Tag Archives: running commentary

Ready for the Reindeer Run?

Posted on December 9, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went running in the cold yesterday, thinking to make a Running Commentary Post, but then, well, got distracted.  This morning I realized, it is just about time to make this blog All Reindeer Run 5K All The Time.  The big race is THIS SATURDAY!  Am I ready?  I guess I have to be.

One of my all-time favorite pictures.

This was taken before the race in 2017.  I will probably wear that same T-shirt but do not know where my Santa hat is.  I suppose I could pick up another one at a dollar store, but I have another alternative in mind.

I was pretty proud of myself at the time.

In 2018 I visited a dollar store before the race and picked up the garland and bells to enhance my ensemble.  The hat was enhanced with a few things I had around the house.  I happen to know where the hat is but would need to search for the bells and garland.  A co-worker urged me not to wear the bells, saying it would drive my fellow runners crazy.  I argued that it would encourage them to run faster.  In fact, most of them run faster than me with no encouragement on my part.

Wardrobe suggestion for after the race.

Rather than share another race photo, I offer this from December 2016.  I still have the gold lame top.  I have the high-heeled boots, too, but question my ability to walk very far in them.  Some people would say, suffer to be beautiful.  I don’t know that I will dress up and go out after the run, having few places to go and nobody anxious to accompany me.  Then again, I am not shy about going places alone.  I usually find somebody to talk to, and it often makes a good blog post.

In the meantime, I have reached 300 words on this topic.  Score!  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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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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Alas, Another Tired Tuesday Post

Posted on July 9, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear.  I am as dreadfully overheated as I was yesterday, and I only feel up to a Tired Tuesday blog post.  I don’t have much to blog about anyways; I have done very little with my Tuesday. There was a moment as I was driving towards the grocery store when I felt an impulse to drive someplace more interesting, Little Falls Food Co-op, for example, but I couldn’t quite think what I might buy there.  I had rehearsal for Four Old Broads on the High Seas, but I need to sort through some pictures before I make another post about that (preview of coming attractions).

The Brain I Don’t Have.

I quick threw in a picture to pep things up.  This, of course, is The Brain from Planet Arous.  Looking through my Media Library distracted me from continuing the list of things I was NOT going to make a blog post about.  I once had a college professor get all mad at me because I spent a lot of a paper saying what I wasn’t going to get into about the topic at hand.  I don’t know what he wanted in a two page paper.  Anyways, he still gave me an A.  No wonder I got an exaggerated notion of myself as a writer.

For the record, I no longer have that exaggerated notion.  I am a writer who does not write enough. I keep hoping to change that.  I’ll let you know if I ever succeed.

 

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Post Pride Stride Post

Posted on June 14, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well I am home from running the Pride Stride 5K in Little Falls, NY. In all, I feel I did not acquit myself too badly.  Of course, as regular readers know, what I do is called running only by the most generous definition of the term. Then again, I think it is good to be generous.

Who couldn’t be proud of this outfit?

As usual the most stressful part was getting there.  I got out of bed betimes, had coffee, made sure I ate with plenty of time for my nutritious breakfast to digest.  The second most stressful part was waiting for the race to start, especially when my carefully planned nutritious breakfast began to unsettle my stomach.  Luckily that passed.  I had some delightful conversations with the other runners prior to starting.  I was only disappointed there were not more of them.  I commiserated with one of the organizers about this.

Once we got started, the stressful part was worrying if I would get lost, especially when almost everybody went WAY ahead of me.  I managed to keep two runners in sight: a guy in a pink unicorn outfit (wish I had a picture of that!) and a lady with a better rainbow skirt than mine. I was a little worried about losing them till after the half-way point.  I managed to catch up and, miracle of miracles passed them!  I think the fellow in the unicorn outfit was finding it awkward to run.  It was one of those blow-up kind of suits.

I had to turn around a few times and ask them, “Which way?”  Then the pace car came back and led me to the finish line.  I finished strong! At least for me.  I cheered for everyone coming in behind me.  I couldn’t believe there WERE people behind me!  Unfortunately, race endorphins do not last long.  I drove home subject to a case of Post Race Letdown.

This is actually a photo I was saving for Waste Not Want Not Wednesday.

