Showing posts with label Weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weather. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 04, 2022
Monday, September 26, 2022
Wednesday, January 06, 2021
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Winter
Winter has found its way to Michigan this week.
After a lovely Saturday with 40° weather, Sunday took a nosedive into the 20s. The cold, frigid air was here to stay. The start of the week greeted us with low temperatures, wind chills and snow. The snow that fell over the city was just a dusting. The area is supposed to receive snow late Thursday into early Friday morning. This time it will be more then just a dusting. The weather is predicting about 1-3 inches of snow.
Along with the very cold temperatures is the wind chill. This morning with the wind chills it could dip down into the -15° region. It really felt that way out there. I was wearing gloves, but my hands were so cold. It felt like I wasn't wearing any at all. I'm thinking this should be the last day of extreme weather.
After dealing with the cold for this week, the weather will change again. Starting over the weekend, the temps will climb up to freezing. That will feel like a heat wave compared to what we are dealing with now. Looking at the 10 Day Forecast, there is a chance of high30s/low 40s. I'm not a fan of winter, but that is the winter that I can tolerate. I am already looking forward to spring. Bring on the warmer weather.
After a lovely Saturday with 40° weather, Sunday took a nosedive into the 20s. The cold, frigid air was here to stay. The start of the week greeted us with low temperatures, wind chills and snow. The snow that fell over the city was just a dusting. The area is supposed to receive snow late Thursday into early Friday morning. This time it will be more then just a dusting. The weather is predicting about 1-3 inches of snow.
Along with the very cold temperatures is the wind chill. This morning with the wind chills it could dip down into the -15° region. It really felt that way out there. I was wearing gloves, but my hands were so cold. It felt like I wasn't wearing any at all. I'm thinking this should be the last day of extreme weather.
After dealing with the cold for this week, the weather will change again. Starting over the weekend, the temps will climb up to freezing. That will feel like a heat wave compared to what we are dealing with now. Looking at the 10 Day Forecast, there is a chance of high30s/low 40s. I'm not a fan of winter, but that is the winter that I can tolerate. I am already looking forward to spring. Bring on the warmer weather.
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
The storm
My husband and I left the New Jersey coast on October 25 and drove back home to Michigan. After running a 50 mile race in Pennsylvania on October 21, we drove to New Jersey to visit my husband's uncle.
His uncle and aunt bought a house on the New Jersey coast and are in the process of rebuilding. The house was in rough shape when they bought it. They decided to gut the entire house and start fresh.. While my husband slept in the morning, I had plenty of time to read the Internet. I read about the upcoming storm Sandy. When I read about Sandy, it was still down in the Caribbean. The meteorologists were predicting that the storm would travel up the coast and hit the New Jersey/New York area. I remember saying to my husband's uncle that a hurricane was possibly heading his way. He said he knew about it and hoped it would miss them.
While in New Jersey, we visited the beach, a cemetery, the mall and saw a movie. Standing on the beach, the Atlantic Ocean had waves crashing into the beach. The day was overcast and the a bit cool. Looking at the photos I took on the beach is a little eerie now. My husband showed me some overhead shots of the area we were at after the storm, there was so much destruction. Houses ruined and destroyed. The bridge that lead us to the beach was covered in flood waters. I'm not sure how the cemetery made out, but the mall we visited just had power restored Friday. On the mall's website is a note asking people to call the specific store that they are interested in to see if they are open.
Sandy did come their way four days later. My husband's uncle and aunt were staying at their daughter and son-in-law's house, three streets over from their house. The night before leaving, we met up for dinner over at my husband's cousins house. We went down into the basement and met his young cousins. When the babysitter arrived, we all went to dinner. The basement where we were waiting was flooded by Sandy. As for his uncle and aunt's house, we haven't heard yet. When we did hear from them, they didn't have power and needed to get off the phone to save the battery. My husband plans to call this week to see how they are doing.
I'm glad my husband's family made it through the storm in one piece. With them being so close to water, I don't know if they could have done anything to stop the flood waters. They will have months of clean up and construction, but that is better then the alternative. Things can be replaced, but people can't.
His uncle and aunt bought a house on the New Jersey coast and are in the process of rebuilding. The house was in rough shape when they bought it. They decided to gut the entire house and start fresh.. While my husband slept in the morning, I had plenty of time to read the Internet. I read about the upcoming storm Sandy. When I read about Sandy, it was still down in the Caribbean. The meteorologists were predicting that the storm would travel up the coast and hit the New Jersey/New York area. I remember saying to my husband's uncle that a hurricane was possibly heading his way. He said he knew about it and hoped it would miss them.
While in New Jersey, we visited the beach, a cemetery, the mall and saw a movie. Standing on the beach, the Atlantic Ocean had waves crashing into the beach. The day was overcast and the a bit cool. Looking at the photos I took on the beach is a little eerie now. My husband showed me some overhead shots of the area we were at after the storm, there was so much destruction. Houses ruined and destroyed. The bridge that lead us to the beach was covered in flood waters. I'm not sure how the cemetery made out, but the mall we visited just had power restored Friday. On the mall's website is a note asking people to call the specific store that they are interested in to see if they are open.
Sandy did come their way four days later. My husband's uncle and aunt were staying at their daughter and son-in-law's house, three streets over from their house. The night before leaving, we met up for dinner over at my husband's cousins house. We went down into the basement and met his young cousins. When the babysitter arrived, we all went to dinner. The basement where we were waiting was flooded by Sandy. As for his uncle and aunt's house, we haven't heard yet. When we did hear from them, they didn't have power and needed to get off the phone to save the battery. My husband plans to call this week to see how they are doing.
I'm glad my husband's family made it through the storm in one piece. With them being so close to water, I don't know if they could have done anything to stop the flood waters. They will have months of clean up and construction, but that is better then the alternative. Things can be replaced, but people can't.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Ann Arbor Marathon
The Ann Arbor Marathon started out good. I was hanging with a pace group and was feeling good. The pace leader, Heather, told me that the first 14 miles were really hilly. Besides the course being really hilly, it was very humid. The humidity was about 70% or a little higher.I ran with a handheld bottle for the first time. It was nice having water with me. But I really wanted to conserve my water. For the first couple of aid stations, I drank from my bottle. I drank from the aid stations for the rest of the race. Besides water, I did drink Powerade and I had Honey Stinger chews with me.
