As I sit at my desk this Tuesday, eating York peppermint patties at 9:45am, I'm reminded that Lou, Mike and I compared our current weight on Saturday's run. Apparently the three of us have gained about ten pounds each in the past few months. It's no wonder I feel like a cinnamon roll with legs when running.
Now that it's December 1, I've decided to get serious about losing my bulkiness (as soon as I finish this last peppermint patty). Please vote on which of the three of us is most likely to lose 10 pounds by January 30 and once again become lightning fast.
The Erie Canal, Running Paradise
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Leftovers
My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. A race with 1,000 of my closest friends, daughters all home, two boyfriends visiting from afar, food for twenty though there are only six of us for dinner, electrical and computer issues and swine flu. Can it get any better than this?
Jan, who hasn't run in four weeks due to achilles tendinitis, throws off her body cast and runs sub-9 minute miles to try and secure a top 5 RROY spot. We think she missed it by 3 points for the season. Rats. But she did finish in the top 3 in her age group!
The 10k was my longest run of the month, due to some lingering hamstring issues, but I managed to squeeze by fellow Sal's runner Rick Merritt, who hadn't run in 2 weeks, for a solid 48 minute finish, only 4 minutes slower than last year (insert sarcasm here). Of course Rick, new head coach of the soon to be state champion Byron-Bergen basketball team was wearing fifteen pounds of cotton, Chuck Taylor high top sneakers from high school and dribbling a basketball with each hand the entire course, but a win is a win. We Sals people count them any way we can.
Oh, and then there was the youngster, Jen Katz, the one who told me during the race, "I'm a bit tired from the marathon I ran four days ago, see ya!" Yes, she beat me by at least a minute.
Reportedly Lou, in training to race Boit in the 100 yard dash, hit Mike W with a turkey leg as the gun went off so he could take the coveted 1 mile split honors, a scintillating 6:23! Mike, savoring the turkey for 3 miles, then sped up and ended up the top Sal's runner for the day and secured a top five RROY spot.
Eileen imsofantasticallyfast W ran an awesome time and garnered at top 5 RROY spot, as well as a 3rd place RWG placing.
The computer issues? Well, the boyfriends, who are electrical and computer geniuses, have cleaned up my hard drive, taught me how to download music, erased all my porn (damn) and made a machine I think is an original PC from Bill Gates garage days run a lot faster.
The swine flu victim seems to be Stacy, who traveled from Portland to be with us and brought along the disease. Don't get it. If you can get a vaccine, do it.
Jan, who hasn't run in four weeks due to achilles tendinitis, throws off her body cast and runs sub-9 minute miles to try and secure a top 5 RROY spot. We think she missed it by 3 points for the season. Rats. But she did finish in the top 3 in her age group!
The 10k was my longest run of the month, due to some lingering hamstring issues, but I managed to squeeze by fellow Sal's runner Rick Merritt, who hadn't run in 2 weeks, for a solid 48 minute finish, only 4 minutes slower than last year (insert sarcasm here). Of course Rick, new head coach of the soon to be state champion Byron-Bergen basketball team was wearing fifteen pounds of cotton, Chuck Taylor high top sneakers from high school and dribbling a basketball with each hand the entire course, but a win is a win. We Sals people count them any way we can.
Oh, and then there was the youngster, Jen Katz, the one who told me during the race, "I'm a bit tired from the marathon I ran four days ago, see ya!" Yes, she beat me by at least a minute.
Reportedly Lou, in training to race Boit in the 100 yard dash, hit Mike W with a turkey leg as the gun went off so he could take the coveted 1 mile split honors, a scintillating 6:23! Mike, savoring the turkey for 3 miles, then sped up and ended up the top Sal's runner for the day and secured a top five RROY spot.
Eileen imsofantasticallyfast W ran an awesome time and garnered at top 5 RROY spot, as well as a 3rd place RWG placing.
The computer issues? Well, the boyfriends, who are electrical and computer geniuses, have cleaned up my hard drive, taught me how to download music, erased all my porn (damn) and made a machine I think is an original PC from Bill Gates garage days run a lot faster.
