January 6, 2015 by Darlene

Tuesdays on the Run: Goals for 2015

Erika @ MCM Mama Runs hosts Tuesdays on the Run with April @ Run the great wide somewhere and Patty @ My no-guilt life!

This week’s topic is:

GOALS
FOR

So here are my 15:

Do not get injured.
Run 3-4 times a week ALL YEAR.
Continue fitting in tennis and/or yoga once a week.
Do some upper body exercises.
Finish all of my races under 10 minutes per mile (except half marathons)
Run at least one race per month and at least 20 for the year.
Run a race in another state.
Run in NYC.
Get several Age Group awards.
PR in a half marathon.
PR at another distance.
Join a running group or two.
Volunteer.
Run over 900 miles.
Continue to blog almost everyday.

I think my goals are pretty conservative. I think they are ALL achievable.

The toughest will be #10 & #11. The most important will be #1. If #1 happens, then #6 and #14 can follow.

Happy Running. Happy New Year! What is your biggest goal for 2015?

November 15, 2014 by Darlene

Staying Motivated

Now that the weather is getting colder, it is getting harder and harder to want to go out and run…

Here are some challenges that may help you:

Details:

Choose the number of miles you plan to run this month (whatever number seems right for YOU.) I chose 80.
Run your miles, at whatever speed and whatever combination of distances.
Be entered into a random drawing for prizes. Prizes won’t be huge – some socks, nuun, Gu, etc.
Be proud of your accomplishment!

Spreadsheet is here. If you aren’t there, feel free to add yourself and your info. Also, feel free to add your twitter or blog information. If you have issues, email mcmmamaruns@gmail.com and she’ll add you.

This 6 week health & fitness challenge is meant to help you get a jump start on feeling great for the New Year or stay on track with fitness/clean eating goals.

It’s a friendly competition to exercise, eat healthy and even do a little soul work. There are different fitness levels, so everybody can compete with a multitude of ways to earn points.

When: Nov 24 – Jan 5
Cost: $16

For less than the cost of a gym membership:

3 emails a week: Clean eating tips/recipes/guides + Motivation + Workouts
Content created JUST for you from registered dieticians, world class running coaches, personal trainers and physical therapists {nothing repeated from previous years}
Facebook support group – This group is like no other! Everyone checks in daily and provides a true support system
Over $3,000 in prizes {Lorna Jane, Vega, Milestone Jewelry and more to be announced}

The basics of how it works:

Earn points for being active
Earn points for eating your veggies
Compete against people at the same level as you
Enjoy an awesome support network
Have questions answered by experts
Meet other like minded folks to help you stay on track
Win Prizes!!
Clean Eating Holiday Menu ideas

– See more at: http://www.runtothefinish.com/#sthash.yWyJcdrq.dpuf

Of course, you can sign up for RACE to stay motivated.

If you like bling, donating to a charity and don’t want to commit to a race day, why not sign up for a Virtual Race:

Run for someone else. John Anthony is my biggest motivator.

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thumbs up on my race!

This is what he wrote me last Sunday:

Happy Sunday Mrs Darlene !! While you were off setting your PR at the 15K race today I was laying around chilling on my top bunk finishing up my Jtube feeds. My mom , brother, and sister were getting ready and then went to church and I played Temple Run on my Dad’s phone We should know in a couple weeks after the last round of testing results are back if my immune system will tolerate me going around people or if I will need to start IVIG. I am so proud of you for setting a PR!!! Doesn’t that mean you have now set a NEW PR for the 5,10,&15K runs?!?! WHOA. You really are the world’s best runner thank you so much for running for me and always being so thoughtful sending me shirts , sometimes medals and other things . I am a very blessed boy. We love you!

Here is the message I got early this morning:

Happy Saturday, Mrs Darlene!!! My overnight feeds didn’t go too hot last night so today is a lazy day trying to finish up the half liter that was left. I am supposed to get 1000-1600 milliliters per day of formula via J tube and then another 1400-2000 in fluids both orally and through my GJ. That’s for both calories and fluid replacement for my dysautonomia/PoTS/mito/FTT/metabolic disorder. Due to my gastroparesis though its hard to meet that requirements. I am fortunate to get 1500 ml TOTAL. I hope you are having a great weekend and staying warm. It’s cold for us Georgia folks. My momma said it was 30 last night and is supposed to be in the high teens in a couple days. Brrrrrrrr Thank you for running for me!

Of course, it was cold and windy but I went out and ran for him!

Happy Running! What will keep you running during the colder weather?

