Girls Dream Big

Please view my other blog :)

2011-04-07T08:15:00.002-04:00

I am no longer updating this blog..please check out my OTHER running blog at:

http://runwithme-cindy.blogspot.com/

Ode to Uncle Tom

2010-07-31T08:29:00.012-04:00

My uncle Tom was a police officer & a Vietnam vet. As a kid, I was afraid of him. He was tough. He was the guy who was always throwing the kids in the pool at family parties. I didn't like getting thrown in the pool so I would stay away from him. He told it like it was regardless of the consequences. It didn't matter if he hurt your feelings.

But, he also had a soft side. He was a dad. He had 3 sons. He took them to a camp they had in the Adirondacks. They would fish and hunt and come home with tons of stories. That's what I remember most about my uncle...he was always telling stories.

He was the guy that got my brother jobs as a teenager. My uncle knew everyone because he was a cop. His job was "walking the beat." He got to know the business owners on his beat and they loved him. They felt safe because of him.

I remember when I was getting married that he insisted the guys get tuxes at his friend's shop which of course was on his beat. He got us a "deal."

I remember our families going on vacation together to the beach. Everyday he would bring a cooler filled with cans of Budweiser, a chair and a hat. When the cooler was empty, it was time to go home.

I've hardly seen him in the last few years. He retired from the police force and he and my aunt separated. The last time I saw him was at my cousin's wedding over a year ago. When I went up to him and said hello, he looked at me like he didn't recognize me. I told him who I was and his expression changed. His face softened and he said, "you get more beautiful everytime I see you." And, that's exactly what I loved about him. Far beneath the tough exterior, there was a soft heart. It wasn't always obvious, but I believe it was there.

Rest in peace, Uncle Tom..

1948 - 2010

20

2010-07-31T07:29:00.005-04:00

Today is the first day of our vacation. I was scheduled to run my first 20 miler today, but there was no way I was doing it so far from home so I got it out of the way on Thursday. It was a very busy week..it always is right before you're going away, isn't it? The kids had dentist & orthodontist appointments. I had my annual physical. Plus, I was trying to cram 2 weeks of work into 2 days. My uncle died so I had a wake & funeral to attend..the list goes on & on..

But, nothing was going to stop me from getting this run done. I was fortunate enough to have Linda & Alyson volunteer to run portions of it with me. I did 2.5 miles out and back (4 times). So, every 5 miles I would pass by where I parked. I knew from when I did the 17 mile run that I was running 5 miles in just under an hour so that made it easy to time when they should get there.

Here's how it worked out. I did the first 5 miles by myself. I started at 7:40 a.m. Linda met me and ran the next 5 with me. Then, Alyson & her son, Conor showed up when I hit 10 miles. The 4 of us were off and running miles 10-15 . Linda turned back around 12 because her foot was bothering her, but we eventually met back up with her for the last mile.

I meant to put on body glide at the 10 mile mark, but forgot (big mistake). It wasn't until the 3 of us were running for about a mile that I felt the chaffing begin. Same place as last time - thighs. I asked Conor if he minded biking back to the car and getting the body glide for me. Thank goodness for him otherwise I woud've really been hurting even worse than I am.

Linda left when we hit 15 miles. We used the bathrooms and I filled up my handheld bottle with Gatorade. I even had 1/4 of my PB & J sandwich. I was eating Sharkies along the way, too. I was feeling really good. Alyson, Conor & I were off to finish the last 5. Alyson has been having problems with her hip so I wasn't sure she'd be able to run the whole 10 miles with me..she came pretty close. She did 9. something..just under 10. She was with me when I finished though and that was the best part. She did a good job of keeping the conversation going at the end and I needed that.

When I stopped running, I shouted "thank you, Jesus." And, I meant it! I was really glad to have Alyson there with me. My brain felt like absolute mush those last few miles. I couldn't even think of anything to think about. It was kinda weird. I wanted to focus on something, but it was like my brain was turned off. It made me wonder what I'll do running a whole marathon completely by myself. I know I can wear an iPod for some of it, but that gets old after awhile, too. I'll have to come up with something..

I have to mention that I texted my husband when I stopped at 15 miles. He was at work of course. I just wrote "15 done." He wrote "keep going." By the time he sent that I was at 17.5 so I replied "17.5..don't reply..i'll text you when i'm done." As I was basking in the glory of finishing 20 miles, in pulls a truck and Alyson says, "hey that looks like Larry's truck." Sure enough, it was him. He wanted to be there when I finished. Isn't that sweet? I thought that was really nice. I was running on a path very close to his work and it was lunchtime. I never expected him to be there, but was really touched that he was. I could never do any of this without his support.

So, all in all I have to say the run went just about as well as it could have although my knee was really hurting afterward. Not sure what that's all about. I think it was just tired, not really injured. I went home and took my first ever ice bath which was not fun at all, but I do believe it helped tremendously. My muscles really didn't feel sore at all. When I did the 17, I was pretty tight and sore for a few days. My legs feel so much better this time and I think it's from the ice bath. Plus, we were in the car for 8+ hours yesterday and even that didn't bother me.

Today is Saturday and I'm on vacation. I'm not going to run today. I think I need a few days of rest..I might do 3 tomorrow. We'll see.

Today I'm only doing one thing...going to the beach :)

Respect the Distance

2010-07-07T07:49:00.000-04:00

Today will be the third day of temps in the 90's. With the heat index it feels like over 100. Definitely not a good time for the a/c to break down. Yeah.

I want to talk about the 14 miler that I did 2 weeks ago. It was the hardest run to date. I am doing the Galloway beginner plan (to finish). The longest distance I had run prior was the half marathon distance. I really wasn't worried about the actual distance because I had been building up to it. I was stressing a little bit about the course. It's hard to find out a course that's not too hilly. Then, I had to figure out where to plant water/gatorade. Suddenly, the weather was an issue (possible thunderstorms). Plus, I had to do the run on a Thursday rather than my normal Saturday because I was going out of town...which meant the kids were home since school was out. What I'm trying to say is there were a lot of things to worry about.

I was happy to wake up that morning and see that it was not raining or thundering/lightning. Phew. I drove around the course I had mapped out on Map My Run to drop the drinks and realized that this one section was extremely hilly (a road I had never been down before) so I decided we had to change the course around at the last minute. Not good because I had to estimate the miles and we ended up having to add on at the end which really messes with my head.

With all that said, what I really should've been worried about was the heat and humidity which I didn't give much thought to (stupid). I was drenched with sweat only a few miles into the run which is not normal for me. I don't sweat very much for some reason. I think it was around 9 miles that I realized I had some chaffing action going on in the thigh area. It wasn't long before I was trying to run while holding my shorts up above that area (didn't work). I only had chaffing one other time and it was years ago, but I do remember that it was also very humid that time.
By the last mile, I was so ready to be done that I stopped taking the walk breaks and practically sprinted to the end. My friend, Linda that was running with me just completely stopped at mile 13 (she's dealing with some plantar fasciaitis). When I finished, I backtracked to try to find her. By that time the temp had to be in the mid 80's. We were both hurting. Because we had to do so much adding on, we were probably a good half mile from my house when we finished. I had some weird cramping at the very top of my calves (never had that before). It did go away after a little while, but it was kind of strange.

I felt like garbage for the rest of the day. Up until that point, I had felt GREAT after doing my long runs using Galloway. This time was a completely different story. I was starting to get the headache that has become normal for me after a really long run. I knew I should eat something, but had no appetite. Looking back, I think part of why I felt so bad was because I was a little dehydrated. Even though we drank along the way, I don't think it was enough for the temps & humidity we were dealing with. Plus, I didn't bring any sort of nutrition..I usually at least have sport beans or Sharkies. I don't know what I was thinking not to bring anything. So stupid of me.

So, this Saturday is the next long run. 17 miles. I'm very nervous about it. I know I have to go get some body glide and beans. Maybe even bring a sandwich or something. We are going to a bike trail which is flat so that should help. I'm taking all the necessary precautions this time. I think that 14 miler was a good wake up call..you always hear "respect the distance" and I didn't do that. I took it for granted. I won't make that mistake again.

Update on Freihofer/Subway $5 discount

2010-05-26T12:57:00.004-04:00

To get the $5 discount, all you need is a receipt from Subway that has their 5 digit store # or just call your local store and ask them for their #. I called the Subway I went to this morning (looking for the coupons) & explained that all I need is their store # to get the discount and they were happy to give it to me.

So, now it is "only" costing me $57 for 2 entries. I guess that's not so bad :)

Good News..well, sorta

2010-05-26T12:33:00.003-04:00

I was so happy when I found out that Subway will again have $5 discount coupons for the Freihofer's. The only problem is I've already been to two Subway shops today and neither of them HAS ANY!!! The first place at least said they should be getting them "soon." Hopefully, that's true because June 1 they raise the registration price AGAIN.

The second place looked at me like I had two heads or something..."Freihofer's"? "We don't have any Freihofer coupons." They might as well have followed that with..."idiot." Maybe they thought I wanted a discount on cookies or something? I don't know, but they were kind of rude.

