April 12, 2015 by Darlene

My Running Favorites and a Spring Run

Talented Darlin’ Rae tagged me to answer some questions about running:

1) Location: Trail, Road, or Indoors?

Definitely roads. That’s what I run on most often. I particularly like to run in parks and on bike paths where there is no traffic. I think trails are scenic but I am clumsy so I have to run slow. And I really do not enjoy the treadmill AT ALL.

2) Time of Day: Morning, Noon, or Evening?

If I didn’t work, it would be morning. I run better in the morning because I have more energy. When it’s warm, I sometimes drag myself out of bed and run before work. But I do work and it’s cold and dark in the morning and so it’s in the evening that I choose to run.

3) Weather: Sunshine, Mild or Hot?

I love sunshine. I prefer hot to cold but MILD is ideal with no humidity and no wind.

4) Fuel: Before, After, and sometimes during?

Before a run, if it is morning, I usually have oatmeal. After work, I eat a protein bar. If I am running long, I bring GU with me. Afterwards, I love to have chocolate milk.

5) Accessories: Music, Watch & More?

Sometimes I run with music but lately, it’s been just my thoughts. I always bring my iPhone and use the Nike+ app for distance. In a race, I use my Garmin 205 for time & pace.

the phone in my future

6) Rewards: Food, Wine, or …?

It depends on the time of day. But I often use a Starbucks frappuccino or soft ice cream as a reward.

7) Type of run: Long, tempo, intervals, hill repeats, progression, or recovery/easy?

I love easy runs. That’s what I do usually. When I am training, I do long runs on the weekend. Occasionally I run intervals and then I use the track.

running on the track at work

I’m supposed to tag 7 people to answer these questions, so here you go Masters Bloggers:

Today spring finally arrived. (Too bad it wasn’t here yesterday for my race.)

As I mentioned yesterday, I bailed on my post-race run because it was just too damn cold and windy.

Today the weather was perfect so I invited myself on the last 5 miles of my friend Judy’s long run.

We agreed on the Corning Bike path for a change of pace.

There were lots of bikers and runners but still a very peaceful place to run.

We have a different style but it seems to work. She runs at a steady slower pace so when I want to speed up, I stop and take pictures and then run to catch up.

I ran about 5.5 miles and felt great. I could have run more but then again, I need to have my legs fresh for my half marathon in 6 days. And I have my running group tomorrow night.

After we were done, we walked back to a scenic part of the trail so Judy could take pics of me wearing my new SkirtSports skirt. As an Ambassador, I needed one wearing their clothes.

I think Judy did great. I am undecided. I still may use one of my older race ones.

Happy Running! If you’re not tagged, pick a question to answer in the comments! Which pic of me would you choose?

April 11, 2015 by Darlene

2015 Bacon Hill Bonanza 5K Race Report

bhb

I was very tempted to sign up for 10K instead of the 5k. They were both the same price and I needed to run 8 miles before my half marathon next weekend.

10 K

Then I remembered the hills of the second half of the 10K and that the 5k was an out and back and would be mostly flat.

So I kept my decision to run the 5k and then planned to run 5 miles after.

at last year’s race (sunny & no wind)

I ran this race last year and loved it. They had great food – the usual food but also chili and homemade muffins & cookies (including gluten free ones).

And there was chocolate milk, fresh from the dairy.

Plus, I won a homemade apple pie as first in my age group.

The race started at 10 am which was good since it would be an hour minute drive from my house.

Again the weather was tricky. What to wear? It was cool in the morning (low 40s) but cloudy and very very windy. I opted for a long sleeve shirt, skirt & compression socks. I brought a jacket, just in case. I am so tired of wearing tights and layers that I’d rather be cold.

I got to the race early and found a parking spot in a field next to the church. The race started at the church in the town of Bacon Hill, a small farming town with awesome scenery. (It reminded me of Vermont.)

It was more chilly than I thought. It was in the 30s with the windchill and the gusts were at least 40 mph.

got a nice gender-specific tech shirt with no advertising on it

I decided to keep my jacket on and I was still cold. I wished that I had worn tights and gloves.

