Category Archives: running commentary

It Was Fun, Eventually

Posted on June 18, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I seem to remember my Mom telling me that my Aunt Mary said she admired me, because I would work a ten-hour day, go home and run, then write a blog post about it. I worked a ten-hour day today, so I thought I would try the run and write part as well. The run went pretty well.

I decided I was going to run up the hill to Herkimer College (previously HCCC) the front way. This, for non-local readers, is a formidable hill. I try to run it at least once a week, once I get in enough shape to run it at all.

I was a little worried about my run, because I knew it was supposed to be quite warm today. However, it didn’t feel too bad as I left the house, so I started out with high hopes.

Then I put my hopes on hold, because to begin with my body was none too pleased with me. Well, I can’t help it if I haven’t been running for two days; I’ve had things to do. There are only 24 hours in a day, after all, and I insist on sleeping for as close to eight of them as I can manage. No matter. I knew if I kept running there was a good chance my body would relax into it and be fine.

First, however, it was very slow. It was taking me forever to get down German Street! Then I thought, why should that bother me? I run for a certain length of time, not a certain distance. I can run as slow as I want. As George Thorogood once said, it don’t confront me.

Soon I was running up the hill. Yes, I still call it running, even as slow and shuffly as I was going. Don’t judge. It wasn’t much fun, but I was building up my running muscles. Or perhaps merely my ability to keep going till it gets fun.

It did get fun. All along I had the certainty that I could and would keep going. You know, as opposed to my body screaming at me, “Let’s stop! Let’s walk! I want ice cream!” Then I felt reasonably content to be moving. Then I was at the “I can rock this” stage. Yes!

A woman at work was talking about all the stuff she had to do at home. I said that work was probably more rewarding than work at, you know, work. She saw my point but said running on a treadmill was not particularly rewarding. I did not tell her I never run on a treadmill, but I thought about it as I ran down Reservoir Road, admiring the scenery.

I wondered what she might say if I had told her that. Probably that she had bad knees and couldn’t run on pavement. I thought, sure, it’s bad for my knees, my feet, my back, and I don’t care! I’m going to run till something gives out! Fortunately, nothing has so far.

Then I thought, that woman was probably speaking figuratively. Her work at home is never done, so it is like running on a treadmill. What a discouraging thought, although I suppose some people like to run on a treadmill. To each his own, as the old lady said when she kissed the cow.

I ended up running for 55 minutes. I’m thinking the Boilermaker 15K might take me an hour and fifty minutes to run, assuming I take a few minutes more than the last time I ran it (after all, I was under 50 then). So I ran about half what I will run in less than a month.

I walked a full ten minutes for my cool-down. My cool-down walk has been taking less time since I lost my beloved dog. After all, I don’t need to stop and sniff anything. I’m afraid I’ll always miss my Tabby during those ten minutes. However, it does feel good for my legs to walk after running, and I can think of Tabby up in Heaven, doing cool-down walks with the angels. Do you suppose any angels run?

 

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After 15Ks I Get Beer

Posted on June 13, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Soon this blog may become All Boilermaker All The Time.  It is one month away as I write this (in a spiral-bound notebook while on break at work, just to give you a mental image if desired).

Sunday, July 12, I will run 15K with 13,999 other runners.  Then we’ll drink beer.  At least, beer will be available.  That’s not important right now.  What is important is that I ran three days in a row this week.

The last time I ran three days in a row, I declared that three times was the charm, because it was a great run.  I suppose that is the difference between running three days in a row on a three-day weekend and running three days in a row while working 8 or 9 hour days in heat.

Don’t worry; I’m not gearing up to whine and cry about my lousy run, nor even about my job or the heat.  I like my job, I can live with the heat, and it wasn’t all that lousy of a run, once I got into it.  Getting into it, however, was a little lousy.

My only plan when I started out was to run up the Herkimer College the back way and to run longer than I ran on Wednesday.  Wednesday was a purposely short run, because I had dinner plans with my spouse (ooh, I could have written a blog post about that.  Maybe tomorrow).  Additionally, I don’t know if, when and for how long I’ll be able to run today (Friday) and Saturday, so a long run would be a good idea.  However, I am not one to push myself mercilessly.  That is one way to get injured and have to stop running entirely.

