Tag Archives: running

Missing Mojo on Tired Tuesday

Posted on September 25, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a vague idea of making a Running Commentary post today.  It was another reason to get myself out the door and moving.  I seem to have lost my running mojo without taking an extended break from it, as I have in the past.  I have run both weekend days every weekend within recent memory, until this past weekend.  Once again I have to ask, What the Hell, me?

Oh let’s be honest, I have lost all kinds of mojo lately: running, writing, housework, theatre… do I have any other kinds of mojo?  Unfortunately I do not see how I can write about my missing mojo without sounding like a whiny baby.  I don’t know why I worry so much about sounding like a whiny baby,  especially since that is what I must sound like more often than I admit.

Where was I? I sat down with my Tablet with all good intentions of making a Running Commentary post.  I guess the road to bad blog posts is paved with good intentions.  So here I am with yet another foolish blog post.

I point out to my vicious inner critic that I did run today, and for further than I thought I would (not a vast amount, but I did demonstrate perseverance) and I did a load of laundry.  And now I have done a blog post of at least 200 words.  Wasn’t I saying earlier this week that I must learn to write despite whatever is wrong with me?  It is true!  Mojo or no, I shall persevere!

 

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Can I Rock That Run?

Posted on September 18, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I decided about twelve times today that I would or would not run the Falling Leaves 14K in Utica, NY, on Sunday.  I quite amused one of my co-workers with my dithering.  One problem I had was that I was not feeling well today.  How can I run a 14K when my legs feel like overcooked macaroni, I whined.  Another co-worker told me there was nothing wrong with me and I should run the race.  How would he know?

In any case, I knew it would be a good idea to go running after work.  For one reason, I succumbed to the temptation to eat a candy bar.  Somebody’s kid was selling them to raise money for some school thing.  One must support youth and education, after all.  I know, I could have donated the dollar and left the candy bar.  In fact, I did not eat the first candy bar I purchased but saved it in my lunch box for Steve.  Later on I got another and ate 3/5 of it (it had five little sections).

This is a long introduction to a Running Commentary post,  but that is all right, because the run was really short.  After some difficulty getting dressed (missing bicycle shorts, inadequate sports bras, you know how it goes), I set out with no great hopes of a good run.

Oh, don’t go lecturing me about how we can control our lives if we just think positively.  I have started plenty of runs with sky high hopes that ended up in the metaphorical toilet.  Likewise, I have started out grumpily and had a lovely time.  In this case, all I can say is I did my best.

I never reached the I Can Rock This stage.  However, I kept going for 22 minutes as well as my usual 10 minute cool down walk.  I am thinking this is not the run of a body that is ready for a 14K.  Of course I will feel differently on a weekend morning,  especially if I carb up and don’t tie one on the night before.  But still.  When I have run the Boilermaker 15K, my body has felt better a week before the event.  Could I be getting old? SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

Before making this post, I went on Facebook and onto the Falling Leaves page.  I have till Thursday to register online.  I could still register Saturday at the Sneaker Store in New Hartford or Sunday in Utica before the race.

Full disclosure: I looked at pictures of the starting line from previous years and wanted to cry.  Can I drive to Genesee Street, find a place to park, figure out where to go, deal with running in a crowd (although it would not take long for the crowd to leave me far behind), etc., etc.?

It is difficult to properly assess my feelings on Tired Tuesday.  Then again, are my feelings the important thing here?  I’m afraid that whatever I decide, I will wish I had gone the other way.  On the brighter side, there is always next year.  In the meantime,  I dither, I dither.

 

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Who, Me? Run?

Posted on September 11, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I went for a run this afternoon, describing the way I move in a most generous fashion. I am still dithering about the Falling Leaves 14K,  and today’s exercise did not further incline me to take the challenge. However, one must take the bad runs to get to the good ones.  I do not despair.

