Category Archives: running

Oh, Those Endorphins!

Posted on July 5, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’ve been trying all day to think of something profound to say about the 4th of July (don’t feel right calling it Independence Day after that dumb movie) (oh, it was entertaining enough,don’t hate on me if it’s your favorite piece of cinema; let’s not get distracted by what was only a  parenthetical comment after all).  And now I realize that because of the weird time setting on my WordPress page, it is now the fifth of July.  I can do up a quick Running Commentary on this morning’s jaunt  and hit Publish in time to get to the cookout at my sister’s house.

I hadn’t even meant to do a running commentary, although it would be appropriate for me to go All Boilermaker All The Time at this point.  After all, the race is one week from tomorrow.  I need to start hydrating and obsessing or I’ll never be ready.  That said, I kind of think I am ready.  I’m just afraid to say it too loudly and jinx myself (perhaps I should have put it in a parenthetical comment).

Be all that as it may, I missed my run yesterday due to a dreadful headache and bad reaction to the drugs that were supposed to help.  I got up at 3:30 this morning, because of my husband’s work. I figured  I could hydrate and perhaps have a little something to eat, then run at twenty after six, when he left for work.  I drank water.  I ate a piece of whole wheat toast with cottage cheese.  This was going to be great.

It was  actually 6:25 when I set out.  I had dithered when deciding which way to go.  I wanted hills, but which ones?  Main Street?  Steuben?  Up to the college?  When I had asked Steven  earlier, he didn’t know what to tell me so finally said, “Run in the suburbs.”  For those just tuning in, the suburbs is what I call a residential area beyond Valley Health Services.  They have some pretty good hills there.

So up the hill by Valley Health I went. Only I didn’t feel like running the same route I ran last time.  I wanted something different, so I took a different turn.  Hmm, that was no hill.  I kept running, looking for a hill I hadn’t run.  Soon I found myself near Lou Ambers Drive.  Oh, to heck with it.  I went to Lou Ambers and on up to Herkimer College.

I forgot to mention that I was running with a bottle of water in my hand.  I had debated whether or not to do this (so many decisions for one run!).  After all, I wasn’t sure how long I would run for.  I don’t need water for anything under 40 minutes.  Additionally, I was running in the general vicinity of the spring.  I could stop and catch a sip there.  Then again, after yesterday’s headache, I really wanted to stay hydrated.  A final factor was that it was cooler out than it had been.  Who wants to stick their hands in the cold spring water when it’s only 45 degrees out?

I don’t know that it was actually 45 degrees out, but it was cool enough that the hand holding the bottle was damn uncomfortable.  Well, one must put up with these things.  It was nice to take the occasional sip.  As I ran up and around the campus, I paid attention to the water level, planning to run to the spring for a re-fill.  Or should I skip the re-fill and just run home?  Did I really need more water?  If dithering burned calories, I would have no weight problems whatsoever.

This whole time I was debating how long to run for.  I had run an hour and twenty minutes at my last long run a week ago.  I was considering doing an hour an a half as my last long run before the Boilermaker.  Could I make that?  Of course I could, but did I want to?  How tired would I be as the day wore on?  Would my muscles be sore?  My knees?   I repeat my observation about dithering and calories.

I refilled the water and tried to talk myself into an hour and a half.  I could do it.  I would do it.  As I continued to run, I realized just one little problem with staying completely hydrated on a long run.  I had to pee.  Oh dear.  Maybe if I stopped drinking more water and kept running I could sweat it out.

Astute readers will may noticed that I have yet to mention my legs complaining or  my breathing being a problem.  Well, that was the truly delightful thing about the run.  I started out feeling a little grumpy, wondering what had possessed me to register for a 15K and promising myself I would never have to do it again.  I was soon pumping along with almost no problem.   Of course going uphill was still an effort.  I did not mind it being an effort.  At one point I met two women running in the opposite direction.

“Isn’t this GREAT?” I called to them.

One laughed and the other said, “Yes, it is!”

I don’t suppose I need to tell you that I did make it for an hour and a half.  My bladder even cooperated, although after a ten-minute cool-down walk I was JUST in time to the bathroom (sorry if that gave you an unfortunate mental image).

