Tag Archives: running

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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I Finally Got Some Beer!

Posted on September 11, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Once again I interrupt my Saturday gyrations for a Scattered Saturday post.  We got up early(ish), just after six, and I immediately went for a run.  I would have liked to do a Saturday Running Commentary post, but I had other fish to fry.  I was communicating with family via phone and Facebook to coordinate plans.  Then I hustled to the Friendly Bake Shop in Frankfort, NY, for donuts.  I like donuts.

Before implementing the above-mentioned plans, I wrote a few post cards and walked with Spunky to the post office to mail them.  I do like to write post cards.  This week I had some new ones from Florida, which my lovely friend Kim had found while cleaning her house and given to me.  Certain family members had arrived at my house while we were perambulating.  I think at least a couple of them enjoyed a donut.  I had one as well, then we were off to Little Falls for the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival.

After checking out the festivities, which included a craft beer tasting at the Piccolo Cafe, some of us went on to lunch at Applebee’s in Herkimer. From there it was a short drive to the Mohawk Antiques Mall in (duh) Mohawk.  I love that place.

Now Steven and I are home.  We took another short perambulation with our pooch and are contemplating our movie viewing plans for the evening.  I want to watch Halloween movies, perhaps of the cheesy variety.  It always makes for a good blog post.  Several of our activities today will make for good blog posts too, I hope. We’ll see what I can manage to write in the coming days.  In the meantime, Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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Waaaait a Minute! I Never Got My Beer!

Posted on September 9, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I ran earlier.  It was a pretty lousy run, but I did not despair of writing a passable Running Commentary post.  The trick is to get to the computer while it is all still fresh in my mind.  Well, I tried, but the damn computer was updating.

Then again, I don’t think I was thinking all that many great thoughts during the run.  Mostly I was gasping for breath in the humidity and wondering why the rain wouldn’t start and give me some relief.  Or does rain get rid of humidity instantaneously?  Perhaps it would not have given me any relief at all.  At least it would not have made me appreciably wetter, because I was covered with sweat before I started.

All of this was no great matter, though, because at least I ran.  And by virtue of running on my Monday holiday, I had only gone two days without running.

I can’t say it was a particularly fun run.  Partway through it I felt that I was not enjoying myself and asked myself why I keep thinking I like to run.  I answered, I like to run on weekend mornings, when it is cool and I feel fresh.  Unfortunately, you cannot only run two days a week with five days break in between.  That would not make for enjoyable weekend runs.  Then I pointed out to myself that when running in hot weather my leg muscles warmed up faster.  My leg had felt quite discouraged at the beginning of the run but were doing better by the end.

I carefully pointed out to myself beautiful flowers in people’s lawns and window boxes.  Scenery always helps.  I envied people who were sitting on their front porches. I would have liked to be sitting still on my front porch, possibly with a beverage.

That was when I thought of beer.  A nice cold beer.  How good would that taste?  I thought, VERY.  So that was the reward I kept in my head for the rest of the run.

I finished the run and my cool-down walk before the rain.  I had a lovely cold shower, ate some food and waited for the computer to cooperate.  Then I wrote this blog post, which I am afraid is not as good of a Running Commentary as I had originally envisioned.  Then again, at least the whole post was not about How I Can’t Write a Post Today.  We’ll save that for Lame Post Friday.  I’m going to call this a Non-Sequitur Thursday and hit Publish.  I hope you’re having a lovely day.

 

 

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Off to a Running Start on Sunday

Posted on August 28, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s Sunday Running Commentary!  When I got up this morning (at a leisurely but not as late as I would have liked) 6 a.m., I said, “It would be a good idea if I went running.”  I was bearing in mind a recent note to self: do not go three days without running.  It had been two.  Regular readers may recall that it is a trick I use to get myself to do what is good for me:  I say, “It would be a good idea if…” as opposed to, “I should…”  Sometimes it works.  Today it did.

I wore my ARMY t-shirt with the reflective doo-dah on the back, because it seemed the sun was not quite up.  By the time I had wrestled myself into two sports bras (do NOT tell me, “TMI!”), it was not as dark as it had seemed, but a bit of reflective stuff is not a bad idea on a run.  Off I went.

