Tag Archives: running

Not Really Like a Real Writer

Posted on November 22, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I actually started writing a blog post while on break at work today.  It was a Running Commentary about my run on Sunday.  I had written almost half a page and hadn’t even gotten on the road yet when break ended.  While I worked, I thought of a way better lead than what I had.  Cool beans, I thought.  I’m editing and everything, just like a real writer!  At the next break, I skipped a line and started to write the new lead.

No, wait, that wasn’t what I had thought.  No, this is a better way to say it.  No, don’t put it that way….

So I spent the rest of the break solving cryptogram puzzles I cut out of the Telegram.

On the other hand, it is Middle-aged Musing Monday or perhaps Mental Meanderings Monday, in other words, a day I sometimes let myself off the hook.  It occurs to me that I am spending entirely too much time off the hook lately, but I am not sure how to fix the problem.  I keep trying to jump back on the hook and missing.  What an awkward metaphor, anyway, “on the hook.”  What am I, a pirate?

I know, I know:  the answer first, last and always is to just keep writing.  After I publish this nonsense, I shall work on another project.  Then I might even take another crack at that Running Commentary.

Hey, I just remembered something else.  This is a three day week for me, so although it is Monday, it is kind of like Wednesday, because, you know, I only have two more days of work.  Wuss-out Wednesday!  Oh, I know, that doesn’t make it any better.  Just wait till tomorrow, when it’ll be Tuesday and Wednesday AND Thursday!  Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself.

 

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And to Think, I Almost Didn’t Run

Posted on November 17, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a running commentary to break things up? I have not done one of those in a while, for the simple reason that I have not been running.  I started again this weekend with two runs on the mini-tramp while taking in a silent movie.  I think I mentioned that in my Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I cravenly did not run Monday or Tuesday, so I knew it would be a very good idea to run today.  I also knew I would be very clever about taking myself out of it.

As my work day wore on, I pondered what to do when I got home.  Run?  Clean house?  Not go home but to the store to buy my great-nephew a birthday present (he turns two this week)?  I was feeling increasingly downhearted, for many reasons that do not bear repeating.  I was also feeling rather bloated, because I am back to eating normally, which, for me, means too much.  Obviously running was the right thing to do.

It was not precipitating as I left work, as it had been yesterday (when I did not run).  It seemed cold, but that is no deterrent.  I have leggings and long sleeves.  As soon as I got in the house, Spunky wanted to go for a walk.  He only wanted to go to the end of the street and back.  I thought it felt chilly.  My thermostat said it as 51, well within shorts and short sleeve range for me.  I didn’t think it felt 50, but who am I to argue?  I put on shorts and short sleeves.  Getting a hot flash while I was changing made me feel a little better about the cold, although it made putting on the sports bras a little more awkward (sorry if that was oversharing).

I set out.  Normally when I run for the first time after a break, I run up to German Street, turn left, run to Caroline, then down Caroline, up Margaret, down Henry only as far as I need to to complete the time I want to run.  I decided to turn right today, just for something different.  Then I almost changed my mind, because some kids were walking home from school in that direction. They were on the opposite side of German from me, but I felt self-conscious.  Then I told myself to stop being silly; those kids were probably not paying the least attention to me and who cares if they were?  I turned right.

The cool air felt good.  It really wasn’t cold; I could tell my hands were not going to stiffen up as can happen when it gets below 40.  My ears got cold after a while, but I just moved my headband over them.  This was great.  More to the point, my body was having no problem with the run.  My legs and arms pumped along steadily, my breathing was no problem.  I could handle this!

I turned down Main Street, because that street can be a little difficult to cross because of traffic.  Instead of going all the way down Main, I turned at Church and followed that all the way to the end.  I felt pretty pleased with myself:  instead of going up and down, I was going back and forth.  As I ran, I admired houses, envying screened in porches and noticing who had and had not raked their lawns (not judging, just noticing).  Many houses had harvest decorations: scarecrows, pumpkins, corn.  I saw a few jack-o-lanterns left over from Halloween.   They get really scary looking when they start to rot;  their mouths gape open and the insides are all black with mold. Ew!

I ended up running 27 minutes, which I thought was pretty good.  I did 30 minutes on each of my mini-tramp runs over the weekend, and I usually do not run as far during the week.  I have it in mind to run a 5K in December, and I think I will be just ready for it.  I’ll probably write a blog post about it.

 

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Well, Sure, Everything’s Great!

