My WFH stint was supposed to end on April 29. Now it has been extended until at least May 15.

Otherwise things are the same. All social activities still cancelled. Missing my friends!! But keeping in touch via ZOOM.

Trying to get outdoors often so I do not go stir crazy in my Office (aka a room in my house). Always looking for new and interesting places to run or walk and practice social distancing.

This one is sponsored by our local running group – 3 races and you get the medal.

trying to run one of these each week…

The NYC Mini 10k on June 13,2020 was cancelled – another race that I was REALLY looking forward to!!!

JULY 5, 2020 – CANCELLED

I’ve always had to work and could not participate.  This year the hike was on a Sunday and I signed up with the hubby. 😦

But the good news:

Congrats to Kim and Debbie!!

Thanks to all those who entered.  It’s not too late.  You can still register until May 5 at  https://freihofersrun.com/virtual-5k/.  Use the code AMBSS5 and for $20 you will get:

• 42nd annual virtual Freihofer’s Run for Women t-shirt & bib
• A finisher’s certificate that can be printed out at home
• Commemorative finishers’ medal
• Coupons for Freihofer’s products
• Automatic entry into Virtual 5k Sweepstakes with great prizes!

The t-shirts, medals and coupons will be mailed to participants the first week in June.

Last Week –

• Monday – Happy to see the sun shining even if it was only a rest day.

lunch time walk in the park

post work walk at Holly Hock Hollow Sanctuary

• Tuesday – A nasty windy rainy day!! I skipped my lunch walk and crossed my fingers that the rain (and wind) would stop at some point so I could go for a short run.

Yeah, well the rain did stop. So I drove to the Crossings for a quick run. (I wanted to go to Trader Joes which is why I picked this run location and in the evening now I’ve got plenty of time.)

the wind got to me so I quit early

• Wednesday – Earth Day!!  I woke up to SNOW!!  It did melt but again it was windy!! I took my usual lunch time walk… Had to find a location to be protected from the CRAZY wind.

hid under the TALL trees in the park and discovered a new loop

and then after work I drove to Washington Park to complete my Earth Day Virtual 5k. The wind was so strong and cold that I threw in the towel.

Don’t let these pictures fool you. It like like winter.

I stopped on the way home to check out a new trail.

I plan to head back here when it is warmer.

• Thursday – Still cold but at least it was sunny. Rain was in the forecast so I was glad to fit in my lunch walk and planned to try for the 3rd time to run a 5k.

My good friend texted me that she is only working (as a doctor) M,W,F and asked if I wanted to met her for a walk. You know I jumped at the chance to see a friendly face. We shared the view from the trail behind my house

I decided for once to RUN on the trail behind my house. However, I forgot how hilly it was. Still the temps warmed up, the wind died down and I got back in time to cook dinner and ZOOM chat with my running friends. (We did two sessions we were having so much fun.)

belated Earth Day celebration

• Friday – A rainy rest day. I tried to squeeze my lunch walk in between the raindrops.

Not successful.. Got wet but no biggie.

The rain did stop by the time I finished work. I went back to the trail I discovered on Wednesday and walked the full loop.

Then I found another nearby trail. This loop was longer and muddier but still felt great to be outdoors.

• Saturday – I started the day with my favorite yoga teacher’s class – Yoga for Runners – Glute & Piriformis Activation and Healing. Great class. Next month is hips!

After class, I headed out for my long run. Again, later than I would have liked. I had planned to run from 9-11 miles but after last weekend, I just wanted to have a decent run.

Where to go? I decided on Peebles Island.  Although I knew that it would be crowded in the park, I knew the path to Green Island would be pretty empty and then the Erie Canal path in Waterford would have no one on it.

And I was right. There were some walkers but they were courteous and wearing masks. I continued father into Green Island (which was new to me) and then returned to my car for a water stop.  Then I proceeded to the canal path which was deserted (and soft on the feet).

Felt so much better than last week – not as warm or as late in the day and I wore my old shoes with no taping

definitely inspired by all those participating in this virtual race series.

After some laundry and gardening, I realized that since it would be raining the next TWO days, I should continue my quest to visit the local preserves and walk the trails.  They are perfect for social distancing since no one is usually at them.

• Sunday – A ugly raining day. Lots of de-cluttering to done! But first a visit to TWO more preserves:

Just a few raindrops and no one else there. I think I am enjoying these walks more than my runs.

This Coming Week – 

• Monday – run
• Tuesday –  rest day, walk
• Wednesday – run (un-canceled 10k)
• Thursday – run, ZOOM running group chat
• Friday – rest day, mah jongg walk
• Saturday – LONG RUN (12?)
• Sunday – rest day, walk, ZOOM tennis book club

I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.