The first place was at least nice enough to take my name & phone number down. She said they would call me when they got the coupons.

We'll see about that...I will be shocked if they call. In the meantime, I'll be stopping around the other local Subway shops.

I'll keep you posted...

Race fees

2010-05-25T14:25:00.002-04:00

Ever since I went through having a stress fracture last year, I have a thing about registering early for races. In 2009, I registered in January to run a marathon in October. I got hurt in June and couldn't complete the training. Fortunately, I was able to still run the half marathon so I didn't throw all of that money out the window. I did lose the difference between the two registration prices, but I could live with that. However, that did teach me a lesson and now I do not register for anything until I absolutely have to.

Which brings me to my gripe...race fees. They are getting outrageous. My specific gripe is about the Freihofer's Run which is less than 2 weeks away. You can usually save yourself a bit of money by mailing in the entry fee & registration the old fashioned way..using regular mail. Normally, when you register online you have to pay a few dollars extra in processing fees.

Not that a few dollars is a big deal, but for races that you are registering the whole family for (like I did last year for the Winterfest& Turkey Trot), those fees really add up. I think it cost my family of 4 well over $80 to register for a 5K. I just can't justify doing that anymore.

Back to my Freihofer's gripe...I went to the website and I see that the mail in registration is now more expensive than the online registration no matter when you mail it in. Apparently, they want to get away from the mail in's? So, right now if I register online before June 1, it will cost me $33.50 ($30 plus $3.50 "processing fee") oh..double that because I'm signing my daughter up so make that $67 total.

To their defense, if I had registered earlier online (by 2/28) it would've cost $20 plus the $3.50 processing fee, but there is no way I ever would sign up that early.

The race fees are just getting out of hand. I hate not to do the races because the kids love it, but I'm gonna have to start drawing the line eventually. It's getting ridiculous!

Mohawk Hudson vs. Hartford

2010-05-12T14:17:00.002-04:00

I have a fall marathon weighing heavily on my mind today...well, not heavily. That's an exaggeration :) Actually, I have much more important things weighing heavily on my mind, the marathon is just mixed in with everything else.

I mapped out a training plan today using the Galloway method. Alyson, Larry and I experimented with it 2 weeks ago and it went really well. We used a run/walk ratio of run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute. We did a 10K training run and we started the run/walk from the very start.

We all felt great at the end. Even Larry - and he absolutely hates running. In fact, that was the farthest he has ever run. I think his exact words were "I think I found my niche." He also said he felt like he could keep going at the end. So, Galloway gets 2 thumbs up from Larry :)

Alyson and I felt really good, too. I have to admit I have a bit of a mental block about walking at all during a run. It's going to be hard for me to overcome that barrier, but I want to be open to giving this a chance.

To be honest, I think when we were running for the 4 minutes, our pace was faster than it would be if we had been just running (no walking). Overall, our time was almost exactly what it normally would be had we not been walking.

So, what does that mean? It means that even though we were walking for a total of 6 minutes - we didn't lose ANY time. Isn't that crazy? The biggest benefit of using this method is you feel better & less tired during your run. The recovery time is also much faster afterward.

The Galloway method also calls for running just 3 days a week + one day of an easy walk. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Plus, you can't argue with the success rate of this method. I think something like 99% people that Jeff Galloway has trained with this method complete marathons AND they do not get injured. There is certainly something to be said for that!

So, I think we're going to continue using this method for our Saturday long runs and see how it goes.

I have somewhat of a dilemma about which marathon I want to register for. Do I want to run local and do the Mohawk Hudson or do I want to stick with my original plan of running Hartford?

I love the Hartford race because it's so festive. There are tons of people there and there's a really great atmosphere. They also do an awesome job of putting on the race - top of the line. I've done the Hartford half 2 other times and my plan has always been to do my first full there.

I have a few friends who will be running the half locally - some of the women who were in my running group last year. I'd love to be there with them even though they will probably be home & showered by the time I finish my race ;-)

I don't know what to do...I also just found out that one of my "Running Wild" team members (Brian) already registered for Hartford. Not sure what the others are going to do..

Decisions, decisions.

Ocean City, MD Half Marathon

2010-04-26T19:17:00.003-04:00

I got back from Maryland yesterday around 4:30. I had a GREAT race (we all did)! The weather was perfect..couldn't have been better. It was cool, but sunny with a slight breeze. Probably in the 50's or so. Kathleen, Brian & I all exceeded our goals..Brian finished in 1:55, Kathleen 1:58 and I was 2:05 (new PR for me by 6 minutes!). Gregg had a broken toe and couldn't run, but he came along and graciously agreed to be our coach/cheerleader/caddy/chauffeur. And, he did a GREAT job. We planned out where he was going to be around the course to give us drinks, etc. and it worked out great. It was really nice to have someone do that. We jokingly talked about possibly doing that for each other for future races. I think it made a world of difference.

My pace was 9:29 which I was very pleased with. It didn't seem to be a problem to keep that pace until about mile 10-11. By then, my legs were getting pretty tired and I felt like slowing down. I was trying to beat my first half marathon time (of 2:11) and even if I dropped down to 10 min. miles, I'd still beat it. But, I really didn't want to do that..if I could keep going at my current pace I could smash that time. And, that's what I did! I was soooo happy with that.

The course was totally flat other than the bridge at mile 12. The bridge takes you over to Assategue Island. I've never walked on that bridge before (just drove). I didn't realize how high it actually is. They made us use the narrow pedestrian bridge (rather than the one that the cars drive on) which was a little weird. I felt a bit nauseous. I'm not afraid of heights at all, it just felt strange running on it.

Right after I got my medal and was just standing around in the tent talking, a man right behind me collapsed. He landed face down on the concrete. We yelled for help and medics were right there. Within a couple of minutes they started giving him CPR, but you could tell he wasn't responding. They eventually took him away in an ambulance. We couldn't find any news online or on tv about the race so we kind of assumed he must be okay...

My sister-in-law emailed the race director to ask about his condition since we were right there when it happened. She was told that he didn't make it. He was 40 years old. They said his wife was also running in the race.

I just can't stop thinking about that and how tragic it is. You do hear about runners dying in races, but it's actually not very common when you think about how many people are running. Still, it's kind of scary. It makes me wonder what this guy's situation was..did he train, was he experienced, etc. More than likely, he probably had some kind of heart disease or underlying (possibly unknown) issue. I've even been looking online for his obituary. I don't know why. I haven't found anything yet.

Went for a 4 mile run today to loosen up. My quads are pretty tight. Everything else feels good though. Not sure what my next race is going to be...possibly the Freihofers if I can get my daughter to run it with me. I'll keep you posted :)

Upcoming Local Races

2010-04-14T10:35:00.003-04:00

http://www.powerhouseathleticsny.com/races

This is a new local half marathon you may be interested in. It's called Jog for Jugs in support of breast cancer. There is a half marathon & 5K. I think maybe I should start putting links to local races here. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of everything that's going on!

Congratulations to Evelyn on finishing her very first half marathon. I believe her time was 2:24..I hope that's right. That's awesome!

It's an exciting time for runners..it's getting warmer out & there are lots of great races coming up. I'm doing my third half marathon in a little over a week down in Ocean City, Maryland. I'm excited about that because first of all, it will be fun. I'm going down with my brother and his friend, Brian. We're going to have a great time. Also, the course is flat. We vacation down there so I'm very familiar with the roads. I've been going there since I was a teenager. It's practically my second home.

I have one last FREE registration for Sean's Run in Chatham..that race is April 25 (same weekend I'll be in MD)..anyway, if you would like to run that race, let me know I'll give you the form. Someone I know is one of the sponsors of the race and gave me several free registration forms. I have one left. I'd hate to waste it!

Happy Running :-)

Good Luck Evelyn!

2010-03-31T06:18:00.002-04:00

This Saturday (4/3), Evelyn (along with her brother) will be running the World Vision Half Marathon in New York City. I'm sooo proud of her! She has really stuck to the training - which is normally not an easy thing to do during the winter.

The WV 13.1 raises money for Africa which is where Evelyn lived when she was a little girl. I believe she was born there. Her parents were missionaries.

Anyway, in order to support her I'm going to post a link to her fundraising page:

http://www.facebook.com/l/7c6f7;twv.convio.net/site/TR/TeamWorldVision/General?px=1070783&pg=personal&fr_id=1090

If you can support World Vision in any way, I'm sure Evelyn would appreciate it!

Holyoke 10K Race Report

2010-03-22T19:06:00.008-04:00

First off, Gregg & Kathleen scored us some shirts to wear from this really cool hamburger place in Holyfield called Local. We were supposed to wear the shirts for the race and then go there for a burger afterward. Sounded good to me. The guys got red shirts and the girls got black. They were cute. There was just one slight problem..it was going to be pretty warm out on Saturay and not only were our shirts black, but they were also cotton. It was going to be the first really warm day. Like really warm..like in the 70's. The race started at 1:00 and when we finished and got in the car it was 79!