As I reached the end of the driveway I saw the most beautiful sky.  The rising sun was making a lovely pink texture on the bottom sides of lots of clouds.  It was to the left of me as I ran towards German Street.  I wondered if it was a red sky at morning (sailors take warning). I pondered, as I have since I first heard that expression, if there was a qualitative difference between red skies and pink skies.  And how about orange skies?  Anyways, I’m not a sailor, so I have never been too exercised over the whole idea.

I turned left onto German, so I could enjoy the sky.  I saw our paper deliverers across the road and waved at them.  Our paper deliverers are awesome.  So prompt and reliable, and they seem to have a vast territory.  My plan was to run up Main Street, down the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal (does that path have a name?) then on to the end of German, via a street that runs parallel, and back down German, going up and down the dead end streets.  It is what I think of as my Sunday Dead End Run.  As my run time increases, I can add more dead end streets.  My run time is back down (I’ve had a bad summer, running-wise), so I wondered how few dead ends I would make today.

As it turned out, very few.  OK, just one. And I suffered an injury. Not much of one.  As I approached the end of the street that ends near the parking lot of the HARC building (another dead end but not one that forces me to turn around, so ah ha ha), I ran around a car parked across the sidewalk.  I thought to get back on the sidewalk for the little bit of it that was left, then I tripped on the curb and went down.  Damn!  How clumsy of me.  I scraped my knee but did not pause to check how badly.  It didn’t feel too bad.  I had landed on one hand too but thought I had done even less damage there.  Mostly some gravel.  This was fine. I would be bad ass enough not to worry about it (although I planned to mention it in my blog post).

It was not, however, a particularly bad ass run.  I was ready for the cool shower portion of my day well before I stopped running.  I enjoyed it, despite being sweaty, tired and (slightly) injured. I like looking at people’s houses, envying features like screened-in porches and wondering if I can imitate certain garden features.  For example, I saw a chair with a potted plant sitting underneath the space where the seat was missing, vines climbing up the chair back.  Do I have a broken old chair I can use that way? Maybe I could find one at a garage sale.  I saw a very long clothesline.  My clothesline is not nearly that long but I like it.  Is it supposed to rain today?  My bunions are non-committal.

I ended up running 30 minutes.  My goal had been 28, approximately ten percent over the 25 minutes I ran last Sunday.  I felt pretty pleased about it.  I feel pretty pleased that I have made my blog post prior to 8 a.m.  What other ambitious things can I get done today?  The sky’s the limit!  Incidentally, it stopped being pink soon into my run.  I think I’ll check and see if it’s grey.

 

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Run before Rain

Posted on August 26, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought of that title as I walked to my vehicle after work under threatening grey skies.  As it turns out, it is an appropriate headline mostly because today is Non-Sequitur Thursday.  But at least I ran.

First I went three days without running.  These things happen.  My legs started to ache again today, so I thought it would be a good idea to get out there.  I thought it was going to rain; for one reason, my bunions said so all day yesterday.  If it rained I could run in place on the mini-tramp.  When it was not raining immediately after work, I thought I would take a chance.  What was the worst that could happen?  I get wet?  As I like to say, I ain’t sugar; I won’t melt.  I get hit by lightning?  Well, my grandmother used to stay in the pool and count the seconds between the flash and the boom.  If it was good enough for Grandma, it’s good enough for me.  Anyways, I didn’t hear any rumbles nor yet see any flashes.

I took Spunky out as soon as I got home, as I usually do.  It was more a short business meeting than a real walk.  Those clouds looked dark. However, on my way home from work I had seen some high school kids running.  Probably the track team.  If they could run, I could run.

Off I went.  My legs were not the least bit happy with me.  Next time don’t go three days without running, I scolded myself.  Oh, this was painful.  I was moving slow but I was moving.  A little breeze was nice when I got it.  Otherwise it was humid.  Breathe, Cindy, breathe.  As the run progressed it became harder to breathe.  However, I realized that the worse the breathing, the less the legs hurt.  One thing about my body, the parts usually take turns complaining.  If they didn’t all have to take a turn one right after the other, that would be even better, but you can’t have everything.

