January 16, 2016 by Darlene

Loving/Not Loving

Welcome to the winter edition of Loving/Not Loving

Loving: HMMRC, a local running club, offers a winter racing series. The races are on Sundays and free. Each race has 3 distance options.
Not Loving: The distances don’t coincide with the long runs that I need to do to prepare for my half marathon. This weekend is a 15k and I need to run 11 miles. On 1/31, there is a 10 miler and I need to run only 8.

3.5 mile race

Loving: SkirtSports has come out with a new print.
Not Loving: Now I want to order it in everything style. I don’t need any more running outfits!!

free love print

Loving: In the cold weather, I don’t have to worry about my feet sweating and getting blisters after a long run.
Not Loving: Shoes and boots aggravate my bunions and now my foot hurts again. (And it’s a long time until sandal/flip flop season!!!)

feb

Loving: I have found new ways to relax – coloring books, knitting and jigsaw puzzles.
Not Loving: These are all sedentary activities. I found that I can knit and ride the exercise bike but the others, NOPE (gotta sit!).

Loving: You get a free Starbucks item after you get 12 stars. I then always order the most expensive thing on the menu.
Not Loving: I forgot that I used my two “free” items and ordered a venti coconut milk cinnamon vanilla chai latte. (ouch!)

Loving: My FitBit tracks my steps. It makes me take the stairs rather than the elevator.
Not Loving: It’s not accurate on the treadmill and does not record steps while on the bike.

Loving: The days are getting longer. When I leave work to run, it’s still light (for about 15 min.)
Not Loving: The cold weather has just arrived and will be around for awhile.

Loving: Downton Abbey is back on TV.
Not Loving: This is its last season.

Loving: It’s so easy to shop online and find what you what cheaper.
Not Loving: It’s too easy and you may buy what you don’t need.

my current Nikes in a new color – $20 less & no tax or shipping – had to buy, right?

Loving: When you are dragging at work around 4 pm, the cold crisp air (while running) certainly wakes you up.
Not Loving: My hands almost froze off. How can I keep them warm?

Happy Running! What are you Loving or Not Loving today?

January 15, 2016 by Darlene

How to get motivated in the winter? Run a Virtual Race!

I don’t know about you but it’s hard to stay motivated to run in the winter.

I need to have a race scheduled and in the winter months, there are not many (unless you live in a warm climate.)

Luckily there are Virtual Races like the ones sponsored by Running On the Wall.

For $29.99, look at all you get when you sign up for their Valentine Virtual 10K Race:

affiliate pic

All you have to do is:

Register here by purchasing the package.
Find the virtual race event on their Facebook page to share your race recap
Run your race
Post your time on the event page
Be proud of yourself!

If you don’t want to run this particular virtual race, there are plenty more to choose from:

I don’t know about you but I’m going to sign up for a couple of these virtual races this winter.

Happy Running! Do you run virtual races?

January 15, 2016 by Darlene

Friday Five: Things I Won’t Run Without

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!

My “favorite” topic for this Friday is My Favorite Running Items (things that I couldn’t run without.)

a Skirt

I never run in shorts and when it is too cold for a skirt, I wear one over capris or tights.

2. A race belt

I always carry my phone when I run and my belt holds it. I can also attach my bib to it so I don’t need safety pins.

Albany Last Run - December

bazu-7532702

3. GU

This is my race fuel of choice. I doesn’t bother my stomach so why switch. I don’t like their fruity flavors. I am partial to Salted Caramel, Caramel Macchiato, Rootbeer, etc.

Anyone try this one!?

4. Comfortable running shoes (with a wide toe box)

I tried them all and my favorite brand changes. It was Brooks Adrenaline at one point and then I loved Mizuno Wave Rider 18s. Now I’m wearing Nikes (AIR ZOOM VOMERO 10).

Run for the Roc - September

running on Nisky bike path

5. Garmin GPS Watch

I have the 205 – the old big one and I still love it – it shows everything I want on ONE screen. No hitting any buttons. I’ll be sad when it dies.

