The hurricane is over and a beautiful sunny day for a race. I met the ladies from the last race afterwards.  I also met someone new.  Diane is 54 and recently started running.  I tried to run with her but she left me in the dust.  I did run my first mile faster than usual – about 10:09 but didn’t have my usual energy to sprint at the end.  So the result was a 31:59 (or as my iPod said 31:44) finish.   That was 376 out of almost 500 and 8th in my age group. (Results: http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/searchResultsSQL.php?ID=920)

I am encouraged after meeting Diane about being able to run faster.  I signed up for 2 more races:

• Falling Leaves and New Visions on Oct. 11 – I have to choose!!
• Annie’s Quest on Oct 18.

Beautiful day for running.  I have been running 3 times a week and yesterday at a picnic on Lake George I did not drink any alcohol (the only one) so I felt prepared for the race.

Last race I was not training well and ran my best race.  This time, I did an average time for me – an unofficial 33:03 (though my iPod said 32:34) – I felt good at the end so maybe I should have run faster.  I will try to next week at the Bruegger’s Bagel Run on Sunday.

I came in 490 out a little more than 600 racers.  Every 20 won an IPod Nano… I would had to run 10 faster or 10 slower.

Here are the results: http://www.hmrrc.com/View/PDFs/Results/08sefcu.htm

Again I met some really nice beginning runners who run at my pace.  I will see them at future races, I am sure.  The entrance fee went to Gilda’s Club, I added another ugly tee shirt to my collection and got some exercise.

Well, it didn’t rain and it was cloudy and cool – perfect for a race. 

 The course was nice as far as scenery – the race track, beautiful old houses, the farmer’s market but at the end of the race there were several hills, no mile markers and no water stops.  This didn’t help being out of shape.

Guess what?  I had my best time!!!!!!!!!!  31 minutes or so.  I didn’t feel as if I was running faster.  In fact, I felt tired and dragging on the hills at the end.

I also met 3 really nice woman who run at my pace and who do the same races.  I hope to see them again soon.

My next race is Sept 7.  But I’m thinking about the SEFCU 5k on Sept 1.  If  I don’t go to LI on Sept 14, the Run for the ROC.

I hesitated going to today’s race.  My friends weren’t going.  My husband couldn’t.  I was tired.  I had only run once in the last week.  I had 2 parties to go to.  But I went..

It was in Saratoga at the race track.  After I picked up my packet, I bumped into someone (Paula) from my No Boundaries class.  She has never raced alone and was anxious for company.

We headed to the starting point together.  They had signs for 4 minute miler, 4 1/2 min., 5 min., etc.  We hesitated to walk to see if there were signs for 11 minute mile runners (if they had a place for someone that slow?) since we would have to race an extra mile, we  would be so far from the starting line.

We opted for some where in middle but still had a distance berfore we reached the starting line.  The course was very flat and the weather was perfect. We talked the whole way and it was a very painless race. 

Paula ran the Freihofer’s and finished behind me (about 100 runners back) and may have slowed me down to keep at her pace.  But it was definitely more fun to run with someone. 

I encouraged her her to sprint across the finish line and she remarked that she had never ran that fast.  I looked up and saw 34:07 as the time and immediately thought:  “How did I run so slow?”

me on the right crossing the finish line

I found out later thay although we had a chip, it only recorded your finish time and that your PR woiuld not be accurate unless you knew how long it took you to get to the starting line.

This made me feel better since I felt like I was running as fast or faster than my previous races.

Next time I may use my iPod to calcuate an accurate time.

It was fun.  Next year I want to stay around and use my free ticket to the track.

There’s another race on August 16 called The Saratoga Derby.  I signed up already!

Race Results: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/08/ny/Jul26_SilksS_set1.shtml  (I came in 880 out 1002). 

Video: http://www.clipsyndicate.com/publish/video/653893

Three and 1/2 miles – the most I have ever run!!! We got a rose and a bag which was nice.  They took photos. and the important part: I did it– running the whole way!!!!!!!!!!! My 5k time was 36 minutes, a full minute faster than for the Moshier race.  My race time was about 40 minutes.

This was the course: http://web.mac.com/sburns223/iWeb/HMRRC%20Mother%27s%20Day%20Race%202008/Race%20Course.html

I came in 100th (13th in my age group).

Click HERE for all the race results.