The swine flu victim seems to be Stacy, who traveled from Portland to be with us and brought along the disease. Don't get it. If you can get a vaccine, do it.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Dogs?
If you look closely in the blog photo introducing Salsmiles, Mike and Lou are walking down the canal path, each with a dog on a leash, Mikes Molly and Lou's Teddy. The owners and dogs are all wearing Yankee shirts and caps.
Reasons why Mike and Lou need a dog:
1. The little dog paws come off the ground as much as Mike and Lou's feet while running, making them feel empowered.
2. What better protection when walking on the canal path than a cockapoo and a, ...well, whatever Teddy is (small and hairy).
3. When Mike and Lou make their wives angry and aren't allowed to sleep in the same bed anymore, they each have a dog to cuddle with on the couch.
4. Dogs like to get up at 5am, Mike and Lou like to run at 5am.
5. Teddy and Molly like to chase squirrels, Mike and Lou are nuts.
6. Eileen and Joanne said so.
Reasons why Mike and Lou need a dog:
1. The little dog paws come off the ground as much as Mike and Lou's feet while running, making them feel empowered.
2. What better protection when walking on the canal path than a cockapoo and a, ...well, whatever Teddy is (small and hairy).
3. When Mike and Lou make their wives angry and aren't allowed to sleep in the same bed anymore, they each have a dog to cuddle with on the couch.
4. Dogs like to get up at 5am, Mike and Lou like to run at 5am.
5. Teddy and Molly like to chase squirrels, Mike and Lou are nuts.
6. Eileen and Joanne said so.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Cross-country Rules?
Courtesy of MW:
Blast those rigid X-Country rules. Here’s my suggestions for alternate divisions which most of them coincidentally I qualify for:
· First and foremost the Men Vets Follicly Challenged Division.
· Men Vets Who Should Wear More Clothes
· Men Masters Who Get Scared They Soon Will Look Like the Vets
· Men Vets Who Frequently Fall
· Men Vets With No Article of Clothes That Match
· Men Vets Whining Division
· Clueless Men Vets
· Men Vets Who Eat Their Weight Worth of Post Race Treats
· Men Vets Who Make Noises When They Run…Sleep…Read the Paper…Breathe…
· Women Vets Who Look Like They Could Be In the Women Open Division (never miss an opportunity to kiss up) Go Fleet Feet!
Blast those rigid X-Country rules. Here’s my suggestions for alternate divisions which most of them coincidentally I qualify for:
· First and foremost the Men Vets Follicly Challenged Division.
· Men Vets Who Should Wear More Clothes
· Men Masters Who Get Scared They Soon Will Look Like the Vets
· Men Vets Who Frequently Fall
· Men Vets With No Article of Clothes That Match
· Men Vets Whining Division
· Clueless Men Vets
· Men Vets Who Eat Their Weight Worth of Post Race Treats
· Men Vets Who Make Noises When They Run…Sleep…Read the Paper…Breathe…
· Women Vets Who Look Like They Could Be In the Women Open Division (never miss an opportunity to kiss up) Go Fleet Feet!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Marine Corp Marathon
Still one of my favorite marathons, even though I ran the 10k instead. No one organizes a race like the Marines. In spite of having a few more important things to do, like fight two wars, they made all of us feel special.
Joanne and I ran the 10k, arriving a bit early to the start as I was particularly worried about the metro and crowds. Fortunately it was a fairly nice morning and we stayed reasonably warm inside our fashion conscious garbage bags. After a couple of quick port-o-john trips we hid out in the metro tunnel for awhile, until security shooed us away. The announcer kept saying 7400+ runners had registered for the 10k, but I had no problem finding space to warmup or getting into a corral and about 30 yards from the start line. Joanne, a bit nervous for her first 10k, was further back in the crowd.
The Howitzer went off and we quickly left the Mall and the Washington Monument and headed towards the Jefferson Memorial. We ran across a bridge over the Potomac (the bridge had hills) and headed left towards Crystal city. When we turned back towards the finish we passed the Pentagon before finishing at the Iwo Jima monument near the Arlington National Cemetery.