And now I see I have written quite a long blog post about it.  Sorry if I rambled on.  Now I must hurry and get ready for the cook-out.  After all, it’s still the 4th here.   Hope you’re enjoying yours.

 

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Running with a Full Deck?

Posted on July 2, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today I am going to do a real Running Commentary.  The Boilermaker is only a week and three days away (counting today which, since I already ran is kind of already past) (let’s say nine more chances to run before the Boilermaker.  Only nine?  Yikes!).

I took yesterday off from running.  There were thunderstorms, so running outside was not a good idea.  I thought maybe a bout on the mini-tramp, but, oh well, never got around to it.  This morning I was happy to see that it was not raining.  Steven had to be up at five.  I got up, into running clothes and set out.

I had it in my head to not run any hills.  A good fairly flat run at an early hour for me is to run to the Erie Canal Trail, follow the trail to the South Washington Bridge, then go home from there, directly or not as the spirit moves me.  Being July 2  (I started to type “June” silly me), the sun was up, although it was cloudy.  Very pleasant running conditions, I thought.

I  soon found it was also humid, but the occasional breeze relieved that.  I could rock this.  The other day on Facebook, I posted that my runs go like this: This sucks, what am I thinking?  This sucks marginally less.  This doesn’t suck.  This is all right.  I can rock this. Yes, I needed this.  This is AWESOME!  I LOVE to run!  I can run for DAYS!  The cycle repeats itself on longer runs.

Thinking about it now, I see that I sometimes skip steps.  For example, this morning I started out with “this is all right” and quickly moved to “I can rock this.”  I pretty much went back and forth between those stages. Note to self:  apparently one day off is OK, don’t make it more.  In fact, I may not take any more days off between now and the Boilermaker.  We’ll see.

As I ran down Mohawk Street towards the Canal Trail, I saw some artificial flowers in the road.   I supposed somebody had dropped them.  They looked pristine but would no doubt soon be run over and wrecked.   What a waste!  I could use those flowers!  A big old truck was  approaching on the opposite side of the street.  Oh, he wouldn’t hit me.  I sprinted out and grabbed the flowers.

It was a red, white and blue bunch from one of the dollar stores.  The price tag was still on it.  I wondered if I looked silly running along carrying a patriotic bouquet.  Perhaps I merely looked, you know, patriotic.  At least it didn’t weigh very much.

Soon I was on the canal trail.  Nice.  I liked looking at the canal.  It was still.  In California I sometimes ran on a path near the ocean.  I could see water crashing against the rocks.  I had the fanciful thought that the water was releasing energy that would magically travel through the air and energize me.  Do I hear unkind laughter?  Perhaps I should not share my fanciful thoughts, although this one did help me run in California.  Now I looked at the calm canal and realized no energy would be forthcoming.  I thought perhaps the peacefulness could sooth my mind.  A calm mind can help you run.

My run lasted for 52 minutes.  I like that number, because it means I am  playing with a full deck (cue jokes about other indications that I am not).  My legs felt pretty good, my lungs were fine, my feet weren’t too bad.  My knees were twinging a little and had been for a good portion of the run.  I must, I positively must lose weight. Perhaps I should write a blog post about that.  If only typing burned more calories.

 

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Better Luck Next Tired

Posted on June 24, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Full disclosure:  I did not intend to do a running commentary today.  I wrote a blog post while on breaks at work.  Unfortunately, it is too long for me to type in tonight.  Give me a break, it’s Tired Tuesday!  Could it be I am tired because I ran?  No!  I was tired to begin with.  I invite you to read on…

I spent the last couple of  hours at work telling myself that it was a VERY GOOD IDEA that I go running.  Actually, I was thinking things like, “I must, I positively must run”  and “I have to run tonight, I HAVE to.”  I re-phrased it to “very good idea” in order to short circuit my naturally rebellious nature.  Still, when it poured rain for a short time, I had a moment of hope that I would be off the hook. Only a moment, though.  In the first place, I figured it would stop raining.  In the second place, I have a mini-tramp on which I can run in place during inclement weather.

