5k

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Weekend Recap & Monday Goals

It started Thursday with a reunion with some ladies I used to work with.  We had a picnic and then saw a play in the park – so much fun!!

Friday morning we headed to  Lake George to spend the weekend.  On Saturday we had 15 people on our site!!! The weather was perfect..so was the company (our friends and some Polish cousins, etc.)

Saturday evening I went to visit my tennis friends at Schroon River – it was tennis weekend #1 that I had to miss. (There’ll will be another in August.)

 I also missed the Mentors annual pool party and a blogger meetup in Schenectady & 5k.  Everything got scheduled for the same weekend!

On Sunday, my hubby’s sister & husband who were visiting from Florida came up to the lake. Another great weather day – so lucky this summer!!

The forecast for Monday was showers so even though I had the day off, we decided to head home.

YES!!! I did run 4 MILES in Bolton Landing on Saturday & Sunday mornings!!!!!  It was humid and my runs weren’t spectacular but I always enjoy this alone time as well as the scenery.  It’s my favorite time of the day!!!!!!!!!!

I’m looking forward to my next 5k on Saturday.  It’s one of my favorites and AJH from Age Groups Rock may race it too as well as another runner whom I met at the Valley Cats 5k.  I have been focusing on tennis rather than running so I’m not as prepared as I hoped.  This will be a fun race 🙂

Recap of  last week:
My weekly goal was 14 miles. I did 11.5!!! I slacked off 😦
But I won my USTA doubles match!!!

This week’s schedule:
Monday – USTA tennis playoffs after work
Tuesday – tennis after work
Wed –  tennis before work & tennis after work
Saturday & Sunday- boating on Lake George

This week’s running :
 Tues  – 3.5 miles  before work
 Thursday – 3.5  miles  before work
Saturday – 5K RACE!!

Weekly Running Goal = 10 miles
Monthly Running Goal = 55 miles
Yearly Running Goal = 300 miles ( I passed it!!)

Happy Running and enjoy your summer!!

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Great Run & Long Weekend Ahead

For the third time this week, I’ve gotten up early to go for a run. Each time, my runs have gotten better so has the weather. I guess there must be a message there.  I love hot weather but I realize it’s not the best for running.

Today, I got up a little late so could only squeeze in 3 miles before going to work. It was sunny and in the low 50s.  I hardly stopped at all and felt like I could run forever!!! Darn job!!!

My next race is not until July 24.  It’s one of my favorites – Silks and Satins 5K.  This race  marks the opening of the Saratoga Race Track.  It’ll my 3rd time running in it. I may even have company running this race!!!

That’s a month between races which is a lot for me.  There’s one on July 11 but the age groups are under 14 and over 14.  That’s doesn’t motivate me.

Anyway, we have a lot of Lake George boating planned: July 3-6, July 16-19 and July 31-Aug 2.

In August and September, I have so many 5k races planned on Saturdays so boating will be limited to Sundays. (Please understand, Hubby!)

Happy Running!


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June is Over!!

2010 totals so far

June Update:

  • 55 miles (highest monthly total so far)
  • 3  5k races (Freihofer’s, OK, Valley Cats)
  • 2 new races (OK, Valley Cats)
  • 3 giveaway wins (Nathan water bottle, bag, Ryders sunglasses)
  • 5k PR (OK – 28:42)
  • 2nd place in age group award (Valley Cats)

June (-3.5 for May)

Happy Running and Welcome July!

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Brain Exchange #14 & it’s Monday…Goals

Click HERE to participate.

Topic: Give-A-Ways- Love Em or Hate Em

Question: What are your thoughts on give-a-ways?  Do you enter them often?  What entices you to enter or turns you off from entering?  Have you run your own give-a-ways?

I love them.

I enter only those that offer items that I’d like to win. I always post the giveaways on my blog and on twitter (if required) but I do not post on Facebook – there are enough items that appear on people’s  Facebook news items & I don’t want to add to it.

Giveaways have given me opportunities to learn about new running products and they have introduced me to bloggers that I wouldn’t otherwise found.

