running

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Wordless Wednesday

The waterlilies on Lake George are anxious to bloom.

I feel like those waterlilies.

I am anxious to bloom, too.

Happy Running!

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Jingle Bell 5K Race Report


Yes, me and Montel ran this race at the Great Escape Amusement Park in Lake George.

I got up around 5:30 am and dressed as Christmasy as one could in the middle of the summer and drove about an hour north.  The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. No humidity and warm but not too warm. (I decided on a white tech shirt, red skirt, white socks…)

where the race began

I tried to tell myself and that I wasn’t in racing condition yet. (My goal for that is Sept.) So I should just try to have fun.

I got there early enough to get my shirt and swag and go back to the car and put it away.  I am glad I decided not to wear the shirt.  I would have been too warm.

race tee shirt

The atmosphere was pretty festive. Christmas music playing and a lot of excited walkers.  (The serious runners were racing in Saratoga at the Silks & Satin 5k.) There were less than 150 participants.

animals cheer the runners on at the start

Montel Williams really did show up.  He started the race and then left.

He looks in great shape. Too bad he didn’t run…

I found out the course in advance but wondered how hilly it would be (since it is the Adirondacks!)

course map but it didn’t indicate elevation 😦

The race started at 8:00 am in the park and then went around one side of Glen Lake and then ended at the park.

Glen lake

As I have done before, I started out too fast. The first mile was up and down hills…rolling hills and I ran without stopping.

I was planning to take it slow and walk at the water stops.  However, NO WATER!! Very odd for a summer race…even if it is only 3 miles.  I did not drink any water before and I was very thirsty.

As a result, I was tired during mile 2.  The hills weren’t as steep but it was straight uphill.  I started to walk and walked several times..too many times.

Mile 3 had some downhill but when it entered the park, it never seemed to end.  We ran up one bridge and down, then another and another and another.  My Garmin said we should be done but we weren’t  I walked so that I could at least sprint across the finish line if there ever was one.

Finally crossed at 33:20!!! I was disappointed because I wanted to do better than my last one (32:50).

People was complaining that their times were so slow.  When I looked at my Garmin, it said 3.21 miles.  My last race was 3:12 miles.  So actually I did better! YAY!

my splits

I am happy with my first mile.  I should have pushed myself more on mile 2 but I am still worried about the ankle.

nothing flat here!!

After the race, I grabbed some refreshments and asked someone to take a picture.

Done and happy!

They posted the results but since it was a small race, they only gave out awards for 1st, 2nd, 3rd overall.

I came in 54 out of 136 and 1st in my AG

After the race, I headed to Bolton Landing (20 minutes away).  I spent the rest of day with friends on an island in Lake George.

pooped after the race

Sunday, I went on a quick 2.5 mile run/walk and then back on the lake.

new location for the book & orange chair – West Dollar #3

After some relaxing, we went to Basin Bay to meet friends.  The day ended with dinner on the lake.

docking for dinner – Blue Water Manor

So I am very glad I ran a race.  It is always so motivating to race rather than just run. 

Yes, my time was slow compared to last year but it was better than I expected.  (I will not whine about PRing until next year!!!!!)

The course was fun but too long and hilly so I may go back to Silks & Satins (I have done that one 3x in the past).

I haven’t registered for another 5K until August 18 but you never know.

Happy Running! Did you race this weekend?

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TTT: Heat, Tennis & Running

1.  It has been HOT in the Northeast. 90’s!! It has also been HUMID in addition to being hot. I have been feeding my friend’s cat before work while she has been on vacation. So I am been doing my activities outside AFTER work. (Not smart, I know.)

my friend’s car on Tuesday

2.  On Tuesday, I played tennis for the 2nd time.  Doubles again and I felt a lot more comfortable. (with my tennis not the weather)  I even won with 3 different partners.  Afterwards. we all went to one player’s house to go swimming in her pool.  YAY!

pavillion where we started

3. Yesterday I ran the 2nd Run with Mizuno sponsored by FleetFeet. It was held this time in Central Park in Schenectady.  Again, a very small group of runners – ALL FAST!!  I tried similar Mizunos as last week but in a different color.

