

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.

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any in-person races run or planned? Has the weather been warm where you live? Please share.

After a brief reprieve from the heat and humidity, summer weather returned in full force this week.

Not much could be done but as they say “Just do it!” And that’s what I did.

Last Week:

• Sunday – Boating Sunday!

Again I was treated to a gorgeous day for relaxing on the lake.

different dock at Red Rock Bay (Lake George)… same experience

Since my hubby had driven up the day before, we had two cars today.  That meant, I could stay later and do my own thing…

After he left, I walked around town admiring all the beautiful gardens.

Then I went for a few nature walks/hikes before heading home.

trails at the Sagamore followed by Up Yonda.

Of course, there was stop on the way at Martha’s for ice cream.

• Monday – I really didn’t want to get up this morning to run but it was #nevermissamonday. As always, I was glad I did.

but holy humidity!!! Just chrysalis and bees today.

Having my run done before work allowed me to go for a leisurely walk on the rail trail with friends after work.

• Tuesday – After a sleepless night, I was tired but I knew I HAD to run.

this run was dedicated to my sweet cat, Honey, who died the night before.

I do love all kinds of flowers but I really love sunflowers.  And I really needed a pick me up today!!

Two of the nearby fields did not plant this summer so I had to search out a new location.

And I found one!!  They are only open in the evenings which was perfect…Unfortunately my GPS did not take to the right location but a kind soul on the side of road directed me.  It was not free (however you got to cut your own flowers to bring home) and most of the fields had not bloomed yet.  (I plan a return visit in a few weeks.)

The flowers made me happy and it was definitely worth the trip!!

• Wednesday – Yes, the third day in a row of getting up early to run. But again it freed up my evening for other things.

the bright sunshine was a killer today… those sunflowers are TALL…like my runfie?

My evening plans included dinner out with my former co-workers and walking pals.

• Thursday – 100 degrees predicted for today!!! No running for me (since I don’t have access to a treadmill.)

Since I had to go into the office today, I did take a walk to the nearby Starbucks.

There were a few evening plans brewing – a group trail run for me and tennis for the hubby OR a Jimmy Buffet concert together.

It wasn’t the heat hat bothered me. It was the threat of thunderstorms (which may or may not materialize).

Well, we decided on the concert.  And it was the right decision.  While we were gone, there was a HUGE storm.  The power and internet went down. I wouldn’t have been able to go to the hike. My hubby’s tennis match was canceled.

The concert was awesome and NO RAIN!

The concert was held in Bethel, NY – the home of the famous Woodstock concert in 1969!!!

It was a very long drive (longer than I thought) and we got home at 1:30 am!!

• Friday – Rest Day!! And a scheduled day off from work.

August 2021

I had planned (as I did last year) to visit a friend who was at a retreat on Lake George to hike and hang out on the lake.

As you can expect, I was very tired but my friend needed to get home and the weather was less than ideal so we decided to cancel.

I hate to waste a vacation day so I worked instead. (I’ll take another day off later in the month).

• Saturday – Long Run Saturday!

We decided to start early (to beat the heat) and then meet for brunch.  Thanks to my friends, I got 12 miles done on the rail trail.

it was humid and warm but running intervals (and with friends) made me feel like I could run forever

• Sunday –  Boating Sunday!!

So far so good. We’ve been lucky to have dry Sundays to use our boat for the day.

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday –  DAY OFF – run, hike
• Tuesday – rest day, walk
• Wednesday – run
• Thursday – rest day, ARE trail walk
• Friday – run, mah jongg
• Saturday – rest day, boating
• Sunday –  Run for the Roses 5k (+ miles)

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Places I’ve Run (S-Z)
• Friday – Who’s an Athena?

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.

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any in-person races run or planned? Has the weather been warm where you live? Please share.

Some weeks, I say that I’m happy that I fit in a run.  This was one of them.

For three days I was providing tech support for the NYS Bar Exam at a law school (7am-xx:xx). There was also a running group day at a lake, a trail run and a ZOOM with college friends.

Last Week:

• Sunday – Boating Sunday! In the 90’s!! Where else would I want to be?

perfect (didn’t even feel the heat) and no storms until that evening.

• Monday –  Today our running group planned a day on Emerald Lake in VT.  Rain and the threat of thunderstorms called for a change in plans.

A later departure time allowed me to get my run in.

it was a wet one but it felt sooo good.

Fortunately one of my running friends does live on a lake and that was our back up plan.

