5k

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Kinderhook Bank OK 5K (or Beat the Rain) Race Report

This was the 2nd year I’ve run this race.  Last year, I didn’t know anyone there.  This year, I was excited to run with Mary, a race addict like myself.

This past week was hot and humid, but yesterday, the weather cooled down and today promised to be great for racing (except for the chance of showers 😦 )

I remember the course being flat and being my first under 29 minute race!!!

I woke up to the sound of rain…oh no would it be another Lake George Half kind of day??!!  I changed my clothes 3 times.  First a tank & skirt, then a sleeveless top with another skirt and finally, a short sleeved top with the original skirt. I also brought a hat, a jacket, pants, and a change of shoes & shorts.

I was prepared to get wet!! The rain continued as I drove 40 minutes to Kinderhook.

When I arrived, it was a downpour!!! I debated about staying in my car or running the race.  I texted Mary and she said she was racing no matter what.   PRESSURE!!!

I waited until the last minute and dashed to get my bib and timing chip.

I found Mary, I stashed my pants & umbrella under a table, tied my jacket around my waist and ran to the start.  No time to use the restroom, or take my Gu or drink some water.

Miraculously the rain stopped!!!!!

We started near the front and I was caught up with the fast runners (unlike last week).  Not good!! By 1 1/2 miles in, I was dying.  Hard to breathe (humidity??), nausceous…had to stop and walk.  I hate that!

I struggled for the rest of the race!!! I forgot about my goal and just wanted to finish before the rain came!!

Finally I saw some flashing lights.  The finish line?? False alarm  Just cop car.

And so I dragged myself through the finish line not sprinting like last week! But excitedly I was under 28 minutes!!! 27:57.  Hooray!

I waited for Mary and then had some refreshments – bagel, donut, watermelon…

They give out handmade pottery as AG prizes so I waited around till they put up the times. It appeared that there were at least 3 women  ahead of me in my age group and it was now raining HARD, so I left.

Race Splits:

mile 1 – 8:43
mile 2 – 9:11
mile 3 – 9:11
.1 – 8:15

So glad, it didn’t rain during this race and that I beat my last year’s time of 28:42.  No PR but under 28 minutes.  I’m happy with that.

No boating this weekend.  After a hot, sunny week, it may be raining all weekend.

I hope to squeeze in more miles later or tomorrow!

Happy Running!  Good luck on any weekend races!

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What’s Up Next?

This Saturday I will run this 5k for the 2nd time. Last year this race was a PR for me at 28:42 so I hope to beat that. My friend Mary should be there.

Sean's Run with Mary

If the weather is good, we will be heading up to Lake George and somehow I would like to get a long run in!!!

This one takes place in Milwaukee & if I arrive there with enough time to get to it, I may do it. (I will register when I get there.)
This is a Point to Point race. 10 Miles of rolling hills along scenic Lake George from Lake George Village to Bolton Landing, NY. Again, this is a real maybe.  It is very challenging because of the HILLS!!! I need to get some longer runs in.  Another issue is that I arrive home from Milwaukee on June 25.  I have to figure out how and when to get there…will the hubby cooperate and how will our boat in Bolton Landing fit in??  Weather will play a big part too. (I will probably wait until close to June 25 to register.) If I can’t do it, I will definitely put it on my list for next year!!!

Happy Running! What races are you looking forward to?

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A New Week!

Update for Last Week:

My goal was 17  miles but  I only ran  for a total of  15.5 miles.
I ran a 5K race (finished under 29 min.)
I played tennis 2x and did yoga 1x.

Goals for next week:

This week’s schedule:

Mon – proctor LSAT
Tues – tennis after work
Wed –yoga
Thurs – haircut
Fri –  mah jongg

This week’s running:

Mon – 3 mi before or after work
Wed – 4 mi after work
Thurs – 3 miles before work
Sat – OK Bank 5K race
Sun – 8 mi
 
Week Running Goal = 21 miles 
June Monthly Running Goal = 70 miles, a race or 2

Yearly Running Goal = 1011 miles

Happy Running!