The rain stopped after a very short time.  It was sunny and breezy by the time I headed home.  Steven was already there.

“A  twenty minute  run will be sufficient for my purposes today,” I said.  I had hopes that I would run for longer once I got going, but it is difficult to predict these things.

To begin with the run was not much fun.  The sun was hot, I knew that going in.  The cooling breeze blew up into a strong wind that was dead against me.  What was that all about? Never mind, I told myself.  It will just take me longer to get from point A to point B. I wondered if it was going to rain again.  It seemed there was not a cloud in the sky, except for a few fluffy, harmless-looking white puffs. No sudden storm was going to let me off the hook ten minutes in.  That was all right too.  Just keep going.

I had a vague thought to run up the hill to Herkimer College.  I wondered if I would make it.  I have previously stated that once I start up a hill it is almost a foregone conclusion that I will make it to the top.  The question was, would I start?  I  turned at Lou Ambers Drive.  I considered stopping at the spring for a quick sip, but it wasn’t that long  into the run.  Besides, I had been drinking water all day.  Surely I was hydrated (I’ll call you Shirley if I feel like it).

The road has a bit of an upslope, then goes level, then goes steeply up, around a curve and up some more.  I was still on the gentle upslope when the wind against me got even stronger.  It cost a great effort to move even at my middle-aged shuffle.  I decided I would NOT go all the way up the hill.  After all, I did not intend to write a blog post about the run.  I would not have to embarrassedly confess to my readers that I started up a hill and turned off.  I would turn off into the residential area (which I like to call the suburbs) and perhaps run a hill or two there.

The  wind got stronger yet.  I was not all the way up the upslope when I said, “To Hell with this!” and turned around.  The wind almost immediately died down rather than give me a nice push. I have to wonder about that.  Was it all psychological? Or maybe a ghost?  I ask these questions now as I write this. At the time I merely felt a grim  satisfaction at having said, “To hell with it.”

I went through the parking lot of Salvatore’s, because there was some nice shade. I spent a good part of the rest of the run looking at my watch to make sure I at least ran twenty minutes.   It looked as if I would just make it. My body was not feeling any happier with me. I knew I could keep going, but it was not going to get fun.  I thought, “If I’m not into it by now, I am not going to be into it today.”

When I got back to my street, my run unexpectedly lengthened. I had crossed the street, which put me on the same side as a little dog.  I  did not want to disturb the dog, so I continued down the  block and ran up the street parallel to mine.  I felt vaguely pleased with myself over this.  The run still wasn’t fun, but I knew I could keep going.  Many of us, I reflected, can keep going for longer than we think  we can.

I ended up running for 28 minutes.  It would have been nice to make it at least a half hour, but I felt happy that I had gone over my self-mandated twenty.  As I walked my cool-down, I complimented some neighbors on a beautiful new porch they are putting up.  They said thank you. Perhaps now I can go  sit on my own perfectly attractive old porch.   Like I said, I’m tired.

 

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Two Long Runs, One Short Post

Posted on June 22, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for an awesome run yesterday (Saturday).   I ran for an hour and twenty minutes including several hills, some of them quite steep.  I was very impressed with myself.  Then I  went to Liverpool and partied heartily with my sister.  That is an ’80s expression, and I find that appropriate, because we used to party about that heartily in the ’80s.  The result was I woke up this morning feeling as if I was in my 80s.

I went running anyways.  I thought the sweat would do me good.  Then, too, I knew I would be in no mood to run on Monday.  This way I could feel less guilty about it.  I could go for a  short run, twenty or thirty minutes.

It was a good plan, but I  reckoned without my uncanny ability to get lost.  In my defense,  these residential developments are often laid out in a far from straightforward fashion.  I often think they use a plate of spaghetti as their model (and I may have said so in this space; sorry to repeat myself).  I ended up running for 52 minutes.  It would have been 51:27, but I ran by my sister’s house  to make it an even number.  Additionally, I like the number 52, because it means I am playing with a full deck (get it?).

I know, this is not my usual Running Commentary.  In my defense, I’m tired. But I may go running tomorrow.  As the late, great Fats Waller often said, One never knows, do one?

 

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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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