Again, they felt pretty comfy.

We ran the Cardiac Classic / Run 4 Your Life 5K Course which I had done in 2011 and 2009.  I ran alone and was way behind all the other runners. My pace is still VERY SLOW but I ran the whole time (but it was a struggle!)  I had no idea where I was going and wound up missing .5 miles of it. (I added another .5 mile afterwards to make it 3 miles for the run.)

This park is a beautiful place to run

I love these runs because it forces me to run in a new location and run faster. My time was a 33:xx rather than 29:xx in 2011.  I am not going to beat myself up about it.  (My ankle was not happy last night…so I have to be PATIENT.)

Today the humidity and temps are down finally.

Happy Running! How are you dealing with the heat?

 

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Christmas in July


Yes, Christmas in July. I ran this race before but it was in December and in Albany (The Crossings).  Easy to dress for… and a familiar course.

This one is on Saturday, July 21… and it’s another new 5K race location for me so I have no idea if it is hilly or not. It’s in Lake George. That’s why I chose it.  (I think you know that I love Lake George.) And it should be cool to run in an amusement park.

It starts and ends in

'Jingle Bell Run' comes to Great Escape in July
My runs of late have been soooo slow… I think a race may be what I need!!

I plan to run at least One Race a Month (so far I have signed up for – July 21, Aug 18, Sept 15, Oct 20, Nov 21, Dec 15).

Goals for this Race:

  • Run most of it
  • Beat my Strides4Strides time (32:50)
  • Enjoy it

Now I have to figure out what to wear that is Christmasy but cool.

Happy Running! Any races coming up for you?

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Run with Mizunos & My First Trail Run

my new Mizunos

No, I wasn’t chosen as part of the Mizuno Run Project.

No, I didn’t win any new Mizunos as part of the Project giveaway.

I paid $115 for my new Mizunos above that I am breaking in.

But FleetFeet and Mizuno are sponsoring satellite runs every Wednesday at different local park.

They let you try out a pair of Mizunos, you go for a group run and then they give away swag.

So yesterday at the last moment I decided to to do one.

the bridge to Peebles Island

It was held at Peebles State Park in Cohoes.  I had never been there so I was interested in seeing it.

The group was small..about 6-8.  I decided to try out these:

wave inspire 8s

They were instantly comfortable (but they were broken in and I didn’t have my orthotics in…maybe that’s why).

We took off on a trail.  It was a 2 mile loop.  I had never run on a trail before and it was fun.  There were lots of roots and stones so I was very cautious.  It was hilly as well.  For the most part, I ran slowly except for the downhills…I don’t want another broken ankle!

As in my last race, I was right in the middle and running alone.  Toward the end, there were 2 paths…I chose left and then realized that it felt wrong so veered back and went right.  That was the correct way to go.  As a result, my run was 2.2 miles not 2 miles.

the views were really pretty

I didn’t bring a camera but the sights were pretty…water, wildlife, etc. A nice change from the road or bike trail.

There were water and refreshments afterwards.  Mizuno gave away lights and water bottles.

So if you live in my area (Albany, NY), you should check them out.

Schedule of Runs:

  • July 11 – Peebles State Park 6 pm
  • July 18 – Central Park Schenectady – 6 pm
  • July 25 – Saratoga State Park – 6  pm
  • Aug 1 – Tawasantha State Park, Guilderland – 6 pm

On the way home, I stopped off at the Corning Bike trail and ran a little more.  I wanted to do 3 miles (I’m anal like that.)

Happy Running!  Do you often do trail runs?

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New Shoes, Boating & Running

Thanks to the SRMs for the gift card.  They sent it to me when I was first injured and I saved it until I needed it.  I have lots of running shoes but psychologically I needed a new pair.  So I went to FleetFeet and tried on all brands. They all felt good but none were pink so I choose these funky turquoise ones (Mizuno Wave Inspire 8s).

