September 30, 2011 by Darlene

Foto Friday

Warning – there are lots of photos on this page.

First on Wednesday, our Komen Race for the Cure team which has almost 70 runners on it was interviewed for the TV news.

running for the photographer

getting interviewed

just part of the 70 member team

Click HERE to watch the news clip. Click HERE to read the story in the newspaper.

I did run 3 miles on Tuesday & Wednesday. The runs were not great but my training runs never are. They were slow (12 min pace) with frequent walking…will I ever be fast???

Anyway, I am excited for Saturday’s race. It is always such an emotional event. (Unfortunately, it’s supposed to RAIN!!)

Next, the official Adirondack Half Marathon photos (why do my thighs look huge or maybe they are & I should wear capris?) are out.

looks like I'm having fun

thumbs up pose

running cuz I see a camera

pretending like it's a not a hill

I see the finish line!

Happy Running! Have a nice weekend & Good Luck if you are racing!

September 29, 2011 by Darlene

September’s Almost Over. Bring On October!

I ran the whole month of September and haven’t run this many miles in a month since April!!

Here’s what I planned for September:

Hope to run pain-free – Almost (still sore from time to time)
Continue tennis & yoga once a week – YES
Spend a few more weekends on Lake George. – YES
Run 3-4 times a week – YES
Increase weekly mileage by adding longer runs – YES, got up to 8 miles
Prepare for Half Marathon #4 by doing 4 & 5 – YES
Survive Half Marathon #3 – YES
Run a 5k or 10K race (only if #1) – NO but I have one Oct 1.

running by Huddle Bay on Lake George

running my 3rd Half

So now what’s planned for October?

Continue to run pain-free 🙂
Continue tennis & yoga once a week
Run 3-4 times a week
Join a gym & start to cross-train ???
Increase weekly mileage by adding long runs to prepare for Half Marathon #4
Run a 5k or 10K or both

Happy Running! What are you planning for October?

September 27, 2011 by Darlene

My Next Race

‎1 in 8 women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime.

In fact, here are my friends* who have all battled this horrible disease (if you read my blog, you may recognize them):

Top Row: Judy, Mary Ann, Mary M. Ava
Bottom Row: Sally, Phyllis, Maria, Sue

The Komen Northeastern New York Race for the Cure® raises money to fund education, screening & treatment programs for these women & supports the national search for a cure.

I am participating in this Race in Albany, NY this SATURDAY with the hopes of raising $1000 to help to provide for research programs in our area.

$100 for each of my 8 friends above who beat this disease, $100 for Dee, a friend’s sister who is currently fighting this disease and $100 for Dottie, who unfortunately lost her battle with this disease.

( *They are all currently cancer-free 🙂 )

So this race doesn’t fit into my training plan but it’s a race that I have to run and Albany Law School where I work has organized a team. We have 55 runners so far and we are being interviewed for TV news tomorrow.

I am happy to say my heel doesn’t hurt at all and that I feel fine!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe I could have pushed myself more on Sunday but who knew?

So what are my goals for this race?

Not go for a PR (I just did a half marathon & have to run 10 miler this weekend)!!
Not be my slowest!

This will be my 4th Komen Race & I have done 4 Freihofer’s (FRW) – That means I have run this course 7 times:

2008 FRW – 33:29

2008 Komen – 32:49

2009 FRW – 35:05

2009 Komen – 31:15

2010 FRW – 30:39

2010 Komen – 29:10 (Komen PR)

2011 FRW – 28:14 (course PR)

– 27:30 (5K PR)

Happy Running! Click here if you want to donate.

September 16, 2011 by Darlene

Fall Racing

Yes, I am trying to rest my heel and not do too much racing. But there are a few on my radar for various reasons:

1. Adirondack Half Marathon – Signed up for this one before the injury.

Oct 1, 2011

2. Race for the Cure 5k – We have a team where I work & I am one of the coordinators. Besides it’s an important cause. There’ll be too many runners to worry about my time.

3. Santa Clarita Half Marathon – Signed up for this one too before the injury.

Nov 24, 2011

4. Our Town Turkey Trot – This 5K is near my house and it is my PR race.

Dec 17, 2011

5. Albany Last Run 5k – For this race, you get to see the Capital Holiday Lights in Washington Park and a spectacular fireworks show.

A few more may squeak in…

Happy Running! Are you racing this fall?

September 5, 2011 by Darlene

This & That and a Virtual 5K

This was a busy week:

Monday I had dinner with a running friend that I haven’t seen the infamous heel injury. Tuesday was my last tennis with my Tuesday tennis group so we went out to dinner after. Wednesday, I spent the day at the US Open.

with my friend Catalina at the Open

We watched some amazing tennis matches – some veterans, some up and coming players, some upsets, some predictables- all in all, it was a long HOT day (got up at 4:15 am and went to bed at 11:00 pm).

