Goals 2010

Okay I'm a little late with these. I guess I better put them out there!

• Improve 5K/10K time - I will improve on my 5K and 10K times for this calendar year.
• Run in some new races- try out some races I have never done. I LOVED a lot of the new races I did in 2009. I plan to go back to many of them.
• Run in a marathon and PR - I will run in one marathon and I hope to PR. I was disappointed with my marathon last year and want to feel better about it this year.
• Race in a new state - The only NE state I haven't raced in is Rhode Island. Maybe I can get there.
• Get name in Burlington Free Press or New England Runner - This is always a thrill for me. As a non athlete for many years I still think of myself that way and to see my name on the sports page is huge!
• Race with family members- I did a lot this in 2009 and LOVED it. It will lessen as my main race partner has moved many miles away.
• Place in age group- always a thrill!
• Keep a race blog - This is a new one but it is going well right now.
• PR in a half marathon- I did 3 half marathons last year but did not PR. I want to break the 2 hour mark.
• Have one overall PR at any distance for the year - I go for new PRs each year to keep my interest in this up but would like to have one overall lifetime PR. Last year it was at 4 miles.
• Be in top half of field - This is always a goal and one I feel good about when I meet as I am usually one of the older racers. One of my favorite things to do is to watch younger, fit looking racers finish after me. It is a good self esteem builder.
• Race once a month at least - This is great for trying those new races.
• Race in 22 races overall - Last year I raced in 21. I will top it if I can.
• Pick up my speed while training

** This is it for now but I may update it as I hear of other goals that I like and would like to emulate.

4 degrees above yesterday, 4 degrees below today

The thermometer is moving in the WRONG direction! I'm glad we did the longer distance yesterday. Today we only did a quick five. Trish remarked about my frozen eyelashes and tried to get a picture but the picture doesn't really do the "frozen face" justice. It wasn't as bad as it sounds as there was NO WIND! This week I will be back inside on the treadmill after work.

I'm including a picture of one of our 3 yellow cats. We are very partial to yellow cats although we had a very sweet gray tiger a few years ago. The cats are appreciating the warm wood stove (as am I!) Today is going to be dedicated to getting done many mundane tasks around the house. I would rather be running, reading, blogging.........any number of things!

Four Degrees and Running Friends

Four degrees above zero. That was the temperature when we started our morning run. When we returned it was a balmy 18 above. The main trouble with my regular route is the first half is "fine" and then we turn around all sweaty into a cold north wind for the return home. Today I actually felt warm and ready to remove a layer (although I NEVER do). But once we turned around I was thrilled I had made the clothing choices I had. When I get up and look at the thermometer in the morning it is not to think about whether I will run but what I will wear. My running buddy, Trish, and I head out no matter what. Today we ran 9 miles!

Trish is a great running partner. She is willing to go the distance I want as she hates to race and is rarely training for anything specifically. I wish she would race more even though she is much faster than I am and would always move me down a place in our age group! We talk about everything on our runs and "solve" all our problems. We talk about anything and everything knowing it will go no farther. Our kids are the same ages and good friends. Here is a link to my daughter's blog where she blogged about a recent run the two older "kids" took with us.

Last night I was reading my most recent Runner's World and I loved the article by Marc Parent about running with his family especially the part about his 6 year old running a mile with him. The last paragraph of the article talks about how no runner is an island. We are being watched by neighbors, co-workers....drivers passing us by. We may not realize it but we are inspiring many people who see us out there day after day, year after year. What a great thought!

An Early Morning Run

Today I got up early to go for a run but first I had to wait for it to get light. There are two reasons I needed to wait. #1 - I live in the country where there are no streetlights and it is just plain too dark and I am not a brave person. #2 - It was cold out and for some reason I feel MUCH colder in the dark. As soon as it was light I headed out. All of my outdoor runs lately have required yak trax and I thought I could get by without them. I was toasty warm as I WALKED down my driveway which should have been a huge sign to me that I was way overdressed. So two mistakes right off - no Yak Trax (it was rather slippery with a dusting of snow on the road) and too many clothes. I only went four miles as I was off work to go to a funeral. I enjoy running early in the day though so that was a real bonus. But on the way back I caught my toe and fell. The good news is I had so many clothes on I bounced right back up, not hurt at all! Next time I will dress lighter and put on the darn Yak Trax.

Bliss in Vermont

Another snowy day, another fun run. It wasn't very long. I only went 4 miles and actually ran the same two twice. My friends and family worry about me on the main road so due to their worries and the snow covered roads I stayed on the "back roads." My Yak Trax allowed me to proceed slowly. My daughter wanted to know how I could possibly like running in snow storms so much when the going is so slow. She has a point, it is like running in soft sand on the beach.


Perhaps it is my second favorite type of weather to run in with crisp fall days (and easy footing) being my favorite!

I was not at my most energetic for this run regardless as I had gotten up at 3:00 to take EMily to the airport. We drove over an hour through a major snowstorm on unplowed roads. Visibility was nil but no one was on the road so we could go right down the middle. I fully expected the flight to be cancelled by the time we got there but it was not. It was the ONLY flight that left the airport. Emily was back in DC before I got home. It would have been 3 days before she could get another flight so thank you US Air!

But I had to run alone and will miss running with Emily. She pushes me and encourages me and I already miss my vacation running partner. :(

One more run with my daughter

Another snowy day in Lincoln, another run with the YakTrax and Emily! I waited for her to finish her two hour spin class before we set out. By that time the snow was falling pretty steadily. It was a decent temperature out, better than my usual early morning jaunts. We ran the same route as Christmas Day, through Lincoln to the bottom of Page Hill and back. Emily wondered if I got sick of my route but changes involve major hills so no I don't get sick of my route. She also worried about me running on the main road. (This from the girl who lives and runs in DC). I enjoyed our run and will miss her company when she returns (hopefully tomorrow) to DC.

First Run - It's All About the Prizes!

Great day for First Run! It wasn't too slippery like two years ago or too cold like last year. I started fairly near the beginning of the racers, admiring the many costumed racers. Running is hard enough without adding to it so I was just in my regular running gear. I never did see the Mile 1 marker so I didn't know what my pace was until I got to mile 2. I found out it was a v-e-r-y slow pace so I picked it up for the last 1.1. Of course the fact that I was going downhill helped! I beat my race time from yesterday by about 20 seconds. This is now my 5K time to beat for the year. I don't know how I did overall as no results have been posted. Run Vermont tends to be rather slow getting results up. The post race food was outstanding. There was lots of Ben and Jerry's ice cream and excellent soup!


Before we left we found out that Steve had won a random prize which turned out to be several random prizes. He won two Dunkin Donut coffee mugs, a DD clock, a DD suitcase/duffle bag with wheels (which George Clooney would be proud to haul around the country) and a supply of DD coffee. As of yet, we do not know what constitutes a supply.


Certainly it is worth far more than the 2 for $20 entry fee we paid.