Heather was correct. This course was so hilly. The entire course felt like one giant hill. As soon as we ran a downhill another hill was right ahead of us. I was thrilled that I was running the hills well and staying in step with Heather. I kept thinking to stay with her and I could run a great time. I was doing that until mile 10. When coming to an aid station, we would all slow down and get fluids. After drinking the fluids, we would all group back up and run together. I was right behind Heather. I first grabbed a cup of water and drank that. I then grabbed a Powerade. I started to drink it and started choking. I got the fluid down finally, but Heather already sped up and left the aid station. I managed to get a step or two behind her and she ended up pulling away. When I lost the group, I was a little sad. My goal coming into the marathon was to stay with a pace group the entire way. I just failed my goal. The group was getting farther and farther away and there was nothing that I could do to catch up.
Once I was out of the group, I found myself alone. Other people were around, but I wasn't running with anyone. I ran by myself for 16 miles. Along those 16 miles, I did manage to pass some people. These were the people who ran by me earlier. Even though I wasn't with the group, it felt good to still pass a few people. It did lift my spirits.
During one of the long hill climbs, a paramedic crew riding bikes passed me. I really thought of stopping and asking them for a ride back to my car. I was tired and the long hill climbs were not fun. I ran up all of the hills. I figured I would finish the race faster by running instead of walking the hills. When running up the hills, I looked about 5-10 feet in front of me. Always staring at the street. I only glanced up once or twice to see how long before I crested the top of the hill.
The last six miles felt the longest. Knowing you just had a 10K left felt really good, but 6.2 miles is still a distance away. The miles clicked off slowly and we ran up many more hills. Around mile 24, I ran by my car. It was parked across the street from Michigan Stadium in a high school parking lot. I thought of just skipping the last two miles and heading straight for my car. I desperately wanted to stop running and just sit down. But I didn't. I didn't because I don't quit anything. I was two miles away from the end. I was going to finish and get my medal.
I was running with a couple of guys during the last mile. We all were side by side. It was nice to run with someone again. When we hit the last turnaround, I passed many more people. Most of them were walking. I wanted to join them in walking, but the finish line was less then a half mile away. I just kept plugging away. There was no sprinting into the finish line. I was just running the same speed I ran for the second half of the race. I was so happy to see the finish line. I was even more happy to run over the timing mats. I was done. I finished the race in 4:50:07. This time was 10 minutes slower then my last marathon. But with all of the hills, it is understandable.
I drank some water, grabbed a banana and half of banana nut muffin and started walking the 1.1 miles back to my car. A guy came and walked beside me. He said "great job" to me. I said thanks. He said I pulled away from him at near the end of the race and he couldn't keep up. I didn't even realize that he was that close to me. It made me feel a little better to know I ran away from someone at the end of a grueling race.
Finishing time: 4:50:07
Overall place: 407/580
Age Group: 22/36
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Ann Arbor Marathon
I will be running my second marathon on Sunday in Ann Arbor.It is going to be sunny and with a high of 88°. With that kind of temperature, my time won't be fast. Another reason it won't be fast is Ann Arbor is hilly city. It is mentioned on the website and I've seen photos of the course. So I have that to look forward to. I have run hilly ultras before. So it is nothing new. I just need to put my head down and keep my legs moving.
My plan going into the marathon is to start with a pacing group. I have only ran with a pacing group once before. Halfway through the race, I lost the group at a very congested aid station. So many people were running the race, there was no way to catch back up with them. I plan on running with a hand held bottle since it will be so hot. At least in the beginning miles of the marathon, I won't have to leave the group to grab fluids.
This marathon will be challenging. Not only have to battle many hills, we also have to battle the warm weather.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Snow and stuff
I drove out of town Friday morning for work. It had snowed overnight and I don't enjoy driving in the snow. I was excited to see that the roads were mostly clear. About an hour into my drive, it started snowing again. It was coming down fast and the flakes were sticking to the road. Some of the drivers around me continued going fast. I did in some spots. When the roads were starting to get covered, I slowed down. I don't trust my tires on snow covered roads. Or maybe I don't trust myself. I made it to my destination, slowly without any problems.
I checked the weather for the city I was traveling to before I left home. It said that it wasn't supposed to snow for the rest of the day after the morning snow ended. When I went out to my car later that night, I was sad to see how wrong the weather forecast was. It was snowing. The roads were covered again. I wasn't too thrilled about it. When the roads are clear, it takes 1.5 hours to get back home. I was wondering how long it would take me to get back home Friday night with snow covered roads.
The drive went alright. I drove about 60 mph on the interstate, less in some areas. I was thankful that one of the lanes was just wet. I drove mostly in that lane. I passed slower cars and merged back as soon as I could. A couple of times I was passing cars, I could feel my car slide ever so slightly when crossing the slick center line. When that happened, I would put a death grip on the steering wheel. Like I said, I'm not a fan of driving in the snow.
When I reached the county, the snow was coming down fast. It was piling up everywhere. The roads were not plowed. Since the roads weren't plowed, I had no idea if I was even in my lane. I only knew I wasn't when my tires ran over the rumble strips on the middle of the road. The rumble strips and the few cars in front of me directed me home.
I looked out the window when I woke up Saturday morning. More snow fell when I was asleep. I called my husband to find out how the roads were. He said some of them were just wet, but a majority of them were slick and snow covered. Great. I knew it would be another long drive when I left town for work.
The roads were covered in snow. I went as fast as I could for the conditions, which wasn't too fast. I was thrilled when I reached the interstate to see wet covered roads. The rest of the drive went fine. A couple of areas were snow covered, but nothing like the night before. When I was finished with work, I was happy to see the roads were just wet. Once I got on the interstate, the roads were actually dry. With dry roads I was able to travel at normal interstate speeds. I was home earlier then expected which was a bonus. Two long days of work and drives were over. My weekend could start.
