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What’s on Your List?

Santa,

I want this:

mug

On it is this runners version of the famous holiday poem:

Twas the night before the race and all through the state,
Runners were carb loading hoping for a great pace.
Their race day clothes were hung with care,
Along with the gels, watches and bibs all there.

The many weeks of training were not very fun,
Hill repeats, fartleks and long runs were done.
Hydration intake has all been perfected,
Thankfully no major pains were detected.

When race day arrives runners fill the streets,
And into their corrals they eagerly retreat.
Setting their watches as they run through the start,
We bid them all a good race admiring their dedication and heart.

As miles pass by they run with all their might,
Water and fuel stations were a very welcome site.
The crowds were all cheering and having a good time,
Giving the runners high fives all down the line.

When what to their wondering eyes should appear?
But the finish line with gleaming medals ever so near.
Endorphins are dancing all around in their heads,
It’s time for celebrations and then straight to bed.

May your running always be such a wonderful delight,
Happy running to all and to all a good night!

Copyright GoneForaRun.com

Of course, I wouldn’t mind another pair of running shoes and more running clothes…

All kidding aside, I don’t need any material things.

What this past year has shown me is that, it all means nothing if you aren’t healthy enough.

Happy Running! What running gift(s) do you want?

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Vitamin D Part 1

I have debated over the last 4 weeks on whether or not I should go on a Florida vacation.  I was hoping to find out what was wrong with my kidney.  But that isn’t happening.  I was worried about being sick and being far away from home.

My urologist said to go so I am.

As I mentioned in a previous post, one of my tennis friends won 8 days at a Orlando resort (Dec 8-15) and invited 3 of us to go.

Mary (in the green shirt), Ava (in black hat & outfit), Suzy (in pink hat) are going.

Unfortunately, it is a very busy time for me at work and I cannot go for the whole time. (Well, I feel too guilty to and unexpected dr appts used up some of my pto.)

We will be at the Blue Tree resort in Orlando Fla.

So I am leaving tomorrow and will return on Wednesday.

Here’s what the resort has to offer:

  • 4 Swimming pools
  • Game room
  • BBQ Grills
  • 2 Outdoor Jacuzzis
  • Miniature Golf
  • Shuffle Board
  • Fitness Center
  • Daily Activities
  • Lighted Tennis
  • Activity center
  • Free Parking
  • Free Schedule Transportation to Disney, Universal and Sea World
  • Free Schedule  Transportation to the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores
  • Wireless Internet service – FREE
  • Many Restaurants within Walking Distance

Are you jealous?

I am hoping to play some tennis, maybe even run, relax and soak up some Vitamin D.

(Vitamin D Part 2 will be in Jan, Part 3 in Mar and part 4 in May.)

Happy Running! Please send healthy vibes my way.

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My Last 4 Weeks

In Kidney DiseaseDate: 11/7/12

Symptoms: Blood in Urine

Tests/Procedures in the last 4 weeks:

  1. Urinalysis to diagnose an infection (11/9)
  2. CT scan: an X-ray but gives much better detail. (11/9)
  3. Cystourethroscopy: a cystoscope (a thin, telescope-like tube with a light and tiny camera attached) is inserted into the bladder through the urethra to view the bladder and kidneys (11/21)
  4. Cystoscopy & Biopsy (under anesthesia): A thin tube with a tiny camera on the end is passed through the urethra to visualize the right kidney. (11/28)
  5. Ureteral stent: a thin tube inserted into the ureter to prevent obstruction of the urine flow from the kidney.Stent inserted (during above procedure) to reduce trauma (11/28)
  6. Intravenous pyelogram, or IVP: X-ray of the urinary tract. A dye is first injected into your vein; the dye is filtered by your kidneys and provides contrast so the kidneys are easier to see. A series of X-rays is taken over a 30-minute period, looking for blockages or problems. (12/4)
  7. Urinalysis. Stent removed. (12/5)

Results:

  1. Negative – no infection
  2. Negative – no tumors, no masses, no stones
  3. Negative – normal bladder (no cancer), normal left kidney, blood source= right kidney
  4. Negative – no biopsy needed – no polyps or abnormal cells found
  5. …
  6. Negative – nothing abnormal found – no malignant cells, no blockages
  7. No infection.  Antibiotics prescribed as a precaution

Next Steps:

  • There seems to be NO FOUND CAUSE for the bleeding.
  • Continue on as normal
  • Hopefully the bleeding will stop or be minimal.
  • Contact the doctor if the bleeding increases or there is pain.
  • Return for procedure #3 in 4 months.

So how does this relate to running? 