After work I got myself into running clothes and out the door before I had a chance to talk myself out of it.  Earlier I had entertained wild thoughts of running up to Herkimer College.  After all, I am running over an hour on the weekends.  Surely I can handle more of a challenge during the week (I am calling myself Shirley in this context).

A few steps down the sidewalk I thought I was not up to any challenge whatsoever.  I wondered if I was even up to a lousy 20 minute run.  Nevertheless, when I had the chance, I crossed German Street.  This put me on the path to a few different hills. I thought I could manage a hill. A small hill.

I ran up the hill by Valley Health.  As I ran up it, in fact, on the last few times I have run up it, I reflected that it is not an inconsiderable hill. I really must take a walk with my Tablet and take some pictures of these hills.  My readers will either say, “Why, yes, that is a hill,” or “What a wuss!  That’s no hill!”

When I got to the top of the hill, my legs felt like overcooked macaroni!  And I was less than eight minutes into the run!  Crap!  I continued, hoping to avoid any more major upslopes.  There are some really good hills in that area.  I hope to run them again but was not into it today.

As I ran on, eventually my legs started to feel a little better.  I reminded myself of how I sometimes don’t hit the I Can Rock This stage till a good 20 minutes into the run.  I further reminded myself that I have found I can keep running for just about as long as I decide to.

Soon my body was urging me to decide on a SHORT run. I ignored it. My legs felt better or worser by turns, but I persevered and ended up running for 26 minutes.  I did not feel terrific on my cool down walk.  When I took my shower, I wished I had one of those old lady stools so I could sit down.

So, yes, I can be a big baby about these things.  I comfort myself by reflecting that (a) I did so run and (b) I made a blog post about it.  Perhaps I can improve on the run and the blog in the future.

 

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To Fall Or Just To Leave?

Posted on September 8, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I guess I’ll have to stop apologizing for making late blog posts; I’m afraid it is just going to happen.  Anyways, I thought I would take this morning’s 200 or so words to dither about the Falling Leaves 14K in Utica two weeks from today.

I have long wanted to run that.  I understand it is a beautiful and challenging course.  I need to challenge myself.  In fact, sometimes I even need to Double Dog Dare myself.  So why the hesitation?

Well, for one reason, the race is only 1K less than the Boilermaker.  That is not a distance to be undertaken lightly.  And I would not be undertaking it lightly.   I have been running all summer, slowly building myself up.  I feel that I am in pretty damn good shape (from some angles my actual shape could stand improvement, but I digress).

Basically what happens is all week I feel tired and discouraged.  I think of keeping up my running three to five days a week while working.  I think about driving to Utica and looking for a parking space after luckily finding where the race starts (I know these considerations do not bother some people, but I seem to be more easily intimidated in some respects), and I say, “I just can’t take the pressure.”

Then I go for a long run on the weekend, get all endorphinned up, and say, “This is AWESOME!   I am SO doing the Falling Leaves 14K!”  Yesterday on my cool down walk, I met a neighbor who runs and asked was he doing the race.  He has not signed up yet but has done it in the past and recommends it.  He is a younger guy in great shape.  I daresay he does not need to constantly consider the calendar and calculate how fast 10 percent per week will add up, as I do.

Right now I am in the discouraged portion of my dithering (although I do feel challenged to refute that parenthetical comment about being easily intimidated.  Me? Intimidated? SAY IT AIN’T SO! ). However, I have not gone on this morning’s run yet.  I expect I will feel differently then.  In any case, I am now over 300 words.  Quite respectable for a late post. I shall now get on with my Sunday.

 

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Deadly Dateline?

Posted on September 3, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I should totally buy this mug.

Earlier today I wondered what I would do to write a blog post about.  Who knew I would spend most of the day watching Deadly Women.  I just love that Candace DeLong.

I did go for a long run this morning.  That could be one reason I feel too tired to do much else.  However, I got a couple of things done. I wrote some post cards (yes,  I usually do that on Saturday, but one cannot always meet the higher standard).  I went to the grocery store.  I made my salad and chopped radishes for this week’s lunches.  And I cooked a late lunch/earlier dinner for Steven and me, saving us from going out or sending out for food.

