Races

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AMR’s 10 Running Related Personal Questions

The ladies at Another Mother Runner came up with questions for everyone to answer.  Have you answered?  If not, why not do it now?

1. Best run ever: Probably the Mother’s Day 5k 2011.  It was on my birthday and I finished in 25:xx which is amazing for me.  Unfortunately the course was short.  But I felt almost fast for the only time ever.

2. Three words that describe my running: Empowering, energizing, rejuvenating (most of these describe how I feel after I’m done LOL)

3. My go-to running outfit is: Running skirt, sleeveless tech top, compression socks, baseball cap in the summer (Of course, it changes as the weather gets colder to tights under the skirt & a wind shirt on top.)

4. Quirky habit while running: I think I breathe heavy and make noise when breathing.  At least it seems to me that I do that when I am struggling.  I hope that most runners around me are wearing headphones.

5. Morning, midday, evening:  Morning. That’s when I have the most energy but often I have to postpone my runs until after work.

6. I won’t run outside when it’s: Raining.  I’m a wimp.  I don’t like getting wet.

7. Worst injury—and how I got over it: That’s an easy one.  It’s a broken ankle and I am still getting over it.   As with any injury: rest, patience, PT, patience, re-up mileage slowly, patience.

8. I felt most like a badass mother runner when: Recently I chic- ed a guy.  I was behind him almost the whole race and then I passed him near the finish line.

9. Next race is:  This Saturday… a 5k.  I race almost every Saturday.

10. Potential running goal for 2013: A Half Marathon.  I haven’t run one since November 2011. I really want to see if I can do it again.

Happy Running! Feel free to answer these questions on your blog or in a comment here.

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Just Too Many…

There are 14 5ks races this coming weekend according to the Adirondack Sports & Fitness magazine.

and one 5K sponsored by where I work.

That’s 15 5ks in one weekend!!!

Yikes!! I have to do one, right?

None of them I have done before (except for the Arsenal 5k on Friday eve.)

The Color Me Rad is very popular.  But I don’t want to pay to get my clothes sprayed with color. That’s just me.  It could be fun for others. I have several friends who are doing it.

Sept 22 at the Altamont fairgrounds

If it looks like it will be a boating weekend, I may do the one in Chestertown and stay at my friend’s house on Schroon River.

If not, I may do one closer to home or one on Sunday.

So I’m playing wait and see.

In the meantime, I ran 3 miles yesterday am (cold, dark & foggy 😦 ) and played tennis last night.  Tonight I am playing tennis again.  I plan to run again Wed & Thurs.  I also am trying to walk to use stationary bike at lunch (We’ll see how that goes?)

Happy Running?  How do you choose your races?

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4.4 Chase Away Leukemia Race Report


I came so close to NOT doing this race.

  • My week was very hectic and I did not run 5 out 6 days (yes, really!)
  • The highway to get to this race has 4 out 6 lanes closed (a nightmare)
  • My Russian friend Anna changed her plans and showed up last night!!!!!!
  • I went to bed very late and did not sleep well at all
  • Boating days are ending and Anna and my hubby wanted to go on the boat!!
  • I was nervous about running more than 3 miles and about being out of shape…

As a result, my only goal for this race would get it over with and finish standing!  Yes, I admit that is not a good attitude.

So I dragged myself out of bed and dressed in purple running clothes.  I packed a bag so that I could head up to the boat right after the race.  Anna would go up with my hubby and I would meet them there.

At the last moment, Anna decided that she wanted to watch me race.  She had never been to a race. (Great!  Now more stress!)

drinking coffee out of my new Moscow mug

So I rushed her out of the house, she brought her breakfast with her in the car (and she proceeded to spill her tea all over herself & my car!) and I raced to the race.

Fortunately, there was no traffic at this early hour (The race had a 8am start time) and we arrived with plenty of time to spare.

putting on my race bib

My mood changed as soon as I got there and saw my friend. Her family organized this race and she was really glad that I came. It was a popular weekend for races (even had another 5k in the same park and a big half here tomorrow.) As a result, there were not many people…probably about 60-65. It was very well organized except for one thing…the bathroom were locked and no portapotties. (Luckily I was ok.)