For the most part, I was not in any physical pain during the first 3 procedures.  When I went to my doctor for #1, the PA there told that I had bladder cancer & to go to the hospital for more tests. Test #3 revealed that the problem was not in the bladder. For test #4, the urologist was looking for evidence of kidney cancer.  That has been ruled out for now.

So as you can see, it was pretty scary. And mentally, I could not focus on running…at all.  (I was also very sore after test#4)

Running Post Stress Fracture:

11/11 – 1/2 mi
11/13 – 1/2 mi
11/15 – 1/2 mi
11/17 – 1 mi
11/19  – 1 mi
11/21 – 1 mi
11/23 – 1.5 mi
11/25 – 1.5 mi
11/27 – 1.5 mi
12/2 – 2 mi
12/4 – 3 mi

NO tennis yet. Yes, I am off my half marathon plan already. Not worried…

Here are some photos from my run/walk through the park yesterday.  It definitely lifted my spirits.

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Ready or not, I am doing my 12th race of the season (a 5K) in this park around these lights on Dec. 15!!

Happy Running!
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13 in 2013

Screen-Shot-2012-12-04-at-11_30_36-AM

I can do this, right?

Here is my racing history:

2008—–2009—–2010—2011—-2012

  • Jan – 0——0——-0——1——-0
  • Feb – 0——0—— 0——1——-0
  • Mar – 0 ——0——1——2——0
  • Apr – 1——-0—––1——2——0
  • May – 2——4——4——4——-0
  • Jun – 1——–1——-3——2——-2
  • July – 2——-0—–1——0——-1
  • Aug – 1——–3——2—–0——-2
  • Sept – 3——-3——3—–1——-4
  • Oct – 3——–4——2——2——2
  • Nov – 0——-1——2——5——-0
  • Dec – 0——-1——-2—–2——-1

2008 – 13 races (did not run in the winter)
2009 – 17 races (did not run in the winter)
2010 – 21 races 
2011 –  22 races (strained achilles)
2012 – 12 races  (broken ankle, foot stress fracture)

So I am hoping that without any major injuries, I can race at least 13!!!

Happy Running!  What about you…how many races do you plan to run in 2013?

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Holiday Cards

I am techie but old-fashioned about cards. I like to send them. I like to get them.

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our 2012 holiday card

I signed up for two Blogger Card Swaps/Exchanges.

2012 Christmas Card Swap Logo2_thumb[1]2012 card exchange snowman

If you are in my group, you’ll get this:

runningxmas2012

my running holiday card

Happy Running!  Do you still send paper cards?

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Thankful November

I wasn’t organized enough to do this daily but I really was thankful each day of this month:

  1. Thankful that my friend encouraged me to learn to knit.  It keeps me focused and takes my mind off of my injuries.
  2. Thankful for having learned to play Mah Jongg.  I have met new people and it is a lot of fun and keeps my “old” mind active.
  3. Thankful for our boat and the people who live in Lake George that we have befriended because of it.
  4. Thankful for my tennis friends and although we don’t play tennis often together, we do other things to stay connected.
  5. Thankful for my job.  Besides the salary, I enjoy helping people and feeling appreciated.
  6. Thankful for my right to vote.
  7. Thankful that President Obama was re-elected.
  8. Thankful for a new Grey’s Anatomy episode and no more political commercials to watch.
  9. Thankful for USAir frequent flyer miles and being able to fly to Florida for free on December 8, Jan 19 & Mar 12.
  10. Thankful for the bloggers that keep me entertained and motivated to run.
  11. Thankful for beautiful weather and scenic places in my area to bike.
  12. Thankful for my cleaning lady and that once a month, I have clean floors & bathrooms.
  13. Thankful for only needing a painless cleaning from my dentist.
  14. Thankful for working across the street from Starbucks and being able to run across for an afternoon pick me up.
  15. Thankful for free flu shots at work.
  16. Thankful for my Nov. Foodie Penpal and the delicious goodies that I received from her.
  17. Thankful for my BFF Judy who has been my source of calm and advice for over 35 years.
  18. Thankful for being able to run ONE mile (pain-free.)
  19. Thankful for those who have been graciously subbing for me each week in my Monday tennis contract.
  20. Thankful for the exercise bike & wifi at work so I can exercise & keep up the latest episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice & Nashville on my iPad.
  21. Thankful for my hairdresser and hair dye – both which keep me looking young(er).
  22. Thankful for the excuse to eat stuffing and pumpkin pie with a view & the company of my hubby.
  23. Thankful for a Friday off from work. Time to catch up on laundry, shopping & decorating for the holdiays (EARLY!)
  24. Thankful for UVA gel and now beautiful nails for the next month.
  25. Thankful for the junk food and left overs from hosting mah jongg (we never have junk food at my house.)
  26. Thankful for DVRs – now I can watch Sunday night’s Revenge & The Good Wife.
  27. Thankful for our anti-Thanksgiving lunch at work esp the Oreo Cheesecake Truffles.
  28. Thankful for hospitals, doctors, nurses and that soon, I will hopefully be playing tennis and racing again.
  29. Thankful for my hubby and that we can put up with each other’s ups and downs.
  30. Thankful for our annual work Christmas party…lots of food & drink and the opportunity to dress up.

knitting socks

playing mah jongg

me & my tennis friends at a restaurant

me & my Lake George friends

The Corning Bike Path (on the Hudson R.)