A breeze was blowing when I left work, but it was sunny and warm.  I put on sunscreen and hoped I would not sweat it into my eyes as I sometimes do.  It was a little after four when I set out.  I had some difficulty crossing German Street but not enough to let me off the hook, so I was soon headed uphill.

And my body was not the least bit pleased with me. Oh, it SUCKED!  I had to ask myself, “Is this really going to make the Boilermaker suck less or am I just learning how to keep going when it sucks?”  I don’t suppose it matters;  either way will get me to the beer at the end of the race.

Soon I realized that my legs were not complaining at all.  It was my breathing that was the problem.  Pant, pant.   I don’t smoke!  I don’t have asthma!  Could my weight gain be to blame?  I concentrated on taking deep, slow breaths. Gasping for air will only make things worse.

It pretty much sucked the whole time I ran uphill, which was a while, because I continued up across the campus. Once I was on level ground, my breathing evened out.  Then my back started to hurt.  No way!  Well, I know weight can be a factor for that, so I could only regret all the ice cream.  I concentrated on running smoothly with as little bouncing as possible.  That helped.

I kept running for 52 minutes.  I thought that meant I was playing with a full deck, but perhaps I was being silly (what, me silly? Say it ain’t so!).  After the run I was exhausted.  And a little worried.  Fifty-two minutes is less than half of how long it took me to run the Boilermaker three years ago (good God, was it three years ago?  I was only in my 40s for heavens’ sake!).

However, this morning I didn’t feel too bad.  At odd times during the day I noticed my legs felt pretty spry.  Almost as if they were developing — dare I say it? — muscles.  So maybe running the Boilermaker won’t suck too bad.  And like I said, either way I get beer.

 

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I’ll Never Say No Comment

Posted on June 10, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had thought to have a Running Commentary today.  After all, I have not done one in a while.  I’m sure some readers will be interested to hear how my Boilermaker training is progressing.  Other readers may enjoy my observations of the village of Herkimer.   Still others may enjoy the smug feeling that they ran further and did not have as hard a time of it.

 

It poured rain this morning, then cleared up around lunch time.  Perhaps I could run outdoors.  A line of thunderstorms came through after lunch.  I knew I wouldn’t run in a thunderstorm, but thunderstorms never last that long.  Then I started thinking:  the rain may stop but there will still be lots of puddles.  My new running shoes are pretty.  I KNOW they will eventually get all dirty and faded, but I just can’t bear for it to be the second time I wear them.

 

Additionally, my back and my knees have been bothering me.  I know, I know,  if I lose weight that will help.  OK already!  I’ll eat more vegetables!  Running can help one lose weight as well.  I had no intention of skipping my run.  Maybe wear my old sneakers?

 

I decided to run indoors on the mini-tramp.  I could finish watching The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the silent movie on DVD I had started to watch last week when I ran in place on the mini tramp.  It would be easier on the back and knees.  And it would still count as exercise.

 

The only problem is, I don’t think it makes for as good a commentary.  On the other hand, I’m over 250 words just talking about my dithery thoughts getting to the run.  I think we’ll call that OK for a Tired Tuesday.

 

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Oh Yeah, And I Wore Blue

Posted on May 26, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am making my post late in the day on Memorial Day (although my page, for reasons best known to itself, says it is tomorrow already).  Never mind why-all I did not post earlier.  I wrote a post in my head as I went for a run.  I will attempt to recreate it now.

 

I had already intended to run every day of my three day weekend.  Then a Facebook friend posted that she and her son were running in honor of fallen soldiers under the auspices of Wear Blue Run to Remember.  You sign up on line and commit to a certain distance, one meaningful to you, and they assign you a soldier to run in honor of, if you don’t have someone in mind to run for.

 

My only problem was that I do not know how far I run.  I run for a set length of time.  It would be nice to think I was doing at least a ten minute mile, but that is by no means certain.  Additionally, I was not sure how hard core my Monday run would be.  I have not been running days in a row lately.  My body might rebel by the fourth day.

