August 8, 2014 by Darlene

Friday Five: Race Memories

Every Friday, three DC area bloggers Mary at Mar On the Run, Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?! and Courtney from Eat Pray Run, DC to host the Friday Five linkup. Anyone can join with their own Friday Five post (yes, it must be a Friday Five!!) They encourage you to visit other blogs on the linkup, comment, share and engage!

This week, the theme is Race Memories:

I have run 124 races so that’s a lot of race memories. (And blogging helps keep them alive.)

Here are my top five (in no particular order):

1. My first Half Marathon. I didn’t tell my friends that I was running a half marathon. I had only raced 5Ks up to that point and they wouldn’t have understood. The race also took place in Naples, Fla, my favorite vacation spot (where I go annually with my tennis friends.) It took place on my wedding anniversary and my hubby was there waiting for me at the finish line. When I finished, I couldn’t believe that I had run 13.1 miles and I couldn’t wait to sign up for another.

January 2011

2. The SRM’s First 5K – Strong Running Mamas (SRM) started as a small group by The Happy Runner who wanted to encourage some friends to start running. We met once a month and ran as a group and it culminated with their first 5K. I was just as excited for them as they were.

The initial SRM group – June 5, 2010

These runners continued on to run 10ks, 15ks, half marathons and marathons. In fact, they are what motivated me to run my first half marathon. The group now has a Facebook page and has over 140 members.

more SRMs in October 2013

3. My First Race After My Ankle Surgery. I fell avoiding an ice patch in December 2011 while out running and broke my ankle in several places. I had a plate and 8 screws put in. It was a very long recovery. The doctor said that I probably would not be able to run. I didn’t for 5 months but I went to the Freihofer’s Run For Women intending to try to walk it. But when the gun went off I started running and didn’t stop until the I crossed the finish line.

I even made the first page of the local newspaper

4. My First 10 Mile and Most Scenic Race – My running buddy Mary moved away to La Quinta, CA and I really missed her so I signed up for a 10 mile race in Palm Springs and we ran it together.

January 11, 2014

The views on the course were awesome. I can’t wait to go back.

loved it here

5. My Wettest But Most Fun Half Marathon. This race was planned by a new runner friend, Heidi. She then invited her local friend Adrienne. Both Heidi and Adrienne brought their husbands (Heidi’s hubby even ran it.) It was Heidi & Adrienne’s FIRST half marathon. Heidi also invited 2 high school friends, Lisa & Andrea, who were experienced half marathoners.

Adrienne, Lisa, me & Andrea

the night before the race

We had so much fun at the expo, exploring the sites of Philly and at dinner.

the morning before the race -March 30, 2014

Unfortunately, there was a record rainfall during the whole 13.1 miles. I have never ever been so wet in my life. (Except for my 2nd half marathon in Lake George.)

don’t I look happy?

Oh and this half marathon is my PR.

Happy Running! What are some of your race memories?

August 7, 2014 by Darlene

Another Race!

ccc14

When you run half marathons, a 10k shouldn’t be a big deal.

But it is.

These days even a 5K seems like a lot of work. Maybe it’s the heat and humidity but 6.2 hilly miles won’t be a picnic.

I ran this race 2 years ago as my first 10k ever. I finished at 1:09:07 but I was still recovering from ankle surgery. (My current 10K PR is 1:00:51)

The course is out and back – which means the same hills both ways.

10473168_305908679574878_277771612731589142_n

along the lake most of the way

no flat sections!

I don’t run many 10ks. I usually train for half marathons by running long on the weekend. With 5Ks, I just wing it. But for 10ks, you want to run fast but not burn out. So who knows how this will go. I will try to go out slow and save some for the second half.

Anyway, I am looking forward to this race because you run along Lake George. There is a great BBQ at the end and you can swim in the lake at the beach if you want. I also know lots of women who are running the Half Marathon as a training run for an upcoming marathon. (Since the half marathon starts an hour before the 10k, they may finish before me.) It will be fun to see them again.

Goals:

Run more than walk
Pace under 10 min/mile for most miles
Course PR (under 1:09)
Finish strong and uninjured
Enjoy the race

Happy Running! Do you run 10ks often? Do you train for them?

August 4, 2014 by Darlene

Monday running update

20140625-122436-44676505 Last Week:

Monday – walk around the hotel, work at the bar exam, 4 mile run after

Tuesday – walk around the hotel, work at the bar exam, rest

Wednesday – 3 5 mile run ~~before~~ after work, walk at work, ~~yoga after~~

Thursday – walk at work, staff picnic, ~~5 mile run~~(rain)

Friday & Saturday- tennis. hiking (in CT)

3.5 mile hike

Sunday – ~~5K race + 3 more miles~~, ~~boating~~, 6 mile run

Hot, Hilly & Humid

This Week:

Monday – breakfast at the track, rest
Tuesday – 3 mile run before work, walk at work, tennis
Wednesday – walk at work, 3 mile run, yoga
Thursday – walk at work, 4 mile run
Friday- walk at work, rest
Saturday –10 K race, boating
Sunday – rest

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any races ?

