10k

by

What’s Up Next (in My Dreams)

Still in pain and supposedly training for a half marathon in September but you know how I love races…So…. (if I were healthy…)

This 5K is on July 23. I have run this race 3 times and I love Saratoga!  My friend Mary has already signed up.  It is also halfway from my home to Lake George.

OR

This 5k is also on July 23.  I have run the Susan Komen 5K race 3 times in Albany in Oct.  I have 2 friends who have signed up.  I have MANY friends who have had this terrible disease!!! I have never run a race in Vermont.

AND

This 5K is on July 30.  I have run this race twice but in Albany in Dec.  This is a NEW location.  It’s at an amusement park and it’s in Lake George plus I have July 29 off from work.

AND

This 10K  is on Aug 6.  I have never done a 10K.  It is in Lake George.

AND

This 5K is on Aug 13.  I have run this race twice already.  Each time I won socks – one 1st place AG and one 2nd place AG award.  The race ends with a downhill and it’s on the way to Lake George.

So, there you have it!  My races plans… (provided that my heel pain disappears and I can run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Happy Running (and racing)!

by

Virtual and Non-Virtual Races – Gotta Love Em!

Virtual Races

I love to compete in Virtual Races.  They are FREE!  It is motivating because once you sign up, you feel like you are accountable to run that distance. There is no pressure.  It doesn’t matter what your finishing time is.  You can fit it in whenever you have time. You discover NEW blogs.  And sometimes you can win a random prize just for entering. Below are two Virtual Races coming up:

 

CantaffordVM

Non – Virtual Races

I love to compete in Non Virtual Races even more.  They are not free but most of the entrance fees do go to charity and you get a teeshirt.  It is motivating because once you sign up, you feel like you have to TRAIN to run that distance. There is  pressure.  But that’s a good thing.   Under pressure is when I do my best running. They are scheduled so you have to organize your life and rearrange things. You meet other runners. You feel like you are part of a community that shares the same interest – racing.  And sometimes you can  even win some bling.  Below are some of the Non Virtual Races that I may run (the purple ones are definites):

  • 4-10-11 Delmar Dash 5mi
  • 4-23-11 Lake George  Half Marathon
  • 4-30-11 Great Mom’s 5-K Fun Run or YMCA 5k or St. John’s/St. Ann’s Center Spring Run-Off 5k/10k or Brink 5k  or 5-01-11 Sean’s Run 5k or Literacy 5k ??
  • 5-08-11 Mother’s Day Race (3.5 mi)
  • 5-19-11  CDPHP Workforce Challenge 3.5
  •  5-22-11 SPAC 5K Rock & Run
  •  6-4-11 Freihofer’s Run for Women
  •  6-11-11 Kinderhook Bank OK 5K
  •  6-27-11 35th Annual Adirondack Distance run (10Mi)???
  • 7-23-11 Silks & Satins 5k
  •  Fasig Tipton 5k –
  • 8-13-11  Jailhouse Rock 5K
  • 8-20-11 – New Visions 5K
  • 9-10-11 Capital Region Special Surgery Race for Hope 5K
  • 9-15-11 -Schenectady Arc 5k or Get Your Rear in Gear 5k
  • 9-23-11 Arensal City 5K   ??
  • 9-25-11 Adirondack Half Marathon
  • 10-01-11 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 
  • Falling Leaves 5K
  • 10-22-11 Great Pumpkin Challenge 10k
  • 11-11-11 Valatie Veteran’s Run
  • 11-24-11 Bethlehem Towne Turkey Trot 
  • 12-03-11 Jingle Bell Run
  • 12-17-11  Albany Last Run

    • Happy Running! Sign up for some races!!!

    by

    Last Long Run and a Windy One

    Yesterday I woke up to 8 inches of snow so I decided to postpone my last long run till today.

    I had signed up for the HMRRC Winter Series 10k but I was debating whether or not I wanted to do it.

    Yes:

    • It’s free
    • I know a lot of runners who are doing it
    • I missed my last 10K
    • I’ve never done a 10K (so it’ll be a PR)
    • Snowless running route
    • Free refreshments

    No:

    • I don’t know the course or its difficulty
    • I’ll run faster than my long run pace (because I’m competitive)
    • If I don’t run fast, my time will suck (& I’ll be bummed)
    • I’ll have to run at 10am
    • I’m supposed to do at least 8 miles today
    • What if I get injured?

    I got up and got dressed to run it but…

    I checked my e-mail and my husband who is leaving for Florida tomorrow had a flight through Charlotte.  Charlotte is expecting a blizzard & it was recommended that passengers switch flights. Well, I spent over an hour on the phone with USAir and finally got him booked on a flight thru DC that leaves at 5:50 am.

    Yup, I missed the race but instead I went out and did my LAST LONG RUN!!!

    It was supposed to be 8 miles but I only ran 10 miles this week instead of 13 so I decided to stretch the run to 9.5 miles.