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33rd Freihofer’s Run for Women Race Report

As I said previously, I love this race.  It’s crowded & it’s impossible to do really well, but who cares. It’s a nice course that is shady and scenic with music, fans, and clocks & water at each mile. We got a cool green tech shirt and a box of Freihofer cookies & sandwich buns.

One tennis friend was running it (one cancelled) along with a recording setting 4800 other women runners. The beginning’s runners group from last year planned to meet to take a “one year later” group photo.

My hubby picked up my bib yesterday so that saved me some time.  (I did go to the expo to get my friend’s shirt and I got an autograph from JOAN SAMUELSON!!!)

I decided to park at work to avoid the traffic and run to the race (as a warm up). That was a little over a mile & I walked a lot of it.

The weather was perfect – sunny, 60’s, no wind.

I immediately bumped into the running group plus others. I never found my tennis friend. Some of the runners even got interviewed for the news (Janis, Bridget & Tammy).

Eventually it was time to line up.  Somehow I got an orange bib which would have put me WAY back but I squeezed in toward the back of the “Yellows.”

As usual in this race, it starts and you can’t move at all.  You move and it’s crowded so you weave in and out up the hill until you get into the park and then you can run at a decent pace.

So my first mile was slow, the 2nd was faster but I did stop briefly for water (my throat hurt from all the pollen).  I walked again during the 3rd mile which pissed me off but I picked up speed as the race ended downhill.

Here’s a video of the course:

As I appraoched the finishline, I saw that I could finish under 29 minutes and I did!! Officially 28:51, net time- 28:14 and Garmin time 28:08.

Splits:

Mile 1- 9:21
Mile 2 – 8:59
Mile 3 – 8:49
      .14 – 6:50

Hooray for negative splits and meeting my goal of under 29 minutes!! 

Click HERE to watch my finish! Not really, you can barely see me at 28:51 (But you can see that I was already way past the finish line!!!)

My running friends also did great. Esp. Felice, Janis, Jen & Bridget who got PRS.

I got some refreshments, chatted with some runners & watched the beginning of the awards ceremony.

Then I  took off, I needed to get in some more miles so I ran back around the park and to my car adding 3 more miles to my day’s total.

Here are some pics from the day:

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Happy Running! Hope you had a good weekend!

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My Next Race…

FRW #4 for me.  

Freihofer's Run for Women 2008

Freihofer's Run for Women 2009

Freihofers Run for Women 2010

You can’t have PR goals in a race this big (over 4000 runners) but I love to run this one anyway:

  • It’s the ultimate women’s race!!
  • Even with the crowds, you always bump into a familiar face.
  • It’s a course that is used for many races (and ends with a downhill.)
  • I may run into my idol ( Her b-day is a week after mine but I am 4 yrs older):

My bib # is 2984 (The  4th race in a row of  2 & 8). This year they are organizing the start of the race by colors according to estimated finish times. I don’t remember what I filled in (or if I filled it in) when I registered.  I finished last year in 30:39.  I finished this same course last October in 29:10.  My last 5k finish was 27:54 so I should be BLUE but I may be  a slower color.

My goal is to finish under 29 minutes.  I realize that this may not be possible since I may be stuck in the middle of a slow moving crowd.

Maybe I’ll make the cover of the local newspaper again?

 Happy Running!

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June already?

May Recap:

Goals:

  • 60 miles  – ALMOST – 57.5  (This is my lowest mileage month this year but also the lst month without half marathon training and I was on vacation for a week.)
  • running 3-4 times per week  – YES!
  • a 5k race (finishing under 30 min) or 2 or 3 or 4 – YES! 3 5ks – all under 30 min and a 3.5 mi race – that’s 4 races!!

Highlights of May:

My Tennis Vacation in Naples, Florida:

after a run one morning

Memorial Day Weekend on Lake George:

on the marina dock after a morning run

Goals for June:

  • 70 miles
  • running 3-4 times per week
  • adding some longer runs
  • a 5k race or 2 (finishing under 29 min)

Happy Running!