Posted on November 15, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

And I thought I had my wrist to my forehead yesterday!

I returned to work today.  I told everybody everything was great, because, well, when you round up, I guess they are.  Many people welcomed me back.  They were surprised as well as pleased to see me, because I had not told anyone I had been cleared to return.  I thought, why go announcing these things? I call enough attention to myself as it is.  Toward the end of the day I ran into a fellow I hadn’t seen yet today. He works down at the other end of the room (it’s a big room).

“So you’re back,” he observed in a friendly tone.  “And everything’s all back to normal?”

“As normal as I ever am,” I told him.  He appreciated that.

My assignment to myself now is to try to be better than normal.  It might have been a good idea to go running after work today, but I let that ship sale.  On the other hand, I finished and emailed my article for Mohawk Valley Living, one day before deadline.  I hope they like it.

Perhaps that is why I am having a hard time with this blog post.  Maybe I wrote myself out with that article.  Say it ain’t so!  Don’t I always say that writing begets more writing?  Shouldn’t I be writing a BETTER blog post after warming up on that article?  As we see, that is not the case.

On the other hand, why don’t I cut myself a break?  I worked a ten hour day in a factory after a week and a half of all the naps I could take.  I went home and finished writing a magazine article (I started it in between naps last week).  Yes, I could have gone running, done laundry, written two articles and a better blog post.  If I was some completely other woman I’ve never met or heard of.  Then I wouldn’t be Mohawk Valley Girl.  We wouldn’t want that, now, would we?

 

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Remind Me to Get a Chaise Lounge

Posted on November 14, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh, why do I wait till so late in the day to make my blog post?  I say it in the usual dramatic pose, one wrist to my forehead, before I swoon on the chaise lounge which I have cleverly made sure I was standing near.  Just kidding.  I don’t have a chaise lounge.

I was actually thinking about this earlier.  Ladies swooning, I mean.  I was watching Phantom of the Opera, the original silent film.  I have been watching it for two days now, about a half hour each time, while I ran in place on the mini-tramp.  Yes!  I have started running again!  Just thought I’d slip that little fact in.

But getting back to swooning, we had reached the point where the Phantom has abducted Christine.  A bunch of stuff happens, then the woman ups and faints.  Let me tell you, I was jealous.  When a girl just couldn’t handle it any more, all she had to do was swoon. What a great way to get out of thinking of a snappy comeback!  Ah, not that I am usually at a loss for a snappy comeback.  I mean I can’t ALWAYS think of one, but often.  Still, that fainting had to come in handy sometimes.

For example right now.  Here I am, Sunday evening and no blog post in sight.  If only I could faint dead away and not have to worry about it!   Or I could just do what I usually do and type in a bunch of nonsense and hit Publish. And, of course, try again tomorrow.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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A Run in the Rain

Posted on October 23, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

After a perfectly good run last Sunday, I took five days off.  In my defense, I’m in a play.  I know, excuses, excuses.  I would remind you that few of us accomplish all that we could or would.  It is no reason not to continue to strive to accomplish what we can.  With that in mind, I ran this morning.

I did not feel the least bit inclined to, but I knew it would be a good idea.  For one reason, I was feeling down, down, down.  I thought a little physical exercise might perk me up.  I told Steven I was going to run while he was in the shower.  I wondered whether to go with  shorts or leggings.  It was in the mid-40s, a grey area for me.  The sky was pretty grey, too; it had been pouring rain since Friday.  However, I thought it had stopped raining and the drops I heard on the back porch roof (it is really only a slight overhang) were blowing off the trees.

In the midst of a hot flash (which on some days are not a bad thing), I put on shorts and short sleeves.  When I got downstairs, Spunky clearly indicated a desire to go out.  He is an unusual dog. He does not seem to want a business meeting as soon as Steven and I are up.  When I opened the door I saw I was mistaken about the rain, and the appropriateness of my garb.  Spunky only wanted to go to the end of the driveway and back.

Now, I generally do not run in the rain.  I let myself off the hook or I run in place on the mini-tramp, sometimes watching a silent movie.  I have two silent horror movies on DVD I would like to watch this holiday season (you realize which holiday I refer to, yes?).  However, to me, mini-tramp and movie running is for the afternoon.  It felt wrong.  I put on leggings and long sleeves and attempted a run in the rain.

And it did not go too badly.  My face got cold, which I did not care for.  I could and did pull my sleeves over my hands, which helped them a little.  Still, they got stiff.  When I got home, I remembered something to add to the grocery list and had to hand it to Steven to jot down for me.  That is such an uncomfortable feeling for me, not being able to write.  I’m sure my fellow writers understand.