I have been lucky to win some cool things.   I have never run my own giveaway.  I don’t think I have enough readers and a vendor hasn’t offered me anything to review and give away (Hint! Hint!)

Recap of  last week:
My weekly goal was 10.5 miles. I did 13!!!
I ran in a 5K race! I came in 2nd in my age group!

This week’s schedule:
Monday – friend’s b-day dinner
Tuesday – tennis after work
Wed – tennis after work
Thursday – tennis before work, hair appt
Friday –  Census job after work, mah jong
Saturday & Sunday- boating on Lake George island

This week’s running :
Monday  – 3 miles before work
Wednesday – 3  miles before work – LAST DAY OF THE MONTH!
Friday – 3 miles before work
Sunday – 4 miles (while at the marina)

Weekly Running Goal = 14 miles
JUNE Monthly Running Goal = 54 miles
JULY Monthly Running Goal = 55 miles
Yearly Running Goal = 300 miles

Happy Running & have a great week!

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Valley Cats Home Run 5K

Take me out to the ball park! Take me out to the crowd … This race began and ended at the home of the ValleyCats, a local baseball team that plays at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy, NY, on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College.

Joe Bruno Stadium

I’ve never done this race before but I had heard that it was hilly, but fun. Amanda was doing it too. We agreed to meet before the race.

Again I had a sleepless headachey night and woke up nauseous and exhausted. I felt better after coffee and headed off early to the race. Amanda wasn’t there when I arrived. I  found some new friends & we took each other’s pictures.

new running friends – Kelly & Mary

me before the race

I found Amanda right before the start.  The race began with a steep hill.  I was tired after that.  Amanda had a great pace and I soon lost her.  The course continued to be one hill after  another.  I finally relented around mile 2 and walked a bit.

My mile 1 time was 9:30 so I knew I was not on a PR pace on this course.  I felt better after my walking stint.  The race ended by running around the inside of the ball park.  The finish was shown on the marquee screen in the outfield if anyone was watching.

I was surprised that I could finish under 30 minutes so I sprinted as fast as I could.  I did it – not a PR but under 30 minutes!! 29:40!

I went back to my car to get my camera & bumped into my 2 new friends and an ICE CREAM truck – They gave out free ice cream and 4 tickets toThursday’s Valley Cats game.

They were happy with their times

so was I

Yum

I finally caught up with Amanda after the race.  She had a PR!  Yay Amanda!! I had an ice cream cone! Yay me!

me & Amanda after the race

In addition to a tee shirt, we got 4 free tix to an August Valley Cats game and the refreshments were hot dogs, bagels, cookies, watermelon…

We hung around for the awards.  I was lucky & came in 2nd place in my age group!!! I won a baseball cap.

Again, I’m glad I did the race and can’t wait for the next one…

On to the rest of the day’s activities: gardening and 2 parties!!!

Happy Running and enjoy your weekend!

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Three Things Thursday

  1. Never believe the weather forecast. I was planning to run this morning but the weather forecast was for rain overnight and into the morning so I didn’t set my alarm for 6 am.  I got up at 7 am this morning and NO RAIN. I’ll have to run this afternoon in the heat and humidity instead. That is, if it doesn’t rain!
  2. I’m excited about the ValleyCats 5K this Saturday.  The weather is supposed to be cloudy and in the high 60’s – PERFECT! I think it’s hilly so I’ll try for a PR in one of my many upcoming 5ks.
  3. There’s a 10 mile race this Sunday – Lake George to Bolton Landing and a 10k/Half in Lake George on Aug 7… someday (maybe)!!!!!!

Happy Running!


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Tuesday & Cancellations

  1. Monday tennis match – cancelled – opponent couldn’t play.  I won by default 6-0, 6-0
  2. Tuesday tennis – cancelled – rain. We went out to dinner instead.
  3. Thursday – Census job – cancelled – not enough work. I willl get together with a friend.

Now about running:

I could have run Monday after work but it was hot & I was tired from the weekend.  So I got up early today and ran 3.5 miles.  It is so nice to start off the day with a run. The weather was perfect. I plan to do the same on Thursday unless it rains then I’ll run after work.  My next 5k race is Saturday – Valley Cats Homerun 5k.