Happy Running! How is your running going?  How is this virus affecting you and your family? Are you having  hard time finding safe places to run? Are you running in new places or are in a running route rut? Have you run any virtual races? Please share.

Still working at home (now at least until April 30) …

All social activities still cancelled.

Missing my friends!!

Trying to get outdoors often so I do not go stir crazy in my Office (aka a room in my house).

and it’s over…maybe the first challenge I’ve EVER completed

So bored that I even signed up for one free month of NetFlix (not really a TV addict)

Any watch this? It enjoyed it. Next up is binge watching Schitt’s Creek.

one done…I call them my quarantine socks.

But if there is a silver lining in this, it’s that running solo has motivated me to vary my running routes. I am running in different places each day. It’s easy to get in a rut and run in the old same, same old. Thanks  to IG and FB, I have discovered some new routes to walk or run on. Plus there is usually traffic after work.  Now with everyone working from home, I can drive to places that I normally would not.

Last Week –

• Monday – Hooray for sunshine!!

Lunch walk on the trails near my house:

blue skies!!

Post work run: Trying to avoid crowds but not run on the roads… Decided to drive to The Crossings because they closed the park to cars.

windy and maybe a little early for the skirt but couldn’t wait…I parked at a nearby church and had almost all the trails to myself. 🙂

• Tuesday – Sunshine two days in a row!!

First my lunch time walk:

different route everyday on this nearby trail

I had planned a rest day but rain was predicted for the next two or three days so run I did. Today I picked Washington Park in Albany.

found some signs of spring and not too many people

• Wednesday – Sun has left for a few days. The morning rain had stopped so I was able to get in a walk during lunch

left, right, straight??

and a run after work. Today I decided to drive up to Colonie Town Park. Normally I would not since there would be too much traffic at this time of day. It was refreshing to check out the scenery in a different location (haven’t run here in ages.)

some bikers but not many but bumped into a running friend and we chatted for a long time (from a distance)

A little nostalgic as it was the first night of Passover and in past years I celebrated at a Seder with my mah jongg friends.

• Thursday – A miserable weather day – pouring rain and WIND. Skipped my lunch walk and hoped to rain would end by 4 pm.

Declared it a rest day from running but did get in at least one walk. It was chilly and very windy and I almost bailed but I remembered a place that looked interesting from a friend’s IG post. (Pine Hollow Aboretum) Boy, am I glad I went…it was amazing – 22 acres, 11 ponds, trees from all over the world, trails galore.

can’t wait to go back when the trees are in bloom

And although we don’t currently run together, our running group is chatting virtually once a week:

• Friday – Yes, another unseasonably cold, rainy, windy day. Since there was no rain  at lunch time, I decided to search out a place to walk that would be shielded from that awful wind. (Elm Avenue Park Fit Trails)

the tall trees at the park did the trick & I even discovered a new path. will go back when I have more time to explore

Normally a rest day but no mah jongg this evening and a postponed long run so I decided why not run. I just drove to the Albany rail trail  for a quick one since I needed to be home early for a ZOOM chat with my mah jongg friends.

holy wind…froze on the way out but warm on the way back

Miss my game night…not the same playing on the computer.

• Saturday – One good thing about doing long runs alone is that if you change you mind, you don’t have to notify everyone else.  The weather looked better for Sunday so today was my catch up day. Errands and boring stuff around the house including some gardening. It was cold and windy but later in the day, the sun came out and the wind calmed don so I decided to again explore a new location (suggested by my an IG friend.)

Tivoli Lake Preserve…what an interesting find. Definitely going back here.

• Sunday – Long Run Saturday postponed to Sunday. Today was my taper for my unofficial virtual H2H Half Marathon. I decided on the Nisky Bike Path for this run. When I woke up, it was in the 20s.. and so I waited until it warmed up a bit (50s) Still a little breezy but warm enough for a skirt 🙂

I was a worried when I saw a lot of cars in the parking lot but they must have gone in the other direction since I saw very few people during my run.

I have run on this bike path many many times but have never ventured off the path and I today I did twice. Once to explore a 1 mile trail and again for a short time to take in the views.

another trail that I want to go back to when I am not running.

Unfortunately the restaurant where we usually have brunch was closed since it was Easter Sunday so I had to settle for a post run chocolate milkshake.

This Coming Week – 

• Monday – rest day, walk
• Tuesday –  run
• Wednesday – run or rest day, walk
• Thursday – run 
• Friday – rest day, mah jongg walk
• Saturday – VIRTUAL HELDERBERG TO HUDSON HALF MARATHON
• Sunday – rest day, walk

I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.

Happy Running! How is your running going?  How is this virus affecting you and your family? Are you having  hard time finding safe places to run? Are you running in new places or are in a running route rut?  Did you use ZOOM to celebrate Passover or Easter with your family? Please share.