The race was just part of the St. Patrick's Day festivities going on in Holyoke that weekend. They also have a big parade on Sunday. It's actually the 2nd largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the country..at least that's what I was told.

This was the best crowd support out of any race I've ever been a part of. There were people lining the entire course from start to finish. It was unbelievable.

Gregg said this was a fairly flat course with "some hills," but they weren't supposed to be bad. Well, that turned out to be untrue! The first hill was pretty big. From what I remember, there were 3 hills altogether. I don't think the hills would've been a problem if it weren't for the heat. I think we were all pretty sweaty long before we got to the starting line. Between the heat and the black shirts (plus I had on black capris), we were dying!

I was looking for water at the first mile, but unfortunately there wasn't any until mile 2. The other unfortunate thing was I started the race way too fast. I think my first mile was something like 9:08 which is too fast for the first mile of a race (at least for me it is!). That's a classic mistake and I know better, but I did it anyway.

I have to say, there were a couple of times where I honestly thought I wasn't going to make it. I had been feeling a little sick the night before & the morning of the race. I had an upset stomach and I almost felt like I had a stomach bug..so I didn't feel so great going into the race.

It was so hot that I drank water at every single water stop. I don't normally do that. In fact, the only races I've ever stopped for water were during 15k's & half marathons. I really needed it on Saturday though.

My sister-in-law unfortunately started vomitting between miles 2-3 and had to drop out. Although she was drinking water for 4 days prior to the race, I think she got dehydrated. I felt bad for her. When she dropped out at mile 3, her splits were right where she wanted them to be. What a bummer.

So, the bottom line is..I was aiming for a time 58 minutes and ended up with a time of 59:55. I think that's an overall pace of 9:36 or something like that. I'll take it. I think I could've done better though. I think the heat played a big factor.

All in all, it was a fun day. After the race we went to Local for some awesome burgers and fries. I was so hungry that I inhaled everything. Thanks to the peeps at Local for hooking us up with the shirts and the burgers!

I went out for a 3 mile run today. I have to admit that the quads and the calf muscles are a bit sore. Today's run felt good though.

Next race is the Ocean City, Maryland 13.1 next month..yowza!

Here is a nice picture of our group - pre-race :)

My First 10K

2010-03-12T10:55:00.003-05:00

I signed up to run my first 10k! It's next weekend (3/20) in Holyoke, MA. My brother lives in Massachusetts and this was his very first race ever two years ago. He & his wife are going to run it along with a bunch of their friends. I thought it would be fun to make the drive out and do it, too. What's great about it is it starts at 1:00. I've never run a race at that time of day. I won't have to get up at the crack of dawn and drive out there (although I'm sure I'll be up at the crack of dawn anyway!). I'm taking two running friends along with me so it will be a great time, I'm sure.

This race is all about St. Patrick's Day so I went out and bought a green shirt to wear..I know, I'm a cornball. Just trying to get in the spirit..if that doesn't help, the free beer after the race should do it ;-)

Although I've run the 10k distance many, many times (& beyond!) this will be my first actual 10k race. I like this distance. I've been running it a lot lately.

I have an 8 miler planned for tomorrow morning. I have to crank up the mileage if I'm going to do this half marathon next month. Gotta respect the distance as they say. I don't want to take it for granted that I can just do it. I'll get in some good long runs over the next month and I should be fine.

Well, hopefully we'll all get a run in tomorrow before the rain rolls in! Have a good one :-)

Friday

2010-03-05T13:36:00.002-05:00

I love Fridays, doesn't everyone? Many Friday nights, we go and hang out with some good friends and tonight is one of those nights. Always fun times on Friday nights!

The weather is getting nicer which means better running is in my near future. I've felt so weighted down with extra clothes lately and my runs have been SLOW! I was able to run 5 miles yesterday at a decent pace (9:20 ?) and I also had on just one layer of pants, but two layers of shirts. Still, that's a lot less than what I have been wearing.

I also went running by myself yesterday..I always run faster when I'm alone. I felt like pushing myself a bit and it felt really good. I think I may just do that 10K on March 20 in Holyoke. Hoping some of my Freihofer teammates want to come along!

I have to mention the girl in California that was murdered while she was out running. Sometimes we feel indestructible, like that would never happen to us. Hopefully, it never does, but we must think ahead try to imagine what we might do in that type of situation.

Personally, whether I'm running with someone or running alone I bring pepper spray. I'm not saying 100% that's going to save me if I'm attacked or whatever, but at least it's something. I also bring my cell phone and I try not to run in remote areas. We just need to remind ourselves to be alert while we're out on the road (or anywhere for that matter) because things can happen so fast.

Well, hope you go out for a nice run this weekend and don't forget to stay safe!

Freihofer's Run $5 Discount

2010-02-25T20:14:00.003-05:00

http://www.freihofersrun.com/

I received an email tonight (already) regarding the Freihofer's Run For Women. If you register by March 1 (online) there is a $5 discount. Just wanted to pass that along..the race is Saturday, June 5. The email said they have a new start time (9:30) although the website still says the old time (10:15).

Personally, I learned my lesson by registering too early for races. Early last year, I registered to run my first marathon and I ended up getting a stress fracture in June. The race wasn't until October. Anyway, I had to take a couple of months off over the summer and there was no way I could do the training. Fortunately, it worked out because they let me transfer my registration and I was able to run the half marathon.

With that said, I won't be registering for the Freihofer's before March 1 :-)

Winter Running

2010-02-24T21:28:00.006-05:00

I think we have 19" of snow right now. That's a lot of snow! The kids had a snow day so we were home all day long. I finally ventured out tonight to go to the grocery store. I was pretty impressed to see that the roads are fairly clear. If it weren't for the 2nd storm on the way, I think I'd be able to go out running tomorrow! Unfortunately, because of the other storm I think running will be put on hold for a day or two. Hopefully, not much more than that.

I'm wondering if most people that consider themselves runners, run all year long? Specifically, if you live in the northeast and have snow to contend with, it can be difficult. Personally, I used to take winters off. I was a fair weather runner. It has only been these last couple of years that I decided to run all winter. Actually, I used to run on the treadmill from time to time in the winter. But, since I've gotten more and more into distance running, I've been running outside all year round. I love going for my Saturday morning long runs. I'm a creature of habit.

Of course, you sometimes have to cut back on your mileage in the winter. It's hard to avoid that. I used to get a little bummed out about that, but I recently came up with a new spin on that..I've decided that it's a good thing to cut back your mileage during the winter a bit. It gives your body some time to recover and/or rest up for the upcoming season. How's that for a positive spin?

Anyway, that little spin helps me to not get too freaked out about missing a run or not being able to run as many miles as I would sometimes like.

I'd be curious to hear what other people do? I'd love to hear from you :-)

Winter Gear

2010-02-10T15:51:00.009-05:00

It's the middle of February and I really hope you are running!! At least a little bit anyway :-) I know this is a hard time of year to run because we're at the mercy of the weather and road conditions. I have to say .. all things considered this winter hasn't been bad at all for running. I think I've only had to cancel one or two runs and that was because it snowed and it took a few days to get the roads clear. But, I've been able to get out at least three times per week which is only one day less than what I do in good weather. Ideally, I like to go out four days. But, on the other hand, I'm not training for anything right now and this is a good time to give my legs/body a little bit of a rest.

I have some tips for cold weather running that I think would be helpful.

The first thing is, go and buy yourself some warm long underwear. They don't have to be expensive, but the key to staying warm on a winter run is LAYERS! I have some Nike FitDry that I bought at Marshall's last year and it's wonderful. Each piece was less than $20 and it was money well spent. That is my "base layer. "

The next layer on my legs is a pair of sweat pants (Target) or fleece pants (Old Navy). My next layer on top is a lightweight pullover jacket (Brooks). I got mine online at http://runningwarehouse.com/fpw.html for less than $30. I love that jacket - it's so versatile. (I love that website, too. They have great deals!) I usually wear another lightweight jacket on top of that and sometimes even an additional windshirt in between. Have you lost track of how many layers we're up to? That's 2 layers on the bottom and 3-4 layers on top.

I always wear mittens rather than gloves. They seem to keep my hands warmer. If it's really cold, I'll even wear 2 pairs of mittens.

On my head, I wear either a hat or a headband...sometimes both! This is going to sound strange, but if I wear a hat alone, I sometimes feel the cold air go up inside my hat (maybe my hat is a little too loose?) so on rare occasions, I'll actually wear my headband on top of my hat so it all fits nice and snug.

Okay, last but not least is the most important part - my feet. Up until recently, I just accepted that my feet would always be cold during a winter run. (Actually, my feet are cold even when I'm in the house!) Normally, I would wear two pairs of socks and would still be cold. Recently, I started to wear wool socks on top of my regular running socks. This may not work for everyone..my socks are extremely thick and bulky. I could see how that would bother most people. My running shoes happen to be a full size bigger than my regular shoes so I have quite a bit of room. With the thick wool socks, my shoes are a bit snug, but not tight enough to bother me. I'll deal with it in order to have warm feet. I absolutely hate having cold feet.