Happy Running!

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No Races This Weekend

The last two weekends, it has rained and my hubby and I have not gone on our boat on Lake George.  This morning, while watching the weather channel, he announces: “No races this weekend!! We ‘re going on the boat and we’re leaving early Saturday!”

I have run a 5K the past two weekends and I have one next Saturday so I can’t complain.  But I think I am already going through withdrawal at the thought of not running in a race this weekend. Why?

  1. Races motivate me to run during the week. I ran Monday but because I don’t have  a race this weekend, I skipped my run yesterday and today!!!
  2. I run faster in a race.  I mean a lot faster… 3 miles at home takes me 35 minutes or more and last week I ran it in 28 in a race.

No more whining…I will run tomorrow after work and maybe even Friday.  I will run around the Sagamore in Bolton Landing on Sunday while boating on Lake George!!! I will enjoy our times on Lake George…I have a lot more races planned for the rest of the summer (Hope the hubby will understand.)

Happy Running!

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Kinderhook Bank OK 5K & an Unexpected PR

Read about the race here and here.

This race turned out much differently than expected.

I was really tired all week and had a tight right calf muscle.  Yesterday I came home from work and went to bed.  I was too tired to go to Mah Jongg (which I LOVE) or even BLOG.

When I got up this morning, I was still tired.  My race goals were to finish and run as much of the race as I could.

This was the first time I have run this race and it was about 40 minutes away.  On the way, I realized that at the last 4 races I have run with others that I know.  It was nice having someone to chat with before and after the race. I knew no one running this race & I signed up for it while on a high from my last race. This is bound to happen when you are a 5K race addict like myself.

The skies were overcast and threatening RAIN!.  The temperature was in the 60’s and would have been comfortable if it weren’t so HUMID.   They gave out a nice backpack type bag, coupon for a free Stewarts ice cream cone and the standard cotton tee.

There were almost 600 running in this race.  I recognized a lot of elite runners from the area (so no award for me!). It started and ended in the middle of town.  There were some inclines on the country roads of Kinderhook, NY but otherwise  it was relatively flat.

I started slowly in the middle of the pack, trying to get my iPod to play.  I never have an idea what my pace is since I don’t have a Garmin.  Everyone was passing me by so I thought I was running slow.  I just kept running.

(Photo courtesy of Barry Knights)

I was surprised that the mile 1 clock said 9:20.  That’s my PR pace.  So I continued running.  The 2nd mile clock said 18:42 so I was at the same pace.  That was good because I didn’t want a repeat of last week’s race when I ran too fast during mile 2 and had no gas for the 3rd mile.

I continued running at my same pace with only a brief stop for water and when I approached the finish line, I was shocked to see 28 minutes!  I started to sprint  as fast as I could!!!

My goal this year was to finish under 29 minutes and I did- 28:42.  YAY!!

I actually felt less tired after the race than before.

There were had lots of refreshments – apples, bananas, oranges, watermelon, cider, bagels, donuts, bars, etc.  They gave out ceramic dishes to the top 3 in each 5 year age group.  Just as they started to announce the winners, it started to rain.  I hung around since I had a rain coat and I knew I had no chance at 10 year age groups but there was a slight possibility today.

Nope!  I came in 318 and 6th in my age group.  The top 2 in my age group ran it in 20 & 21 minutes!!!!!!!!!  The good news is next year, these 2 runners  will be out of my age group for 2 years.

I hope the rain stops for some outdoor activities tomorrow.

Happy Running and have a great weekend!

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Three Things Thursday

  1. It rained yesterday (I needed the rest anyway) and it rained on and off all day today.  But when I got home, it had stopped I got in a 3.5 mile snail run.
  2. I am over the 250 mile mark (I have 255) and it’s only June.  Last year I ran 209 miles in 12 months.  This year my goal is 300 – maybe I’ll get to 500?
  3. I love 3 day weekends and I am taking another this weekend. I hope the weather is Ok. Another  5K Race Saturday…

Happy Running!