Since I hadn’t run since Monday, I forced myself to do 4.5 miles after work on Thursday- it wasn’t pretty and I finished & got in my car seconds before the rain came down.

Saturday for the 2nd time this summer, I stayed home from the lake to do my LONG run. I ran 6 miles which was my longest distance since April 23 (my half marathon). It was tough – it took me 1:11 to do it with 2 water stops & some walking. (My friends kept texting me: we miss you…what are you dong home on such as nice day?…They are NOT runners!!)

Then I rewarded myself with a movie – I saw Sarah’s Key. I read the book and I must admit, it was very true to the book. A sad story but I highly recommend it.

Sunday am, I headed up to the lake with my friend Cheryl. My hubby & other friends were already there waiting. It was the annual Christmas in September on Log Bay. Everyone hangs out on the lake. There’s a band, a parade & fireworks at night.

with Cheryl & Kathi

going for a ride

Unfortunately, it started to rain in the evening and the parade & fireworks were canceled. We headed home.

This morning, I decided to enter my own 5K – Darlene’s Virtual 5k.

I finished in 33:38. No water stops. I ran straight through for the first time since my last 5k on June 11 (which I finished in 27:45!!!!!). I placed 1st in my age group. In fact, I came in first overall. It was incredibly humid. I was drenched in sweat (I am not a sweater) when I was done. It started to rain as soon as I finished too.

I can’t tell you how hard this was. I felt that I needed to run without stopping & stretching & worrying about my heel. The pace was slow but I couldn’t do it any faster. I felt so out of shape, so tired… I wanted to stop a hundred times but I wouldn’t let myself.

Now I know I can do it. I think that in a real 5K race I will have more adrenaline & will eat better the day before so hopefully my time will get back to where it was before the injury.

Afterwards, my hubby & I headed back to Lake George for a great lunch with friends at a restaurant overlooking the lake.

Happy Running! Happy Labor Day!

July 13, 2011 by Darlene

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.

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)!

July 5, 2011 by Darlene

To Race or To Train or Both?

Summer 2008, 2009, 2010 – I ran 5ks almost every weekend. My goal was to try to get faster.

April 2008 – 1st 5k – 37:36
November 2010 – 27:30 (I got faster!!)

Then it all changed…

January 2011 – 1st Half Marathon
April 2011 – 2nd Half Marathon

Since there aren’t many 5ks during the colder months, I didn’t feel like I was giving up much.

: Silks & Satins 5k ’10

: Mary & me before the CRSS 5k ’10

September 2011 – 3rd Half Marathon!!

The Dilemma…

Summer 2011:

Do I race the summer 5ks? (I LOVE races.)
Do I skip the 5ks and train? (I NEED to do long runs at a HM pace.)
Do I run the 5ks and train? (I think I am too COMPETIVE to just run a race.)
Should I move my long runs to a weekday? (What about RAIN & LACK of ENERGY after a long day at work.)

Do I Race or Train or can I do Both?

Happy Running (or racing or training!)

July 1, 2011 by Darlene

July is Here!

June Recap:

Goals :

70 miles – FAIL – I ran only 59 miles but I was away and injured!
running 3-4 times per week – YES, the first half of the month but things slowed down when I was away and injured!
adding some longer runs – Again not as much as I would haved liked – I did run 6 miles once & 5 miles twice
a 5k race or 2 (finishing under 29 min) – YES – two 5K races – one under 29 min and the other under 28!! (but that was before the foot injury 😦 )

I continued to play tennis at least once a week and do yoga as well. My 2 non-race weekends were spent on beautiful Lake George.

Goals for July:

70 miles
running 3-4 times per week
adding longer runs to train for my 3rd half marathon
a 5k race (finishing under 29 min)
Get rid of my heel pain!!!

Happy Running!

June 20, 2011 by Darlene

Monday & Back to Running

Update for Last Week:

My goal was 19 miles but I only ran for a total of 11.5 miles. (With my injured heel, I am glad to have run at all!!)
No Races
I played tennis 2x and did yoga 1x.

Goals for the Week:

This week’s schedule:

Mon – USTA tennis match
Tues – tennis
Wed-Sat – in Milwaukee for a work conference
Sun – at Lake George (weather permitting)

This week’s running:

Tues – 3.5 mi before work
Wed – 3 mi before flight or wait try to get to 5k race in Milwaukee??
Fri – 3 mi in Milwaukee

Week Running Goal = 9.5 miles
June Monthly Running Goal = 70 miles, a race or 2

Yearly Running Goal = 1011 miles

Happy Running!