But, as I say, the run was OK.  It was not too far into it that I realized my legs were doing all right.  They pumped along quietly, not complaining or even getting particularly tired.  I did not exactly get a dose of endorphins or even the triumphant feeling of  “THIS is why I run!”  But I started to feel pretty damn good.  I even petted a dog.  As I ran through Meyers Park, I saw Rocky, a neighborhood dog I know, with his person walking towards me.  She shortened the leash a little, but Rocky has become very well-behaved in these situations.  As I petted him, she told me I was brave for running in the rain and cold.

“I needed it,” I explained.  “I needed it.”  It bore repeating.

My run was only 25 minutes, much shorter than Sunday’s 41, but I thought it was pretty good for a rainy cold morning after five days off.  Full disclosure:  I did not accomplish a whole lot else during the course of the day and I almost took a blogger’s sick day instead of writing this Running Commentary.  Again, in my defense, I’m in a play.   I hope to see you all tomorrow on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

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Runnin’ and Grinnin’

Posted on October 9, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

If anybody was wondering whether or not I have been running during my fabulous five-day weekend, I have. I did not run on Thursday, because we were not yet packed and anxious to get on the road, but Friday I was up and at ’em, as the saying goes.

Well, I wasn’t up very early.  We slept in till after 7 a.m., an almost unheard of occurrence for us.  Although I felt I had over-packed for the weekend, it soon became clear I had not packed enough, because I only had shorts and short sleeves for running in.  No matter, I was determined to run.

I ran a route I have run before when visiting Arlington, VT.  It took me out Ice Pond Road till it ends on Warm Brook Road.  The former was more appropriate.  Ooh, did a hot shower ever feel good afterwards!

We slept in even a little later today (Saturday)  (goodness, is it Saturday?  I get in such a time warp when I’m not at work!) (for anyone who thinks I’m rubbing it in that I’m not at work, don’t hate).  It was slightly warmer out but still under the 45 degrees which is my usual cut off for shorts.  Still, closer to 45 than yesterday.  I set off.

I ran in the same direction as yesterday but did not turn where I had turned.  I turned later on, up Buck Hill Road.  I thought it might be a dead end or it might loop around and come out on the road I was on.  In any case, it went uphill and I wanted to run more hills.  Up, up, up… this was as steep as some of my best hills back in Herkimer.  Was that the end?  Did it end in a person’s driveway?  No, it curved around.  And kept going up!  This was awesome!

The road got a little less road-y and more country-road-y, if you see what I mean.  How long did it go on?  It could go for MILES!  And end up in the middle of  NOWHERE!  The longest I wanted to run was 36 minutes, which increased my time by the recommended 10 percent from what I ran last week (and what I had run on Friday).  I decided I would look at my watch and turn around when it was 18 minutes.

After a while, I could see road to my left through the trees.  That was no doubt the road I would have been on had I not turned onto Buck Hill.  I felt more confident in my original plan to follow the road to  the end.

It came out on the road I had been on but further down than I had hoped. No matter, I told myself.  This was a good run.  It would make a good blog post.  Then I realized I could not remember the name of the road I had turned on.  That would make a GREAT thing to write about!  At last I passed it:  Buck Hill Road.  I could remember that, I thought.  Just think of Buck Owens.  Pickin’ and grinnin’.  Anybody who didn’t get that reference, sorry you’re young and missed Hee Haw.

I ended up running for 37  minutes, picking up the pace at the end in hopes of making it 36.  I even sprinted at the very end, which made for some not very pleasant breathing.  I felt great about having two good runs in two days.  I can only wonder what tomorrow will bring.

 

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Was I Ready to Run?

Posted on October 5, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

At work this afternoon, I remarked to a friend that I had a choice of what to do.  I had to pick up a prescription at The Medicine Shoppe, which is handily located just outside the rather large parking lot in front of my place of employment.  Unfortunately, I like to park at the opposite end of the parking lot.

“I can walk to the Medicine Shoppe, then back to my car, drive home and say, ‘Now I don’t have to run!’  I can drive to the Medicine Shoppe, drive home and go running.  I can walk to the Medicine Shoppe, back to my car, go home AND run.  Or I can drive to the Medicine Shoppe, drive home and not run anyways.  And after I stop at the Medicine Shoppe, I can go into Ilion Wine and Spirits and get a bottle of wine.”

