July 23, 2013 by Darlene

Three Day Weekend

In past summers, I used to take a lot of these, that is… 3 day weekends. But this summer I have been too depressed about breaking my foot to take time off.

much more fun to boat without crutches

Eventually I did ditch the crutches and spend some time on the lake.

I could even get up and down the boat ladder with one foot

I thought my foot would be fully healed by now but it isn’t. I decided nevertheless to take a day off from work. (Things don’t always go as planned.)

On Saturday, I drove to my friend’s house in Chestertown on the Schroon River. When I arrived, no one was there yet and then they were going to play tennis. Pretty depressing to stand in the HEAT and watch so I headed south (15 minutes) and drove to the marina to spend the day on the lake. (It’s nice to have the choice!!)

It was another hot day…we decided to go cliff jumping (NOT ME!! but the others.) Unfortunately, people reserved the WHOLE island for a wedding.

this is where everyone jumps…the bride was in a white bikini and the groom black shorts and his chest painted black like a tux!

So we left and spend the rest of the day floating on tubes in the bay.

Around dinner time, we went back to the marina & I drove back to have dinner with my tennis friends at the river house. We played lots of games and laughed and laughed. So much fun.

here we are posing with a big cookie that says “tennis friends”

When they went to bed, I returned to my boat to sleep. (I am not sure my hubby noticed…he was up late playing pool with his friends…)

morning at the marina

Sunday looked like it was going to be a beautiful day…warm and sunny and not oppressively hot and humid. I immediately headed back to have breakfast with my friends.

one of the trails near the river

When they left to play tennis, I left to RUN!!! I ran mostly on trails and a little on the road.

Schroon River

I covered about 2 miles….my high post-injury mileage.

me on the road – my shirt says “Run Schroon”

Then I joined my friends on the courts. One of my friends was also coming back from an injury so we hit together for about a half hour…. It felt great to play. I tried not to move too much. My foot felt fine!!! YAY!!

group photo

After lunch, we hung out by the water reading, chatting, etc.

Then they left and I was alone!!

My hubby was still at the marina so I went back and had dinner with him & some friends and finished the day with Stewart’s ice cream (No-regretzel – my new fav)!!

view from my window…

My hubby returned home and I spent the night in the river house…me and my book and full moon…so relaxing!

coffee and oatmeal with a river view

The next morning, I had breakfast on the deck overlooking the river (and AJH, there is also a Keurig k-cup machine in addition to a percolator)

I know I shouldn’t run two days in a row…but it was soooo nice out!

on the way to Brant Lake

So I did run. I decided on a different route – a scenic trip to Brant Lake and then back.

Brant Lake

Monetesque photo

I ran there (2 miles or so) and walked back.

happy me at Brant Lake

When I got back, I had a snack while cooling off in the river.

bagel & macaroni salad

It is weird being alone. You can do what you want and not have to compromise. What to do…what to do???

Well, I decided to visit several nearby lakes.

Loon Lake

I started with Loon Lake about 4 miles away. I sat there for a while with a book.

Then I drove along the lake (which is much larger than I thought) to Schroon Lake (about 15 miles). I sat on one side for a little while and then I walked into town to browse in the shops and have another snack.

fresh fruit crepe

When it started getting warm, I walked down to the public beach. There I swam/read, etc. (This is where the Adirondack Half marathon ended in Sept 2011.)

Schroon Lake

Finally it was time to call it a day. I drove back to Chestertown, packed my stuff and headed out.

Since I knew I would be hungry before I got home, I stopped in town and had a delicious dinner (homemade potato leek soup and turkey sandwich with cranberry mayo).

black raspbery

It wouldn’t be vacation without ice cream so I bought myself a soft ice cream cone. (diet starts tomorrow!!)

So boating, tennis, friends, reading, RUNNING, no work or responsibilities = HAPPY me! 🙂

Now back to the real world. It is raining. I am working. I have laundry to do.

Happy Running! Have you ever vacationed solo?

July 20, 2013 by Darlene

Change of Scenery

I love love Lake George.

what’s not to love?

But my friend has a house on Schroon River and she organizes several weekends there every summer. We play tennis, hike, swim, play games and “bond.” She is a close friend so I get invited to all her planned weekends.

view of the Schroon from her house

A few weekends ago, she invited me to “The Monday Tennis group weekend.” I used to play tennis with them and I will again in the fall but I decided instead to spend the weekend on our boat (since my foot made me miss several weekends on it.)

floated around all weekend in my “chair”

This weekend is another one – she calls it this one the “Tuesday Tennis group.” This is another group I used to play with and I will again in the fall. (In August, there will be the “Travel Tennis” group and in September, the “Mah Jongg” group.)

pic from last year

What I sometimes do is split the weekend between the boat & the river house.

I am not playing tennis yet but it is a beautiful place to run/walk.

during a run last year

So I am headed North… to a place where there is water and pretty scenery. I am playing it by ear (and trying not to think about the races I am missing ..Silks and Satins 5K is today…boo hoo)

Plus… I HAVE MONDAY OFF!

Happy Running!

July 13, 2013 by Darlene

Week 6 – Making the Best of a Broken Foot

hot weather

The rainy, stormy, hot, humid weather has continued. No complaints here. (It’s cool in my air-conditioned office & house.)

