December 17, 2015 by Darlene

Thinking Out Loud Thursday: NYC, Last Race for 2015

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

You must think I go to NYC all the time. But for some reason, I have gone there 7 times this year.

Of course, each time is different. Twice I even went to run.

June – 2 museums

boat ride & highline

Oct – high line & Broadway show

Oct – Brooklyn & half marathon

Oct – 5k & Central park run

Nov – high line & Broadway

So on Sunday, I went to the Big Apple for the last time this year – to experience the holidays there – no better place, in my mind.

For my friends (& hubby), I get to be the tour planner, which means I pick whatever I want to do. (Perfect, right?)

We took the Megabus from Albany to NYC and then walked umpteen blocks to have brunch (stopping on the way to view the holiday windows.)

Macy’s windows – Snoopy theme

We ate at KTCHN and it was very good.

on 42nd & 11th

shrimp omelet

After brunch, we continued walking around the city.

Lord & Taylor

Bergdolf Goodman

real ice at Barney’s

being photobombed at Bloomies

We viewed the windows at Lord & Taylor, Saks, Barneys, Bergdolf Goodman, Bloomies and more. This is the map we followed (Thanks Shawna!)

You’ll notice that the coats came off quickly. It was 65 degrees!!! On Dec 13 – incredible. It certainly didn’t feel like Christmas.

So we stopped on the way so I could have an ice cream cone to celebrate the summer-like weather.

candy cane ice cream – yum!

This was tempting but …

Our next stop was Greenwich Village for the 2 hour Great Food Tour of NY.

Here’s the itinerary:

Pizza Authentic Tuscan style thin-crust pizza from Bleecker St Pizza,’The best pizza in NYC!’
Deli Faicco’s is, for many New Yorkers, synonymous with sausage. You’ll taste why.

Macaron Bisous, Ciao, a minimalist bakery specializing in colorful French-style macarons in traditional & seasonal flavors.
Coffee Porto Rico Importing Co. has been serving the finest coffees in the world since 1907
Bagel Bagel’s on the Square, a long time favorite bagel place for New Yorkers in the know
Cupcake At Molly’s Cupcakes you can create your very own cupcake. Pick a cake flavor, choose a frosting and then dress it up with tasty toppings. Made right in front of you. Yummy!
Falafel Mamoun’s Falafel, an NYC institution since 1971. Try their hot sauce if you dare, but don’t say we didn’t warn you!

We took the subway which got us to the start of the tour in no time. There were too many people signed up so they hired another guide and split the group in half. Our guide was Walter, the one I had for my Little Italy Food Tour in October and I was thrilled.

who would have thought it would be warm enough to eat outdoors in December??

He was great. We learned a lot about the history of Greenwich Village and sampled lots of good food.

yea, the best pizza ever!!!

NYC bagel!!!

delicious macarons

I don’t have more pics because we devoured the food too quickly.

It was 5 pm when the tour was over so we hopped a subway and headed uptown to continue our holiday in NYC experience – We had to see the tree at Rockefeller Plaza.

We got off at Times Square and walked…I have never seen the city so crowded. Sunday night? Not during school vacation. What gives?

Anyway, we struggled through the crowds to catch a glimpse. And yes, it was worth it.

As we were leaving, we ran into even more crowds on Fifth Ave. There was a sound and light show going on at Saks. What a wonderful surprise!!

We watched it and then continued walking toward Penn Station to catch our train home. What an long, tiring but fun day!!!

What does this have to do with running?

24,000 steps and 10 miles of walking!! That’s what!

Now I have ONE more race for 2015.

#38. That’s what happens when I am not injured. It would have been 40 but I missed 2 races due to flight cancellations.

Dec 19 – 5 pm

This a fun one. It sold out with 1700 runners. The race starts with fireworks and most runners are dressed in festive attire as you run through the lights in the park.

last year

I always enjoy this race even though the weather often does not cooperate. The unseasonably warm weather has ended but hopefully it will be dry.

Last year in the rain, I finished at 29:02 and won 3rd in my age group. However, as you know, anything can happen.

It’s not a flat course but it is a fun one. I plan to finish upright (yes, I did fall one year) and end the year with with a good racing effort.

Happy Running! Ever been to NYC for the holidays? Do you run a holiday-themed race? What are thinking about today?

