Snow is pretty. Don’t get me wrong. I love to LOOK at it.
my driveway during a previous snowstorm
But I panic when I have a long run scheduled and a snowstorm is forecast.
I bought this flag in Florida (because of the cats)
What would I had done?
YakTrax to the rescue.
I don’t love to run in them but I would have had it snowed.
Find a clear path and run multiple loops.
one of my favorite places to run (from a previous winter)
Again not an ideal for a long run but doable.
Run in the road.
Sidewalks are never consistently shoveled. You have to be wary of cars but it would be the only place to cover those miles.
Run slowly and carefully.
What would I have NOT done?
Run on the Treadmill
nothing I could do would make 12 miles bearable
Skip it!
a long run when you have a half marathon in TWO weeks!
But the storm hit south of us. Hip Hip Hooray!
My pleasant challenge was to choose a new location to run. I’ve run on the Delmar Rail Trail, Corning Bike Path and the Nisky Bike Path. So I decided on Colonie Town Park which also includes a bike path.
We didn’t get any snow but boy was it cold!!! 16 degrees when I arrived but in the single digits with the windchill.
First I ran 6.2 miles as part of the Challenge Yourself Virtual 10k Race.
I’ll recap it in my race report tomorrow but basically I ran around the park for 2 miles and then toward the Nisky bike path for 2 more and then turned around (made a wrong turn) and finally finished with 2.2 miles back to my car.
I took a lot of pics and my fingers were numb but otherwise I survived the frigid temps.
wearing my $.01 SmartWool compression calf sleeves – love them! and my new shoes – love them too!
Again I was lucky that Judy agreed to keep me company on my last 6 miles.
We ran in the opposite direction on the bike path heading toward Cohoes for 3 miles and then turned around (uphill on the way back 😦 )
I was too cold now to take many pics. When we started out, we took it very slow since there were several icy patches on the path.
Luckily the path became clearer for the rest of our run but the wind picked up..Brrrr!
I ran with Judy for the first 3 miles. It was nice to run and have someone to talk to. It made the miles go by faster.
However, on the way back, it uphill and windy. I had a hard time running at her speed so I didn’t. I just ran ahead and stopped and waited for her several times and then ran ahead again.
This was too funny. Either it meant that we didn’t get snow or that we didn’t freeze to death.
Both were true.
If it were summertime, I would have stopped at Guptills for an ice cream cone. Instead, I stopped at Target for a Starbucks hot mocha and to pick up a few food items but as usual spend over $200.
I also stopped at Norstrom Rack to buy another pair of those penny smartwool compression calf sleeves.
12 miles today!! So my last long run is done!!! Two weeks until the BIG DAY!!
Happy Running! Did you get hit with the snowstorm? How do you cope with running in the snow or cold?
Welcome to the winter edition of Loving/Not Loving
Loving: HMMRC, a local running club, offers a winter racing series. The races are on Sundays and free. Each race has 3 distance options. Not Loving: The distances don’t coincide with the long runs that I need to do to prepare for my half marathon. This weekend is a 15k and I need to run 11 miles. On 1/31, there is a 10 miler and I need to run only 8.
3.5 mile race
Loving: SkirtSports has come out with a new print. Not Loving: Now I want to order it in everything style. I don’t need any more running outfits!!
free love print
Loving: In the cold weather, I don’t have to worry about my feet sweating and getting blisters after a long run. Not Loving: Shoes and boots aggravate my bunions and now my foot hurts again. (And it’s a long time until sandal/flip flop season!!!)
Loving: I have found new ways to relax – coloring books, knitting and jigsaw puzzles. Not Loving: These are all sedentary activities. I found that I can knit and ride the exercise bike but the others, NOPE (gotta sit!).
Loving: You get a free Starbucks item after you get 12 stars. I then always order the most expensive thing on the menu. Not Loving: I forgot that I used my two “free” items and ordered a venti coconut milk cinnamon vanilla chai latte. (ouch!)
Loving: My FitBit tracks my steps. It makes me take the stairs rather than the elevator. Not Loving: It’s not accurate on the treadmill and does not record steps while on the bike.
Loving: The days are getting longer. When I leave work to run, it’s still light (for about 15 min.) Not Loving: The cold weather has just arrived and will be around for awhile.
Loving:Downton Abbey is back on TV. Not Loving: This is its last season.