I didn’t think I would know anyone at this run since last year, I hung out with Holly who was in the Turkey Trot training group and now the FRW training group but she had to work this year and couldn’t race.

But I did bump into someone that I recognized probably from another race. Some also recognized me because she used to read my blog. How cool is that. She is also a SkirtSports ambassador. We chatted about that and local races.

Soon it was time for the race to start. The pastor read a prayer, the church bells rang and we were off.

The 5k was an out and back. The 10k veered to the right and supposed had hills and breath taking views.

I decided to go out fast. I always have positive splits so why try not to. It isn’t as flat as the map shows. The hills are rolling throughout but not that bad. Even I could run up them.

I loved all the signs along the route.

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This one as my favorite: 14002247934_c17e330207_z

The wind was a killer. I was freezing and the gusts made it worse. There were volunteers on the course calling out times. I occasionally glanced down at my Garmin to make sure I was running in the low 9’s. Eventually we turned around and headed back… I was hoping that the wind would be at my back. But no, it was still blowing and making me miserable.

I stopped for water and walked for a while. Not because I was thirsty but because I was was out of breath. I never seemed to get into my groove. I guess I need to do more speed drills.

I thought I had gotten a second wind but then again, I was winded and stopped to walk again during the last mile.

I knew at this point, there would be no PR. That was fine because I wasn’t expecting one.

As I approached the finish line, I realized that I could still finish under 28 minutes, Unfortunately I had no gas left and I barely made it. My Gamin said: 27:57!! So I was pleased.

I immediately made a bee line for the chocolate milk. Boy was it good. I had at least 2 cups.

They had the same great food (chili, muffins, cookies, fruit) as last year plus a vegetarian dish and pizza.. I sampled it all! YUM!

They also were selling chicken dinners for $6. So tempting.

Eventually they posted the results…Mine was 28:01. That’s ok. I knew that I really crossed under 28 minutes.

baconhill15

Even though I added a heavier jacket, I was still freezing.

baconhill5k2105

And they gave out the men’s awards first. Finally they called the women’s awards.

57 out of 182

And I won a pie again!!! (Love my age group!)

I put the pie in my car and planned on running 5 more miles. But I was so chilled, I couldn’t bear to hit the wind again even though this area is so nice to run in. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully the weather will be more cooperative.

All in all, I loved this race. I will definitely do it again…maybe even the 10K.

Goals:

Goal A: PR (under 27:11)
Goal B: Course PR (under 28:56)
Goal C: Under 30 minutes.

B & C.

and my other goals:

Keep Calm

and

Stay healthy.
Have fun.
Run 5 more miles after the race.
Win an Age Group award.
Run a course PR
Keep all miles under 10 minute pace.

All except running 5 more miles after.

Splits:

mile 1- 8:50
mile 2 – 9:17 (long walk)
mile 3 – 9:01 (short walk)
.1 – 7:55

I’m linking this post up with Tara at Running n’ Reading for her Weekend Update!

Happy Running! Are you running or racing this weekend?

April 8, 2015 by Darlene

“Older” Women Move

Yes, we do.

Take a lesson from 91 year old marathoner Hariette Thompson.

And Anne Garrett, who at age 80 set a Half Marathon record and then at 81, set a 5K record.

There’s also 99 year old Ida Keeling who sprinted to a 100m World record.

According to this NYTimes article:

Men, as might be expected, get slower as they age. At a recent five-kilometer race in Pine Beach, N.J., which drew nearly 1,000 runners, the fastest man was 24 years old and the men’s times increased with each five-year age group.

But the women were different — their times were all over the place with older women beating younger women in almost every age category.”

But with average runners, he said, older women may be faster because, oddly enough, they are trying harder than younger women and discovering for the first time what they are capable of.

Most middle-aged women grew up when track and cross-country teams were for men only. Some of those women, who had no opportunity to race when they were young, are just learning to be athletes and are running faster than younger women who may not care as much.