The maiden voyage of my SUP… lots of laughs… didn’t even mind the mid day storm

• Tuesday – Long work day – 7 am-5 pm  providing tech support to those taking the NYS Bar Exam.

But finally a beautiful (not steamy) run day so I accepted when a friend asked to accompany her on a run.

I got back just in time to a  ZOOM with college friends.

• Wednesday – Back to my regular job.  I don’t like to run three days in a row but with thunderstorms and working at the Bar Exam on Thursday, I decided that I’d better run after work today.

humidity returned though

I had to rush the run because I forgot that I had a “wine” date with a friend.

• Thursday – Back at the Bar Exam but I finished early enough to carpool with friends to the weekly trail run.

it was a long drive to Landis Arboretum but worth it..

• Friday – Rest Day!! Finally! And I worked at the Bar Exam for the third and last day.
• Saturday – Long Run Saturday! 10 miles on the plan for Zim Smith bike path.

I was lucky to have the company of friends (and temps cooler than last week) plus brunch at Leah’s.

• Sunday –  Boating Sunday!!

The heat seems to be back. Looking forward to a day on the lake.

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday –  run
• Tuesday – rest day, walk with friends
• Wednesday – run
• Thursday – run, ARE trail walk (or Jimmy Buffet concert)
• Friday – DAY OFF – a day with a friend on Lake George is planned.
• Saturday – Long Run 
• Sunday –  rest day, boating

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Places I’ve Run (J-R)
• Friday – Ultimate Coffee Date

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.

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any in-person races run or planned? Has the weather been warm where you live? Please share.

I know most of you do work five days but this is the first week since the beginning of June where I had to work on Monday.

I now have every other Monday off and then there was also Juneteenth and Fourth of July Monday holidays.

So the week was tiring. I guess I’m out of practice.

There are group run opportunities every night of the week if I so choose.. but this week, it was just too hot to wait until the evening to run.

Last Week:

• Sunday – Boating Sunday!

Again we were blessed with another dry warm day. We chose a new site and it may have become my favorite.

shade, lake breeze, beautiful views, good book = paradise

• Monday – A rainy morning but it had stopped by lunch time but more rain was predicted for later in the day.

I planned to participate in a group run at The Crossings after work but decided not to risk getting rained on and skipped out for a run earlier..

drove to a different neighborhood for this run

Instead of participating in a Peloton run, I listened to a AMR podcast. It made me think of Judy‘s recent posts on HR. This runner talked about spikes in her HR.  She attributed most of the HR spikes to stress. She decided to run listening to music and/or a podcast.  This prevented her mind from going to her stressors: family/work issues, her pace, the weather, etc.  No HR spikes.  Ok, I’m not saying this is the only reason your heart rate goes up but it’s worth trying if you run in silence.

I did go for a walk after work on the rail trail with a friend  We did get rained on but it felt sooo good!!

• Tuesday – Another scorcher but a Rest Day due to a hair appt!  Self-care is important, right? (I even got my nails done last Saturday.)
• Wednesday – There was a SOAR run scheduled on the Albany end of the rail trail so I planned to join them. (also an ice cream run scheduled on the same trail, different location. Nice to have choices.)

But because of the predicted 95 degree temps (+humidity), it got cancelled.

So my only choice was to drag myself outta bed (after a poor night’s sleep due to all the thunderstorms) and run.

It was great and I need to do this EVERYDAY!!

Instead of that after work run, I did go for a walk…. even at 8 pm, I sweat.

• Thursday – As I have done in previous weeks, I planned to do my run right after work and then drive up to the ARE trail run location to join my friends to walk the trails.

Another hot summer day so I wisely decided to run early before work. I woke up to NO INTERNET which would complicate things.  I would have to drive to my office.

talked to the guy fixing the Internet and he assured me that it would fixed by 8am!! Too sweaty again to show you what I looked like after my run lol

And the Internet returned and I was able to work from home. Phew!

It was still very hot and humid in the evening. No lie. But it was great to head to the mountains where it was a little cooler.

great views and lots of shade and that cold drink at a nearby restaurant was amazing!

• Friday – Rest Day!! HOT HOT but mah jongg night in an air conditioned friend’s home… Ahhh!
• Saturday – Long Run Saturday! There was a local 5k that I thought about running…

But I do enjoy our group LONG runs and it was HOT so I skipped it.

starting early made all the difference and of course, brunch after with friends.

