May 9, 2010 by Darlene

My Birthday & Mother’s Day 3.5 Mile Race

This was my 3rd year for this race. (Does that mean veteran runner status?) I am also a blogger and have blogger friends running in this race (Amanda & Felice) so I was looking forward to this race. Last Sunday it was in the 80’s and humid & I complained. Today I woke up to high winds and 40 degrees!!

My hubby offered to drop me off at the race but I told him to go visit his mother instead. Why should both of us have to be outside in the wind & cold and it’s Mother’s Day!!!

It was difficult to choose what to wear. I decided to keep with the pink theme and tried to be warm but not overdress. I brought gloves, wore a turtleneck, fleece vest, tights under my shorts since the wind made it feel even colder than it was.

This race usually gives good gifts – This year it was a beach bag. When I arrived, I immediately saw my bloggy friends and we posed for a photo.

Felice, Amanda & me before the race.

The race was not chip timed. We took off together not too far from the front. Felice, pregnant but still speedy, ran off ahead and finished with a great time! I tried to keep Amanda in my sight. I knew she was faster but I wanted a good time. I remembered to charge my iPod but forgot to put the transmitter back in. As a result, although the course was marked at 1 mile, 2 miles & 3 miles, I no idea what my pace was. I only stopped briefly for water & for a photo (see below). The sun poked through the clouds several times which made me warm, otherwise it was very WINDY!!!!

I think I was near mile 3 marker...

Felice finished way ahead and was waiting at the finish for us. Amanda did well too and in fact, she did 3.5 miles as fast as she did 5K last Sunday when it was 40 degrees warmer!! I crossed the finish line at 33:08!! A PR for this race by over 4 1/2 minutes!! YAY!!!

Felice, Amanda & me after the race

After they posted our times and saw that we did not win any awards, we headed home. (Actually Amanda did come in 3rd)

I quickly got ready to head up to Bolton Landing to celebrate my birthday at my favorite restaurant on Lake George – the Algonquin. Some of our Lake George friends met us there. It was perfect!

me & hubby at our lakeside (indoor) table

TO ME!!
57 YEARS YOUNG!

Happy Running and Happy Mother’s Day!

May 2, 2010 by Darlene

8th Annual Literacy Run

The last race I was in (just 2 weeks ago), it was cloudy, 40 degrees & windy. Today, the weather was similar to Florida – sunny, 80’s and humid!!!! A coincidence that I was just there!

This was a new race for me. It was a new course for everyone. There were about 300 runners/walkers. I got there a little early. I got my chip & number but they gave out the t-shirts at the end. Good idea! I didn’t have to run back to put it in my car. There was no food or water. Good thing I ate breakfast & brought my own water.

I bumped into a Amanda, a local runner/blogger. She has been sick so I was surprised that she was running. I also met Rosella, who was my mentor in the No Boundaries program 2 years ago. She asked me to run with her group but I declined thinking that their pace would be too fast.

I tried to line up near the start but they asked those under 6 min mile to be in front, then 7, 8, etc. My one mile time is around 10 minutes so I moved back. Then I moved up but not as far as I should have. Hence not an accurate finish time.

As I mentioned, it was HOT and HUMID!! There was not a bit of shade and to make matters worse, the course was hilly. Not bad hills but too many of them.

I tried to start at a slow pace. I ran until the water stop at around 1.5 miles. Every time we did a loop, I saw Rosella who was BEHIND me (imagine that?) and she yelled GOOD JOB! That made me feel great!!

I stopped to walk again around 2 miles and then during the 3rd mile, the heat was getting to me. I thought I was going to throw up. I think I stopped to walk once or twice more and willed myself to finish strong!!!! I crossed the finish line at 30:45.

(Story in the Troy Record – click here to read.)

I wish I had had the stamina to not walk at all. I usually don’t walk at all. I’ll chalk it up to the heat and too much fun on vacation (and not enough training)!

They gave out t-shirts after the race. I wouldn’t recommend this race for its refreshments. They gave you a bottle of water and an orange slice!

I hung around to see if my time was good enough to win a prize. NOPE! I came in 4th in my age group and they gave out prizes for the top 3 😦

I'm 56 for one more week.

My hubby & I went out to lunch and then to see Lord of the Dance. It was spectacular! We’ve seen it many times but we enjoyed it as much as the first time.

My next race is Sunday – Mother’s Day and my birthday!!!

Happy Running!

April 18, 2010 by Darlene

Saints Race for Red Cross 5k Race

This race was held at the Crossings so it was a course that I am very familiar with. Unfortunately the weather was similar to yesterday: cold (41 degrees at the start), cloudy, windy. It’s always difficult in these situations to decide what to wear. I opted for tights, long sleeve shirt, windbreaker, gloves & hat. I was still cold so I put the race tee-shirt on the outside.

