April 24, 2014 by Darlene

TTT

1. Why are my training runs at a 12 minute pace and my races between 9 and 10??

I always feel so lethargic when I run by myself. I walk frequently. I don’t push myself. If I didn’t sign up for races, I would never get faster.

see what I mean?

2. Why do I feel pressure to PR at all my races?

I am competitive and want to get faster and even win an AG award. I would have more fun if I get went out there to run and not think about my finish time.

disappointed in my time

having fun – didn’t care about my time

3. What are my goals for this weekend’s 5K race (another new one)?

als 2014

run the whole thing without stopping
finish under 30 minutes
keep each mile’s pace under 10 minutes
have fun! (do not have to win a AG award or have a PR)
stay healthy!

Happy Running! Are you running or racing this weekend? How do you motivate yourself to train well?

April 22, 2014 by Darlene

Run the Perfect 10 Miler With Me on October 26th!

A few weeks ago, I heard about a women’s-only ten mile race at Mercer County Park, New Jersey in October, called the Perfect 10. It’s put on by CGI Racing, which also organizes the Rutgers Unite Half and the LoveRun, among other events.

Except for the rain, the Love Run was a fun event and so well organized that I wanted to run another CGI race.

I have a college friend that lives in NJ about an hour from the race so I registered and plan to stay with my friend for the weekend.

Until the end of May, it’s $50, which is pretty good compared to half marathons and other area races around that time of year. Also, there will be a chocolate fountain at the finish – how can you say no to that?!

The Perfect 10 race is an event that is not only a running competition but a celebration of our own positive image as women, both inside and out. The organization encourages you to share your inspiring stories of why you are a perfect 10, and those featured monthly will have a chance to receive the Perfect 10 Honor on race weekend.

In a Runner’s World article by Kristin Armstrong, she wrote, “you are most beautiful when you are doing what you love.” That is a message I hope runners everywhere will understand, especially those who are self-conscious when taking their first strides outside the door.

So, if you’re in the NJ/NY/PA/DE area and get excited about the prospect of a mid-fall ten mile race, chocolate, or men in tuxedos, please visit the Perfect 10 website to check it out further! Also, follow their Twitter and Facebook pages for the latest information and inspiration!

Check out this video, too!

Happy Running! Anyone running this race or have run it before?

April 21, 2014 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week:

Monday – 3 miles, Passover seder

on the track during lunch – gusty & steamy

LOTS OF GOOD FOOD!!

Tuesday – rest, 1 mile walk at work, tennis

back inside – RAIN

Wednesday – 1 mile walk at work, 4 5 miles

40 degrees colder than Monday

sunny but cold…snow was almost gone

Thursday – 2 – 1 mile walks at work, 4 3.5 mile run

indoors, looking outside into the courtyard

outdoors followed by a treat

outdoors – cool but sunny

Friday – 2 -1 mile walks at work, rest, mah jongg

on the track

Saturday – 4m race + 3 miles

unofficial PR & 2nd in my AG

slow recovery run on the rail rrail

Sunday – rest, Easter dinner, some spring mulching

This Week:

Monday – 4 miles
Tuesday – rest, tennis
Wednesday – 4 miles
Thursday – rest
Friday – 3 miles, mah jongg
Saturday – rest
Sunday – 5K race + 4 more

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

April 20, 2014 by Darlene

Good Luck Boston Runners!

I will be following 3 runners:

bmtracking

I work with Colleen.

me & Colleen at the Race for the Cure 2009

Michele is one of my former French students.

with her sister Laura at the 2011 Boston Marathon

Sheila is a member of the SRMs (a local running group.)

she is front right

Happy Running! Are you or do you know anyone running in Boston?

April 19, 2014 by Darlene

Rabbit Ramble 4 Mile Race Report

April 19, 2014 10 am Guilderland, NY

Another weekend, another race. I did 13.1 miles, then 5 miles, then 3.1 miles. This weekend, it was a 4 mile race. And a new one. So no idea if it would be a fun one or a hard one.

It was advertised as an out and back course on country roads and because this was the 20th year they would be giving out Special 20th anniversary t-shirts, along with live music, door prizes, special 20th year medals and awards to all overall and age group winners. In addition to all this, if you registered early, you would receive a pair of Rabbit Ramble running gloves. Sounded like a fun race to me.