Dark Chocolate bar from my Foodie Pen Pal

BOGO for 3 days!

Thanksgiving with a view & my hubby

oreo cheesecake truffles

Happy Running!  Did you participate in Thankful November?  What were you most thankful for?

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November Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day

This is my second Foodie PenPal.

The Foodie Pen Pal program is organized by Lindsey over at The Lean Green Bean. In case you’ve never heard of this program, here’s what it’s all about:

  • On the 5th of every month, you will receive your pen pal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your pen pal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
  • You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail.
  • On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your pen pal!
  •  The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
  • You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
  • Foodie Pen pals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your pen pal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
  • Foodie Pen pals is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only.

It seemed like fun and maybe another way to meet new bloggers and to focus on healthy eating. I loved my apple cinnamon pancakes and syrup from last month so I decided to try it again.  I actually enjoyed the shopping as much as the eating.

I was assigned to Maechelle at This is the Stuff. Head over to her blog to check out what I sent her!

I received my package from Emma at DISH52.

front of her holiday card

tea for relaxing in the evening

trail mix for energy in the afternoon & I love cranberries

granola for breakfast or a snack and it’s my favorite flavor

jelly beans for my sweet tooth – in great flavors

dark chocolate – what can I say? Love it!

thoughtful note inside

A big thanks to Emma for the goodies. It was great to try foods that I wouldn’t have otherwise bought!  All were perfect!  We both shopped at Trader Joe’s, too!

For December, instead of matching people up to send FPP packages in December, Lindsay is going to use this group for good and raise some money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. There are two ways you can get involved:

1) She will be setting up a paypal account to accept donations. Please consider donating the $15-$25 you would have spent on purchasing items and mailing your FPP package in December. Donations will be accepted from December 3-7th and she will make one big donation to a recovery organization in the name of Foodie Penpals at the end of the week.

2) With the holidays approaching, if you’re in the mood to shop instead of just donate money, she will provide an address that you can mail gifts to and encourage you to spend $15 to purchase some gifts and send them out so they can be distributed to families.

If you’re interested in participating, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form!

The regular FFP for January will return on December 18 and the deadline to sign up will be January 4th.

Happy Running! Happy Eating!

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November – Better Month Than October

UPDATE

  • I partied.

  • I got a shirt for a race I didn’t run.

  • I finished a sock.

  • I biked.

  • I got rid of the boot.

  • I ate a lot.

one of the many restaurant dinners

  • I ran…. a little. 8.5 miles actually.

GOALS:

  • Play tennis again.
  • Run regularly (without pain).
  • Run a 5k race.
  • Start training for my March Half Marathon.
  • Do not get injured.
  • Stay healthy.

Happy Running!  What are your goals for December?  How did your November go?

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#22 out of 25

 

Hello Darlene

I work for MHA Programs.org, and wanted to bring your attention to a list we’ve published that recognizes the Top 25 Sites for Fitness and Health in 2012. I’m quite happy to inform you that your site has been included! You can view the list here:  http://www.mhaprograms.org/top-25-fitness-health.html

We pored through hundreds of worthy sites focused on health and fitness topics, covering everything from running and cycling to yoga and nutrition. We selected our final 25 based on factors including readership, focus on health and fitness topics, quality of information, search ranking, and site age.

Our site aims to be a resource for students and professionals in healthcare, so we feel it is essential to highlight those making health and fitness a part of their everyday lives. We hope our readers will share these great sites with their colleagues and friends. After all, the ultimate goal of every healthcare professional is helping people live happier and healthier.

I feel honored! (and a little embarrassed because there are so many great fitness blogs out there…)

Check out the other 24 sites.  I’m sure you’ll recognize a few and maybe find some new ones to follow.

Happy Running!

 

 

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#HOLIDAYADAY Photo Challenge!!!

I just stumbled upon this challenge in FB from roadrunnergirl.com. I LOVE taking pictures so I decided why not.

You just take a photo a day using the prompt (above) for each day as your inspiration. After you take your photo…you can post it for everyone to see! You can post it on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, your blog, or anywhere else you’d like! Just be sure to tag your photo with #holidayaday!

Happy Running! Are you going to participate in the #holidayaday photo challenge?