May 25, 2013 by Darlene

Rain Rain Go Away

Rainy days and Saturdays always get me down.

It hasn’t stopped raining since I got home and it is COLD!!

90 degrees not long ago

Yesterday I even resorted to the treadmill after work. You know how I hate the treadmill.

Today, indoors again – laundry, unpacking, cleaning out closets, grocery shopping…. at least I was productive.

But I’d rather be boating, gardening, running, playing tennis, biking….anything but the above.

celebrating on a Lake George Island last year

The bad news is that tomorrow doesn’t look any better. I am hoping to squeeze a long run in between the raindrops. I may have to drag out my winter running gear.

I feel sorry for all those runners who are racing! I hope the weather is better than forecasted.

If we are lucky, the sun will come out on Monday.

and Lake George here we come!

Happy Running! What are your weekend plans?

May 24, 2013 by Darlene

Foto Friday

Since it is cold and rainy and my running looks like it will be non-existent (or on the treadmill 😦 ), I thought I’d post some photos from my recent tennis vacation in Naples, Florida (where it was hot and sunny. 🙂 )

we always take a picture outside this restaurant each year

after our last dinner out

during one of my three 3-mile runs

one of the dolphins we saw

on a water taxi ride

1st day of tennis play & lessons

during our sunset cruise

on Palm Island

group photo on our last day of tennis lessons

Happy Running! Any running or racing planned for the weekend?

May 23, 2013 by Darlene

Need a Vacation From My Vacation

the “group” – 9th Naples vacation together

Yes, I am back and I am exhausted. I will post pics later this week.

Here is a summary by the numbers:

7 = the number of times I played doubles in tennis (1 1/2 hours ea)
5 = the number of tennis clinics attended (1 hour ea)
2 = the number of afternoons spent at the pool
2 = the number of boat rides (dolphins seen on both)
1 = the number of sunsets viewed
3 = the number of 3 mile runs
2 = the number of lunches in restaurants
7 = the number of dinners in restaurants
5 = the number of afternoons spent at the beach
8 = the number of sunshiny HOT HUMID days
9 = the number of items bought (4 tops on sale, 1 pair of shorts on sale, 2 shirts for hubby on sale, 2 pairs of tennis shoes)

on Palm Island

My friends are great. I have a renewed enthusiasm for tennis. I am so glad I forced myself to do a little running.

Back to reality…. work, laundry, rain, cooler temps…

Happy Running! What is new with you? What did I miss?

May 14, 2013 by Darlene

Vitamin D – Part 4

Yes, this is my fourth (and last) trip to Florida. (It’s not Disney-inspired, or visiting old friends or even to run a half marathon. It’s to play tennis and do some female-bonding.)

Tomorrow I leave for the tennis ladies’ 9th trip together to Naples, Florida. (For some of us, this is our 17th tennis trip – 1 Palm Springs, 5 Las Vegas, 1 Dominican Rep, 1 Delray Beach.)

There will be 10 of us and we rent 2 villas (from the same lady) in World Tennis Center.

We will be playing tennis everyday from 8-11 am

BTW: this will be the 1st year I will not be needing a knee brace.

and then we will be busy the rest of the day with a variety of fun/relaxing activities.

I could never get tired of looking at this!!!

I think they will involve this view.

I am bringing my running clothes. Will I run??? I certainly hope so!!

these were my enthusiastic friends in 2008 – will I be able to get them to run with me???

(I am pretty excited about this trip since last year when I went I couldn’t play tennis or run – just bike.)

bike riding every morning around World Tennis Center

fake smiling with my bike last year

I won’t have a computer so no posting for 8 days!!! (I will have my iPad & iPhone so I will be following your blogs and updating my FB status.)

I will post pics when I return.

Happy Running! I will miss you all! Stay healthy!

May 13, 2013 by Darlene

Lacking the Long Run Motivation

Ever since my March half marathon, I have been trying to get my speed back. As a result, I have been racing 5Ks and mostly running 3 miles with an occasional 4 or 5 miler thrown in.

I definitely feel more confident about my speed (although it isn’t or may never be totally back).

So now, I need to run longer.

And I can’t find the motivation!!

I have a 10 mile race on June 23 and a 15K on July 28. I also have a Half Marathon on October 13.

The problem is that I can’t find the time on the weekends!!