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Monday Goals on Tuesday

Update for Last Week:

My goal was 15  miles and I ran 6 times for a total of  15.5 miles. YAY!
No races.
I played tennis 1x and did yoga 1x.

Goals for next week:

This week’s schedule:

Mon – boating on the lake
Tues – tennis after work
Wed –yoga
Thurs – belated b-day dinner
Fri –  mah jongg
Sun – NYC to see Memphis on Broadway

This week’s running:

Mon – 3 mi near the marina
Wed – 4 mi after work
Thurs – 3 miles before work
Sat – Freihofer’s Run for Women 5k + 4 more
 
Week Running Goal = 17 miles 
June Monthly Running Goal = 70 miles, a race or 2

Yearly Running Goal = 1011 miles

Happy Running!

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Work and Racing

On June 22, I am going to a conference in Milwaukee, WI.

Look what is going on in Milwaukee at 7pm on June 22:

Wouldn’t it be cool to run this race?

The problem is that my flight (if it is on time) doesn’t arrive until 5pm and then I have to take a (20 min) shuttle to the hotel, check-in and grab a cab to the race…

I still say: Wouldn’t it be cool to run this race?

My conference is at the Marquette University Law School and I’m staying 15 min from there at the Hyatt City Center.

I think it’s not too far from the river. I’m hoping I can squeeze in a run in the evenings.  Anyone ever been to Milwaukee?

Happy Running! TGIF!

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SPAC 2nd Annual Rock & Run 5k Race Report

I ran this race last year and it was my fastest 5k at the time.  I have since gotten faster so I was excited to have a good race. PR?  Maybe?

I remember the course being shady & flat with music and timing clocks along the course. It was also predicted to be the first dry day in over a week.  YAY!

at home before I left

The race was scheduled to begin at 10:30 but I headed up to Saratoga early to avoid the crowds. It was sunny when I left but it turned cloudy with a slight breeze and temps in the 60’s.  My boss Chris was supposed to be there but I didn’t see him but I did bump into Dede, a professor that I work with (She was supposed to race Thurs but didn’t).

I was a little chilly but opted to leave my jacket behind and run with just my tanktop. (I was glad I did since it was very humid.)

There were over 700 runners at the race. I started near the front.  The problem with trying to PR is that I knew I had to run faster than 8:51/mi.  I started fast but couldn’t keep it up.  Then when you know you can’t PR, you get depressed.

photo from The Saratogian

The course was a fun one.  There were local bands playing all throughtout the park.  There were electronic timers at  each mile and 3 water stops  (I drank at all 3!).

Although I was running faster than usual, everyone was passing me by including Dede who finished in 23 min.  (Who knew she was a runner?) I crossed the finish line at 27:48!!

Splits:

mile 1 – 8:46
mile 2 – 9:22
mile 3 – 9:04
           .1 – 7:15

Not a PR but a good race.  I am very happy with it.  Last year I ran this course in 29:12 and I thought that was awesome.

They had bars, bananas and donuts (I ate 2!) but most of the good stuff (cupcakes, ice cream, pizza) cost money & I didn’t bring any.

They had the same photo booth as last year and I took some ugly pics of myself.

I stuck around the the awards ceremony. Unfortunately, the awards were given for 10 year age groups not 5.  I came in 6th for 50-59 but 1st for 55-59.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and I then added another (slooow) run of 2.9 miles before a belated birthday celebration with my BF- Blue Spice, Thai for dinner and then a movie – Water for Elephants.

Happy Running! Hope you enjoyed a good weekend of running/racing!

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Foto Friday

As promised, here are some photos from my wonderful vacation in Naples, Florida:

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Now that vacation is over, I’m back to running!

3.5 mile race last night and a 5k race on Sunday. 

Next half marathon training does not start until July 4 but I have to decide whether or not I am going to do the 10 miler on June 26.  If so, I need to start running more than 3 miles!!

Happy Running!  Good luck on any races you are doing this weekend!