 

Finally I signed up to run two miles.  It was meaningful to me, because I learned to run in the army because of the two-mile run on the PT (Physical Training) test.  I felt a little foolish putting such a small distance, especially since my friend and her son were both doing 10 kilometers.  However, it seemed important that I actually do the distance I had committed to.  I knew I could eke out two miles, even on a very bad day.

 

My run did not start out auspiciously.  I wondered if I was having an every other day thing, because my Sunday run was terrific, my Saturday run was terrible, and I don’t remember my Friday run.  But I was running for a soldier.  I had to keep going.  I made up my mind to run up the hill to Herkimer College.  It is an impressive hill to many people.  I feel it is good to run an impressive hill when you are running in tribute.

 

I did not know which soldier I was running for.  Wear Blue had not emailed me back.  I wondered if I had made a typo when I gave them my email address.  I later found out that I had registered too late for them to assign me someone.  There were places I could go and pick someone to run for, but I did not do that.  I just ran for a soldier.

 

As I ran, I worried that the soldier I was running for might feel a little cheated, since his runner was running such a short distance and running it very slowly at that.  I pictured the soldiers up in heaven, discussing it over a beer (I don’t believe the polka that says, “In Heaven There Is No Beer”).

 

“Who’s running for you?  I got this soldier’s wife who runs marathons.  She’s doing 10K.”

 

“Cool.  I got some middle-aged lady, used to be in the army.  She’s doing two miles.  Oh well, I guess the old ladies like to feel they’re doing something for us.”

 

“Yeah, better luck next year.”

 

I made it to the top of the hill and it sure wasn’t easy.  Since I was only doing two miles, I had thought I would just go back down the back way.  But halfway up the hill I remembered the little Veteran’s Memorial Park up near the athletic fields.  I should run to that, I thought, since I am running in tribute.  Then I felt so tired I thought I wouldn’t make it.  Then I realized that I could not possibly write in a blog post that I had thought about running to the Memorial and decided not to.

 

“This is how writing a blog helps runners,” I said to myself.  I continued, utilizing the determination that had gotten me through Basic Training.

 

When I got to the Memorial, I stopped the CHRONO on my watch and walked through it.  It is a small area with trees and benches.  Marble slabs are engraved with the names of Herkimer veterans.  Some of the benches and trees have plaques saying who sponsored them.  I would like to return to the Memorial and spend a little more time, really pay my respects.  Today, however, I soon started my watch again and headed back down Reservoir Road.

 

Somewhere along the way, I realized the run had stopped sucking.  I had not noticed when that happened, but I would hazard a guess that it was about the time I started downhill.

 

For more information on Wear Blue Run to Remember, you can visit their website at www.wearblueruntoremember.org.  They also have a Facebook page.

 

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Not a Lame Run After All

Posted on May 23, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a long run this afternoon, so I thought I would do a Running Commentary instead of my usual Friday Lame Post.  However, it is Friday and I am feeling a little, well, lame.  I will begin typing and see what comes out.

 

It was cooler today than it has been but the sun was bright.   Good running weather, I told myself.  I had gone two days without running, instead of the three which I made a note to myself not to do again.  I feel I must make another note to don’t wait two days either.

 

As soon as I started running my body started complaining.  Oh come on, I thought.  It’s only been two days!  And we took a walk yesterday!  Maybe I would warm up as I went.  My plan was to do a long, challenging run.  Then I could do a lesser run tomorrow, when I have plans for later in the day.  Up the hill to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) would be good, I thought.  Back way or front way would do.

 

Before I had gone two blocks I was thinking I would cut myself a break.  A short run, any run, just run.  Traffic was heavy enough that I thought I might not be able to cross German Street.  Then I would be off the hook.  I found a time to cross.

 

I decided to go up to HCCC the front way.  It’s steeper than the back way but shorter.  This run was really sucking.  I reminded myself that once I started up a hill there was no question that I would make it, the only question was how much it would suck.  Will going up this hill ever stop sucking?  I usually walk up the stairs at work.  That never seems to get easier either.

