January 17, 2013 by Darlene

A Re-Do Run

Remember my “Bad Runs Happen” post?

Tuesday I scheduled a “re-do run.”

Same time. Same distance but I decided to change things to see if I could have a “good one.”

I didn’t wear my Garmin. (I accidentally left it home in the charger.)
I picked an out and back route where I know the distance. (From the parking lot at work down the street 2 miles & back. I used to run this route all the time. Unfortunately you have to stop for traffic at the lights.)
I listened to music. (My hard drive crashed so I lost some running songs so I hesitated to re-set my iPod but I finally did and randomly filled it with songs.)
I ate a Gu before running. (I tend to be hungry by the end of the day but don’t want to eat dinner before running.)

happy me…4 miles done. (Same outfit…just erase the snow & add traffic & it will be accurate)

It was a good one. Without a Garmin, I have no idea of my pace but I felt like I was running faster. I felt energized rather than beat up.

It may have been a coincidence or maybe changing it up worked. Who knows? But I’ll take it!

Wed. 7 am

Unfortunately, we had a snowstorm yesterday and there is snow everywhere.

Tonight I am going out to dinner with a friend. She agreed to wait until I was finished running (even though I may be a sweaty mess.)

YakTrax to the rescue? How far do I run? Since it’s my last run until next Thurs…so do I attempt a long run of 6 miles?? Will I have time? I cannot run fast in the snow & ice… so we’ll see.

Darn winter!!!

Happy Running! What have you done to turn a bad run into a good one? Any tips for running in the snow?

January 15, 2013 by Darlene

Age is a State of Mind

Jim & Terry at Disney 1/13/13

These two people who are MY AGE* just completed the Goofy Challenge!! That is 13.1 miles followed by 26.2 miles.

This is Terry’s motto:

There may come a day when we can’t do this anymore. Today is not that day.

They both have struggled with physical problems but have never given in to them and seem to get better with age!

Way to go, Terry & Jim!!

(*I know that Terry is 59 & her hubby is even older & has MS. It seems to run in the family. Her son completed the Lake Placid Ironman with a broken collarbone!!)

I guess I have no excuse – At least the “I am too old” excuse:

I am too old to run that far.
I am too old to run that fast.
I am too old to run that often.
I am too old to run.

Yes, there will come a day when I can’t do this and today is not that day!!

Bring it on!!

Happy Running! Do have a role model or someone who inspires you?

January 14, 2013 by Darlene

Bring On Week 4

This has to be a good week. Why?

my hubby with MaryAnn

I’m going with my hubby to visit friends, MaryAnn and Bob, in Daytona Beach, Fla next Saturday though Wednesday. So this week will be short as well as next week.

Week 1 – 3, 3, 5 =11 miles
Week 2 – 3, 3, 0, 0 =6 miles
Week 3 – 4, 4, 6 =14 miles
Week 4 –
- Monday – tennis (only have played once since Oct 1.)
- Tuesday – run 4 miles
- Wednesday – rest (dinner with a friend)
- Thursday – run 6 or 7 miles ???
- Friday – pack, go to bed early
Week 5 –
- Thursday – run 4 miles
- Sat or Sun – run 7 or 8 miles??

I am a little nervous that I am only running 3x a week when I used to run 4x. But I am more nervous about getting injured again. I am also worried about training in the winter with snow/ice!! Treadmills don’t work for me on long runs.

The reality is that I will be in Florida with 3 non-running adults … it will be hard to run and not piss people off.

Happy Running! Do you keep up your training when on vacation?

January 6, 2013 by Darlene

2013 So Far..So Bad

The one thing about blogging is that I can keep track of things.

So I know that since March 2008, I had a cold in Sept 2009 and in July 2011. That’t it. Until now…

I started feeling a sore throat on New Year’s Eve. Then Thursday evening, it started appearing…A COLD! It was in full force at work on Friday. No one wanted to be near me. So I skipped my run and Mah Jongg Friday eve and went to bed early. Saturday I was supposed to go to NYC with 2 friends to spend the day with a girl I met in Russia.

I woke up Saturday am feeling even worse & knew I couldn’t go (I did have to drive to the train station at 7 am cuz I had all the tix.)

Sunday was supposed to be my long run – 5 miles. My mega cold had progressed to adding a headache and nausea…Great! No running for me!!!

As I write this, I am on the road to recovery and will go to work tomorrow. Tomorrow nite, I go back to playing tennis and hopefully I can go back to running on Tuesday!!!

So this Half Marathon training thing is not off to a good start:

Week 1 – 3, 3, 5 – 11 miles
Week 2 – 3, 3, 0, 0 – 6 miles

I will try not to stress about it.

What ever happens, happens.

I had planned not to run 2 days in a row so I don’t get injured but we’ll see. I also want to increase my long runs gradually so that means 6 miles this Sat or Sun.

That’s enough of being a Debbie Downer. My injuries and illnesses are over for 2013!!!!

Happy Running! Any advice for injury-free training for a Half Marathon?

January 3, 2013 by Darlene

2013 Running Goals

This may be cheating but I had some great goals for 2012 but with two injuries, I didn’t get a chance to see if I could accomplish them.

So here they are again:

Run 3-4 times a week ALL YEAR (use the treadmill when it is too cold or slippery or raining outside)
Continue fitting in tennis and yoga at least once a week (as cross-training)
Finish my 5K races under 30 minutes and not stress about a PR (though getting one would be super!)
Get an Age Group award (in May I will be entering a new AG!!)
PR in a 10K race (I have only one injured 10K under my belt.)
Run a 10 mile race (the one from Lake George to Bolton Landing is on my bucket List)
Run at least one half marathon (a spring and a fall one)
Run at least 12 races (one per month, if possible)
Run a race in another state
Run a NEW race (hopefully one in NYC)
Listen to my body and slow down when necessary (In other words, do not get injured…)
Continue blogging regularly (to keep track of miles, as a motivator, to meet new runners…)

Hope I have better luck this year.