I enjoyed running around the neighborhood, looking at houses, flowers, cars.  I saw a classic car in one driveway.  I think it was from the ’40s but I am not very knowledgeable about these things.  I saw a person sitting on a front porch.  I would like to sit on a porch, I thought.  With a beer.  There was no beer in my house.  Why did I not stop and pick up beer on my way home? That beer could be chilling in my refrigerator, waiting to reward me at the end of the run.  Now what would I reward myself with?  There are Klondike bars in the freezer (somebody gave Steven a coupon).  The song, “What would you do-oo for a Klondike bar?”  played in my head for the rest of the run (full disclosure: at the time of this posting, I have not yet eaten a Klondike bar; weight loss goals, you know).

There was a lovely screened in porch. You can sit on a screened-in porch when it’s raining.  Why didn’t I buy a house with a screened-in porch?  I had my reasons, but it basically boils down to what that great philosopher Mick Jagger once said, you can’t always get what you want.  How much longer was this run going to take?  I hadn’t been running in three days, surely 15 minutes would be good enough.  Maybe 20.  Should I keep running once the rain started or head for home by the most direct route?  Why wasn’t it raining yet?  Those big fat bluffing clouds!

The rain began 11 minutes into the run.  The clouds were not bluffing; my bunions were vindicated.  It was a nice gentle sprinkle.  I could rock this. Mind you, I was not particularly rocking the run itself, but I was still running.  Maybe the rain would wash away some of the humidity.  Then it would be easier to breathe.  This wasn’t bad at all.  Why don’t I ever run in the rain?  Of course it wasn’t raining very hard.  A downpour might be more uncomfortable.  I would see when this rain became a downpour.

Which, it never did.  Two or three blocks later, it stopped.  What was that all about?  It was supposed to RAIN!  That little sprinkle had done nothing for the humidity.  Rats!  Still, I kept going.  Once you’re out, you might as well keep going, right?

I ended up running for 23 minutes.  I thought that was pretty good since I had run 23 and 25 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.  I don’t have a definite plan of when to run again, but I’m thinking before three days have passed.  So, Sunday at the latest.  Perhaps I’ll write another Running Commentary.  It’ll make a change from Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

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Trying to Get Back on Track

Posted on August 23, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

My plan for the week had been to write a more detailed post about each Mohawk Valley adventure from my Scattered Saturday.  I was going to be a Good Writer and write on my breaks at work.  Did I really think I was going to do that?  I bet some of you didn’t, you doubters, you!  OK, doubters who were 100 percent correct in this case.  You may congratulate yourselves but don’t get too smug about it, that’s obnoxious.

Where was I?  Ah yes, attempting a blog post about one of my adventures from this past Saturday.  Going in chronological order, I should start with a Running Commentary.  It had actually been my plan to make the Running Commentary before beginning the other adventures, but, well, in my defense, I wrote postcards instead.  People like to get postcards from me.

So I had not been running for a couple of weeks (who’s counting?) (in fact, I cannot exactly count, because I know I ran one time between July 30, when I made my last entry in the Running Journal, and Saturday, but I do not know what day that was) (it does not matter if that is a run-on sentence, because it is a parenthetical comment).  My legs had been aching all week in a most unprecedented fashion.  I did not know what was wrong but suspected it was lack of activity (although I have been working on my feet all day most days, so go figure).  It is so annoying.  My leg ache because I don’t run, and I don’t feel like running because my legs ache.

Just a short run, I told myself.  Maybe a nice walk.  Just move your legs.  I didn’t do it Friday night.  For one reason, we were having people over, and I had to chop vegetables.  I would do it Saturday morning.  I woke up with a headache.  That should not matter; I often have a headache these days.  I could still run.

First I had coffee.  Two cups.  They perked me up considerably.  I got my running gear on and took off, making copious mental notes for the Running Commentary I was sure to write later.

And as you can see, I still have not written it.  The run went pretty OK, I guess.  I ran again on Sunday.  My legs ached less today.  Unfortunately, my head problems remain.  I’m thinking it is the dreaded fall allergies.  My head is spinny and vague (yes, I mean “spinny” and not “spinning,”  I am not vague on that point), and I do not feel capable of writing any more of a blog post.  However, I see I am over 400 words.  400 good words?  Oh, since when have I worried about that?  Let’s just call this a Monday Mental Meanderings and move on.

 

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But Was It A Triumphant Run?

Posted on August 2, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

We interrupt All Much Ado All The Time for a running commentary.  If I can write one.