• Sunday –  Boating Sunday!!

How hot will it get? 100??

The plan is to float in the lake and/or sit under an island tree and read a book (or both).

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday –  DAY OFF – Day at Emerald Lake (with my running friends)
• Tuesday – run (after working at the NYS bar exam)
• Wednesday – run
• Thursday – working at the NYS bar exam, run before ARE trail walk
• Friday – working at the NYS bar exam, rest day, mah jongg
• Saturday – Long Run 
• Sunday –  rest day, boating

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – PlacesI’ve Run (A-I)
• Friday – Runfessions

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.

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any in-person races run or planned? Has the weather been warm where you live? Please share.

Where has the year gone? Can’t believe it’s July already!!

And now the number of daylight hours is decreasing… So trying to make the most of my available time!

Last Week:

• Sunday – Boating Sunday! 

this race will have to wait until next year

It was a tough decision to DNS a trail 5k race. But with weather in the 90s after a tough 15k the day before, I decided to join my hubby on the boat.

did not regret it one bit!!

• Monday – DAY OFF! I now have every other Monday off from work.  I made plans to hike with friends.  But the weather didn’t get the memo. I woke up to rain!!

Heidi and I waited and waited and then decided to go for it once the rain stopped.  Fingered crossed for a good time and not too much mud.

It turned out to be a lovely day.  First a delicious lunch in Stockbridge, MA followed by a hike at Olivia’s Overlook…

a lot of gradual climbing but worth it…

Then we hiked at nearby Steve’s Glen…

this hike was shorter and easier which was a good thing since it was late in the day

We ended to day with the best ice cream at a farm in Lee, MA.

Unfortunately I got home too late to join the group run.

• Tuesday – A busy week ahead so I squeezed in a run at lunch…

tried out my new Topos and listened to Matt Wilpers

I chose to use Peloton for my run for the music. But what interested more was of Matt’s Insights:

• • Do your best with what you got!

Don’t wish for longer legs, stronger core, cooler temps, better training on hills, etc… 

• • Are you intrinsically or extrinsically motivated?

Why do you run?  Do you need others or awards/rewards or signs of improvement? Do you just do it for you?

And then I went for a short walk after work

While I was walking, a friend called and we went for a longer walk together on the rail trail after dinner.

• Wednesday – A busy evening so I had to run before work…

what’s with the hair? New Topos #2. Check.

Again, I was running solo so I chose another Matt Wilpers Peloton run.  And I got more advice from Matt:

• • Embrace the weather you have.

Go outside!  Make adjustments for the weather rather than excuses.

• • It’s easier for shorter runners to stay cool.

Something to do with air flow and energy expelled.

• • Lyrics to “Hung Up” by Madonna

Time goes by so slowly for those who wait
No time to hesitate
Those who run seem to have all the fun

I left work early to go the Van Gogh exhibit. It was my third time (in Montreal, NYC and now Schenectady).  Each time I saw it with different friends and each was different show. This visit was with my tennis friends.

Afterward, we went out to dinner to celebrate one friend’s BIG birthday.

• Thursday – I had to squeeze in a run after work and before our weekly trail run walk.

one loop at UAlbany

My legs weren’t happy with three days in a row of running (but I had no choice since I skipped my run Sunday and Monday.)

always a fun time on the trails and ice cream after, of course.

• Friday – Rest Day. After work, a relaxing evening with the mah jongg ladies,

• Saturday – Long Run Saturday. No long races on my schedule until September 3 so I was free to just run and brunch with my friends.

We woke up to rain and my friends decided to instead to have brunch rather than run.

And yes, I was so tempted to join them….

But the rain stopped and I decided to do my LONG run.

the Bad: 97% humidity and I hate running alone! The Good: Lots of shade and bird sculptures and brunch with a friend after.

And then in the evening, the hubby and I went out to dinner with a boating friend.

• Sunday –  Boating Sunday! 

The weather looks good and we invited my stepson, his wife and their two friends along with us.

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday – Race – Firecracker 4
• Tuesday – rest day, Lake George Hike-a-thon
• Wednesday – train to NYC, Al Goldstein 5k (in Brooklyn)
• Thursday – run (in NYC) with Cari
• Friday – rest day, train home
• Saturday – Long Run
• Sunday –  rest day, boating

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – 2022 Goals – Mid-Year Update
• Friday – Share 4 (or 5) Somethings

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.

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any in-person races run or planned? Any fun plans for July 4th? Please share.