This is the 2013 finisher’s medal – largest in Florida! Can’t wait to wear it!
And if that doesn’t motivate me to drag myself 13.1 painful miles…
A girl can dream.
All joking aside, my motivation is the feeling of “pride, satisfication and just plain awesomeness” in completing 13.1 miles.
Happy Running! What motivates you to finish a long race?
I’ve read this on some blogs and I am bored while proctoring at the bar exam so ….
Here is my list in no particular order:
I started with the Twilight series because the girl that I mentor loved them. After that, I read the Hunger Games trilogy which I enjoyed a lot. Then I was recommended Divergent and Insurgent (the 3rd will be out soon) by Veronica Roth. If you like this kind of reading, you must read Delirium and Pandemonium (Requiem is coming out in March) by Lauren Oliver which I liked even more. Now I’m on to Alli Condie’s series, Matched, Crossed and Reached. As Jimmy Buffet said in a song: “I’m growing older not up…”
these are from procompression.com
I have them in white, black, argyle blue, green, purple, pink and hot pink. I’ve worn them during all my half marathons. I got more while I was injured. I wore them while recovering and racing. Now I just wear them during my long training runs. I don’t know if they help physically but psychologically they do.
I ALWAYS eat hot cereal for breakfast. It is also my pre-race breakfast. I use 2 packages, add water and cook in the microwave. Then I add some milk to cool it. The chocolate feeds my sweet tooth. It says that it includes 9 essential vitamins so it is semi healthy, right?
They are basically bottled Frappuccinos with the word “latte” slapped on the label. Regardless of the name, they taste very similar to Starbucks brand Frappuccinos. You can buy them at Target and they are much cheaper than the Starbucks brand. I’ve tried many of the flavors – vanilla, pumpkin, mocha, chai, etc. I love them. And they’re only 100 calories.
I think I watch TV on it more than I do on a regular TV. Recently, I have been catching up on episodes of Revenge. It has been a Godsend for the treadmill at work when I can’t run outdoors- I also watch Smash, Nashville, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Wife – either at lunch or after work. Now you know what kinds of shows I watch. Unfortunately the PBS app only has season 3 of Downton Abbey & I haven’t seen seasons 1 & 2 (which everyone is racing about.)
I started eating yogurt for the first time when I spent my junior year abroad in France. I have been looking ever since (and it’s been a LONG time) for yogurt as good as the kind they make in France. I finally found it!! Coconut is my favorite. YUM!! I also like their vanilla.
October 2012
January 2011
February 2013
I have quite a few running skirts. I even wear them over tights when it is cold outside. But the top one (from runningskirts.com) is my favorite by far. The top one has compression shorts underneath. It’s a little longer and it has a pocket on each side. I wore it for almost all my races this past summer and fall. So I just ordered another that I may wear for my upcoming half marathon.
I need my carb fix everyday. I used to be a bagel snob (I am from LI, NY) and never buy supermarket bagels but then I tried Thomas. They are good. They are soft and stay fresh for weeks. My favorites are pumpkin, cranberry, corn, banana bread. If I can’t find those flavors, I”ll eat honey wheat or cinnamon raisin. They are so good that I just eat them plain for a mid-morning snack. In fact, they have replaced my PopTart addiction 🙂
I am not a big drinker. In fact all I need is one mixed drink to get me drunk. I rarely drink at all when I’m not on vacation or having dinner in a restaurant. Usually I order Riesling. I always felt that red wine gave you a headache. Recently, I have acquired a taste for red wine. I am having one glass of Merlot almost every evening. The French do it, right? And they live a long time!!
Happy Running! What are you loving right now?
THREE MORE WEEKS = 2 MORE LONG RUNS!
Week 9 Update:
twice in one coldy windy week
Week 10:
toe spacer & bunion pad didn’t work…tried skipping the top eyes when lacing
Happy Running! Anyone training for a big race?
My plan was:
However, another winter storm was predicted for Saturday night into Sunday…not a lot of snow, just a wintry mix which I would not want to run in.
So I decided to change my plan and do my long run on Saturday which meant 4 miles on Thursday and REST on Friday.
