Tag Archives: Falling Leaves 14K

A Run-on Blog Post?

Posted on July 17, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sunday I started a blog post about running but got bogged down and discouraged.  I sensibly saved the draft and share it now, with some editing and additions.

I ran yesterday , hoping to make a Running Commentary post before I went ahead with the rest of my day, but the day crowded in and, well, here I am Sunday morning.  However, it is quite appropriate for me to blog about running as today is Boilermaker Sunday in Utica, NY, a big deal around here and elsewhere.  In case you didn’t know, it is a premier 15K which a great portion of the community turns out to support.  I have run it in the past (perhaps you read some of my blog posts about it).  This morning I have been looking at Facebook posts from the Boilermaker and WKTV News and thinking, “Damn, I could be there.”  But so it is any year I do not run the Boilermaker.

In point of fact, as I ran this morning I was happy I had not signed up to run the Boilermaker 15K (I always specify 15K, because there is also a 5K in which I have absolutely no desire to participate).  It is EXTREMELY humid out!  I could hardly breathe!  Additionally, my legs were doing their best impression of overcooked elbow macaroni (which some find delicious in baked macaroni and cheese, but is not so good to run on) (maybe a run-on sentence) (but I digress).

Why do they always look less steep in pictures?

This is one of the hills I ran up Saturday.  I went on to run up to Herkimer College the back way.  It is less steep than the front way but longer.  I surprised myself by making it.  However, it was fairly painful, so I made up my mind that I would not run the Falling Leaves 14K Road Race in Utica in September, which features a lot of hills.  I have always wanted to run it, and it seemed within reach this year.  And then suddenly it didn’t.  What the hell, me?

Running, a drill sergeant in Army basic training taught me, is largely a matter of distracting yourself from how much it sucks.   One of the things I do to distract myself is to figure in my head how long I will be running each week if I increase my time by ten percent (recommended by many running experts).  And I figure how long it might take me to run 5K, 14K, or 15K or whatever.  Sometimes I go backwards from the date of the run to now.  Suddenly my figuring seemed hopelessly optimistic.

As Saturday wore on, I thought perhaps I had been hasty in my decision.  After all, the registration price for Falling Leaves did not go up till midnight Sunday.  If I had a great run Sunday, I would reconsider.  I suppose it will come as a surprise to no one that Sunday’s run was no great.  Never mind.  There are 5Ks that are within my grasp!

Like this one!

Looking to the future:  I ran into a friend who did run the Boilermaker 15K, and we made plans to run it together next year!  At least, we will start together and try to meet up again at the end.  He runs much faster than I do.  Further blog posts as events warrant.

 

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Can I Rock That Run?

Posted on September 18, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I decided about twelve times today that I would or would not run the Falling Leaves 14K in Utica, NY, on Sunday.  I quite amused one of my co-workers with my dithering.  One problem I had was that I was not feeling well today.  How can I run a 14K when my legs feel like overcooked macaroni, I whined.  Another co-worker told me there was nothing wrong with me and I should run the race.  How would he know?

In any case, I knew it would be a good idea to go running after work.  For one reason, I succumbed to the temptation to eat a candy bar.  Somebody’s kid was selling them to raise money for some school thing.  One must support youth and education, after all.  I know, I could have donated the dollar and left the candy bar.  In fact, I did not eat the first candy bar I purchased but saved it in my lunch box for Steve.  Later on I got another and ate 3/5 of it (it had five little sections).

This is a long introduction to a Running Commentary post,  but that is all right, because the run was really short.  After some difficulty getting dressed (missing bicycle shorts, inadequate sports bras, you know how it goes), I set out with no great hopes of a good run.

Oh, don’t go lecturing me about how we can control our lives if we just think positively.  I have started plenty of runs with sky high hopes that ended up in the metaphorical toilet.  Likewise, I have started out grumpily and had a lovely time.  In this case, all I can say is I did my best.

I never reached the I Can Rock This stage.  However, I kept going for 22 minutes as well as my usual 10 minute cool down walk.  I am thinking this is not the run of a body that is ready for a 14K.  Of course I will feel differently on a weekend morning,  especially if I carb up and don’t tie one on the night before.  But still.  When I have run the Boilermaker 15K, my body has felt better a week before the event.  Could I be getting old? SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

Before making this post, I went on Facebook and onto the Falling Leaves page.  I have till Thursday to register online.  I could still register Saturday at the Sneaker Store in New Hartford or Sunday in Utica before the race.

Full disclosure: I looked at pictures of the starting line from previous years and wanted to cry.  Can I drive to Genesee Street, find a place to park, figure out where to go, deal with running in a crowd (although it would not take long for the crowd to leave me far behind), etc., etc.?

It is difficult to properly assess my feelings on Tired Tuesday.  Then again, are my feelings the important thing here?  I’m afraid that whatever I decide, I will wish I had gone the other way.  On the brighter side, there is always next year.  In the meantime,  I dither, I dither.

 

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