I was unable to run either Friday or Saturday because I was working. Earlier in the week, I planned on running Sunday. I woke up around 5 a.m. Sunday morning and still felt tired. I decided not to drive to the local hotel to run on the treadmill. I would wait a couple hours and run outside. When my husband came home I told him I planned to run outside later. He suggested I take the day off. I thought I would go outside and just run a couple of miles at first. Then I thought maybe I should just take the day off. And that is what I did. I couldn't remember the last time I only ran four times in a week. Instead of running, I watched TV shows recorded on my DVR, read, put away the laundry, made lunch and did a few core exercises. It was nice to have a day off from everything.
My running routine will get back to normal this week. My run will be outside today. My run tomorrow will be done on my treadmill. The repair guy will be fixing it later today. The last time I ran on my treadmill was January 24. It has been over a month and I have missed it. With my treadmill working again, I will be able to run as many miles as I want for as long as I want. Those two things alone make me really happy. Besides making me happy, it is something that I need to do. I need do it because I have an upcoming 50 mile race. It is time to get focused on that race.
I checked the weather for the city I was traveling to before I left home. It said that it wasn't supposed to snow for the rest of the day after the morning snow ended. When I went out to my car later that night, I was sad to see how wrong the weather forecast was. It was snowing. The roads were covered again. I wasn't too thrilled about it. When the roads are clear, it takes 1.5 hours to get back home. I was wondering how long it would take me to get back home Friday night with snow covered roads.
The drive went alright. I drove about 60 mph on the interstate, less in some areas. I was thankful that one of the lanes was just wet. I drove mostly in that lane. I passed slower cars and merged back as soon as I could. A couple of times I was passing cars, I could feel my car slide ever so slightly when crossing the slick center line. When that happened, I would put a death grip on the steering wheel. Like I said, I'm not a fan of driving in the snow.
When I reached the county, the snow was coming down fast. It was piling up everywhere. The roads were not plowed. Since the roads weren't plowed, I had no idea if I was even in my lane. I only knew I wasn't when my tires ran over the rumble strips on the middle of the road. The rumble strips and the few cars in front of me directed me home.
I looked out the window when I woke up Saturday morning. More snow fell when I was asleep. I called my husband to find out how the roads were. He said some of them were just wet, but a majority of them were slick and snow covered. Great. I knew it would be another long drive when I left town for work.
The roads were covered in snow. I went as fast as I could for the conditions, which wasn't too fast. I was thrilled when I reached the interstate to see wet covered roads. The rest of the drive went fine. A couple of areas were snow covered, but nothing like the night before. When I was finished with work, I was happy to see the roads were just wet. Once I got on the interstate, the roads were actually dry. With dry roads I was able to travel at normal interstate speeds. I was home earlier then expected which was a bonus. Two long days of work and drives were over. My weekend could start.
I was unable to run either Friday or Saturday because I was working. Earlier in the week, I planned on running Sunday. I woke up around 5 a.m. Sunday morning and still felt tired. I decided not to drive to the local hotel to run on the treadmill. I would wait a couple hours and run outside. When my husband came home I told him I planned to run outside later. He suggested I take the day off. I thought I would go outside and just run a couple of miles at first. Then I thought maybe I should just take the day off. And that is what I did. I couldn't remember the last time I only ran four times in a week. Instead of running, I watched TV shows recorded on my DVR, read, put away the laundry, made lunch and did a few core exercises. It was nice to have a day off from everything.
My running routine will get back to normal this week. My run will be outside today. My run tomorrow will be done on my treadmill. The repair guy will be fixing it later today. The last time I ran on my treadmill was January 24. It has been over a month and I have missed it. With my treadmill working again, I will be able to run as many miles as I want for as long as I want. Those two things alone make me really happy. Besides making me happy, it is something that I need to do. I need do it because I have an upcoming 50 mile race. It is time to get focused on that race.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Fall Into Fitness 5K
I ran my final race of the year Saturday. It has been a long racing schedule for me. It spanned 10 months and included 24 races. The most I have ever done in one year.
The weather was nice, but cool. It was right around 40 degrees. When the race started, I was behind a group of young boys who were running as fast as they could. After a half mile, they got tired and that is when I got around them. Once past the young boys, I was running alone.
The first mile was great. I was holding a great pace and passing people. I ran the first mile in 7:58. For the entire first mile my hands were numb. I pulled my long sleeves over my hands and warmed them up. I should have thought of that at the beginning of the race.
The course led us down into a park during the second mile. I was behind a group of people. I started passing them. I passed all of the runners that I followed into the park. I think it was a total of seven people. Once I was by the others, I was running by myself again. I passed the second mile in 16:26. I was excited. One, my best two mile time in high school was 16:20 and I was on PR pace. I thought if I could keep this pace, I could run a sub-25 minute 5K.
I kept my pace up. I thought I was holding on, but I wasn't. I was slowing down and I didn't know I was. I didn't want to lose any time by looking at my watch, so I kept going. I used a huge downhill to pick up some speed. I even surged a couple of times, but it didn't help. A block away from the finish line, I heard footsteps behind me for the first time. Someone was coming up fast on my right. When the runner passed me, I couldn't go with her. I tried. But I was already going at my top speed. I finished in 25:32:56. I missed running a PR by 32 seconds.
Even though I missed a PR, I was pleased with my effort. I was happy with my pace for the first two miles. If only I could hold onto that pace, I would have the perfect 5K. I plan to work on my speed over the winter. I will continue running intervals, hills and tempo runs. I want to run tempo runs on their own. Now I mix them into my long runs. I plan on running a shorter tempo run on its own. That will help me improve my speed and turnover. With all of the hard work, I know I will reach my goal of a sub-25 minute 5K.
The weather was nice, but cool. It was right around 40 degrees. When the race started, I was behind a group of young boys who were running as fast as they could. After a half mile, they got tired and that is when I got around them. Once past the young boys, I was running alone.
The first mile was great. I was holding a great pace and passing people. I ran the first mile in 7:58. For the entire first mile my hands were numb. I pulled my long sleeves over my hands and warmed them up. I should have thought of that at the beginning of the race.
