January 8, 2015 by Darlene

TTT

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1. It is cold. Not cold. Frigid. Like -20 with the wind chill.

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2. I still have not mastered treadmill running. I run slow. I can’t handle more than 3 miles. I ran outside Monday night and survived. I hope it warms up to 15 so I can run outside tomorrow night.

but this is really accurate:

3. I am excited and nervous about my upcoming half marathon,

I can’t wait to leave the cold weather? But will it be warm in Florida? Will my flight arrive without a delay? (I leave on Friday & my race is 6:30 am Saturday.)

How will I be on race day? Will I have a good race?

and an extra #4 & #5

4. I am racing (if it warms up) on Sunday, HMRRC Winter Series #3. It will be a 10K and my last long training run. I ran this one 2 years ago. I had finished in 1:08:18 (which was a PR at the time.) Now my 10K PR is 57:03. I hope to finish around 60 min.

5. I went to a STEM celebration dinner last night. It was for the volunteers and runners in the Domestic Violence Survivors Group. The women were so proud that they ran a 5k (in the pouring cold rain).

I can’t wait to do participate in this program again.

Happy Running! What’s new in your life? How are you dealing with the cold?

November 7, 2014 by Darlene

Friday Five: Staying healthy & on track during the holidays

Every Friday, three DC area bloggers Mar at Mar On the Run, Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?! and Courtney from Eat Pray Run, DC to host the Friday Five linkup. Anyone can join with their own Friday Five post (yes, it must be a Friday Five!!) They encourage you to visit other blogs on the linkup, comment, share and engage!

This week, the theme is Staying healthy & on track during the holidays

1. Bring healthy snacks to work. If you are hungry, you will be tempted to eat something unhealthy. This is what I always have in my lunch bag everyday.

2. Walk whenever you can. That means taking the stairs rather than the elevator. Eat a quick lunch and go for a walk. Take a walk after dinner.

3. Sign up for a race. If you do, you will be motivated to get out and run. Running burns calories, right?

4. Do some kind of cross-training activity that you enjoy– work out, do yoga, pilates, zumba, play tennis or whatever you can to stay active.

5.Get on the scale. I rarely get on the scale but I try to weigh myself more frequently during the holidays. Nothing like several lbs gained to make me lose my appetite.

Will I cheat? Of course but I try to make them worthwhile cheats on special occasions. (I have a weakness for desserts…)

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christmas cookie exchange at work

Happy Running! How do you stay healthy & on track during the holidays?

May 5, 2014 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week:

Monday – 2 – 1 mile walks at work, rest, tennis

may be the last one outside – rain predicted for the rest of the week

afternoon break to Walgreen s& Starbux

Tuesday – 1 mile walk at work, 4 mile run on the TM at work

walk outside on the track before the rain

hated it but it was raining – watched an episode of Call the Midwife

Wednesday – 1 mile walk at work, rest, dinner out with the tennis ladies

walked inside, raining outside 😦

the group at a Thai restaurant (had pasta w/lobster & veggies + cheese cake pops for dessert)

Thursday – 2 walks at work, 4 mile run, dinner & mall walk with bff

Am walk after the rain stopped!

PM walk before the rain started again

rain shortened run

Friday – walk at work, rest, pre-race pasta dinner

Saturday – 10k race

PR & 3rd in my AG

finally got to see this movie

Sunday – rest, nails, movie…

not a great film but enjoyable

This Week:

Monday – 3 miles, tennis
Tuesday – rest, dinner, movie with bff to celebrate my b-day
Wednesday – 3 miles, yoga
Thursday -rest, hair appt
Friday – 3 miles, birthday dinner out
Saturday – rest, tulip fest with mentee & sons
Sunday – 5k race, dinner out to celebrate my b-day

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any races ? Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

April 23, 2014 by Darlene

Where Do You Run?

I get bored easily. So I like to run different routes:

on the track

I run on the track if I am injured because the track is easy on the feet. Also it is close to where I work so I run there when I have to squeeze in a quick run during lunch. It is also good for speed workouts.

in town (Delmar)

in the city (Albany)

I work in the city. So when I run after work, that’s where I usually do it if I don’t feel like driving. The downside is the traffic and having to stop at lights and in the winter, the icy sidewalks. In the town where I live, it is the same. I do my long runs or early runs there because it is convenient not to have to drive somewhere.

