Author Archives: mohawkvalleygirl

We are unable to present our regularly scheduled blog post…

I know, what a crock. I write what I can and post something every day. I usually write at work but today was unable to manage more than a paragraph. I’ll try that one again tomorrow. Today for your delectation I will write about the run I just now got back from. Um, I have showered, for those of you who are concerned about my husband’s olfactory nerves. Oh, and I stretched, for those of you concerned about my meager muscles. Now then, where was I?

Today was the warmest day since fall. What a relief! I drove home with the window down. I had the urge to stand on the porch drinking beer like a college student. Um, I resisted that one. I ran in shorts and a t-shirt. Bliss!

It was shortly after 4 p.m. when I started. An unfortunate time as far as traffic goes. I wanted to cross German Street and run up a hill I know out Main Street (I’m not ready for the hill to Herkimer County Community College yet). There is a four-way stop, so it should be doable. Well, traffic was backed up on both sides. I know how that goes. One nice person gives you the go-ahead wave, you go ahead and the bastard going in the other direction nails you. Or at least blasts his horn at you. There is little consideration shown by some. So I kept running down German.

I turned down Washington and finally found a place to cross that street in front of the County Courthouse. I mean the newer, taller one, not the one where we went to a Historical Society presentation recently. That was the older one that Roxalana Druse and Chester Gillette were tried in. I ran by the other one. Its parking lot is across the street, and there is a sign by the crosswalk saying to stop for pedestrians. So I made bold to cross there. I suppose it is for people with courthouse business to get to their cars, not random ladies running, but nobody seemed to mind. I ran through the parking lot, just for something different. I rarely run through parking lots. I find them dangerous at the best of times.

I ran around, turning here and there, going down different streets, and was surprised to find that the blissful feeling engendered by my light running clothes did not last. In fact, running became quite effortful (as usual, my computer is telling me that is not a word, but it is what I mean so it is what I say). I continued to make the effort. Eventually I returned to German and was able to cross. I saw a bit of a hill and thought to run up it. I ended up turning, though, as I saw the sidewalk ended. I don’t mind running on the road, but prefer to choose less trafficky times to do it (another non-word according to my computer. Tough). I crossed back to my side of German almost immediately as I had a good opportunity.

Eventually I looked at my watch and saw I had nine more minutes to go to reach my target time and feared I was more than nine minutes from my house. How to get back quickest? I turned here, then there. I had to cross Main Street. Tricky! Then I saw a lady with a baby carriage in a crosswalk. They were a little ways down from me, but I was able to make it across due to the stopped cars. It sounded like somebody beeped their horn at her. At least, somebody beeped their horn. Maybe it was at me, but I don’t think I was in anybody’s way. Like I said earlier, no consideration.

I made it back home in my allotted time. Tabby and I had a leisurely walk around the block for my cool down. I stretched. I showered. I wrote this blog post. Tune in tomorrow for what I had meant to write today.

Saturday I ran after a few days not, and it was not easy. I kept myself going with the promise that I would blog about it. I really do enjoy running along and writing in my head, although the finished product is probably quite different from the mental draft.

A reader commented on a post about a couple of bad runs that completing a difficult run could be empowering. It’s true. It is often amazing to me how often that little voice in my head saying, “I can’t do this!” is wrong.

I remember once in the army a fellow soldier after falling out of a run said, “It was fall out or pass out.” I did not believe her but was tactful enough not to say so. Sometime later I sort of proved it to myself. I wanted to fall out of a run but said to myself, “Just run till you pass out.” I knew that if I passed out I would have an unassailable excuse for stopping (I just love that word, unassailable). Guess what? I didn’t pass out (I was sure you would guess). My vision didn’t even blur. I made some hideous noises breathing, but that was pretty normal for me for the time (I later found out it was Vocal Chord Dysfunction, but that’s a whole other blog post).

These memories and reflections kept me distracted and running for a good while. I enjoyed the (relatively) warm temperature and plowed through some puddles of melted snow. My feet got wet, but so what? They would dry.

I planned at least one good walk with my dog. I imagined how running would become easier and more fun, maybe even by tomorrow. I looked at my watch and tried not to be discouraged at how little time had passed. It was not until I started writing this that I realized I did not see the discarded underwear I’ve been noticing on Caroline Street. Too bad. That added a little interest to my day.

When I completed the run, I felt happy if not exactly empowered. Sunday’s run was much better. I look forward to finding out what Monday’s run will bring.