Hangover_Half-156-XL_edited

Happy Running! What are your favorite running items?

January 14, 2016 by Darlene

My Favorite Instagram Posts of 2015 & TOLT

I love Instagram. (If you don’t yet, please follow me @dsc59)

So I took Amanda (from Run to the Finish)’s idea and am sharing my favorite Instagram photos of 2015-

January

jan

This is from my half marathon in Florida where I surprisingly had a PR and AG award. I love it because I may never be that fast again and winning an award in a half is tough.

February

feb

It’s challenging using the timer on my iphone so I just propped it against the fence on the ground and only got my feet (They’re the most important part, right?)

March

mar

I was sad that my flight to Palm Springs got cancelled and I missed running a race with my friend. But running on this trail made up for it. I loved it there!!

April

april

We had a long winter in the NE so I was happy to be running without a jacket and wearing my SportSkirts running skirt. Being selected as an Ambassador Captain for this company is one of the highlights of my year!

May

may

This is my favorite race and the only race that I’ve run every year (even after ankle surgery in 2012.) As you can tell, it’s all women – all ages, all paces – so empowering.

June

jun

Ice cream is my favorite food. To be able to have a root beer float after a hot sweaty run = priceless (especially with the cows as my witnesses.)

July

july

I met Judy through Facebook and although she thinks she is too slow for me, she has gotten me through many a long run. I like this pic because my car is in it and that guy in red running behind us.

August

aug

The Crossings is one of my favorite places to run after work in the summer. And also I think this picture makes me look fast. Ha Ha!

September

sept

This was at the end of a long run while training for my October half marathon. I asked Judy (my photographer) to wait so it would look like I chicked those guys. LOL.

October

oct

This was taken after my painful RNR Brooklyn Half Marathon. I turned around and saw someone whom I had taught when I was a high school French teacher many moons ago. What a treat!

November

nov

While picking up my bib for the Stockade-athon 15k race, I met Frank Shorter. He signed my bib and I swear that he brought me luck since I did PR at the race the next day.

December

dec

We were very lucky to have a pretty mild December. This was taken on one of my favorite new places to run – a rail trail that was recently paved. It’s beautiful (especially the bridges). If only you weren’t running uphill on the way back.

Since it is Thursday, I’m linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.

So how do you take pictures to post on Instagram? How do you prop up your phone??? (BTW: I hate selfies. Too old to have a camera that close to my face!!)

Happy Running! Are you on Instagram? If so, let me know & I’ll follow you.

January 13, 2016 by Darlene

Wednesday Word: Accountable

Every Wednesday, the Deb from Deb Runs will be providing a word about which to blog. Kind of like a nice little blog prompt. Posts can be fitness or health related, but don’t have to be, so really anyone can play along. Just be sure to link up with InLinkz on Deb’s main post, and share the love by reading and commenting on other’s participant’s posts.

This week’s Word is ACCOUNTABLE.

What does it mean to be accountable?

“Required or expected to justify actions or decisions” (according to the dictionary.)

I started my running blog in March 2008 when my friend convinced me to to join No Boundaries and learn to run. My blog began as a way to hold myself accountable for my running by putting everything out onto the Internet for everyone to see and (hopefully) inspiring others along the way.

How does my blog keep me accountable?

— Keeps my training on track

There’s no better way to log your weekly miles than to put it on your blog. Plus, when you know others will see it, you’re more likely to be motivated to get out there and do it.

I plan my runs on Monday. And then update what I actually did on the following Monday. So when I don’t do exactly what I had planned, I can tell my readers what happened, hopefully imparting invaluable advice such as that all training plans must be flexible. I am human and I do skip runs or do extra ones.

— Binding myself to my race times

As they say: “Pain is temporary, but race times live on the Internet forever.”

I keep a list on my blog of all my races and their times. I also have a page that shows my PRs.

Seeing that on my site is a daily reminder of what I am working toward as well as how far I’ve come.

