Races

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Race Break

Here is my recent racing schedule:

  • 9-1-12 – 5 for fiVe
  • 9-8-12 – MBPK 5k
  • 9-15-12 – Chase Leukemia Away 4.4
  • 9-22-12 – Helper’s Fund  5K
  • 9-29-12 – NO RACE
  • 10-06-12 – Susan Komen Race for the Cure (5K)
  • 10-13-12 – Nic&Ty 5K or Tom’s 10K or maybe UAlbany Alumni 5K
  • 10-20-12 – RW 5K (in Bethlehem, PA)

So after 4 weeks straight, I am taking a week off from racing!

Some people may think I race too much but I  love it. Besides, my training runs are done alone & they are not very good.  So this works for me.  It motivates me to improve.

My racing schedule will slow down once the weather gets colder and I need to do long runs.

Instead of a race this weekend, I plan to go back to Schroon River – this time for playing Mah Jongg (with maybe a little tennis mixed in).  Without a race on Saturday, I can do a long run on Friday or Sunday or both 🙂

I leave you with 2 photos from yesterday.  I convinced my hubby to go hiking (followed by buying apples, pumpkins & mums at a nearby orchard).

on the Indian Ladder Trail at Thatcher State Park

 

the waterfall on the trail

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

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Helper’s Fund 5K Race Report


For several years I have wanted to do this race because I love the area.  My friend has a house there.  It’s beautiful in the fall and it’s close to our boat.  Each year something has come up that I couldn’t do it.  So this year I was glad that I could.

The plan was to spend the night before the race at my friend’s house on Schroon River (so I wouldn’t have to get up early.)

This is also the weekend of the Adirondack Balloon Festival.  They launch 100 hot air balloons in the air and I haven’t gone in many years.  Unfortunately, I got out of work too late to see them Friday  on my way to Chestertown.  Instead, I decided to stop in Lake George Village.  There was going to be a Moon Glow (hot air balloons lit up) and fireworks

there were 3 balloons lit up in the distance

There was too much traffic to see them close up but I watched them from across the lake.  And to my surprise, 2 of my friends walked by and we watched the fireworks together.

me & Tina watching the fireworks over the lake

I wound up getting to my friend’s house just in time to go to bed.

The race didn’t start until 9:30 am and I got up at my usual 6:30 am.  I decided to go get coffee (they had pumpkin spice creamer – yum!) and pick up my race bib.

view of the river from the living room & bedrooms

It turned out that the race start was only 5 minutes from the house.  So I was able to have my coffee and oatmeal and relax.

pre-race meal & a view

I wasn’t sure what to wear with the conflicting weather forecasts.  It was overcast, windy and cooler than predicted.  I opted to wear shorts & shirt rather than the skirt & tank that I had planned.

ready to head to the race

The race  was both a 5K and a 10K.  You could tell by the bib colors who was who.  There were about 100 runners in the 5k and a little less in the 10k.  Although it was cloudy, it seemed like the rain would hold off so I guess I should have done the 10k.

As with many local races, the atmosphere was so friendly and casual.  The race started at the town hall (where there were real bathrooms) and you could park across the street at the Grand Union.  Unfortunately, there was no chip timing.  They just pull off the end of the bibs in order.

Although I said that I wasn’t competitive and just wanted to do my best, that was a lie.  I really wanted to break 30 minutes and win a AG award.

And I did neither!!!!  But I still enjoyed the race.

I started out well.  I ran the lst mile too fast at first and slowed down.  But the 2nd mile had hills.   I do not do well on hills.  I walked at the frist water stop and then I walked during another hill.  That was my downfall.  I was tired during the 3rd mile but managed to finish strong.

road heading the toward the finish

I was disappointed when I saw that I would not break 30 minutes.  I finished in 30:08.

another 5k is done

The age groups awards were in 10 year groups & I finished 4th.

I would have been 1st if they did 5 year age groups.  Oh well.

my splits

I must  say that they had the best refreshments – homemade cream puffs, homemade bagels, breads, cookies, brownies, Greek yogurt, fresh fruit – watermelon, grapes, oranges. cantaloupe, oranges, bananas and more!

post-race snack

I met many nice people and I will definitely try to do this race again – maybe even the 10K.

Before heading home, I stopped at a new quilt shop in town.  I used to quilt a lot and want to get back into it.  The owner was super nice and I even signed up for an applique class on Oct 7.

my next project?

Since it still hadn’t started raining, I decided to run some more.  I went back, changed my shirt and took a 3.3 mile leaf peeping run.

the river & the foliage

enjoying some fall running

It obviously wasn’t going to be a boating day.  I decided to be nostalgic and drive up to Schroon Lake.  Last year at this time I was getting ready to run the Adirondack Half Marathon.

I went to the expo and boy did it make me want to run a half marathon again.  Anyway I did buy some cool things – 2 pairs of gloves for $3, a ponytail headband and some gels in great coffee flavors.

just love these flavors

Then it started to rain!! So I ducked in and out of shops.  Just one more purchase.

it’s pink

Finally, I headed home as I drove  south, the sky turned blue and temperature rose.  It turned out that it was a nice day at home. Darn unpredictable weather!

Happy Running!  Did you enjoy your first day of fall?

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Race Goals


I found this on FB.

So this will be my goal for my next race which is tomorrow.  I decided to stay at my friend’s river house tonight.

AJH relaxing at the river house before last year’s half marathon

I was debating on running the 5k or the 10k.

But I decided on the 5K. (The weather looks iffy and based on last year’s 10K, I may be last.)

If it not raining afterwards, I want to go to the expo in Schroon Lake and also run some more.

running around Schroon River

I plan to enjoy the race and run my best.

Happy Running!  Are you racing this weekend and if so, what is your goal?

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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?