It is easy to squeeze in 3 miles and then do other things. Long runs take time!

can only spend time with Amanda & her sons on the weekend.

the boating season is too short and too expensive not to take advantage of it every weekend that the weather is nice (it is the one thing my hubby & I do together …)

I guess that’s why I usually run 5ks in the summer and train for long races in the winter.

In the meantime, I am going to have to get creative about fitting in the long runs this summer – take mornings off from work, run after work, etc. (and the weather better cooperate!!)

But I will not get injured by running a long race untrained.

Happy Running! Anyone else have the long run motivation blues??

May 12, 2013 by Darlene

Mother’s Day 5K Race bRUNch Report

This race was advertised to have chocolate fountains and mimosas – can’t beat that!

photo from last year’s

As I mentioned before, it used to be held near my house and they gave out phenominal bling but when attendance declined they moved to Schenectady. Last year, I wasn’t running so this is my first year running this race in its new location.

Felice, Amanda & me after the race in 2010

Felice, Amanda & me in 2010

me, Mary Pat & Pat in 2011

I have run two 5k races in this park so I know that it has some hills but nothing too bad. I finished one in 2010 at 30:13 and one in 2011 at 29:22 so I had hoped to be in this general range. My tennis friend MaryPat said she would run it with me (but she’s not that dependable). I have a mah jongg friend, Bev, also who planned to be there. Originally rain was in the forecast but that has changed. It was cloudy and cooler.

cooling trend

I must admit that I felt very sluggish when I got up in the am. I definitely should have gone to bed earlier and skipped the creme brulee at dinner last night.

I had picked up my race shirt and bib yesterday so there was no need to rush to the race.

I had my usual breakfast and decided to wear the race shirt since it was the same color as the shirt I was going to wear and grabbed a jacket (just in case).

The race was in Central Park and there are a lot of places to park but I followed someone in and wound up parking in a new great spot (right across from the start line) that I never knew about.

ready to run!

I immediately found my friend MaryPat.

Then I bumped into Bev and introduced her to Mary.

Soon the race began. At this point the sun was in and out and it was warm. But there were ominous clouds overhead.

As usual, I started near the front but quickly the fast ladies sped by me. My legs felt really heavy and I thought I was running very slow but I actually wasn’t.

at the beginning

passing the pond

The course was pretty nice, you ran around the duck pond and through the woods and ended back at the pavilion. (It was different than the course I ran here previously.)

cute mile markers

As was my last race, this race was a long 5K – at least 3.2 miles. Oh well. As with the my last race, I really tired during mile 2 and then got some energy back at the end.

pretending not to be tired

happy to see the end

According to my Garmin, I finished at 29:37. I think the official results said 29:38. Under 30 minutes – I was pleased. After you crossed, they handed you a rose:

By this point, the wind had picked up, it was starting to drizzle and the temps had dropped almost 10 degrees – brrrr!

a fire in May but a welcome site

I grabbed my jacket and went back to watch Mary cross.

we are done!

Then we went to get food…the best post-race food I have seen lately. In addition to cookies, bagels, bars, pastries, bananas, chocolate milk, etc

mimosas (minus the champagne)

chocolate fountain with pretzels and fruit for dipping

donuts

As I was about to leave, I glanced at the race results and saw that I had won first in my Age Group! Hooray for a new age group!

I won a potted rose bush

I was happy! What a surprise!

Race Stats:

finished 51 out 148

Splits:

mile 1: 9:09
mile 2: 9:40
mile 3: 9:24
.2: 8:13

Now I am taking a race break … my next one is’t until June 1 – the Freihofer’s Run for Women.

Happy Running! How did you spend your Mother’s Day?

May 11, 2013 by Darlene

My Birthday Week

Please let it end! I love my friends and my family but…. no more food, please!

It began on Saturday with our first boat ride on Lake George.

my hubby, the captain (wearing my race t-shirt)

We, of course, stopped for lunch. I insisted on a view of the lake.

celebrating with margaritas & bloody marys

We rode around the lake for most of the day. The weather was perfect!!

view from the marina where we keep our boat.

On the way home, we stopped for a root beer float (my favorite.)

On Sunday, after my race, I spent the day with Amanda & her sons. We started in Washington Park, then stopped for ice cream and finished up at the playground in The Crossings. (The race was 3 miles but I am sure I put in more than that running after a 9 month old & a 6 1/2 year old.)

