December 1, 2011 by Darlene

It’s December!

67 MILES

November wasn’t a high mileage month since I ran my half marathon at the beginning of the month and I was not training for anything else.

Here were my goals for November:

Hope to continue to run pain-free – YES!
Continue tennis & yoga once a week – YES!
Run 3-4 times a week – YES!
Santa Clarita Half Marathon
Survive Half Marathon #5 – YES (but wish I had done better)
after the Run off that turkey 5k race
Run a 5k (& finish under 30 min.) – Ran 2 5k races (finished at 27:58 & 28:11)
Join a gym & start to cross-train – Not yet….
Stockade-athon 15K

I did run my first 15K race & I am pleased with how I did!!!

December Goals:

Play tennis & do yoga once a week
Run 3-4 times a week
Run at least 15 miles per week
Finish the year with 800 miles
Run a 5k (& finish under 30 min.)
Choose a Half Marathon for the spring
Join a gym & start to cross-train

Happy Running! What are your goals for December?

November 30, 2011 by Darlene

Pace or Time?

Awards at races are given out based on the TIME that you cross the finish line.

Personally if you want to improve your running speed, shouldn’t you be looking at PACE not time. After all, some 5ks are calculated at 3.03 miles and others at 3.15 miles. The same goes for 10Ks, 15ks and Half Marathons.

Naples Half

Santa Clarita Half

Obviously, the longer the course, the slower your finish time will be.

So I thought that I ran faster for my 5K on Nov. 24 than for my 5K on Nov, 26. I finished in 27:58 on Nov 24 and in 28:11 on Nov. 26.

As you can see my PACE was faster on Nov 26 (8:57/mi) even though my time was slower. The 5K course was longer!

So maybe I should re-calculate my PRs and revise my future racing goals!!

Happy Running! What’s more important to you – time or pace?

November 29, 2011 by Darlene

Two (or More) for Tuesday

I am happy to report that my house is decorated for the holidays!!! It did seem funny to put up snowmen decorations outside & inside when it is 60 degrees!! Yes, we’ve had a heat wave. I’m not complaining…I hate the cold!
I’ve been too busy to run (or is it not motivated?) I had planned to run 6 miles on Sunday but decorating took longer than anticipated & we had plans to see Mannheim Steamroller & then go out to dinner to celebrate a friend’s birthday…only got in 3 miles!! Last nite, I subbed in my tennis contract, this morning I was too tired to get up early and tonite I play tennis again. No running 😦
There’s a whole lot of eating going on…. birthday dinner for a friend, birthday dinner for my mentee, birthday dinner for mentee’s son, holiday dinner with an old friend, mah jongg holiday dinner, work holiday party, tennis holiday party….and that’s not counting Christmas and New years!!! Oy vay!!

Happy Running! Any hints on surviving the holidays?

November 28, 2011 by Darlene

Last Week in Review and Two 5K Races

Monday – 1.5 hours tennis
Tuesday – 4 mile run
Wednesday – 1.25 hours yoga
Thursday – 5K race
Friday – REST
Saturday – 5K race
Sunday – 3 mile run & decorated the house for the holidays!

Happy Running!

November 26, 2011 by Darlene

It’s that time of year

After Thanksgiving, it seems that one should start getting ready for the holidays (Well, they’re been playing Christmas music since the day after Halloween!!)

Time to order my holiday cards – thanks to Shutterfly, this was easy.

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Time to decorate the inside of the house – I have a lot of snowmen that I put on various tables & all around the house. (I love snowmen or snowpeople!!) It takes quite awhile so it’s not done yet… We used to put up a real tree when the kids were around but now I just have a small artificial tree and a menorah.
Time to decorate the outside of the house – It’s a little too warm to buy & hang the wreaths but I have located the lights for the windows and the flags, snowmen for outside, etc.
Time to shop – I bought myself an iPad (don’t laugh.. I needed/wanted it) and my hubby some clothes, still have to buy gifts for my mentee & her kids as well as a grab bag for a tennis party.

Happy Running! How are you doing with your holiday to do list?

November 25, 2011 by Darlene

Our Towne Bethlehem Turkey Trot 5K Race Report

Nov 24, 2011

This is the 2nd year for this race. Last year, it was pretty unorganized and many more runners signed up than expected. There are several turkey trots in the area with the big one being in Troy. Most of the elites run that one.

Things have changed a lot in one year. Last year, I was only running 5ks and my goal was to get faster. This race was and still is my fastest 5K at 27:30.

This year, after an achilles injury, 5 Half Marathons and a 15K under my belt, fast I am not. But that’s ok.

