Starting out the year right

Well I have been looking for a January race that fit into my schedule (or was cheap local and didn’t take place when Pete had to work). 

 And I think I just found it. 

Well I did't just find it I have seen a few people post that they were going to run this virtual race but have just now had the time to check it out.

Since I have some time this week I found myself pleasently sucked into blogglyland and at times so absorbed I was almost lost.  You know when you click on so many links and find youself saying things like, "How did I get to this page?  I have to add this to my blog list" and "Wow, how inspiring" and "Yes you can have another.... candy cane, cookie, bowl of cereal (just leave me alone)"!  Or realize blogs you thought you were following dissapear?  Maybe that's just me being confused. 

Then suddenly you realize what time it is and all that has to be done and you move on. 

ANYWAY!

Why not get January’s race out of the way on the first day?  I will thank you very much!

Three Things Thrursday

I am happy to report that the Rum cake that has been in my dining room since Christmas is finally gone!  Unfortunately it, along with a plethora of Pecan Butterballs and caramel corn has been my main source of carbs this week. 

I have already run 21 miles this week and its only Thursday.  This brings my total for my dailymile challenge- 100 run thru the holidays- to 96.  I am pretty sure I can manage 4 miles in the next two days!   (Not for nothing, my 5 mile Turkey trot wasn't counted since I joined the challenge on Thanksgiving night.   I have met he challenge already but I will run the four miles to be accuarate according to the technology). 

I did not hurt myself while roller skating this afternoon with my son!  It’s been over 20 years. I was afraid of a painful collision and a setback in the endurance I have been building back.  By the way I will need everyone to pray for my safety as I hit the slopes with the boys tomarrow.  We tend to go a bit fast and who knows what that man made terrain has in store for us!

Home for the Holidays Virtual 10k or In the Christmas rush, I did not realize I PR'd!!

On Christmas Eve I woke up fully aware I was totally unprepared for the two days ahead of me.  I decided to run the  Home for the Holidays Virtual 10k for my own sanity and the lives of the two boys, two dogs and one man in my house.  Besides I needed time to myself to figure out how to get all I needed done without being interrupted.  Sadly this would be my guarantee.   I mapped out a route, put on my dollar store socks, grabbed the girl dog and headed out the door. 

It was cold, really cold! It didn’t take me long to get right into the race just to warm up. I had started my watch but was looking forward to seeing my mile splits and pace on the cardiotrainer app on my phone.  Running with these statistics immediately is new to me.   

Mile one – I felt great, it was quiet in the neighborhood and out onto the main road.  Felt pretty warm with the exception of my exposed knees.  The sun was nice. 

Mile two – This part of this route is always a little nerve wracking (but fast),with the dog since its narrow and the sidewalks don’t begin until I hit the village about half way. Not many people seemed to be out this early so it was relatively uneventful.

Mile three - A glance at my watch told me I was doing pretty well, Legs felt great in the cold.  Any aches or little pains I usually get seemed to be nonexistent due to the cold.   The hill during this mile felt pretty good since I was more warmed up than when I usually hit it. The people who were out and about smiled and waved, seeming surprised about a woman in stripped socks I suppose. 

Mile four – I juggled the dog leash and my water bottle in an attempt to take my phone out of my pocket to check my pace.  Apparently I need to take a look at my settings because it seems to stop calculating distance the first time the dog stops to do her business and keeps the time running.  Clearly I had gone more than .4 miles in 38minuites.  Ooops! Oh well back to the trusty pink wristwatch. 



Mile five- Calculations done in my head tell me I am still doing ok.  I am really enjoying seeing everyone’s Christmas decorations out on the lawns but I must say those inflatables look really sad when they are slumped over in a heap.



Last mile and .2 – past the train station and along the creek lost the sun but still feel pretty good.  Last half mile I gave it everything I had.  I ended my race down on the creek road and was not going to have to race up my own monstrous hill.

iced knees!



Official time- 52:04  Could it be a PR? Now that I look at it three days later, yes, yes it is !!!  Not bad for having a dog in tow and having to manage traffic and street crossings myself. 

Thank You! This was a great idea and great run!! I loved running in my candycane/santa socks.  Loved getting out in the cold.  Glad I started the metabolism early in the day. 

My race mentality and pace continued for the rest of the day as I baked, shopped, ate, socialized, wrapped, wrapped and wrapped some more. 



Santa really has to send me some elves for that.  What took me three hours to wrap took them under twenty minutes to undo Christmas morning



Happy Holidays everyone!