August 1, 2014 by Darlene

July rundown

JULY GOALS:

Repeated goals:

RUN at least 3-4 times each week. YES!

before work

after work

during work

new trails on a day off

bike path on the weekend

Continue planks. Not often 😦
Go to Yoga at least 2x. YES! 2X
Walk at least once a day at work. YES! Everyday!

am walk

pm walk

Play tennis outdoors once a week. YES! 3X (got rained out 1x)

Continue to use those 5 lb weights on my desk. Not often 😦
Run any 5k or 10K races under 10 minutes per mile! Barely!

Turning Point 5k -30:49

Run at least 75 miles this month. YES!

july14

Dedicate all my runs to John Anthony my running buddy. YES! Of course.

his reaction to the race shirts that I sent him

New goals:

Lose at least 5 lbs. NOPE!! 😦
Add weekly long runs. YES until my half.

July 5

Complete my 9th half marathon. YES!

a tough one at 2:26:00 but won 2nd in my AG

Choose a fall or winter half marathon. Nope! Still only have the 10 miler in October.

10-26-14 in NJ

Start training for a fall half. Nope!

I also spent time on our boat on Lake George.

I spent 2 days at my friend’s on the Schroon River.

I saw Jimmy Buffet in concert!!

he was awesome…

August Goals:

Repeated goals:

RUN at least 3-4 times each week.
Continue planks.
Go to Yoga at least 2x.
Walk at least once a day at work.
Play tennis outdoors once a week
Continue to use those 5 lb weights on my desk.
Run any 5k or 10K races under 10 minutes per mile!
Run at least 70 miles this month.
Dedicate all my runs to John Anthony my running buddy.

New goals:

See my mentee Amanda (she is no longer moving away.)
Eat healthy…lose those annoying extra lbs.
Run at least once a week before work.
Decide on a winter half.

Happy Running! How was your July? Anything special planned for August?

July 31, 2014 by Darlene

Busy weekend ahead

Work is giving us Friday off! Woo Hoo!

So I decided to head to Connecticut a day early.

Fonda is front & center

Fonda, one of my traveling tennis friends, recently bought a condo in Torrington, CT and invited all of us for the weekend.

view from the condo’s deck

But if I go a day early, that means I will leave a day early. My friend Linda is coming with me. This will free up some beds for Sat. eve and leave me available to do a 5K on Sunday.

Sunday, August 3 in Chesterown, NY

Yes, another race. Yay!

there is 3 mile trail around this pond

So Friday I will be driving 2 hours to CT, playing tennis, swimming, maybe running…

the pool

and then Saturday, more tennis, swimming, female bonding, etc. and driving home from CT.

love my tennis friends

Sunday, I will have to get up early to drive up to Chestertown (about 1 hr 15 min.) for the race. I may run some after and then go boating for the rest of the day. (The race is 15 minutes from the marina.)

running in Chestertown

Chestertown is hilly and I will most likely be tired from 2 days of tennis. So hopefully, I will have a good race.

Goals:

Run the whole thing (This never used to be so hard.)
Beat my last race finish time (30:49)
Get an age group award
Finish uninjured

So a busy but fun weekend ahead. Hope the weather cooperates.

Happy Running! What are your plans for the weekend?

July 29, 2014 by Darlene

Tuesdays on the Run: Speedwork

Erika @ MCM Mama Runs hosts Tuesdays on the Run with April @ Run the great wide somewhere and Patty @ My no-guilt life!

This week’s topic is: Speedwork: How to run faster

This a tough topic for me because I am not good with prescribed runs or formal drills.

So here is what they say to do:

Be Prepared for a Little Discomfort – Some beginners have difficulty running faster because they’re afraid of feeling uncomfortable. But one of the first steps to getting faster is to learn what it feels like to pick up the pace. When you’re pushing yourself during speed training, expect to get out of breath and feel your leg muscles burning.

Work on Your Turnover – If you can increase your stride turnover, you’ll run faster. Start by running at about your 5K pace for 30 seconds and counting every time your right foot hits the ground. Then jog for a minute to recover and run for 30 seconds again, this time trying to increase the count. Focus on taking quick, light, short steps — as if you’re stepping on hot coals.