December 16, 2015 by Darlene

Wednesday Word & EAU Palm Beach Half Marathon Post Race Report

I rushed to my hotel to take a shower and tried to rid those negative half marathon thoughts out of my head (and have a stress-free rest of the vacation.)

You know the ones.

What could I have done differently?

Did I walk too much the day before?
Maybe I should eaten dinner the night before?
Was it really the weather or was it me?
What would have happened if I pushed myself harder?
Is my 2:09 finish a one time thing?

Anyway, my friend G picked me up at the hotel and I was so happy to see her. Normally she is in Fla from January to April but this year, she arrived early because her mother died.

We drove to her house in Jupiter, dropped off my luggage and quickly headed out before the predicted rain.

We decided to visit the Jupiter Lighthouse. I LOVE lighthouses (this is my 3rd Fla lighthouse climb) and G & her hubby had never been.

still cloudy but very warm

We took the required tour. It was interesting.

just had to take a pic.

Then we climbed the stairs to the top. Yes, 140 steps after running 13.1 miles. (Oddly, my legs didn’t even feel like I ran at all .)

we made it – yes, the worst hair pic ever – it was the wind. I swear!

And it was worth it for the view.

After the tour, we had lunch (I was starving!) at a restaurant on the water opposite the lighthouse.

yummy!! shrimp po boys & shrimp flatbreads

We drove around for a while but then it started to rain so we headed back. We spent the evening inside chatting & eating dinner with one of G’s old friends. (I met her on my last visit and we got along great.)

After raining all night, it was not raining when I got up the next morning. I took advantage and went out to see if my legs still worked. They did and I did a slow run/walk around G’s community.

even made some new friends

When I got back, we had breakfast and headed out to the beach. Not to sit in the sun. It was cloudy and windy but still awesome.

We walked for quite a while. There is nothing better than warm salted water for a runner’s feet.

aaaahhhh!

Next up, we decided to go to Loggerhead Marinelife Center which they keep rescued turtles. We saw 9. Cool but sad that these turtles are here because they are injured or sick.

It wasn’t raining yet but it was windy so we drove to Blowing Rocks Preserve. The water was blowing but it wasn’t high tide enough to see the maximum effect. Still nice.

There are also some nice trails here.

Two more stops and then it would be time to have a late lunch and head to the airport.

We stopped at a thrift shop. Not that I needed anything but I bought 2 Nike tennis skirts – $3 each. Score. Then on to Starbucks for a drink & souvenir.

Every time I go to Florida, I forget to buy a mug. Now I have one to add to NY, Moscow & California. ( I also forgot to buy NJ, PA, VT & CO – I’ll just have to go back!)

So maybe my race didn’t go as planned. And the weather wasn’t ideal. Still, I’d call this trip a success.

my best souvenir

Since it is Wednesday, I’m linking up with Deb from Deb Runs.

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 STRESSFUL.

Unfortunately, race-cations are great but they can be stressful.

There’s a lot that could go wrong:

travel arrangements
accommodations
fueling
race logistics
weather conditions
the race itself
aches & pains (or injuries)
recovery

A lot of this, you can’t control and you have to accept that.

For the most part, things went well (except for my performance & the weather) for my past half marathon.

Here are some suggestions for minimizing this stress:

Be prepared for last minute changes in weather.

Bring a shirt for a warmer forecast and one for a cooler one. Bring a rain poncho & an umbrella. Of course, bring throw away clothes.

Bring your race morning breakfast.

I never count on that a friend or hotel will have what I usually eat. I bring packets of oatmeal and tea. (Don’t forget a cup, bowl & spoon.)

Print important information for packet pickup & the race start.

I have everything on my iPhone but you never know…when it won’t work or the battery dies.

If you are flying, pack race essentials in your carry-on.

What if your luggage gets lost….

Plan to arrive at least 2 days before the race.

Of course, you’ll have time to relax. And if you car breaks down or your flight is cancelled, you won’t miss your race. (Yes, it happened to me last March and June.) Plus you can do some sightseeing. Visiting a new place is one of the perks of a destination race!!

Do fun things that are NOT running-related.

Before the race, it’ll keep you busy and take your mind off of worrying about everything that could go wrong. And after the race, if the race didn’t go well, it’ll lift your spirits.

Happy Running! Is running stressful? How do you relieve the stress?