Race Calendar for 2012

Technology and I have not been good friends this year.  A broken lap top and a new phone later and now I have battery issues.  Somehow I have applications running all over my phone eating away at the battery life, to the point where I needed a new one.  I actually went a whole week without texts, mobile e-mail and facebook and twitter in my hand!  It was kind of nice but also frustrating I could not login to my blogger dashboard because it kept telling me I needed to enter the code that was being sent to my phone!  Apparently I set up some security and I forgot about it. 

So I used my computer time to research races for next year.  So far my goal is to run at least twelve races in 2012.  I mapped out at least eight close races hosted by my local club and another club in Westchester.  I definitely want to run a few halves and do a Full ( or maybe 2).

I am not the best at pictures on the run

 I resisted the urge to put my name in the NYC half lottery this year.  The price tag seemed a bit steep since I just ran it in March.  Running through Times square was amazing and I would love to do it again but I think I will hold out for trying my luck in the NYC Full lottery instead.  If I am going to spend a lot of $$ I want to make sure it’s on something I have not done before.   

For now I have decided on a half in Danbury Connecticut in April and I am considering a Full in Rhode Island in early May.  I am thinking I can combine visiting colleges( ya now for work ) and  races if they require an overnight stay.  Since Rhode Island is full of schools that I have never seen (yet recommend all the time), it seems like a good choice.  My friend Beth also went to school in Providence so I am hoping I could talk her into the half that same day and she could be my guide ;)  I definitely want to run a fall marathon again this year.  The summer is the best time for me to train time wise.  I will give the NYC lottery a shot but I have found a few alternates that are perfect alternates = Drivable and relatively inexpensive (and possibly near college towns?).

What other races+colleges should I think about?

Glad I have next week off.  In addition to cleaning and re-doing the boys room I will be Reading and catching up on all the festive races everyone has run the past week or so. 

Almost Wordless Wednesday

All Lego's!

40th Birthday in NYC did not dissapoint!

Knights of Columbus Holiday Run

Last week I ran my last race in my 30’s.   A five mile holiday run right here in my neighborhood!  This meant two things, dressing up and seeing my boys during the race. 

I found some red Christmas ribbon in the bins I had dragged from the crawl space and tied them to my braids. 

The race had a great turn out and really got me into the holiday spirit. It ended up being a beautiful day crisp but sunny perfect for a race.  We started out speedy on my familiar route.

I once again enjoyed the stopped traffic and running in the middle of the street.  I felt fast and was having a great time.  Something about those ribbons that made me think people were underestimating me.  I still wondered if I could possibly run faster than I had the week before at the Turkey Trot. 

It was great to know the route the miles flew by.  Mile 4 was at the bottom of my street. 

Check out that hill on my street!

My five fans were there! 

Pete and my parents snapped some shots

 and the boys brought me something to drink.  I had a final kick in me but also knew the last half mile hill was crazy (and also where I threw up last year)

I finished strong…

with a new PR!

5 miles- 40:12

Birthday Bla

Well here I sit only hours away from being forty.  I never asked to be the big “40” but here it is. It’s a weird feeling I can’t quite describe.  It’s sort of disappointing but I am not sure why.  It’s not old.   I know plenty of awesome, active and fun women in their 50’s and 60’s.   

Me and my friend Michele at 21. We both look much better now.

 It’s just not the excitement of turning 16 and being able to drive.  Better yet 21-drinking keg beer and eggnog at a house party during finals week and then entering (the bar I had already been frequenting) legally at midnight (accompanied by my friends with fake id’s of course). 

Grown up Birthdays are more of a ordinary day.  Birthdays in December are a total blur, buried in holiday fervor and as a parent, elf like duties.  This year has been no exception. 

What I can say about me right now is that I can only be proud of myself.  This last year in my thirties has been very tough professionally, but highly fulfilling and successful personally.  In addition to the full marathon in October I have and PR’d the 5mile and 5k in the last six weeks.  Come to think of it my 10k and half PR’s are both from this year.  That’s pretty cool, but I don’t have plans to slow down.  Am I assuming I will just because I am in the next age group?  

 Maybe it’s because no one looks forward to turning 40 or 50 or 60?  Maybe it’s because you realize you can‘t turn back the clock.  Gray hair and wrinkles are inevitable.  Damn I wish I started using that Oil of Olay earlier! 

You can only hope someone thinks you are younger than you are.  At least that does happen to me frequently.  Do you think it’s my hairdo?  I like racing with my hair like this, bows and all!