…as opposed to backward.

The ankle feels fine so it’s hard to hold back.

But walking down the stairs reminds me that it’s not 100%.

Last Week –

• Sunday – I mentioned in my last WRD that I always participate in our local free Winter races…

last year

I had run 6 miles the day before and the weather was awful – cold, rainy – so I was just going to go the gym.

My running friend Heidi (pictured above) asked me to go with her. She said she would even walk the distance (3.75 miles).

So I agreed.

However, the weather got worse and she tried to bail.

“Nope, I said.  You got me out here. We’re doing this.”

And we did. We survived!

nice to catch up with lots of racing friends and enjoy the chili, cookies and hot cocoa afterward.

phew… we beat the 91 year old

We didn’t look as nice after the race. LOL.

• Monday – Back WFH so I had time to go to the gym before work

my driveway (top) and view from the gym (bottom)

and was able to find some dry roads to get some miles in at lunch.

the snow made it feel colder than the temps… my new kitty had the right idea

• Tuesday – I had to go to the office this afternoon but I thought that I might go to the gym first thing.

but she was on my lap so how could I leave??

I did do my run afterward at UAlbany where the paths are always clear.

They call me “mellow yellow..” Anyone know that song?

• Wednesday – Rest day from running and so I forced myself to the gym instead before work.
• Thursday – No WFH today so I had to run after work and again at UAlbany.  Glad to have some company this time!

thanks Heidi…

• Friday – NO WFH again today… nada except Mah Jongg in the evening.

• Saturday – Long Run and brunch day.. Searching for clear paths to get 8 miles done.

I was happy to find out that the Nisky bike path was clear in both directions.  But I was bummed that my running companions were either sick or on vacation.  So I tackled the 8 miles alone and then enjoyed brunch with two friends.

it was freezing out but the sun felt amazing!!

I was able to get al my errands done in time to go to the movies…

❤ ❤ – esp the scenes of Paris

• Sunday –  It will be a gym visit…

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday – Day Off so a run followed hopefully by a hike
• Tuesday-Friday – rehabbing my ankle and training for NYC.
• Saturday – Long Run – 9 or 10 mile run/walk, brunch with running friends, hair appt.
• Sunday – GYM or 4.5 mile local (free) race.

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday –  Worst Running Habits
• Friday – What I Love About Working Out

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races this winter?  How’s the weather where you live? Any snow yet? Please share.

I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.

The ankle is on the mend and I am starting to run more consistently even looking to start training!

But why is the weather always better when you cannot run???

Last Week –

• Sunday – Freezing and even windier than the day before… so I went to the gym and used the machines and then walked on the track.

I had a lot of errands to do while I was out and then later in the day, we took a ride to the Pretty Paw Lounge.  It’s a cafe where you can play with and adopt rescued cats.

No, we didn’t adopt one but it was tempting… luckily the ones we liked had to be taken in pairs (and we only wanted ONE cat.)

• Monday – I have previously mentioned that I am back to working 100% so I have no official Mondays off.

But I did take today off.

It was still very cold but sunny with no wind so I headed out to run in the ‘hood.

I even felt ‘warm” outside

Afterward I met my running friends Heidi and Sherry and we drove to Williamstown, MA to have lunch and hike.

All the trails were snowy and icy so we wound up walking 3.5 miles around the Clark Institute and surrounding area.

hot drinks (and dessert)

I had to rush home to participate in a ZOOM call for the STEM mentoring program that I may join.

I’ve done it many times in the past and am excited to return to it this spring.

• Tuesday – Back to WFH but I did have to leave to go to the office and then to set up for for my class the next day.

Rainy, snowy evening but the hubby and I did check out Pet Smart cat adoptions in Amsterdam (an hour away)…

Hint. Hint.

• Wednesday – No time for anything besides work today. And it was a snowy, rainy day!

the highlight of my work day!!

Tonight we had our scheduled monthly tennis dinner.

I’m so glad that we do organize these meet-ups… these ladies make me miss playing tennis.

• Thursday – WFH again so I was able to go to the gym before work and squeeze in a run either at lunch or after work at UAlbany (if it stopped raining).