The weather was perfect…sunny..cool (in the 50s).

me before the race (in purple for Leukemia)

My Russian friend had no concept about running or racing and thought I wanted to WIN THE RACE!  I tried to explain that I just wanted to finish.  She wasn’t satisfied so I said that I wanted to not finish last.  This still prompted me to say that I wanted to finish under 50 minutes and finally we agreed on that I would at least beat a guy.

waiting to begin

The course was the same as last week’s 5K just longer.  I wanted to run slow and pace myself.  I haven’t run longer than a 5k since the 10K I did on Aug 10.

the course through the park

The truth is that I felt great throughout the whole race.  Either I need to not run very much or I need to run slow.  Neither concept I am satisfied with but it works for now.

In a very small race, if you’re not fast, you tend to run by yourself and this was the case.  I had a guy ahead of me in my sight most of the race.  There was one long uphill (around mile 2.5)  and I saw him walking the whole thing.  This allowed me to get closer.  I could have run up it but at the last moment I decided to walk a little to save energy and finish strong.

I even passed by both water stops and didn’t walk – a first for me this year!!

these were all over the course

Around mile 3.75, I saw Anna.  She had her ipad in her hand and she was videoing me.  I, of course, wanted to run fast for the camera and I did and passed that guy.  In the back of my mind, I was thinking, this isn’t the right time, you need to save it for end.

You can watch it here.

heading to the finish (behind those 2 happy girls)

Well, I slowed down after that but sprinted across the finish line.  Unfortunately or fortunately, it was at 45:32 and Anna missed me.

after the race…everyone got a purple medal

Then she found me and I had a medal.  She thought I won something and I didn’t deny it.

see I beat that guy by 26 sec!

There were lots of good refreshments.  Since it was such a small race, they only gave out awards for the top 5 male and female finishers (They got wine and fleetfeet gift cards!).  But they did raffle off other prizes and I won a box of Luna bars.

First 4.4 race so a PR, right?

my splits

Like with a run, I have never regretted running a race.  I don’t regret this one, either.

Happy Running! Have you ever DNSed a race?

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Racing for a Charity


Normally, I sign up for races based on location, course, time, distance, etc.

I signed up for this one only after reading my quilting friend’s (Terry) story on FB of how her son (Jeff) finished the Lake Placid Ironman after breaking his collarbone. (He swam with one arm, biked with one arm and ran 26.2 miles with his arm taped to his body.) Absolutely amazing!!

Jeff approaching the finish line

He and his wife (Mandy) are the sponsors of this race.  His wife is a cancer survivor. I haven’t seen my friend Terry in a while. (I think not since my 2nd half marathon last year.  We used to see each other monthly at quilt meetings.)

So I am running this race because it’s a great cause. “Why 4.4 miles?”.  In 2011 there were 44,000+  new cases of Leukemia.

And all finishers get a medal!

I assume the course will be similar to my last Saratoga race just longer.  It is the same day as many other races.  I hope they get a good turn out.

No big goals since I have never run 4.4 miles but I hope to have fun, feel good and finish between 40 and 50 minutes.

Happy Running!  Have you even signed up for a race just because it’s a good cause?

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Wordless Wednesday


This is my motivation! Six months to go!

Happy Running!  What race are you looking ahead to?

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MBPA 5K Race Report

on Sept 8, 2012 at 8:30 am

Well, I signed up for this race to feel better about my running. That is was my goal.  (We know also that to feel better would be to run well and improve my speed.)

I knew nothing about the course except that they changed it back to the first year’s course (the one with the hill.)

At least it started early so the day wasn’t shot.

The weather was far from perfect.  It was VERY humid, in the 70’s and VERY VERY windy.  It felt like a hurricane was on the way.