Our production of Much Ado About Nothing faced an interruption of its own when we postponed “Much Ado at the Zoo” from today till next Monday, Aug. 8.  So it is an unexpected night off for me and my fellow cast-members.  Ah, a chance to study my lines, press my costume, do a load of laundry, spend time with my husband.  And run.

I did not run on Sunday, because when I got up it was pouring rain.  I don’t usually run in the rain (although I got rained on plenty later on at rehearsal, as I may have mentioned in yesterday’s post).  I can possibly run before Tuesday’s rehearsal but probably not Wednesday’s.  In short, it would be a good idea to run today.  I spent the day thinking about it, hoping my body would just automatically do it instead of letting my mind talk me out of it.

But, oh, was I tired by the end of the day!  I had my Monday backache, my feet hurt as always, and I was inclined as usual to be a big fat baby about it.  Nevertheless, once I had taken Spunky for his afternoon business meeting, I got on my running clothes.  As I struggled into my sports bras, I felt I was getting a more strenuous workout than the run was going to be.  Don’t bleat “TMI!” at me!  Ladies, I appeal to you, is it not a dreadful experience, wrestling a small spandex harness over a sweaty body?  I was out of breath when I finally triumphed.

My run was less of a triumph.  As I started down the sidewalk, I could tell my body was not going to surprise me with athletic prowess.  Oh, well, I guess it never surprises me with what you might call prowess.  Still, sometimes I feel like I’m rocking it.  Today I felt more like a hunk of rock.  And I could hear the ice cream truck. That damn ice cream truck!  It plays the same tune over and over again, mocking me and sometimes stalking me.  Yeah, I’ll just stop running and eat some FATTENING ice cream! But I don’t have any money in my running clothes. AUGH!

I saw the truck coming down German Street.  I cleverly ran toward it so we would be headed in opposite directions.  Ah ha ha, I triumph!  The truck turned down my street.  I could still hear it perfectly.  It would probably turn at the corner and drive parallel to me.  Like I said, stalking me.  I reflected that at least it would make something silly to add to the blog post.

As I continued to run down German Street, my legs did not feel any better about the exercise.  I kept going anyways.  I even had a couple of very short sprints across the street when cars waved me by.  Still, a sprint is a sprint, right?  I waved thank you to all the cars that stopped for me.  Soon I realized I did not hear the ice cream truck.  I savored the silence.  I was surprised when it lasted for the rest of my run.  True, the run was short, but that ice cream truck can be persistent.

I can’t say I was happy I ran, but I will admit to feeling a certain grim satisfaction.  I recited my lines from the play while I was in the shower.  As I type this post, I am waiting for my husband to get home so I can spend a little time with him.  I don’t know that I will do any of the other chores I mentioned earlier.  But at least I made my blog post.

 

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Lazy Saturday Afternoon

Posted on July 31, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes, it is another Slacker Saturday post.  I decided this after I typed in four or eight possible leads (who was counting?) and immediately backspaced over them.  Don’t judge me.

Our dear little doggy, Spunky, got us up prior to 5:30 this morning.  That was at least later than our usual 4:30 rising time, so I counted my blessings and put on my running clothes.  After accompanying Spunkman (as Steven likes to call him) on his morning business meeting, I went for a run.  It was not as long a run as I have taken, but I petted two dogs, went up something of a hill, and reached the I Can Rock This stage, although briefly.

I had rehearsal for Much Ado About Nothing at 10 a.m. in Little Falls.  That’s always fun.  I just love community theatre.  You meet the nicest people.  Also, I am an incurable ham (get it?  Because ham is a cured meat?  Well, I thought it was a play on words).

After rehearsal, Steven and I had some discussion of what to do, but eventually we went out to lunch at Cucina Berto in Frankfort, and grocery shopping at Hannaford in Herkimer.  When we got home, we took our doggy for a walk around the block (that is usually about as far as our little friend wants to go). Now we are wondering what to watch on television, if anything.

As you can see, I have indulged in a number of bloggable activities today: run, rehearsal, lunch, shopping, walk.  I could even write about How I Can’t Write a Post Today, given the number of starts I erased before I started.  Instead, I offer… what I just wrote.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

P.S.  Steven suggested the title.

 

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