Loving:It’s so easy to shop online and find what you what cheaper. Not Loving: It’s too easy and you may buy what you don’t need.
my current Nikes in a new color – $20 less & no tax or shipping – had to buy, right?
Loving:When you are dragging at work around 4 pm, the cold crisp air (while running) certainly wakes you up. Not Loving: My hands almost froze off. How can I keep them warm?
Happy Running! What are you Loving or Not Loving today?
If you’ve never heard about it, here is a summary:
Lose the long the list of changes you want to make this year and instead pick one word. This process forces clarity by taking all of your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single thing. Your one word focuses on your character and creates a vision for your future.
Gratitude is “a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation.”
Why did I choose Gratitude?
Expectations lead to disappointments.
As runners, I think (myself included) we focus too much on mileage totals, PRs, bling, etc. And we expect to improve or run at a certain pace and when we don’t, we get depressed or even stressed.
Especially as we age, we need to concentrate on being thankful that we CAN run.
How will I focus on my word?
Be more positive.
Post more about the good things that happened during a race or a run.
Run & race happy.
Forget those PR and pace goals.
Volunteer more.
Thank those who make races possible.
Half Marathon #18
I am also thinking about a dear friend who had a mastectomy on Tuesday. It is her 3rd bout with breast cancer (& 2nd in 2 years.) She is strong. She is optimistic. I am confident that because of these qualities, she will beat this terrible disease.
So I made the impromptu decision to run another half marathon – one in her honor.
March 13, 2016
It is very hilly. It is only a 5 weeks after my Florida half. But these tough 13.1 miles will be nothing compared to the pain that my friend has endured.
Winter
Dec 24:
Jan 5:
Amazing!
I HATE the cold. But I hate the treadmill more.
So yesterday after work, I braved the cold and ran outside. I was cold but I survived. It wasn’t so bad and I felt really “badass” when I was done. I warmed up at Starbucks where the barista remarked “You run when it’s this cold!?” And I responded “Yes, I do!”
Long Runs
But what do you do when the weather doesn’t cooperate?
I had planned to race (10K) on Sunday and add more miles on afterward to complete 10 miles total.
I don’t want to run 10 miles IN THE RAIN!!!
So I could change to do my 10 miles on Saturday (before the rain and if there is no ice and snow on the ground from Friday night). That means that I would rest on Friday (with Thursday also being my rest day) and on Sunday, skip the race or only run the 3 mile option. Or I could run on Friday and skip my long run since I did run 10 miles last Saturday and run 11 miles next weekend.
Decisions, decisions, decisions..
Happy Running! If you were to choose ONE word for your focus throughout this year, what word would you choose? Anyone else running this half marathon? Do you run outside in the colder temps? Does the weather get it the way of your long runs or do you run in any conditions? What are you thinking about today?
I saw her & the kids on Christmas Day and we also went to Canvas, Corks & Forks to celebrate her birthday.
Start knitting again. YES!
I started knitting a lace infinity scarf.
Over coffee…
I would update you on all the other things that I have done this past month (that don’t relate to running.)
I had a great time in Florida visiting my friends as part of my race-cation. I spend time in both Delray Beach and Jupiter seeing the sites (despite the awful weather.)
I went to NYC with my friends We saw all the store windows decorated for the holidays and did walking tour of the best food in Greenwich Village.
Over coffee…
I normally would now outline my January goals.
January Goals:
None.
I’ll write about my NO GOALS 2016 in a later post.
Happy Running!How was your December? Anything exciting planned for January? What would you share with me over coffee?
I’m linking up with Montana from Pretty Lil Mudder and bunch of other bloggers to give out some awards to the races I ran this year. Since I ran 38 races, I had no problem finding a race for each category but it was difficult to just pick ONE race.
Most Scenic Course –
I loved the views of the Hudson River while running across the bridge during the Walkway Half Marathon.
Photo By: Martin Weiner
It was also awesome to run with views of the ocean during the beginning and end of the West Palm Half Marathon.
Most Challenging Course –
I didn’t run any super hard races but I guess since it had hills, I’d say the most challenging was Vermont City Marathon Relay.
– from Burlington Free Press
There were quite a few hills in the Stockade-athon 15K too.
Best Course Support (aid stations, volunteers, people cheering you on, etc) –
Again, the crowds come out in mass to support the Vermont City Marathon runners. People were out there cheering the whole race and there was an abundance of water stations and volunteers.