Who me, drown my sorrows?  Actually, I may have a glass of wine with friends later, but I do not plan to tie one on.  I took the above picture, because I liked the Art Deco bottle.  I share it now, because I have not found another opportunity to use it.  Incidentally, my post race letdown is passing and I am wondering with what I should challenge myself next.  Will it make a good blog post?  If so, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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I Do Run On

Posted on June 11, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

How did it get to be Tuesday already?  I thought it was still the weekend.  No, no, I remember that yesterday was Monday, because I thought I could take a half hour or so to listen to Phil Arcuri at the Herkimer Downtown Chowdown.  I had to cover a Village Board Meeting in Ilion at 5:30 so couldn’t stay longer, but at least a little Phil would be great, and I could make a blog post after the meeting.

Well, um, no.  Apparently they cancelled the Chowdown.  They posted it on Facebook, but I missed it.  Rats!  And I had done very little else during the rest of the day. Now Tuesday afternoon is waning and I have again done very little.  I did run on Monday.  It was not much of a run, but any run is a good run to have done.  Today it was raining in the morning, and I was busy writing up the meeting I went to yesterday.

Feet don’t fail me now!

This is about the time my blog should be turning to All Pride Stride 5K All The Time.  I have three days before the big day!  Ideally I will go for a long run tomorrow, at least three miles.  However, I think it is supposed to rain.  I ran three miles in the rain at least once.  I can do it again.  No promises if there is thunder.

In the meantime, I have at least babbled on for over 200 words of another placeholder post.  I shall feel free to continue to call myself a blogger.  The Pride Stride 5K, incidentally, is part of the Little Falls Pride Celebration.  Many activities are planned for Saturday, June 14 in Little Falls, NY. For more information, you can check out their Facebook page.

 

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Even Blogging Is Getting Harder!

Posted on May 29, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

What a wasted week I am having!  Tuesday I ran two miles, thinking I could make a Two-Mile Tuesday post.  I had pictures on my phone, which I transferred to my Media Library, thinking to do a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post.  I spent at least some time each of those days staring at the blank Add Post page on my WordPress site.  Alas, to no avail. In fact, I experienced great resistance to logging on today, Thursday.  By the way, I ran three miles, wanting to have another Three-Mile Thursday, like I did last week.

I swear it was steeper when I was on it.

This is one of the hills I ran up on my run this morning.  It doesn’t look very impressive, does it?  I ran up a steeper hill next, which I do not have a picture of.  That hill continued up to Herkimer College, by some dorms in what I call the Kick Butt way to the college, because there are like three steep hills with flat(ish) spaces between.  Ahem, I did not run up to the college.  I made it up one stretch of steep then turned around and ran back down.  Later I ran up a couple more uphills.  I tell you, they do not get any easier.

Random picture, just to show something cheery before I start whining.

I learned to run in the Army, and I loved it, because it seemed that I just magically got better at it.  All I had to do was do it.  It was awesome!  Since the army, I have stopped and re-started running many times, usually because weather or work schedules made it difficult and I am notoriously lazy.  Each time I restarted, I found I was able to build myself back up to where I had left off with little or no problem.  I will admit that at no time have I ever run particularly fast.  Still, I was able to run the Boilermaker 15K several times (not in a row).

Until this year.  I decided early on not to try for the Boilermaker, but I am signed up to run the Pride Stride 5K in Little Falls, NY on June 14.  Why oh why, do my legs feel like overcooked macaroni?

Me before the Pride Stride in 2021.

Don’t mind my Old Age Existential Angst.  I really do not mind being your friendly neighborhood crazy old lady.  I only get a little disconcerted when my body behaves in what I consider a perverse, contrary fashion.  For example, if I am running on a regular basis, I feel I ought to be able TO run on a regular basis, and none of this complaining from my legs and lungs that, “We’re not going to maaaaake it!” (said in a pathetically whiny tone).  Or at least a little less complaining.

In the meantime, I see I have done plenty of complaining in this blog post, and it has run longer than my usual posts.  Considering I missed two days of posting, I think that that is not bad.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Tired Tuesday During Dateline

Posted on April 16, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

The quest to be a daily blogger continues with numerous setbacks.  Yes, I missed making a post on Monday and am here with little to say on Tuesday.  I just can’t get myself out to do things to blog about.  I have gone running for the past two days, with a fairly amusing narration in my head, so I could have done Running Commentaries.  I had another rehearsal for Recipe for Murder Royale, the murder mystery we are doing for Salisbury Grange and Herkimer County Historical Society, but once again neglected to take pictures.  And that’s about it.  Oh, I went to a meeting of the Village of Ilion Board of Trustees, to cover it for Sentinel Media.

Right now I am lounged on my couch, half looking at a very interesting episode of Dateline on Roku TV.  I am disappointed I did not catch it from the beginning, but perhaps it will come my way again.  I like to watch the Roku channel that is All Dateline All The Time. True crime is my life!

