February 3, 2012 by Darlene

One Race I Will No Longer Run

It was just announced that Susan G. Komen for a Cure, America’s largest charity to fight breast cancer, will no longer fund a program that provides free or low-cost breast cancer screenings for millions of women who get their health care from Planned Parenthood. This is a huge blow.

In abruptly pulling nearly $1,000,000 in funding for breast cancer screenings, the Susan G. Komen foundation cited a sham “investigation” into Planned Parenthood launched by Republican Rep. Cliff Stearns, one of the most militant anti-choice members of Congress…

You can get more information and sign the petition at the link below:

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/komen_2/?r_by=-5081570-GmSoeyx&rc=paste1

I have run this 5k four times

with the law school team each year

NO MORE!

Unless Susan G. Komen restores its funding!!!

Happy Running? Have you run a Race for the Cure? Will you again?

February 2, 2012 by Darlene

TTT – Week 5 Injury Update

5 weeks old too

1. Still trying to get out of the house:

Fri. Mah Jongg
Lake George Gala
me & my hubby at the Gala

wheelchair trip to Sears – bought a dress (half price) & tights

LandsEnd - purple wool

1/2 day at the office on Tues. (not too comfortable in my cubicle…but got out of the house!) and a 1 hr seminar yesterday

2. I am still working from home.

3. Knitting continues. I’m onto a scarf. It’s pretty boring so I want to start socks soon.

the scarf so far

Happy Running! You all must be running outside. What great weather even in the NE.

February 1, 2012 by Darlene

Welcome February… I think

January Update:

Yes, that’s ZERO running miles for January!
Zero tennis played (but watched Australian Open on TV)
Zero yoga sessions attended
Cross-training = crutching, crawling, hopping, knitting, typing…
Non-running activities – 2 hats knitted, 3 digital photo books created, 3 parties attended, many scrabble games, mah jongg, TV, books….BOREDOM!!!

Unfortunately February looks much the same.

Hope my bones are healing!!!!

Happy Running! What are YOUR goals for February?

January 30, 2012 by Darlene

11 More Things

Are you sick of reading about me yet?

Well, I’m not running so there’s not much else to post about.

Here are answers to Running to Sanity’s Questions:

1. Sugar or Salt?

Sugar, of course. I have a big sweet tooth.

2. How did you meet your significant other?

I met him on the tennis court. He is much better than me (& very competitive.) If we continued to play together, we would end up divorced.

3. If you could LIVE any where, where would it be?

Hmmm…Paris or the South of France.

4. What’s your guilty pleasure? Something you enjoy doing in your free time.

Reading and writing blogs.

5. Would you rather be a singer, actor or dancer?

Dancer (but I have no rythmn). I love music. I am too shy to be a singer or actor.

6. If you could meet anyone, who would it be?

That’s a tough one. Patrick Dempsey, Lady Gaga…???

7. Beach or Snow?

BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate the cold although snow is pretty to look at when I am indoors.

8. What would be your dream job?

My last job…helping students and teachers use computers to enhance learning!

9. A life lesson that has helped you?

You are stronger than you think you are… (When my first marriage ended, I thought it was the end of the world, but it wasn’t. Hopefully, this lesson will get me through this injury!!!)

10. What would you do with a million dollars?

Buy a house on Lake George. If I have some left, I’d buy a condo in WTC in Naples, Fla.

11. Best childhood memory?

Using our imagination when playing with the kids in the neighborhood (plays, improvs, etc) and family trips to Amish country, Lake Placid, 1000 Is., etc.

Happy Running!

January 29, 2012 by Darlene

Dancing the Night Away..

No..not really but everyone else was.

me & my hubby

We went to the Lake George Winter Carnival Gala. Our friends were being honored.

All our friends were there. The food was great and so was the music…

Everyone was dancing and I sat at the table in my wheelchair (too crowded for crutches) with the guys who hate to dance. (My hubby is not one of them.)

My friends were great…they even danced around me during “our favorite song.”