Then I was off to spend FIVE days on Lake George.  We sleep on our boat at the marina each night.  During the day, we hang out on our boat or on the islands with different groups of old friends and new friends. Sometimes we barbecue on the island, other times, we eat on the boat and also we eat in restaurants and cookout at the marina.  So far this summer, the weather has been almost PERFECT.

Here are some highlights:

me & my hubby on the 4th

a patriotic boat

view of the lake from our July 4th site

view of the fireworks from our marina

our boat pulling a tuber

view of the lake from Log Bay Is

my first jetski ride on the lake

I am still struggling with my running.  But I am trying to be patient and not get depressed.  I didn’t have time to run on July 4th but I did run/walk 4 hilly miles on Thursday.  SLOW!!! My big toe felt strange in my new shoes (after running.)  Not sure with all my foot issues, I can blame the shoes.

running in Bolton Landing (down 9N)

view while running

another view

Thursday night, I decided to go home so I could (believe it or not) run at my leisure (my hubby is always impatiently waiting to go out on the boat)  and on a flat shady trail. I chose the Colonie Town Park bike trail and it was so much better!! Even my foot felt better.

I got dressed to run on Saturday but it started to rain so I changed my clothes and then the rain stopped.

Sunday, we left early to get a picnic site and then we went back to the marina so I could run.  I only got in 3 miles since it was getting late and HOT.

Today, I had planned to run but woke up exhausted and  with a headache.  Maybe later….

Happy Running!  Congrats to all the Boilermaker racers!  That’s on my bucket list too!

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Newbie vs Returning Runner

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that when you return from a serious injury, you don’t return at the same level as before your injury!!

But where are you in terms of running?  And when do you get to where you want to be?

In some ways, it is the same as a “new” runner:

  • You run slow.
  • You get out of breath.
  • You have self-doubt. (Can I really do this?)
  • You get impatient.
  • You walk sometimes.
  • You set goals.
  • You run a race ahead of schedule.
  • You “want” to be fast.
  • You get frustrated.

Then, in other ways, it is so different:

  • You know you can do it.
  • You are fearful of re-injury.
  • You are obsessed with pace.
  • You rarely run without your Garmin.
  • You have many types of running shoes (& are totally satisfied with none.)
  • You get depressed easily (because your expectations are probably too high.)
  • You are pissed off at having gotten injured.
  • You whine about it (all the time.)

So I know all this because several years ago I was a beginning runner.  I will count my 1st two years as “Year 1” since I ran 6 months the first year & 6 months the 2nd year.  I started in the No Boundaries program on April 1, 2008 with the goal of running a 5K in July.  Of course, I ran several 5ks before that.  I was impatient.  I only ran 3 miles because I thought that was all I could do.  In these first years, I progressed from being happy to finish to really wanting to get faster. I had the goal of finishing a 5k under 30 minutes.

I did break 30 minutes several times but it wasn’t until year 2 that I did it more consistently and started to think PR at every race.  I also started to run longer.  By longer, it at most 4-6 miles.  I also succeeded in breaking 28 minutes in a 5k.

That meant that I was ready to seek higher goals – run longer races.  In year 3, I ran 4 mile and 5 mile races.  I even ran 5 half marathons and fell in love with that distance.  I even ran a 15 k.

This is currently year 4 for me – the Injury Year.

After 5 months of nothing, I ran a 5k for my first outdoor run.  Finishing at 35:39 was a dream because I ran. I didn’t know that I could run.

Now, I am running and the type-A in me wants to know where I am, where I should be and when will I get to where I want to be…

Here’s my invented theory:

Newbie                       Returning                    activity

Year 1…………………….Months 1-4 ……………….running

Year 2…………………….Months 5-8 ………………running faster

Year 3…………………….Months 9-12 …………….running longer

If this is true, I will back to where I was next summer…  It also means that I will be ready to run a half marathon next March (That’s what I hope since I signed up for one on Mar 17 in Fla.)  In addition, I plan to break 30 min. in a 5k by the end of the year.