December 15, 2015 by Darlene

Tuesdays on the Run: The Agony of DNF, DNS

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 the Agony of DNF, DNS

I am been lucky. I have never had a DNF.

I have finished a race with a stress fracture, a broken foot and bloody knees.

But I have had several cases of DNS.

Travel-Related

This past March, my flight was cancelled and I missed a 5K race in Palm Springs, CA.

I was angry and disappointed. But things were out of my control. I felt bad for my friend Mary but it turned out that she wasn’t feeling well anyway and didn’t run the race.

I didn’t get to race but I did get to run with Mary several times during my trip.

This past June, my flight was cancelled on my way back from Colorado. So I missed a 10 mile race. The race is one of my favorites and I was bummed.

I ran the next day in a scenic area instead. It helped mentally (may be a little).

Injury-Related

These are the worst.

Luckily I didn’t miss any big races while I had a strained achilles, a broken ankle, a stress fracture or a broken foot.

But I did DNS at just a few races that I signed up for early.

Not running because of an injury bothered me a lot more than missing a race.

Weather-Related

I think I skipped one or two 5k races where it was pouring. I’m a weather whimp when it comes to rain.

Happy Running! Have you has any DNS or DNF races?

December 14, 2015 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week:

Monday – Got up early and went to a short run/walk around the G’s community (in Jupiter, FL).

Then G & I walked along the beach (windy, cloudy but no rain), visited a turtle refuge and a thrift shop.

After a late lunch, G drove me to the airport in West Palm.

Tuesday – Played 1 1/2 hours of tennis after work followed by dinner out.

Wednesday – Planned to run before work but it was raining. So after work, I could have gone to yoga or see tennis great, Venus Williams at UAlbany but instead I chose to run. Afterwards went to the mall to do some holiday shopping.

around Albany campus

Thursday – Ran after work and then met my bff for a walk around the mall.

the law school where I work

Friday – Just a work day and then mah jongg in the evening.

celebrating a fellow mah jongg player’s b-day

Saturday – Ran a 5k race close to my house. After the race, I ran some more miles on the nearby (unpaved) rail trail for a total of 10 for the day. The weather was perfect. I didn’t want to stop running. The rest of the day was filled with errands and catching up on the housework that I didn’t do last weekend.

28:16 – 2nd in my AG (but only medal for 1st)

Sunday – Annual holiday visit to NYC with friends. After we arrived by bus, we walked to a restaurant to have brunch. Then continued our walking to see more of the holiday decorations. Next we took a 2 hour walking food tour of Greenwich Village followed by more of NYC by night around the Rockefeller Center area before heading home by train. Long, tiring (24k steps) but fun day.

28 miles done with 4 runs and 3 rest days.

This Week: (7 weeks until Half Marathon #17)

Monday – 3 miles, dinner out with a co-worker
Tuesday – tennis
Wednesday – 2 miles after work, yoga
Thursday – 4 miles after work
Friday – rest, mah jongg
Saturday – 5k night race
Sunday – 5 miles, dinner & movie for bff’s b-day

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 ?

December 13, 2015 by Darlene

Winter Wonderland 5K Race Recap

This is the 2nd annual for this race. I didn’t run it last year but it’s in my town so I figured why not. And it’s a flat course.

Of course, I just ran a half marathon so it may not have been smart.

The course was a loop around the neighborhood where I used to run. Now that we have the rail trail, I haven’t run here this year at all.

It was nice to run in a small race for a change. Last year they only had 38 runners. This year there was over 100.

I got home late after playing mah jongg last night and decided to sleep in. That meant getting to the race only 15 minutes early rather than an hour.

With such a small race, it didn’t seem to matter. I got my bib & shirt and used the REAL restrooms. The negative was that they had run out of tech shirts and I got a cotton one.

I immediately ran into my friend Barbara. She was running with her 13 year-old niece. We lined up together but she told me that she was going to run with her niece who may run at a slower pace.

Unlike my race in Florida, the weather was perfect. Sunny, no wind, no humidity and cool (in the high 30’s but felt warmer.)

Goals?

Though I had just run 13.1 miles last Sunday, I kinda wanted a good race to redeem myself. So my goal wasn’t to PR but to finish under 27:56. That would make this 5k my fastest of the year.

Unfortunately, my body didn’t agree with my goal.