The last item you need for a successful winter run is tissues! There's something about being in the cold that really makes your nose run like a faucet. I'm not alone on this, am I?

If you have any tips of your own, send them to me and I'll add them to my list.

Stay warm and keep running :-)

2009-11-11T17:48:00.013-05:00

Congratulations to Alyson on completing her first Stockade-athon (15K). It was a tough race but a beautiful day. We thought we were gonna get "gyped" out of our race shirts, but we were on a mission to get them & we succeeded. A successful day for all of us...Alyson, Gregg, Kathleen, Brian, me & my little nephew Jack. Awesome job everyone!

15K Stockadeathon 11.8.09

2009-11-06T14:53:00.004-05:00

For anyone interested in joining us at the Stockadeathon...it's this Sunday at 9:00. Last chance registration is tomorrow from 10-3. Alyson & I are doing it. I ran it last year and I have to say it's not easy. 2 gigantic hills. It's a challenge, but we can do it!

Link is to the right :-)

Congratulations on the Pumpkin Challenge

2009-10-31T11:49:00.003-04:00

Congrats to Evelyn who did the 5K Pumpkin Challenge last weekend. To say it was pouring, would be an understatement. It was worse than pouring. Do you remember last Saturday? It was absolutely miserable. In fact, I confess that I was dressed and ready to go to that race and I bagged it. I couldn't do it. Neither could the other 2 people that I was planning on going with. We all decided to stay home. But, not Evelyn. She trucked it up to Saratoga and cranked out a PR! That's right...a personal record. Congratulations, Evelyn!

Congrats to Jason who ran the 10k Pumpkin Challenge. He had a great 10k time and is still bragging about how nice the "free" shirts were. They make you work pretty hard for that free shirt though, don't they?

Jason, Alyson, Linda and I went out for our Saturday run this morning. Did 6.5. We all felt great. I think we're all rested up since running the half a few weeks ago. Even though we've been running all along, we've felt tired, but that didn't seem to be a problem today.

I posted a new race link...for anyone interested. It's a 5K in December...Albany Winterfest. I ran this with my family last year. It's a really fun race becauses it goes through Washington Park. There are Christmas lights and fireworks. You should check it out...

Happy Halloween running today...hope you get a run in!

13.1 for one of our own - Alyson!

2009-10-21T10:52:00.013-04:00

I want to finally congratulate Alyson for running her first half marathon. Alyson, Linda and I left for Hartford on Friday, October 9 armed with tons of snacks, running clothes and stuff to laugh about. We had a great time driving to the hotel, going to the expo and hanging out with my brother & friends.

We were all pretty nervous. I felt like I wasn't prepared for this race being that I was just beginning to get my mileage up after my stress fracture. We only did a few long runs leading up to the race (6, 8 & 10 miles) and Alyson had just started running 7 months prior to the race!

It took some convincing to get her to agree to run the 13.1, but I think in her heart she really wanted to do it. My brother and his wife spent some time talking to her at a family party the week before the race. I think they got her pumped up a little bit. She finally made the decision just 2 days before the race.

I was really excited that she was going to do it. I knew I wanted to run the whole way with her and Linda decided she would stick with us, too. So, we were going to be a team the 3 of us. We'd get each other through one way or another.

We spent the night before trying on all our running outfits that we brought. It was hard to make a decision because we weren't sure what the weather was going to be like. We then pinned our race numbers on, slapped on some 13.1 (temporary) tattoos and tried to get some sleep.

Haha. The people next door had little kids that were up half the night. I don't think any of us got much sleep and before we knew it, it was time to get up and get ready.

We went downstairs and had some breakfast. Met up with Rick (my brother's friend) and off we went. Next thing I knew, we were standing in the midst of 8,000 other runners!

We picked up some pace bands at the expo. I love those things. You wear them on your wrist. For example, if you want to run a 2 hour race, it tells you what all your split times should be in order to make that goal. We took 2:30 & 2:15 bands.

The first few miles we ran fairly fast for us - around 10 minutes. I was thinking, "wow...if we keep this up, we'll finish at 2:15." If we slowed down, we'd still hit 2:30 so I thought either of those were good, realistic goals for us. And, going a little faster in the beginning would give us a little wiggle room later on if we got tired and wanted to slow it down.

The first 8-9 miles, I have to say went by VERY fast. Every time I looked down at my watch (which was pretty often) it seemed like another mile would click right by. We conveniently all hit the porta-potties at the same time which I believe was around mile 6 (?). There was lots of music along the course. Not to be too picky, but they could've chosen more upbeat music to play during a race...nonetheless, it was nice having some sort of music since we opted not to bring iPods. The more distractions on the course, the better off we'd be :-)

It was around the 9 mile point that the miles seemed to slow way down...I would look at my watch and it seemed to be stuck on 9 miles forever! We finally reached 10 miles and the miles got even slower. On the bright side, we knew we only had a 5k to go and we all knew that was doable. There was never any doubt that we'd finish, but we would've liked those last 3 miles to go by a little quicker!

Things had been eerily quiet for most of the race (between the 3 of us). Not much conversation going on at all. I think we were all very focused on the task at hand. Of course, the last mile was the longest mile. Finally, we came around the corner and there we were running down "the shoot" to the finish line. That's when I got really excited for Alyson. I kept looking at her saying, "you're gonna do it", "you did it", "it's over", and whatever else I said, I don't know. I know there are some pretty funny pictures of us. She is looking very determined and I'm next to her, looking at her with this big goofy smile. You can tell I'm talking. It's hysterical.

So, there you have it. Talk about determination! Alyson went from not wanting to be a part of this running group to 7 months later finishing a half marathon. That is something else. I can't tell you how proud this makes me! When I first started this group, I did it to share something that I loved with the people that I love. And, you guys responded. We met together, ran together and in the process, a lot of you became runners..you ran a 5k, some of you have run several 5k's and now we're doing another race together this weekend. You guys rock...

Congratulations to Alyson with a finishing time of 2:35! A lot of great memories were made that weekend. I would love for her to write her version of the race. It would be hysterical. Maybe I'll have to see if I can get her to do that and I'll post it here. In the meantime, here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure :-)

The Great Pumpkin Run

2009-09-15T07:18:00.012-04:00

Fall running...the greatest time of year (in my humble opinion) for running! For me, I'm especially excited to be back on the road after having a stress fracture this summer. I had a total of 7 weeks of no running at all :-(

But, all that is behind me now and I'm ready to run again!

I hope you had a great summer and hopefully did some running, too. I know many of you from our group went on to do several other races after the Freihofer's - congratulations on that! I love hearing about all your running adventures, good and bad (hopefully more good than bad) so keep your stories coming!

I found another race for us to do. There is both a 5K and 10K so I'm hoping we get a good turnout. It's called the Great Pumpkin Run and it takes place on October 24 in Saratoga. That's 5 weeks from this Saturday so there's plenty of time to get back on track even if you've taken some time off over the summer.

Click on the link over to the right for more info and let me know if you're interested. So far, we have Alyson, Kathy, Evelyn and me.

Reunion Run

2009-06-23T12:34:00.003-04:00

All are invited to a 3 mile reunion run this Saturday at the Crossings. 9:00 seems to be the time that works best for everyone. I plan on getting there around 8:30 and doing 2 miles, loop back to the parking lot/meet up with the group, and do 3 together. I'd love some company if anyone wants to join me for the 2 mile pre-run. The only reason I'm doing the extra 2 miles is I'm following a training plan and it calls for a 5 miler that day.

After we cool down, I'd love it if we could grab some coffee/breakfast/whatever.

So far, Alyson, Evelyn, Ellen and Denise are in. Evelyn is in for the pre-run.

Let me know about the rest of you....

Valley Cat 5K

2009-06-07T15:35:00.005-04:00

Marian, Cathy, Alyson

Marian in the homestrech

Congratulations to Alyson and Marian (& Cathy). They ran in the Valley Cat 5K yesterday and said it was great. They both did even better than what they had expected. The course was pretty flat - much different from the hills around their houses! Alyson was even able to run with her friend, Cathy who was in town for the weekend. (Cathy is in the white shirt).

I guess our quest to run a 5K is now officially completed, but that doesn't mean this is the end! There are still lots of races to be run...this is only the beginning :-)

It's National Running Day

2009-06-04T06:42:00.004-04:00

I didn't even know that there's a National Running Day, but apparently there is...and it's today! Someone invited me to try a spinning class this morning so that was going to be my exercise for the day. I just might have to squeeze in a couple of miles, too.

Good luck to Alyson and Marion who are running in the Valley Cat 5K on Saturday. Also to Mary and Denise who are running a 5K in Kinderhook on Saturday. I know you guys will do great!

Have great weekend!

Race Report

2009-06-03T10:26:00.003-04:00

We met at 9:45 on Saturday. About 30 minutes before the race started. Just enough time for some pictures and a prayer. Everyone was excited for the race and before we knew it we were lining up on Madison Avenue...along with almost 4,000 other women!