September 16, 2014 by Darlene

Tuesdays on the Run: Breaking through a mental wall in training

Erika @ MCM Mama Runs hosts Tuesdays on the Run with April @ Run the great wide somewhere and Patty @ My no-guilt life!

This week’s topic is: Breaking Through a Mental Wall in Training

If you train for a long race, you will hit no doubt hit a wall at some point in your training.

Here’s my advice:

Have a plan and stick to it.

my typical half marathon training plan

I always use a plan. I am not strict about my mileage during the week but I am for the long runs. It gets me through the training. Sometimes, I have to split up my run such as running a 5K and then add extra miles. Sometimes I am so busy that I even split up my runs over two days. But I make sure I get them done. Training doesn’t seem so daunting that way and I know that by doing ALL my long runs I will be able to finish the race.

Do not let bad runs get you down.

Bad runs happen. I think I have more bad ones than good ones. You don’t accomplish anything by dwelling on them. So many things influence your run – time of day, weather, health, what you ate, injuries, etc. So you just move on and remember:

Accept that running is not easy.

I always think that it should get easier and I should be faster by now. But guess what? Running is hard!

Vary your route.

running near the Schroon River

I usually run on the bike trails for my long runs. Even though they are nice, they get boring. This past weekend I ran on a new route and it was energizing. The new scenery took my mind off the miles.

Find a running partner(s).

Heidi & Adrienne, my partners in crime

I usually run alone. I find it easier to fit running into my schedule that way. I could find runners to do long runs on the weekends but most are much faster than I am. When I was training for the Love Run in March, I did several of my long runs with the ladies in the photo above. They were training for their first half. Because they are faster and don’t walk during their runs, it helped me a lot and running with someone else made the miles less painful.

Sign up for a short race.

winning my age group at the Strawberry Fest 5K

When my long runs or training isn’t going well, I run a short race. I am one of those runners who runs better and faster in a race. Races for me are a big motivator. It restores my confidence.

Focus on the prize

yes, I earned a medal!

Think about the medal that you will receive when you cross the finish line and how proud you will feel no matter what your time is.

Happy Running! How do you break through a mental wall in training?

August 22, 2014 by Darlene

Friday Five: 5 Things I Love About_____

Every Friday, three DC area bloggers Mary at Mar On the Run, Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?! and Courtney from Eat Pray Run, DC to host the Friday Five linkup. Anyone can join with their own Friday Five post (yes, it must be a Friday Five!!) They encourage you to visit other blogs on the linkup, comment, share and engage!

This week, the theme is a Five Things I Love About ________ so I chose to write about Five Things I Love About Running:

(Yes, this a repeat and I am very sorry but this is the first week of classes where I work and I have been soooo busy. If you read last Friday’s post, you can stop reading now.)

1. Running makes me feel healthy.

I do not eat healthy most of the time. I do not follow any special diets. I don’t make smoothies or eat kale. I eat meat, I eat carbs and I love my sweets especially ice cream. Running is one of the few healthy things that I do.

running + ice cream = 🙂

2. Running helps me stay active.

I have a sedentary job. I sit at a computer most of the day. Some days, I don’t even leave my desk. I don’t belong to a gym. I don’t own any exercise equipment. Running gets me moving early in the morning or after work.

running in the park after work

3. Running gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Even after a poor race, I know that I have done more than those who have stayed home. When I say that I ran 13.1 miles, people who are not runners are “in awe.” Every time I cross that finish line, I feel proud!

finishing a 5K

after my first half marathon

4. Running keeps me feeling young.

At 61, I may not be the fastest and PRs are getting harder to come by, but I still finish faster than a lot runners that are younger than me.

see those younger ones behind me LOL

this recent picture is featured on the race website – springrunoff.com

5. I am part of a community.

Runners are awesome people. Even when I go to a race where I don’t know anyone, I always end of chatting with someone. I have met so many people because of running, many of whom I now consider my “friends.” And then there are the bloggers…you are my “virtual friends.”

before the Adirdondack Half Marathon

pre-Love Run Half dinner

at a recent 5K

at one of several races with fellow blogger AJH

recent race with Judy, Facebook friend

Happy Running! What do you love about running?

August 15, 2014 by Darlene

Friday Five: Freebie

This week, the theme is a Freebie so I chose to write about the 5 reasons “Why I Run”:

1. because it makes me feel healthy

I do not healthy most of the time. I do not follow any special diets. I don’t make smoothies or eat kale. I eat meat, I eat carbs and I love my sweets especially ice cream. Running is one of the few healthy things that I do.

running + ice cream = 🙂

2. because it makes me feel active

I have a sedentary job. I sit at a computer most of the day. Some days, I don’t even leave my desk. Running gets me up early in the morning or out after work.

running in the park after work

3. because it gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment

finishing a 5K

at my first half marathon

4. because it makes me feel young

At 61, I may not be the fastest and PRs are getting harder to come by, but I still finish faster than a lot runners that are younger than me.

see those younger ones behind me LOL

this recent picture is featured on the race website – springrunoff.com

5. to be party of a community

before the Adirdondack Half Marathon

pre-Love Run Half dinner

at a recent 5K

at one of several races with fellow blogger AJH

recent race with Judy, Facebook friend

Happy Running! Why do you run?

