Tag Archives: Boilermaker

Lame Effort?

Posted on May 26, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Does anybody else look at the first page of a new notebook and hesitate before writing anything down? This was not the half-baked philosophy I had originally thought to write about, but let’s run with it for a sentence or two (for those of you just tuning in, today is Lame Post Friday, when I amuse myself and I hope others with random observations and half-baked philosophy)(and for regular readers, sorry that I boringly repeat the explanation yet again).

On a blank page I could write something brilliant or wonderful or… oh, what the hell, now I’ve written something. Now it’s just a run of the mill notebook with words in it, not a magic spiral-bound receptacle of possibility. But one thing I’ve noticed about me: I like to write. I enjoy the physical process of putting words on paper. So rather than feeling the middle-aged mix of disappointment and philosophy that happens when reality meets potential, I feel content. And pleased about my new little notebook, purchased at Hummel’s Office Plus in Herkimer, NY (I am Mohawk Valley Girl, after all). So much for that topic.

The half-baked philosophy I had meant to expound upon is, “No effort is wasted.” That phrase occurred to me at work this morning as I struggled up the stairs with my heavy bag. My bag is heavier than previously, because I switched my lunch to salad instead of sandwich. You wouldn’t think a small thermos would weigh so much more than a pita pocket (whole wheat, of course), but it totally does. But, I told myself, the extra effort will at least burn a calorie or two. No effort is wasted, I went on. Any effort can make us stronger or teach us something.

Last night I was suffering from a bit of angst and wanted to post a Facebook status of “Does anybody care if I run the stupid Boilermaker?” What I wanted to see was comments like, “Yes, we like to read your running blogs,” or “I’ll look for you on the TV coverage” (my sister Cheryl saw me on TV the first year I ran), or even, “Hell, yeah, I’m not going to run it!” What I figured I would get was things like, “Do what YOU want to do,” and “These things are meaningless unless you do them for yourself.” And I was trying to think up replies, like, “No man is an island,” and “I KNOW that BUT…” or even, “Duh.” Now that I think about it, probably nobody would be rude enough to say, “What possible good can it do ME if YOU run the Boilermaker?” But you never know.

Now I have a potential answer to my internal Boilermaker debate. No effort is wasted. If I run the Boilermaker, my effort to do so is not wasted. If I don’t run the Boilermaker, my efforts at training are not wasted. What a comforting thought. Although I can’t help thinking I’d like it if somebody else would be a little bit happy if I ran it. How lame is that?

Leave a comment

Posted in half baked philosophy, humor, lame, personal and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

No Sweat! (Wanna Bet?)

Posted on May 24, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Since I did not run Monday I thought it would be a good idea to run Tuesday. Then when I heard that thunderstorms were predicted for Wednesday and Thursday, I knew it would be a good idea. (Please note, and I believe I’ve noted before, I did not say “I ought to” or “I should.” I almost never do what I ought to.)

It had been a sticky, stinky day. That is, the weather was sticky and I was stinky. I wanted to wash my work pants (I only have one pair; don’t judge me). I could multi-task by putting in the wash before I ran. My washing machine takes about 40 minutes: a 30 minute run with 10 minute cooldown would be just right. Did I feel like a woman with her act together or what?

Oh, it was muggy (I was originally going to call this post “Muggy Run” but I think I’ve used that title before). I thought at first to run neighborhood streets; no hills. Cut myself a little break. Then I saw that I could immediately cross German Street. I had to go for it.

Now I was headed toward Herkimer County Community College (HCCC). Could I manage the hill to HCCC, front or back? Then I remembered the unknown park. All those trees, all that shade. Would it be cooler or merely more muggy? I would find out. It was soon clear that this was going to be a perseverance run. Well, you’ll have those (that is my stock reply to myself when I don’t like something).

As I turned into the park and started up the small hill, I noticed two signs that said, “No Dumping.” I pictured people coming by later and saying, “Will you look at that? Right next to a sign that says No Dumping somebody has dumped a middle-aged lady wearing running clothes!”

Up ahead of me I saw three college-age boys walking. One of them appeared to be texting (aren’t the young folks always texting?). I thought he could text for a taxi for me. Or an ambulance. They were really strolling at their leisure, because it did not take me long to pass them. It can be discouraging sometimes, how long it takes me to pass a pedestrian.

Past the athletic fields (no sports games going on), into the picnic area, and soon I was on the path through the woods. An occasional breeze off the stream offered a little relief, but for the most part the air was hot and heavy. I noticed a number of large rocks I would like to put in my garden. The little devil on one shoulder said, “Go ahead! They won’t miss one or two rocks!” The angel on my other shoulder said, “If everybody just took rocks out of the park, there wouldn’t be any left for the park.” While they continued to argue, I thought about how much harder it would be to run carrying a large rock, and that settled that.

A couple more upslopes and I was on the back road to HCCC. I turned away from the college and ran downhill. Ah! I considered running to the spring. I not only wanted to drink some, I wanted to splash it all over my face. The sweat was running down it. I had on a sweatband, but that only caught some of the overflow from the top of my head. Every other sweat gland in my body was pumping industriously.

I thought of the bottle of ice water waiting for me on my (scrubbed, unstained) deck. I thought of the Gator Ade in my refrigerator. I thought of a long, cool shower. I stopped thinking about those things before they made me cry. I paused briefly to pet a nice dog. Her owner told me she was a year old puggle. Sweet puppy. I noted several rhododendrons with as many blooms as mine. I must get more flowers planted.

By virtue of running past my house twice I managed to keep running for thirty minutes. The sweat continued to drip as Tabby walked my cooldown with me. I tried to encourage her to stop and sniff only in shady spots. When we were almost all the way around the block, the most wonderful cool breeze blew over us. Heavenly!

I looked at the weeds on my front lawn and decided they could wait another day. These runs do take it out of me. But the Boilermaker is coming! I must persevere!

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, running and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

“I Can Rock This” Run

Posted on May 21, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sunday when I set out to run, I had a vague notion of running straight out somewhere where I could later drive in my car and see how many miles I did. I always run for a certain length of time and only occasionally wonder how far it gets me.

I thought I would run out Steuben Street. I know it goes on for a ways, and there is a pretty good hill. I like to run hills. I know there are hills on the Boilermaker and I want to laugh at them. My usual Sunday run, up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the front way, is a pretty steep hill, but I deemed it not so good to drive that way later. In point of fact, I have not run my usual Sunday run in a while. Maybe next week.

It was perfect running weather. Sunny, not too hot, no humidity that I could feel and even a little bit of a breeze. I crossed German Street with no problem (love Sunday morning traffic!) and headed toward Steuben.

And realized how far down German Street Steuben is. What’s that all about? This was taking forever! A glance at my watch informed me that in fact it was not. I distracted myself by looking at houses and other people’s flowers. Two nice hanging baskets there. I must get started on my container garden. I figure I’ll make a tasteful arrangement in the yard until the deck is stained and dried.

At last I was on Steuben. Ooh, that hill looked steep. Don’t think of the difficulty, think of how I’m building my muscles. Once I got closer it didn’t seem as bad. My problem now was the lack of a good shoulder. That’s one thing about the road to HCCC, it has a good wide shoulder. Luckily there was very little traffic.

There is a little sort of a soft shoulder. In the army if a soft surface offered itself, I usually chose instead to run on pavement. Running was difficult; I wanted each step to count for the maximum amount possible. That centimeter or so your foot slips back on a soft surface was just too much for me to deal with. An army friend of mine usually chose the soft surface as being easier on her feet. Today I ran in the soft surface. For one thing, my feet are bothering me since I need to replace my running shoes. For another thing, as I reflected this morning, no stern NCO awaited me at the end of the run demanding to know why I took so long (in point of fact, most NCOs I encountered in the army did not sternly await me at the end of runs; they knew I was trying my darnedest).

I knew there was a place to turn off somewhere along Steuben, and I intended to turn off, not merely turn around. I knew the place was there, because on previous runs I have run the other way and come out on Steuben. Naturally these things take longer going up than going down. Soon I was firmly in the “what the hell was I thinking?” stage of my run. I knew I could just turn around and go downhill at any time, but I wanted it to be a long run.

Where was that turn off? Was that it up ahead? No, just a driveway. Around the curve? Perhaps. I looked to my left through some back yards and saw the road I would soon be running down. The turn off must be close! Another driveway. A speed limit sign. Well, no chance I was going over 35 m.p.h. At last, I turned left and went downhill. Lovely, lovely downhill.

This was a quieter road. Still no shoulder, but no traffic either. I looked at some houses and envied a couple of porches. Another uphill stretch and soon I was going downhill at a rather steep gradient. I would almost rather go uphill than downhill when it’s that steep. I told myself to enjoy it, all I had to do was shuffle my feet a little and gravity would do all the work. Then my back started feeling every step. Oh dear. I know running is bad for your back, but so is being overweight, and running helps me keep mine down. Well, hills don’t last forever, up or down (and there’s a metaphor for life).

After a while my back stopped hurting. Then my right knee started in. Oh for heavens’ sake. Well, it wasn’t too bad. I got back to German Street and started toward my house. I had not run as long as I intended. The sun was feeling pretty hot by now, and I considered running to the spring on Lou Ambers Drive to have a drink. That was the way up to HCCC. I did not consider going there.

I soon decided to cross at Caroline Street, run down Caroline a ways then back home, for a total of 45 minutes. My previous longest time was 44, which I had thought to duplicate today. Then I thought, if I add 10 percent to 45 next week, that gets me up to 50. I could be over an hour in two weeks’ time at the 10 percent a week rule! Yes, I do the math while I run. It helps.

Lovely shade on Caroline Street. My knee had stopped hurting and my back was at it again. What was this, tag team? No matter, I was almost home and I was making my time. I had spent the latter half of my run in the “I can rock this” stage. I never reached the “I LOVE running” stage, but you don’t always. I consider that it was a good run. I enjoyed it.

These running posts tend to get a little long, don’t they? I didn’t even tell you all the silly things I was thinking of at the time. Perhaps for a future post.

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, running and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

Not So Fun to Run in the Sun

Posted on May 19, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Monday I tried but had a terrible backache, Tuesday it poured with thunder and lightning, Wednesday we went to dinner, Thursday was the Ilion Little Theatre dinner meeting… so Friday I thought it would be a good idea to run.

The more I think about this Boilermaker, the more I think, “What the hell was I thinking?” It’s less than two months away and I have been running like garbage! Well, the best thing I can think of to do is to keep running and hope for the best. I’m sure I can be up to running for an hour by the end of June. And I always say, if you can run one hour, you can run two; you just don’t stop.

It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day on Friday. Perfect porch or deck sitting weather. I say SITTING. I don’t do so well in the direct sunlight. Could I be part vampire? Nevertheless, I got on my running stuff and set out. At least my back didn’t hurt. Much. (I am over 40, after all.) I reflected that at least my leg muscles could not complain that they were not warm. My whole body was warm. Well, it may very well be warm for the Boilermaker. Hello, July!

I decided to take it easy on myself and run neighborhood streets with no real hills. This had the added advantage that I would not have to cross German Street in four o’clock Herkimer traffic. I mostly picked which streets to run down by virtue of how much shade I could see. Ah, shade!

I passed a lady next to an almost full U-Haul truck a few blocks from where I live.

“Moving in or moving out?” I asked as I ran by.

“Moving in!”

“Welcome!” I heard her yell thanks as I continued to run. You see how slowly I run that we had plenty of time for that little exchange.

I saw a Dead End street I had never run down. Remembering my Dead End Run, I thought I’d go down it. This one had a place you could cut through a very short patch of lawn and get out onto another street. Tee hee, a dead end street I didn’t have to back track on.

I ran around the H.A.R.C. building at the end of German Street. The porta potty was back (I don’t know if I mentioned it had not been there another time I ran by) (and I don’t know if current readers read the post where I was happy to use the porta potty another time). It didn’t matter though; I had remembered to pee before I left. I was good.

It was a while before I realized I was not hearing the ice cream truck. How unusual. I didn’t want to purchase ice cream, but I sure would have like to stick my head in the freezer. I saw a Schwann truck. I was going to ask the guy if I could stick my head in his freezer, but by the time I got to him he was crossing the street with a delivery. Just as well. He probably would have tried to sell me some food. I was feeling hungry.

There really were not a lot of patches of shade any where. I took what I could get. I got to the end of Green Street, where there is a traffic light on Washington. I could see the lovely shade of a church. I ran in place while waiting for the light. There was no chance I was sprinting anywhere. Aaah, shade. I ran around the side of the church, which offered a little more shade. Then it was across a parking lot and eventually to the shade of an abandoned building that I believe used to be a bank. Then running in place again while I waited for my chance to cross Main Street. Lots of shade by some businesses. A man was sitting smoking in front of Pete’s Tavern.

“I’m thinking a cold beer,” I said as I ran by. I wondered if I could return for it after I was showered.

My body wanted to go home and collapse. I kept running through all the shade I could find, even if it took me in the wrong direction temporarily. That was my sneaky way of extending my run. Closer to my house, some people were washing their cars. A little boy had the hose and was squirting his protesting sisters.

“If I cross the street, will you squirt me?” I called. The kids said they would. I ran almost to the end of street first, then thought, “Why not?” I ran by and yelled, “Hit me!” He mostly hit my legs, but it revived me enough that I thought I would to around the block then home.

Bad move. There was very little shade on the other side of the block. Me and my big ideas. But I persevered. When I collected Tabby and my bottle of water for my cool down walk, I also grabbed my crazy old lady hat. I wanted the portable shade for my face at least.

Oh, I felt like crap after my run. However, after stretching then sitting for a few minutes, I took my shower (always a good idea; if you can’t feel better at least you’ll smell better) and drank some Gator Ade. Soon I started typing. And that catches us up. This post has been in lieu of my usual Friday Lame Post. I’ll tell you one thing, though: a few more runs like that and I may be lame in more ways than one.

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, running and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

Dead End Run

Posted on May 13, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

As I segue into All Boilermaker All The Time, I thought it would be a good idea not to skip my Saturday run.

As I type that, I think it isn’t really All Boilermaker because I don’t usually mention the actual Boilermaker except in passing. But All Running All The Time seems a little generous for what I do. And All Shuffling All The Time is too self-deprecating, even for me. Boilermaker is a kind of a fun word. And I am training for the Boilermaker. So there you have it.

This is closing night of Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre (which I believe I’ve mentioned before that I’m in), so I didn’t feel I wanted to rack myself up too much with a major run. Then again, I have all day to nap and drink Gator Ade, so I don’t feel I need to blow the run off entirely. I dithered until Steven left for work, which had the added advantage that I was home visiting with him for the maximum amount of time available. Always a good thing with a nice husband such as mine is.

It was warm when I set out. The thermostat in my house said the outside temperature was 59 degrees. The bright sun made it seem warmer. I was still dithering about where to run. I knew I wanted to write a blog post about it, so thought I should take a new direction. But which? The disadvantage of starting my run later (it was quarter to ten) was that traffic was picking up. I thought it best to stay off busy roads with no sidewalks or shoulders to speak of.

Then I thought of an idea I had to go down German Street and run up and down all the Dead End streets (of which there are several). I don’t often go down dead ends, although I know I have recently and mentioned it in this blog. I’m not into the out and back runs these days; I like to return by an alternate route. But I like to run somewhere different. And then, too, I had a ready made headline for the post. So off I went.

There are some nice houses on these dead end streets. Is it because they are not bothered with too much through traffic? Or had I stumbled into the rich section of town? Maybe I just noticed more nice houses this morning. I’m sure there are nice houses all over Herkimer.

I saw a lot of flowers. Forget Me Nots seem to be everywhere these days. Steven even mowed down a bunch in our back yard this week (although he was able to leave a few over by the rhododendron). I saw one house with a bunch of flowers in pots lined up along the driveway. No doubt someone was about to arrange and/or transplant them somewhere creative. Must get going on my own container garden.

A couple of nice screened in porches caught my eye. One was on the second floor. Ooh, did that look pleasant. Someone was sitting there. I was envious. What a nice place to sit and write or drink coffee or just be (or all three; I could multi-task to that extent). But my object was to run and not to sit.

I ran on, reflecting that whatever ambitious things I accomplished today I could not sit on my deck and reward myself with a beer, because I have a show to do tonight. In fact, I’m not even going to do anything majorly ambitious, because I mean to recruit my energies. I may have family out in the audience. I must be at my best (oh, rest assured, I strive to be at my best for any audience members, even people I don’t like) (then again, I like everybody who comes to see a play at Ilion Little Theatre) (but I digress).

As I ran I realized my folly in waiting till almost 10 o’clock to begin my run (and it was past 10 when I realized it). I have a sensitivity to sunlight. It makes me feel tired and ill if I spend too much time in it. And this was turning into the brightest sunny day possible. Oh dear. Still, a 20 or 30 minute run couldn’t hurt much, could it? I ran up one street that was not a dead end but kind of curves around and comes back out on another street that leads back to German. Along the way I found it crossed another dead end street, so I ran down that one. Hey, there was a house having a garage sale. I think Steven and I went to a garage sale at that very house last year. I eyed the goods from a distance. Must hit some garage sales next weekend.

The sun was beginning to bother me. Where was the shade? Then I saw some across the street, at the H.A.R.C building. Ah, I would run up and down one more dead end, then cross the street and run in that shade for a whole block. I followed that plan, then decided that heading back home would not be a bad idea. I was plenty far enough from my house; I was getting great exercise.

My legs were feeling not too bad. No “I can rock this” feeling, but not too bad. Certainly no “I LOVE running!” I think the “I LOVE running” stage only really happens when I’m headed down hill after a strenuous uphill. Perhaps tomorrow, when the play is over.

I ran for 30 minutes, which I thought respectable, what with a show tonight (and one last night and the night before and working ten hours Friday after a mere four hours sleep) (put away the miniature violins; I’m not complaining, I’m trying to be factual)(“I’m trying to be factual” is a line from the play. Not one of my lines, but still).

So we’ll see what I find to write about tomorrow. My Sunday run or are these running posts getting a little monotonous? Just a side note: I’m coming up on my one year anniversary of writing this blog. I made up my mind I would post every day for one year. Once I accomplish that, I may take a day off.

Leave a comment

Posted in Herkimer, humor, personal, running and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

Multi-Purpose Run

Posted on May 10, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I would do the thing today of coming home, running, then writing my blog post about my run. It’s worked before. It could work again.

I did not write my blog post during my breaks at work today, because I really could not think of what to write. I’m still on All Harvey All The Time, and quite frankly, I am out of things to say about Harvey. We had our pick up rehearsal last night, but I’m thinking that would not make a great post. I mean, we had a lot of laughs, but to convey the humor I fear I would have to explain too much. And even if I explained enough, the jokes might fall sadly flat (I refuse to use the condescending expression, “You had to be there”) (anyways, you would have had to be there not only last night, but through the entire rehearsal period. So you see).

Be that as it may (one of my favorite transition phrases), I came home and got my running gear on right away before I could change my mind. I made up my mind early on not to demand a long run of myself. Thirty minutes sounded about right. Twenty in a pinch. But I thought up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the front way might be a good idea. For one thing, that is usually my Sunday run, which I missed this week.

I thought if I was unable to cross German Street, I would be off the hook and just run the neighborhood streets. But right away I had my chance and sprinted across. On towards the college I went. My body was not best pleased with me, but one learns to live with these things. I thought about what traffic was likely to be on the road to the college but refused to let it deter me. When the DARE 5K was approaching, I reminded myself, I ran that road every day about this time for at least a week. I could hang.

A nice car even stopped for me to run across Lou Ambers Drive to get to left side facing traffic. I stayed in the parking lot of Salvatore’s Pizza, but that didn’t last long. I ran past the spring without stopping for a a drink.

Lots of cars were coming down the hill. Some of them were flashing their lights at cars going up the hill. I had to look twice, because the cars had daytime running lights and I was not sure if they actually flashed or a bump in the road just made the lights appear brighter to me. No, that was a definite flash. Did that mean there were cop cars up the hill? I think that’s the usual signal. Nobody flashed me. That’s OK. I’ve been flashed before; it’s not the thrill you think it’s going to be.

I ran up and up, telling myself I could rock this. Let me be perfectly clear: I was NOT at the “I can rock this” stage of my run. I was just trying to be encouraged. Oh, it took a long time to go up. I thought about the DARE run and thought I had not shuffled so slowly that day. At last I got around the curve. Oh, that wasn’t so great after all. You think you make it around the curve and you’re there, but the road keeps going up. Ugh.

I got to a clearing where you can look out over the village below. Cool. I’ll have to stop there sometime and try to really recognize landmarks. I could see a wide highway in the distance. Probably the Thruway. I’d be moving a lot faster in a car.

There were the dormitories. I wondered if someone would yell something out a window at me today or if that was something that just happened on a weekend morning. Apparently so. I guess those kids had other things on their minds. I saw a young man holding an empty bucket and whapping a mop against the building. Good man, cleaning up the dorm. At least, I think good man. He may have just now been getting around to cleaning up the results of a debauch from two weeks ago. Still, he had apparently been mopping something.

I could hear an announcer saying something from the athletic fields. I could just faintly make out some music playing, such as I had enjoyed running to one other day. I did not keep running across campus, though, adhering to my thirty minute goal. I finally saw a cop car, but of course I have no idea if he was the one those cars were flashing about. I continued on my way, down the back way. The breeze died down and now it was just muggy. I could feel the sweat running down my face. I was tempted to scoop some water out of the little stream and splash it on me, but I kept running instead. It wasn’t really that hot. I’ll put up with worse in the months to come.

Another sprint across German Street, and one across Caroline. Then I stopped and petted a lady’s Jack Russell terrier. I love a cute dog. I hurried home to my own cute dog, and we walked around the block for my cool down. Then I felt I had to eat supper before attempting to compose anything. Luckily, Steven was willing to cook for us.

So I think I’m transitioning from All Harvey All The Time to All Boilermaker All The Time. At least, this is the first I’ve mentioned the Boilermaker, but of course one purpose of today’s run was to prepare for that race. Another purpose was to have something to write a blog post about. And I have consumed a few calories that needed burning off. Really, a multi-purpose run.

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, Herkimer, humor, personal, running and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

Monday Run

Posted on May 9, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I missed my Sunday run so thought it would be a good idea to run on Monday. It wasn’t raining when I got home from work, so I got on my gear and off I went.

My run time is up to 44 minutes. I did not increase it by the recommended 10 percent this week, thinking to give myself a break while the play is going on (Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre; I may have mentioned that before). When I set out Monday I was undecided: 20 minutes, 30 minutes or the full 44? I would see how it went.

I was able to cross German Street right away. I headed in the direction of Main Street, because I saw a pedestrian headed in the opposite direction. Yes, I often decide my route based on these arbitrary considerations. Well, who wants to follow a pedestrian? Suppose it took me three blocks to pass her? How would that make me feel?

I thought I’d go up the hill out Main Street. It’s steep enough to be challenging, and you have a choice: you can either keep going on up or turn off in one of two places. Oh, it was not fun going uphill, but I thought about how I like to be tough and run up hills. “Run,” of course, is the generous term I use to describe my middle-aged shuffle. But you knew that.

As I continued my run, it became clear that I was not going to reach the “I can rock this” stage, much less the “I LOVE running” stage. I reflected that I had not had a perseverance run in a while. It would be good for me.

I ran down a rather lengthy dead end street. At least, there was no sign saying “Dead End” or even “No Outlet,” but I was pretty sure I had run up it before and it was. Still, a different street, a quiet street. I ran down it. I could turn around and run back. I know how.

Then I heard the ice cream truck behind me. Was that thing stalking me? Damn! No ice cream. No ice cream. I picked up the pace a little, but the music only got louder. Well, I can’t outrun a truck, not even an ice cream truck. I didn’t have any cash to buy any ice cream anyways. There was no point in asking for credit.

At last I reached the end of the road and turned around. And discovered that the ice cream truck was not on that road after all. Had it caught the brain waves of my frustration and turned around, or had it never been on the street to begin with? Sound does travel. No matter. The truck was gone now. I could continue my run.

On and on I ran till I found myself in the business district. For those that are still in business. I ran by Pete’s Tavern. Ooh, a beer would taste good. Hydration. But I was a little informally dressed, even for Pete’s. And, of course, the lack of cash.

I passed a couple of young ladies with extremely cute toddlers in strollers.

“Oh, would you please give me a ride in that stroller thingy?” I asked.

“Sure, no problem!” one of them said with a smile.

Past the post office and through Myers Park. It looked as if I might make it for 40 or more minutes if I didn’t run straight home. I passed two ladies and two young boys in front of a house. The boys had a scooter and a Big Wheel.

“Could I borrow that scooter?” I asked. “I need wheels!” I would have had to crunch way over and squat down, but it would have been worth it. The ladies laughed. I know, the same joke twice. I make that joke all the time. What do you want from me, I was running.

As I ran toward my street, the words echoed in my head, “I can totally run the Boilermaker!” Oh, you can push past fatigue. I forget that sometimes.