The gun went off at 10:15 and off we went...or should I say "up" we went...right up the hill on Madison Avenue, then through Washington Park. Next, we were heading up another hill (about a 1/2 mile hill) on South Lake (that was fun, wasn't it?).

On one hand, races go by so fast and on the other hand it feels like forever. Sort of like life, I guess. Anyway, the race ends by coming back down the hill on Madison and by the time you get there, the finish line is in sight.

Every person in our group finished the race and that was our goal...to finish. You guys ran a 5k - that's SO GREAT!

I am thrilled that everyone stuck to the 9 week plan right to the very end. I'm even happier to report that you're still running! I'm hearing you're signing up for more 5k's and some of you are even going to try for a 10k. Your health is better, you're feeling good - I couldn't be happier!

Thank you for all the kind words you have said to me about this experience, but really you guys did all the work. I'm just happy that I got to share something that I truly love with people I love!

So, what's next? Any ideas? Would we want to try to run together somewhere once a month? I'd love to hear your thoughts...I hate for this to end...it has been a lot of FUN!

And They're Off!

2009-05-29T23:05:00.004-04:00

Good luck to you all tomorrow (even though luck has nothing to do with it). It's all about the training and that's behind you now. Don't worry about what anyone else is doing tomorrow. Run your own race.

Someone once told me this and I'll never forget it. They said: "the person that starts the race is not the same person that finishes the race." I really think there's some truth to that. Especially if you're running your very first race.

I can't wait to hear all of your stories that will follow. I want to encourage you to write your story down. I would love to know your thoughts about this whole experience. Maybe Priscialla could even include those in the scrapbook, but for now...

You are ready.

Go get 'em!

Team Photo

2009-05-27T17:47:00.008-04:00

So here are the photos taken by a professional photographer with a cheap camera (mine). Still good photos, but I'll bet the ones he took with his camera are WAY better! We will find out soon enough...

Hey - thank you all for coming out today on a moment's notice. I don't know how we pulled that off, but we did. The only person missing, sadly, is Ellen. But, I did talk to her about it and there was just no way she could make it. She's okay with that.

That's it for now. Just wanted to get these pictures out there for you to see. Isn't this exciting???

4:00 Photo - TODAY

2009-05-27T07:29:00.003-04:00

In case you haven't heard the very exciting news...the Times Union is going to do a little piece about our running group. Diane submitted something to them and they want to use it in the paper this weekend.

They would like a group photo so we're planning on meeting at the church today at 4:00 dressed in our running clothes - including the pink shirt from Diane.

I'm sorry for the late notice, but I just found out myself last night. So far the only person that can't make it (unfortunately) is Ellen. I've heard from Kathy, Evelyn, Linda, Priscilla, Diane. I believe Anne-Marie and Nicole will be there, too.

I need to hear from the rest of you. Please contact me asap. I'll be working at the church today.

The Big Day

2009-05-26T20:45:00.002-04:00

I can't believe the race is just a few days away. These past 9 weeks have flown by, haven't they?

One piece of advice this week...if you're going to be running, do it early in the week. I know it's almost Wednesday now so I would say run either Wednesday or Thursday, but I would advise against running on Friday. By now, you are ready for Saturday. Give your body a day or two to rest.

If anyone would like to meet up with me on Friday to drive down to get their race packets, here is my idea. Since I will be working, we could meet at the church at 1:30 and drive downtown to get our race packets. Maybe take a walk through the expo if we have time. I'd be up for that so let me know if anyone is interested. I wouldn't be able to stay too long since I'll have to be back home in time for the school bus.

In your packet you will get your bib (race #), safety pins (to pin your bib into place - on the front of your shirt) and your timing chip. There will probably be instructions about strapping your chip to your shoe laces. (They sent an email out about that). You'll also get your t-shirt and a bunch of other random things.

The day of the race we are meeting at the top of the stairs leading up to the plaza on the right hand side. It's the second set of stairs (going up Madison). We'll meet at 9:45 on the right hand side of the stairs.

So, I want to take this chance to wish you all the best of luck on Saturday. The work (in my opinion) is done. The race is simply the icing on the cake. It is the reward for 9 weeks of training. You will never forget your first race so make sure you enjoy every moment of it!

Memorial Day Run

2009-05-24T15:44:00.004-04:00

After some discussion, we decided not to run the Freihofer's course prior to the race. Instead, we are going back to the Crossings tomorrow morning (Monday) at 9:00. We just love it there! In case you're thinking it's too far or whatever, let me assure you that it's totally worth the drive!

We had a great run on Saturday morning. I think you're all ready for the race on Saturday and it's going to be a lot of fun.

We also now have team shirts thanks to Diane. Woohoo!

Here are some pics from Saturday:

GHI Challenge & Freihofer's Trial Run

2009-05-21T08:42:00.003-04:00

I want to wish Diane good luck tonight. She's running in the GHI Challenge in Albany. Larry is also running it. I'm sure you'll both do great! Have fun!

For anyone interested in running the Freihofer's course ahead of time, I think Monday morning might be a good time to do that. Since it's a holiday, it should be relatively quiet in Albany. I think it would be easier doing that rather than going after work during the week. The only thing that we'll have find out about is parades. I'm not sure if those will be on Saturday or Monday. I'll try to find out.

Would you guys be available to do that on Monday? Think about it and we can talk on Saturday...

Good luck Diane & Larry!

Last Training Run

2009-05-20T12:50:00.002-04:00

I want to encourage everyone to try to make it to the Crossings on Saturday for our last training run together. Of course, the following Saturday is the BIG day! I can't believe it's almost here already. You guys have been amazing and should be incredibly proud of the hard work you've done. Just think of how far you could run 8 weeks ago and how far you can run now. It's something, isn't it? I'm psyched for you all and hope you have an awesome race next week!

Until Saturday...

Cindy

The-oh-so-fabulous-hot-pink-shirts

2009-05-18T19:53:00.003-04:00

Our official t-shirts will be ready on Saturday and the cost is just $4 each! Diane will bring them to the Crossings and you can either give her cash or a check. For anyone that can't make it Saturday, she will bring them to church on Sunday, too. A BIG thanks to Diane for doing this for us!

Can't wait to see you all in those hot pink shirts!

Another Saturday Run

2009-05-16T18:33:00.003-04:00

We met over at the Crossings today for our 2.5 mile run. The weather was beautiful. I wasn't sure if I'd be running myself since I'm still "on the mend". I have to say that it felt really good going through my familiar routine as I prepared to get myself ready. Just putting on my running clothes felt great even if I ended up not running!

The line up today was: Anne-Marie, Diane, Nicole, Evelyn, Linda and myself. I know the others were there in spirit :-) Everyone's kids are doing their sports and it's a busy time of year with the school year end fast approaching.

Anyway, it was a great run. Everyone did the 2.5 without walking. I am so impressed with you all. Anne-Marie, I am especially in awe of you! When we ran together 2 weeks ago (2 miles) you were saying, "I can't do it" and today I saw a completely different Anne-Marie. When we were finished, Diane said to you, "If you can do 2.5, you can definitely do 3." I loved your response. You said, "I know I can." That was the best! I see a confidence in you that I didn't see before and that makes me so happy! You are going to do great in the race!

Well, we liked the Crossings so much that I think we'll meet back there again next Saturday. We talked about running the Freihofer's course during the week leading up to the race (for anyone that is interested).

Once again, you are all doing FANTASTIC! I am so happy that you are meeting your goal. Doesn't it feel great?

Here are today's pics....notice Evelyn's influence :-)

On Second Thought....

2009-05-13T16:19:00.002-04:00

Since Kathy can't make it Saturday morning, I'm thinking we should skip her place and maybe give the Crossings a try? What does everyone think of that idea? Let me know...enjoy this beautiful weather!

It's Getting Close!!

2009-05-12T21:55:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it, but the big day is only about 2.5 weeks away! I hope you guys are excited. I think you're doing GREAT!!

I'm sorry I missed last Saturday. As you heard, I've been sick. I am happy to say that I am getting better on my own without any further antibiotics or drugs. I do still have a long way to go though.

As far as this Saturday, I have asked Kathy for directions to the place that she suggested 2 weeks ago. Does anyone else have any suggestions? If so, let me know.

Diane sent me some pics of the shirts. What do you think? Aren't they great?

Well, if you have suggestions about this Saturday, let me know. I think we should be up to 2.5 miles, right? I want to hear from you guys...let me know what you're thinking!

Saturday, May 9

2009-05-08T11:16:00.001-04:00

Since I didn't have time to follow up about the alternate meeting places, I think we'll meet again at the Rensselaer Tech Park again tomorrow (@ 9:00). Hope you can make it. The goal tomorrow is to run 2.25 miles. I've talked to a few of you and it sounds like you're doing awesome! Keep up the good work.

Week #5 - You Guys Rock!!

2009-05-02T11:33:00.007-04:00

Here we are....more than halfway to our goal. It's hard to believe! Today was the day to run 2 miles straight without walking.