 

I tried to comfort myself by thinking how bad-ass I would be running the Boilermaker 15K.   If somebody asked me if I was running the 5K, I could say, “Huh.  I could run a 5K backwards.”  Then I wondered if that was true.  Maybe if I made that (admittedly obnoxious) boast, somebody would make a bet with me.  I’d say, “Fine, you run the 5K with me frontwards and make sure I don’t bang into anything.”  When I ran the DARE 5K last year,  which goes up the very hill I was on, a lady told me it was easier to go uphill backwards.  I tried it.

 

Then I remembered some running advice another soldier gave me.  When you feel you can’t run any more, run silly.  I swung one leg in front of the other, swinging my arms wildly to keep my balance.  Then I turned sideways and did the grapevine.  I would keep that trick in mind for future use.  Perhaps I could share it with other runners during the Boilermaker.

 

When I got to the top of the hill I did not continue up onto the campus but headed right to the back way to go down.  I was feeling better about the run, but this was cut myself a break day after all.  I hesitated again at Reservoir Road but downhill won.  I was about 20 minutes into the run.  Would I make it for 48 (the length of my longest run so far)?  I would see.

 

As  I headed toward the traffic light on German Street, I realized I had reached the coveted I Can Rock This stage of the run.  I don’t think I had endorphins, but  I was not feeling too bad.  My leg muscles were warm and supple.  I could run for 48 minutes.  This was going to be all right.

 

The feeling did not last.   I had headed away from my street.  Now I headed back toward the street.  I didn’t care if it was 48 minutes.  As I got closer to home, I felt a little better.  I was perhaps not rocking it as well as the first time I reached the I Can Rock This Stage, but I found that I could keep going after all.

 

By going past my house and around the block next to mine, I made it to 48 minutes.  My schnoodle, Tabby, graciously walked around our block with me to cool down.  I felt pretty happy that I ran.  I’ll run again tomorrow.  No more two days off!

 

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Just Stop the Stitch!

Posted on May 20, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

There was a moment in my run this afternoon when I thought to myself, “I don’t care if I don’t get any endorphins, as long as that stitch doesn’t come back!”

 

It was a long run.  Not as long as my longest run so far, but long enough.  I ran hills.  Not the hill up to Herkimer College, but a couple of very long hills in a residential area near the college (I usually refer to it as the suburbs, but I know that is not accurate).  I was running slowly but with determination.  I felt pleased with myself to be going uphill for such a long period of time.  This was great preparation for the Boilermaker!

 

And then the stitch started.  It was sharp. It was painful.  Oh dear.  I took deep breaths and stretched my arms over my head.  Stretch, breath, repeat.  It did not help.  Was that a rumble of thunder in the distance?  Was I about to get poured on?  I had a vision of a kind motorist stopping for a drenched runner to offer a ride home, because of the thunder and lightning.  There was very little traffic, so I knew that was a remote chance.  I did not hear the thunder again, if it was even thunder to begin with.  It did not rain.

 

Eventually I was running downhill.  This was not horrible.  Miraculously, the stitch went away.  Oh, the dear sweet sensation of NOT being in pain.  Who needed endorphins? I had lost the stitch.

 

I avoided hills for the rest of the run.  I never did get any endorphins, but I reached the coveted “I Can Rock This” stage.  It did not last, but no matter.  I ran.  I SHALL be prepared for the Boilermaker.

 

Note: in this blog, when I say “Boilermaker,” I mean the Boilermaker 15K.  I find it too cluttered to specify the 15K every time I mention it.

 

I realize that this is much shorter than my usual Running Commentary posts.  I was noticing stuff as I ran and as usual narrating in my head, but now I just can’t seem to type in any of the good stuff.  All I can say is, it’s Tired Tuesday.  I managed to run, I managed a post.  I’m done.  Thank you for reading.

 

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Spoiler Alert: I Get Endorphins!

Posted on May 18, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I would avoid Wrist to Forehead Sunday with a Running Commentary.  For one reason, I had a GOOD run this morning!  After all those whiny posts about how much my legs hurt and I wanted to stop (but kept going), I thought it might be nice to write about a run I enjoyed.

