I managed to avoid the rain and get all my runs in.

This getaway weekend almost did not happen due to work travel.

But happily, the work trip got postponed and I spent the weekend in NYC.

I ran a race, and I got to see  my NYC besties and the Cherry Blossoms at peak!!

photo credit – Cari

Last Week:

• Sunday – I would have liked to go to the gym, but it is CLOSED on Sundays… Boo!

Instead, I went hiking (after tracking my friends running the Cherry Blossom 10 miler),

found a new place to hike… it was lovely and I got it done before the rain

stopped at Target on my way home and then caught up on Bridgerton…

enjoyed it even if it was not as steamy as season 1.

• Monday – To make up for Sunday, I started the day at the gym

my shirt was appropriate as I realized that I need to do this not only when I run...

and then I went to my usually scheduled FTC run after work.

quite a workout as I ran with Stan and 2 other speedy women and no, it wasn’t warm enough for ice cream

• Tuesday – With rain in the forecast for almost everyday this week, I decided to go for a run after work. After doing some errands, I drove to the opposite end of the rail (from last week.

the artwork set up during the Pandemic still displayed and the weather was awesome but it was late and I was hungry…

• Wednesday –  A rainy day so I was glad to call it a sorta rest day.

I did go to the gym before work.

Today was my first volunteer session with STEM.  The group meets 3x a week at UAlbany at 6:30 pm and uses the Couch to 5k app to prepare these new runners (12 from the Addiction Care Center of Albany) for a 5k (scheduled for June 5.)

women of all abilities… one was super fast and I had to sprint to keep up with her lol

• Thursday – Another rainy day so I decided on rest day (because yesterday was not exactly as restful as I had planned). But I slept in instead of going to the gym before work and then I had an errand to run during lunch.

But I did go for a walk in the mall after work.

• Friday – No rest for the weary. I got up early and went to the gym

tempted o use the treadmill? NOPE!!

Rain on and off all day but I managed to get my run done during lunch.

that is not a lake on the bottom left… we had that much rain!!

Then I packed and played mah jongg in the evening.

• Saturday – I took an early morning train to NYC, checked into my hotel and had my usual NYC lunch:

Then I walked to NYRR to get my race bib

 and spent the rest of the day exploring my favorite city…

even wandered a bit with Cari.

(check out IG for more photos)

I got rained on at the beginning and end of my day but the the cherry blossoms at peak made up for the weather!!

I picked up some pizza and spent the evening getting ready for the big day:

spoiler alert – too cold and changed to capris and long sleeved shirt and added gloves

• Sunday –  This morning I ran the Shape 5.8M Loop race in Central Park. A great all women’s race (about 3000 runners ran the hall and 3200  the new shorter distance)

It was chilly (even rainy) before the race (and after) but the weather during was perfect and I was so happy to only run ONE loop of the park.

met up with a local friend and her daughter and made some new friends… The views made up for those hills!! My first 5.8 mile race=PR!

Cari met me at the race and after we had brunch and Elizabeth, then wandered around before I had to head back to my hotel to check out..

(check out IG for more photos)

Afterward, I did more exploring – Macy’s Flower Show and Bryant Park before taking the train home. (Came home to a grumpy hubby,- our sum pump had broken and flooded the basement… glad I was away lol).

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday – DAY OFF – gym, Freihofer Training Challenge Run (FTC), Athleta event
• Tuesday – gym, rest day
• Wednesday – run, STEM volunteering
• Thursday – run
• Friday – gym, rest day, mah jongg
• Saturday – Helderberg to Hudson Half Marathon
• Sunday –  rest day, hiking, Easter dinner

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – St? Who me?
• Friday – Shape 5.8 Mile Race Recap

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 your weather warmed up? Please share.

No rest for the weary.

One week until the big half marathon in Florida!!

That meant getting my runs done no matter what the weather is.

Last Week:

• Sunday – In spite of the frigid weather and icy/snowy roads, I managed to get my long run done.

sunshine always helps with negative wind chill temps

• Monday – #mevermissamonday. No time to get it done until after work.  Besides I woke up to another sub-zero temps day. Grateful that it now stays light until 5 pm.

this was an interesting new neighborhood.

And January is now over – 96 miles and I completed the Ragnar Challenge (31 days of logging activities with my blogger friends).

• Tuesday – Today I was able to squeeze my run in during lunch. Again I was in the office for a bit so I stopped off at UAlbany. 30 degrees and sunshine were heavenly.

if you look on the bottom left, you can see the machine that clears and salts the paths

Then I could go for an outdoor walk with friends right after work.

Today also started a one month challenge sponsored by our Fleet Feet store – My goal is 15 miles/week. At the end of the month, if I reach 60 miles, I’ll get a $15 gift card. Win. Win,

• Wednesday – I thought about a rest day after 3 days in a row of running. But the forecast was for rain on Thursday and snow on Friday.  So I took my running shoes to the roads once again. The sun has left us and added some wind but the temps were in the 40s. No complaints here.

only had time to run in the neighborhood…that was an election sign but her name spoke to me. lol

Lunch runs enable me to walk after work with friends.  (Eventually this will end when I go back to the office. Sigh.)

• Thursday – A busy work day and a rainy/snowy one. I was right to have run the day before.