August 12, 2014 by Darlene

Tuesdays on the Run: Mantras

Erika @ MCM Mama Runs hosts Tuesdays on the Run with April @ Run the great wide somewhere and Patty @ My no-guilt life!

This week’s topic is: Mantras

Original artwork of Runners Feed Freelance Writer- Amanda Winslow

My favorite mantra is: FINISHING=WINNING!

I have it printed on my RoadID and on the bottom of a shirt.

When I am running and have an off day, I have to remind myself of this.

Below are many quotes that I like:

“Me and running don’t always see eye to eye. Some days it hurts more than others. But that doesn’t mean I don’t do it. I deal with it and I keep running because not everything that is good for you always feels good for you. Every day is the day.”

“The gun goes off and everything changes… the world changes… and nothing else really matters.” – Patti Sue Plummer

“Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?”– Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian

“I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart.” – Mike Fanelli

“I always loved running…it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.” –Jesse Owens

“In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.” –Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

“Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.” –Oprah Winfrey

“Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it’s all about.” –PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

“Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you’re young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don’t let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself.” –John Bingham, running speaker and writer

“You also need to look back, not just at the people who are running behind you but especially at those who don’t run and never will… those who run but don’t race…those who started training for a race but didn’t carry through…those who got to the starting line but didn’t in the finish line…those who once raced better than you but no longer run at all. You’re still here. Take pride in wherever you finish. Look at all the people you’ve outlasted.” – Joe Henderson

“Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re probably right.” -Henry Ford

“Running should be a lifelong activity. Approach it patiently and intelligently, and it will reward you for a long, long time.” -Michael Sargent

“Remember the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running.” -Sarah Condor

“Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too.” – Richard O’Brien

Happy Running! What is your mantra?

June 29, 2014 by Darlene

Lacking the Long Run Motivation?

Ever since my March half marathon, I have been trying to get my speed back. As a result, I have been racing 5Ks and mostly running 3 miles with an occasional 4 miler thrown in.

I definitely feel more confident about my speed (although it isn’t or may never be totally back).

Moms Day 5K

Betar Byway 5K

So now, I need to run longer.

And I can’t find the motivation!!

Luckily I decided to run the Adirondack Distance Run last Sunday. That was 10 miles. I did it and I didn’t die.

adr3

I have a Half Marathon on July 13. That’s 2 weeks away!!!!

The problem is that I can’t find the time on the weekends!!

It is easy to squeeze in 3 miles and then do other things. Long runs take time!

the boating season is too short and too expensive not to take advantage of it every weekend that the weather is nice (it is the one thing my hubby & I do together …)

I guess that’s why I usually run 5ks in the summer and train for long races in the winter. (What was I thinking when I signed up for a summer half marathon??)

In the meantime, I am going to have to get creative about fitting in long runs this summer – take time off from work, run after work, get up super early on the weekend, etc. (and the weather better cooperate!!)

In fact, I have already taken Monday, July 7 off to do my 12 mile training run.

Here are some tips for getting your long runs done:

Run somewhere scenic – a park, a bike path, along water. Beautiful scenery is motivating. Vary your routes. Running on the same road gets boring. (I never do my long runs on a treadmill!!!)

at the Peebles Island State Park

Grab a running buddy or join a running group. Chatting makes the miles go faster. Having to meet someone gets you out the door.

These guys helped me last winter. Unfortunately, this summer I am solo.

Put some new music on your phone or iPod. Playlists gets stale. It’s nice to have some new summer tunes to motivate you on these warm humid days. Good music can help make the miles less painful.

I just added some Zac Brown & some Jimmy Buffet

Eat enough. A long run is hard enough but it is much harder when you have no fuel in the tank. I always eat a good breakfast and then carry gels to eat every 4 miles.

salted caramel is now my new favorite

Wear comfortable clothes especially good running shoes. Chafing makes a long run seem even longer. I also train with my most supportive shoes. Never wear worn out shoes. And remember to dress for 20 degrees warmer than it is. The more miles that you run, the warmer you will get.

I also wear compression socks on my long runs.

