September 6, 2013 by Darlene

D-Day

Oct. 13, 2013

Tomorrow is the deadline to defer my registration for the above half marathon until next year.

I can’t decide what to do. I keep going back and forth. I have 3 choices. (see below.)

I am definitely NOT IN SHAPE to run 13.1 miles.

YES, JUST DO IT

just walk most of it … they’ll be other walkers
you have your SRM shirt to wear
you will be depressed if you don’t
you will get a medal anyway as long as you finish
you’ll be more motivated to do longer runs on the weekends in the coming weeks
you will save $25 (that you can use to register for another race)
you will be among the marathon finishers so you won’t be alone
you already paid $60
5 hours vs 2.5 hours – more for your buck
if the weather is nice, it’s a beautiful course
you can always sign up next year and train better
Carpe Diem…who knows what injuries next year will bring?

after run/walking the Adirondack HM – Sept 2011 (2:45 finish)

NO, SKIP IT

run another race that weekend
go boating or for a hike that day
you will save $25 (that you can use to register for another race)
won’t have to stress in the coming weeks about long runs & can do some shorter races instead
you can still get the race shirt
you won’t be embarrassed by your slow time
who wants to spend 5 hours walking…
you can always sign up next year and train better

last weekend for running & boating on Lake George
(our marina closes Oct 15)

NO, DEFER IT

It’s only $25?? you already spent $60
run another race that weekend
go boating or for a hike that day
won’t have to stress in the coming weeks about long runs & can do some shorter races instead
you won’t be embarrassed by your slow time
you can train properly next summer
you can even try for a PR next year

maybe beat my time from the rainy hilly Lake George HM

Happy Running! Ever have this dilemma? What would you do?

September 1, 2013 by Darlene

Where Has the Summer Gone?

I cannot believe that it is September already!!

Well, August wasn’t the best but it wasn’t the worst.

AUGUST GOALS:

RUN (regularly)!!! Yes, I guess. I ran several times each week.

several runs after work in this park

Do not overdo and listen to my body…REST when necessary!! YES!!

plenty of resting on the lake

Play TENNIS! Only once.

Start planks! Only once 😦
Attend a yoga class! Nope!
Start training for the Oct 13 half marathon. Not sure if I am doing it yet.

did get a long run of 6 miles done here

Run a race. Nope!
Run at least 50 miles this month. YES!!

happy to be running although I am walking more than running some days.

So my running goals were not met. I feel bad about that. But I am not injured and I have run some. I did get back on the bike paths that I love.

Nisky Bike Path

Colonie Town Park Bike Path

I have spent lots of time with my hubby on our boat and also socializing with friends.

boating on Lake George

day at the US Open

more boating

Now what to shoot for in September? Well, they will look very similar…

SEPTEMBER GOALS:

RUN (regularly)!!!
Do not overdo and listen to my body…REST when necessary!!
Play TENNIS!
Start planks!
Attend a yoga class!
Decide if I am going to run the Oct 13 half marathon.
Run a race.
Register for some fall races.
Run at least 60 miles this month

Happy Running! How was your August? Anything exciting planned for September?

August 13, 2013 by Darlene

Am I Training?

Last Week:

Monday – another day off – breakfast at the race track and then back to the lake

Tuesday – 3 miles after work in the park

Wednesday – ~~rest – walk – yoga?~~ 2 miles on the track

Thursday – ~~3 miles~~ rest
Friday – rest ~~– walk~~
Saturday – 5 miles on the bike path

Sunday – rest ~~– walk~~ floating around the lake

This Week:

Monday – 4 miles after work
Tuesday – walk or tennis?
Wednesday – 3 miles after work and/or yoga?
Thursday – 3 miles after work
Friday – rest – walk
Saturday – proctor MPREs, 6 miles, lake, river
Sunday – tennis, friends at the river

Back to the question- AM I TRAINING?

I really haven’t decided.

My friend remarked that I am “very Zen.” This what I posted on Facebook:

I have realized a few things: injuries are a part of life, recovery gets more difficult with each one but you just keep moving even if it is at a slower pace.

That being said, my runs are VERY VERY SLOW! My fitness level is zilch. My motivation is lacking. But I keep plodding along. I will not quit because starting over is so painful.

Some days I say: I WILL RUN 13.1 MILES on OCTOBER 13 if it kills me.

Other days, I say: Who needs the pressure of having to do long runs each week. I have run 6 half marathons. I have proved to myself that I can. My friends are already impressed. I will just run for fun and compete in 5Ks.