Washington Park

The Crossings

I love to run in the park. I can run to Washington Park or it’s a short drive. I love the flowers in the spring and summer and the leaves in the fall. There are hills so that is either good or bad. I like the Crossings also but I don’t go there often because I have to drive, and there is a lot of traffic getting there.

on the Delmar rail trail

Elm Ave park fitness trail

I am not much of a trail runner. But there is a rail trail not far from where I live. It is 4 miles out and back (and they plan to extend it.) Again, it is easier on the feet. There is no traffic so an easy out and back route. I also enjoy the foliage of the different seasons on the trail. I run on it frequently. Occasionally I have run on the fitness trail but I find the exercise stops distracting.

on the treadmill

I hate the treadmill. But I run on it when it is raining or too icy to run outside.

Nisky Bike Path

Corning bike path

Colonie park bike path

For any run longer than 5 miles, I love to run on the bike paths. They are flat and there are no cars. There are usually bikers, runners, and people around. The scenery along the river is beautiful. Unfortunate in a winter like this past one, they were not cleared of snow.

Florida!

Nope, not lucky enough to live near the ocean but if I did, I would be running there most of the time.

Bolton Landing

But as soon as summer comes, you will see more pictures like this when I am running.

Happy Running! Where do you run?

April 16, 2014 by Darlene

Who Keeps You Healthy?

The American Recall Center is a brand new site devoted to providing health and wellness news in simple, straightforward terms. Their ultimate goal is to help their readers take complete charge of their health by being fully informed!

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This past March, they reached out to a group of other bloggers to create a blog post that included an explanation and photo of who in their life kept them healthy. In other words, who’s their “Health Hero“? Because of the fantastic response and the relatively small number of bloggers that participated, they are running this campaign again for the month of April.

Like they did in March, they will feature a collage of all of the images from every participant in their Community Section.

My Health Hero:

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My health hero is my co-worker Sherri. Where I work, our jobs are mostly sedentary. In other words, we sit at a desk all day and work on the computer.

Sherri, who has severe neck & back problems (that require PT and cortisone shots) and recently had a hysterectomy, is more active than anyone I know.

She arrives early each day so she can walk before work. For her 15 minute morning break, she walks a 1 mile inside when the weather is cold (which his most of the time in the NE) or outside around the track in the nicer temps.

For her lunch hour, she rides the exercise bike or walks on the treadmill.

And for her 15 minute afternoon break, she repeats her morning routine. If that weren’t enough, she has free weights at her desk so she do upper body strength exercises in preparation for kayak season.

Before I met Sherri, I would sit at my desk all day! I even ate lunch at my desk. Now at 11 am, she stops by my office and encourages me to accompany her on her 15 minute walk around the school.

I am a runner but she walks almost as fast as I run. I struggle to keep up but I am so happy that she gets me out of my chair once a day. She may even motivate me to leave my desk for lunch, too.

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Happy Running! Do you have a “Health Hero”?

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 7, 2014 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week:

Monday – rest, 1 mile walk at work, mall walk after work with BFF

Tuesday – rest, 1 mile walk at work, tennis

our fastest so far

Wednesday – 1 mile walk inside at work, 2 mile walk during lunch outside, 4 mile run

Washington park (lake is still frozen)

Spring at last!

Thursday – 1 mile walk at work, 3 mile run on the track

getting faster indoors…

on the track

Friday – 1 mile walk at work, 4 3 mile run on the tm, mah jongg

thought it was going to rain…ran out of time so couldn’t get in 4

Saturday – rest, dinner out with my hubby

Sunday – 5 m race + 2 more miles later

on the rail trail

Must be my lucky week. I won a blog giveaway:

and I won the door prize at my race:

Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket?