It also shows that I have good days and bad days and that race times are pretty unpredictable.

— Sense of community

The first thing that happened after I started writing my blog was that I discovered some local running bloggers. Soon I met them in the flesh and they became “my friends.”

If I had not blogged, I wouldn’t have met these great ladies.

The longer I blogged, the more social media friends, I made. Three I’ve met and hope to meet more of you.

Many of them I will never meet, but my connection to them is just as strong. (I wish I could meet you all!!)

me & AJH (from Age Groups Rock)

before the race

There’s nothing like posting and having another blogger reply with a kind word of encouragement. And when you ask for advice, they are always there to help.

— Helping others

Writing race reviews and posts on the struggles and triumphs of being an older runner can help others know that they are not alone.

There’s a whole bunch of runners out there dealing with the exact same trials and tribulations. I’m sure even younger runners can identify.

As runners, it’s not our speed or our age that binds us. It’s that we share a special bond because “we run.”

I know that before I sign up for a big race, I scour the internet for reviews of the race. I find it very helpful when I read a fellow blogger’s honest account of a race. And when I am injured or have a running-related problem, I am relieved to find out that I am not the only one and also have received a lot of valuable advice in dealing with whatever ails or is bothering me.

—Ambassadorships & Product Reviews

Once I started blogging, I was able to apply for several ambassadorships.

I am fortunate that a few companies actually picked me such as, SweatPink, Girls RunFast, SwirlGear (which no longer exists), Girls Gone Sporty, #RunChat, FitFluential, SkirtSports.

In most cases, it just means being part of a great running community.

In other cases, it means getting discounts on clothes.

modeling my new SkirtSports top and skirt

And sometimes, you get the opportunity to try neat running-related products.

reviewing my LilyTrotter socks

and Huma Chia energy gel

These opportunities keep me accountable because I have to RUN and use the products!! Then on my blog, I am able to write an honest review which will be helpful to the company and to my readers.

–Linkups

When I first started blogging, I just wrote whatever came to mind. But now each day, you can participate in a different linkups.

Monday:

hosted by Holly@ HoHoRuns and Tricia @MissSippiPiddlin

Tuesday: (A topic is posted for each Tuesday)

hosted by Erika @ MCM Mama Runs, Marcia @ Marcia’s Healthy Slice and Patty @ My no-guilt life!

Wednesday:

hosted by Deb @ Deb Runs

Thursday:

hosted by Amanda @Running With Spoons

Friday: (A topic is posted for each Friday)

hosted by Mar @ Mar On the Run, Cynthia @ You Signed Up For What?! and Courtney @ Eat Pray Run, DC

Last Friday of the Month:

hosted by Marcia @ Marcia’s Healthy Slice

First Saturday of the Month:

hosted by Coco @ Got 2 Run 4 Me, Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner, and Lynda @ Fitness Mom Wine Country

In order to participate in a linkup, you have to post about a running-related subject. This surely keeps me accountable. And the best part, I discover new blogs and attract new readers on mine.

Happy Running! How are you accountable? Any ideas for scheduling a blogger meet-up?

January 12, 2016 by Darlene

Tuesdays on the Run: Running Dreams

Erika @ MCM Mama Runs hosts Tuesdays on the Run with Marcia @ Marcia’s Healthy Slice and Patty @ My no-guilt life!

This week’s topic is Running Dreams.

Do I have dreams…. (dreams as in bucket list items!)

DESTINATION RACES:

I would love to run a half marathon in California such as:

And in a National Park such as:

As a former French teacher, my dream is to run a race in France such as:

A Sub 2:00 Half Marathon

Maybe someday, I’ll wake up and be fast. As you know, dreams don’t always come true so if we’re still dreaming…

Run a race in all 50 states.

I am currently working and don’t have the time or money…. But a girl can dream.

So far: NY, NJ, PA, CA, FL, VT (44 more to go.)

Run a Marathon.