The course led us down into a park during the second mile. I was behind a group of people. I started passing them. I passed all of the runners that I followed into the park. I think it was a total of seven people. Once I was by the others, I was running by myself again. I passed the second mile in 16:26. I was excited. One, my best two mile time in high school was 16:20 and I was on PR pace. I thought if I could keep this pace, I could run a sub-25 minute 5K.
I kept my pace up. I thought I was holding on, but I wasn't. I was slowing down and I didn't know I was. I didn't want to lose any time by looking at my watch, so I kept going. I used a huge downhill to pick up some speed. I even surged a couple of times, but it didn't help. A block away from the finish line, I heard footsteps behind me for the first time. Someone was coming up fast on my right. When the runner passed me, I couldn't go with her. I tried. But I was already going at my top speed. I finished in 25:32:56. I missed running a PR by 32 seconds.
Even though I missed a PR, I was pleased with my effort. I was happy with my pace for the first two miles. If only I could hold onto that pace, I would have the perfect 5K. I plan to work on my speed over the winter. I will continue running intervals, hills and tempo runs. I want to run tempo runs on their own. Now I mix them into my long runs. I plan on running a shorter tempo run on its own. That will help me improve my speed and turnover. With all of the hard work, I know I will reach my goal of a sub-25 minute 5K.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Can Lake 50K photos
Photos of me on the Can Lake 50K course in Canandaigua, New York on October 8, 2011. Photography by Al Randt, Karl Marchenese and Mike Osborne.
Stats:
Finishing time: 5:45:48
Overall runner: 12/31
Female overall: 3/12
Age group: 1/5
Stats:
Finishing time: 5:45:48
Overall runner: 12/31
Female overall: 3/12
Age group: 1/5
Monday, October 10, 2011
Can Lake 50K
I ran the Can Lake 50K Saturday in Canandaigua, New York. This course had so many hills and inclines. The was the hilliest road course I've ever run. I walked up about 4 or 5 major climbs and heading into the aid stations. Other then that, I ran the rest of the course. The course ended on a huge hill. I really wanted to run up the hill, but there was no way. I ended up power walking the hill. When the hill flattened out, I ran to the finish line.
The weather was about 80 degrees and very sunny. A couple of times during the race, we were really close to Canandaigua Lake. I just wanted to jump in. The weather was perfect for swimming. With the warm weather and the sun beating down on me, I got a major sunburn on my arms, neck and forehead. I was wearing a visor, but some of the visor didn't cover my forehead. The warm weather really didn't effect my running. I just keep running and drinking water from my Camelbak. At the aid stations I drank water, Heed (sports energy drink) and pop. The only real food I had was M&M's. The aid stations had sandwiches, pretzels, bananas and some other stuff, but I didn't want any of it. When I was on the course, I ate Clif Shot Blocks.
During the race, three guys and I were leapfrogging each other. At one point, I would be ahead, then they would pass me. We would then come to an aid station and I would beat them out. A couple of miles down the road, the guys would catch me again. At the final aid station about 3-4 miles away from the finish, all three guys were there around same time. I noticed one guy was stretching, another was eating and I don't know what the other guy was doing. I got something to drink and grabbed some M&M's and left. Only one of the guys passed me again. He passed me with two miles to go. I wanted to catch him, but my legs couldn't go any faster.
I really enjoyed the road 50K. It was nice not to trip over branches, tree roots and rocks. At one point during the race I almost twisted my left ankle twice. A fresh batch of gravel was put down on a road. I couldn't see the low spots in the road and almost rolled my ankle twice. I was happy to get through it injury free.
I finished the 50K in 5:45:45. I placed 12th overall and was first in my age group. I was shocked when I found out about my placing. I thought there were more people ahead of me. In the future, I might do this race again. If I do, I will definitely do more hill intervals. I had a good base coming in, but I want to be better.
The weather was about 80 degrees and very sunny. A couple of times during the race, we were really close to Canandaigua Lake. I just wanted to jump in. The weather was perfect for swimming. With the warm weather and the sun beating down on me, I got a major sunburn on my arms, neck and forehead. I was wearing a visor, but some of the visor didn't cover my forehead. The warm weather really didn't effect my running. I just keep running and drinking water from my Camelbak. At the aid stations I drank water, Heed (sports energy drink) and pop. The only real food I had was M&M's. The aid stations had sandwiches, pretzels, bananas and some other stuff, but I didn't want any of it. When I was on the course, I ate Clif Shot Blocks.
During the race, three guys and I were leapfrogging each other. At one point, I would be ahead, then they would pass me. We would then come to an aid station and I would beat them out. A couple of miles down the road, the guys would catch me again. At the final aid station about 3-4 miles away from the finish, all three guys were there around same time. I noticed one guy was stretching, another was eating and I don't know what the other guy was doing. I got something to drink and grabbed some M&M's and left. Only one of the guys passed me again. He passed me with two miles to go. I wanted to catch him, but my legs couldn't go any faster.
I really enjoyed the road 50K. It was nice not to trip over branches, tree roots and rocks. At one point during the race I almost twisted my left ankle twice. A fresh batch of gravel was put down on a road. I couldn't see the low spots in the road and almost rolled my ankle twice. I was happy to get through it injury free.
I finished the 50K in 5:45:45. I placed 12th overall and was first in my age group. I was shocked when I found out about my placing. I thought there were more people ahead of me. In the future, I might do this race again. If I do, I will definitely do more hill intervals. I had a good base coming in, but I want to be better.
Friday, October 07, 2011
New York
My husband and I drove to the great state of New York Wednesday morning. The trip to New York has a propose. A race.
I will be running my second ultramarathon Saturday morning. It is the Can Lake 50K in Canandaigua, New York. I'm really looking forward to this 50K. Unlike my first 50K (Dances with Dirt - Hell, Michigan) this is a road race. I won't have to worry about tripping over tree branches, rocks or walking in water. Another great thing about this race is my time should be faster. I ran DWD in seven hours. I'm hoping to run this ultra in five to six hours. One factor that could slow my time is the weather. The race starts at 10 a.m. and it is supposed to reach 80 degrees. I'm hoping to get through these 31 miles without any issues.