 

I was not sure I would even be able to run this morning.  We were out much later than usual last night, having a marvelous time.  Then I could not sleep when I finally closed my book (hey, the Earl of Essex was about to get into BIG trouble with Queen Elizabeth, these things are hard to put down).  However, I knew I would be glad I did it, so I got myself dressed and out the door before I had a chance to talk myself out of it.

 

Wanting to run uphill but tired of going up to the college, I headed for Steuben Road.  That road goes up for quite a ways, then another road takes you back down, making kind of a V.  I could not remember how long it was before you get to the V but seemed to think it was a ways.  No matter.  If I felt I was going too long, I could always turn around and run back down the way I came.  It’s not my favorite way to run, but it’ll do in a pinch.

 

Up, up I went.  Almost no traffic prior to 7 a.m. on a Sunday.  I like that, especially since the shoulder on that road is not as wide as the one on Lou Ambers drive.  One stretch was all woods on either side of me. I’ve seen deer there, so I kept looking.  Of course, I’ve also seen deer in front yards right down in the village proper, so seeing wildlife is always a possibility on my runs.  None greeted me today, though, so I enjoyed the sights of trees, a little stream, and houses when I saw them.

 

The run was not going badly.  I didn’t feel awful.  I didn’t even mind going uphill.  Of course I wasn’t going very fast.  I never go very fast.  And time was not passing too slowly.  I kept calculating in my head how long I should run uphill for, so as not to make my total run time too long.  I want to improve, but doing too much too soon is a mistake.

 

I reached the turn pretty easily.  Perhaps I am more along in my training than I had thought. I even ran by the first turn, the one that really makes a V and on to the next left, which I knew would also take me where I wanted to go.

 

Some of these houses are very nice.  I saw some porches that just cried out to be sat on.  Of course I did not stop and sit.  I may do that on my own front porch or back deck later, glass of wine or beer optional.  I noticed a classic sports car that needed work.  I could not tell what it was (I don’t really know from cars), but I placed it in the ’60s by the lines.  Maybe ’70s.  My dad restores old cars.  He’s worked on some real beauties.

 

Soon I was back down on German Street.  Instead of heading for home, I crossed the street and ran down Lansing.  I would run around some neighborhood streets, to make it a nice, long run.  My last longest run so far this year had been 46 minutes.  I thought I ought to at least equal that.  Since that had increased my run time for more than the recommended 10 percent, I did not feel that I needed to go 10 percent more than 46 minutes, but a little more than 46 would be OK.  I guess my training schedule is not scientifically planned.  What do you want from me anyways?

 

I was seven or eight minutes away from my house when it happened.  I started to feel terrific!  This was awesome!  I LOVE running!  I wanted to put my hands up in the air and shout.  I realized that at long last I had gotten some of those endorphins.  This was GREAT!  Would I get endorphins every time I ran this long?  How cool would that be?  Would I get endorphins while I was running the Boilermaker?  If I did, I would probably go ahead and put my hands up in the air and shout.  After all, why not provide a little more entertainment for my fellow runners?

 

My run ended up lasting for 48 minutes.  My euphoria lasted all during my cool-down walk with Tabby.  Ooh, I was so happy with myself.  I even felt optimistic about working on my novel. In fact, I have worked on my novel.

 

Sorry to inject a slightly down note, but I’d just like to mention:  I stated in a comment once that writing is SO much easier than running.  It turns out I meant blog posts, not novels.  It is much easier to run than to write novels.  However, it is easier to write blog posts than to run.  Just saying.  I intend to keep doing all three.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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Is the Blog Post as Bad as the Run?

Posted on May 15, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

When I start to run up a hill, I almost never have any doubt that I will make it to the top; it is merely a question of how much it is going to suck.  I said this to myself this afternoon as I ran up the hill to Herkimer College (often referred to as HCCC in this blog) (incidentally, that is read, “H-triple-C”).  Then I tried to calculate exactly how much it actually sucked.  How are these things measured, anyways?

 

Of course no run, however bad, entirely sucks.  For one reason, you are doing it.  The satisfaction of Running Anyways is not to be denied.  When one is working towards a goal — in my case, the Boilermaker 15K — one can also comfort oneself that one is making progress.  When I run up the hill to Hekimer College, another reward is the wonderful views when I get to the top.