Really, not a bad holiday Monday, as these things go.  Let’s face it, I can feel bad about what I didn’t do or good about what I did.  Hmm… are those my only choices?  Maybe I don’t have to feel any way at all.  Maybe I can just… be.

Actually, today is Monday, and I am not drinking whiskey.

I can, for example, feel sad about returning to work tomorrow.  Full disclosure: I don’t really.  I feel happy that I only have a four day week ahead of me.  I may feel differently tomorrow morning,  but I can’t worry about that now.

And there’s always this.

Also on the brighter side: today is Dateline day on OWN.  When I’ve had too much Deadly Women, I can turn to a different source of murder and mayhem.  I say it has been a pretty darn good Monday.

 

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Scatterbrained on Scattered Saturday

Posted on September 1, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I completely forgot to make my blog post yesterday.  I have no excuse, or at least none I am going to offer. Instead, I sit here Sunday morning, typing away (one letter at a time with the stylus, because it is just so much more comfortable on the couch), and hoping, as usual, for the best.

I went for a long run yesterday morning, almost an hour.  I do love a long run, because I have a better chance of getting a dose of those endorphins I hear so much about.  I did not seem to get any yesterday, but at least I felt pleased with myself for running so long.  I was thinking about running the Falling Leaves 14K in Utica later on in September.  Right now I am re-thinking it, but we’ll see how I feel after today’s run.

After the run I did a load of laundry, which I hung out on the line.  That and the run were my only accomplishments of the day. However, as my husband Steven and I lounged on the deck, as we did for a considerable amount of time,  it was nice to watch the clothes flap in the breeze.

Eventually we went to Salvatore’s, one of our favorites,  for something to eat.  Back home, we watched a couple of movies.

Hmm… I guess we did not do enough to qualify for a true Scattered Saturday. Oh well, you’ll have that, especially when it’s me we’re talking about.  I must get this published, late as it is, and get on with my Sunday.

 

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Short and Thunky

Posted on August 28, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had two wonderful long runs this past weekend.  Did I write a Running Commentary post about either one? NO!!!  I had a short, thunky run this afternoon.  Get ready for a short, thunky running commentary post.

The easiest thing to do after working all day is to talk yourself put of running.  However, I did not indulge in such craven behavior today but went straight upstairs to put on running clothes as soon as I got home.  I was going to run my usual weekday run: left on German Street to Caroline, then down Caroline, up Margaret, and down Henry for as long as I can stand it before going up Bellinger to home.  I confess that sometimes I do not get very far down Henry at all.

I really did want to run today,  because Saturday’s and Sunday’s runs had felt SO good.  I thought I had my running mojo back and everything was going to be great.  In fact,  I was not particularly surprised to find out I was wrong about that. What do I think I am, a gazelle?  Of course not. I am an overweight middle-aged lady with creaky bones and a bad attitude.

However, one thing I can do is persevere.  At least for a while.  Right away my run felt thunky.  I felt chunky.  And not very spunky.  Sorry, folks, I just felt like throwing in a couple of rhymes just then.

As I reached Caroline,  I realized I did not want to do the run I had set out to do. Traffic was with me, so I crossed Caroline.  I would run to the end of Caroline, which loops around. I would follow the loop.  Full disclosure:  I did not know how long I would be able to persevere.  I had not set out with a definite goal of how long to run. Naturally I hoped that I would hit the I Can Rock This stage and enjoy a medium or even a long run.  I do not ask myself for miracles.

And I did not get miracles.  I did not even get to rock this.  However, by virtue of making a couple of strategic turns, I managed to run for 22 minutes.  I call that not bad for a Tired Tuesday.  And I am over 350 words.  I call that not bad for a Tired Tuesday post.