However, my real 2013 goal is to be HEALTHY and HAPPY!!!

Happy Running! Do you set new running goals each year?

December 29, 2012 by Darlene

Week 1 & My Anniversary

Yes, half marathon training has begun and 2 snowstorms have happened as well.

Sun – 4 miles
Tues – 3 miles
Thurs – 3 miles
Today, Sat – 5 miles

But I successfully ran every other day… 11 weeks to go!!

Last night was my annual tennis party…it was fun but I over ate again!!

several entertained us by playing the piano

one of our friends moved to Florida so we skyped with her

lots of appetizers and desserts!!

we had a Chinese gift exchange which is always fun

This morning I slept in and barely made it through my run before the snowstorm. I had planned to go the Nisky bike trail (the scene of the accident) but decided to stay local due to the impending snowfall.

I went to the same neighborhood but ran in a different direction. I didn’t wear my Yak Trax but stayed in the road looking for dry turf and watching for black ice.

And I succeeded but after 3 miles my stomach started growling. I haven’t done a long run in a year so I need to remember to drink water and bring some Gu.

4.5 miles done and off for some nourishment

I went back to my car and got some money and headed off to the coffee shop.

this did the trick!

But I left the coffee shop to this:

SNOW!!

glad I only had .5 mile to run/slide.

and today is my ONE YEAR Anniversary…a year ago today, I fell during a 10 mile run. I slipped on the ice and broke my ankle in several places & had surgery. I didn’t run for 5 months.

I wasn’t sure I would get through it but I did.

Yes many people said to give up running. I knew that I would not.

I am running again. I may never get the speed back but I am running again!!

To celebrate, I ran today and I even wore almost the same outfit.

Happy Running! Have you ever had a run-threatening injury?

December 23, 2012 by Darlene

Half Marathon Training Begins…

I will be in Sarasota, Florida to run this in 12 weeks!! Yikes!!

I was googling “Half Marathon” and found this training schedule. I like it because it is simple and flexible.

Although this is technically my 6th half marathon, it feels like the first.

I am actually more nervous because I know more. I was very naive regarding my first. I didn’t even have a Garmin during the training.

don’t I look calm?

Now I have experienced injuries (3 to be exact) and know how quickly things can go wrong.

I have to go slow and be conservative but yet instinctively I want to do well. (Well for me, that is…)

So to keep things in perspective, I will try to remember this:

Running is a gift. Not everyone can. I will remember the times I could not. I wil not take any step I take for granted.

Happy Running! Any other motivating thoughts for this returning runner?

December 9, 2012 by Darlene

2013 Bucket List of Races

January

maybe a free HMRRC race (Albany)

February

Polar Cap 4 mi (Lake George)

March

First Watch Half Marathon (Sarasota, Fla.)

April

Delmar Dash 5 mi Race

May

Sean’s 5k Run (Chatham)
Mother’s Day Race (Schenectady)

June

Freihofer Run for Women (Albany)
Kinderhook Bank OK 5K
Adirondack Distance Challenge (Lake George-Bolton Landing)

July

Jingle Bell 5k (Lake George)
Silks & Satins 5K (Saratoga)

August

Camp Chingachgook 10k (Lake George)
Jailhouse Rock 5k (Ballston Spa)

September

5 for fiVe (Saratoga)
MBPK 5k (Malta)
Helper’s Fund 5K (Chestertown)

October

Susan Komen Race for the Cure (Albany)
Lighthouse Loop Half Marathon (Ponce Inlet, Fla.)

November

Fall Frun 10K (Clifton Park)
Stockade-athon 15K (Schenectady)
Bethlehem Towne Turkey Trot 5k (Delmar)

December

Albany Last Run 5K

Most of these races I’ve run before but there are a few news ones (in BOLD).

Of course, I hope to have a healthy year.

It’s good to have goals. It keeps you motivated. For me this year, it’s to cross the finish line and have fun!!!

Happy Running! What races are on your bucket list for 2013?

November 7, 2012 by Darlene

Wordless Wednesday – The Plan

I have a plan:

(The white cells are when I am on vacation in Florida. CT or Cross Training is tennis.)

Happy Running! Do you have a half marathon training plan or do you wing it?

November 3, 2012 by Darlene

Vitamin D Needed

With 2 broken bones in my ankle and a stress fracture within 9 months, I questioned my doctor about why this happened? He first asked: “Have you had a bone scan?” I replied that I had and it was normal. Then he said: “No one in the Northeast gets enough Vitamin D.”

Since then I have started taking a Calcium with Vitamin D supplement every morning.

However, sunshine is my preferred source of Vitamin D.

Blue Tree resort in Orlando Fla.

A tennis friend won 8 days at this Orlando resort in December (Dec 8-15) and invited 3 of us to go. Unfortunately, it is during exam week at the law school. But I am going to try to go for 4 days (if my boss oks it.)

Daytona Beach, Fla

Last year our best boating friends moved to Daytona Beach. My hubby & I may visit them for a few days in January (around Martin Luther King Day).

Sarasota Fla

Last summer one of my close tennis friends moved to Sarasota. I also have 2 mah jongg friends that vacation there in the winter. I am definitely going March 12-18. And if things work out I will run a half marathon there on March 17!!