January 1, 2012 by Darlene

December Recap

GOALS:

Play tennis again. YES. Just once.
Run regularly (without pain). YES. 2-4 miles several times a week.
Run a 5k race. YES. Albany Last Run.
Start training for my March Half Marathon. YES. Started on Dec 24.
Do not get injured. YES. So far so good.
Stay healthy. YES. Knock on wood.

return from injury months are identical – Jun and Dec

Running in Orlando (while on vacation)

Running a 5K: Albany Last Run

GOALS:

Play tennis regularly (1-2x week)
Run regularly (3-4x a week)
Continue training for my March Half Marathon.

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

December 31, 2011 by Darlene

2012 Goals – Prematurely Posted

I think it’s important to have goals but not let them run your life. So here are my 12 running goals for the year:

Run 3-4 times a week ALL YEAR (use the treadmill when it is too cold or slippery or raining outside)
Continue fitting in tennis and yoga at least once a week (as cross-training)
Finish my 5K races under 30 minutes and not stress about a PR (though getting one would be super!)
Get an Age Group award
Run a 10K race
Run a 10 mile race
Run at least one half marathon
Run at least 12 races (one per month, if possible)
Run a race in another state
Run a NEW race
Listen to my body and slow down when necessary (In other words, do not get injured…)
Continue blogging regularly (to keep track of miles, as a motivator, to meet new runners…)

Happy Running! Did you set any interesting running goals for 2012?

December 28, 2011 by Darlene

Wordless Wednesday

ME on page 2 of the 2012 brochure

Last May, I ran Sean’s Run for the first time. My friend Mary talked me into it. It was a big (1500 runners) local race but a very hilly race.

Look who is now pictured on the 2012 race brochure – http://www.seansrun.com/pdfs/2012Flyer_spread.pdf

That would be me…(at least they cut out my fat thighs!!). I wasn’t planning on doing this race again…but maybe I should.

The funny thing is that last year’s brochure had Mary’s photo on it (from the first year she ran the race.)

Happy Running!

December 27, 2011 by Darlene

Day Two of Vacation…Loving it

Not that I don’t love working but I can get used to this!

Usually when I take off from work, it is to go somewhere.

The week between Christmas and News Years, I am off (though I was tempted to go somewhere warm), and we decided to stay home. And I have nothing to do except:

Run – 5 miles Monday and 3 miles Tuesday
Play Tennis – doubles Monday eve and doubles Tuesday eve
Catch up with friends…at Starbucks
Yes, I ate both cake pops

Shop for bargains– half price dress at TJMaxx and at Sears and even more…I love sales!!!
bargain dresses - one for New Year's Eve & one for Gala Jan 28

Read– free ebook on my iPad and Catching Fire (book 2 of the Hunger Games trilogy)

I may do more of the above the rest of the week but I really should do grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, cleaning, re-organgizing…

Then I won’t mind going back to work on Monday!!! Ha Ha!

Happy Running! Do you have the week off? What are you going with your free time?

December 26, 2011 by Darlene

Last Week in Review – Holiday Staycation Begins

Monday – 1.5 hours tennis
Tuesday – 3.5 mile run at lunch, 1.5 hours tennis
Wednesday – 3 mile run, 1.25 hours yoga
Thursday – 5 mile run, another birthday celebration – OFF FROM WORK UNTIL JAN 2!
Friday – REST
Saturday – 8 mile run
Sunday – REST

Happy Running!

December 25, 2011 by Darlene

Christmas 2011

A whole lot of eating going on..

Dinner out on Thursday to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Lunch out on Friday with a friend from work. Dinner out Christmas Eve with the hubby and then brunch at a friend’s on Christmas Day. (More lunches & dinners out planned for next week also…Holy pounds gained!!)

On the running front – my knee is still painful to bend but doesn’t hurt when I run. I ran 5 miles on the Corning Trail Thursday. 50 degrees on the first day of winter!!!

bike trail on the Hudson River

On Saturday, I went to the Nisky Trail and ran 8 miles. This time it was 25 degrees outside ….brrrr but at least the sun was out. This was my 2nd time on the trail and I decided to go East this time. Unfortunately I didn’t bring my camera but I like it better in this direction. I definitely need a lot of work on stamina…I am not used to running long distances and struggled. I forced myself to run the last mile as the fastest pace of the run.

bike trail on the Mohawk River

We are closed where I work so I have next week off. That means I don’t have access to a treadmill. I hope the weather is kind to me…

We don’t do a lot of elaborate celebrating of the holidays since the kids are grown. We have a small artificial tree. I have a lot of snowmen around. I also celebrate Chanukah. I picked out my own gift – an iPad 2 & a laptop. My hubby was thrilled since he HATES to shop. I on the other hand, love to shop & bought him a few things. Most of my shopping & gift giving was directed at Amanda (the girl I mentored) and her sons. She has really struggled financially this year and doesn’t even have a permanent place to live.

We started Christmas Day at a brunch with my tennis friends.

Pat, John & Catalina

I am wearing the cowl that Catalina knit for me

Then we went to give gifts to Amanda & her sons Richard & Matthew.

He loves those super heroes

Richard with his new pillow pet

Matthew - looking cute as ever

Next we went to my mother-in-law’s to have dinner her & my stepsons.

We ended the day with a trip to the movies. We saw War Horse. My hubby wanted to see it and I have to admit, it was very good. I highly recommend it (and I don’t normally like war movies.)

Happy Running! Hope you had an enjoyable Christmas holiday!

December 23, 2011 by Darlene

2011 Goals – How did I do?

Here are the GOALS that I set for 2011:

I was doing REALLY well until June 11 when I hurt my heel… then I rebounded!!

Lower my 5K PR – No, it still stands at 27:30 but I did have 3 races under 28 minutes and 2 just over 28!

√ Run 5ks under 28 minutes – 3 out of 9 under 28 (all 5ks under 30 minutes except for the one where I fell)

√ Win my age group – 2nd for the LG Half, (50-59), 2nd for Polar Cap 4m (55-59), 2nd for Firefighters 5K (55-59), 1st SPAC 5k(55-59) – only got prizes for the lst 2

: Polar Cap – 2nd place in AG

√ Run new races – 14 new races (Polar Cap 4m, Firefighters 5k, Naples Half, LG Half, Delmar Dash 5m, Sean’s Run 5k, Workforce Challenge 3.5m, Runnin of the Green 4m, Adirondack Half, Fall Foliage Half, Santa Clarita Half, Stockade-athon, Run Off That Turkey 5K. Hmrrc Winter Series #1 3m)

Runnin of the Green 4 miler

Run at least one race each month – 1 in Jan, 1 in Feb, 2 in Mar, 2 in Apr, 4 in May, 2 in Jun, 0 in July, 0 in August, 1 in Sept, 2 in Oct, 4 in Nov & 2 in Dec. (injured in July & August 😦 )

: Sean’s Run in May

√ Run 3-4 times a week ALL YEAR (use the treadmill when it is too cold or slippery or raining outside) – over 800 miles for the year. (It would have been more if I had not been injured in July & August.)

Running outside in January