My running friend couldn’t meet after work so I did my run solo at lunch.

heat wave (40’s)… I was overdressed!

And then my BFF was not able to meet to walk the mall so I stopped by to visit my granddaughter and then I walked the mall by myself.

she is growing so fast…

• Friday – More WFH so I had time to go to the gym before work (but I slept in instead) …

my new morning BFF

So I drove to the gym at lunchtime and walked on the track (yes, it rained most of the day).

I listened to an interesting AMR podcast about getting faster… but those annoying 2 lane walkers (one of the left is a trainer.)

Mah Jongg was held at my house in the evening.

• Saturday – Long Run and brunch day..

As I mentioned above, I’m not running long YET but starting to look ahead to training for a few half marathons.

I haven’t officially deferred my Feb 18 one (but I will) but I do hope to race a half in NYC on March 17!! (I also signed up for one April 13 and May 18.)

Last Saturday, it was 4 miles and today I attempted to run/walk 6 miles.

It helped to have company and warmer temps than the previous weekend.

Of course, the run ended with brunch.

ankle felt great – hooray!

• Sunday –  It will be either the stationary bike or a gym visit…

or perhaps a free local race (weather dependent since a storm is predicted.)

2022

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday – Friday – rehabbing my ankle and training for NYC.
• Saturday – Long Run – 8 mile run/walk, brunch with running friends
• Sunday – GYM

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Returning to Running After an Injury
• Friday – Ultimate Coffee Date

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races this winter?  How’s the weather where you live? Any snow? Please share.

I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.

I love NYC so it was not a hardship having to spend the week there again.  And I won’t be back for 2 months.

Too bad the weather did not cooperate.

Last Week –

• Sunday – I hate those FB memories!!

I would normally have run a fun free local race today.

2022 race

I was tempted (since I had registered) to go and walk the shortest distance (3 miles)

But I was afraid that I would run and it’s probably too soon to race on my barely healed ankle.

So I instead went to the gym, used the machines and did 3 run/walk miles on the track.

I experimented with a lighter brace and 2 loops running and one loop walking.

There was ZUMBA class below and the music was too loud for me to listen to a podcast and I was wearing my recovery shoe not my running shoes but it was fine…

Since our 25th wedding anniversary was on Tuesday (while I was away), we went out to dinner today to celebrate.

• Monday – Even though it was a holiday (Martin Luther King Day), I had to head to NYC because I was scheduled to work in Queens the next day.

I had time to go to the gym before my train.

I used my usual machines and then I headed to the track. With 17 degrees outside and lots of ice, it seemed that everyone else had the same idea.

I went back to my heavier brace and ran 3 loops/ walked 2 for about 1.5 miles.

I forgot my headphones so I had to concentrate on the view and weaving around the slow walkers.

After checking into my hotel (near Penn Sta.), I checked the weather and realized that it was the only possible day to go to Central Park. I hopped the subway and ran 1.5 miles around the reservoir.

yes, there was a guy wearing shorts!?

It was cold but bearable and so I continued to walk around the park and then back to my hotel.

how come I never notified that finish line plaque?

• Tuesday – After I returned from working in Queens, I really wanted to run again. Today was 4 weeks since I fell and sprained my ankle.

I headed out toward the Hudson River. It was freezing, windy and so icy. Not a chance I could run. So I thought of walking the High Line. Nope. Closed due to wintry conditions.

frozen hot chocolate is always a good idea, right?

Instead I walked indoors in the mall at Hudson Yards.

• Wednesday – After I returned from working in Queens today, I got together with my NYC friend Elizbeth. Unfortunately Cari was working. You know Cari.  And Elizabeth is a runner too but somehow we seem to meet up to chat and eat/drink.

• Thursday – Today, I worked near Wall St rather than Queens.

And I had gotten tix to a Broadway show.

Too cold and and icy to run before the show so I tried to get it done on the hotel treadmill. Ugh! I made ONE mile and quit.

I did walk to and from the theater.

The show was meh but at least the tix were not expensive.

• Friday – I went to work early to get some steps in before it started to snow.

• After a long work day, I took the subway back to my hotel, grabbed my luggage and then caught the train home.
• Saturday – Long Run and brunch day..