I’m not ready to commit that much time to training for one but if I were younger, stronger, faster, retired…

Happy Running! What are you dreams? Which ones if any do you think will come true?

January 11, 2016 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week:

Monday – First day back at work after 11 days off. And it was freezing!! No running for me, just 1 1/2 hours of doubles tennis after work

Tuesday – Another freezing day (the coldest of the winter so far) but I bundled up and ran outside after work.

Wednesday – A lot warmer today (30 vs 10). I took a quick run after work before going to a yoga class.

my legs felt great yesterday but today, very sluggish!!

lheartspaceogo

Thursday – Rode the exercise bike at work during lunch. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it (and I was able to KNIT while on it 🙂 ). Went out to dinner with an old friend.

Friday – I had planned to run today but the iffy weekend weather made me skip it. I actually walked for 15 min in the morning and rode the exercise bike for 1/2 hr (while knitting) at lunch.

just walked in circle around the lst floor with a co-worker

Saturday – I had hoped for a relaxing day but since rain was forecast for Sunday, I needed to do my long run instead. I ran 5 by myself and then Judy arrived to run the last 6. Thanks Judy.

The rest of the day was filled with housework and taking doing those holiday decorations finally.

Sunday – Another free race – I had planned to run the 10K and follow it with 3.8 more miles to complete my 10 mile long run. But I had done my long run on Saturday and since it was pouring, I DNSed.

cross-training??

17 miles done with 3 runs and 4 rest days. (9 miles less than last weeks. Oops)

This Week: (3 weeks until Half Marathon #17)

Monday – 4 mile run after work
Tuesday – rest, holiday brunch at work, tennis
Wednesday – holiday lunch at work, 4 mile run after work
Thursday – rest
Friday – 3 mile run, mah jongg chez moi
Saturday – rest
Sunday – HMRRC Winter Series #4 – 15K race + 1.7 more miles

I am linking up for the Weekly Wrap hosted by Holly @ HoHoRuns and Tricia @ MissSippiPiddlin. See rules here.

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

January 10, 2016 by Darlene

LSD & a DNS

winter series #3 in 2013

Once again the Hudson Mohawk Runners Club sponsored a FREE race for its members.

For Winter Series #3 today, they offered distances of 3M, 10K and 25K.

Since I have a half marathon in 4 weeks, I would have chosen to run the 10K and then add on more miles after. But due to predicted rain, I decided to do my long run yesterday and maybe just run the 3 mile option today.

I like to vary my long run routes – so far I have run on the Delmar Rail Trail…

on the Corning Bike Trail…

So this week, I decided on the Nisky Bike Trail.

My plan was to run 4 miles and then Judy would join me for 6 miles.

The path was clear and the temps significantly warmer than the beginning of the week (10 vs 40 degrees)

But there were also sections that were icy… (I tiptoed over those)

As you can see, the river isn’t frozen yet.

Since I felt good, I wound up running 5 miles and then met Judy.

We ran most of our run in the opposite direction… turned around when there was ice.

I got 11 miles done and I was a happy camper.

fullsizerender

I stopped off on my way home for my reward Starbucks and at Target (where as usual spent way too much money.)

The rest of the day was spent putting away those holiday decorations (it’s hard work.)

Today I woke early to POURING rain with high winds predicted.

I had planned on running the race. I knew many people going and I have raced many times in the rain. And it was warm (in the 50s.)

the Love Run

Lake George Half Marathon

But for a free local race….NOPE!!

I stayed home and cooked.

The only thing I may brave the rain for today is a movie.

Here’s a pic from last week’s race – pretty much for the same course as today’s race.

Hangover_Half-156-XL_edited

I miss racing but am glad to be home and dry.

If the weather is better, I plan to run the 15k next Sunday and the 10 miler on Jan. 31.

Happy Running! Do you run in the rain?

January 8, 2016 by Darlene

Friday Five: Healthy Eating

My “food & drink” topic for this Friday is Five Healthy Items I have Everyday

I’m the first to admit that I don’t eat healthy. If there is a sweet around, I will eat it.