(After I registered, I found out about a closer and flatter new race. Oh well, next year.)

at the Corning Preserve

After a warm weekend, the weather cooled off this past week. It was almost 80 degrees on Monday and it snowed Tuesday night and went down to 30 degrees. Today it was back to normal – that is, in between weather – 40s to start and then a little warmer (but with lots of WIND.)

I decided to wear similar clothes to my last race — long sleeve shirt, skirt, compression socks & bring a jacket.

The race started at 10 am so I could sleep in and it was only about 30 minute drive.

This race was so close to a DNS. I spent the morning in the bathroom. I had eaten the same foods yesterday as I did Thursday but at mah jongg I ate several gluten-free pastries. Maybe that was it. Who knows??

But I had severe cramps and I wasn’t sure I could stay after from the bathroom long enough to run. But I left and figured that I could just get my shirt & gloves and come home.

It was chilly and very WINDY. I immediately regretted not wearing an extra layer.

I was starting to feel better and decided to run the race. (If I felt bad I could walk.) At the last minute, I wore my race shirt over my long sleeve tech shirt and in the wind, I was still cold.

The race was a little informal with no starting line and no chips. There was also a 2 mile walk that started at the same time but just turned back after one mile.

Since I felt crummy, I just wanted to finish. The route was out and back along a country road. It was not flat!! Rolling hills which somehow always felt to be uphill.

But it was pretty out there:

Running into the wind was very tough. I vowed to muscle through it and not walk!! I was tempted many many times. There weren’t any mile markers or any water (a table with cups but no water.) I just ran and every now and then glanced at my Garmin to make sure I was still running under a 10 minute mile.

Amazingly I was keeping a steady pace. It was better without the wind gusts but they kept coming.

Of course, since I was feeling better, I looked around for older women. I spotted two. One was way ahead and one was within my view but I couldn’t catch her.

Finally the finish line was in sight. I started to feel very nauseous but I didn’t care. And believe it or not, my nose was running too. Blood, ew!! I had a bloody nose but gross or not, I just wiped it with my hands.

I wanted to pass the gray-haired lady. I got closer and closer and at the last second I did!! And the clock said 37:XX. (I’ve never run a 4 mile race under 38 minutes!)

However, without a chip, you just handed in the tag from your bib.

rr4

My official finish time was recorded as 38:06. Not a PR!! (4 seconds too slow.) But my Garmin read: 37:53.

So I’ll call it an unofficial PR. But considering how I felt before and after race, I am happy!

I stuck around chatting with old friends and new. They had raffle prizes. I wound up winning a Road ID. This was great since I recently lost mine.

It took quite awhile for the results to be posted and all they had for refreshments were cookies and water.

Eventually they did post them and it seemed that there were quite a few (more than 3) women in my age group who finished ahead of me. I was going to leave but someone said that the walkers’ results were mixed in the the runners.

Glad I did stay. I won 2nd in my Age Group! WooHoo!

silver medal

Definitely turned out much better than I expected.

Splits:

mile 1- 9:23
mile 2 – 9:43
mile 3- 9:30
mile 4 – 9:15

(YAY! negative splits!)

My goals for this race were:

run the whole thing without stopping – YES!
finish under 40 minutes – YES!
keep each mile’s pace under 10 minutes – YES!
win an AG award – YES!
have fun! – YES!
stay healthy! – YES!

After the race, I had planned to run 4 more miles but I was beat! I stopped off at the rail trail but all I could muster was 3 slow slow miles.

Happy Running! Are you running or racing this weekend?

April 17, 2014 by Darlene

Choosing Your Next Race

Yes, I like to run races. So I run a lot of them.

But how do you decide which race to run?

Here are some things to consider:

What is the race distance and where does it fit into your training?

Obviously a marathon and half marathon are goal races. I can only speak about half marathons. I always make sure that I have 12 weeks to train whether do I sign up for a spring, summer, winter or fall race.

So if you choose a spring one, you have to train in the winter (which was awful this year.) And if you choose a fall one, you have to train through the heat of summer. You just choose your poison. The reward is worth it.