It had snowed a little the day before and it was freezing. I was tempted to bail but I convinced my running friend Deb to run/walk 4 miles with me at UAlbany.

The path was clear and dry… It really wasn’t that bad and I’m glad I didn’t wimp out and run on the treadmill.

After we met a few of our other running friends for brunch.

So this my first outdoor run since ankle injury.  I was little nervous starting at 4 miles (but I had run 3 the previous weekend on the indoor track.) I wore a brace do run/walk intervals and it felt fine during and after.

It’s not 100% (bruised and a little swollen) but because it’s stiff, it still bothers me walking down stairs.

I’m hopeful that it continues to improve so I can complete 13.1 on March 17 (in 8 weeks. gulp)!!

• Sunday – Most likely a gym visit… errands…

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday – Day off – run, hiking?
• Tuesday – Friday – rehabbing my ankle and trying to figure out where and when to run.
• Wednesday – monthly dinner with tennis friends.
• Saturday – Long Run – 6 mile run/walk, brunch with running friends
• Sunday – GYM, run/walk a local 3.75m race?

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – What I’m Looking Forward to in 2024
• Friday – Runfessions

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races this winter?  How’s the weather where you live? Any snow yet? Please share.

I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.

Yup, we finally got some snow… but due to rain, it didn’t last long and that was fine with me.

On the injury front, the ankle is improving. Not as fast as I would like, but it’s getting there.

Last Week –

• Sunday – I planned to go to the gym but..

It wasn’t much snow at first but then it continued to snow for most of the day.

Despite the snow, my granddaughter’s Christening went off without a hitch (sort of).

• Monday – Back working from home today.. I planned to start the day at the gym but I was still pooped from the previous week in NYC and so I slept in.

The sun was shining… a sight we haven’t seen in forever so I put on my boots and went for a walk during lunch.

it felt great to be outside!!

Finally after work, I dragged myself to the gym and hit the machines.

• Tuesday – Today was 3 weeks since I fell and sprained my ankle. I am walking better but certainly not in shape to run yet.

I went to the office and then walked a little during lunch before going to set up for my class the next day.

After dinner, I hit the gym again to get some more steps in on the track on this nasty rainy day… In fact, I walked 15 laps or 1 mile!!

• Wednesday – Long day at work (live teaching).

I needed this!!

After work, I met my BFF to walk in circles around an outdoor mall.

• Thursday – Back to WFH.

Gym first thing.

Rode some miles on the stationary bike during lunch.

More walking at the gym after work but I had to cut it short in order to meet some friends (I hadn’t seen in a long time) for dinner.

Taco Thursday = $3 off 3 tacos 🙂

• Friday – Another WFH day. Similar to the day before except I walked outdoors at lunch and instead of the gym, I played mah jongg in the evening.

For my walk, I returned to the scene of the crime (where I fell).  I hesitantly tried to run… just a few steps. They were slow and awkward but I continued to run more steps and walk and run even more….

I wore a brace on my ankle and I’m not sure my feet were off the ground… but I RAN!!

• Saturday – Long Run Saturday and brunch day..

I planned to walk outside but it was raining so I headed to the gym to walk on the track and then meet my running friends for brunch.

I may have shed some happy tears…

Well, I decided to run one loop and see how it felt. It felt ok so I continued to walk a loop, then run a loop, walk a loop, run a loop…

The temps warmed up to 50 degrees with rain, hail, sun…

Eventually, it was dry, I ventured out for a walk.

• Sunday – No hiking yet so again it will be either the stationary bike or a gym visit… We do have a local race… (I could walk the 3m???)

There also will be packing for my work trip to NYC.

And dinner out to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary!!

This Coming Week on the Run – 

• Monday – Friday – NYC for work! (meet up with Cari, Broadway show, museum visit, etc.)
• Saturday – Long Run – run/walk?, brunch with running friends
• Sunday – GYM

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – My Word for 2024
• Friday – 5 Things to Never Do at the Gym

Happy Running! Training for any big or small races this winter?  How’s the weather where you live? Any snow yet? Please share.

I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.