The race, though a little more rolling than I expected, turned out well. Joanne ran a great time for her first 10k. I was a bit slower than expected, but somehow finished in the top 5% overall, with 5000+ finishers. I think the fast people ran in the marathon.
The gang of five, Mike May, Mike W., Eileen W. Lou K, and Jan M, ran the full marathon, starting near the cemetery, through Rosslyn, Georgetown, the endless island, the Mall, Crystal City and back to Iwo Jima monument. Everyone finished, with Eileen setting a pr by 20 minutes or so. It is not an easy course, with a few hills, especially in the opening 8 miles.
Our hotel, especially the location, was fantastic, about 3-400 yards from the finish (Virginian Suites). Every room included a full kitchen.
This was Jan's 5th MCM, I think we will be back in a couple of years so I can get my fifth finish.
Joanne and I ran the 10k, arriving a bit early to the start as I was particularly worried about the metro and crowds. Fortunately it was a fairly nice morning and we stayed reasonably warm inside our fashion conscious garbage bags. After a couple of quick port-o-john trips we hid out in the metro tunnel for awhile, until security shooed us away. The announcer kept saying 7400+ runners had registered for the 10k, but I had no problem finding space to warmup or getting into a corral and about 30 yards from the start line. Joanne, a bit nervous for her first 10k, was further back in the crowd.
The Howitzer went off and we quickly left the Mall and the Washington Monument and headed towards the Jefferson Memorial. We ran across a bridge over the Potomac (the bridge had hills) and headed left towards Crystal city. When we turned back towards the finish we passed the Pentagon before finishing at the Iwo Jima monument near the Arlington National Cemetery.
The race, though a little more rolling than I expected, turned out well. Joanne ran a great time for her first 10k. I was a bit slower than expected, but somehow finished in the top 5% overall, with 5000+ finishers. I think the fast people ran in the marathon.
The gang of five, Mike May, Mike W., Eileen W. Lou K, and Jan M, ran the full marathon, starting near the cemetery, through Rosslyn, Georgetown, the endless island, the Mall, Crystal City and back to Iwo Jima monument. Everyone finished, with Eileen setting a pr by 20 minutes or so. It is not an easy course, with a few hills, especially in the opening 8 miles.
Our hotel, especially the location, was fantastic, about 3-400 yards from the finish (Virginian Suites). Every room included a full kitchen.
This was Jan's 5th MCM, I think we will be back in a couple of years so I can get my fifth finish.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
XC at Ithaca
Good Luck to the Fleet Feet teams of Rochester competing at Ithaca College this weekend. The weather looks awesome and I'm sure there will be some great races! Here is my version of the course description that was sent earlier in an email. Sorry I can't be at the race, but Prez. Obama is calling me to DC. :)
The course is challenging, another 6k. The start area quickly shrinks to a 3 person wide path and heads uphill. Don't get sucked in here, relax, get up the hill, and you will pass many people who went out too fast and are now gasping for air. After a mile or so of some flat, small up and downs, you get to Mt. Everest. This is pretty much single track up a steep hillside, many people walked this, but it will slow everyone down even if you are running, unless you are part billy-goat. Work the hill but keep it under control. At the top you have at least a mile of flat and downhill to the finish, you can press it here and pass lots of people who misjudged the hills. The last 2-300 yards are downhill and flat to the finish, near where you started. Let it rip. Spikes, if you have them, would be helpful.
The course is challenging, another 6k. The start area quickly shrinks to a 3 person wide path and heads uphill. Don't get sucked in here, relax, get up the hill, and you will pass many people who went out too fast and are now gasping for air. After a mile or so of some flat, small up and downs, you get to Mt. Everest. This is pretty much single track up a steep hillside, many people walked this, but it will slow everyone down even if you are running, unless you are part billy-goat. Work the hill but keep it under control. At the top you have at least a mile of flat and downhill to the finish, you can press it here and pass lots of people who misjudged the hills. The last 2-300 yards are downhill and flat to the finish, near where you started. Let it rip. Spikes, if you have them, would be helpful.
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