Rewards! Promise yourself something good to eat when you’re done. I usually head to Starbucks for a cold frappuccino or to get some ice cream.

Stewarts – YUM!

Sign up for a summer or fall half marathon or marathon. Knowing that a race is coming up will hopefully push me through these hot months to stay in running condition. Running a long race without the proper training is a recipe for an injury.

And do as I say not as I do –

Yesterday I stayed home from the lake to do a long run – I ran solo on a boring city route, with chafing, uncomfortable shoes, an upset stomach (new fuel). I left too late so it was very hot out. I got home and collapsed – too tired & sick to reward myself. Yes, that long run SUCKED!

at least there were sidewalks

My next one will be better. I promise!

Happy Running! Anyone else have the long run motivation blues?? Any other tips on getting it done?

May 28, 2014 by Darlene

Lacking training mojo

After my last 2 solo runs (and my vacation runs), I need to vent.

I don’t have any training mojo.

It’s not that I don’t run. I do. But not well.

I have to admit, I am the worst runner when I run by myself.

NOT ME!! I stop when I am tired.

I don’t want to have slow crappy runs, but I can’t seem to make myself run without stopping.

I mean I stop A LOT and my pace is around 12-13 min/mile. I may use “I want to take pictures” as an excuse but it is really that I can’t make my legs go anymore.

And I don’t do tempo runs or fartleks or hill repeats or intervals. I just shuffle along. (I have tried but I lack motivation.)

I just run to get it done.

Is it?

A mile at 8 min pace is the same as a mile at 13 min pace??

This would reinforce my lackluster training.

You and i know that it is NOT the same.

True!

But I think I am past that.

I run 3-4 times a week.

This weekend will be my 14th race this year.

I feel like I should be doing more.

Do you always?

I have some friends who hate me because when I am in a race, I run so much faster. Even if I haven’t trained, I still have a decent finish time.

I am surprised at my pace and my age group awards because I don’t deserve them.

My paces at races is now consistently in the 9’s even though I train in the 12’s.

Mom’s Day 5K – 28:13

Spring Run Off 10K – 1:00:51

Cherry Blossom 5k – 27:51

It’s not that I am blazing fast and there are women my age who are faster but I don’t train hard.

I think that where it hurts me is in the longer races like half marathons. My splits get slower and slower because I don’t have the stamina and I am not used to running and not stopping when my legs are tired.

Some people would say that if you are not getting injured, enjoying your races and winning awards, why worry.

Phew!

Glad I got that out of the way.

Thanks for listening.

Happy Running! Any advice?

April 29, 2014 by Darlene

#RUNwithMe

JOIN THE TRIBESPORTS MOVEMENT AND RUN THE WORLD:

Throw on your running kit and GO! Whether you hit the trails, the road or the treadmill, measure your runs in kilometres, miles or don’t care to keep track. There are lots of different ways to get involved – you can improve your 5km time, increase your core strength and find inspiring stories from runners just like you. Running is a sport which unites people from all walks of life, from all over the world – so let’s celebrate it!

RWM_red_13

Share the story of your running – upload up to 5 photos, and your story will be turned into your own animated gif!

Check out the full #RunWithMe story gallery here (mine is above) – https://tribesports.com/shop/run-the-world/run-with-me

There are a lot of ways out there to become part of a running community- DailyMile, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, BlogLovin, etc.

TribeSports is just one more.

I joined last week and instantly, I got a message:

Hi, nice to meet you Darlene. I have started to run this year in age of 45 and thought I had started late. I happened to see your bio and realized that you also have started late but already achieve tremendously! Thank you for giving me and other TS members inspiration.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to fully commit to TribeSports but maybe this will interest some of you.

I use DailyMile to keep track on my mileage. I post pics frequently to Instagram but my blog is my main outlet to stay connected with other runners. My posts are directly linked to Facebook and Twitter and BlogLovin so I don’t have to do anything else.

I follow other bloggers mostly through Instagram and BlogLovin though I do follow some on FaceBook.

On Facebook, I belong to several groups:

fb groups

Yes, it can be overwhelming but you can participate as much or as little as you are able. I am lucky to be at my computer all day long. I usually eat lunch at my desk and catch up with FB and blogs.

Happy Running! Are you part of any running communities? Which one(s)?

April 24, 2014 by Darlene

TTT

1. Why are my training runs at a 12 minute pace and my races between 9 and 10??

I always feel so lethargic when I run by myself. I walk frequently. I don’t push myself. If I didn’t sign up for races, I would never get faster.

see what I mean?

2. Why do I feel pressure to PR at all my races?

I am competitive and want to get faster and even win an AG award. I would have more fun if I get went out there to run and not think about my finish time.