I give it my best shot on this flat course but I just didn’t have the speed. (Gone forever? Who knows?)

There were no mile markers but my Garmin did beep at the end of each mile. I glanced down every now and then to check my pace but mostly I tried to run by feel. (However, I didn’t “feel” that I had slowed down for mile 2.)

Mile 1 – 9:01
Mile 2 – 9:15
Mile 3 – 9:03
.14 – 8:48

Finish time – 28:16 (Garmin time – 28:12)

So this 5k wasn’t a PR (under 27:11) nor was it my fastest of the year (my 4th fastest.)

Remember how Barbara was running “slowly” with her niece? They finished right behind me. I had no idea they were that close.

We went inside to get food. There were only granola bars and apples. We also checked the results. Barbara finished 3rd in her AG and I finished 2nd. Unfortunately they only gave out medals for first.

I hung around a little longer and chatted with some of the other runners that I knew.

I am trying to keep up my base weekend mileage so I wanted to run some more. I drove to the rail trail that I have been running on often. Instead of running on the newly paved part (I was afraid that I would be tempted to run too long), I ran in the opposite direction on the unpaved portion.

It was such a beautiful day. Hard to believe that I was running without a jacket on December 12!!

When I got to the park (about 2 miles in), I didn’t want to quit. I was running slowly and walking at times so it was easy to keep going.

I always wondered how the trail continued on to Voorheesville so I decided to find out.

I finally found the rest of the trail. It goes about 4 miles. I only ran about 1 mile but I definitely want to go back at another time.

By the time I got back to my car, I had completed 6.2 miles post race. That meant 9.3 for the day. Why stop? 10 miles sounds more impressive so I ran another .7 miles.

I also discovered that the paved part of the trail is almost is completed – no more trucks in the way!! Good news!!

And yes, I deserved this eggnog ice cream cone!!!

So I did enjoy this nice small local race. I’m not sure that I would run it again. Today there is a free HMRRC-sponsored race of 3 miles or 9.3 miles. I would have chosen that race but I am going to NYC (yes, again) with my friends.

I am brooding less about my disappointing half. This race helped take my mind off of it.

One more race for 2015. That’s next Saturday night. A fun 5k- running through the lights in the park.

Happy Running! How was your weekend? Are you having unusually warm winter weather too? Did you run or race?

December 12, 2015 by Darlene

EAU Palm Beach Half Marathon Race Recap

My 16th Half Marathon and I was still nervous.

The course was similar to the one I ran here last January but heading more North along the water instead of South.

race course

Here’s a overview of the race:

As you know, I was worried about the weather for this race. Humidity is not my friend. Rain is worse and wind is the worst.

The day before the race, we got an email explaining how to prepare for the predicted heavy rains (don’t wear cotton clothes, don’t wear loose clothes, cover up until race start, wear breathable socks, use lots of body glide, etc. etc.)

But I got up early (well, I’m not sure I really slept), made breakfast in my hotel room and crossed my fingers that the weathermen were wrong.

Well, it wasn’t raining and I was thrilled. But it was warm. 75 degrees at 5:00 am. Forget about all those throw away clothes. It was also VERY windy. And the humidity was incredible (At least, it felt so for this upstate NY gal).

I had a cab called for 5:15-5:30 but at 5:00 am, he was already waiting. Luckily I was ready and off we went.

When I got there, hardly anyone was there. Everything was located in the same area as the expo and very easy to find what you needed.

There were porta-potties but also REAL bathrooms. Score!

There was also a bag check where I left a dry shirt, flip flops, a rain poncho and an umbrella.

still dark & wet but no rain…

Then I just hung out until it was time to head to the corrals.

I was in Corral B…not sure how I got to start so close to the front. There were about 3500 racers – half marathon, marathon, marathon relay runners. In my corral, there seemed to be a lot of marathoners. I chatted with an older women who had run 35 marathons. Her pace was 12-13 mm. She didn’t realize, however, that there were corrals.

Finally, it was 6:30 am and time to rock n roll.

You can see me at 0:15

Miles 1 -4:

9:33, 10:15, 10:17, 10:24

In order to PR, I would have to run at a pace of 9:50 for the whole 13.1 miles. I knew from the start that that wasn’t going to happen. I was hoping to keep my pace in the 10’s and have a decent finish time for the race.