I still go to the library and read real books

More reading – finished Revenge Wears Prada, Daddy’s Gone A Hunting (Mary Higgins Clark). Started Lone Wolf (Picoult)
Watched another episode of Call The Midwife while on the stationary bike at work

Wore sandals to work (have sneakers there, just in case)

need a pedicure. don’t think it’s a good idea with a broken foot…

Went to see a NY Sportimes’ WTT match – Andy Roddick was one of the players on the other team and our team won 22-21

believe it or not, he lost at singles

Walked 1 mile on Wed, 1.5 miles on Thurs and 2 miles on Friday on a track (There is brand new one at work.)

it was very tempting to “run” but I did not and will not until the broken bone has healed

Found a new tech tool – DragOnTape – you can make playlists of youtube videos:

Running Video Mix (Copy)

Another Running Video Mix

Heading back to the lake today.

It is supposed to be warm & sunny.

X-rays again next Wednesday!

Please, let my broken bone be healed!

Happy Running! How is your summer going? Hope you are having fun ( and running)!

July 3, 2013 by Darlene

Wordy Wednesday – Happiness

Yeah, I have been depressed about not being able to run, walk, play tennis, bike, do yoga and go boating.

I am trying not to complain at all (or maybe “not so much”)

This was a comment on one of my whiney FB posts:

Darlene I am so sorry you are still enduring all of this. I hope it is not too painful and you’re up and at ’em soon… makes me sad that you are tied down like this ~ I know how much you love to move!!!

This is from a former co-worker who has Cystic Fibrosis. She is in and out of the hospital. Tied to an IV most of the time. Can hardly ever leave the house. Needs a lung transplant if she wants to live much longer. But she always has a smile on her face and enjoys every day that she is still alive.

So I am thankful that:

I have 4 days off from work
I can walk/limp/shuffle without crutches
I am not in any pain
I have great friends
My hubby sticks by me through ALL my ups and downs
I have a job and co-workers that I like
I have a boat on Lake George
I know that I will run and play tennis again

celebrating July 4th with friends (on Log Bay Is#3)

I will again celebrate the holiday on Lake George. Moving around will be more difficult than past years but I’ll try not to complain.

Happy Running! What are you most thankful for?

June 24, 2013 by Darlene

Broken Foot – Week 3

Not much news on the running front cuz I AM NOT RUNNING! (You probably knew that.)

I assume that my foot is healing. I can now stand on it and walk on it with my flat shoe. I can even walk/limp/shuffle without the crutches.

I went out on Lake George on Saturday for the first time since I broke my foot.

our friends’ pontoon boat

I just love the video below !! (I used to play the song over and over again when I was running!)

It reminds of summers past on Lake George.

me & my hubby hanging out on top of our friend's boat

me & my hubby hanging out on top of the pontoon last summer

Anyway, I drove up to Lake George Village and went out on our friends’ boat. My hubby took out our boat.

Kathi & Ed on their boat

We then met up on the lake…with lots of other boats.

hubby, our friend Chris & me on the pontoon

We haven’t seen Ed & Kathi in a while so they gave us birthday gifts – wine & boating wine glasses.

I admit it was NOT as much fun as normal but it was better than sitting home.

The lake was beautiful and the predicted rain never came.

yes it is ugly & too big

Before returning home, I picked up my race shirt from the race that I was NOT running the next day.

Then I went to Ed & Kathi’s house and had dinner on the deck. My hubby drove down from Bolton Landing to join us. I went home afterwards. My hubby slept on our boat.

The next morning I called my hubby at the marina around the time that I would be finishing that race. And it was raining. Ha Ha! I would not have been happy.

2 hours was my goal time and it was pouring!!

At home, it was sunny.

Rachel, boyfriend, mom, me, hubby on the lake

So instead of a race, I went to a graduation party on Sunday. Rachel is the daughter of some boating friends. It was 95 degrees and everyone would have preferred to be at the lake. But we went…

And her father Ron loves “cat pops.” Of course, there were some.

cute as well as delicious

Again the partywas OK not great but better than doing nothing. Lots of good food, a band…

(I am really getting sick of the “What happened to your foot? How did you do that? I assume that you are going to give up running” conversations.)

Happy Running! How was your weekend?

May 27, 2013 by Darlene

Running & Boating At Last

Yesterday morning, it was cold and dreary. Not boating weather but running was indeed possible.

rain clouds overhead

It was 49 degrees so I took the opportunity to wear my new long sleeved shirt (that I was saving for my October Half Marathon), added a jacket & capris and headed to the Corning bike path.

It was windy as well. Quite different weather conditions than Florida!!!!

My plan was to take it slow…. I usually don’t skip from 3 miles to 6 miles. I didn’t want to get injured but I have to run 10 miles on June 23 so I better get training!!

The course which is usually full of dog walkers, bikers and runners was empty! Maybe because it was cold, windy and about to rain.

I ran (with some walking breaks) 3 miles out before turning around. My time was 32:32.

On the way back, I finally saw a few runners. I also decided that I would try to negative split my run. I always run slower and slower. Not this time. I finished in 31:32.

Then as soon as I got in my car. It started to rain!

Perfect timing.

Today when I got up, the sun was shining! Not warm but sunny! Hooray! Off to the marina we went.

boats starting to get ready to go out for the day

We bumped into some friends and decided to head to West Dollar Island for a BBQ.

tour boat passed by our site

After some eating, we relaxed in the sun.

the hubby & our friend Ron enjoying the view

After our friends left, we drove to Log Bay and hung out there for awhile and then went to Basin Bay where we bumped into more friends.

Finally it was time to head back to the marina.

Such as perfect relaxing day. The only negative was that the water is still too cold to go swimming. (Not complaining…so happy that the rain stopped for one day!)

Hope you had an enjoyable Memorial Day!