Another popular local race is the Freihofer’s Run for Women. Lots of support here too.
Best Expo –
Vermont City Marathon hands down had the best expo. In fact, of the 7 half marathons, this was the only big expo that I attended.
it was so cool to meet Deena Kastor.
Technically the NYC Marathon had the best expo but I didn’t run that race but went to it to pick up my bib for the 5k.
I bought this awesome sweatshirt on sale
Best Swag –
In addition to the normal race shirt, at the Apple Run 5k, you got a zippered tote bag, sunglasses, water bottle, and other goodies.
Most Unique Medal/Award –
I get tons of medals for age group awards so I was excited to get something different. I loved the bridge award from the Walkway Half Marathon.
I also like to get practical things. So winning this hat at the Polar Cap Race was great. I’ve already worn it several times.
Best Post-Race Food/Beverages –
Definitely one of the reasons I run the Bacon Hill Bonanza 5k is the food. They have chocolate milk (from a nearby farm), homemade cookies & muffins, chili, pizza, vegetarian rice dish, etc.
The Asbury Park Half Marathon also had amazing food.
potato, macaroni & pasta salads and more…
Best Race Shirt-
On the whole, I didn’t love most of my race shirts. But I guess my favorite would be the one from the Bacon Hill Bonanza. It doesn’t have sponsors on the back and it is very light and comfy. I have even worn it several times even to play tennis.
I also like the long sleeve tech shirt from the Great Pumpkin Challenge – love its bright yellow color.
And the shirt from the Walkway Half Marathon is also very light and comfy plus it is made from all natural materials.
Favorite Overall Race –
That’s a tough one. I enjoyed so many of my races this year. I’d have to say the Dash the Finish 5k because I got to run in NYC and cross the NYC Marathon finish line.
Race You Are Most Proud of Yourself for Completing –
I am proud of completing ALL my races. None ever seem easy. I am especially proud that I can run 13.1 miles!!
So I would have to say the Asbury Park Half Marathon because of how painful my feet were the whole race
and the EAU Palm Beach Half Marathon due to the heat and humidity that I was not acclimated to.
I rushed to my hotel to take a shower and tried to rid those negative half marathon thoughts out of my head (and have a stress-free rest of the vacation.)
You know the ones.
What could I have done differently?
Did I walk too much the day before?
Maybe I should eaten dinner the night before?
Was it really the weather or was it me?
What would have happened if I pushed myself harder?
Is my 2:09 finish a one time thing?
Anyway, my friend G picked me up at the hotel and I was so happy to see her. Normally she is in Fla from January to April but this year, she arrived early because her mother died.
We drove to her house in Jupiter, dropped off my luggage and quickly headed out before the predicted rain.
We decided to visit the Jupiter Lighthouse. I LOVE lighthouses (this is my 3rd Fla lighthouse climb) and G & her hubby had never been.
still cloudy but very warm
We took the required tour. It was interesting.
just had to take a pic.
Then we climbed the stairs to the top. Yes, 140 steps after running 13.1 miles. (Oddly, my legs didn’t even feel like I ran at all .)
we made it – yes, the worst hair pic ever – it was the wind. I swear!
And it was worth it for the view.
After the tour, we had lunch (I was starving!) at a restaurant on the water opposite the lighthouse.
yummy!! shrimp po boys & shrimp flatbreads
We drove around for a while but then it started to rain so we headed back. We spent the evening inside chatting & eating dinner with one of G’s old friends. (I met her on my last visit and we got along great.)
After raining all night, it was not raining when I got up the next morning. I took advantage and went out to see if my legs still worked. They did and I did a slow run/walk around G’s community.
even made some new friends
When I got back, we had breakfast and headed out to the beach. Not to sit in the sun. It was cloudy and windy but still awesome.
We walked for quite a while. There is nothing better than warm salted water for a runner’s feet.
aaaahhhh!
Next up, we decided to go to Loggerhead Marinelife Center which they keep rescued turtles. We saw 9. Cool but sad that these turtles are here because they are injured or sick.
It wasn’t raining yet but it was windy so we drove to Blowing Rocks Preserve. The water was blowing but it wasn’t high tide enough to see the maximum effect. Still nice.
There are also some nice trails here.