I'll tell you what...you guys are awesome! Not only are you sticking to the plan, but you're having fun doing it and that I love! I hope you are taking some time this afternoon to bask in the glory of the accomplishments you've made. Some of you are a little down because maybe you couldn't run the whole entire way. Don't be! Don't take anything away from the progress you've made. Think about where you were 5 weeks ago. That is why I wanted you to keep a log - so you could look back and see how far you've come. Let me tell you, it's a long way, baby! Consider this your high five, pat on the back, and way to go...really, you guys are doing GREAT!! Keep up the good work!

This Saturday's Run

2009-04-30T18:29:00.002-04:00

We're going to meet at the Tech Park again this Saturday at 9:00. Our goal for the morning is to jog 2 miles without walking. This will be a milestone!

Has anyone else signed up for the race? Let me know. I have 2 more prizes for the next 2 people that let me know they're signed up!

See you on Saturday...

Week 4 - You're Doing It!

2009-04-25T21:39:00.005-04:00

I apologize for not getting pictures of the entire gang. I completely forgot about pictures until the very end when Ellen, Mary, and Sandy were already on their way home.

Eight brave souls showed up today at the Tech Park. I think everyone is doing fantastic! I want to take some time to give you some encouragement... First of all, what you are doing really is a BIG deal! Some of you have never run...not ever. I know it's hard, but you know what? I've been running for a long time and it is still hard for me, too. I'm not just saying that either. I don't know that it ever gets easy, but I do know that the more you run, the more you can run.

Maybe for you, running half a mile was the absolute most you could do, then one day you realize you can go a little further. And eventually, you'll feel like you could go even further than that. Each time you meet a goal, you have a new level of confidence. For me, that feeling is a big motivator. In fact, I thrive on it!

Don't be discouraged when you have a bad running day. You are bound to have those days. (Yes, I have those days). There are days that the body is just not into the run. This can happen for many reasons and it doesn't matter how experienced of a runner you are. There might be a day when your legs feel like tree trunks or you're getting a cramp or you can't get your breathing down...fill in your own yucky feeling. Expect these things from time to time. When it happens, don't dwell on it. One bad run does not erase all the hard work and training you've already done. Just forget about it and look ahead to the next time. Chances are, your next run will be better.

Believe it or not, there will also come a time (and maybe this has happened already?) that you actually feel GOOD out there on a run. Your goal of running one mile (or whatever your goal is) is in sight and on this particular day you feel like "today might be the day." Once you have met that goal, you will feel inspired and on top of the world. You'll walk around for the next few hours or maybe even days saying to yourself, "I can't believe I did that!" Go ahead and be proud of your accomplishment - you deserve it!

That is the feeling I want each and every one of you to have. So, look ahead and keep your eyes on your goal whatever it may be.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Saturday, April 25

2009-04-23T06:31:00.002-04:00

Let's meet at the Tech. Park on Rte. 4 at 9:00 on Saturday. Somewhere in the vicinity of the Chidren's Museum. You can either park in their parking lot or another one right around there.

I drove through and plotted out some distances and I think it will work well for what we're doing. It should be relatively quiet there especially early Saturday morning.

It is supposed to be pretty warm so dress for the weather and make sure you bring some water.

I do have the some coupons and applications for the race that I will bring with me. Just a reminder that the price goes up another $5 after April 30. If anyone happens to drive by the Subway on Osborne Rd., that's where I got the coupons, it might be a good idea to stop and pick up a few more.

See you Saturday morning :-)

I Have Coupons!!

2009-04-19T13:09:00.002-04:00

I finally scored some $5 coupons for the Freihofer's Run - thanks to my friend, Alex B.! I also picked up some applications to do the mail in registration (it's cheaper). I'll bring everything with me on Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday, I'm leanding toward running at the Tech Park on Rte. 4, but I didn't get a chance to drive through there yet. I went in the opposite direction after church so I could go get those coupons.

Anyway, I'll be in touch this week about the location. Have a great week!

One last thing - Diane is going full steam ahead with the t-shirts and they will be a minimal cost (way under $5). She'll be in touch about that, too.

Run #3

2009-04-18T12:02:00.003-04:00

Good day at the track today. The sun was shining. A lot of people are away so we had a small turnout. I expected that though. Aline joined us this week. It was great to see her. Emily came along and sprinted around the track for a bit then danced in the bleachers for awhile :-) You guys all did a great job this morning.

I really want to encourage you to get your runs in this coming week. The program is going to get intense now and it's important to get used to running for longer stretches at a time. If you're struggling, usually that means you're going too fast. Remember, you should be running at "conversational pace". If you can't talk while you're running, you're going too fast. Usually just slowing down helps a lot.

I'm going to check out some possible places for our next run and I'll let you know soon. Do we want to stick to 9:00? Whatever the consensus wants is what we'll do.

So, here are this morning's pictures:

Week #3

2009-04-14T17:02:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful day! I hope you're getting your runs in this week. It is supposed to be absolutely beautiful all week - even on Saturday! Speaking of Saturday, we decided to meet at Averill Park High School again this Saturday, but this time it's at 9:00. Hope you can make it!

I just got home from a run myself. This is the first time I wore a short sleeve t-shirt running since probably October. It felt good to not have to wear so many layers!

I know this week the training intensifies. Keep me posted as to how you're doing. Don't forget, if it's too much and you want to repeat a week, you could do that. You can always adjust the training schedule. If you need help figuring out how to modify it and still be able to run the race, let me know and I can help you figure it out.

Have a great week!

Saturday #2 Done!

2009-04-11T12:18:00.007-04:00

On my way to Colonie, I drove by a Catholic church and they had all these crosses out. It looked really cool so I stopped and took some pictures.

Diane was already there making her way around the very windy track when I arrived:

Here comes Priscilla & Mary:

And there goes Sandy....

Stacy & Diane:

David, Anne-Marie, & Ellen:

Cindy, Ellen, David...

We had another week of cold weather, but at least it wasn't raining! We did a 5 minute brisk walk, then 90 seconds of running, 2 minutes of walking. We alternated that for 20 minutes and then ended with another 5 minute walk.

You guys all did a great job! Here's lookin' at week #3! Freihofer's here we come!

Saturday a.m.

2009-04-11T06:32:00.002-04:00

Today's run is at Colonie Central High which you can get to either from Sand Creek Rd. (it's before the mall if you're driving up Sand Creek from Everett) or you can get there by turning down Hackett Ave off of Central Ave. Coming from Fuller Rd., you take a left at the light then a right onto Hackett. You'll drive thru a residential neighborhood then you'll come to the high school area. The track is on the right coming from Hackett. At least it used to be 25 years ago :-) I guess that may have changed!

We're starting at 10:00. If anyone has questions, call me on my cell. Email me if you don't have that #.

I know it's still early and things could change, but I don't think it's raining anymore. It will be damp, but at least I don't think it will be raining.

Hope to see you all there!

Monitoring the Weather Forecasters

2009-04-09T18:21:00.003-04:00

Some weather forecasts for Saturday

Channel 9 says:
SATURDAY
Early Shower/Mix
Partial Clearing Later
Highs: mid to upper 40s

Doesn't sound so good, does it?

Paul Caiano Channel 13 says:

Right now, Easter weekend looks good but a bit chilly with a good amount of sun both days and highs near 50 Saturday and in the mid 40's Sunday.

A bit vague, don't you think?

Lastly, here is Channel 10's take on Saturday:

Friday night, some interesting weather will arrive. As the cold air starts to bleed into the region, rain showers will mix with and eventually change to wet snow showers mainly across the higher elevations. Some of this messy winter like weather will last into Saturday morning with a few inches of snow accumulation (1"-3") across higher elevations of the Catskills, Helderbergs, Berkshires and southern Green mountains of Vermont.

What does all of this mean? I have no idea. I've never been so worried about the weather until I started this running group. Now, I'm monitoring it everyday & every station.

Oh well, since they all have different opinions, I guess anything could happen - and probably will.

Stay tuned!!

Run # 2 on April 11

2009-04-05T13:01:00.002-04:00

Our next run will be on the track at Colonie Central High School. We'll start at 10:00.

We might want to consider carpooling since there are several of us coming from "the other side of the river." I don't mind picking a few people up so let me know if you would like a ride.

I believe this week calls for 90 seconds of jogging & 2 minutes of walking. Alternate that for 20 minutes. Don't forget to do your 5 minute brisk walk at the beginning and at the end. Do that routine 2 times during the week and then we'll do it together on Saturday morning.

As always, if you have any questions feel free to email me or call me.

Good luck training this week :-)

Cindy

First Run Done

2009-04-04T11:35:00.003-04:00

I just got back from our first run at the track and our group did awesome! It was windy, rainy and even a little snowy, but you perservered and got it DONE! You already have the running spirit I can tell :-)

You all deserve a giant pat on the back just for showing up this morning because the weather alone would've been enough reason to keep some people home....but, not you guys! You ROCK!!

Here are the shots of the morning:

Saturday 8:35 a.m.

