heat

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Back from vacation!!

I’m

The trip was great! If you are from the NE, you know that it has been raining eveyday!  So just having sunshine and warm weather was a boost for me!

I will post photos at a future time but here’s the vacation summary:

  • Tennis Lessons – 5 days of clinics from the awesome Billy Bob
  • Tennis Playing –  6 days of doubles- so much fun playing with my friends
  • Days at the Beach – 5 – sunshine, slight breeze, water temps 85, what could be better?
  • Dinners or Lunches in Restaurants – 5  – Yum Yum – most included drinks & dessert
  • Entertainment – 1 show (Beehive, music from the 60s), 1 Movie (Bridesmaids – hilarious) & touring/shopping in Sarasota
  • Shopping Purchases – 1 tennis skirt, 2 tennis tops, 1 running shorts, 1 running top, 1 pair of sandals, 1 shirt for hubby
  • Running – 3 times – 3 miles each time – too hot, too humid, needed to be fresh for tennis lesson, my friends wouldn’t run – enough excuses??
  • Books Read – 1 1/2 – no time – having too much fun
  • Scrabble Games Played – 4 on the beach
  • TV Shows Watched – 1 (The Good Wife finale)

Tomorrow I have 3.5 mile race…. and Sunday a 5K!!! Yikes!!!

Happy Running! Glad to be home!

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Silks & Satins 5K Race Report

This was my 3rd year running in this race so I knew where the race was and that it was a flat course. I was pretty excited since I usually run alone but this race I was meeting 2 women — one who I met at my last race and one who I’ve only met online – both started running in their 50’s so we have a connection!!!

It had rained all night and when I left my house it was  very HUMID.  I was surprised that at 6:45 am it was already 72 degrees – Oh No!!

This 5k coincides with the opening of the Saratoga Racetrack which draws people from all over the world. I got there early enough to find parking.  Last year there were about 1200 people but this year only 800 or so…the weather??

I looked for AJH and luckily for cell phones, we found each other before the start.


Then I found Mary, as well.

AJH & I started near the front.  Since the clock starts when the first runners leaves, I don’t like to hang back.  Mary, however, headed toward the back.

I quickly lost AJH.  I knew that I couldn’t keep her pace. My first mile, however, was faster than it should have been in this weather (under 9 min).  I think I continued to get slower each mile, as a result. This is a flat course so I was hoping to PR.  As I approached the finish line, I saw 29… and  I was disappointed.  I wished I had kept my mile 1 pace & didn’t walk at the water stop.  My final time was 29:34.  At least I was under 30 minutes and faster than last year 🙂

There was a lot of food at this race but I was too hot to eat much. I found AJH who had a SUPER race. (26 minutes os so) Her fastest 5k this year!! She is amazing!!!

We hung around for the awards.  There were a lot of  FAST runners at this race (esp. in our age group).  AJH came in 6th and I came in 10th so no awards for us…  I never found Mary but I spoke to her on the phone later.  (She felt sick and was disappointed at her 31 minute time so left right away.)

AJH & I hung around for awhile watching the horses warm up and chatting about running. 

She may even have convinced me to run a longer race some day… Hopefully, we will connect again for another race in NY or VT…(Check out her blog for her race report.)

Mary & I made plans to run together this Friday and she signed up to do the Fasig Tipton 5k with me on Aug. 7.  She wants to do a 5k in under 30 min and I want to run a longer race..so I hope we can help each other.

Happy Running and Have a great Weekend!

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Reprieve from the Heat

If you’ve been listening to the news, the Northeast has had the hottest weather in the country. It’s been over 95 degrees (over 100 heat index) all week. It was still in the 90’s in the evening and in the 80s in the morning.

I ran 4 miles at the lake on Sun, Mon, Tues. At home, I got up early on Thursday to run.  It was still hot and I could only muster 3 miles. It was raining this morning when I got up.  At last  a cool down!!  When it stopped around noon, it was in the 70s so I decided to attempt a 5 mile run.  Yes, it was cooler but the humidity was so high, it felt like a sauna. I walked a lot  but finished it at a slow pace in 59 minutes.  I’m obviously not ready for a 10 k yet.

My evenings are busy all week so I’m going to try to get up and run several mornings before work.

Happy Running!

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Running, the Heat & My Vacation


As predicted, it was hazy, hot and humid during my four days on Lake George and hotter each day. I love hot weather but this was a little much!

We arrived on Saturday morning and set out for our island spot (Log Bay #3).  Five of our friends arrived on their boat and we spent the day, swimming, eating, drinking and socializing.

our boat(s) at the dock

eating at our site

staying cool

At the end of the day, we headed back to sleep at the marina and went to our friends who live in Lake George to play cards.

heading back to Bolton Landing

Sunday morning, I got up and had coffee and breakfast and then headed out for my 4 mile run.  It was hot.  I should have left earlier but this is vacation.  Anyway, it is definitely cooler near the water and it is SO beautiful here.

When I got back, 4 friends had arrived and we headed back to our island site.  Two of our friends arrived also with 8 more people.  What a crowd and so much fun!  I floated on the lake, went on dinghy rides and tried to stay cool.

our friends arrive on their pontoon

still staying cool

Again at the end of the day, we headed back to the marina so we could all watch the Bolton Landing fireworks.   Our boating friends headed back to their marinas in Lake George and then drove up to ours.