 

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Somewhat Lame Run

Posted on August 24, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had thought to make a Running Commentary post in lieu of my usual Lame Post Friday post.  I tried all day to psych myself up for a run.  As I worked, I pictured myself jogging down the sidewalk.  Of course when you run in your headp it always feels good, not thunky or breathless.  Then as it got closer to quitting time, lounging with a nice beverage on the deck seemed a better way to go.

Steven was even relaxing on the deck when I got home.  How churlish it would be of me not to join him!  Well, I was churlish enough to get myself into running gear and get going. A short run, I told myself, secretly hoping to end up doing a medium or even a long run once I got going.

It a actually did not feel too bad. I did not run Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday,  although I did mow the lawn on Tuesday (I seem to remember mentioning that in a blog post).  I went for a short run yesterday (which I also mentioned in my blog post). Running the second day usually does feel better, which was one reason I was able to talk myself into it.

It was a short run,  although slightly longer than yesterday’s.  I fully intend to run tomorrow,  which I expect will feel good, since I will run in the morning, not in the afternoon heat after working for eight hours.

I guess I didn’t say too much about the run itself, other than that I did it.  I am going to say that that’s OK for a Lame Post Friday.  I hope to see you all on Saturday.  Scattered?  Slacker?  Otherwise?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my blog.

 

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As the Dew Point Went Down…

Posted on August 23, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

This will be a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  I will briefly tell how I spent my day, slap on a headline that may have nothing to do with anything, and hit Publish.  It has worked before, it will work again!

My second week back at work has not been bad so far,  but I was so ready for quitting time today! On the way home, I had to find a house in Mohawk, NY, which I normally drive through,  to drop off an afghan for a donation for a benefit this weekend.  I just love donating my afghans for such a purpose.  Full disclosure: I like to donate my afghans for almost any reason.

Anyways, it was fun to drive down a couple of unfamiliar streets, and I arrived home not much later than my regular time.

“What’s the plan?” Steven asked.   “Are we going to the wine tasting?” Yesterday I had told him there was a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.

“Right now I am going running,” I told him. “But we’ll probably have time.”

My run was not very long. I petted two cute dogs along the way,  so I called it a success.  As I was drinking my recovery beverage of chocolate milk, Steven told me the wine tasting was only  scheduled till five.

“It’s into the shower with me!” I said.  We got to the tasting in plenty of time.

Our pourer, Devon, and Steve.

After the tasting, we went to the Waterfront Grille, where we had an equally delightful time.

Our bartender, Barbie.

When we got home I realized I wanted three pictures for my blog post,  so I took a picture of the two bottles of wine we had purchased during the tasting.

They reached my ultimate accolade of “Yum.”

I could write more about the tasting and about our dinner, but this is where I am at on Non-Sequitur Thursday.  I hope to see you all on Lame Post Friday.

 

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A Little Tired of Yard Work

Posted on August 21, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

My original plan was to go running and make a Running Commentary post.  However, I decided to spend some time on the lawn instead. This means a lot of walking back and forth behind my non-power mower or standing in one place while I push said mower over the same patch several times. I actually did a combination of the two.

So I think I deserve to make a Tired Tuesday post.  Also, I walked around the yard just now and took a couple pictures, so I also have some illustrations for your entertainment.

I had a hard time getting a good angle.

While I was mowing, I noticed a couple of Black-Eyed Susans some distance away from the main patch.  Perhaps I should have taken a wider shot as well, to show how far away they are. Unfortunately,  I am too tired and lazy to go back out into the hot sunshine.  I am currently lounged in the shade on the deck, with my feet up.  Remember, it is Tired Tuesday.

While I was in the lawn, I checked on the plant with little yellow flowers I included on Sunday’s post.  It seems that something has eaten it!

I guess critters gotta eat too.

Here is the before shot.

I also noticed a tiny wild strawberry and took a picture of it, too.

No, .I did not eat it.

I need to do quite a bit more yard work, but that will be for another day. I also need to go running.  And stop procrastinating.  So much to think about on a Tired Tuesday!

 

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