The course started running north along the ocean. The views were awesome but since it was overcast, you didn’t get to see the sunrise.

I got to see my running friend Judith when she ran by me. (She was training to BQ next weekend but her easy pace is faster than my fastest.)

The worst part of these miles was that you were running into the wind. Huge wind gusts!! In fact, one blew my cap off and that doesn’t happen easily.

The wind and the humidity drained me right off the bat. But I tried to concentrate and run at an even pace and walk at every water stop (about every 1.5 miles) so not to get dehydrated.

Miles 5-9:

11:29, 11:09, 11:27, 11:43, 11:30

Eventually we turned and ran in town on streets parallel to the water with some zigzagging around different neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, I had already had it with the heat. You didn’t feel the wind as much for these miles but the sun had come out through the clouds. (I was almost wishing for rain!)

I was dragging. I couldn’t believe that several weeks ago, I ran 9.3 hilly miles at a 9:45 min pace. I barely had enough energy to pick up my feet.

I walked at the water stops and ate a Gu and but vowed to keep going and not quit.

Miles 10 -13:

12:21, 12:24, 12:49, 12:35

These miles continued on the streets parallel to the water but passed the start and continued south. (That dashed my hopes of having the wind at my back for the last few miles.)

I felt worse and as you can see, my pace slowed even more.

Nothing really hurt. My feet hurt a little from time to time but no blisters. My upper & lower back ached only slightly. My legs weren’t tired. There was nothing to prevent me from running well.

I just felt drained…dizzy…nauseous. So I walked more, ate another GU and walked some more.

But I was determined not to get sick and to finish upright.

The last few miles were run along the water. It was beautiful but we were running into the wind like at the beginning but now I was tired. So it was hard to run with any speed at all. There were times where I felt like I was barely moving forward.

such a fake smile

Of course, the last mile is when the photographers appeared. I am vain. I wanted to look good in those race photos. They are what spurred me on to pick up my pace.

determined to run faster

And I wanted to beat that guy to my right.

he’s gaining on me…

Mile 14:

8:49

I sprinted as fast as I could. I didn’t beat that guy but there was no way that I was finishing this race in over 2 1/2 hours.

My chip time was 2:29:14.

Of course I was disappointed. This is the slowest finish time that I’ve had in years and 20 minutes slower than in January on a similar course. And I wasn’t injured. I trained well enough to do better. The course was flat..wah…wah..wah!

sweaty & done

But I realized that I DID finish. I did my best. It may have been the weather conditions. Maybe it just wasn’t my day. Maybe I need to re-adjust my expectations. 2:09 or close may never happen again. I ran. I ran without pain.

I ran 13.1 miles!! As they say: “If if were easy, everyone would do it!”

So I got my champagne and stood in line for refreshments.

There was Chicken, rice & beans plus all the usual stuff – fruits, bagels, bars, snacks. I grabbed a bag took some for the road.

I got my checked bag and hung out for awhile soaking in the post-race atmosphere. Then I walked a little ways to call a cab to get back to my hotel. My friend G would be picking me up there soon.

More race reflections:

Positives:

No rain!!
Well-organized race
Timing clocks at every mile
Many Gatorade & water stops (8)
Real bathrooms
Lots of post race refreshments
Scenic course
Champagne!! (There was beer too)
Free photos
No injuries. Nothing hurt.
I finished.

Negatives:

Windy
Warm
Very humid
I wasn’t sure how much I could push myself & I didn’t want to risk DNFing (so I walked..too much)
My finish time
No AG award for me (If I ran well, I would have won 3rd)

So there are many more positives than negatives!!!

Would I recommend this race?

Definitely. If I lived in Florida, I would do it again.

I think I preferred the one in January (Sunshine State West Palm Beach Half) because it was smaller. Also the weather was better (and I PRed and won 1st in my AG, of course.)

nice hair!!

Final Stats:

Goals:

A. Finish under 2:18 – NOPE.
B. Finish faster than Brooklyn (2:25:47) – NOPE!
C. Finish under 2:30 – YES, BARELY.
D. Finish upright and wanting to do another. YES, BARELY. Next one is in Florida again on Feb. 7.

After the race, I felt strong enough to climb 140 steps to top of the Jupiter Lighthouse. More about the rest of my race-cation in another post.

Happy Running! Tell me about your last disappointing race. How did you deal?