Bolton Landing fireworks

even the dog enjoyed them

Monday was started exactly like Sunday except it was even hotter.  I got in my 4 mile run. YAY!  This time we only had 10 people on our site.  Our activities were staying cool, of course.

our dinghy pulling tube riders

I was glad that I had decided to take an extra day off on Tuesday.  It was very quiet.  Everyone else went back to work.  The heat was incredible so I only ran 3 miles and my hubby was getting impatient at the marina, sitting in the heat.  Today we spent a peaceful day riding around in the boat and reading at the site.

saying good-bye to our site

Unfortunately, we finally had to leave and put our boat away.  We ended the day with dinner at our favorite lakeside restaurant.

Happy Running and Stay Cool!

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Weather and Running

I was running after work because I could do more miles and didn’t have to rush.

This week, I’ve switched to getting up early and running at 7 am.  I am able to get in 3.5 miles. I even almost make to work on time.

The big difference is the humidity.  On Monday, it was super humid and I had one of my worst runs.  I stopped at least once every 1/4 mile and finished in over 42 minutes.  I never run fast on my own. My 3.5 race time was 33 minutes!  But 42 minutes!?

Today, there was no humidity and I felt GREAT during my run.  I finished in 37 minutes!! Five minutes faster than Monday with only a few walking breaks.

If you look at the weekend forecast, the cool dry weather is ending….but I will be on vacation Sat-Tues and hope to complete my runs by jumping into Lake George. 🙂

Happy Running!

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Freihofer’s Run for Women

Training with the New Runners Group has made me more excited than usual about this race. This is my 3rd FRW. (I actually know someone who has run all 32.) The lst 2 I ran with 2 of my tennis buddies.  This year Pat is injured but MaryPat (she is lucky to be able to run without training) planned to run.

My husband picked up my bib & chip yesterday and ate ALL my chocolate chip cookies.  I stopped the Expo after work and bought a perfect top to wear (and on sale) and a BondiBand.

I woke up early to the sound of rain.  By the time I was ready to leave, the rain had stopped and was replaced with sun & HUMIDITY!!!!

I decided to not park in the crowded parking lot and I parked at work and walked to the race.  It was way farther than I thought – about a mile and a half so I arrived late for our meet up and I was already HOT! I also left my iPod in my car and LOST my BondiBand on the way.

I arrived  to find MaryPat waiting as well as the running group.

me with Jen & Bridget (Bridget's FB photo)

We took a pre-race photo and wished each other luck and agreed to meet up again at the same spot to take another photo. Felice gave us all a pink wristband that said “Strong Running Mama.”

Me, Jen, Melissa, Janis, Felice, Jen, Bridget (Bridget's FB photo)

MaryPat & I headed to the starting line and squeezed in among the over 4,000 women.  This year for the first time, the chips were on our bibs and measured our exact running time so it didn’t matter where we started.

I looked to the right and saw 2 professors that I work with. The race started with an uphill climb that you were forced to take slow because it was so CROWDED.

at the beginning (Bridget's FB photo)

There was finally some breathing room when we got into the park.  It was strange to run without my iPod music but I just looked at the scenery and the women around me.

The first mile timer said around 12 minutes when I passed which was really 11 minutes (SLOW!!).  I stopped briefly for water and then passed the 2nd mile marker at under 20 minutes (TOO FAST!!). I stopped again briefly for water and then during the 3rd mile, I was out of gas.

I crossed the finish line and heard them call my name around 31 something. (31:18)

I bumped into a friend from my Mah Jongg group and we chatted for awhile and then I headed to our spot.  All the new runners had finished and they had done WELL!!

Back: Melissa, Amanda, me, Felice, Jen, Janis, Jen, Lisa; front: Bridget, Suzy (Bridget's FB photo)

We took a group photo and gave Felice a thank you gift (a photo book).  She cried as did many of us.  I think this won’t be the last race for many of these women.

Felice getting her gift (Bridget's Fb photo)

I got some food and hung around awhile for some of the awards.  The winner finished the race in HALF my time.  I was happy that Liz Maloy, a local runner & a graduate of AHN where I taught came in 10th. I checked the results and saw that my net time was 30:39! (Results are listed here.) I was happy!

I then walked back to my car and guess what I found along the way–my BondiBand.  YAY!

I got back to my car and realized that I hadn’t take any photos so I snapped one. I love the timer!

after the race

Recap of the Goals:

A– finish in under 30 minutes
B– finish in less time than my 1st 2 Freihofer’s (2nd=35:05, 32 my time, lst=33:29)
C– finish

I accomplished B & C.  I missed A by 39 seconds  (2 waterstops, too fast during mile 2, the humidity, blah blah…)

Click Here for some photos from the race.

Video of my finish (clock time 31:17).

Happy Running and congrats New Runners!

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It’s HOT!!

I love the hot weather.  I wish I didn’t have to work and could enjoy it.

Last nite, I waited til after 8 pm to run 3.5 sweaty miles. Today, I had to settle for a walk at lunch.  Tomorrow I hope to run in the evening after my hair appt.  Maybe I’ll even squeeze another in after work on Friday.

Then we’re off to stay on our boat for 4 days on Lake George.  If I can talk my hubby into  docking in Bolton Landing, I hope to run around the Sagamore a few mornings.

Happy Running and enjoy the summer weather!