I love Dateline.

I just took a long time to find that illustration in my Media Library.  I keep thinking I am going to make an index of everything that I have in my Media Library, but it seems a daunting task.  Then again, I am daunted by many potential tasks these days.  I must do something about myself.

In the meantime, I am over 200 words.  I shall call this a Tired Tuesday Post and drive on.  I suspect I have already used the headline “Tired Tuesday During Dateline,” but these things happen. I continue to strive for a better blog post, and once again I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Another Placeholder Post

Posted on May 19, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Once again I am running out of morning in which to make yesterday’s blog post.  And I have very little brain to work with.  How is my brain vanishing so quickly and thoroughly?  I am not that old, and any evidence of senility or dementia can be explained away with, “Oh, everybody does that sometimes,” or, “Hell, I’ve been doing that for years.”  Now I am fighting the dreaded type-it-in-backspace-it-out disease.

I went running both yesterday and today, so I could make a Running Commentary post, couldn’t I?  You would think so, wouldn’t you?

Not where I ran.

I also had a delightful lunch at Salvatore’s in Herkimer, NY yesterday.  That would make a nice blog post, too. Oh dear, am I doing another post about Why I Can’t Make a Blog Post?  I think I have to blame it on my sinuses.  Allergy season is kicking my butt, as it seems to do with increasing violence each year.  I do not have a sinus headache, which I am quite grateful for, but I have that lightheaded feeling which makes doing anything difficult.

THERE’S that brain!

I was looking for a picture of flowers to brighten up the post when I found the Brain from the Planet Arous, which regular readers know I like to show when I am feeling particularly brain dead (yes, yes, I know that is most of the time lately), only I can never find it.  In fact, this is what I was looking for when I saw the picture of Salvatore’s and decided to mention my lunch with friends.

And here are some flowers.

These flowers have been coming up every year since I planted them, which is nice.  Other things I have planted have been less successful, although the Black-Eyed Susans usually go great guns.  Once again, I fear my blog post is merely a placeholder.  I hope a placeholder post (should I add that as a category?) is better than none.

 

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A Couple of Pictures, Not Much of a Post

Posted on October 12, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

Once again I have left it till too late in the evening to make a proper blog post.  Oh, wait, it is Tired Tuesday!   I am inadvertently appropriate.  What is my excuse the rest of the time, you may ask. I will explain: shut up (with thanks to S. J. Perelman) (look him up) (or just wonder).

Where was I?  Ah yes, tired Tuesday.  My original plan was to go running and make a Running Commentary Post, using for illustration two pictures I took on Sunday’s cool down walk.  I felt too tired to run (what a surprise) but managed a walk, thinking to make a Pedestrian Post .  I took pictures on the walk and had some interesting narration in my head.  But it is too long, which may be surprising for a 20 minute walk but not when you remember how much I like to talk.

I don’t know that I really captured the light.

I cut to the chase with the first picture from Sunday.  I was struck by how the sun seemed to zero in on that one patch of color.

More than just a patch!

Walking up a dead end street, I found some more color.  I spend a lot of time during the fall just staring at the trees knowing the beauty will not last.

I see professional and amateur photographers sharing their work on Facebook, and, yes, it is much better than mine.  But I make bold to share my little contribution and hope you are all enjoying the season.

 

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Lamest Fast Words

Posted on June 4, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

You know, like Famous Last Words. I may have used that title before. I could go back and check, but my Tablet is so slow and I am so lazy. Actually, lazy would make a slow Tablet OK, because I would be just sitting here waiting. As Inigo Montoya said, I hate waiting.

Where was I? Ah yes, making a late Lame Post Friday post. A nice reader commented that she enjoyed Lame Post Friday, then I inconsiderately did not make one the following week. Or was it two weeks? See above paragraph about going back and checking.

I got up earlier than I meant to (stupid insomnia), got dressed to go running, but walked instead. I apparently did something bad to my hip on last Saturday’s run. We may not see another Running Commentary Post for a while.

As I type lame words (pecking one letter at a time with the stylus, as you may have guessed since I mentioned the Tablet), I contemplate my Saturday. Will it be filled with Mohawk Valley Adventures? Will I blog about them? Will pictures be included? A little suspense adds interest to my morning.

I am feeling mildly pleased with myself, because I have posted every day since, correct me if I am wrong, Monday. Were they good posts? Let us not ask for miracles, but thank you for tuning in.

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