Right now, I am keeping things open.

The answer is — I AM SORTA TRAINING. SORTA MAYBE. MAYBE NOT.

Happy Running! Are you training?

July 22, 2013 by Darlene

The Plan

Of course, it is not the original plan.

PLAN A:

I was NOT supposed to get injured.

I was supposed to have run a 10 mile race a month ago and a 15K this weekend NOT be starting over.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TRAINING FOR A PR!!

PLAN B:

7 weeks after breaking my foot, I would have to be running 3 miles comfortably to start this plan today.

I am not!

12 week plan – the plan I used for my last injury recovering half marathon

PLAN C:

This one would start on Aug. 19 with 2 miles.

With any luck, I can follow Plan C. (I am not sold on an 8 week plan especially after an injury so there is still a chance I will not do the race.)

But if I decide to do it, I will do what I can. I will walk when I have to.

It may be my slowest time yet but I WILL FINISH!

Happy Running! Any advice on training for a half marathon after injury?

July 19, 2013 by Darlene

Listen to Orville Rogers and Strive to be Above Average

Orville Rogers’ 5 Rules for Running Forever

As far as training goes, listen to your body. Don’t go too fast or too far.
When you’re upping your training, increase your speed or distance, not both. If you overtrain, you risk your next competition.
Look at the records and then make a goal for yourself that you think you can do.
Visualize, and when you visualize, picture yourself breaking those records.
Never give up.

Oh yeah—and stretch.

at age 95, he has set 7 world age group records this year

Read the complete article here.

I agree with his advice especially #1 & #2 (except that I forget to stretch).

1. It is really important when injured to know when to run, how fast, how far and how often. That means listening to your body and knowing when aches & pains are serious or just part of life. It means being patient… (I am not good at this!!)

2. I usually concentrate on distance. Being older, I need to build up my stamina and fitness level. I need to be careful about overdoing. I used to worry about speed when I only ran 5ks. I also did more speed workouts when I was injury-free. Now I seem to always be coming back and I am glad to be running.

2011 stats from http://www.runningusa.org

3. My goals in the past have been PR or win a Age Group award. Again when you are constantly in recovery mode, PRing is NOT realistic. So a realistic goal may be to be ABOVE AVERAGE. It seems that I am way above average with regards to “AGE” and I am usually above average in my 5K time. So my new goal is to be above average in my 10k and half marathon times.

and I NEVER GIVE UP!!!!

Happy Running! Do you have any other running advice? Are you “Above Average?”

July 12, 2013 by Darlene

My Next Half?

Well, this would work.

Oct 13, 2013

I registered for this half marathon even before I ran the Sarasota Half in March…even before I knew than I could ever run 13.1 miles again. (It always sells out right away.)

The race is local. Last year I watched with a stress fracture and vowed to run it this year.

The course is also where I do my long runs.

starts at the Colonie Town Park and ends at the Corning Bike Path.

I will know so many runners at the race.

This is the shirt we are planning to all wear.

After I finished the Sarasota Half, I decided that I wanted to do better.

So happy to have finished!!

Well, guess what? Another injury and it would be dumb to do this race. Right?

I usually train for a half for 12 weeks. That means running 3 miles comfortably by July 22 to start the PLAN.

It is July 12 and I still have a broken foot. So I obviously cannot do that.

I want to run it well. I do not want to get injured.

So…… I should not run it this year.

Or maybe I’ll walk it??

Decisions…Decisions!

Time will tell…. (If you know me at all, you know that if there is any way I can do this race, I will….)

Happy Running? Ever have the “Should I do it dilemma”?

July 9, 2013 by Darlene

DNSing

Normally I have all my summer weekends booked with 5Ks. In my healthy days, I did one every Saturday and then drove up to Lake George afterwards.

at the Silks & Satins, one of my favorite 5ks

This summer I did not book any. I was planning to do long runs and a lot of boating on the weekends.

running on the Sagamore bridge over Lake George

So I only have THREE DNSes.

June 23: Adirondack Distance Challenge 10 miler

This is the end before you turn into the park (next to my marina.)

At least I was able to pick up my race shirt.

July 28: Biggest Loser 15K in Killington, VT

The 15k course travels through the heart of the Green Mountains and ends with an exciting ride on the chairlift to the finish line. Enjoy breathtaking views of Killington Peak and the surrounding area while winding through wooded roads and Killington’s downtown with a long time limit allowing runners and walkers to complete the race at their own pace. (So this is 8 weeks post-injury. It is a long drive & my doc would probably kill me if I tried to walk 9.3 miles while recovering from a broken foot??)