 

One plan I had considered for this week was to run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  As may have been expected, I wussed out on Wednesday.  I would accept no excuses from myself today (to give myself some credit, I did not even try to come up with any).  Since I had not run Wednesday and since I am having serious doubts of my ability to run the Boilermaker and not have it suck (see first paragraph), I thought I should run a longish run and include hills.

 

After considering and discarding several routes, I turned up Lou Ambers Drive and headed for the college.  It was not fun.  I wondered if I would ever reach the I Can Rock This stage again.  But I kept going.  Once I got to campus I kept going uphill, by the buildings and around the athletic fields.  Oh, it took a long time.  To be fair, it did not suck the whole time.  It never felt wonderful, but at certain times it was… neutral.

 

At last I was headed down Reservoir Road.  Downhill did not feel as good as it usually does.  For one reason, I worked on my feet all day today.  For another reason, I REALLY need to get to the Sneaker Store in New Hartford, NY, and get new running shoes.  Never mind, I told myself.  Just make up your mind to it your feet are going to hurt ALL THE TIME and don’t worry about it.  I looked around at the distant views and the closer scenery to take my mind off it.  That helped.

 

My previous longest run time had been 41 minutes (I may have said 40 in an earlier blog post, but I checked my running journal and it’s 41).  It was soon apparent I would not get back home in that length of time.   I feared I would be increasing my time by longer than the recommended 10 percent.  I felt that would be OK, because I’m training for the Boilermaker.  I have to get used to running for long periods of time.

 

I ended up running for 46 minutes.  I did not feel pretty terrific, as I often do after a run.  I felt, and still feel tired.  I thought I was too tired to write a blog post.  It seems I was not.  Was I too tired to write a good blog post?  Oh, who cares?  It’s Non-Sequitur Thursday.  Slap on a title and call it a night.

 

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Not the Least Bit Like a Gazelle

Posted on May 13, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

There was a moment at work today when I WANTED to run.  My legs just asked to start moving.  Walking would not do.  Stretching would not help.  I wanted to run.  I had no doubt that if I could have gone out the door and started moving, I would have loped along like a gazelle.  Of course I was at work and able to do no such thing, so my theory remained untested.

 

I knew, even at the time, that I would not feel like running by the time I got home.  For one reason, my husband would be home and I like to spend time with my husband.  Well, maybe it would be raining.  Then I could run on the mini-tramp and chat with him while I did.  It stopped raining. I called and left a message on the answering machine, asking that coffee be available when I arrived.  Maybe that would help.

 

As I left work, the cooler temperature and breeze seemed good running weather.  I felt it would be wicked to waste it.  Steven had a fresh pot of coffee waiting.  A cup of coffee before running is often helpful. I’ve read that the caffeine helps you burn more calories.  I talked myself back into running as I sipped.

 

One thing was in my favor, if I really wanted to wimp out.  It looked as if it was going to rain again.  I could run till it started to rain too hard or until I heard thunder.  Some hard-ass might expect me to run in the pouring rain (and be disappointed), but nobody reasonable thinks you should run in lightning.

 

When I got started, I found that my pace was a good deal less gazelle-like than it had been in my head at work.  It was slower and a lot more jouncy (well, will you look at that? My computer seems to think jouncy is a word).  Well, I did not need to run for a long time and I certainly did not need to run any faster.  I just needed to keep going… for a while.

 

I decided it would be OK to not run any hills.  I intend to run at least two more times this week.  One or both of those runs could feature hills.  The purpose of this run was just to not have three days in a row of not running (as I wrote in a note to myself as part of an earlier blog post).

 

Up German Street I went.  I say “up” because there is a small upgrade.  It is more pronounced on the other side of the street, but I did not see an opportunity amidst late afternoon Herkimer traffic to cross the street.  I got all the way to the end of German and hooked around to go back Church Street.  I did not want to get too far from home, in case of rain.  The clouds did not look particularly threatening at that time, but as Fats Waller said, one never knows, do one?

