December 28, 2012 by Darlene

Yak Trax To the Rescue

We got 8-10″

Our first major snowstorm arrived yesterday!! It snowed all day and I was depressed that I hadn’t run the day before.

I was supposed to go to a movie & then dinner to celebrate a friend’s birthday but she didn’t want to drive in the snow.

I had a dilemma because my treadmill at home is broken and where I work is closed and I don’t belong to a gym. I wanted to run!! My hubby said something to the effect “If you fall again, I’m going to kill you!!”

Last winter we had virtually NO SNOW!! And I couldn’t run because of my broken ankle. They say this winter will be different (My luck!)

Then I remembered that I had Yak Trax. I think I wore them once. I usually use the treadmill when the weather is bad or don’t run.

This winter I want to train for my half in March and I don’t want to over do so I have been running only every other day. Today is that day!

So I drove to where I have been running lately once the snow had stopped. I put on my Yak Trax and slowly ran 3 miles!! I loved the run! It was peaceful. I ran in the road which was mostly cleared and I didn’t slip at all! (if only my shoes were waterproof since they got wet and my toes were COLD!!)

Hooray for Yak Trax!

On another note, I went back to the park to show Richard & Matthew the lights on Wed. They weren’t as impressed as I was but loved the other activities in the boathouse.

Richard in front of a light display near the boat house

face painting (an “alien”)

free cookies from B95.5 radio station

Matthew & Elmo

Richard took his picture with every single character (I will not post them all…when he was little he used to be afraid of them)

the boys got balloon animals too

It was nice extending the holiday season. Tonight I have my annual tennis holiday party.

Saturday is my FIRST LONG RUN!! 4 miles!!

Happy Running! Did you get snow? Do you run outside when there’s snow?

December 26, 2012 by Darlene

Christmas Day 2012

ornament from CafePress

The perfect way to celebrate Christmas is to go for a run and I did!!

I woke up to this:

Snow!! Icy roads!

dressed for the holiday & a run

But I knew I had to run so I drove into town and ran 3 miles through the streets (avoiding the icy patches.)

Then I had to squeeze everything else into the day:

exchange gifts with my hubby

He loved his remote-controlled helicopter – played with it all day

and photos from this past summer on the lake, in addition to lots of clothes and the 1st season of Boardwalk Empire

visit my mentee and her sons & give them gifts

I gave Amanda my favorite new series – Divergent & Delirium

Richard is already playing with his new Transformer laptop

Baby Matthew also got an educational toy

They also got some new clothes

I just love them!!!

visit my mil and stepsons – Lasagna for dinner, what else?
go see Les Miserables – I am not a good critique because I love everything Les Miz – I’ve seen the show 12x (brought my students to NYC every year), know every song… so I had to see the movie the day it opened. I enjoyed it, of course (My hubby – not so much). The non-singers were better than I expected. Cosette and Eponine were the best vocally and the others adequate (I’ve heard better on stage.) The stage version was more emotional but that’s maybe because I knew the story so well. I would derfintely recommend the film.

les-miserables-jean-valjean-movie-poster

love Hugh Jackman!

Happy Running! Merry Christmas! What did you do special on Christmas Day? What was you favorite gift?

December 24, 2012 by Darlene

Running on Ice

Yesterday was my first run with the temps below 32. The first run since with the temps below 32 since my accident.

I decided since I had a lot of time to go to the bike path. I missed the exit for the Corning Bike Path in Albany so I continued on to the Colonie Town Park.

Don’t I look excited?

I headed west toward Niskayuna and the path looked pretty dry.

However, if you looked on the sides, there were plenty of ice patches.

Until last Dec 29, ice & snow didn’t faze me. Now I am totally paranoid!!!

Yes, I had my phone in my pocket and stayed on the path where it was dry. I took a different loop than I usually do. I usually do an out and back but I saw a sign that pointed toward the Colonie Town Park parking lot so I followed it. This was a nice loop bordering on the Mohawk river. However, I had no idea where I was. Finally it did end up in the parking lot.

Since I had only run 2 miles, I continued on the path in the other direction (toward Cohoes). Not as scenic and after you go under the tunnel, the path was covered in ice.

No way was I running over it. No way was I going around it. I just turned around!! (Yes, I am a wimp!!)

So my run was only 4 miles…good enough.

Then I headed for my “Happy Place” – Starbucks and Target.

Happy Running! Do you run outside when there is ice and snow?

March 21, 2012 by Darlene

Wordless Wednesday – Spring (or is it Summer) has sprung

March 21 & 22, 2012

snowing on March 21, 2011

Happy Running! Are you enjoying an early Spring?

February 22, 2012 by Darlene

Wordless Wednesday or the Winter That Wasn’t

February 2011

February 2012

Yes, I was running last winter. Enough said.

Happy Running! How’s your running weather?

December 23, 2011 by Darlene

2011 Goals – How did I do?

Here are the GOALS that I set for 2011:

I was doing REALLY well until June 11 when I hurt my heel… then I rebounded!!