This Week:

Monday – rest, tennis
Tuesday – 3 miles on the tm at lunch, tennis
Wednesday – 4 miles
Thursday – 4 miles
Friday – rest, mah jongg
Saturday – 5K race + 3 miles
Sunday – rest, day with Amanda & sons

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

February 24, 2014 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week:

Monday – DAY OFF, 3 miles, tennis

in town

Tuesday – rest, tennis
Wednesday – 4 miles on the treadmill at work (snowy slushy roads AGAIN)

watched Olympic women’s figure skating 🙂

Thursday – rest, haircut
Friday – ~~4 miles~~, rest, mah jongg
Saturday – ~~rest~~ 11 miles

windy wet run on the Corning bike path

Sunday – ~~11 miles~~ rest

look at this running skirt I got at Walmart for $5 – 2 pockets in the front

and one pocket in the back

week 7- 18 miles

This Week:

Monday – rest, work at bar exam, 3 miles after ??
Tuesday – rest, work at bar exam
Wednesday -rest, fly to Daytona Beach
Thursday – 4 miles?
Friday – rest
Saturday – 5K race
Sunday – rest, fly home

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

February 17, 2014 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week:

Monday – tennis
Tuesday – 4 miles on the treadmill

this week I watched Downton Abbey

Wednesday – 3 4 miles

got it done before dark – the days are getting longer

Thursday – ~~4 miles –~~ another SNOWSTORM (work closed early)
Friday – rest , ~~mah jongg,~~ 4 miles, SNOW DAY!

in my neighborhood

Saturday – ~~10 miles~~ rest, lunch out
Sunday – ~~rest~~ 10 miles

2 loops on the Nisky bike path

week 6- 22 miles

This Week:

Monday -DAY OFF, 3 miles, tennis
Tuesday – rest, tennis
Wednesday – 4 miles
Thursday – haircut
Friday – 4 miles, mah jongg
Saturday – rest
Sunday – 11 miles

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any races ? How are you surviving this winter?

February 5, 2014 by Darlene

Snow Day and Winter Running Mojo

It is definitely not as rewarding as when I was teaching but it still is awesome.

Though I was meeting my bff for dinner last night, I had to squeeze in a run before today’s big storm (who knows when I’ll be able to run outside again?)

I tried out the Nike+ app..not bad for fun but during a race or long run, I like the Garmin on my wrist.

Today I had the whole day free (and my hubby had to work). I got so much done:

did a plank (woo hoo!)
did my taxes (not happy about how much we have to pay 😦 )
worked on my knitted sock
read a bit
watched the last episode of Downton Abbey
made a casserole for dinner (I don’t cook much)
went to the movies (This month’s RW magazine made me want to see this Bruce Dern movie. Did you know he was a serious runner?)

it was good!

Quite a productive day. The snow has stopped…we have at least 12″ and tomorrow I will be back at work. I’ll probably opt for the treadmill and venture out on the road on Friday.

This weekend I have a long run planned…will the bike path be plowed?

so will it feel like 18 miles instead of 9?

So how to you stay motivated to run in the winter?

Buy proper winter running clothes – tights, hat, gloves, jacket. It is not fun running when you are too cold. Also, dress for warmer than it is. It is also unpleasant to run when you are overdressed. Wear layers so you can shed one if you are warm. New clothes that are fun and bright are motivating, as well.

my tights, jacket, hat & gloves were bought at Target

Run somewhere scenic – a park, a bike path. Vary your routes. Running on the same road gets boring.

love this bike path along the Hudson R

Grab a running buddy or join a running group. Chatting makes the miles go faster. Having to meet someone gets you out the door.

some new running partners that help get me out there

Put some new music on your phone or iPod. Playlists gets stale. It’s nice to have some new tunes to motivate you on those cold days.

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Join a challenge such Run with Jess’ Winter Miles Challenge. They are free. You can also win prizes.

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Sign up for a spring race. I signed up for a half marathon on March 30. Knowing that this race is coming up pushes me through these cold months to stay in running condition.

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Have a plan B. I always bring outdoor clothes to run after work but I also have clothes there to run indoors on the treadmill. So I have no excuse. I can do either. So if the roads are too slippery, I run on the treadmill.

Use the treadmill for short runs only. Go outside no matter how cold to do your longer runs. More than 4 miles on the treadmill makes me go insane. The hardest part about running outside in the winter is the first step out the door.

Buy Yaktrax or something similar if you live somewhere where it snows a lot and often. They really work. You can run on snowy roads and you won’t slip.