“You’ll have a headache tomorrow,” she warned.

“Not if I don’t drink the whole bottle,” I argued.

“You’ll drive to the Medicine Shoppe,” she predicted, also pointing out that it was a lovely afternoon for a run.

I did drive to the Medicine Shoppe, parking near Ilion Wine and Spirits.  I do like to support the latter, because they are supporters of Ilion Little Theatre, in addition to being very nice people and carrying an excellent selection of wine.  I chose a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

It was a lovely afternoon, bright and sunny.  It was actually a little warmer than I like for running, although I realized that inside a vehicle is not the best place for gauging temperature.  Spunky was ready for a walk as soon as I got home.  I was happy to oblige.  I figured walking around the block would help me decide whether or not to go running.

As we started out, we were in the shade and a breeze blew.  That boded well.  However, I felt very tired.  Maybe a walk around the block would be enough exercise after a ten hour work day spent mostly on my feet. It was warmer in the direct sunlight.  I pictured myself thunking along (thunking is my new favorite word to describe my runs) and pondered how long even a 15-minute run would feel.  I could happily run Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning.  By the time I got back home, I thought I would let myself off the hook today.

Only I didn’t.  I needed to do some laundry for our upcoming weekend away (have I mentioned that?  Well, Steven, Spunky and I are going away for the weekend), so I thought it would be perfect to put the laundry in the washer, do a 20-minute run with a 10-minute cool-down walk, then put the laundry in the drier before taking my shower.  Or maybe a 15-minute run and I could stretch for an extra long time if I had to wait for the washer to finish.

And look at me, closing in on 500 words and I haven’t even started to talk about the run yet.  Did I mention I was tired?  Well I am, and one reason is that I went for a 23-minute run plus 10-minute cool-down walk, AND I did TWO loads of laundry, one of which is in the drier as I type.  I am rewarding myself with a small glass of Sauvignon Blanc.  And I just remembered something else: today is Tired Tuesday.  You see how well things work out sometimes.

 

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Another Thunky Run

Posted on September 27, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was less than half a block into tonight’s run when I thought of that title and by the end of the run, I had no reason to change it.  Regular readers may recall that I used the non(according to my computer)word “thunky” to describe my last run, which was on Saturday.  And how’s this for a Freudian typo:  I first put “less than half a blog”?  At least “blog” is recognized as a word.

Once again, I almost talked myself out of running and once again, I got into my running clothes and out the door.  For one reason, I have rehearsal for Splitting Issues (the play Steven and I are in) tomorrow so I may not have time to run.  For another reason, I need some help reaching my weight-loss goals.

Now, I know what is said by weight-loss experts:  eating less is the key to weight-loss.  Moving more has WAY less effect.  Well, if all you look at is the numbers, that is true.  However, I maintain that the number of calories burned while actually exercising are only part of the story.  To encourage myself to keep thunking along, I once again re-iterated what I think of as the exponential effects of exercise (hmmm, maybe that would have been a better title; for one reason, it has the charm of alliteration) .

Exercise kicks up your metabolism.  Depending on the length and intensity of your workout, for a certain amount of time afterwards, you burn more calories than you were burning before you worked out.  I like to make use of this effect by walking a cool-down turn around the block.  Nine or ten more minutes of extra burn!  Additionally, exercise can increase the amount of muscle in your body.  Muscle burns more calories at rest than does fat.  Moreover, muscle looks better.  Even if I have not lost much weight, I can present a more toned appearance.

Even more important are the psychological benefits of exercise.  After even a bad run, I feel good about myself for having done it.  I feel stronger, healthier, and perhaps more inclined to make healthy choices when I eat.  The anti-depressant effects of exercise are well documented.  Less depressed means less likely to self-medicate with fattening food.

Fortified by these encouraging thoughts, I thunked along for 25 minutes.  When I wasn’t giving myself a pep talk, I enjoyed looking at people’s fall and Halloween decorations.  Steven and I must get going on our own decorating.  I think we should go to, for example, Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit to get some new decorations.  That would make a dandy blog post.

 

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One Hill, Three Dogs, Good Run

Posted on September 25, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, I meant to make my Saturday Running Commentary post shortly after my run, but, as I pointed out yesterday, the best lame plans…  So here I am, hoping I remember some of the stuff I thought as I plodded along.  I was pleased with myself for running in the morning.  I had thought I might do it later in the day, perhaps on the mini-tramp while watching a DVD of a silent horror movie.  Then after a cup of coffee, I thought, what the hell?