Oct 13: Mohawk-Hudson Half Marathon (I can defer my registration on this one to next year…)

I am very sad about this. These are 3 races that I was really looking forward to.

Happy Running! Any advice?

July 1, 2013 by Darlene

Mid-Year Report Card

We’re halfway through 2013 so it is a good time to take a look at those goals to see how I am doing.

I must say that things were looking up until June 1.

already more miles than all of 2012

Run 3-4 times a week ALL YEAR (use the treadmill when it is too cold or slippery or raining outside)- YES, until June 1.

even ran 3 times while on vacation

Continue fitting in tennis and yoga at least once a week (as cross-training) – Yes, until June 1.

Finish my 5K races under 30 minutes and not stress about a PR (though getting one would be super!) – Sure I stressed but finished Ice Breaker, Lake George, Mother’s Day and the Freihofer’s all under 30 min.

Ice breaker 5k – 28:47

Get an Age Group award (in May I will be entering a new AG!!) – Yes, in the correct AG, I finished 1st at Lake George 5K and 1st in my new AG at the Mother’s Day 5K.

Lake George 5K – 1st in 50-59

Mother’s Day 5K – finished 1st in 60-69

PR in a 10K race (I have only one injured 10K under my belt.) – Yes, HMRRC #3

Run a 10 mile race (the one from Lake George to Bolton Landing is on my bucket List) – Nope (broke my foot on June 1).
Run at least one half marathon (a spring and a fall one) – Yes, I ran the Sarasota Half Marathon in March (the fall one may not happen.)

Run at least 12 races (one per month, if possible) – Yes, at least one per month and 11 total races already!! (However, there will probably be no races in July and August 😦 I hope to resume racing in September.)

at least I am smiling! (J. Berkeley photo)

one of 3 April races

Run a race in another state – Yes, I ran in Florida (Vermont was planned for next month but that one is doubtful)

Florida racing

Run a NEW race (hopefully one in NYC) – Yes, I’ve run 5 new ones so far – Hmrrc #3 & #5, Ice Breaker 5K, Lake George 5K, Mother’s Day 5k, ( NYC hopefully next year)

Mother’s Day 5K in Schenectady

Listen to my body and slow down when necessary (In other words, do not get injured…) – I broke my foot but I cannot blame overuse on that one.
Continue blogging regularly (to keep track of miles, as a motivator, to meet new runners…) – YES!

So I think I did pretty well during my 5 healthy months.

Let’s hope my foot heals quickly and I can add more miles and races during the rest of the year.

Happy Running! How has your 2013 been?

May 13, 2013 by Darlene

Lacking the Long Run Motivation

Ever since my March half marathon, I have been trying to get my speed back. As a result, I have been racing 5Ks and mostly running 3 miles with an occasional 4 or 5 miler thrown in.

I definitely feel more confident about my speed (although it isn’t or may never be totally back).

So now, I need to run longer.

And I can’t find the motivation!!

I have a 10 mile race on June 23 and a 15K on July 28. I also have a Half Marathon on October 13.

The problem is that I can’t find the time on the weekends!!

It is easy to squeeze in 3 miles and then do other things. Long runs take time!

can only spend time with Amanda & her sons on the weekend.

the boating season is too short and too expensive not to take advantage of it every weekend that the weather is nice (it is the one thing my hubby & I do together …)

I guess that’s why I usually run 5ks in the summer and train for long races in the winter.

In the meantime, I am going to have to get creative about fitting in the long runs this summer – take mornings off from work, run after work, etc. (and the weather better cooperate!!)

But I will not get injured by running a long race untrained.

Happy Running! Anyone else have the long run motivation blues??

May 10, 2013 by Darlene

A Belated 5th Blogoversary

March 25, 2013

I’ve been blogging for FIVE YEARS!! That means I’ve been running for FIVE Years!

Year 1 – starting to run for the first time and completing many 5ks
Year 2 – after taking the winter off, running again and completing even more 5ks (Anniversary post)
Year 3 – running through the winter, completing 5ks (and a 5k PR), 4 milers and a Half Marathon (Anniversary post)
Year 4 – completing some 5ks, a 5 miler, 15k and FOUR more half marathons (plus an achilles injury and a broken ankle 😦 ) (Anniversary post)
Year 5 – recovering from a broken ankle, running my 1st 10k and some 5Ks, suffering a foot stress fracture, running my 6th Half Marathon