    It’s not getting easier.  It was cold and it was very WINDY!!! Half of the route, I was running into the wind and felt like I was getting no where and it made me tired.  Another factor, I chose to go straight and wound up with a hILLY route. I walked up all the hills so that I could have the energy to run the rest.

    I love my Garmin!  It tells me exactly what my pace is and what it is for each mile.  I have it set to beep when I’m running fast (under  9 min/mi) and also when I’m running slow (over 12 mi/min).  Of course, it beeped when I was running down the hills and when I was walking.  Whenever,my pace near the end of a  mile was slow, I just sped up.

    My feet still hurt, but my legs and knees feel great. I finished the 9.5 miles in about 1 hr 45 min – I was very SLOW but my half marathon goal is to finish under 2 hr 45 min. So I think even if I walk a lot, I can do it. 

    This week I taper – just two 3 mile runs.  I think I will use the treadmill since in Naples, it will be warm & humid (like the gym!).

    Happy Running!

    by

    Welcome 2011!


    First, let’s look at my 2010 Running Goals:

    1. lower my 5K PR———YES! from 29:30 to 28:42 to 27:12
    2. run a 5k under 29 minutes——-YES! 4 times
    3. win my age group at least once——YES! on 11/11/10
    4. run new races——-YES! 11 out of 21 were new races
    5. run on the treadmill all winter (3x week)——YES! (unless I could run outside)
    6. run a longer distance on the treadmill (more than 2.75 mi)——– YES! up to 6 mi.
    7. motivate some of my friends to run————YES! 2 that started with me, stopped & are now running again
    8. increase the distance of my training runs (more than 3mi) at least once a week————– YES! 6-12 mi
    9. run at least 15 races———–YES! I ran 21 races
    10. run a 5k in another state (preferably Fla next fall)————–NO!!! but I signed up for a half in Florida in 2 weeks
    11. take more running pics—————— YES!  I took a photo at almost every race.
    12. keep track of how many miles I run this year————-YES! I counted  every run on this blog, dailymile.com & tickerfactory meter

    SO 11 out of 12 ain’t bad!!!

    And now my 2011 Running Goals:

    1. lower my 5K PR
    2. run 5ks under 28 minutes
    3. win my age group
    4. run new races
    5. run at least one race each month
    6. run 3-4 times a week ALL YEAR (use the treadmill when it is too cold or slippery or raining outside)
    7. run a longer race than 5k (4 mi, 5 mi or 10K)
    8. run a half marathon race
    9. run at least 15 races
    10. run  a race in another state
    11. volunteer at a race
    12. take running pics & post on FB & this blog
    13. keep track of how many miles I run this year

    I don’t think they are too ambitious… many are similar to last year’s…some are brand new.

    Happy Running! Good Luck setting your goals!

    by

    400th Post and the Naples Half Marathon

    Why Run Naples Half Marathon?

    •  The best distance course in the state! Certified! Flat-Fast-Shady-Loop!
    • FREE Pasta party
    • Great 4 color Coolmax shirts
    • Unique quality medals to all finishers who finish within race time limit of 2:45
    • Awards 5 deep for 27 age groups
    • Door prizes including weekends at beach front hotels
    • $15,500 cash awards – Open – Masters – Grand Masters – Senior Grand Masters
    • Special $3,500 cash awards for US citizens
    • Cash awards for course records overall & age group

    Why Should I?

    • I love Naples! I go there to play tennis every spring!!
    • The race is on my 12th wedding anniversary
    • The day after is Martin luther King Day – a work holiday!
    • I can use my frequent flier miles to fly for free!
    • I missed my first 10K 
    • I am running longer runs on the weekend (already ran 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 miles)
    • I still have 10 weeks left to train (see plan below)
    • I should run a half before my knees die & my body quits…

    Suggested – HALF MARATHON TRAINING SCHEDULE
    Revised – MY HALF MARATHON TRAINING

    So how’s that for a 400th post?  Going out on a limb and thinking beyond 3.1 miles 🙂

     Happy Running and THANKS for your input!

    by

    The Dunkin Run

    Nope, it’s not a race report.  I didn’t do the Dunkin Run 5k/10k in September (which used to be the Bruegger’s Bagel Run).

    It was a cool fall afternoon, sunny when I started. I’m still debating my distance running future so on the weekend I’m trying to do a long run, if possible. Today was 8 miles…

    At around 3.5 miles, there was a Dunkin Donuts so I stopped and bought a bottle of water, a French toast Bagel twist (yum) and a pumpkin donut hole.  I’ll call it my re-fueling stop.

    I continued to the shopping plaza a 1/2 mile away and then turned around and headed home. It was cloudy most of the way, drizzled for a while and then the sun came back out.

    I tried to look periodically at my Nike+ to check my times. I wish I had had a Garmin now (The Garmin 205 was ion sale at Amazon for $98 the other day & I hesitated & missed it.)

    Stats:
    5k = 31
    10k =1:04
    8 mi=1:23

    All in all, I felt great.  I only walked at the hill at mile 7.

    Now I have have to get ready to go to a Halloween party in Lake George.

