tennis

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Running & Tennis

Tennis for about 10 years was all I thought about. 

  • I was a team captain.
  • I played on many many teams.
  • I met my hubby while playing tennis.
  • My teams have gone to State championships 3x and Nationals once.
  • My best vacations are with my tennis friends.
  • Some of my most fun times are spent with my tennis friends.
  • Most of my closest friends are tennis players.
  • My tennis friends started me running.

Two interesting things happened this week:

  • While playing doubles, my partner, another player  & I were discussing races & running between points (My partner is a runner & is training for the Naples HM, the other just ran her 1st 10K.)
  • I turned down subbing in a tennis contract in order to get in a run!

Tennis is actually getting in the way of my running schedule and now I only play once a week and on one team (in the spring).  As a result, my tennis skills are slacking off but I don’t want to put more time & money into it.

Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoy playing tennis.  I love to watch the major tournaments on TV.  I even enjoy watching them in person.

But you can’t just fit it tennis.  It has to be arranged, coordinated, players’ abilities assessed, memberships secured, sub lists organized, etc.  You can’t control how well your partner will play or how well your opponents will play. Winning matters!!

Running has taken over the #1 spot for now and I am happy about it.

 

Happy Running! Any tennis playing runners out there?

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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!

 

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Last Week in Review & Another Half Completed

Monday – 1.5 hours tennis after work
Tuesday – 3 miles during lunch, 1.5 hours tennis after work
Wednesday – 3 miles after work, 1.25 hours yoga
Thursday – REST
Friday – REST
Saturday – REST
Sunday – 13.1 miles – HALF MARATHON #5 – DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2:30:12 – the short version: rain the first half…ran too fast..died…nice course..should have done better…

(Race Report coming when I return East…)

Happy Running!

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Last Week in Review

Monday – Tennis 1.5 hrs
Tuesday – 4 miles
Wednesday – 3 miles on treadmill, Yoga 1.25 hrs
Thursday – 5 miles
Friday – REST
Saturday – 12  miles
Sunday – REST

3 weeks to go… until Half Marathon #4!

(Will post about my High School Reunion tomorrow 🙂 )

Happy Running!

 

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Back to Tennis & Creating a Balance

playing tennis

In my forties, I started something athletic.  It was tennis. I played ALL THE TIME!!!  Ladders, coed teams, womens teams, tournaments, etc. I was obssessed.

In my fifties, I started running. 50 5k races in 3 years. I was obsessed.

Do you see a trend?

This summer, it was easy. I was injured and I didn’t run or play tennis.  In the summer, tennis is free and casual.  No problems. No races signed up for. No problems there. Just relaxing on our boat.

Last night was my first night of my indoor tennis contract.  I have 4/5 slot on Mondays and a 1/8 slot on Tuesdays. I switched tennis facilities and no longer play with my tennis friends (They play at another facility which is farther away & more expensive or are retired & play during the day).  We are close & will see each other socially and on vacations. 

dinner at "Pure"

 Now I am playing with new players and it is just tennis. But because it is a paid doubles contract, I have a playing schedule.

Back to running – I want to continue running several short runs during the week and a longer run on the weekend.

I do not want to re-injure my heel (which may be still injured?). As a result, I don’t  want to run & play tennis in the same day.  This sometimes means I have to skip runs because I cannot skip tennis.

Happy Running! Anyone else have “Balance” problems?

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TTT + 1

  1. It has rained THREE Mornings in a row!! I think I mentioned several times that I don’t run in the rain!! So my running has been slacking off 😦
  2. My hubby (MR. I never exercised in my life cuz I can play any sport well) suggested that we join a gym. There’s a new Planet Fitness nearby – only $10 amonth!
  3. My problem is that I work and it is crowded when I can go…  But I think I will join but not for the treadmill on rainy days but to crosstrain (which I should start doing).  Optimistically Tues, Thurs (after work) & Sat or Sun.

+1 So here’s my new OPTIMISTIC plan for exercise:

  • Running – before work  2-3x and 1 long on the weekend
  • Tennis – once a week after work (Mon)
  • Yoga – once a week after work (Wed)
  • Crosstrain – 2x after work (Tues, Thurs) and 1x on the weekend

Yes, there’s the hubby, friends, movies, dinners, meetings squeezed in there too…If only I didn’t have to work…There’d be time for everything!!

Happy Running! Do you belong to a gym?  How often do you go?