(I found me in a picture posted on a blog.)

The race was sponsored by Siena College and it was its first. There were about 200 racers and most were college students. I didn’t start as close to the start as I would have liked so I think time was better than published. The pace was fast since the racers were YOUNG but I tried to ignore them and do my own thing.

You should never wear something new in a race. I wore a Bondi Band and then my hat (in case it started to rain) over it. The wind kept blowing my hat off and it was so annoying. I had to stop and take off the band and put my hair in a ponytail through the back of my cap.

The sun came out about 1 km in and I took off my gloves and put them in my pocket. They fell out once (ugh!) I also stopped halfway for water.

I was surprised to see the time as I approached the finish line. I was 29 minutes…I crossed at 30:06. I may have be able to PR if I hadn’t stopped.

After the race, the dance team and a multicultural dance group from the college entertained the runners. The multicultural group was especially good!

The only prizes given out were for 1st place in 10-year age groups. I came in 3rd.

Oh well… I said I didn’t care as long as I did my best and had fun. And I did!!!

Then Heather Said also posted about this race. You can read it here and see some of her race pics.

My next 5k race is May 2 (after my vacation).

Happy Running and good luck to those Boston marathoners!

December 20, 2009 by Darlene

Jingle Bell Run

I did! it!! I didn’t like it but I did it!

The thermometer read 10 degrees when I left. I wore tights, with shorts over them, a turtkleneck, fleece jacket, hat & gloves. On the way, I thought of turning back several times.

I got there and there were about 150 cheery people with santa suits, santa hats & bells on. I wore the race shirt over my clothes as an additional layer. and waited til the last moment to head to the starting line.

Remember I have never run outside in temperature below 50 degrees!!

It was FREEZING!!! My hands were numb for 2.5 miles. My face felt like it would fall off. The breeze didn’t help.

Anyway, I ran the whole way. Only because it would take longer to get indoors if I walked. The Crossings where the race was held was hillier than I remember. It was one hill after another. My iPod wasn’t working so I had no idea what my pace was.

I was pleased when I saw 30 minutes approaching the finish line. I crossed at around 30:24 – out of gas and frozen.

photo from Fox News

So now I know that I can run a race in the winter. Now I know I don’t like it. Back to the treadmill I go. My next 5k will be in April.

After the race, I rushed home since I had to go to a 3 year old’s birthday party followed by a movie (The Blind Side) and dinner (the Blue Spice) to celebrate my best friend’s birthday.

Richard turns 3!!

November 26, 2009 by Darlene

Cardiac Classic 5k Run

I was a little nervous about this race since I haven’t run 3 miles in a month and have been on the treadmill but only about 2 miles with no incline. I was also excited to be doing a 5k.

I arrived in Central Park early. I picked up my packet yesterday not to be rushed. It was in the high 40’s and everyone was wearing tights and sweats. Not me. I was still determined to run in shorts and long sleeve tee shirt (with gloves). I hung around the fireplaces in the pavilion sipping hot cocoa until the start of the race.

There were about 1500 people – not the 6500 that would be in the more popular Troy Turkey Trot. I bumped into some familiar faces and one of my Mah Jongg friends.

This was my first time on this course (http://www.ellishospital.org/ellisfoundation/main/cardiacclassiccourse.pdf). It was hilly but I’ve done worse. I got caught up in the crowd and the beginning of the race. There was someone calling times at each mile. My first mile was too good – 9:02 but I slowed down to 19:02 at mile 2. During the 3rd mile, I was running out of steam. Probably because I haven’t run more than 2 miles in a month or my first mile was faster than normal.

I struggled through the finish line – no sprinting this time and crossed around 30:10. No PR! No award! But my time was the usual and I am glad I did it.

I feel great. Now I can start cooking.

Happy Thanksgiving fellow runners and bloggers!

October 25, 2009 by Darlene

CRSS Race for Hope

I only ran this race because it was raining yesterday and I didn’t run the Saratoga race. This race is very close to my house but it the first annual so I knew nothing about the course or how many runners there would be.

I got up and was glad to see the rain had stopped and the sun was out. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day.

my neighbor's tree this am

That didn’t last, I mean the sun. It was breezy, cloudy and cold by race time. Again I wasn’t sure what to wear and decided to brave the cold and wear shorts, but wore 2 long sleeve shirts & gloves. I was even a little warm while running but cold when I stopped.

This was the course –http://www.capitalregionspecialsurgery.com/raceforhopealbany/PDFs/CRSS_R4H_5Kmap.pdf .

We ran around neighborhoods in Slingerlands with huge gorgeous houses but at every turn there was a hill. My first mile was 9:48 but I stopped during the 2nd mile for water and to fix my iPod and slowed down to 19:50 so so. I figured that this hilly course would give me a slow time and was surprised when I saw 29… in the distance. I was mad that I messed up mile 2 and there was not enough time to make it up. I sprinted to the finish and crossed at 30:14.