    Happy Running, Happy Halloween & Good Luck to all those running in the Marine Corp Marathon esp Amanda!

    by

    Monday Goals

    Recap of  last week:
    My weekly goal was 17 miles. I did 16.
    10K Race – too sick to do it! 😦

    This week’s schedule:
    Mon – tennis after work
    Wed – dinner with a friend
    Fri – mah jongg after work
    Sat – eve. halloween party
    Sun – Lake George am.

    This week’s running:
    Tues– 4 miles after work
    Wed- 3  miles before work 
    Thurs – 4 miles after work
    Sat –  7  miles
    Weekly Running Goal = 18 miles
    October Monthly Running Goal = 60 miles
    Yearly Running Goal = 300 miles ( I passed it – can I make 500?)

    Happy Running!

    by

    The Virtual Great Pumpkin Challenge

    me starting my virtual race

    I got up, took my blood pressure and it was perfect so I decided I would run yesterday’s race – at least the 5k.  Unfortunately it was raining. Anyway, my hubby said that I was nuts and he wasn’t gonna pick me up off the pavment.

    When it did stop in the afternoon, my hubby left to play tennis & I set out on my virtual race (wearing the race shirt)  & to the drug store to pick up 2 prescriptions.

    I guessed that to the pharmacy & back would be a 10k. Actually it was 3.5 miles so I ended up doing 7 miles.

    Stats:

    lst 5k – 31:20
    2nd 5k – 34:55
    10K – 1:06:15
    7 miles – 1:15:56

    As you can tell, I ran the first 5k and walked a lot during the 2nd.  I didn’t stop the clock waiting for lights to cross streets but did stop for 10 minutes in CVS (and stopped the clock).

    Still sad that I missed the opportunity to run a 10k…I probably shouldn’t have waited so long since the running season is limited from now til next spring.

    Happy Running! Hope everyone had a good racing weekend!

    by

    Great Pumpkin Challenge 10K Race That Wasn’t

      

    This was supposed to be my first 10k!!!!!!!!!!!

    I signed up months ago so I would be motivated to train for it… However, 5k races & boating got in the way so I did what I could. 

    I was tempted to switch to the 5k but my friend Mary after she finished her half marathon said she would sign up and would pace me.  I still wasn’t convinced but then 3 of the women in the beginning runners group (they did their 1st 5k in June) signed up.

    I was too embarrassed to back out. 

    I wasn’t afraid that I couldn’t do it since I ran my first 5k after only running 1 mile without stopping. I was nervous that I would push myself and get injured –that  bump knee & those old age aches & pains.

    Well, everyone said I could do it and my friend Mary promised to drag me through it.

    It was COLD in the 30’s. I couldn’t decide what to wear but I opted for shorts and long sleeves. I would wear sweats until the race began. My hubby had picked up my race packet yesterday so I didn’t have to arrive too early.

    This is where the bad part starts. 

    People had been dropping like flies at the office but not me, I said!! I have my first 10k.  I started feeling lousy Thurs eve.  Sore throat.  All day Friday, I had a headache.  I didn’t sleep much Fri eve and I felt worse.  When I got up on Sat, I actually felt a little better and was very excited to get to the race.

    My friend Mary called and we agreed to meet.  I parked my car and waited through 3 shuttles to get to the start which was about a mile away. When I got there I immediately bumped into 2 friends from the running group.

    All of a sudden, I got this really intense HEADACHE! I mean I couldn’t move.  I wanted to start the race but I couldn’t. I called my hubby & cried on the phone to come get me.  The shuttle driver was nice enough to take me back to my car.

    Depressed about the race, I rested on the couch for the rest of the day & felt a little better but then the pain started to come back so my hubby took me to the doctor.  He gave me a shot & the pain went away but the doc was very concerned that my blood pressure was high and ordered me to the ER. 

    My blood pressure got even higher there  -197/109.  They did all kinds of tests – blood work, EKG, Cat Scan and ALL WERE NEGATIVE!!! They gave me something to lower my blood pressure and sent me home (at 3am).

    Today I took my blood pressure and it’s 120/80.  I can’t wait to run again.

    Yesterday I was so DISAPPOINTED about the race!  Today I’m just happy to be healthy…There will be other races!!

    Happy Running!

    by

    3 Things Thursday

    1. I definitely prefer running outdoors to running on the treadmill. Unless it rains I’m going to try to run in my neighborhood.  The past 2 mornings, I searched out my capris, gloves & fleece vest and ran 3 miles. On the treadmill, it took me 40 minutes to run 3 torturous miles.  Outside in the chilly air, it took 29 minutes.  Unfortunately it doesn’t get light early enough to do more.  So I’ll reserve my longer runs for the weekend or after work (if I ever am free.)
    2. Yes, I said longer runs.  Saturday is my 1st 10K…if it goes well, who knows???
    3. Tomorrow I will carb load and try not to think about if I will crash & burn running more than 3 miles.  I’M NERVOUS!!!!!!

      4. 

    Happy Running and good luck to any weekend racers!