Two more stops and then it would be time to have a late lunch and head to the airport.
We stopped at a thrift shop. Not that I needed anything but I bought 2 Nike tennis skirts – $3 each. Score. Then on to Starbucks for a drink & souvenir.
Every time I go to Florida, I forget to buy a mug. Now I have one to add to NY, Moscow & California. ( I also forgot to buy NJ, PA, VT & CO – I’ll just have to go back!)
So maybe my race didn’t go as planned. And the weather wasn’t ideal. Still, I’d call this trip a success.
my best souvenir
Since it is Wednesday, I’m linking up with Deb from Deb Runs.
Every Wednesday, the Deb from Deb Runs will be providing a word about which to blog. Kind of like a nice little blog prompt. Posts can be fitness or health related, but don’t have to be, so really anyone can play along. Just be sure to link up with InLinkz on Deb’s main post, and share the love by reading and commenting on other’s participant’s posts.
This week’s Word is STRESSFUL.
Unfortunately, race-cations are great but they can be stressful.
There’s a lot that could go wrong:
travel arrangements
accommodations
fueling
race logistics
weather conditions
the race itself
aches & pains (or injuries)
recovery
A lot of this, you can’t control and you have to accept that.
For the most part, things went well (except for my performance & the weather) for my past half marathon.
Here are some suggestions for minimizing this stress:
Be prepared for last minute changes in weather.
Bring a shirt for a warmer forecast and one for a cooler one. Bring a rain poncho & an umbrella. Of course, bring throw away clothes.
Bring your race morning breakfast.
I never count on that a friend or hotel will have what I usually eat. I bring packets of oatmeal and tea. (Don’t forget a cup, bowl & spoon.)
Print important information for packet pickup & the race start.
I have everything on my iPhone but you never know…when it won’t work or the battery dies.
If you are flying, pack race essentials in your carry-on.
What if your luggage gets lost….
Plan to arrive at least 2 days before the race.
Of course, you’ll have time to relax. And if you car breaks down or your flight is cancelled, you won’t miss your race. (Yes, it happened to me last March and June.) Plus you can do some sightseeing. Visiting a new place is one of the perks of a destination race!!
Do fun things that are NOT running-related.
Before the race, it’ll keep you busy and take your mind off of worrying about everything that could go wrong. And after the race, if the race didn’t go well, it’ll lift your spirits.
Happy Running! Is running stressful? How do you relieve the stress?
The course was similar to the one I ran here last January but heading more North along the water instead of South.
race course
Here’s a overview of the race:
As you know, I was worried about the weather for this race. Humidity is not my friend. Rain is worse and wind is the worst.
The day before the race, we got an email explaining how to prepare for the predicted heavy rains (don’t wear cotton clothes, don’t wear loose clothes, cover up until race start, wear breathable socks, use lots of body glide, etc. etc.)
But I got up early (well, I’m not sure I really slept), made breakfast in my hotel room and crossed my fingers that the weathermen were wrong.
Well, it wasn’t raining and I was thrilled. But it was warm. 75 degrees at 5:00 am. Forget about all those throw away clothes. It was also VERY windy. And the humidity was incredible (At least, it felt so for this upstate NY gal).
I had a cab called for 5:15-5:30 but at 5:00 am, he was already waiting. Luckily I was ready and off we went.
When I got there, hardly anyone was there. Everything was located in the same area as the expo and very easy to find what you needed.
There were porta-potties but also REAL bathrooms. Score!
There was also a bag check where I left a dry shirt, flip flops, a rain poncho and an umbrella.
still dark & wet but no rain…
Then I just hung out until it was time to head to the corrals.
I was in Corral B…not sure how I got to start so close to the front. There were about 3500 racers – half marathon, marathon, marathon relay runners. In my corral, there seemed to be a lot of marathoners. I chatted with an older women who had run 35 marathons. Her pace was 12-13 mm. She didn’t realize, however, that there were corrals.
Finally, it was 6:30 am and time to rock n roll.
You can see me at 0:15
Miles 1 -4:
9:33, 10:15, 10:17, 10:24
In order to PR, I would have to run at a pace of 9:50 for the whole 13.1 miles. I knew from the start that that wasn’t going to happen. I was hoping to keep my pace in the 10’s and have a decent finish time for the race.
The course started running north along the ocean. The views were awesome but since it was overcast, you didn’t get to see the sunrise.