Sarasota HM – March 2013

Mohawk-Hudson HM – October 2013

Sometimes a 5K can just be a training run and you may want to run additional miles before or after. Or the 5k can be a race where you want work on your speed and try to PR. A short race can also be a way to get back into racing after an injury. A 10k or a 15k can be just a different distance to try. Each distance accomplishes a different goal.

I am fortunate that where I live, between April and October, there are many races to choose from each weekend. Most are 5ks. So when I only ran 5ks, it was easy. Then I started training for half marathons and sometimes I just had to skip a 5K if I wanted to run long. That’s when the 10K and 15k worked out well. But there aren’t as many of those. I

So if you like to race a lot, you just have to be flexible with your running schedule.

a fun 10k to get miles in while training for a half

running a 5k (for speed work) and then adding more miles on after

Do you want a big race or a small race?

Big races offer a lot of excitement and they are a lot of fun. They are also more expensive. More expensive sometimes means more perks – medals, swag, food, photos, etc.

Small races are less hectic, it is easier to find parking and there is just less hassle. You also have a better chance of winning an age group award in a small race.

I like both. In big races, you are always running with a crowd and it is very motivating. You can feel the excitement in the air. Sometimes it is lonely in a small race. You may often be running by yourself. But then again, they are more personal and I have been lucky in winning awards & raffle prizes in some small races.

racing among 5000 women

winning a medal in a small race

Are you willing to travel and how far?

I know someone who is willing to travel for hours to a race. That’s not me. Gas is expensive and if the race is far away, you have to get up at an ungodly hour. What helps is if you can carpool or go with a friend. Even better is knowing someone who lives close to the race and staying over the night before.

Then there are destination races. Those are races that are too far away to go for the day. You may make them in a vacation or just a weekend away.

As I said, I don’t like to drive more than an hour for a race. (I’ve only done it only once.) I do like destination races. I have been lucky and been able to stay with a friend (in Florida, California, Pennsylvania, etc.) which saves money. I also save up my frequent flier miles (that I get my using my credit card) for these trips. So my vacation to visit an old friend just happens to include a race. Perfect!

this was farthest drive – 2 1/2 hours to VT

visiting an old friend in CA.

What is the course elevation?

Check it out ahead of time. No one likes to be surprised by a hilly race. I don’t like hills but sometimes you can’t avoid them. Other factors about the race may be more important.

For a half marathon, I love a flat course since even then this distance whips my butt.

Florida races are usually flat (except if they go over bridges)

hilly 4 miler in Lake George

What is the course like?

Is it on trails? Is it on roads open to traffic? It is through a park? Is it in a residential neighborhood? Do you run along the ocean or a lake or a river? In other words, will the scenery be a distraction from the struggle of running.

I love to run a race along the water and through a park. The course is important to me. That’s not to say that I haven’t run on some boring courses.

these free races run around the state office campus – so boring

scenic fall 5k in the Adirondacks

Do you get good swag?

Who needs another cotton tee shirt? At least now, most races are giving gender-specific tech shirts. Some races give bags or mugs. And some short races even give medals. We love bling, right?

free windbreakers!

a medal for a 5K!

Has it gotten good reviews?

The race’s advertising always makes the race look great. Try Googling the race name + “race recap” to pull up bloggers’ reviews. They are much more helpful. No one likes to pay for a race that doesn’t have enough parking or bathrooms or water on the course.

Most of my race experiences have been good just a few snafus here and there and I have honestly blogged about them. (I have had 2 bad experiences at 2 USRA races.)

USRA Lake George Half – poorly organized

CGI Love Run – well organized

So speaking of choosing a race, my next one is this Saturday – Rabbit Ramble 4 miler.

I chose it because it was nearby and supposedly not too hilly. 4 miles is a good distance since I am not training for a half right now but it is short enough to add on more miles if I feel like it. As far as swag — Special 20th anniversary t-shirts, door prizes, special 20th year medals and awards to all overall and age group winners and if you registered early, a pair of Rabbit Ramble running gloves. Some runners that I know have run it and said that it was a fun race.

My goals for this race are:

run the whole thing without stopping
finish under 40 minutes
keep each mile’s pace under 10 minutes
win an AG award
have fun!
stay healthy!

Happy Running! How do you decide which races to run?