Besides driving to New York for a race, my husband and I have done some sightseeing. We first stopped at Niagara Falls. The falls were gorgeous. Especially with the rainbow that formed by the falls. After visiting the Falls, we headed to Rochester to check into our hotel. On the second day, we visited the Rochester Institute of Technology campus and the Barnes and Noble bookstore at RIT. We stopped at RIT because my husband attended there for two and a half years. Following RIT, our next stop was the Mt. Hope Cemetery. Famous people that are buried there are Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Besides visiting their grave sites, I had my camera out photographing beautiful cemetery statues and mausoleums. I could have spent the entire day there. So many things to see and photograph.
We left the cemetery around lunchtime and I called Oiselle teammate Jen. My husband and I had lunch with her at Nick Tahou's. That restaurant is famous for their Garbage Plates. I didn't get one, but Jen and my husband did. It looked good, but I wasn't that hungry. After lunch, my husband took some photos of Jen and I. Jen is a fantastic runner and person. I was so glad to finally meet her.
Our next stop was the Susan B. Anthony House. When my husband and I are on vacation, we always stop at places that are history related. We were given a tour of the house she lived in and learned about her life and work. My favorite thing at the house was a dress that she wore. It was a black silk dress and very lovely, especially for the time period she wore it in. After the house tour, we headed across town to the George Eastman House and International Museum of Photography and Film. Loved looked at the camera's that were used throughout the years. I really loved Eastman's home. So grand. At the Eastman house, I learned that he committed suicide. His suicide note was on display. It was eerie to see. Eastman died with a gunshot to the heart at the age of 77. His note read, "Dear Friends, My Work is done. Why wait?"
This trip isn't over yet. I still have a race to run. But I have been enjoying so far. Upstate New York is a wonderful place to visit. I hope we can make it back again.
I will be running my second ultramarathon Saturday morning. It is the Can Lake 50K in Canandaigua, New York. I'm really looking forward to this 50K. Unlike my first 50K (Dances with Dirt - Hell, Michigan) this is a road race. I won't have to worry about tripping over tree branches, rocks or walking in water. Another great thing about this race is my time should be faster. I ran DWD in seven hours. I'm hoping to run this ultra in five to six hours. One factor that could slow my time is the weather. The race starts at 10 a.m. and it is supposed to reach 80 degrees. I'm hoping to get through these 31 miles without any issues.
Besides driving to New York for a race, my husband and I have done some sightseeing. We first stopped at Niagara Falls. The falls were gorgeous. Especially with the rainbow that formed by the falls. After visiting the Falls, we headed to Rochester to check into our hotel. On the second day, we visited the Rochester Institute of Technology campus and the Barnes and Noble bookstore at RIT. We stopped at RIT because my husband attended there for two and a half years. Following RIT, our next stop was the Mt. Hope Cemetery. Famous people that are buried there are Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Besides visiting their grave sites, I had my camera out photographing beautiful cemetery statues and mausoleums. I could have spent the entire day there. So many things to see and photograph.
We left the cemetery around lunchtime and I called Oiselle teammate Jen. My husband and I had lunch with her at Nick Tahou's. That restaurant is famous for their Garbage Plates. I didn't get one, but Jen and my husband did. It looked good, but I wasn't that hungry. After lunch, my husband took some photos of Jen and I. Jen is a fantastic runner and person. I was so glad to finally meet her.
Our next stop was the Susan B. Anthony House. When my husband and I are on vacation, we always stop at places that are history related. We were given a tour of the house she lived in and learned about her life and work. My favorite thing at the house was a dress that she wore. It was a black silk dress and very lovely, especially for the time period she wore it in. After the house tour, we headed across town to the George Eastman House and International Museum of Photography and Film. Loved looked at the camera's that were used throughout the years. I really loved Eastman's home. So grand. At the Eastman house, I learned that he committed suicide. His suicide note was on display. It was eerie to see. Eastman died with a gunshot to the heart at the age of 77. His note read, "Dear Friends, My Work is done. Why wait?"
This trip isn't over yet. I still have a race to run. But I have been enjoying so far. Upstate New York is a wonderful place to visit. I hope we can make it back again.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Run Woodstock Hippie Half Marathon
This trail half marathon had a little bit of everything, rain, mud, mud puddles and more mud. I'm running Dances with Dirt in two weeks near the same location as this race. Instead of this race being called Run Woodstock, this should have been Dances with Dirt.
It rained all night and morning of the race. It rained for most of the race as well. That made for very, very muddy trails and huge and deep mud puddles. The mud was slick in many spots. Sometimes it felt like you were running on ice. I made a go of it and went out to have fun. I really didn't enjoy getting muddy and falling headfirst into a huge mud puddle, but I kept going.
Besides the mud as the only obstacle, there were many hills and inclines. I walked up most of the huge inclines. Not only were they steep, they were also muddy. Sometimes it was difficult to keep your balance. Once I would get to the top of the hill, I would start running again.
My favorite part of the race was about two miles from the finish. The course took us through a different part of the woods. The trees were very tall and the ground wasn't muddy, it was perfect. It was very peaceful running through that section. I could have ran that section of the course all day.
Leading up to the half marathon, I ran 92 miles. It really didn't feel like I had during the race. My legs really felt good and fresh. If we didn't have to battle the mud, I'm sure I could have gotten a lower time. Oh well.
Dances with Dirt 50K is two weeks away. I think after this half marathon, I will be ready for it. I just have to keep my legs moving and think positive.
Official results for the Run Woodstock Hippie Half Marathon
Time: 2:38.02
9th out of 24 in the 30-34 age group
151st out of 320 overall runners
It rained all night and morning of the race. It rained for most of the race as well. That made for very, very muddy trails and huge and deep mud puddles. The mud was slick in many spots. Sometimes it felt like you were running on ice. I made a go of it and went out to have fun. I really didn't enjoy getting muddy and falling headfirst into a huge mud puddle, but I kept going.