 

I encountered a few cars at 4-way stops who nicely waved me on.  I yelled, “Thank you,” which I hope they heard through their open windows.  How far should I go?  To Main Street?  There were often people on Main Street.  I was feeling self-conscious.  Maybe cross Main Street?  At Prospect, I decided if I saw cars I would not cross but turn and run south.  That would bring me near Meyers Park, one of my favorite places to run through.  There was traffic.  I like it when fate decides my runs.

 

Before reaching Park Avenue, which of course leads to the park, I came to the last block of Bellinger Avenue, which is a one way street.  I like to enter at the “Do Not Enter” sign.  I’m that way.  I decided to run down Bellinger Avenue, then around the perimeter of the park, then maybe through the park, back to Park Avenue and all the way to the other end of that.

 

I should perhaps mention that this whole time my body felt SO TIRED!  My feet hurt.  My knees hurt.  My lungs simply did not feel like breathing (obviously they did breathe, since I am not dead).  Oh, whatever would I do?  What I really wanted to do was run to the park then home by the quickest route.  Maybe not even as far as the park.  I made the longer plan because I really thought it would be a good idea if I ran further.

 

As I ran in the park, I noticed the clouds moving away and blue sky above.  As I left the park the sun was out, dark clouds to the side but moving away.  I always like the bright sunlight against the dark clouds.  I started down Park Avenue.

 

I ended up running 34 minutes.  As usual I felt terrific as I walked my cool-down with Tabby.  It may, perhaps, have been better for my Boilermaker ambitions if I had run further and included hills.  For my weight-loss goals, I think this was pretty good.  For blog post purposes, I shall let you, my dear reader, decide.

 

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Salsa Dancing Next?

Posted on May 9, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

This time I went two days without running instead of three.   Oh, go ahead and judge.  Shake your head or your finger at me.  Better yet, shake a pair of maracas, let’s salsa dance (pause while I get up from the computer and do a little dance)  (I didn’t really do a little dance; I got my dictionary to look up how to spell maracas).

 

I got out of bed this morning and straight into my running clothes and outside.  It was prior to 6 a.m. but the sun was already up.  The temperature was just right.  How pleasant it is to run without my hands getting numb.  I worked up a sweat as I went along, but that’s OK too.  For one reason, it is nice to sweat for exertion and not because your place of employment is too damn hot (I said “too damn hot” to quote Cole Porter).

 

I had made up my mind to not run any hills and possibly do a shorter run, because Steven has the day off.  My beloved husband, in case you did not know, works retail hours.  This is only his second Saturday off all year.  It is kind of a big deal to me to have a day off with my husband.  I do not want to waste it being wiped out by too strenuous  a run.

 

Still, as I ran I remembered Wine Tasting Day last month.  I ended up running the same length of time as my then longest run, and I felt terrific all day.  So I did not rule out a longish run.  But hills were out of the question (I didn’t run any hills Wine Tasting Day either).

 

My legs were not happy with me.  They have felt macaroni-ish all week long, not for any good reason most of the time.  I tried to ignore them and hoped they would get used to it.  They would stop complaining for a while then start up again, pretty much all through the run.  Well, I can’t worry about my body’s petty complaints. I have a Boilermaker to train for.

 

I crossed German Street, thankful for the early morning lack of traffic, and headed for Main.  I thought I would run down the nice path over what used to be a hydraulic canal.  It is a pleasant little path, especially now that the trees are getting leaves.

 

I observed many trees in various stages of growing leaves.  I especially like the ones with flowers.  When I was younger I had the idea that I would get married in an apple orchard at the exact moment when they were in full bloom.  I suppose the timing would have been tricky, but I was a romantic adolescent.  By the time I actually got engaged (which by itself came as a surprise to many), I wanted a fall wedding.  And an indoor wedding, because you can’t count on the weather.  However, I don’t rule out renewing my vows one year in an orchard of dead trees (now that I am a macabre middle-aged lady).

 

I ended up running 40 minutes, the same length as my last run.  It was actually a little over 40.  I had stopped once to pet a nice dog of my acquaintance, so I ran for a little longer than 40 and called it 40.  I don’t care if stopping is bad for training purposes.  I like to pet a nice dog.

 

I feel pretty good about my run, and pretty good that I have a whole day of adventure still ahead of me.  Hope you all have a lovely Saturday.

 

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