April 14, 2014 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week:

Monday – 1 mile walk at work, rest, tennis

still indoors

Tuesday – 1 mile walk at work, ~~3 miles on the TM~~ (too tired), tennis (instead)

indoors again

Wednesday – 1 mile walk at work, 3 4 mile run

reward

so windy

Thursday – 1 mile walk at work, 4 mile run

first walk outdoors

warm but windy…on the rail trail

Friday – 1 mile walk at work, pizza party, rest, mah jongg

ate 4 slices of pizza for lunch. I don’t think 1 mile was enough to burn it off but it wasraining

Saturday – 5K race + 3.5 more miles

Sunday – rest, day with Amanda & sons

at the butterfly exhibit

at the park

This Week:

Monday – 3 miles at lunch, Passover seder
Tuesday – rest, tennis
Wednesday – 5 miles
Thursday – 4 miles
Friday – rest, mah jongg
Saturday – 4m race
Sunday – rest

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

April 12, 2014 by Darlene

2014 Bacon Hill Bonanza 5K Race Report

bacon hill

I am not sure why I registered for the 10K instead of the 5k. Maybe cuz they were both the same price or that it was more worth the drive.

10 K

Anyway, the 10K would be downhill for the first half and then uphill for the last half but the 5k was an out and back and would be mostly flat.

So I changed my mind. I switched to the 5K and then planned to run 3 miles after.

This was a new race for me. There were other closer races but first place male and female winners for each age group (5 year increments) would receive a homemade pie, second place age group winners homemade cookies, and third place homemade muffins. The finish line would also feature homemade chili and other goodies for all runners. Enough of an incentive for me.

The race started at 10 am which was good since it would be an hour minute drive.

Again the weather was tricky. What to wear? It was cool in the morning (low 40s) but scheduled to warm up to the 60s. I opted for a long sleeve shirt (the one I got from last week’s race), skirt & compression socks. I brought a jacket just in case.

I got to the race early and found a parking spot in a field next to the church. The race started at the church in the town of Bacon Hill, a small farming town with awesome scenery. (It reminded me of Vermont.)

This was the second year for this race but the first year for the 10K. There were a little over 200 for the 5k and a little over a 100 for the 10K (nice numbers for a small town race.) I bumped into a lady from my age group that I know from previous races but she was running the 10K. It seemed that the faster runners were doing that one. Good for me!!

It was chilly. First I had my jacket on, then I put my race shirt over my other shirt and then I put them both back in my car. (Right move, it got warm!)

love the pink tech shirt, men got neon green

I hung out and started chatting with a guy and his wife. They were from my town and we have done most of the same races.

First there was the kids race – one mile. They were so cute. I told the organizers about my running buddy and they gave me this medal (I usually mail him my race shirts but I doubt he would want a pink women’s shirt.)

Soon it was time for the race to start. The pastor read a prayer and the church bells rang and we were off.

The 5k was an out and back. The 10k veered to the right and supposed had hills and breath taking views.

I decided to go out fast. I have have negative splits so why try. It wasn’t as flat as I thought. The hills were bad but I felt like I was running up. I didn’t walk up any!!

There were volunteers on the course calling out times. I occasionally glanced down at my Garmin to make sure I was running in the 9’s. Eventually we turned around and head back….INTO THE WIND!!! Tough running into the wind for 1.5 miles but again I didn’t stop for water and I didn’t walk up any hills. I just pushed myself. I even found myself passing people.

As I approached the finish line, I realized that not only was I under 30 minutes, I could finish under 29 minutes. Unfortunately I had no gas left and I barely made it. Not sure what my official finish time was but my Gamin says: 28:53!! I was pleased. First 5k under 30 minutes since last November.

I immediately made a bee line for the chocolate milk. Boy was it good. I think I had 5 cups.

They had great food – the usual food but also chili and homemade muffins & cookies (including gluten free ones).

Someone that I met at the Malta 5k last September recognized me. We had chatted a lot after that race. Holly is just a year younger than (different age group – YAY!). We talked while waiting for the results.

results for me and my new friends (I beat the “guy”)

I looked and saw that they had my age wrong: 59 not 60. I told them and they changed it but they had a lot of ages wrong. This meant that we had to wait a really long time for the awards. It was nice to have someone to wait with. They were giving out homemade pie & cookies so everyone was waiting. And I won a pie!!! (Love my age group!) Holly won 3rd and cookies.