December 11, 2015 by Darlene

Five Five: Holiday Wish List

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’s theme is Holiday Wish List

Here are the top FIVE on my list:

a GPS Watch

I have a Garmin 205 which I love but it is 5 years old. (Someone at my last race commented: “I’ve never seen one that big!!”)

2. a Medal Rack

I have a DIY one. I hang my bibs, awards and medals. I have so many age group awards that I have most of them in a basket. I’d like to hang my half marathon medals separately. (Update: my DIY hanger broke 😦 )

3. Running Shoes

Mizuno Wave Rider 19s – aren’t they pretty?

You can never have too many pairs. I am hard on my shoes and my Hokas are almost worn out. I do have quite a few pairs of Mizunos but not in this pretty color.

4. Winter Gloves

I buy ones at the dollar store in case I lose them. These would be warmer and they also have touch-screen finger pads.

5. a Destination Race

Big Sur next November?

Yes, I do destination races with frequent flyer miles and staying with friends.

But a scenic race in California and staying in a nice hotel…. Woot Woot!

Happy Running! What tops your holiday wish list?

December 10, 2015 by Darlene

TOLT: EAU Palm Beach Half Marathon Pre-Race Report

So I’ll keep you in suspense about my recent half marathon a few days longer….

Last Friday, I left the not so frigid Northeast and hoped for smooth flights to West Palm Beach, Fla.

And the weather cooperated. I left Albany at 5:30 am for DC (my co-worker’s daughter was on the same flight) and then took another flight which arrived in West Palm at around 11:30 am. Both flights were on-time. (This isn’t normal for me.)

I packed very light for this trip and only had a carry on and a back pack. (My hubby couldn’t believe it.)

As soon as I arrived, I found my friend F who was picking me up.

It has been raining all night and all morning (and was predicted to do the same for my 4 days in Fla.) but miraculously, the rain had stopped.

We immediately headed to the expo so I could pick up my bib.

It was outdoors. There wasn’t much to buy but a lot of health-related booths with freebies & raffles – rain poncho, sunglasses, band aids, tape measure, etc.

loved that we got champagne and a gender-specific tech shirt

I was tempted to buy a race cap but it was $25 and I decided to wait to see if I had a good race. (Spoiler alert: I DID NOT!!)

Since it still hadn’t started raining yet, we went to the beach. This is a priority with me when I go to Florida.

wearing my new free glasses & my travel clothes

It was warm but cloudy so I just walked along the beach with the feet in the water while F collected shells.

Next stop was to have lunch. We drove back to Delray Beach where F lives and chose a restaurant with a view of the water where we could eat outside.

we shared fish tacos & flatbreads

Our meal was delicious. I loved being outdoors watching the big boats go by.

After lunch, we walked around the town of Delray Beach and eventually returned to F’s condo where I would be spending the night.

F had dinner plans but that was perfect because I wanted to visit with another good friend who lived nearby.

The rain finally arrived (and lasted all night) but I didn’t care at this point.

My friend M picked me up and took me to her house. We ordered pizza & salad and spent the whole evening chatting. Since M has retired, she has taken up jewelry making and she is really good. (I just had to buy 3 bracelets!!)

I got up early the next morning and it was only drizzling. I took advantage and went for a long walk around her community. F lives on a golf course and it is a very pretty place to walk.

foreboding skies

some friendly ducks…there are swans too.

As soon as I finished my walk, the skies open up and it continued to rain all day.

What did we decide to do?

Shop, what else?

F lives near a huge flea market.

yay! mah jongg store!

We spent hours there walking around. And I only bought one thing.

It was still raining when we left and we were starved (I am supposed to be carb loading, right?) so we found (an indoor) restaurant. It was about 3 pm when we actually had lunch.

All of sudden, the rain stopped.

I love animals and the wildlife sanctuaries are also on my list of things to do while in Fla so we quickly headed to at Wakodahatchee Wetlands.

umbrella in hand, just in case

photographer extraordinaire

We saw lots of birds but apparently the alligators and turtles like the sun. And we didn’t see any. My friend F has a great camera and took really nice photos:

Since it still wasn’t raining (though it looked like it would at any moment), we headed to wildlife refuge #2 – Green Cay. More birds!!

another one of F’s photos

12308065_10207146180946776_1012368104880446510_o

an iguana in a tree – how cool!