Since I didn’t plan on running Thursday, I did not have my outdoor running stuff. Luckily, I do keep sneakers, shorts & a shirt at work. 4 miserable miles on the treadmill was done…and my 3rd day in a row of running which makes TIRED legs.
taken on the treadmill
Friday, of course, was the only non-windy and sunny day of the week and I was RESTING!!
So today would be my long run. I checked the weather and it wasn’t supposed to start raining until 2 pm (if you can believe the Weather Channel app.)
It was windy, of course, but not too cold…in the 30’s.
Although the long path was icy several weeks ago, I thought it might be clear so I headed for the Nisky bike path. I planned to run toward Colonie for 3.5 miles and turn around and refuel. Then go 2 miles toward Schenectady and back.
The path was clear & I was happy. My legs were tired right from the start. My foot ached. I knew this would a tough one.
clear so far
At this sign, I wanted to quit. Not a good sign (forgive the pun.)
must be used for the Marathon
I am not a quitter and I knew that I had to run 11 miles today so I continued. And then came the ice.
ice…ice..and black ice
I walked for awhile and tried to find dry spots. Eventually I realized that I had to find a detour. It was too slippery. There was no way that I was risking breaking an ankle!!
another view from the trail
So I went off the trail and continued to run on the road. My legs were even more tired but the wind had died down and my foot stopped hurting!!
Finally I had run 3.5 miles and came to the end of a road.
I turned around and returned to the trail to head back.
With 4 miles still to go, I stopped at my car for some GU and water. I didn’t get inside this time. I wasn’t really cold and my legs wanted to quit but I wasn’t going to let them… even if I had to walk the 4 miles.
The weather wasn’t getting any better. It looked like rain so I rushed back out on the trail.
dreary looking day…where is the sunshine?
I headed in the other direction which I knew was totally dry. I dragged myself 2 miles and turned around. I ran and walked and walked and ran. The wind picked up so did my foot pain and then it started to rain…just light rain.
But I FINISHED 11 MILES!!!!! It took me about 2 hours 10 minutes and it’s done.
When I looked at my pace, I realized there were more mile splits under 12 min than last week and my fastest was next to last. (The walking on the icy trail slowed me down!)
Believe it or not, I didn’t go to Target or Starbucks. I went to Shoprite to do grocery shopping and refueled with all the free food samples.
Happy Running! Do you schedule your long runs based on the weather?
I just got my medal for completing the Sandy Hook Memorial Virtual 5k. (But more importantly was that the money went to a great cause!!)
Of course, I don’t run races for the bling but it is fun getting it!! Each of my medals tell a story.
This is the 2012 Sarasota Half medal – supposed to be the largest in Florida! I wonder what 2013 will look like? It will the one from my 1st half after a year of injuries.
My most precious:
it’s from my FIRST half marathon…you can never have another FIRST
Here’s a few more:
from my 1st race 5 months after ankle surgery…they said I could NOT run for 6-9 mos.
from my 1st 10K…I had not run more than a 5k since ankle surgery
I ran this one for a friend’s charity and my Russian friend was there to watch me run
I ran this 5K with a stress fracture and my BFF in PA watched me cross the fnish line
my 2nd half marathon where I almost did a DNS…30 degrees, sleet & freezing rain in April…poured for all 13.1 miles
my 3rd half but untrained due to an achilles injury…was a great race due to so many friends running it
was supposed to be a PR half however it wasn’t…it rained for 1/2…but got to race in CA with my BFF’s sister
Happy Running! Does the bling figure in your decision to run a race?
This is what happens when you sign up for a March half marathon. You have to deal with winter in the Northeast.
I am sick of the words: WIND CHILL, BLACK ICE, SNOW, SLEET, FREEZING RAIN, WINDY, COLD, FREEZING…
running during a snowstorm 😦
I am also tired of looking for places to run that are plowed, have no ice.
nope…not plowed
I hate having to plan my runs around the weather…esp. long runs. Do I do my long run on Saturday or Sunday!!! UGH!!!!!!!
so they say..but I’d rather not do it outside in this!!!
And I HATE THE TREADMILL!!