2009-04-04T08:36:00.002-04:00

The rain is coming down pretty good right now. I'm hoping and praying that it will stop long enough for us to run, but we'll have to make a decision pretty soon. I was thinking we should decide by 9:30 whether or not to cancel. If we do have to cancel today, would anyone want to get together tomorrow afternoon? I'm up for whatever you guys want to do. We can either meet tomorrow or wait until next Saturday. Let me know your thoughts.

Our First Saturday Run

2009-04-03T21:58:00.004-04:00

I'm really excited about meeting everyone at the track in the morning. I'm PRAYING that it doesn't rain. Make sure you bring some water and a watch if you have one.

If you're not familiar with Averill Park High School, here's what you do. I think most of you know where I live....take Rte. 43 past my house and you will see a little convenience store/gas station on the right. Across from that is "Gettle Rd." Turn left there and you'll see the high school on your left. As you're looking at the school, go to the entrance that is farthest to the right. That will bring you around to a parking lot which is toward the back of the school. Park there and you'll see where the track is. It's right behind the school.

We're meeting at 10:30 this week, but after that we will meet at 10:00.

Hope to see you all in the A.M. !!

Chic Runner Shoe Giveaway

2009-04-01T16:15:00.005-04:00

the Chic Runner: You ask for it, you got it!

Hey girls. This is one of the blogs I read occasionally - Chic Runner. She has fabulous giveaways and this is one you'll love! Makes my little prizes look silly :-) She's a pro! Give it a shot... I did!

Welcome to Week 1

2009-03-31T15:53:00.002-04:00

Hello Ladies!

It is so beautiful out there today. I hope you're outside taking advantage of the sun. It is supposed to rain Wednesday & Thursday so after today there may not be any other chances to enjoy some nice weather for a few days - assuming the weather forecasters are right :-)

I've been a little sick so I'm not supposed to run this week (doctor's orders!). It's killing me to not be out there today. I'm sure I'll be back on the road by the end of the week though. I better be!

So, let me know how things are going this week okay? I've talked to some of you already, but if this is truly your first week of starting the program, I'd love to hear how it's going. Send me a comment when you have a chance.

Have fun & good luck to everyone!

P.S. Has anyone had any luck with the $5 coupons for the race registration?

$5 discount off FRW registration

2009-03-25T13:11:00.003-04:00

Make sure you read to the end of this post for my latest giveaway!!

Freihofer's update: I was just looking at the Freihofer's website and it says if you go to Subway, they have $5 discount coupons off the registration fee - no purchase necessary. I'm going to stop at our local Subway today and see if they have any. If they do, I'll ask them to give me a bunch. It might be a good idea if you guys check it out, too, just in case the Subway I go to doesn't have them for some reason. Let me know what happens.

UPDATE: 3/25 3:40 pm - Our Subway doesn't have the coupons yet, but they said they know they're on the way. I'll keep checking back & keep you posted :-)

There was some discussion last night about picking up your race packets. You CAN pick up your packet the day of the race, but you can't register the day of the race. The very last day to register is May 29 and you have to do that in person. I believe it will then cost $35.

If we register before April 30, the cost is $25 minus the $5 coupon so it will only be $20. Not so bad for a great race. I've paid MUCH more for others! Of course, all the details are on their website.

Okay, here's the giveaway:

The first 3 people to register for the race will win a prize. Just email me and let me know after you've registered.

On Your Mark, Get Set.....

2009-03-23T08:35:00.003-04:00

The time is getting closer to begin our training program. Isn't it exciting? I'm hearing how you guys are buying sneakers, calendars, and some of you have even started walking and/or running programs on your own. WOW! This is really exciting!!

We're meeting at Panera tomorrow night. Hopefully, you've had a chance to read over the training program by now. I look forward to getting the group together and talking about whatever it is you guys want to talk about. It's really just an opportunity to ask questions before the "official" training begins next week. Don't worry if you can't make it to Panera tomorrow, you can still be in the group. It's not mandatory that you come. It's just a chance to get together. Email me if you want to be part of the group, but you can't make it tomorrow night, okay?

Do you have any ideas for places that we could meet together to run? Bring them to the table tomorrow night! I think a great place for us to start is the Averill Park High School track. Tracks are much more "friendly" to our bodies than the pavement. It should be okay for the first few weeks of April and then I'm pretty sure there will be track meets there so we'll have to find somewhere else. Some possibilities are the Corning Preserve, the Crossings or we could invade someone's neighborhood if you live in a development :-)

Well, I think that's it until tomorrow night. If you have any specific questions you know ahead of time, email me. I'm certainly not an authority, but I can tell you what works for me. If I don't know the answer to something, I will research it and find out!

See you all tomorrow night at 6:00.

Priscilla's Scrapbook

2009-03-18T11:17:00.002-04:00

I just want to encourage anyone that is going to participate in our running group to send Priscilla a photo and one or two favorite quotes/verses. If you didn't know, she's documenting our training program by making a scrapbook. To view what she has so far, go to Facebook, Cindy's Running Group and then go to the wall posts. The pages are at the bottom of the wall. You'll see everything there. It's pretty cool.

Thank you, Priscilla for doing this!

Just a reminder that our meeting at Panera (EG) is next week - Tuesday @ 6:00. I know Kathy, Diane and Evelyn will be there. Would everyone else let me know if you're plan on coming?

I can't wait to get started!

I Think It's Fixed???

2009-03-15T13:31:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure what I did, but somehow I think I managed to fix this thing. From now on, you should be able to leave comments - at least on the posts from this point on. Maybe still not on the previous posts. To be honest, I'm not sure what I did to break this and/or fix it, but I know I did something :-)

Anyway, I think it's "all better now." Why don't you test it out and leave me a comment?

Thanks - enjoy this BEAUTIFUL weather!

Broken blog

2009-03-14T22:42:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure what happened here, but I'll try to get this thing fixed by Sunday night.
Sorry!

Jelly Belly

2009-03-14T06:52:00.005-04:00

I've been attempting to firm up my stomach muscles a little by doing some situps. I don't know if I've done them enough to notice a difference (I haven't). Anyway, I thought, if I'm going to put in the time exercising, I might as well do it right and do the exercises that will be beneficial to my running. The article below is about exercising your abs specicially for running so I'm going to give it a try. I thought you might be interested, too?

Paste this link into your browser. It should work...

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263--13030-3-1X2X3X4-5,00.html

Let me know if you decide to try it and what you think...

Spring Is On the Way

2009-03-13T10:01:00.003-04:00

I posted a link to a 5K race that Larry & are going to be doing called Sean's Run. I know some of you have already started your running programs - that's so great! In case anyone is feeling like you just can't wait for the Freihofer's, you are welcome to join us on Sunday, April 26 @1 :00 in Chatham for Sean's Run. There is also a kids' run (at 12:30) that I am going to encourage my kids to do. Thanks to Jeff Risley for telling us about this race!

How is the sneaker shopping going? I need an update..I really enjoy reading your comments so feel free to chime in anytime :-)

Have a great weekend!

Back to Business

2009-03-10T15:28:00.007-04:00

Hello, Ladies.

Sorry for my absence. I've had two sick kids to deal with the last few days. One was home from school yesterday. Before they decided to get sick, I decided to rip apart Jacob's room and paint. So, in the middle of my urge to redecorate, I was doing my best to take care of the kids AND get Jake's room painted. Good thing moms can multi-task :-)

Anyway, it looks like the meeting at Panera will be Tuesday, March 24. Let's say 6:00?

I hope you all went out and got a planner/calendar. Some of you told me that you did, you get gold stars! I really think you'll find those to be very useful.

The next item on my list is sort of an obvious one and that's running shoes. It is the only piece of "equipment" that you really need to run. This one is really important!! I would recommend buying something new (shopping trip!) and make sure those shoes are only for running. Resist the urge to wear them to walk the dog or go to the store. I know it's hard when they're so darned cute, but do yourself a favor and only wear them for running!

There are many places to buy running shoes. Before I did my half marathon training last summer, I usually bought my shoes at JC Penney's, Kohl's or Dick's. I would go and try a bunch on and whichever ones were comfortable and reasonably priced were the ones I bought. Pretty simple.

When I was training last year, obviously I was running A LOT of miles and I started getting aches and pains in my feet, knees, hips, etc. that I never had before so I went to a place called Fleet Feet. It is a really cool store. They analyze how you run, take various foot measurements (they even videotape your feet while you run on a treadmill) and then they recommend shoes based on all of this information. It turned out I wasn't even buying the correct shoe size! I needed one full size larger than what I had been buying! Amazingly, after buying the shoes they recommended, my aches and pains disappeared and I finished my training (and race) injury free!

Is this necessary for everyone to do? Absolutely not. It's only another option. I honestly don't think the average beginner runner needs this. Maybe you have some kind of foot issues and you think you need the extra guidance, then by all means go for it. You won't be sorry and you'll have shoes that you'll be very happy with. Expect to pay a little more than a department store, but it will be worth it.