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TTT: Tennis, Tempo & Therapy

  1. Tennis – Tuesday I played my first real tennis since my injury on June 12.  2 set of doubles: 8-6, 5-7.  Over 2 hours & I was sore…sore everywhere….hip…shoulder…legs…knee..HEEL – out of shape or old age??
  2. Tempo – Wednesday before work  regardless of my soreness and fatigue…I ran 4 miles!!!  It was my type of a tempo run…I ran as fast as I could for as long as I could and then walked.  It was the first time and I attempted to run with any pace.  I must admit that it felt good!!!!!!!!!!  Most of my runs in the last few weeks have been in the 13-15 min pace.  Most of the time this morning, I was in the 10s and that was with walking. YAY!!
  3. Therapy – I mean the Physical type. Yesterday was my last session.  They gave me an cortisone patch to keep on my heel for 2 hours and wished me luck. I wish I could continue but my insurance won’t pay for any more time!!!  So now I’m on my own for stretching, icing, resting when necessary and ORTHOTICS.  Who knows when my orthotics will arrive?? And will they help?

Happy Running! Happy Thursday!

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My Trip to Milwaukee and More

my 1st beer, the 1st nite

at the conference dinner with my colleague

dinner on the river with new friends

I had originally hoped to run the Superun 5k on the night I arrived.  I didn’t register and I’m glad I didn’t because my flight was delayed in Cleveland and I arrived too late.  Anyway, I am nursing a sore “heel.”

Thursday morning I dragged myself to the hotel gym (which was on my floor) and slowly ran 3 miles on the treadmill while watching Wimbledon live.

I love conferences and now I remember why I didn’t run at all 2 years ago in Boulder.  No time!  You get caught up in the excitement of the workshops & meeting new people.

The bad thing or maybe good thing (if you like food) is that you get to eat every hour! Breakfast, workshop, food break, workshop, lunch, workshop, food break, workshop, food break, workshop, dinner!

We did walk every day after lunch and in the evening.  But it didn’t put a dent in the calories that I consumed!!!

Friday morning I had a headache & Saturday morning, I had to pack.  So I had a great time but didn’t do the running that I had planned.  It wasn’t so bad because I could justify it with the fact that my “heel” hurt, right?

Sunday morning we got up bright and early to go to Lake George.  I was psyched because I had Monday off.

The real reason I had Monday off was that I had wanted to do the Adirondack 10 miler with AJH.  I definitely wasn’t prepared to run 10 miles and I was jet lagged and tired from the conference.

We got to our marina where the race ended just in time to hear the awards.  Believe it or not, they gave awards for each age and there was no one in my age group!!! I would have won!!! DARN!! This race is on my bucket list!

We ended up having a great day on one of the picnic islands (Black Mountain Pt) with friends.

lunch on the island

 

me & my hubby

our view of the lake

Saturday evening, we hung out in Bolton Landing and had pizza and listened to a live band.

Sunday morning, sore foot or not, I wasn’t going to miss a run on a perfect morning.  I did my usual 5 mile trek down to the park, around the Sagamore and down 9N.  I took it slow & walked when my heel hurt but it doesn’t feel any worse so it was worth it!

Sagamore nature trail

Afterwards, we rode around on the boat to another island and then met friends back at the marina for a BQ.

a pic before leaving for tennis

Unfortunately we had to leave early because I had a USTA tennis match. (I had to play singles – UGH!!)

 This is the last week before I need to get serious about running!  Please, heel heal!

Happy Running!

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Read this if your feet hurt…

Today the article about How to take care of your feet came out in Good Housekeeping:

I am only quoted in the first paragraph but I found the article very informative.

Click HERE to read the rest of the article or buy it at the newstands.

Speaking about my feet, my right achilles is no worse.  YAY!!

I played tennis for 3 1/2 hours Sunday and also for an hour last nite.  Now I have a BLISTER on my left  foot which bothered me on my pre-rain run this morning.  😦

Time to switch to a different pair of running shoes…

Happy Running! Do your feet hurt??

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Foto Friday

As promised, here are some photos from my wonderful vacation in Naples, Florida:

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Now that vacation is over, I’m back to running!

3.5 mile race last night and a 5k race on Sunday. 

Next half marathon training does not start until July 4 but I have to decide whether or not I am going to do the 10 miler on June 26.  If so, I need to start running more than 3 miles!!

Happy Running!  Good luck on any races you are doing this weekend!