Try Interval Workouts – Interval workouts are a fun way to work on your speed. You can do track workouts, such as 400m (one lap around the track) repeats. After a 5- to 10-minute warm-up, alternate between running one 400m at your 5K pace and jogging one slow, easy recovery lap. Start with two or three 400m repeats (with a recovery lap in between each), and try to work your way up to five or six. Or, if you’re running on the road, you can use lamp posts or telephone poles to mark intervals. After warming-up, try sprinting for two lamp posts, then recover for two, and keep repeating the pattern until you’ve covered a mile.

Do a Tempo Run Once a Week – Tempo runs help you develop your anaerobic threshold, which is critical for running faster. To do a tempo run, start your run with 5 to 10 minutes of easy running, then continue with 15 to 20 minutes of running at about 10 seconds slower than your 10K pace. Finish with 5 to 10 minutes of cooling down. If you’re not sure what your 10K pace is, run at a pace that feels “comfortably hard.”

Try Some Hill Training – Hill repeats are an efficient way to build running strength. Find a fairly steep hill that’s about 100 meters long. Run hard to the top of the hill, and slowly jog back down. Start with 3 to 4 repeats once a week, and gradually work your way up to 6 to 7 repeats.

Lose Weight – If you’re already trying to shed some pounds, here’s more incentive: Research has shown that, on average, runners get two seconds per mile faster for every pound they lose. So, for example, a 10-pound weight loss would shave about one minute off your 5K race time.

Don’t Forget About Rest Days – Don’t assume that running hard every day will make you faster. Rest is critical to your recovery and injury prevention efforts, so don’t forget to take at least one day off completely each week. Your muscles actually build and repair themselves during your rest days. So, if you run every day without taking days off, you won’t see much improvement.

Be a Smart Racer – It’s possible to shave some seconds or maybe even minutes off your finishing time with smart racing strategies, such as making sure you don’t start out too fast.

Now here’s what I do:

I should say that I don’t do much speedwork. In fact, I rarely even do the first 2 below. I know I should and I would probably be faster if I did.

Modified Fartleks – In other words, I ran as fast I can until the next mailbox or lamp post. I repeat this several times. I do this maybe once a week during a run. I also always end my runs running very fast. I think this is because I want to be done sooner. But it does give me practice in running fast and sprinting through the finish line.

Track Intervals – I walk one lap of the track (400 m) and then run one lap fast. I repeat 12 times. So I have completed 3 miles but only 1.5 miles running. Sometimes I only run/walk a half lap because 400 m of walking is boring but in the end, it is the same distance.

now he knows how to rest

Rest Days – I rarely run two days in a row. If I do, it may be a morning followed by an afternoon. If my legs are tired, I run slower. Sometimes I even take 2 days off before a race. As you age, your legs need more time to recover.

Run a lot of races. Someone once replied when I said that “I don’t do speedwork” that “your races are your speedwork.” This is probably true. I am not motivated to run fast and not walk during my training runs. I just do the miles to get it done. However, in a race, my competitive nature takes over, I want to be fast.

Happy Running! What do you do to get faster?

July 28, 2014 by Darlene

Monday running update

20140625-122436-44676505 Last Week:

Monday – DAY OFF –4 5.5 miles, several walks

post-run walking in Schroon Lake

Tuesday -walk at work, rest, tennis

AM walk

Wednesday – 3 mile run before work, ~~walk at work~~ (too busy), ~~yoga~~ (thunderstorm)

so so humid

Thursday – 4 3 mile run before work, walk at work

refreshing – humidity gone

Friday – walksat work, rest, mah jongg

walked to lunch and after though I know we didn’t want off those calories

Saturday- 5K race + 2 more miles, boating

5k trail race

Sunday -rest

This Week:

Monday – work at the bar exam, 4 mile run after
Tuesday -work at the bar exam, rest
Wednesday – 3 mile run before work, walk at work, yoga
Thursday – walk at work, staff picnic, 5 mile run
Friday- tennis. hiking (in CT)
Saturday – tennis, swimming, dinner out (in CT)
Sunday – 5K race + 3 more miles, boating

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any races ?

July 27, 2014 by Darlene

Turning Point 5k race report

tp5k

Another new race for me. Besides being new for me, it was moved to a new location. (So no reviews to read up on.)

It took place in Hudson Crossing Park, centered around Champlain Canal Lock 5 Island, just north of Schuylerville, on New York State’s Historic Scenic Byway, Route 4.

I passed by the park after the Bacon Hill 5K (which influenced to me to choose this race.)

photo from the triathlon there in June

I was a little nervous about the trail portion. I had never run a trail race and my last trail run resulted in a fall.

There also weren’t many runners running this race…Would I be last?

The good news was the perfect weather…sunny and not too warm and no rain (just a little humid.)