Lower my 5K PR – No, it still stands at 27:30 but I did have 3 races under 28 minutes and 2 just over 28!

√ Run 5ks under 28 minutes – 3 out of 9 under 28 (all 5ks under 30 minutes except for the one where I fell)

√ Win my age group – 2nd for the LG Half, (50-59), 2nd for Polar Cap 4m (55-59), 2nd for Firefighters 5K (55-59), 1st SPAC 5k(55-59) – only got prizes for the lst 2

: Polar Cap – 2nd place in AG

√ Run new races – 14 new races (Polar Cap 4m, Firefighters 5k, Naples Half, LG Half, Delmar Dash 5m, Sean’s Run 5k, Workforce Challenge 3.5m, Runnin of the Green 4m, Adirondack Half, Fall Foliage Half, Santa Clarita Half, Stockade-athon, Run Off That Turkey 5K. Hmrrc Winter Series #1 3m)

Runnin of the Green 4 miler

Run at least one race each month – 1 in Jan, 1 in Feb, 2 in Mar, 2 in Apr, 4 in May, 2 in Jun, 0 in July, 0 in August, 1 in Sept, 2 in Oct, 4 in Nov & 2 in Dec. (injured in July & August 😦 )

: Sean’s Run in May

√ Run 3-4 times a week ALL YEAR (use the treadmill when it is too cold or slippery or raining outside) – over 800 miles for the year. (It would have been more if I had not been injured in July & August.)

Running outside in January

√ Run a longer race than 5k (4 mi, 5 mi or 10K) – 5 Half Marathons, a 15K, 2 – 4 mile races, 1 -5 mile race

: Delmar Dash 5 miler

√ Run a half marathon race – 5 Half Marathons!! Woo Hoo!

LG Half Marathon 4-11

√ Run at least 15 races – 21 races (It would have been more if I had not been injured in July & Aug. I DNS for about 6 races.)

Mother’s Day Race ’11

√ Run a race in another state – 2 – a Half Marathon in Florida and a Half Marathon in California

Half in Naples, Florida

Volunteer at a race – Nope

√ Take running pics & post on FB & this blog – I have taken lots of photos (even use the timer on my camera) & post on this blog & on facebook

√ Keep track of how many miles I run this year – I record every mile I run on this blog, dailymile.com & on a tickerfactory.com ticker

Happy Running! Did you accomplish your 2011 running goals?

June 15, 2011 by Darlene

Wordless Wednesday

I like this picture because:

I remember how HAPPY I was to be done.
I didn’t wear my Garmin and it seemed like more than 3 hours but I finished 6 minutes FASTER than my first HM.
My feet are IN THE AIR so I must have been running fast at the end.
My hands and feet were so COLD and WET. That may be PAIN on my face not JOY!!

Happy Running! Do you have photos like this?

April 21, 2011 by Darlene

Spring is coming too late!

Lake George Forecast:

This is not funny!!!!!!

I guess I’ll have to re-think my running outfit for Sat:

April 19, 2011 by Darlene

Two for Tuesday

1. Yesterday morning I slept in so I had no choice but to run after work. I always bring outdoor running clothes & indoor running clothes (it is very hot where the treadmill is located.) It was cloudy not raining so I changed to run outside. I got outside and it started to rain so I went back in and changed my clothes. Believe it or not, they rearranged the stage in the gym for an event and the treadmill was gone 😦 So I changed back and went outside to run in the RAIN. I have never run in the rain (I am a wimp!) but it was only sprinkling and I ran a quick 3 miles before it started to pour. Phew! Then I was off to play tennis (indoors).

2. Yesterday’s Boston Marathon was very motivating. I am so happy that everyone I knew did well. I am in awe of the women runners esp. Kara & Joan.

Women’s Winner:

Men’s Winner:

Love this one:

Saturday is not looking good – According to weather.com, I may be running in the rain again…

Even worse, Accuweather has predicted HIGH WINDS. (They are wicked along the lake, too)

Happy Running! Praying for a calm dry Saturday!

April 17, 2011 by Darlene

Tapering and Weather Watching

Last week update:

My goal was 19 miles and I ran 4 times for a total of 19 miles. YAY!!
I played tennis twice.
This was Week #11 of my 2nd Half Marathon training. Less than 1 week to go! HELP!!

Goals for this week:

This week’s schedule:

Mon – tennis after work
Tues – Passover Seder
Wed – yoga
Thurs – mall w/bf
Fri – lunch w/friends, packet picket, pasta dinner
Sun – Easter dinner

This week’s running: (TAPER TIME!!)

Mon – 3 miles before work
Wed – 3 miles after work
Thurs – rest
Fri – rest
Sat – 131.1 – Lake George Half Marathon

Weekly Running Goal = 19 miles
April Monthly Running Goal = 80 miles, a race, a Half Marathon

Yearly Running Goal = 1011 miles

After a good run on Sat, I am antsy to run more but the weather has kept that under control. It is cold, rainy, windy…why is Spring in the NE so late in coming??? I’ll have to remember that when I sign up for a spring Half Marathon.