This race also is being run on a different course. (It may be the same 5k course as my first race!!)

Knowing many runners who were signed up for this race and it being so close to home, I was excited to run this race!!

It was pretty chilly…in the 30s!! I decided to wear some layers and as much orange as I could find.

I was wrong about this year being more organized. They had ONE line to pick up your bib and it took forever. I was glad I was there early. I bumped into running friends Janis & Bridget and then I found my good friend MaryPat.

me & MaryPat

When it was finally time to start, we tried to squeeze into the crowd. Unfortunately, this race was not chip timed. When the gun went off, it took awhile to get to the start (at which point I started my Garmin) and then it was really hard to weave through the crowd.

Delmar is pretty flat so my mind said “PR” but my body had something else in mind. I was fine during the first mile but then I slowed and slowed. (Yes, this seems to be a pattern.)

I crossed the finish line a little over 28 minutes but according to my Garmin I finished in 27:58. (I didn’t stop it immediately so maybe a few seconds less.)

I hung around waiting for MaryPat to finish. I bumped into 2 more tennis acquaintances also while I was waiting.

Here comes MaryPat!

They were only giving out awards for the top finishers and the refreshments were water & Freihofer’s cookies so we left and went to Dunkin Donuts. It seemed that everyone there had come from the race. We chatted for awhile over a latte & a bagel before heading home.

I was cooking a turkey dinner for my hubby & myself and then going to a friend’s for dessert.

I love starting Thanksgiving Day with a race. I am happy with my time. It was faster than the last 5K I did! There’s always room for improvement!! (Tomorrow is another 5K race.)

Hope you had a

Happy Running! Did you race yesterday?

November 24, 2011 by Darlene

The Thankful Post

In pictures:

I am thankful for my hubby and for his love & support

I am thankful for my 5 cats who continue to keep me entertained

I am thankful for being able to play tennis & for all the friends I have because of this sport

I am thankful for the women I have met running & for their inspiration

I am thankful for the times I spend on Lake George and for the wonderful people who live there

I am thankful for my Friday nite mah jongg games & the fun we have while playing

I am thankful for my junior year abroad and the amazing friends & experiences from that year

I am thankful for my high school friends and for the memories that we still share

I am thankful for being able to cross the finish line!!!

Happy Running! Happy Thanksgiving!

November 22, 2011 by Darlene

The Former 5K Racer

My first year of running, I ran about 13 5K races, my second year, 17 and my third over 20!! I went from finishing in 37 minutes to finishing in 27 minutes!!

Year Four: two 4 mile races, a 5 mile race, a 15K race and 5 Half Marathons!

Since June, I have run only one 5k and I struggled to finish under 30 minutes!!!

I feel like I am no longer a 5K racer!!!

That being said, I have signed up for three 5K races before the end of the year! Nov 24, Nov 26 and Dec 17.

So what is my goal for my 5Ks?

Have fun!
Finish under 30 minutes!
Get faster with each one…

Happy Running! How do you choose between distance and speed? Can you do both?

November 21, 2011 by Darlene

Last Week in Review & Turkey Raffle Run

Monday – 1.5 hours tennis
Tuesday – 3 mile run after work
Wednesday – 3 mile run after work on the treadmill, 1.25 hours yoga
Thursday – REST
Friday – 4 mile run before work
Saturday – several miles walking around NYC
Sunday – 5.5 miles Turkey Raffle Run

Happy Running!

November 20, 2011 by Darlene

Reunion & Running Weekend

One of the best years of my life was my junior year of college. I got to spend the year studying French at the University of Nice, travel around Europe and make some extraordinary friendships.

7 of us have managed to keep in touch but we haven’t all been in one place since then. Again Facebook helped us plan a brunch reunion in NYC.

So yesterday I took the Megabus from Albany to NYC. $10 & free wifi. You can’t beat that. After a stop at Starbucks, I took a leisurely walk to the restaurant.

We ate, drank, looked at old photos, but mostly reminisced and laughed at how crazy we were in college.

Valerie & moi in 1973-4

Valerie, moi, Nancy, Greg & Andrea

Believe it or not, we were at the restaurant for over 4 hours!

Gre, Valerie & Patty

Barbara, me & Nancy

all 7 of us

yummy

Then we had to take our buses, cars & trains back home.

This morning was HMRRC’s One Hour Turkey RaffAL Run. You get to run for an hour and every time you pass the start, you get a raffle ticket. It was a nice day… a little cool and breezy but I thought it sounded like fun.

I got there and bumped into running/blogging friends Amanda & Suzy. It was nice to see a familiar face. It was pretty crowded ..many more runners than I had expected.