We had to leave since the sun was setting and it was getting dark.

As soon as we were done, it started to pour again. I was very lucky. And I really enjoyed walking through both parks.

Off to West Palm we went so I could check into my hotel.

Hotel Biba

I picked this hotel because it was very cheap. No sense paying for a hotel that I would only sleep in.

It was a very old hotel that was completely redone – ultra modern on the inside. But it had all the basics – clean, shower, wifi, TV, free breakfast, pool, etc.

lobby

I had the hotel call me a cab for 5:15 am the next morning. (I could have walked but in the dark not knowing where I was going made it seem like a bad idea.)

My room was small so I hung out in the lounge for a while. Since I had a late lunch, I wasn’t hungry at all. So I made some oatmeal and then went to bed early.

Stay tuned for the race recap…

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

Happy Running! What are you thinking about this Thursday? Any interesting pre-race-cation experiences to share?

December 9, 2015 by Darlene

Wednesday Word: Celebrate

This week’s Word is CELEBRATE.

I love this song!!

There’s a lot of reasons to celebrate..

Special occasions

my MIL turns 90!

7 years playing mah jongg together

my mentee’s 21st birthday

some of my tenis friends & me before the wedding

a wedding

Holidays

New Year’s Eve

Passover

Accomplishments

I am not athletic. I never played any sports growing up.

In my late 40’s & early 50’s, tennis was my biggest accomplishment and a reason to celebrate. Playing, forging great friendships and of course, winning.

3rd place at 2002 Nationals

1st place 2010 Regionals

But my biggest reason to celebrate *(and my biggest accomplishment) has been being able to RUN. Finishing Races. Winning the occasional age group award. Making friends – virtual and face-to-face. Most importantly, being healthy to experience it all.

this was a horribly difficult race and yet I am still smiling.

Happy Running! What do you celebrate?

December 8, 2015 by Darlene

Monday Running Update a Day Late & Giveaway Winner

Last Week:

Monday– Taper week has begun. Ran 3 miles at UAlbany and then met my BFF at Starbucks (instead of our usual mall walk).

Tuesday – Played 1 1/2 hours of tennis after work followed by dinner out.

Wednesday – Planned to run before work but it was raining so ran 3 miles after work instead…on the treadmill. UGH!!

Thursday – Did my last run before my race – 3 miler after work through the lights in the park.

Friday – Got up at the crack of dawn for a 5:30 am flight. No travel delays and arrived in West Palm at 11:30 am. My friend F picked me up at the airport and we went straight to the expo to pick up my bib.

champagne & lots of freebies at the outdoor expo

Rain was predicted for the whole weekend and had rained before I arrived, we drove straight to the beach and then we went out to lunch. I spent the evening reminiscing with beer & pizza with my good friend M.

Saturday – Got in a walk before the rain. Since it was raining, we went to a flea market and then out to lunch. When the rain stopped, we visited 2 wildlife sanctuaries. Then my friend F drove me to West Palm to my hotel.

Sunday – A miracle! None of the predicted rain arrived. Instead, gusty winds, heat & humidity. Nothing hurt yet it was still one of my slowest half marathons ever. But I finished upright and happy inspite of having a difficult race.

Met my friend G after the race and we drove to her place in Jupiter. Then we decided (my idea) to visit a lighthouse and climb to the top. Afterwards we had lunch and then returned to her house in Jupiter. Spent the evening hanging out with one of her friends.

Monday – Got up early and went to a short run/walk around the neighborhood. Then G & I walked along the beach (windy, cloudy but no rain), visited a turtle refuge and a thrift shop. After a late lunch, G drove me to the airport in West Palm.

23 miles done with 4 runs and 3 rest days.

This Week: (8 weeks until Half Marathon #18)

Tuesday – tennis
Wednesday – 2 miles after work, yoga
Thursday – 4 miles after work
Friday – rest, mah jongg
Saturday – 5k race + 4-5 miles
Sunday – trip to NYC

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

And I am linking up with Erika @ MCM Mama Runs hosts Tuesdays on the Run with Marcia @ Marcia’s Healthy Slice and Patty @ My no-guilt life for:

This week’s topic is: Expos.

As you read, I went to one over the weekend. (I didn’t buy anything. I was going to buy myself a hat after the race if I ran well, but I didn’t. 😦 )