The race was about an hour from my house. I got there plenty early. I picked up my race packet (another cotton tee shirt to give away) and used the rest room (a real one!)

I walked around a bit..what a pretty location.

part of the one of the trails

The race was called the “turning point” because the battle of Saratoga (nearby) was won by the Americans and was the turning point of the American Revolution. (In case you were wondering.)

me & Elisa before the race

Soon I ran into a running friend, Elisa and then a few others that I knew.

the beginning and end of the race

Soon it was time to begin. They explained the course which sounded very complicated–Down the road and sharp right onto the trails…to the end, turn around and run the same trail back…run another trail and go over a bridge and turn around and then return on that trail but turn off half way to head to the finish.

It turned out that there were volunteers on the course directing runners and it was very easy to follow.

starting

on the grass

part of the trail – runners going both ways

running past the water stop

the bridge

another part of the trail

The course was not easy for me.

I am very clumsy so my plan was to take it easy and make sure I didn’t trip and fall.

That wasn’t a problem because it is hard to run fast on dirt and rocky turf (at least for me). It was mostly flat with a few hills. The tricky part were the downhills. I slowed right down on those.

So I didn’t fall but my competitive self was disturbed by my time. I was tired quickly. I walked through the first water stop, then walked several times during the next 2 miles. (only one being up a hill.)

Was it the humidity or the trail or what? How did I do a half marathon 2 weeks ago if I can’t run a 5k without stopping.

Anyway, my friends were waiting at the finish line and I managed to look good sprinting across it at 30:47.

I can’t remember the last time I finished a 5K over 30 minutes!!! (I think it was after I had surgery on my ankle and hadn’t run for 5 months.) I have run faster with a broken foot and a stress fracture.

we all won medals.–2 firsts, a second and I won third

Even so, I won in my age group…the perks of a small race and being old.

The refreshments were bananas and granola bars.

Splits:

mile 1 – 9:40
mile 2 – 9:59
mile 3 – 10:09
.14- 8:15

Race Goals:

Run the whole thing. NO. Walked 3-4 times.
Not fall and get hurt. YES.
Not finish last. YES.
Finish under 30 minutes. NO but close.

Still I had fun. Racing is always fun for me.

But with the cotton tee shirt, the food and the distance to drive, this is the first of my NEW races that I may not repeat. The course was very pretty. I would like to come back and run on it for fun.

Happy Running! Do you like trail races?

July 24, 2014 by Darlene

More races?

Races are what motivates me.

It’s no secret that my training runs suck….I walk and walk and walk some more… so my pace is SLOOOOOOOW!

But in a race, for some strange reason, I run faster and if it’s 5 miles or less, I don’t usually have to stop and walk.

So I run a lot of races. They boost my confidence.

Mayor’s Race & Wellness Festival 10 miler (Palm Springs, CA)
HMRRC Winter Series #3 – 15K
Polar Cap 4 mi
HMRRC Winter Series #4 – 7K
Lighthouse 5k (St. Augustine, FL)
Runnin of the Green 4 mi
LoveRun Half Marathon (Philadelphia, PA)
Delmar Dash 5m
Bacon Hill Bonanza 5k
Rabbit Ramble 4m
Cherry Blossom 5k
Spring Run Off 10K
Mom’s Day 5K
Freihofer’s Run for Women
Betar Byway 5K
Strawberry Fest 5K
Adirondack Distance 10m
Saratoga Half Marathon

Yes, 18 races so far… (10 in March-May)!

Here’s how the rest of the summer is shaping up:

7-26-14 – Turning Point 5K – a new one and a trail race
8-03-14 – Care for Kids 5K – a new one near where I stayed last weekend
8-09-14 – Camp Chingachgook 10k – a hilly 10k along Lake George which I ran in 2012 as my 1st 10K
8-16-14 – Jailhouse Rock 5k – a small local 5K that I have run in 2009, 2010, 2012
9-06-14 – MBPK 5k – another local 5k that I have run in 2012 and 2013
9-14-14 – Biggest Loser 10k – a new 10k at the Great Escape park near Lake George

I never PR in the summer. I am usually injured or recovering from an injury. This summer, I am healthy!! So you never know…

I haven’t run with any speed in the last 6 weeks due to training for the 10 miler and half marathon.

But this Saturday, I have a RACE! A 5k!

tp5k

A new race at a new location (It used to held in Saratoga State park.) Now it takes place in Hudson Crossing Park, centered around Champlain Canal Lock 5 Island, just north of Schuylerville, on New York State’s Historic Scenic Byway, Route 4.

I passed by this park after the Bacon Hill 5K in April (which influenced to me to choose this race.)