Races

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Albany Last Run 5K Race Report

Another new race for me. My first night race also. The route features a beautiful course through Capital Holiday Lights in Washington Park and a spectacular fireworks show so I thought it was be fun.  Even though today was my long run day, I wanted to be fresh for the race so I’ll do it tomorrow.

My blogger friend Amanda had signed up as well as my friend Mary. The race sold out at 1200 several weeks ago and I was glad I signed up early.

My hubby came and we got there early so waited inside where it was warm.

Before the race

Yes, I look like a giant pumpkin.  This was a Holiday race, why did they choose ORANGE? It was a nice wind shirt, though.

At 4:45 pm, we went outside for the fireworks display.  It lasted 15 minutes which seemed like forever when you are cold and anxious to run a race.

Then all of a sudden, they ended and I heard the mayor say “Start.” I was just watching the fireworks with my hubby and nowhere near the start.

I took off like a flash and tried to fight my way through the crowd and get into the race.  I even had to go on the sidewalk.  Obviously I lost a lot of time here but this was such a fun race, I didn’t mind.

It wasn’t cold.  In fact, I felt over dressed with my layers, hat & gloves.  Many of the racers were dressed as elves, Santas, etc.  We ran through the park which was  decorated with light displays.  I had recently  seen it through my car window but this was so much better.


The route was rather hilly, not steep ones but annoying ones.  I felt like I was running at a good pace all the same and taking in the scenery.

The mile 1 marker read 9:40 which wasn’t bad after the late start but mile 2 said 21:50 .  That’s slow, I said to myself but there were lots of hills.  Then all of a sudden, the race seem to be nearing the end. So that wasn’t really mile 2 – how deceiving!

The race which started uphill now ended downhill – Hooray!  I crossed at 29:15. Two minutes slower than my recent 5k PR but still a good effort! (I came in 456 out of 1200….4th in my AG)

After the race, I had been invited online to have drinks with 2 Daily Mile.com racers.  So I stopped by the restaurant. It was fun meeting them in person.  We chatted about running, of course.

So my year of racing has ended.  21 races in 2010!

Happy Running!

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Busy Time of Year

for blogger card exchange

Things have been so busy lately that I almost forgot my hair appointment for this afternoon.  I was bummed when they called to remind me because I had planned to run 4 miles outside after work. 

 Instead I had to drag myself to the gym this morning to run on the treadmill.  It has snowed last nite & I’m still nervous about slipping & falling.  Actually running on the treadmill was a little better than the last 2 times but I know that I can’t do my long runs on it.

Dilemma:

I signed up for a 5k  on Sat nite – it should be fun but will it be slippery??? Will everyone be wearing Yak Trax?  Should I do my long run first & then do the race or wait til Sunday to do my long run?? (The weather is supposed to be better on Sat. but I don’t want to be tired for the race.)

I wish I weren’t so competitive.  I would just run and have fun…

Lucky for me, it’s just me & my hubby so there’s not much to do…just a little decorating which is done…a little baking (this Sun!)… and a little shopping (next week).

My cards have been sent… (We took these photos on lake George this past summer.)

Happy Running!  Stay warm! Don’t forget my Marathon Giveaway!

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Brain Exchange #22 and Monday Goals

This week’s question: Tell readers about your 2010 Best and Worst races.  What made them so great or not so great?

Answer:

Best race(s)- There are several.  My Thankgiving Turkey Trot was one because it was a 5k PR – 27:12 and it was so unexpected!! Another favorite was the Freihofer Race for Women because I was part of a group of 1st time racers and it was so exciting to train with them and see them do the race. I also enjoyed the Silks & Satins 5K because I met fellow bloggert, AJH. Of course, I loved winning lst place in my age group at the Veteran’s Day 5k. Lastly, the Home Run 5k because I met Mary who I’ve raced with several times since and has become my biggest fan & she mine.

Worst race(s) – Of course, there was the Great Pumpkin 10K that didn’t happen because I got sick & ended up in the ER. It was going to be my first long distance race. Most of my races have been good experiences in some way, even if I didn’t do my best.