It was still cool out, yet warm enough for me to wear shorts and a t-shirt.  My hands got cold, but you’ll have that (that is my go-to comforting thought, “you’ll have that”).  I had gone four days without running (don’t judge, unless you absolutely must be that way) (really, why should I tell somebody not to judge?  Isn’t that judging somebody for being judgemental?).  So I thought I may or may not go for 30 minutes, my last longest time.  And certainly not run up the hill to HCCC, although I could see fog in the distance, which would have been cool to look down on.  I thought the hill by Valley Health was more my speed.

As I plodded toward it, I felt I was not running well.  I felt more thunky than I usually do (my computer seems to think “thunky” is not a word, but I’m sure many readers find it as descriptive as I do).  No matter.  I was running and I intended to continue, at least for a good 20 minutes.  I made it up the hill and said good morning to a lady going to work at Valley Health.  Then I saw a guy getting at the open back of his SUV, looking at several plastic bags full of stuff.  He went grocery shopping, I thought.  Early morning is a good time to shop.  I did not say hello, because he seemed preoccupied.

After I came down the hill, I saw another person and thought I might say hello.  Then he started to walk away and I saw he had a dog.  I caught up with him when he paused at the corner, and he let me pet the dog.  She was a nice dog.  I crossed the street and ran by the high school then across the little bridge over the brook.  I like that little bridge.  On the other side, I met another nice dog to pet.  The lady with him warned he might jump, but that doesn’t bother me.  I like dogs.

A little later I saw another cute dog, but he was pooping at the time, so I did not ask to pet him.  I didn’t want to interrupt his business.  I was looking at my watch and wondering which streets to go down and how long to run.  Eventually I headed towards Meyers Park.  I like to run in Meyers Park, and it is close to my house.  I was already over 20 minutes, so I was pleased enough with myself.

After running into and out of the park, I met a neighborhood dog with his person.

“Is that my friend, Rocky?” I asked.

“It is!”  the lady answered.  “He’s pretty dirty.”

That didn’t bother me any more than the jumping dog did. I was pretty sweaty and unclean myself.

My run ended up being 30 minutes.  I felt pretty terrific as I did my cool-down walk.  I will NOT wait another four days before I run again!

 

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Moody Monday Run

Posted on September 20, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

At work this afternoon, I realized I was in a foul mood.  I said to myself, “Mood swings are a symptom of menopause.  Just wait quietly and it will pass.”  I was still waiting when my shift ended and I came home.  I continued to ignore my irritation as  I put on running clothes and gathered a load of laundry.  Wrestling a sweaty body into spandex shorts and two sports bras did nothing to improve my mood, but I had to feel a little pleased with myself that I hadn’t talked myself out of the run.  For one reason, I needed a blog post and wanted to do a Running Commentary.

It was still warm out but less humid than my place of employment.  My workplace neither cools off nor dries out as quickly as the outside, which is just another reason to be happy when the workday ends.  I started towards German Street and turned right, since I had gone left when I ran on Saturday.  When I ran Saturday, it was after five days of not running, don’t judge.  Then I did not run Sunday, largely because I had also gone for a nice walk including some hills on Saturday.  I am really trying to get back into the habit of running more often.

I was running very slowly.  It was quite the plod.  No matter.  I was moving.  I remembered reading a long time ago that running slowly was a good way to train.  When you run fast, the theory goes, your body reaches toward high-octane fuel, such as the protein you recently ate.  When you run slowly, your body reaches for the low-octane fuel, your fat cells.  This was a nice, slow, fat-burning run, I told myself.  I think the theory has since been debunked, but I could hardly concern myself with that.

There was a lot of traffic, as there often is in the late afternoon.  I turned down Main Street rather than try to cross at the four-way stop.  I was thinking I would prefer not to run into any people, running so slowly and clunkily, but it was such a nice day, I thought there would be people almost any direction I took.  So why not go down Main Street?

Oh, my legs were not happy with me.  Shouldn’t they be warming up and getting into this, I asked myself.  Oh, just keep running, I answered.  One must have these difficult runs to get to the more enjoyable ones.

I did not start to feel really good until I was doing my cool-down walk.  It was then I realized, the irritable mood had passed.  Yes!  Maybe I sweated it out.  Maybe I ran away from it.  No matter.  I felt better, I had burned some calories, and I had something to write a blog post about. Not too bad for a Monday.

 

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