Tag Archives: breathing

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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“Shapewear” Is So A Word, Computer!

Posted on April 26, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

Breathing is not overrated.  That is what I tell myself at times like this.  You see, when I get stressed, I forget to breathe.  Then I take a deep breath and it’s like, “Oh yeah, oxygen.”

When I was in the army learning how to run, and I ran into difficulties (see what I did there?), I would tell myself, “Breathing is overrated.”  Eventually I learned how to run and breathe, but first I learned how far I can actually run while gasping and choking in a most unbecoming fashion.  However, this is not a post about running.  I would probably feel a good deal less stressed if I had taken the time for a short run or walk.  However, that ship sailed, to resort to cliche (it is less of a cliche if you point out that you are using a cliche; another technique is to add the word “proverbial,”as in “that proverbial ship has sailed.  Then you sound all self-aware and post-ironic) (but I digress).

Another deep breath, which I need after that last paragraph.  I am working through my last-minute fluster attack before leaving for dress rehearsal for Morning’s at Seven, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre.  I believe I have mentioned it once or twice.

After work, and a convoluted drive back to Herkimer, due to congestion and construction, I stopped at the store to get the pantyhose and underwear I mentioned earlier.  I am a little worried, because the only pantyhose (they are, in fact, tights, but let us not quibble over semantics) in the color I wanted (off-white) were control top. YES, I have a top to control.  However, when I attempt to do so, I experience extreme torture for very little result.  What a cruel hoax shapewear is!

And look at me, 300 words and I’m not late.  Yet.  Happy Thursday, everyone.

I wonder if wine is overrated.

 

 

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Who Me? Run a 5K?

Posted on October 29, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a Sunday Running Commentary to avoid a Wrist to Forehead Sunday later on.  At least, I will avoid a post about one.  As a worker at Monday through Friday employment (most of the time), although I appreciate Friday, I confess to some amount of angst on Sunday.  As I like to say in a philosophical tone of voice, you’ll have that.

I did not run yesterday and thought I might not run today.  For one reason, lots of rain is predicted, and Steven informed me it had already started by 5:30 when he got up to pee (we slept in to an almost unheard of 7 a.m.!).  I grumped downstairs for a cup of coffee on stiff knees and feet (yes, I’m old), feeling contented at the thought of my husband having the day off, too.  After coffee, I was hungry, but Steven wanted to do the dishes before fixing breakfast.  As I was contemplating having a piece of toast to hold me over, I realized it was not currently raining.

“You do the dishes while I go for a short run,” I suggested.  I noted that it was 53 degrees out, so I felt secure that my sinuses would not become irritated (often a concern for me).  I brushed my teeth, washed my face, got into running gear, and got myself going.

I crossed German Street and ran up the steeper side (it is kind of a slanted street), heading for the hill by Valley Health.  As I ran, I thought I would lead my Running Commentary post with the reflection that I was NOT going to run in any kind of 5K on Thanksgiving Day, as I had threatened to do in a recent running post.  To keep on schedule for that, I would have to run for 30 minutes.  I wasn’t going to run for 30 minutes!  I had just taken three days off of running (go ahead and judge me if you like)!  I was probably going to run for 20 minutes and have done.  Maybe 20 plus a few.  At least I was going to do the hill.

It sure took a long time to get to the hill.  This was more of a plod than a run.  Never mind, at least I was doing it.  Maybe my body would feel better as I went.  Only that did not seem likely at the time.  The hill was not fun, but I managed it without having a VCD attack (that is Vocal Chord Dysfunction, a breathing problem I have).  Once I got down the hill, I felt a little better about things.  I could rock this run.  Well, maybe not rock, but at least continue.  Twenty minutes?  Maybe 25.  27, same as I did last weekend.  Oh, just keep running.

I ran up and down a couple of streets, keeping an eye on the time passing and wondering how long I would go.  My legs didn’t feel too bad, but my breathing wasn’t so great.  I concentrated on taking deep, slow breaths, holding each breath in for a second or two before exhaling.  I took note of people’s Halloween decorations, to keep myself in a cheerful frame of mind.  Lots of ghouls, nice.  A few pumpkins.  Oh, one house that had a magnificent display last year was bare.  I think it is a rental property, which would explain things.

My run ended up lasting for 30 minutes.  When I was around 13 minutes I wondered if I would; when I hit 16 minutes it seemed likely, and when I got to 18 I was sure. At the bottom of my street, I saw I was at 27 minutes and picked up the pace, so I would not go over 30 minutes. It felt pretty good running a little faster.  I thought I should do this more often.  Perhaps I will.  And the Turkey Trot 5K?  Still on the table, I guess.

I felt happy as I walked my cool-down around the block.  Now I feel ready to sit my butt on the couch, crochet and watch Halloween movies, yes!  I hope to see you all on Mental Meanderings Monday.  Or perhaps I will have a Monster Movie Monday, just to mix things up a little.   Tune in tomorrow and see!

 

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