Recap of  last week:
My weekly goal was 21 miles. I did   21 miles! Yay!
I ran 10 miles which is my longest EVER!
I am hosting my first GIVEAWAY!!

This week’s schedule:
Mon – lights in the park w/A & R
Tues – tennis
Wed – b-day dinner w/bf
Thurs – hair appt
Fri  –mah jongg
Sat – R’s b-day party

This week’s running:
Mon– 3 miles before work
Wed – 3 miles before work
Thurs – 4 miles before work
Sat– 5K race (5pm)
Sun – 9 miles

Weekly Running Goal = 22 miles
December Monthly Running Goal = 70 miles, a 5k race, half marathon training schedule

Yearly Running Goal = 300 miles ( I passed it, New Goal is 600 and I passed it too!!!!)

Happy Running!

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My First (Marathon) Giveaway

Training for a Half  Marathon is so overwhelming that I am sure I will not run a Marathon ever!!  So…

Instead I am hosting my FIRST (Marathon) Giveaway!

One lucky blogger will win:

this BONDI BAND

this LIFT YOUR SOLE Necklace

3 packages of GU

this TRAINING TAG-ALONG

this RACES2REMEMBER Grace Band

To win all of the above, here’s what to do:

Mandatory-

  • Subscribe by Email or Follow the Feed to my My First 5K  Blog (+1 comment)
  • Tell me why you want to win this giveaway. (+1 comment)

Extra Credit –

  • Like  My First 5K in FaceBook (+1 comment)
  • List my blog on your Blogroll (+1 comment)
  • Like BondiBand on FaceBook (+1 comment)
  • Like Gu on FB (+1 comment)
  • Like Lift Your Soul on FB  (+1 comment)
  • Like  Races2Remember on FB (+1 comment)
  • Share this giveaway on your blog, Twitter and/or FaceBook (+1 comment for each)

Deadline is Dec. 22. Winner will be announced on Dec 23. 

Happy Running and Good Luck!

 

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This Week’s Lucky Number is 21!

Amanda turns 21

If you’ve read my blog, you know that I mentor a young mom named Amanda. She’ll dealing with a lot of issues related to her job, her  family, money, etc but last night I tried to make her 21st birthday special and took her out to dinner at The Melting Pot.

Amanda, me & Hannah enjoying our chocolate fondue dessert

This week I ran

21 miles!

3 miles on Monday, 4 miles on Tuesday, 4 miles on Thursday and

10 miles today!!

In addition to being the farthest I’ve ever run, it’s the first of my long weekend runs that I’ve done without stopping in the middle.

This week has been extremely cold.  During Thursday’s after work run, it was 15 degrees (0 with the wind chill) and even with my layers, I was freezing for the first half (my fingers were numb!)

Today it was sunny & a balmy 40 degrees.  I wore my cheap Walmarts compression socks under tights, a turtleneck, fleece, hat, and was too warm to wear my gloves. I drank water before I left and carried gummy bears in my pocket so I would not have to stop.

I decided to chunk my run into four 2.5 mile segments so it wouldn’t seem so daunting. Also my Ipod/Nike plus seems to die after 3 miles.

It worked well. I left my car at work and ran my usual route (on the sidewalks) that it is flat.  At 2mi, I took a right turn and this was the worst part.  It was very hilly and steep hills (so I walked here) but eventually I turned right and it was flat again for the rest of the way.

I ran past the park (where there was the tulip fest in May) where I’ll be racing next Sat. and then turned left where there was a  race earlier (see photo below) and a crafts fest (Winter WonderLARK on Lark Street).

Santa Speed Sprint this am

Darn!  I should have left my house earlier.  I stopped and turned around at 5 miles and headed back the same way.


They were offering free trolley rides today around the city. When I saw it,  I was tempted .

Again, the street with the hills slowed me down and I switched from the sidewalks to the road during the last 2 miles.  (That concrete is hard on the feet!)