Yes, I wish I was on the dance floor but I was glad I got out of the house and was there to share our friends’ special night.

Next year, I’ll be dancing!!!

Happy Running! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

January 28, 2012 by Darlene

Race Superlatives

Thanks to Jen from Jen is Green for this idea. I’ve run a total of 72 races, with race recaps for ALL of them.

**Most Fun Race — Mother’s Day Race

This race is close to home and always on or around my birthday. It’s all women and I always run it with friends. They also give out awesome pre-race swag – hat, tote bag, lunch bag, back pack, etc. One year, we even got a red rose.

**Most Difficult Race — Fall Foliage Half Marathon

I ran this race last October on a whim. I wanted to use it as a training run for my half in November. It was the first annual so there were no reviews. And it was so HILLY!!! I mean steep hills. I was not prepared and I could barely walk for several days after.

**Most Scenic Race — Naples News Half Marathon

Palm trees, Gulf of Mexico, beaches, yachts, mansions…what can I say? It was awesome!

**Most Boring Race — HMRRC Winter Series #1 (3m)

This series occurs several times during the winter and there are different distances to choose from each time. You run around the State Office campus and the longer the distance the more times you loop. Concrete…concrete! The most boring course ever but it is FREE!

**Best Post Race Party — Adirondack Half Marathon

There was entertainment, lots of food (even ice cream) and best of all, Schroon Lake to soak your aching feet with (with friends.)

**Most “Nostalgic” Race — Freihofer’s Run for Women 5k

I never thought I would run this race. I was always envious of women that could. After I joined the No Boundaries program, my friends and I decided to do it (even though we had never run 3 miles). I have done it every year since.

**Best “Feeling of Accomplishment” Race — Naples News Half Marathon

After running 5ks for 3 years, I never thought I could run 13.1 miles!! Even as I was standing at the starting line with tears in my eyes, I was doubtful. Then at Mile 10, I called my hubby and said “I feel good!” I knew I would finish… the best feeling EVER!

So that’s it.

I hope to add even MORE races to my list … hopefully.

Happy Running! Feel free to make a similar list and share on your blog.

January 27, 2012 by Darlene

11 Things

This has been going around the blogosphere. Since I am not running, it gives me something to blog about.

Post these rules;
You must post 11 random things about yourself;
Answer the questions set for you in their post;
Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer;
Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them;
No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

Since I am NOT running, I am going to post 11 things about NOT running.

I am working from home now so I don’t have to get out of my pjs or shower (unless I want to).
I just learned to knit. I have made 2 hats and now I’m making a scarf. I even plan to make socks.
I can’t wait to return to yoga. The balance on my right foot is getting to be awesome.
I really don’t watch much TV… the only shows I follow are The Good Wife, Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. Though my hubby kinda got me to watch 30 Rock.
When I could cook, I didn’t. Now that I can’t, I want to. My friends have been bringing over dinner for my hubby so he is eating better than before I was injured.
I may not be exercising my body but I am exercising my mind. 345 is so far my high for Scrabble vs the computer. I won $3 at mah jongg last week
I made 2 digital photo books of memories from tennis and from running (Just in case.)
I am trying to eat healthy…salads, vegetables, fruit, etc. I am even taking vitamins. (I still sneak in a dessert or two and ice cream if it’s available.)
I love to read but I’m not reading as much as I thought I would.
My hubby loves to watch the Military channel. He never served…never wanted to. I just don’t get it.
I still read running blogs. I don’t want to miss out on what you guys are doing.

hat #2

I wasn’t actually tagged but I picked these to answer from 365 Days of Awesome (love that title):