Back to running…now that I can relax.

Yesterday I ran 4 miles in Bolton Landing.  I ran north on  9N for 1 mile which I had never done.  It was straight uphill and I walked a lot and I’m ok with that. Then I ran 1 mile south on 9N – rolling hills.

Then I enjoyed the rest of the day. Here are some pics from the weekend.

Sat:

hanging out in Bassin Bay with friends

some cute ducklings

sunset on Speaker Heck Is. where we barbecued with friends

Sun:

my hubby relaxing on Red Rock Bay

view from Dunham’s Bay where we had dinner

This morning I ran a stress-free Garminless 2 miles before work.

Happy Running!  Does my return to running theory make sense?

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June Recap

What happened in June?

  • doctor visits came to an end
  • PT visits came to a end
  • walking frequency has slowed
  • biking has almost been non-existant  – only once
  • almost every weekend was spent on Lake George (4 out of 5)

    same chair – different island each weekend

  • several books read

    another ya trilogy – like Hunger Games

  • running has increased –  46 miles this month…yea!

 

running on one of the many bike paths

  • Racing has begun – two 5K races …whoo hoo!

    are you tired of this pic yet?

Things can only get better…

What’s planned for July?

  • tennis
  • more running
  • faster running
  • longer runs
  • another 5K race
  • more boatimg
  • more reading

Happy Running!  Anything exciting planned for July?

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Six months


Report Card

Each year I look at my yearly goals at the halfway point.

However, as you know, I had to re-write my goals after I got hurt.

  1. Run 3-4 times a week ALL YEAR (use the treadmill when it is too cold or slippery or raining outside) Follow doctor’s orders and stay off ankle until allowed, go to PT and do the recommended exercises, and start to run when & as often as recommended. Yes, for the most part (I may have run a little sooner than allowed.)
  2. Continue fitting in tennis and yoga at least once a week (as cross-training) Same as above, start tennis & yoga when allowed, join a gym to do crosstraining/machines to stay fit. NOPE, not yet.
  3. Finish my 5K races under 30 minutes and not stress about a PR (though getting one would be super!) Run a 5k race before the end of the year, if I am able to run several, get faster with each one. Yes, 2 5ks so far & the 2nd was faster than the first.
  4. Get an Age Group award
  5. Run a 10K race
  6. Run a 10 mile race
  7. Run at least one half marathon 4.  Start to train for a half marathon in 2013. Not yet but I registered for one on March 17, 2013 & I plan to start training in Dec.
  8. Run at least 12 races (one per month, if possible)
  9. Run a race in another state
  10. 5. Run a NEW race. Yes, Stride4Stride 5K was new.
  11. 6. Listen to my body and slow down when necessary (In other words, do not get re-injured…) Yes, so far.
  12. 7. Continue blogging regularly (to keep track of miles, as a motivator, to meet new runners…) Yes, definitely.
  13. 8. Volunteer at a race. Not yet, but I did spectate.
  14. 9. Bring a cell phone whenever I go running alone. Yes.

I think I am doing pretty well, considering.  So I am going to add 3 more goals:

10. Run a 10 K race.
11.  Finish a 5K race under 30 minutes.
12. Run 12 races.

Six months:

from here

 

to here

Happy Running!  How is your year going?  Did you set goals?

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Graduation

I have graduated …

6 months of doctors visits are over!!

Yesterday I told my ortho that I ran a 5K race (That may be influenced his decision.) But unless I have problems, I don’t have to see him AGAIN!

He cautioned me to stretch before running and ice after and NOT TO OVER DO!

He said that the mobility should improve and the swelling should go down over the next 6 months. 

Of course, I wanted to know if I will be the same as before and will I get all the movement back.  He said no…too serious an injury but most of it will come back with time.

I have also graduated from physical therapy.

4 months of torture are done (good torture)!!

I am a little nervous about that.   Will I work hard enough on my own??

So this morning, I celebrated with a run…my first morning run since Dec!  The hardest part was getting out of bed.

Happy Running!  Are you a morning runner?