 And I survived…it took me roughly 1 hr 50 but I didn’t stop my ipod when waiting to cross the street.  That’s a 11 mile pace which is my target for my first half marathon..

5 weeks from tomorrow!!!

Happy Running!

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Brain Exchange #21 & Monday Goals


This Week’s Question:  What activities do you enjoy outside of swim/bike/running?  Are you a winter sports person or summer sports person?  Do you enjoy team or individual sports?  Do you participate in more alternative activities during the off-season?

Answer:

I am definitely a summer sports person!  I LOVE the sunshine and warm weather.

I am an avid tennis player.  I’ve been playing on a team and with friends for about 10 years.  I have made some very awesome friendships through tennis that have led to permanent friendships outside of tennis.

But what I like about running is that it is an individual sport where you can have personal goals!!

 


Recap of  last week:
My weekly goal was 19 miles. I did  21 miles! Yay!
I ran a 5K !! (not my best but under 30 min.)

This week’s schedule:
Mon – tennis after work
Wed – movie w/friends
Thurs – mall w/friend
Fri  – bday dinner
Sat – quilting party
Sun- Mentor party

This week’s running:
Mon– 3 miles before work
Tues – 5 miles after work
Thurs – 3 miles after work
Sat– 10 miles

Weekly Running Goal = 21 miles
December Monthly Running Goal = 70 miles, a 5k race, half marathon training schedule

Yearly Running Goal = 300 miles ( I passed it, New Goal is 600 and I passed it too!!!!)

Happy Running!

 

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Jingle Bell 5K Race Report Plus More


This was my 2nd year running this race.  Last year it was 9 degrees and I FROZE!! I knew it had to be better.

Today was my long run day since I had a work Holiday party last night and I am going to NYC with my Mah Jongg friends tomorrow. I was torn on how to get it in but I decided to run the race and then add 6 miles to it later.

 
 

the party "look"

 

Though I didn’t drink last night, I danced for 2 hours in HIGH heels and my legs felt it this morning!!

Ready to "Race"

The weather seemed to be similar to my Turkey Trot so I dressed accordingly but added some accessories to go with the spirit of the race.

Before the race I bumped into some old running friends – Amanda (the amazing recent marathoner), Felice (the speedy new Mom), and Jen, Brigid & Janis (the news runners from the spring).

Jen, Janis, Brigid & Felice

 

with Santa & me

We all started the race together.  It was very crowded at the beginning and it was very difficult to get going and get by a Grinch, do, &   lady with a cap. 

Felice flew ahead.  She didn’t seem rusty after just having a baby just 2 mos ago.  I knew I couldn’t keep up.  Then the rest of the group eventually passed me but Amanda & Brigid were always in sight.

I found the course more difficult than I remember.  The hills kept coming and I battled the wind was in my face.

I didn’t have the energy to PR and something in my brain kept repeating that “You’ve got to run slow because you have 6 more miles to do when this is done.”  But I really wanted to run fast!!!!

The clock flashed 29:31 when I crossed the finish line.  At first I was disappointed but then I remembered that all my times at races on this course have been over 30 minutes.

Everyone did well.  Felice finished under 26 minutes!!!! We hung around and had pizza and chatted about racing.  Everyone was encouraging about my half marathon plans.  In fact, Janis & Brigid plan to run one in April.  I know Amanda will also.

No one won an award since they only gave out medals for the top 3 finishers.  No age group awards! Darn!  I would have won 3rd or 1st!!

After everyone left, I took off my bells and exchanged my Santa cap for a beanie.  I grabbed my ipod/Nike + and set it to 3 miles.

I decided not to do the race course because of the hills but to head out and run for 3 miles and then head back.  

 

Glad to be done with 6 mi!

 

Stats:

lst 3 mi = 31:24
2nd 3 mi = 33.29

9 miles= 1:34:24

So that’s positive splits but I didn’t walk so that’s an improvement. Actually I felt better during the 6 mile run than during the race.