Besides the mud as the only obstacle, there were many hills and inclines. I walked up most of the huge inclines. Not only were they steep, they were also muddy. Sometimes it was difficult to keep your balance. Once I would get to the top of the hill, I would start running again.
My favorite part of the race was about two miles from the finish. The course took us through a different part of the woods. The trees were very tall and the ground wasn't muddy, it was perfect. It was very peaceful running through that section. I could have ran that section of the course all day.
Leading up to the half marathon, I ran 92 miles. It really didn't feel like I had during the race. My legs really felt good and fresh. If we didn't have to battle the mud, I'm sure I could have gotten a lower time. Oh well.
Dances with Dirt 50K is two weeks away. I think after this half marathon, I will be ready for it. I just have to keep my legs moving and think positive.
Official results for the Run Woodstock Hippie Half Marathon
Time: 2:38.02
9th out of 24 in the 30-34 age group
151st out of 320 overall runners
Monday, June 13, 2011
Ragnar Relay Series
I packed up running clothes, food and water for the Ragnar Relay Series and drove to Madison, Wisconsin on Thursday. The trip to Wisconsin went smoothly. I only had to stop once during the seven hour drive to get gas. I filled up my car in Rockford, Illinois. At the start of the drive, I was a little nervous because that was the longest drive I have ever done by myself.I met up with my team, Mom & Dad, Thursday night. We met at one of our captain's apartment for a spaghetti dinner. We ate and talked about what the plan was for the relay. After dinner was over, Everyone parted and went home to get ready for the relay. I slept over and ended up going to bed around 9:30 p.m. CST, which was 10:30 p.m. in EST to me.
Woke up at 3 and 4 a.m., I went back to sleep until 5 a.m. I figured that was long enough, so I finally got up. Before getting dressed, I looked out the window. It was pouring rain. Not a good way to start out a 200 mile long relay. I got dressed and was thankful that I brought two pairs of running shoes with me.
The team members riding in van one assembled and then it was time to head to the start line. When we arrived at the park, it was a sea of white panel vans. The parking lot was filled with them. Over 300 teams were participating in the Madison to Chicago relay. Our first stop as a group was to the check in tent, then over to the safety meeting. After that was completed it was time to start the relay. At the start of the relay, the rain finally stopped, but it was a very chilly morning. Kimmy started off the relay and did a very good job. In no time, she was slapping the relay bracelet onto Justin's wrist.
I had butterflies while waiting for Justin. I knew once I ran my first leg, I would be OK. My first leg was 4.9 miles. This leg had many long inclines and hills. I kept a positive attitude and just kept running. I just told myself to keep my legs moving because my teammates were waiting for me. I finished my leg in 45 minutes and around 10 or 10:30 a.m. Once I was done, I freshened up as best as I could, changed my shirt and then our van headed to the next exchange.
My second leg started around 5 p.m. The leg was entirely on a trail. I was run straight for the whole run. The only turn I made was to run into the exchange zone to hand off the bracelet. I was very pleased with this leg. It was flat and I was able to go fast. It was my fastest of the entire relay. My pace was 8:40 for 5.9 miles. I passed a guy and two ladies during this leg. That made me feel really good. I finished the run in 51:11.
At the start of the third leg, it was misting and starting to get dark. This would be my first time really running in the dark, I started running around 8 p.m. I had on my reflective vest with LED lights and my headlamp. This leg was run on sidewalks and the road. I ran on the shoulder and it was scary. Cars were driving by me doing 55-60 mph. Most of them didn't even move over in the next lane to give me room. They just zoomed by me by less then two feet. Besides running next to fast traffic, this leg had more hills and inclines. I finished the 5.4 mile run in 50:38.
After my third leg for the day, our van was able to stop at one of the exchange points to take a shower. We were all happy to get clean. After showering, we stopped at McDonald's around midnight to get something to eat. For the entire day, I ate bananas and protein bars. It was nice to eat something different and warm. When we finished eating, some of us went to another exchange at a church to get a couple hours of sleep. I ended up sleeping on the floor with one of my coat's as a pillow for a nap of two hours. It wasn't enough, but it did help.
The start of my last leg was around 4 am. It was cold, foggy and misting. My leg was run on a trail. I was asked by my team if I wanted a bike pacer. I said yes. I just wanted someone there in case something happened on the trail. The trail was so dark. It was hard to see anything, even with my headlamp. After leaving the trail, my leg took me right next to Lake Michigan. You could hear the water moving in the wind. It sounded really nice. I finished the 6.1 mile in 57:44.
My part of the relay was complete. I had fun with my team members Kimmy, Justin, Adam, Susan and our van driver Nick. Running the Ragnar Relay Series was an experience I'll never forget.
Monday, June 06, 2011
Dexter-Ann Arbor Half Marathon
Another week, another half marathon.
I felt pretty good going into it. I waited until race time to decide what I was going to do. I didn't think the humidity was too high and it was very warm. I decided to try to give it my best.
The race started out well. I was running 9 minute and change miles, which is pretty good for me for longer races. After the experience of last week's water stops in Boston, I thought I would hit the last tables of the water stops. I was surprised when I saw that there was a total of two tables. It was another race of stopping and fighting others for cups of water or Gatorade. With it being really warm, I did get a drink at all of the water stops. During the middle of the race, it did cause some minor cramping. I slowed down my breathing and the cramps eventually went away.
After passing the 12 mile mark, I knew what was coming. I was told that the race ended on two hills. As we were going up the first hill, a woman next to me said "And so it begins." Yes, the hills. Someone ahead of me said, "Why couldn't we have had these hills at mile 2?" I tried not to slow down, but I did. I did my best running up the long hills. I'm still very thankful to have added hill workouts and trails into my running. It always comes in handy.
I finished in 2:02:36. That time was 1:23 better then the half marathon I ran in Boston on May 29. I was happy with my effort out on the very warm course today.
Chip time: 2:02:36
Overall Place: 1487/3133
Gender Place: 470/1457
Division Place: 92/275
Pace: 9:22
I felt pretty good going into it. I waited until race time to decide what I was going to do. I didn't think the humidity was too high and it was very warm. I decided to try to give it my best.