Have you read Margaret Webb’s book, Older, Faster, Stronger?

According to Joe Friel in his book, Fast After 50:

Aging doesn’t mean runners have to stop racing. It also doesn’t mean they have to slow down. High intensity workouts and strength training could be the keys to staying competitive.

Now let’s get personal.

I started running at age 55. I happily finished my first 5k at 37:36. At age 61, I PRed with a time of 27:11 and I plan to improve on that this year!

Biggest Loser 5K Run Walk

I ran my first Half Marathon at age 57. My finish time was 2:28:27. My most recent half marathon time was 2:09:40.

Yes, we “older women” move!!

Stockadeathon 15K

Happy Running! Do you have examples of older women who move?

April 6, 2015 by Darlene

Monday Running Update

Last Week: (AP Half Marathon Training week #10)

Monday – 4 mile group run with FRW training group

my back ached… I ran with the slowest ladies and that was tough. 15 miles in 2 days= too much

Tuesday – rest, tennis
Wednesday – 4 mile run

Thursday – ~~4 mile run~~ rest, gym after work
Friday- ~~rest~~, 3 mile run at lunch, Passover seder with the mah jongg ladies

lunch time run in spring-like weather

Passover seder with the mah jongg gang

Saturday – 12 mile long run – may start with FRW training group and then add some more rest (50 mph wind gusts – no way), day with my mentee and her sons

Easter egg hunt & playing on the playground – it was cold!!

Sunday – ~~rest,~~ 12 mile long run, Easter dinner with the fam

4 solo & 8 with Judy on the Nisky bike path

This Week: (AP Half Marathon Training week #11)

Monday – 4 mile group run with FRW training group
Tuesday – rest, tennis
Wednesday – 4 mile run
Thursday – 4 mile run
Friday- rest, mah jongg
Saturday – 5K race + 5 more miles
Sunday – rest

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any races ?

April 5, 2015 by Darlene

Last Long One

Saturday or Sunday, depending on a race or the weather.

This past weekend, I was tempted but decided NOT to race.

I thought I might run the Rabbit Ramble 4 miler like I did last year. You get a shirt and gloves & I won my age group. But I have raced the past 3 weekends and I felt that I should relax and run 12 miles. (Ha ha..relax & 12 miles in the same sentence.)

4 miler - 38:06

I also could go to my FRW Training Group run on Saturday which I have missed the past 3 weekends that I was racing and then continue running until I completed 12 miles.

Then there was the weather forecast.

ap4-5weather

Will winter ever end??

So I went back and forth and finally decided to do my long run on Sunday.

Well, Saturday was not rainy or snowy as predicted but it was cold and so windy…40 mph wind gusts.

Instead of running, I spent the afternoon with my mentee, Amanda and her 2 sons. I hadn’t seen them since Christmas. They played on the playground in the park and then we went to an Easter Egg hunt. I was soooo cold!

Matthew, 3, on the swings

Richard, 8, climbing a rock wall

lots of kids hinting for eggs

Today I was determined to get my 12 mile run done. I asked Judy who I ran with last weekend to accompany me on part of it.

It was cold in the 30s but 20s with the windchill (Yes, It is April!!) but not as windy as yesterday. I got to the bike path early to run 4 miles before she arrived.

I headed west toward lock 7. It was sunny but boy was it windy.

Then I turned around at mile 2 and I was actually warm running with the sun in my face.

I actually had a decent run despite the wind and the walking at about a 10 minute/mile pace.

When I got back to my car, I changed my hat, gloves and took off my fleece vest.

Judy was already there waiting, I’m glad she came. I did not feel like running 8 more miles alone.

We tackled 8 miles slowly. 4 miles out and then back heading in the opposite direction from my earlier run.

It was a nice to have someone to chat with while running. Judy may run slower but she runs at a more steady pace. I, on the other hand, run faster and tire myself out and have to walk. In the end, we finished together and stayed together most of the run.

The sun started to go in but the wind had died down quite a bit. I made the right decision running those 4 mile earlier.