I couldn’t get out of work early enough to join my friends on their Ice Castles visit (I got tix instead for Sunday) but planned make the long drive to have dinner with them. Due to the inclement weather, the ice castles got cancelled.  Instead I decided to join my hubby and his friend for dinner. Much to my surprise, we picked a restaurant where some of my friends were having a birthday dinner.  Sorry hubby, “I see you everyday.”

• Friday – Rest day because of the miserable weather – rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain….even mah jongg was cancelled.. And because of a possible long run the next day.

• Saturday – Finally the weather allowed us to run on a Saturday!! It was very cold and windy but sunny. IOW, it could have and has been worse. Another 8 miles this weekend and so happy to do it with a friend. The hay is in the barn as they say.

We had planned on 10 but it seemed to get colder and windier so we quit… (still below zero with the wind chill)

Then I did quite a few errands to get ready to go on vacation next week, including getting my nails done.

• Sunday –  Rest day but a lot of walking around in Lake George at the Ice Castles.  So fun. Glad they built them (for the first time) here.

I wish we could have stayed until it got dark… they are lit up in different colors

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday – run  before work. walk with BFF
• Tuesday – run after work, walk with friends
• Wednesday – run at lunch, hair appt after work, PACK!
• Thursday – rest day, 5:30 am flight to West Palm, pick up rental car, friend meet-up in Delray
• Friday -sunrise run, various activities with friends
• Saturday – rest day, another friend meet-up in Delray, garden visit in Vero Beach on the way to Palm Bay hotel, packet pick-up in Melbourne
• Sunday – PUBLIX FLORIDA HALF MARATHON, friend meet-up in Jensen Beach after, then drive to former roomie’s place in Boca Raton.

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Six Favorites from 2021
• Friday – Benefits of Coffee

Next Week on the Run– 

• Monday – drive to Miami to see Monet exhibit among other things
• Tuesday – sunrise run with fellow blogger in Boca, return car, flight home
• Wednesday – run at lunch
• Thursday – run after work. walk with friends
• Friday -rest day, mah jongg
• Saturday – Long Run (8 mi. taper)
• Sunday – rest day

Next Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Winter Bucket List
• Friday – What I’m Looking for in a Coach

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? Did run a lot of miles in January? Any in-person races planned?  How are you dealing with winter running so far? Have you ever visited ice Castles?  Any warm weather destination vacations planned? Please share.

Recovering from my recent HILLY half marathon.

But not too much recovery since I have another one in two weeks.

Last Week:

• Sunday – An exhausting but fun day in NYC.  I ran the Fred Lebow Half Marathon In Central Park.

It was harder than expected so didn’t do as well as hoped. Still I met my goal.

After the race, I walked with my friends (who came to the race) through the park and to brunch.

Then I walked back to my hotel. (The race ended on E102nd… my hotel was on W 39th.)  40,000 steps for the day.

• Monday – Though I was quite stiff the night before, I felt good today. I was even tempted to do a recovery run but decided that I should just go for a walk.
• Tuesday  – Anxious to get back out running especially before the temps dropped. I had to go to the office for a little while so I decided to run at nearby UAlbany.

I usually run here at night so I varied my route since it was daylight… took it slow but the legs felt great.

After work, it was warm enough for an outdoor walk with friends.

• Wednesday – Frigid but at least sunny. So I snuck out before work and as usual, it was such a nice way to start the day.

10 degrees, feels like 0 didn’t even feel bad since it hadn’t started to get windy yet.

• Thursday – Another cold day. Even colder in the morning than the day before (-6). I decided to wait until after work to run. I dropped off a book at the library and ran in those neighborhoods for a change.

the wind made this one feel colder than I’d hoped but it was nice to have daylight until 5 pm.

Then I met my BFF to walk around the mall.

• Friday – After running three days in a row, I decided that I should take a rest day. Just didn’t feel like layering up after work.  So off to mah jongg I went. (Brain workout).

• Saturday – Today was my normal LONG RUN day but due to possible snow, low temps and the wind gusts, we decided to wait until Sunday. Another rest day instead.  

We made the right decision… woke up to -11 wind chill and snow falling and blowing!!

And when you work all week, there’s lots of chores to do around the house anyway. Sigh.

I did get out later in the afternoon for a walk. Brr.

• Sunday –  One of our running friends was running a half marathon in Fla so we planned to run with her virtually. Our routes for long runs are limited due to snow/ice so it would be the neighborhoods around The Crossings (again). I woke up to -7 wind chill so we’re waiting before we head out.  My plan is 12 miles but I’ll see how many I get in (before hypothermia sets it lol).

Update, I waited awhile and the sun helped get me through the miles.  But without any company other than my podcasts (due cold temps & injuries), I only ran 10 miles.

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday – run after work
• Tuesday – run at lunch. walk after work with friends
• Wednesday – rest day, walk, dinner w/tennis friends
• Thursday – run after work
• Friday -rest day, walk, mah jongg
• Saturday – Long Run (taper)
• Sunday – rest day, visit the Ice Castles in Lake George, dinner out

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Fred LeBow Half Marathon Race Recap
• 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 planned?  How are you dealing with winter running so far? Please share.