Do you cross train? (Be honest!) Nope. I used to play tennis (doubles) and yoga – does that count?
What’s your FAVORITE thing about running? Crossing the finish line at the end of a race.
And your LEAST favorite? Bad runs…days when you just don’t have it and you don’t know why. And INJURIES!!!!
If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what is it? Ice cream.
What came first, chicken or the egg? Chicken.
You’re stuck on a deserted island – what three books do you wish you had with you? To read: Twilight, Hunger Games, Le Petit Prince. To look at: my new photo books (tennis & running) & my wedding album
How much time do you spend getting ready before leaving your house for a normal day of work/school/whatever you do? An hour because I like to have breakfast, read the paper and watch the Today show before I take a shower & get dressed.
Do you love the treadmill as much as I do? I hate it. Only do it if it is raining.
My birthday is coming up (in 6 months)… want to come have a party? Sure, where do you live? I live in NY.
What should I get The H for his birthday (next week)? Does he have an iPad?
Have you joined Team Gab yet? Can I if I can’t run?

Now my 11 questions:

What made you start running?
What is your favorite race?
This year’s running goal?
Do you usually run alone or with others?
Favorite time of day to run?
Why did you start a blog?
Favorite TV show?
Favorite actor?
Favorite movie of all time?
Favorite athlete?
What would you do if you couldn’t run anymore?

If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged. I love to learn about other bloggers/runners!!

Happy Running!

January 26, 2012 by Darlene

TTT+1: Week 4 Injury Report

1. I have been getting out of the house:

wheelchair trip to the mall 🙂 lost a hat & gloves 😦
carried up a flight of stairs to a Jimmy Buffet-themed birthday party
tennis dinner at an Italian restaurant
yes, I cropped it at the knee...

2. I am working! That is, I am working from home. So that means I have moved off the family room recliner into working at the kitchen table with my leg elevated on a chair. It’s a start.

3. My tennis friend, Mady, is an orthopedic nurse and works at the same place as my doctor so she pumped him for info on my ankle. According to Mady, the Dr. said that I will probably be able to play tennis again but NOT run.

4. From Runner’s World yesterday – “Injury is something that happens to you as an athlete. Others might tell you that you’re done. But if you keep at it, you might be able to get back…” —Abdi Abdirahman, third-place finisher in the men’s 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials. How timely!!!!

As Tug McGraw (from the Mets) said in 1973 “You gotta believe!!”

Happy Running! Do you have any motivational quotes that you want to share?

January 25, 2012 by Darlene

The Versatile Blogger Award

I was tagged by AJH at Age Groups Rock with The Versatile Blogger Award. The rules are to share 7 things about yourself. Then to tag 15 people. If you have been following me for awhile you may know the 7 things I am sharing but here goes.

1. I started running in April 2008 at the age of 55!! Since then I have run 72 races. In January 2011, I ran my first of 5 half marathons.

my first half in Naples, Fla.

2. Second to running is my love for tennis. I started playing seriously about 12 years ago. The best thing about tennis is the friends that I have made. Now we do lots of things together that doesn’t even involve playing tennis.

group photo wtih our instructor Billy Bob

3. My first profession was that of a French teacher. I did that for 22 years. I spent my junior year of college in Nice, France. I love anything and everything French – art (Monet), music (Celine), food (pain au chocolat), drinks (kir), cafe au lait, Les Miz, etc.

4. I play mah jongg once a week with a great group of ladies. My favorite game, however, is still Scrabble.

playing mah jongg by the Schroon River

5. I love to travel. I would do it more if I had the time and the money. I have been to most countries in Europe (except Ireland) & Israel, Greece & Russia. China and an African safari are on my bucket list as well as Alaska.

3rd trip to Kursk, Russia

6. I’m a computer geek. Luckily I went back to school and got another Masters and I have been working as an Instructional Technologist for the past 14 yrs. Digital photography is my passion. I never leave the house without a camera.

7. Finally, Dec 29, 2011 was one of the worst days in my life. I fell avoiding an ice patch while out running and broke my ankle in several places. I have a plate and screws and am convalescing still at home…. It’s a very long recovery. The doctor says I may play tennis again but probably will not be able to run. I say that I will prove him wrong!! I am so glad that I ran those halfs last year, You never know what the future will bring…..