I looked at the race times and saw a lot fast times for women my age so no award this time. As usual I’m glad I did it and hope to improve next time.

I signed up for a 5k next Saturday at RPI – don’t know the course at all. There is also another one called the Monster Madness 5K sponsored by the Troy YMCA.

October 17, 2009 by Darlene

Annie’s Quest 5k

anniesquest

My training for this race was the same as the last one – treadmill at the gym on Monday & Thursday before work for about 30-40 minutes watching tv on my iPod. I haven’t increased my speed above 4.2 mph so I’m running pretty slow and only about 2 miles or so. I would run longer but I have to get to work. I have decided that I like running in the morning better.

I ran this race last year. I remember thinking that it was very hilly but after last week I thought I’d feel differently. I bumped into the 3 sisters that I met at the last race. They are so nice… but they decided to do the 3k walk instead of the run.

It was cold!!!! Maybe 40 degrees if that. I didn’t know what to wear but I remembered that last year, my hands were cold so I wore gloves. I also wore the long sleeve cool max shirt from the Bruegger’s race & a windbreaker. I wore shorts (I think I was the only one). Actually I wasn’t cold while I was running.

Yes, it was hilly. The 1st 3/4 mile was uphill and the middle was slightly hilly. The end was downhill mostly. I felt good and didn’t walk at all. I only stopped when I dropped my glove and for water. Obviously was not running fast up the hills and crossed the finish line around 31:20. I’m not sure.

The strange thing was that there was no chip timing like last year. They didn’t rip off the bottom of the numbers. You just wrote your time on a piece of paper & put it in a box. I wonder how many people were honest.

They only announced the first place man & woman and raffle prize winners.

October 12, 2009 by Darlene

Falling Leaves 5K

lst place (F 50-59)

I was going to complain about this race until I won a medal… my first! I won socks at the Jailhouse Rock 5k in the 55-59 category. This was in the 50-59 age group and luckily all the fast women chose another race.

This is the first time I’ve run this course. There were 130 runners. I found some nice women my age to hang with before the race. It was a beautiful day and a very scenic area.

view from the bridge at the beg & end of race

The race started up a STEEP hill and then went down it. I thought I was done but it continued to go up and down hills throughout the course. I walked twice and said to myself: NEVER AGAIN!! Too tough a course for me… I like a flat course!

I was able to sprint to the finish and was shocked to see 30:01!! How was that possible unless I made up time on all the downhills. I wish I didn’t walk at all. Maybe I would have had a PR!

So I stuck around for the awards to hear my name called & get my medal. An old friend (ex-husband of a friend) ran up to me after he heard my name. He started running and was in this race. Small world.

Next race is Annie’s Quest which I ran last year and thought was hilly. I should be better prepared after this race.

October 3, 2009 by Darlene

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

My prayers were answered — it did not rain!!!! The streets were wet and it was humid but even the sun came out for a few minutes!!

I convinced my husband to give me a ride so I wouldn’t have to look for parking – he dropped me off to find the law school team so I could get my tee shirt and take photo before the race.

Albany Law School Team

As I found last year, it was a very emotional race looking at all the survivors of breast cancer and all those wearing names on their backs of friends and relatives who died from this disease. I myself have 7 close friends who have had breast cancer.

Since it wasn’t raining, I gave my jacket to my husband and Colleen (a new runner from work) & I headed to the race. It was late so we squeezed into the crowd at the start.

me & Colleen

Halfway up the Madison Ave hill, I was out of breath. It was either my cold, mucus in my lungs or the fact that I haven’t run in a week. I struggled the whole race. My one mile time wasn’t too bad -10 min, but the during the 2nd mile, I had to stop to catch my breath or blow my nose several times and was up to 21 min. I knew this wouldn’t be a PR race so I continued and surprisingly I was able to sprint through the finish line. 31:15 is what Cool Running web site says. 616 out 1250 women.

Me behind Colleen at the start

My slowest 5k time since May 😦

Even so, I always feel so good after a race that I can’t wait to do another. If only I wasn’t so competitive.

September 25, 2009 by Darlene

Arsenal City 5K

I had a sore throat all night and didn’t sleep. Woke up with a cold. I debated all day whether or not I should do this race. I felt crappy all day but decided to give it a whirl.

It was pretty chilly. I wore my pants & jacket til the start of the race. As they said, it was a flat course. There were about 500 runners and all the fast ones were there.

I met a new friend, a woman in her fifties new to running. This was her 2nd 5k. Her name is Sue. I met someone I know from tennis who was running in her lst race. It made me feel like a veteran runner.

I was determined to do my best, despite a runny nose and difficulty breathing. I really struggled the last mile and was shocked to see that I was under 30 minutes. I finished at 29:59!!!! Amazing!