The race started out well. I was running 9 minute and change miles, which is pretty good for me for longer races. After the experience of last week's water stops in Boston, I thought I would hit the last tables of the water stops. I was surprised when I saw that there was a total of two tables. It was another race of stopping and fighting others for cups of water or Gatorade. With it being really warm, I did get a drink at all of the water stops. During the middle of the race, it did cause some minor cramping. I slowed down my breathing and the cramps eventually went away.
After passing the 12 mile mark, I knew what was coming. I was told that the race ended on two hills. As we were going up the first hill, a woman next to me said "And so it begins." Yes, the hills. Someone ahead of me said, "Why couldn't we have had these hills at mile 2?" I tried not to slow down, but I did. I did my best running up the long hills. I'm still very thankful to have added hill workouts and trails into my running. It always comes in handy.
I finished in 2:02:36. That time was 1:23 better then the half marathon I ran in Boston on May 29. I was happy with my effort out on the very warm course today.
Chip time: 2:02:36
Overall Place: 1487/3133
Gender Place: 470/1457
Division Place: 92/275
Pace: 9:22
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Boston's Run to Remember Half Marathon
Going into Boston's Run to Remember Half Marathon, my goal was just to have fun. Running in Boston would be a one-time deal for me. I love Boston, but traveling is pricey. Once you add up the hotel, travel expenses, food and any shopping done is quite a bit of money. My husband traveled with me and we had a fun weekend getaway.
Before the star of the half marathon Sunday, the race announcer said it was 60 something degrees with 89% humidity. He was reminding everyone to drink fluids and often. When the starting horn went off, I shuffled along the course with everyone else. For the first few miles, no mile markers where to be found. If they did have them out, I missed them. I was unsure as to how we I ran. I knew the first water station had to be somewhere nearby. I totally missed it. I was running on the left side of the course and the water stop was on the right side only. There was no way to cleanly make it over to the water stop without running into people. I missed it. I told myself another water stop would be two miles away.
I was ready for the second water stop. So was everyone else. I arrived at the first table and it was chaos. The glasses of water were not ready for the runners. The volunteers were pouring them as we arrived. It was like all of us were fighting each other just to get a drink. All of the water stops were like that. After the second water stop, I finally waited to grab a cup near the end. More cups of water were available because most of the runners were stopping at the first table.
I mentioned above that this half marathon was just for fun. But it is also nice to run well. At the half way point, I was at 64 minutes. I knew that my finishing time would be over two hours. I wanted to get it as close to two hours as I could. I increased my speed just a little. It was probably at when I finally knocked off some time. The rest of the race, I was just holding onto that.
Coming in towards the finish, we had to run over a bridge. It had an incline of course. The best thing about it was it was all downhill to the finish line. Nearing the finish line, completely drenched in sweat from head-to-toe, I gave it my all. I finished in 2:03:59. I was pleased with my performance. I ran a half marathon on a very humid and warm day in Boston. Until Monday, Michigan hasn't had that type of weather. I enjoyed running the streets of Boston. It is something I'll never forget.
Place: 2225/5236
Division: 353/1068
Net time: 2:03:59
Pace: 9:28
Before the star of the half marathon Sunday, the race announcer said it was 60 something degrees with 89% humidity. He was reminding everyone to drink fluids and often. When the starting horn went off, I shuffled along the course with everyone else. For the first few miles, no mile markers where to be found. If they did have them out, I missed them. I was unsure as to how we I ran. I knew the first water station had to be somewhere nearby. I totally missed it. I was running on the left side of the course and the water stop was on the right side only. There was no way to cleanly make it over to the water stop without running into people. I missed it. I told myself another water stop would be two miles away.
I was ready for the second water stop. So was everyone else. I arrived at the first table and it was chaos. The glasses of water were not ready for the runners. The volunteers were pouring them as we arrived. It was like all of us were fighting each other just to get a drink. All of the water stops were like that. After the second water stop, I finally waited to grab a cup near the end. More cups of water were available because most of the runners were stopping at the first table.
I mentioned above that this half marathon was just for fun. But it is also nice to run well. At the half way point, I was at 64 minutes. I knew that my finishing time would be over two hours. I wanted to get it as close to two hours as I could. I increased my speed just a little. It was probably at when I finally knocked off some time. The rest of the race, I was just holding onto that.
Coming in towards the finish, we had to run over a bridge. It had an incline of course. The best thing about it was it was all downhill to the finish line. Nearing the finish line, completely drenched in sweat from head-to-toe, I gave it my all. I finished in 2:03:59. I was pleased with my performance. I ran a half marathon on a very humid and warm day in Boston. Until Monday, Michigan hasn't had that type of weather. I enjoyed running the streets of Boston. It is something I'll never forget.
Place: 2225/5236
Division: 353/1068
Net time: 2:03:59
Pace: 9:28
Monday, May 16, 2011
USA 25K Open Championships
I ran in the USA 25K Open Championships Saturday. The USATF championship was part of the Fifth Third River Bank Run. The Fifth Third River Bank Run the largest 25K road race in the United States.The day of the race, it was cold and raining. Doing a warm up run to the staging area, I got all wet by the rain. The rain was coming down so much, it drenched my waterproof jacket. After the jacket was wet, it really didn't keep me warm. Before the race started, I couldn't stay warm. My teeth were chattering and it had me wondering if I could finish the race. By then, it was time to line up and start the race.
At the start of the race, I stayed with the 9 minute mile pacers. It felt good to run at that speed and I was keeping up with them. The course was packed. I heard runners around me saying that it was worse this year. So many more runners participating in the 25K. For the first 6 miles, everyone was bumping into everyone and stepping on the back of everyone's feet. I have to agree that it was crowded.
The water stops were disasters. So many people crowding in to get water, Gatorade. I got what I needed, but not without nailing someone else in the process. I hung with the pacer group until mile 7. It was a water stop that separated us. I moved over to the left of the trail to get something to drink. When I did that other runners got behind the pacers. It got so crowded behind them and I couldn't catch up and get closer. When I couldn't catch up, I could feel myself slowing down. I tried to pick myself up, but I couldn't do it. I continued at the slower pace for a couple of more miles.