I got to see my running friend Judith when she ran by me. (She was training to BQ next weekend but her easy pace is faster than my fastest.)
The worst part of these miles was that you were running into the wind. Huge wind gusts!! In fact, one blew my cap off and that doesn’t happen easily.
The wind and the humidity drained me right off the bat. But I tried to concentrate and run at an even pace and walk at every water stop (about every 1.5 miles) so not to get dehydrated.
Miles 5-9:
11:29, 11:09, 11:27, 11:43, 11:30
Eventually we turned and ran in town on streets parallel to the water with some zigzagging around different neighborhoods.
Unfortunately, I had already had it with the heat. You didn’t feel the wind as much for these miles but the sun had come out through the clouds. (I was almost wishing for rain!)
I was dragging. I couldn’t believe that several weeks ago, I ran 9.3 hilly miles at a 9:45 min pace. I barely had enough energy to pick up my feet.
I walked at the water stops and ate a Gu and but vowed to keep going and not quit.
Miles 10 -13:
12:21, 12:24, 12:49, 12:35
These miles continued on the streets parallel to the water but passed the start and continued south. (That dashed my hopes of having the wind at my back for the last few miles.)
I felt worse and as you can see, my pace slowed even more.
Nothing really hurt. My feet hurt a little from time to time but no blisters. My upper & lower back ached only slightly. My legs weren’t tired. There was nothing to prevent me from running well.
I just felt drained…dizzy…nauseous. So I walked more, ate another GU and walked some more.
But I was determined not to get sick and to finish upright.
The last few miles were run along the water. It was beautiful but we were running into the wind like at the beginning but now I was tired. So it was hard to run with any speed at all. There were times where I felt like I was barely moving forward.
such a fake smile
Of course, the last mile is when the photographers appeared. I am vain. I wanted to look good in those race photos. They are what spurred me on to pick up my pace.
determined to run faster
And I wanted to beat that guy to my right.
he’s gaining on me…
Mile 14:
8:49
I sprinted as fast as I could. I didn’t beat that guy but there was no way that I was finishing this race in over 2 1/2 hours.
My chip time was 2:29:14.
Of course I was disappointed. This is the slowest finish time that I’ve had in years and 20 minutes slower than in January on a similar course. And I wasn’t injured. I trained well enough to do better. The course was flat..wah…wah..wah!
sweaty & done
But I realized that I DID finish. I did my best. It may have been the weather conditions. Maybe it just wasn’t my day. Maybe I need to re-adjust my expectations. 2:09 or close may never happen again. I ran. I ran without pain.
I ran 13.1 miles!! As they say: “If if were easy, everyone would do it!”
So I got my champagne and stood in line for refreshments.
There was Chicken, rice & beans plus all the usual stuff – fruits, bagels, bars, snacks. I grabbed a bag took some for the road.
I got my checked bag and hung out for awhile soaking in the post-race atmosphere. Then I walked a little ways to call a cab to get back to my hotel. My friend G would be picking me up there soon.
More race reflections:
Positives:
No rain!!
Well-organized race
Timing clocks at every mile
Many Gatorade & water stops (8)
Real bathrooms
Lots of post race refreshments
Scenic course
Champagne!! (There was beer too)
Free photos
No injuries. Nothing hurt.
I finished.
Negatives:
Windy
Warm
Very humid
I wasn’t sure how much I could push myself & I didn’t want to risk DNFing (so I walked..too much)
My finish time
No AG award for me (If I ran well, I would have won 3rd)
So there are many more positives than negatives!!!
Would I recommend this race?
Definitely. If I lived in Florida, I would do it again.
I think I preferred the one in January (Sunshine State West Palm Beach Half) because it was smaller. Also the weather was better (and I PRed and won 1st in my AG, of course.)
nice hair!!
Final Stats:
Goals:
A. Finish under 2:18 – NOPE. B. Finish faster than Brooklyn (2:25:47) – NOPE! C. Finish under 2:30 – YES, BARELY. D. Finish upright and wanting to do another. YES, BARELY. Next one is in Florida again on Feb. 7.
After the race, I felt strong enough to climb 140 steps to top of the Jupiter Lighthouse. More about the rest of my race-cation in another post.
Happy Running! Tell me about your last disappointing race. How did you deal?
So I’ll keep you in suspense about my recent half marathon a few days longer….