With that said, keep in mind that I ran for many years just buying sneakers on sale in department stores that I was perfectly happy with. In fact, one of the brands I wore faithfully was Adidas (usually from Penney's). I always loved the way those fit! (FYI - Nike's tend to be narrow and run small). Also, keep in mind that what works for me may not necessarily work for you since our feet are all different shapes and sizes and we all run differently, too. Take your time and choose your new shoes carefully.

The bottom line is: don't wear a pair of old sneakers you wore to cut the grass last summer. Treat yourself to something new that is going to be comfortable and make sure they are running shoes, not walking shoes, not cross trainers. And, don't be afraid to jog around the store a little bit - no one's watching :-)

If you need any help buying sneakers or need more information, let me know. That's why I'm here!

Panera Meeting

2009-03-04T10:22:00.003-05:00

Let's meet at Panera in EG. Let me know which date works better for you:

Tuesday, March 24 or Wednesday, March 25 ???

We'll go with whichever day works out best for most people.

Leave a comment and let me know.

Dear Contestants...

2009-03-03T12:29:00.005-05:00

I'm very sorry that I chose a judge who is not only indecisive, but very busy, too. In light of this, I have taken matters into my own hands and randomly chose a winner of the giveaway. (I tossed numbers 1-3 into a hat and chose).

So... without further adue, the winner is #3, which happens to be....

Kathy

Thank you for taking the time to send me a comment. I loved them all and I love hearing from you.

I was thinking we could get together sometime mid March and talk about how this whole thing is going to work and some possible places you might like to run. Would it be convenient for us to meet out somewhere (like Panera?) or at the church, my house? It doesn't matter to me. I'll do whatever you guys want.

Next, when can we meet? Is there any day or time of day that works better?

I want to hear your thoughts on this and then I'll schedule something. I was thinking the week of March 16. The only night I can't meet is Tuesday.

The official start date of our program is Sunday, March 29. You should do the first 2 training sessions on your own that week and then our first date to train together is April 3. I don't know about you, but I'm getting excited!

Let me know what you think about our meeting date...

Sorry for the delay

2009-03-01T00:11:00.004-05:00

Okay, we had 3 comments and I cut & pasted all of them into a Word doc. Then, I paintakingly removed anything that could possibly give away anyone's identity and then I sent them to my impartial judge.

As of now, March 1 at midnight, my judge cannot make a decision. They were all great. I was promised an answer in the morning...so I'll let you know.

Sorry for the delay :-)

Last Chance

2009-02-27T08:47:00.002-05:00

Today is the last day to leave a comment in order to win the 2009 planner. You have until midnight tonight!

Is anybody out there???

Did I mention this is FREE???

All you have to do is leave me a running related comment and you will be eligible to win. It's easy!

Hope to hear from you today...

Freihofer's Registration

2009-02-25T14:05:00.000-05:00

I was looking at the Freihofer's website and in order to register as a team, we're limited to only 5 team members. In light of this, I think we should register individually. (Don't worry, Diane, we can still get t-shirts made!).

I also noticed that the sooner you register, the cheaper it is..even more of an incentive to register early. If you do it before 2/28, the cost is $20. From 2/28 - 4/30, the cost is $25 and it keeps going up...just thought you might want to know.

The First Thing

2009-02-24T06:47:00.006-05:00

Kathy guessed correctly!

The first thing you will need:

A notebook or a calendar. I like to use a weekly planner because that gives me enough room to jot down a few lines about my run. I prefer to use this rather than a notebook because a calendar helps me to plan out my running schedule from week to week. It's just a matter of preference.

In my planner, I write in my distance, total time spent running, the time of day and my calories (my watch gives me the calories). I also write down the route I went because I always think I'm going to remember, but I don't. If I had a particularly hard/easy run, I'll make a note of that, too. Or if I had any pain, I'll jot that down. It may sound like a lot of info, but it really only takes a minute or two to do this. When I get home from my run, I grab some water and my planner and make my notes.

Using a calendar is an excellent way to keep track of your progress, too. You will find that eventually a distance that once seemed impossible, is now easy. This is a great encouragement especially when you come home from a run where you just didn't feel so good. There are bound to be days where you just can't find your "groove" for one reason or another. There are going to be temporary setbacks every now and then so expect it. And, then be ready to put that day behind you and move on!

So, go out and buy yourself a cheap little calendar. Something that's small enough to carry in your purse. You can probably get one at the dollar store. The first thing you can write down is May 30 which is the date of the Freihofer's Run. Then, count back 9 weeks and that will give you the week we are going to start our training.

Go get 'em, ladies!

Getting Ready

2009-02-23T19:33:00.005-05:00

Let’s start to think about what has to happen in order to begin a running program. After all, there is a little bit of planning that has to go into this. I will try to take care of most of the planning to help get you started, but there are a few things I will need you to do.

There will be some tangible items you will need such as shoes, and things like that, but we’ll get to those later. For now, think about what has kept you from starting an exercise program in the first place. For many people, the answer is time (and the lack of it). Hopefully, the weather will get nicer in the next few weeks and you can begin to think about what time of day may be the best for you to run. Will it be morning? Will it be after dinner? Before the kids get home from school? There is no magical time of day that running is any easier. (Trust me, if there were I would’ve figured it out by now!) Everyone is different and you have to do what works best for you, your body and your family.

Speaking of family, let’s take a step back for a minute. Before anything, give yourself permission to take the time to begin a running program. As women, we tend to put ourselves last on our “to do” list. We say that we’ll take care of everything else on the list and then we’ll get to us. But, honestly, how many times do you actually get around to you? For any exercise program to be successful, you must be intentional about it. If you know you want to go running 3 times a week, then think about what days work best and stick to it. You can vary the days from week to week if you need to, but try to have a plan in place at the beginning of each week.

So, that’s it girls. Give yourself permission to run and think about when you’re going to do it.

Here’s a teaser….in my next post, I will give you the very first item you need in order to have a successful running program (and it’s NOT shoes). Any guesses?

My Running Story

2009-02-03T19:30:00.005-05:00

I am so excited to see that we're getting some comments and there are a few "followers" (Diane, Kathy, & Priscilla). "Follower" sounds a little odd, but that means you've made a decision to train for the 5K and that's GREAT!! Congratulations on your decision! Feel free to leave comments at the bottom (both for me & for each other).

A couple of weeks ago, we met at Panera and I told you how I first started running. For those of you who weren't there, here's my story:

I want you to know that this whole running thing did not come easy for me. As a matter of fact, out of all the runners I know, I don't think any of them would say it was easy for them either. That's the thing..it's hard for everyone so don't be discouraged when it's hard for you, too!

After college, I took a step aerobics class for many years. One night, our instructor told us she was running in the Freihofer's Run for Women. I remember thinking "wow"- I could never do that. She then said if we were fit enough for her class, then we should be able to run 3 miles just like her.

Hmmm.

Could that really be possible? Did she mean 3 miles all at once or over a few days? I wasn't quite sure, but either way, I thought she must be messing with us.

I don't remember exactly how I made the decision to try running (it was a long time ago - 1991), but I knew I wanted to give it a try.

On my first attempt, I remember standing at the end of my driveway and looking down the road to our street sign and thinking that must be at LEAST a 1/2 mile away, maybe more (I found out later it was less than 1/4 mile). My goal was to run until I got to that sign. I figured that should be pretty easy :-)

After running for what seemed like an eternity, (my actual time running was like 4 minutes) I finally made it to the sign. All I wanted to do was lie down on the side of the road and take a nap.

After I got up from my nap, I picked another sign and walked until I reached that point. Then, I'd start running again. A few minutes later, I'd be tired and have to take another nap. I was starting to get the hang of this....run, nap, walk, run, nap, walk.

And that's how it went. I did that for a long time. Each week I would run a little more, walk a little less. I was making progress. And, progress turned into confidence.

My point in telling you this is not to scare you. I'm telling you so you'll be encouraged. I basically did what I'm asking you to do. I won't lie, there will be times when you may feel like quitting or like it's too much. That's why I started this blog. So we can work through those times and encourage each other. It may not be easy some days, but I promise you, it will be worth the effort.

"Let us run with perserverance the race marked out for us."

Welcome

2009-02-02T22:45:00.015-05:00

Hello! I am so glad you decided to check out my blog! I hope this is the first of many visits.

If you're here, it's because you're considering running a 5K.

The first thing you need to know is you can do it. You may not be able to do it today, but if you stick with me from the beginning of April through the end of May, you WILL be able to do it.

The nine week training program I've chosen requires no running experience at all. Zero. If you click on the link to the right you can view the entire program called Couch-to-5K.

If you're sitting there thinking "I should lose weight first", "I have to quit smoking", "I'll wait until spring." Those are just comfortable excuses we use to stay on our comfortable couches. I know. I've used them myself (& many more)! Eventually, spring will come and there will be a new list of excuses (like I said, I know from experience).

Today is the day for you to decide to do something you've never done. Something unexpected. Something just for you. I promise, you'll be glad you did.

Just remember...

There will come a day when you can no longer do this.

Today... is NOT that day!

So, what do you say? You in?