Happy Running!

 

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Tis the Season…

 
Tonight is my first Holiday Party – my work party – it is always very lavish & lot’s of fun (even more if I didn’t have a race tomorrow morning.)

I also signed up for Run With Jill’s Blogger Gift Exchange (deadline 12/8)

and Finishing is Winning’s Blogger Card Exchange (deadline 12/6).

My house is decorated…with snowmen everywhere!  I plan to work on card writing this weekend.

unedited card pic1

unedited card pic2

 

Happy Running! Good Luck to Those Racing This Weekend!

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3 Things Thursday

  1.           I found this quote in the December FleetFeet newsletter:

    2. “You’ve got to have goals in life or you wither away.
    It’s no disgrace to fail, only not to try.”  – — Jon Mendes Age 90, on his plan to run/walk the 2010 NYC Marathon

    Need I say more…

  2. I definitely HATE the treadmill.  It’s so stuffy in the gym and I run so slow, it takes forever.  I also am not motivated to not walk when I get tired.  SO my plan is to get up early and run outside before work.  But if I can’t (or it rains like yesteray), I’ll have to do the dreadmill after work.
  3. Tomorrow is a rest day because I have a 5K on Saturday – the Jingle Bell Run which I did last year.  It’s The Happy Runner’s return to running after having a baby – YAY!  The problem is that I signed up before I was training for a half.  What do I do?  Do the 5k and then add 6 more miles??

Happy Running! It’s snowing on my Blog!

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Hanukkah & the Half

As I said in my previous post, this was my Hanukkah present to myself.  I used my USAir miles to book a flight into Ft Myers, Fla. after work on Jan 14.  I booked a motel near the race. (They even gave me $10 off per night when I mentioned I was running the race.)

My hubby’s sister now lives in Florida and he’s never visited her.  A former co-worker of his lives there  and one of our LG friends will be there at that time.  I always go on vacations and my hubby never does.  He doesn’t complain because he prefers to stay home & relax.  I, on the other hand, am always on the go and LOVE to TRAVEL.

For his Xmas gift, I booked him a flight to Florida on Jan 10 and rented him a car. He will visit his sister & friends, go deep sea fishing, etc and then pick me up at the airport on Jan 14. 

We will stay in Naples together until Jan 18 (I have Jan 17 off).  He can watch me in the  race and I can show him around my favorite spots in Naples (where I been 7x).

CAN’T WAIT!!!!!!!!

I’ve cheated a little.  I’ve actually been secretly training.  I am on week 6 of the schedule below.  I started the day after my 10K fiasco.  It may sound crazy that I’ve never run more than a 5k race and I’m training for 13.1 miles.  So be it!

I am making changes as needed.  I have to fit running in around tennis, work, and other activities.  So I am trying to run 3x a week plus one long run on the weekend. Cross-training will probably be tennis or walking.

HALF MARATHON TRAINING
 Week MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN Total
1 3 Cross
Train		 3 3 Cross Train 7 REST 16
2 3 Cross
Train		 4 4 Cross
Train		 7 REST 18
3 3 Cross
Train		 4 3 Cross
Train		 8 REST 18
4 3 Cross
Train		 4 4 Cross
Train		 8 REST 19
5 3 Cross
Train		 4 4 Cross
Train		 9 REST 20
6 3 Cross
Train		 5 4 Cross
Train		 9 REST 21
7 3 Cross
Train		 5 4 Cross-Train 10 REST 22
8 3 Cross
Train		 5 4 Cross
Train		 11 REST 23
9 3 Cross
Train		 5 4 Cross
Train		 12 REST 24
10 3 Cross
Train		 6 4 Cross
Train		 13 REST 26
11 3 Cross
Train		 6 4 Cross
Train		 8 REST 21
12 3 Cross-Train Rest 3 Cross
Train		 Rest RACE DAY!  

I’ve gotten some good tips from this site:  http://www.marathonrookie.com/half-marathon-training.html

Happy Running! Happy Hanukkah!