Last Friday, I left the not so frigid Northeast and hoped for smooth flights to West Palm Beach, Fla.
And the weather cooperated. I left Albany at 5:30 am for DC (my co-worker’s daughter was on the same flight) and then took another flight which arrived in West Palm at around 11:30 am. Both flights were on-time. (This isn’t normal for me.)
I packed very light for this trip and only had a carry on and a back pack. (My hubby couldn’t believe it.)
As soon as I arrived, I found my friend F who was picking me up.
It has been raining all night and all morning (and was predicted to do the same for my 4 days in Fla.) but miraculously, the rain had stopped.
We immediately headed to the expo so I could pick up my bib.
It was outdoors. There wasn’t much to buy but a lot of health-related booths with freebies & raffles – rain poncho, sunglasses, band aids, tape measure, etc.
loved that we got champagne and a gender-specific tech shirt
I was tempted to buy a race cap but it was $25 and I decided to wait to see if I had a good race. (Spoiler alert: I DID NOT!!)
Since it still hadn’t started raining yet, we went to the beach. This is a priority with me when I go to Florida.
wearing my new free glasses & my travel clothes
It was warm but cloudy so I just walked along the beach with the feet in the water while F collected shells.
Next stop was to have lunch. We drove back to Delray Beach where F lives and chose a restaurant with a view of the waterwhere we could eat outside.
we shared fish tacos & flatbreads
Our meal was delicious. I loved being outdoors watching the big boats go by.
After lunch, we walked around the town of Delray Beach and eventually returned to F’s condo where I would be spending the night.
F had dinner plans but that was perfect because I wanted to visit with another good friend who lived nearby.
The rain finally arrived (and lasted all night) but I didn’t care at this point.
My friend M picked me up and took me to her house. We ordered pizza & salad and spent the whole evening chatting. Since M has retired, she has taken up jewelry making and she is really good. (I just had to buy 3 bracelets!!)
I got up early the next morning and it was only drizzling. I took advantage and went for a long walk around her community. F lives on a golf course and it is a very pretty place to walk.
foreboding skies
some friendly ducks…there are swans too.
As soon as I finished my walk, the skies open up and it continued to rain all day.
What did we decide to do?
Shop, what else?
F lives near a huge flea market.
yay! mah jongg store!
We spent hours there walking around. And I only bought one thing.
It was still raining when we left and we were starved (I am supposed to be carb loading, right?) so we found (an indoor)restaurant. It was about 3 pm when we actually had lunch.
All of sudden, the rain stopped.
I love animals and the wildlife sanctuaries are also on my list of things to do while in Fla so we quickly headed to at Wakodahatchee Wetlands.
umbrella in hand, just in case
photographer extraordinaire
We saw lots of birds but apparently the alligators and turtles like the sun. And we didn’t see any. My friend F has a great camera and took really nice photos:
Since it still wasn’t raining (though it looked like it would at any moment), we headed to wildlife refuge #2 – Green Cay. More birds!!
another one of F’s photos
an iguana in a tree – how cool!
We had to leave since the sun was setting and it was getting dark.
As soon as we were done, it started to pour again. I was very lucky. And I really enjoyed walking through both parks.
Off to West Palm we went so I could check into my hotel.
Hotel Biba
I picked this hotel because it was very cheap. No sense paying for a hotel that I would only sleep in.
It was a very old hotel that was completely redone – ultra modern on the inside. But it had all the basics – clean, shower, wifi, TV, free breakfast, pool, etc.
lobby
I had the hotel call me a cab for 5:15 am the next morning. (I could have walked but in the dark not knowing where I was going made it seem like a bad idea.)
My room was small so I hung out in the lounge for a while. Since I had a late lunch, I wasn’t hungry at all. So I made some oatmeal and then went to bed early.
Stay tuned for the race recap…
Since it is Thursday, I’m linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.
Happy Running! What are you thinking about this Thursday? Any interesting pre-race-cation experiences to share?
Monday– Taper week has begun. Ran 3 miles at UAlbany and then met my BFF at Starbucks (instead of our usual mall walk).
Tuesday – Played 1 1/2 hours of tennis after work followed by dinner out.
Wednesday –Planned to run before work but it was raining so ran 3 miles after work instead…on the treadmill. UGH!!