But here’s what I eat/drink everyday:

Oatmeal

I would prefer waffles, pancakes or French toast with syrup, butter and bacon!! But I do eat oatmeal everyday for breakfast. I add raisins, cinnamon and sometimes fruit or nuts.

2. Herbal Tea

I drink it in the morning and sometimes in the evening. I gave up caffeine so this was my alternative. (I am dying for a cup of coffee as I write this.) I buy leaves in many flavors and I also have tea bags (which don’t taste as good.) But yes, I still crave a vanilla latte. (I get decaf ones in Starbucks for a treat.)

3. Greek Yogurt

I have it for lunch. I usually add granola. Would I rather have pizza? YES!!

4. Water

I keep it at my desk. Do I drink as much as I should? Not at all. The only time I really get thirsty is when I’m on the treadmill. But I haven’t had soda in years and I don’t miss it at all.

5. Apple

Sometimes, I eat one for a snack at work but mostly I eat one in the evening. It’s my snack. I don’t keep cookies or chips in the house so this is what I grab when I am hungry.

Of course, there are other things that sneak into my diet that aren’t so healthy.

Happy Running! What healthy things do you eat on a daily basis?

January 7, 2016 by Darlene

TOLT: One Word , a New Half, Winter & Long Runs

Since it is Thursday, I’m linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.

What I am thinking about today is…

My One Word for 2016.

The My One Word approach is popular every year.

If you’ve never heard about it, here is a summary:

Lose the long the list of changes you want to make this year and instead pick one word. This process forces clarity by taking all of your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single thing. Your one word focuses on your character and creates a vision for your future.

2014 was the first time that I tried it.

My word was:

In 2015, the word that I chose was:

This year, I am picking:

What is Gratitude?

Gratitude is “a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation.”

Why did I choose Gratitude?

Expectations lead to disappointments.

As runners, I think (myself included) we focus too much on mileage totals, PRs, bling, etc. And we expect to improve or run at a certain pace and when we don’t, we get depressed or even stressed.

Especially as we age, we need to concentrate on being thankful that we CAN run.

How will I focus on my word?

Be more positive.
Post more about the good things that happened during a race or a run.
Run & race happy.
Forget those PR and pace goals.
Volunteer more.
Thank those who make races possible.

Half Marathon #18

I am also thinking about a dear friend who had a mastectomy on Tuesday. It is her 3rd bout with breast cancer (& 2nd in 2 years.) She is strong. She is optimistic. I am confident that because of these qualities, she will beat this terrible disease.

So I made the impromptu decision to run another half marathon – one in her honor.

March 13, 2016

It is very hilly. It is only a 5 weeks after my Florida half. But these tough 13.1 miles will be nothing compared to the pain that my friend has endured.

clelevation

Winter

Dec 24:

Jan 5:

Amazing!

I HATE the cold. But I hate the treadmill more.

So yesterday after work, I braved the cold and ran outside. I was cold but I survived. It wasn’t so bad and I felt really “badass” when I was done. I warmed up at Starbucks where the barista remarked “You run when it’s this cold!?” And I responded “Yes, I do!”

Long Runs

But what do you do when the weather doesn’t cooperate?

sat-sun

I had planned to race (10K) on Sunday and add more miles on afterward to complete 10 miles total.

I don’t want to run 10 miles IN THE RAIN!!!

So I could change to do my 10 miles on Saturday (before the rain and if there is no ice and snow on the ground from Friday night). That means that I would rest on Friday (with Thursday also being my rest day) and on Sunday, skip the race or only run the 3 mile option. Or I could run on Friday and skip my long run since I did run 10 miles last Saturday and run 11 miles next weekend.

Decisions, decisions, decisions..

Happy Running! If you were to choose ONE word for your focus throughout this year, what word would you choose? Anyone else running this half marathon? Do you run outside in the colder temps? Does the weather get it the way of your long runs or do you run in any conditions? What are you thinking about today?