I put the pie in my car and changed into my race shirt. I really didn’t feel like running more but I promised myself that I would.

I had planned to head home and stop at one of the bike paths on the way. But this area was so nice, I decided to stay and run. (More about it in my next post.)

All in all, I loved this race. I will definitely do it again…maybe even the 10K.

Splits:

mile 1- 9:00
mile 2 – 9:32
mile 3 – 9:33
.1 – 8:09

(yup, positive splits – can I blame it on the wind?)

Goals:

run the whole thing without stopping – YES!
finish under 30 minutes – YES!
keep each mile’s pace under 10 minutes – YES!
win an AG award (they’re giving out baked goods!) – YES! 1st!
have fun! – YES!
stay healthy! – YES!

Happy Running! Are you running or racing this weekend?

April 8, 2014 by Darlene

Demystifying the Destination Race

Guest post by Arianna at http://ariannaknowsbest.blogspot.com

We’ve all seen the ads for fun races in exotic locations. Want to run a marathon in Hawaii? You can do that. Want to do a triathlon in Cozumel? You can do that too! Combining racing with travel is a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone and make your big race an even more memorable experience.

If the logistics of a destination race seem daunting, fear not! I’m here to help. Last year, I traveled to Philadelphia for the Feel the Love 5k and learned a few things. Here are some tips to help make your next race in a far off locale a big success!

Choose the right race: Picking the perfect local race can be hard enough but when you start looking at out of town events, there is even more to consider. How far can you realistically travel? Is the location difficult to reach by your preferred method of transportation? Are there activities for your family to do during your race? If you pick a place with lots of options for entertainment, a destination race can actually turn into a mini vacation for the whole family!

Make your travel arrangements: Decide if you are driving or flying and if you will need a rental car. When choosing your lodging, consider staying as close to the race site as possible. It might cost a little more but it can make life a whole lot easier! If cooking your own food is important, you may want to consider renting a house through a home rental site such as VRBO. Accommodations during big races can fill up quickly so it’s best to book your lodging as soon as possible.

Make plans for your pets: Traveling with your pets can be a lot of fun but if you are planning on bringing them along, there are a few things to consider. Do your accommodations allow animals? Is your family willing to wrangle them while you are busy with the race? If you decide to bring them with you may want to find local dog boarding to care for them on race day. We were able to find a last minute sitter who was willing to take Brodie, our lab, that night and for the majority of race day. Remember that most races start early so you should arrange your plans for your pet at least a day before to avoid a crazy morning before the race.

Plan your pre-race meals: Think about what you will eat in the days leading up to the race. Pre-race food is unique for every runner and by this point you should have figured out what works best for you. Make sure you have access to that food! If you are relying on the hotel for breakfast, be sure that the food will be available early enough for you to eat and digest it before your race. Some runners prefer to carb load and others rely on just a protein bar to hold them over. Before a shorter run, I will do a bit of fresh fruit and a protein bar, as I don’t want a heavy stomach during my run.

Pack wisely: Make a list and check it twice, three times if need be! When making your packing list it may be helpful to mentally go through every part of your race day. Start first thing in the morning: What will you eat for breakfast? What will you wear? Visualizing your day can help ensure that you don’t forget anything important. Check the forecast but be prepared for any type of weather- light clothing that layers easily usually work best in any uncertain situation.

Don’t overdo the pre-race sightseeing: You’ve worked hard to get here and you’ve probably spent the last few weeks training. Don’t over exert yourself with too much walking! A little walking is a great way to loosen up after a long travel day but don’t overdo it. Save the bulk of your sightseeing for after the race. For our race, we booked a hotel for 3 days: the day before, race day, and the day after, that way I had enough time to prepare and enough time to relax after.

Arianna is a full-time mom and a fashion-lover, world traveler, animal lover, and family woman extraordinaire. She loves to cook and bake, travel to new places, share great fashion finds, and spend time doing crafts and projects at home with her kids. She’s got a crazy busy life, but she wouldn’t have it any other way! Follow her blog at http://ariannaknowsbest.blogspot.com/ !

Thanks Arianna. This advice will be very helpful to me (who loves to plan race-cations) and to my other readers.

Happy Running! Anything that you would add to this list?