I got there about 20 minutes early…just enough time to get a parking spot and put my swag bag back  in my car. I bumped into the same 2 ladies from last week’s race. (They do 5ks every week.) Otherwise I didn’t know anyone else.  (Most of my running friends are  running  long runs while training for half or full marathons.)

heading toward the start/finish line

As I said in a previous post, I didn’t really have any written goals.  In the back of my mind was the wish to finish under 30 minutes but with the wind and the fact that I only ran 2 lackluster training runs this week, I would be just glad to finish strong.

The course meandered around the campus (which they said before the race started was worth $4 billion!!!).  There were some uphills but nothing really steep.

I tried not to look at my Garmin but they called out times at every mile so I knew that I was running under 10 minute miles.  I was surprised at that since it was hard running into the wind. I felt at times like I wasn’t even moving.

There were 2 water stops.  I stopped at the first one and walked a bit and then ignored the 2nd one (I did think about it, though.)

When I came toward the finish line, I heard the announcer say “If you run faster, you can still finish under 30 minutes.”

And so I did – 29:53!! Another post-injury PR.

The refreshments were very nice: bagels, cider donuts, whole oranges, bananas, chocolate milk, orange juice.

I hung around with those 2 ladies who always win because they are in the next age group.  And sure enough, they did and I did not.  I came in 7th in 50-59 and would have come in 2nd in the next age group.

 They gave the winners $25 gift certificates to a local diner and they randomly gave huge gift baskets to runners who finished 100. 115, 200, 350, etc.

race swag – lst time I’ve gotten a towel

So 5K #6 is done and at each one I am a little faster.  I guess that’s progress. And I left the race feeling better than before I started (mentally, that is.)

my splits – all under 10 min 🙂

after the race in the windy parking lot

As I did last week, I stopped at the Mohawk Towpath to run some more.

It was very windy but I decided to just grin and bear it – take it slow and walk if necessary.

I headed west and ran along the trail along the Mohawk River.

 When the  trail ended, instead of running along the road, I took a path which turned out to be great since the trees shielded  me from the wind.

I turned back at 1.5 miles and ran the same way back to my car (including a brief stop at a garage sale.)

running on a new path

On my way home, I stopped at Target…love Target!  (needed only a few things and spent almost $200)

Now I am watching the US Open on TV and waiting for the storm to arrive.

Happy Running!  Did you get any rain or did you race or both?

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Another 5k

on Sept 8, 2012 at 8:30 am

For this race, you run through the Saratoga Technology & Energy Park, up to GlobalFoundaries and through the Luther Forest Technology Campus.  Sound exciting? NOT!

doesn’t look too bad

It is sponsored by GlobalFoundaries where my stepson works and it’s a race. And for this race, you get a hat, tee shirt, water bottle, running towel and cider donuts afterwards.

 

 

My weekday runs are SLOOOOOOOOOOW and painful.  Not so much physically painful but mentally painful (and a little physical pain afterwards.)

I either need a running partner or a race.

People that I know who run live far away, don’t work, run too fast and/or too many miles. So I choose races.

So far, it seems to work.

  • I run better in a race.
  • I push myself.
  • I don’t run alone.
  • I feel better after than before.

5k races, however, do get in the way of long weekend runs.  I can add on miles afterwards but in a race I don’t run my long run pace and it’s not the same when you stop in between for a long time.

For now, I’ll deal with it since my first scheduled half marathon isn’t until March.

Happy Running!  Do sign up for a lot of races?

 

 

 

 

 

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5 for fiVe Race Report

on Sept 1, 2012 in Saratoga

I didn’t have high hopes for this race since my run on Thursday was the worst ever.

Nevertheless, I love racing and I was determined to do my best and have fun.

The weather was more summer-like than September and the race didn’t start  until 10am.