On Monday, I walked to Starbuck’s to get my FREE birthday coffee

it was delish (got a Venti, of course)

and walked to the park to drink it (and I also played tennis after work).

On Tuesday, I got up early to run 3 miles before work and then went out to dinner and a movie to celebrate with my BFF.

On Wednesday, I ran again before work (since rain was forecast for the next few days) and walked to Panera’s to get my FREE birthday pastry

and then walked to the park again.

After work, I went to yoga & rushed home to finish watching Season 3 of Downton Abbey. (I am hooked….can’t wait til season 4.)

Thursday, my actual birthday was my REST day and unfortunately I had to work.

from a friend at work

I went out to dinner to celebrate with a former colleague. It’s a tradition. We go out for both of our birthdays to a restaurant where you eat for FREE on your birthday.

On Friday, I ran in the neighborhood before going to mah jongg. We celebrated there with more cupcakes.

Tonight, I am going out to dinner with hubby. At least, I can call it “carb loading” since I have a 5k race tomorrow.

I am really lucky to have such great friends. I do appreciate their efforts.

Let the diet begin!! (Oops, it’s Mother’s Day this weekend and then I leave for my Florida vacation on Wednesday!!)

Happy Running!

May 10, 2013 by Darlene

A Belated 5th Blogoversary

March 25, 2013

I’ve been blogging for FIVE YEARS!! That means I’ve been running for FIVE Years!

Year 1 – starting to run for the first time and completing many 5ks
Year 2 – after taking the winter off, running again and completing even more 5ks (Anniversary post)
Year 3 – running through the winter, completing 5ks (and a 5k PR), 4 milers and a Half Marathon (Anniversary post)
Year 4 – completing some 5ks, a 5 miler, 15k and FOUR more half marathons (plus an achilles injury and a broken ankle 😦 ) (Anniversary post)
Year 5 – recovering from a broken ankle, running my 1st 10k and some 5Ks, suffering a foot stress fracture, running my 6th Half Marathon

Freihofer’s 5K

Camp Chingachgook 10K

Sarasota Half Marathon

Year 6: ???

Optimistically speaking, I am hoping that this next year brings NO INJURIES and lots of running and racing…

Happy Running! Thanks for stopping by!!! How many years have you been blogging?

May 9, 2013 by Darlene

New Age Group

So that’s one good thing about getting older!

Love this quote too:

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain

And this:

Also this Jimmy Buffet song:

As far as running goes, over the past 5 years, I have run:

over 70 5K races
several 3.5, 4 and 5 mile races
one 10K race
one 15K race
6 half marathons

(Even a strained achilles, broken ankle, foot stress fracture didn’t stop me… well, at least not for long)

first half marathon

Half marathon #6 (2 years later)

I’m growing older but not up.
My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck.
So let the winds of change blow over my head.
I’d rather die while I’m living then live while I’m dead.
~Jimmy Buffet

I don’t plan to stop running any time soon! My 5k times may get slower but I still think I can improve my Half Marathon times. I will run until it stops being fun. (Check out this article on Kathy Martin, age 61)

yup. that’ll be me (but not for a while!!)

So…

#60

Happy Running! Thanks for stopping by! How do you feel about getting older?

May 8, 2013 by Darlene

Yoga for a Runner

I think I have gone to yoga 7 weeks in a row.

Wed Yoga at HeartSpace with Lisa

Each week since I have time to kill between work and yoga, I run 2-3 miles around the park.

wed

I have talked my friend into going to some of the yoga classes with me. The evenings with Cheryl always ends up with this:

cheese board at The Point restaurant

and a glass of wine (and sometimes dessert!)

How has yoga helped me?

I don’t stretch after running. Yoga for me is an excellent cooldown. (I always run before the yoga class.)

Even after months of physical therapy, my screwed together ankle is still stiff. Yoga has helped a lot (though it still is not as flexible as the other ankle.)

I have very tight hip flexors. Some of the poses such as this one really feel good:

“Pigeon”

In yoga, we practice diaphragmatic breathing or “belly” breathing (your belly—not your chest—rises and falls as you inhale and exhale). Diaphragmatic breathing allows for deeper, fuller breaths and better oxygen delivery so this type of breathing is supposed to help you during running (it is easy to do when lying down but hard when running).

I also have to be careful about my achilles having had a strain before. Many of the yoga poses such as this really stretch out your achilles and hamstrings: