Tag Archives: Boilermaker

Boiling or Boilermaker?

Posted on July 6, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Wuss-out Wednesday follows Tired Tuesday, we all know that.  If you didn’t know, you do now.  I’m going to blame the weather.

I think I am!

I took a walk this morning but did not run after work.  I ran yesterday for three miles, thinking it would be my last long run before the Boilermaker 15K.  I hope to walk every day and have one or two short runs in the next three days.  Only three day?  Yikes!

Now is about the time I ask myself why I signed up for this silly race anyways. I should perhaps mention that this has happened to me every time I have run the Boilermaker (can’t remember how many times that is;  I would have to count my Boilermaker glasses).  This year, of course, everything is different.

It seems I had some good reasons when I signed up.  I do not currently remember them.   I registered pretty much the minute registration opened.  A short time later the palliative care nurse called me and said we had to talk.  I know what palliative care is (my sisters had to look it up).  Thus started a very bad time in my life.

So this year my running the 15K feels all tied up in my grief and depression over my husband’s death.  I don’t know that I think something magical is going to happen as I cross the finish line.  I think mostly I feel grateful that the race gave me motivation to keep running.  Exercise has helped me a lot.

I guess I have not entirely wussed out today, as I see I am over 250 words.  Perhaps tomorrow I will take one of those shorter runs I mentioned and attempt a Running Commentary Post.  It is All Boilermaker All The Time Week after all.

 

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Ran Myself Ragged, But Didn’t Run

Posted on July 4, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last night I felt so tired from my after-work gyrations and reflecting that I had today (July 4) off, I lazily put away my Tablet and went to bed.  After all, I continued to justify to myself, I was unlikely to wake up with a headache, since I am going wine-less (but not whine-less) till after the Boilermaker 15K.  As it happens, not all headaches are due to wine.  However, it is not a bad one, and I expect it will go away as the morning progresses.

Where was I?  Ah yes, a late Monstrous Monday Post.  First, perhaps, a word or two about the previously mentioned gyrations.

“No! Monsters first!”

Maybe one monster.

I got home and immediately got on the phone to take care of a couple of things I had neglected.  Never mind what.   It’s not that interesting, and I am quite disinclined to emphasize the extent to which I do not have my act together.  I ran one errand, still dirty from work (for which you are welcome to judge me), and returned home to realize it had stopped raining long ago enough to make lawn mowing eligible.

Me hacking away at the overgrowth.

Regular readers may recall that I use a non-power mower.  It makes for a pretty good work out.  Since I had walked in the morning but not run that afternoon, I praised myself for the exertion (hey, I have to keep myself going anyway I can).  A soapy shower felt good after that.

My stomach, urging me to the grocery store.

I sat down for a while, but my body was soon reminding me I had not eaten.  One must stay nourished, I suppose.  I dragged myself to the grocery store.  As it happened, it was a great time to go.  The crowd had already gotten their Fourth of July supplies and left.  I got everything my list plus a couple of treats, which I felt I had earned.

“Did somebody say treats?”

Now I have made my Monday blog post, I can get on with my Tuesday gyrations.  Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

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More than Half a Boilermaker

Posted on July 3, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been dreadfully tired all day.  After I made my late Saturday blog post, I went for a long run.  The Utica Boilermaker 15K is one week from today.   Yikes!  I figured this would be my last really long run before that, so I tried to get ambitious about it.  Last Sunday I ran just over an hour, 4.77 miles, which I calculated to be half of 9.3 miles, that is 15K.  I just pulled out the calculator app on my Tablet and found I could have stopped at 4.65.  Mental math while running is not my strong suit, although I often use it to distract myself.

Wow, what a long first paragraph.  I guess I am doing everything too long today.

As usual, I entered.

This was the only picture I could find of a place I ran this morning.  I went into the residential area behind Valley Health Services and ran up the longest uphill loop.  I went up a couple of shorter hills as well.  My idea was to run for five miles, and I made it.

Along the way I petted two nice dogs and refilled my water bottle at the spring.  Those were times I actually stopped but not for an appreciable amount of time.  I felt at a couple of points that I wanted to stop running and walk, but I pushed through.  I feel reasonably ready for the Boilermaker but I confess not eager.  Blame that on the Sunday Afternoon Blues.

I question my run.

This is a photo from October 2020.  I was doing a challenge of 37 minutes of exercise for 37 days to raise awareness of diabetes.  I posted a selfie of Facebook after each session.  You can see why I rarely take selfies.  I share it today, because this is probably about how I looked after today’s run.  I was even wearing the same glasses.  I just wanted to include another picture in the post.

I suppose I have made better Running Commentary Posts, but we all know some blog posts are better than others.  I will try to do better as the week wears on, but with All Boilermaker All The Time, no promises.

 

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What Kind of Tuesday?

Posted on June 28, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was thinking it would not be a bad time for this blog to go All Boilermaker All The Time.  The race is less than two weeks away (too lazy and brain dead to count the days).  I ran nine days in a row, ending Sunday, did not run yesterday, then ran today.  I thought I might try for a Running Commentary Post.

For the past two weeks I have had Two Mile Tuesday.  It seemed reasonable to do that again today.  However, for some reason I was TIRED.  I know, Tired Tuesday is not unusual for me.  But I did not sleep badly last night.  I worked a reasonable amount of hard at work today.  I guess I’ll blame the humidity, although that felt worse yesterday than today.

The struggle is real.

In any case, I left work questioning my ability to make it a Two Mile Tuesday.  How about Twenty Minute Tuesday, I thought, while a little voice in my head voted for Two Minute Tuesday.  After I got home, I thought, I don’t have to get right ready and run.  I can sit down for a few minutes.  Big mistake.

However, I did get myself off the couch and into running clothes. It doesn’t have to be long, I told myself.  It doesn’t have to be fast (as if it ever is!).  It just has to be.  After putting some laundry in the washer, I set out.

I thought after a day off, my body might feel a little better about things, but the first part of the run sure was thunky.  Luckily I know how to persevere.  I changed my mind about where and how far to run several times.  Just make it a mile, I thought.  We’ll turn at the library (I was headed down Main Street).  Then I ran past the library to Park.  A mile isn’t really very far.  Maybe a 20 minute run.

As I ran through Meyers Park, I thought I probably could make it two miles.  Of course, I knew from previous runs that each block is not nearly the percentage of a mile you might expect it to be.  I continued to persevere.

I hit two miles around 26 minutes.  By this time I was wondering if two miles was nearly enough with the Boilermaker 15K looming so closely.  So I went a little further.  By running past my house three times (the neighbors, if they pay me any attention at all, must think I’m a crazy old lady) (my blog readers have known that for a while), I ran for a full 30 minutes.

Of course now I am even more tired than I thought I was, but I have a good reason to be.  And a longer blog post than my usual.  If you have read the whole thing, I thank you for staying tuned.

 

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Thirty Minute Thursday

Posted on June 16, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had originally thought to follow Two-Mile Tuesday with Three-Mile Thursday, but I was skeptical of my ability to pull it off.  True, I ran four miles last weekend, but that was first thing in the morning not last thing after an eight hour day at work.  Then I thought, Thirty-Minute Thursday.  It sounds even better, it is still longer than what I ran Tuesday, and I could totally do it.  At least, I could probably do it.

I usually let myself off the hook on these week-day runs.  I feel they are really just to keep my hand in (feet, really).  Weekends are the time for improvement.  However, I feel I will improve moreso on the weekends if I do a little better during the week.  That Boilermaker 15K is getting closer!

After a little puttering around the house, I got into running clothes and set out.  It was warm and sunny.  Maybe I should run some hills.  But I also had to worry about traffic.  German Street in Herkimer, NY is pretty busy in the late afternoon.  I ran down the sidewalk looking for a place to cross the street.  I thought maybe the hill by Valley Health Services would be a good goal.

The three-way stop at Caroline Street provided my opportunity to cross the street.  I soon decided to run into Brookwood Park.  For one reason, there would be plenty of shade.  I could run along the path through the woods that comes out on the back way to Herkimer College.  I assured myself that I was in no way obligated to run the rest of the way uphill to the college.

As I ran, I tried to keep myself from looking at my Garmin too often.  When I did, I would do the math and figure out what fraction of 30 minutes I had done.  Six minutes was one fifth.  How much was a quarter? A third?  Thus I keep my mind occupied so I don’t think too much about how I would really rather stop running.

The path through the woods was nice.  I like looking at the trees, and the ground is somewhat soft under my feet.  I just have to be careful of uneven surfaces and things I could trip over.  I am pretty clumsy.

The uphill portions almost defeated me, but I persevered.  Eventually I was running on pavement again, and running down hill.  Phew!  It was an effort to get to 30 minutes, but I made the effort and was glad I did.

I don’t know if my effort at a blog post is equally successful, but I can hope at least some readers found it reasonably entertaining.  In another couple of weeks, this blog may become All Boilermaker All The Time.  I fear I am already making myself a little tiresome at work by talking about it.  Oh well, at my age, I need all the encouragement I can get.

 

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I Thunk It’s Thursday

Posted on June 9, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

The headline is not a typo; I really did thunk today.

I had not been running since Sunday, not a good idea when the Boilermaker 15K is a mere month away.  I blame the Canadian wildfires, which have rendered the skies such a freaky sepia tone. With my breathing problems, I did not care to go out there and huff and puff.  I know, I could have stayed inside and run in place on the mini-tramp.  I felt too  tired.  Judge me if you choose.

Today I felt equally tired, but the air was so much more clear!  There was blue sky and clouds.  The sun looked like the sun, not that scary orange disc!  How could I not run?

And yet my body rebelled.  My knees hurt, my hip joint felt out if whack.  I questioned my ability to run 15Ks in July or even at all ever.  So I said to myself, Just Try.  For one reason, I had to do laundry. What else was I going to do while the washer washed?  Just Try, I repeated to myself as I got changed into running clothes.  Once I had the sports bras on, I knew I would get out there and do something.

A few steps down the sidewalk, I felt like, hey! I can so run!  I’m going to do this!  That feeling lasted to the corner, which was only about three houses away.  No matter.  I had started;  I would persevere.

Persevere I did.  I ran slow.  I ran thunkily (autocorrect seems to believe that is a word now).  I huffed and puffed.  I coaxed myself on a little at a time.  Just get to that truck that’s parked over the sidewalk.  Just get to the corner.  I looked at my Garmin and calculated how much further would make one mile.  .73…  .54…  .39…

My first (OK, my only) mile was 13:30.  That is really not too bad for me.  Could I make it to 20 minutes?  I kept thunking. Maybe a 17 minute run would be acceptable. By virtue of running past my house to the corner and back to the house, I made it to 20.  Score!

My hip was hurting a bit, so I cut my cool-down walk short.  I had a problem with that hip about a year ago and did not run for a month.  Then again, perhaps I could have started running again sooner.  I’m no expert on hip joints.

I felt happy and relieved that I ran.  I am also happy that I did laundry. Now I don’t have to have Dirty Pants Friday.  Um, not that I would ever do that.

 

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Look at Me, Having a Scattered Saturday!

Posted on January 22, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Look at me, making my Saturday blog post on Saturday.  And I think I can do a Scattered Saturday Post.  I have not done one of those in a long time.  For one reason, I have not done enough to scatter around at all on recent Saturdays.  Let us see how well I can do today.

I slept in a little this morning and made my Lame Post Friday post when I got up.  After coffee, I went running.  I thought of doing a Saturday Running Commentary Post, noting my caution about ice under the snow and speculating on my thoughts of running the Boilermaker 15K in Utica this summer.

After doing the dishes (judge me if you are so inclined), showering, and calling my mother, I wrote a very few post cards. Regular readers know I write some every week.  I only covered my regulars this Saturday.  I went to the post office, where I ascertained that my post cards needed first class stamps not post card stamps, and purchased some of each.

After the post office I went to Ilion, NY, to the new premises of Melfe’s Shoes.  Imagine my chagrin when I found out they no longer do repairs!  However, I was able to purchase a new pair of running shoes.  Boilermaker 15K, here I come!

They have upped their clothing game!

Returning home,  I attempted to do something useful, with no notable success, and found out my friend Kim, my usual partner for Mohawk Valley Adventures, had a debilitating headache.  After some debate, I decided to go out for some lunch on my own.  Well, why not?

I went to the Tin Cup Tavern in Little Falls (actually I would call it between Herkimer and Little Falls,  but nobody asked me).  I had a delightful time and a delicious sandwich.  I asked the bartender,  Jenna, if I could take her picture for my blog post.

She graciously agreed.

On the way home, I stopped at Valley Wine and Liquor for a bottle of Great Western Brut, a flute of  which I am sipping as I type this (actually peck this in one letter at a time with the stylus).  My husband, Steve, and I have watched a couple movies.

It has been an enjoyable Saturday so far.  And I am feeling inordinately pleased with myself that I made my Saturday blog post on Saturday.  I think this calls for another glass of Brut.

 

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Busy Day Before 15K

Posted on September 13, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a pretty good Scattered Saturday.  I had to be careful not to overdo it, because I might be running 15K again tomorrow.  I believe I mentioned the mini-maker at Copper City Brewing in Rome, NY Sept. 13.  Even though I ran my official Virtual Boilermaker last Sunday, I am signed up for the run in Rome.  I messaged Copper City and offered to act as a volunteer instead, if they needed another one.  In any case, I will be up early in the morning and off to Rome.

With a possible 15K in mind, I took a short run this morning.  On my cool-down walk, I stopped at a neighbor’s house, where they were setting up a garage sale.  They did not mind me taking a sneak preview.

Before garage saling, however, I had other chores to do.  I put a load of laundry in the wash and wrote a few post cards.  After the laundry was in the drier, I headed to Richfield Springs Community Food Cooperative, where I planned to have a cup of coffee and write.

Note to self: try to get a better picture.

For a picture of the Co-op, this shows a nice view of the opposite side of the street.  After that pleasant interlude, I went back home to Herkimer to consider further options. I went to two neighborhood garage sales, where I made a few fun purchases.  Then I decided to walk to Main Street to the Mohawk Valley Community Market, which includes Renewed and Rescued, and Wakefield Furniture.

Unfortunately,  it was close to their closing time when I got there.  I went across the street to the End Zone Pub and Grub for a beer.  When I was in the army, a drill sergeant said it was a good idea to have one beer the night before a PT test.  YES, I had just one beer!

Now I am home and taking it easy before my big day tomorrow.  I had a bowl of pasta and I am hydrating.  Am I better prepared to run 15K than I was last week at this time?  I don’t know.  However, I had an enjoyable Saturday and I am looking forward to Sunday.

 

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Without Hoopla or Help

Posted on September 11, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I did a thing last Sunday.  I ran 9.31 miles.  Yes, it was my Virtual Boilermaker 15K, and I pretty much backed into it.

I ran for one hour one minute on Saturday.  I had a bad headache, which running seemed to help.  Unfortunately, I started to get nauseous.  Now, I have the idea that I can run pretty much as long as I make up my mind to.  Not so on Saturday.  Quite abruptly, I felt, “No.”  I don’t know if it was from my mind or my body, but I stopped running.  I walked home, wanting nothing more than to stay perfectly still, which I was eventually able to do.

Still, I think an hour is a pretty good run, and I had included a few hills, so I was not entirely dissatisfied with myself.  Sunday I thought I would try for seven miles, however long that took me.  Then I would be in good shape for the Mini-Maker at Copper City Brewing in Rome on Sept. 13.

For a hill, I went out Main Street.  Part of the road is closed to traffic, but they don’t say anything about overweight, middle-aged runners, so I feel free.  It is steep and long-ish, and if I go all the way out Highland, I can come down Steuben Hill.  Sometimes I go up Steuben and down Highland, but I prefer to go up where it is steeper and down the more gradual slope.  Just my preference.

The run was going pretty well.  My first mile was almost 15 minutes, which I was not pleased about, but I told myself not to worry, just keep going.

It was sometime after the second mile that I began to toy with the idea of going for the 15K.  I had a bottle of water in my hand.  I could re-fill it at the spring.  That was almost as good as having water stations. I had not planned my entire route, but I could just keep going till Map My Run told me nine miles.  Then I could keep going till it was 9.3.  I should be able to look at my phone (strapped to my upper arm) enough to ascertain that.  I just couldn’t finish on a sprint, as I like to do.

The phrase occurred to me, “without hoopla or help.”  That’s it, I thought.  Without hoopla or help, I will run my 15K.  It kind of went against the grain, because one of my mottoes of life is “I get by with a little help from my friends.”  In this case, however, I decided to do something by myself, for myself, to prove I could do it.  I was running through some fairly level streets in Herkimer, NY while I thought this.  I tried to keep up my pace yet told myself that it did not matter how long it took me, as long as I went the distance.  Then I started thinking about hills.  I had gone up a big hill.  I did not need to do any more.  Did I?

The fact is, Herkimer is not that large, especially if I did not want to cross Route 5, which I did not.  Additionally, I wanted to be at least an hour into my run before I finished my bottle of water and stopped by the spring.  All things considered, I decided my best bet would be to go up the kick-buttest hill in the residential area behind Valley Health.  I suppose I could have gone up the hill to Herkimer College, but I felt more comfortable in the other area.

It was not too awful getting up that long hill, and I was slowly racking up the miles.  I was just over an hour when I refilled my water.  Now where to run?  I thought of a route that would bring me by my beloved Historic Four Corners.  I’ll do that!  Then I added in a few more turns and streets, because I needed to run longer.  Soon I was wishing I had fully charged my phone, because it started making a noise which I was afraid meant low battery.  Please, phone, please, last for me!   At last I was at nine miles!  I was headed down Prospect Street, almost at Bellinger Avenue (not to be confused with Bellinger Street).  I could enter where it said Do Not Enter!  My favorite!

As I headed up my own street, I twisted my arm enough to see my phone.  Map My Run, don’t fail me now!  It did not.  I stopped running when it said 9.31 miles.  Yay!  I was right across from a neighbor sitting on his front stoop, one I often greet as I run by.

“I just ran my Virtual Boilermaker 15K!” I told him.

“Good for you,” he said.

And I just finished my blog post about it.  Phew!  I guess I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.

 

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Words Are Not Forthcoming

Posted on September 10, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought of that title earlier, when I was working on a letter to a friend.  I feel it is quite pathetic to be unable even to write a letter.

Eventually I turned to a new page in my notebook (yes, a spiral-bound paper notebook with a pen) and actually wrote something.  One word followed another and I soon had almost a whole page, front and back.  Was it any good?  I can’t tell.  What I can tell is that I need to get a better grip on this novel I am allegedly writing.

Full disclosure:  I am having difficulty in maintaining my grip at all these days.  Yesterday at work I spent a good part of the day telling people I was at the end of my rope.  A poster back in the ’70’s (it may have been an Argus poster, remember those?) said that if you get to the end of your rope, you should tie a knot and hang on.  I think you should swing.  It is fun to swing on a rope.  Or, if you are feeling vindictive, you could make a noose and go after whoever drove you to the end of the rope.  Just to threaten!  I am not recommending murder!

Well, that brings me over 200 words.  I’m going to call it Wuss-out Wednesday and drive on.  I am still working on the post about my Virtual Boilermaker 15K.  I trust eventually words will be forthcoming.

 

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