I ran for the full 44 minutes by virtue of running from end to end of my block before doubling back to my house. I felt pretty good about myself and pretty tired. Not a bad combination for a Monday night when you don’t have rehearsal.

Leave a comment

Posted in Herkimer, humor, personal, running and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

Post Show Run

Posted on May 6, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Subtitle: Mohawk Valley Girl Learns to Like the Young Kids’ Music.

Last night was opening night of Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre (I may have mentioned that once or twice). I didn’t get to bed till almost midnight. Still, it was Saturday and I was determined to run.

I ate a banana with peanut butter shortly before my run, because I was quite hungry. Normally if I eat I like to wait at least an hour, but I seemed to remember reading somewhere that a small nutritious snack was a good thing before a run. No time to look up how long before a run the snack was supposed to be, so I just waited a short time and hoped for the best.

The temperature warm, but a nice breeze was blowing. Traffic was not severe. Things looked good. I decided to run up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the back way. I’ll just mention that the only day I had run since Sunday was Thursday, when we did not have rehearsal. I ran a half hour, at varying distances from the ice cream truck, usually close enough to hear the music. When I wasn’t close enough the music played in my head. I was actually close enough to buy ice cream when I walked my cool down with Tabby, but providentially did not have any cash.

I was out at pre-ice cream truck time Saturday. I crossed German Street with no problem and headed up the hill. I looked as usual at the pretty little stream running downhill (as of course streams do). I thought that it really wasn’t a stream to run by. It looked like I ought to be sitting by it, maybe soaking my feet in the nice cold running water. My feet hurt all the time lately. Must make my way to the Sneaker Store in New Hartford for some new running shoes.

When I got up to the college I could hear music. What was that all about? As I continued up the road by the reservoir, the music got louder. Where was it coming from? Somebody in the dormitory partying hearty really early? Somebody’s car stereo out of control? I saw several cars in the gym parking lot. I saw a young man walking along. Was it his I-pod thingy? Do I-pods get that loud? I don’t know from I-pods, but I’m sure they don’t. It sounded more like a stereo system.

As I got closer to the athletic fields I could tell the music was coming from there. I’m not really a fan of a lot of the popular music these days. At least, I almost never listen to it, so I’m not familiar. I certainly don’t like the hip hop stuff, which I find tuneless. I think a lot of the more tuneful stuff is overproduced. The voices seem doctored and the instrumentals smoothed out, if you know what I mean. I guess it’s the ultimate expression of Phil Specter’s Wall of Sound. I’m not knowledgeable enough to express myself properly, so I don’t know if anybody knows what I mean. In any case, I sometimes think the 21st century is too in love with technology.

Of course, one of my favorite sayings is “To each his how, as the old lady said when she kissed the cow.” I felt sure that whoever was playing a sport up ahead was liking the music. I had to admit, it had a forward moving beat that was conducive to athletic effort. I found myself pounding along in the “I can rock this” stage of my run that I so enjoy.

I ran closer to the field and saw people playing lacrosse. The banks on the side of the field obstructed my view, so I kept running. I ran into the little veterans’ park. I must go there with a notebook and write down the different organizations that contributed to it. It is just a little area, a mere few steps around as I ran in and out. I wondered if somebody would say, “That is not a place to run in, have a little respect!” Well, I do have respect. And since I learned to run, and to love running, in the army, I think it is entirely appropriate to run through a veterans’ park.

A sign informed me that a lacrosse tournament was in progress. If I didn’t have show to rest up for, I might go watch some. I learned on the Sports Box that HCCC is quite the powerhouse in their conference. I must catch some games. The Sports Box, in case you didn’t know, is a show on WVHC, 91.5fm, the college radio station. I’m not into sports, but I love listening to those guys.

I continued around the sports building. The music was growing on me. Good running tunes! This is why people run with those ear phones! The only thing I would have liked better would have been if they played that tune my sister likes that starts, “Every day I’m shuffling.” It took me a long time to get out of earshot of the music, because it was really quite loud. By then I was headed downhill and life was sweet.

It was a great run. Toward the end I even lengthened my stride and went for that loping run I see the young kids doing. I didn’t do too bad. I think I may have finally reached the “I love running!” stage of my training. Boilermaker, here I come!

Leave a comment

Posted in Herkimer, humor, music, personal, running, sports and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.
←
Newer Posts →