When I passed the 10 mile mark, I felt better and picked up my pace. I even started passing a couple of people. Around this time, it was only sprinkling and starting to warm up. Everything I was wearing was soaked. I told myself I only had five more miles and I have run that plenty of times. It was time to go.
I crossed mile 13 right around two hours. I was OK with that. I wasn't too far behind of where I wanted to be. My goal time for the race was to finish between 2:20-2:25. I felt if I kept up my pace I was going to make my goal. The finish was on a slight incline and I surged up it. I crossed the line in 2:24:30. I finished within my goal. I was pleased with my first effort for a distance longer then a half marathon.
I will probably run this race again next year. I hope I will be able to hold my pace better and top this time.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Random things
The end of Lent is near. Only one more hurdle standing in our way before Easter. Good Friday is today and I will be fasting again. I really hope I fast better today then I did on Ash Wednesday. I ate too much food and really felt bad. All of the meals that we eat on a fasting day are supposed to add up to one meal. I'm really going to stick with it today.
It will be a challenge again today. I will be running after work. I won't be running a marathon like I did on Ash Wednesday, but it will be a run of 15 miles. After my run, I hope just to have a banana or a protein drink for lunch. Both of those items aren't big. By the time I eat something small for dinner, everything I ate for the day will add up to one meal.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have been eating too much food. I do run a lot of miles and I get hungry. That has been leading to overeating and I have gained a few pounds. I know I will be able to lose those pounds I gained by watching my food intake. I need to get back on track and stop eating everything in sight.
My plan was to run the trails today. I think I might be ditching that plan. The weather is calling for showers and temperatures in the 40s. Yes, I'm a cold weather wimp. It was in the 50s yesterday and I was wearing my winter coat and a hat. And I was still cold. If it rains on race day, I will still run the race. I paid money to do it and I don't like wasting money. I still have time next week to make it out to the trail to get in a final practice run before next Saturday's race.
It will be a challenge again today. I will be running after work. I won't be running a marathon like I did on Ash Wednesday, but it will be a run of 15 miles. After my run, I hope just to have a banana or a protein drink for lunch. Both of those items aren't big. By the time I eat something small for dinner, everything I ate for the day will add up to one meal.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have been eating too much food. I do run a lot of miles and I get hungry. That has been leading to overeating and I have gained a few pounds. I know I will be able to lose those pounds I gained by watching my food intake. I need to get back on track and stop eating everything in sight.
My plan was to run the trails today. I think I might be ditching that plan. The weather is calling for showers and temperatures in the 40s. Yes, I'm a cold weather wimp. It was in the 50s yesterday and I was wearing my winter coat and a hat. And I was still cold. If it rains on race day, I will still run the race. I paid money to do it and I don't like wasting money. I still have time next week to make it out to the trail to get in a final practice run before next Saturday's race.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Glass City Half Marathon
I wasn't nervous the entire weekend over the half marathon. If I was going to get a new personal record, it would happen. If I didn't get a PR, I knew I would have plenty more chances to get it.The morning of the race, it was cold and very windy. I didn't know how the wind would affect my race. When I crossed the start line, I just ran the same pace as everyone around me. I didn't look at my watch until crossing the first mile. It read: 9:02. I thought to myself that was slow. But really it wasn't. I maintained that pace for basically the entire half marathon.
I knew when I crossed seven miles in 62 minutes I was going to get my PR. I just knew I had to keep running at the same pace. After running 11 miles, I looked at my watch to see the time. It read: 1:48. I told myself that if I happen to slow down to a 10 minute mile, I would still finish under two hours.
I hesitated looking at my watch near the finish. I didn't know if my time was where I wanted it to be. Before running into the Glass Bowl, I peaked at my watch. I couldn't believe it read 1:55. I was so happy. I wanted the best time possible, so I sprinted to the finish and crossed the line at 1:56:53. I beat my previous PR by almost 7 minutes.
I liked the course. It was nice and flat. I enjoyed running through the Ottawa Hills neighborhood and on the Metroparks paths. I'm thinking that Glass City will be the first marathon I run in 2012.
Friday, April 01, 2011
Random things
I'm so disappointed. Thursday night was the one night only showing of My Run in movie theaters across the country. I really wanted to go to see it, but I couldn't. I had to work. My Run is the story of Terry Hitchcock losing his wife to breast cancer and raising three children. He wanted to bring attention to the difficult lives of singe parents. Hitchcock ran 75 marathons on 75 consecutive days. How incredible. It took me years to see Spirit of the Marathon. I hope it doesn't take years before I see documentary. I really hope it will be offered on Netflix.After a long layoff, I finally ran some intervals Wednesday. I incorporated them into my 13.1 mile run. For the first four miles, I did 8x400m. The last two miles, I threw down 4x100m. I decided to try to do some speed work once a week. Ever since gas prices climbed, I haven't been joining my track club for Tuesday night workouts. I miss running with the group, but it is too expensive to keep filling up my car. Especially when I saw gas was $3.65 a gallon. I have the discipline to run over 100 miles by myself every week, I need to have the discipline to do speed work by myself also.
I photographed my first track meet of the year Wednesday. Its spring and March and that meant the weather was awful. The temperature was in the high 30s, but it was windy. The wind made it very cold just to be standing outside. I was wearing a sweatshirt, a hat and my winter coat but I was still cold. When I photograph events, it is hard for me to wear gloves and work. Gloves are bulky and it is hard to shoot and take notes. I went without gloves for the entire track meet. The track meet lasted about three hours. But I shouldn't complain, I wasn't wearing a track uniform and running in the cold like the kids were. I'm just happy that the track season has started. Warmer weather will be on the way.
The University of Toledo is about 35 minutes south of my home. The Toledo Rockets women's basketball team will be playing in the WNIT championship game Saturday at their home, Savage Arena, at 3 p.m. against the University of Southern California. The Rockets defeated UNC-Charlotte 83-60 in the WNIT semifinal Wednesday to advance to the final. Hope the Lady Rockets can pull off the win.
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