Thursday – Did my last run before my race – 3 miler after work through the lights in the park.
Friday – Got up at the crack of dawn for a 5:30 am flight. No travel delays and arrived in West Palm at 11:30 am. My friend F picked me up at the airport and we went straight to the expo to pick up my bib.
champagne & lots of freebies at the outdoor expo
Rain was predicted for the whole weekend and had rained before I arrived, we drove straight to the beach and then we went out to lunch. I spent the evening reminiscing with beer & pizza with my good friend M.
Saturday – Got in a walk before the rain. Since it was raining, we went to a flea market and then out to lunch. When the rain stopped, we visited 2 wildlife sanctuaries. Then my friend F drove me to West Palm to my hotel.
Sunday – A miracle! None of the predicted rain arrived. Instead, gusty winds, heat & humidity. Nothing hurt yet it was still one of my slowest half marathons ever. But I finished upright and happy inspite of having a difficult race.
Met my friend G after the race and we drove to her place in Jupiter. Then we decided (my idea) to visit a lighthouse and climb to the top. Afterwards we had lunch and then returned to her house in Jupiter. Spent the evening hanging out with one of her friends.
Monday – Got up early and went to a short run/walk around the neighborhood. Then G & I walked along the beach (windy, cloudy but no rain), visited a turtle refuge and a thrift shop. After a late lunch, G drove me to the airport in West Palm.
So I’m linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.
Here’s what I’m thinking today…
The only thing on my mind is my half marathon on Sunday!!!
Of course, there are many things to worry about…
Travel delays… (and I’ve had my share.)
I leave tomorrow at 5:30 am and arrive in West Palm around 11:30 am. My friend F. will meet me at the airport. We’ll go to the expo and pick up my bib. Then we’ll drive back to her place in Delray. I’ll spend Friday & Saturday in Delray relaxing.
last January in Delray but I relaxed POST race which is much more desirable
bird watching at Wakodahatchee
On Saturday evening, I am meeting my friend M. & her hubby for dinner and they’ll drive me to my hotel in West Palm.
at dinner last January
Logistics of getting to the race
My hotel is 1.6 miles from the race. I’m not sure if I am walking or catching a cab. The race begins at 6:30 am. I am excited that someone I know is also running this race. I’ll be glad to see a friendly face, Judith. (At least before & after. During. Nope. She will smoke me if though she’s just doing it as a training run for her upcoming marathon.)
Weather on Race Day
I was very lucky on my 3 previous Florida races. For all 3, the weather was PERFECT (dry, cool & sunny). Usually Florida is very humid and it could be warm. Or it could be rainy and windy. It’s out of my control. Fingers crossed on this.
However, so far, it’s looking like WARM, HUMID, WINDY & WET!!!! (for all 4 days that I’m there 😦 )
In fact, I was listening to the weather today and they said that there would a front stalled over the east coast of Florida and would drop as much rain there this weekend as they normally get in the whole month. Lovely thought!
My friends here say DON’T GO!! Would you bail?
What to wear?
First World Problem, right?
Well, it depends on the weather.
I’ll be checking a jacket (& umbrella) from before the race. Most likely, I’ll wear a tank & skirt. No Hokas this time but my Nikes.
tough decision but chose exotic print & peekaboo skirt from Skirtsports (for the next one in Feb, I’ll wear the tantrum print)
How I feel during the race itself
Will my lower back hurt? How long will it take for my feet to hurt?
I will try to relax and enjoy the race no matter what how long it takes me to finish.
My friend G. will meet me after the race at the finish line or hotel and we’ll drive to her place in Jupiter. I will spend the rest of Sunday & then Monday recuperating in Jupiter.
last January walking along the beach in Jupiter
G. will drive me to the airport in West Palm. My flight leaves around 5 pm on Monday. (If it is cancelled, I will not be sad.)
Race Goals?
I won’t go into my past half marathon experiences again. You can read about them HERE.
This race was a spur of the moment decision. I got an email and it fit into my 15k training schedule.
And now the time has arrived. So here’s what I hope for:
A. Finish under 2:18
B. Finish faster than Brooklyn (2:25:47)
C. Finish under 2:30
D. Finish upright and wanting to do another.
I hope that I am this happy when I am done 🙂
Happy Running! What are you thinking about today?
Have a nice weekend. I’ll be back posting again on Tuesday.
My First 5K and More... 