I headed up to Saratoga and arrived there around 9:30.  Already near 80 degrees (& humid.)

before the race

There were real bathrooms – love that! I bumped in to 2 ladies (in their 60’s) who like me ran a race every weekend.

cotton tee shirt – ick!

view from the warming hut facing the start

The course began on the trail and then went out to route 9.  We were running on sidewalk (which made my ankle hurt)  Then we went back into the park and ran on asphalt or trails.

I can’t say that I felt strong during this race cuz I didn’t.  I was determined to just plod along as fast as I could.  I knew without looking at my Garmin that I was getting slower and slower and slower.

I paced myself with a lady around my age and I am proud to say that she was ahead the whole race until mile 3 and then I finished way ahead.

I was hoping to run the whole thing but the water stop half way was too tempting and I walked.

Unfortunately the race ended on the trail and I find it very hard to run fast on trails.

I finished in 30:55.  Not near a PR but a post injury PR by 3 seconds.

There was lots to eat after the race: water, gatorade, bananas, apples, donuts, bagels, crumb cake, granola bars & brownies (I ate 3!)

I hung around for awhile.  I came in 8th in my age group (50-59) but I was one year away from 1st in the next age group.  The also raffled away some great gifts but I didn’t win.

 

So what about my race goals:

  1. Have fun. Of course.
  2. Finish. Yes.
  3. Feel good during the race. Not too bad.
  4. Run the whole thing.  Walked once.
  5. Only walk at water stop(s). Yes and good thing, there was only one.
  6. Run faster than my previous 5Ks this year (beat 30:58 ). Yes, 30:55
  7. Run faster than my RFTH 5k time (beat 30:40) . Nope.

After the race, I didn’t drive up to Lake George as I usually do.  It is a 3 day weekend so I decided to go up later and spend Sunday & Monday there.

On the way home, I felt like running more so I stopped in Crescent along the Mohawk River.  I always wondered if it was a nice trail.

It was definitely scenic but my legs didn’t agree with my brain.  They wre shot.  So I ran/walked them only 2 miles.

Mohawk River

the bridge that I run by on the Nisky trail (in the distance)

I will defintely try this run again. The river views are nice and you are running on soft ground.

Happy Running! Any exciting plans for the Labor Day weekend?

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5K Number 5

on Sept 1, 2012 in Saratoga

So I continue on my quest to do at least one 5K each month. And I plan hope to get faster with each one.

I actually only signed up for this one because it had a Groupon and only cost $10. I have never run this race but have run many in Saratoga (though the courses are all different.)

This one starts at the Warming Hut in the park so the route may be similiar to the Run for the Horses 5K that I did several years ago.

(Course Description: Starts at Warming Hut, travels down Avenue of Pines, let up route 9 passing the Dance Museum. Then course continues through a back trail in Saratoga State Park, exiting at Gideon Putnam Road. Loop around Theater, then head back towards Route 9 trail with nursery on your right. Ends at Warming Hut.)

Ave. of the Pines

MY RACE GOALS:

  1. Have fun.
  2. Finish.
  3. Feel good during the race.
  4. Run the whole thing
  5. Only walk at water stop(s).
  6. Run faster than my previous 5Ks this year (beat 30:58 ).
  7. Run faster than my RFTH 5k time (beat 30:40)

(And they are in order of importance.)

Happy Running!  Do you have any racing plans for the weekend?

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Can’t Resist a Bargain

Last week, Olympia Sports was having a sale – buy one and get 1/2 off the second pair. (Like I really needed running shoes!!)

pair #1

pair #2

As a result, I received $15 in rewards.  No, I didn’t buy another pair of shoes.

I bought instead 5 vanilla Gu & 5 chocolate Gu – my favorites

Then I got an e-mail saying that CompressionPro socks were on sale – $30 instead of $50 (w/ free shipping) in purple.  I have them in pink & argyle blue and love them! They match my new shoes so I had to buy them!

Last but not least, was a Groupon for $10 (instead of $30) for a local 5K race.  Who could not resist? $10 to run and support a charity!! Of course, I signed up!

on Sept 1, 2012 in Saratoga

Happy Running!  Are you a bargain shopper?