So next year, my half marathon will be Jan 5, 2014 so I will be done training by the worst of the NE winter weather!!!!
This is my preferred running weather!!!
Happy Running! How do you feel about training in the winter?
Pinterest is a great place to find motivational sayings. There are so many that it was hard to choose. But here are a few of my favorites:
Happy Running! What is your favorite motivational saying?
1. Last week, I hit 100 miles for the year. And it’s only February. Yeah, I know a lot of you run that in a week or a month but last year, I didn’t hit 100 miles until July!!
2. My foot is acting weird. (The one with the bunion thing…) Sunday night, I had this burning pain ALL night (It kept me up). I got up the next morning, it went away. I walked around the mall, played tennis…NO PAIN! So last night, I couldn’t sleep. I think I was waiting for the pain and the pain NEVER came!! So what’s up with that? Today I am going to run a little on the TM. We’ll see. Not sleeping is more frustrating than running with pain.
Now on a good note: Facebook keeps posting these awesome photos of the Sarasota Half Marathon course!!
Doesn’t it look inviting?
Happy Running! Aren’t 4-day weeks great?
The last time I ran at least 10 miles was November 6, 2011!!!
I was debating whether or not to run on my own or as part of the HMRRC Marathon Relay. The 1st leg of the relay was 9.7 miles so I would have company running (well, maybe not because I would probably be last..) on this boring course. There would be water on the course and refreshments at the end. Or choose a scenic bike path and run solo at my leisure.
When I got up, it was cold (in the teens) and VERY WINDY!. UAlbany tends to be windy even when it’s not windy so that decided it for me.
Instead I drove to the bike path that starts at the Colonie Town Park –I figured I would run 2.5 mi in one direction & back and then 2.5 mi in the other direction and back.
I headed toward Cohoes and quickly found that the path in this direction was not plowed and icy so I turned around and went the other way. I didn’t head in the direction that I usually go (toward Niskayuna) but in the other direction. It was about 20 degrees but the wind made it feel a lot colder. Not pleasant running weather at all.
I ran 2.5 miles and then turned around and headed back or at least I thought. Somehow I wound up in a neighborhood that I didn’t recognize & had no idea where I was.
I did find my way back to my car but not the way I had planned and had also added an extra mile to my run.
With 4 more miles to go, I got some GU & water from my car and warmed up inside.
The problem with that is that it’s hard to get going again.
I told myself that I had to do 10 miles so I headed out and this time I went in the direction that I was familiar.
bridge over the frozen Mohawk R.
My foot had bearable discomfort until mile 7. Then it started to hurt (bunion pad & new sneakers were failing me). I pushed on because I will do it during the half marathon…pain or no pain, I am running 13.1 miles.
Actually the pain got bearable again and I finished the 10 miles.
It was not a great run or a fun one. It took me 2 hours which is what I tried for (It was faster than last week’s 9.5) I walked from time to time and all but 3 of my miles were over 12 min/mi. The first and last were the fastest at 11:30.
But I am very happy that I got it done.
My cool down was the usual grocery shopping at Target with a Starbucks latte & cheese danish thrown in 🙂
Week 8 Update:
4 weeks to go!!
Week 9:
Happy Running! Are you enjoying your day off?
1. Tuesday, I had the worst run… I decided to run in the city of Albany. The sidewalks were slushy, icy and covered with puddles! The streets were the same except with cars parked and traffic. Three miles was a struggle and felt like 26!!
Washington Park was even slushy…
2. Wednesday, I had the best run…I abandoned the Albany plan and drove to Delmar and ran around the neighborhoods…the roads were clean, there was little traffic and although I planned to run 5 miles, I ran 6 miles and felt like I could run more.
new shoes, toe spacer, bunion pad.=a little relief
3. I can’t resist a bargain or buying running apparel. I had 3 $10 off coupons for Olympia Sports so I bought these:
these were on clearance, too
also on clearance
I love the hat and the shirt (I also bought another mint green tank from the clearance rack). The shorts are so…so. I prefer skirts for races. But my half marathon is on St Patrick’s Day so these may come in handy!
Happy Running! Happy Valentine’s Day!
My First 5K and More... 