Tag Archives: running

Running Commentary Is Back! I Hope

Posted on March 11, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday began what is supposed to be a stretch of warmer weather in the Mohawk Valley, so I threw caution to the wind (which had died down) and went running for the first time in months.  I didn’t really throw caution to the wind; I just thought it would be funny if I added the parenthetical comment, since it has been so horridly windy lately.  In fact, I dressed appropriately, stretched a little before I ran, and ran at a pace suited to conditions.

I ran in the road, although in general I prefer sidewalks.  You just can’t count on people driving to notice little old ladies like me.  OK, I’m not so little, but I may go on the South Beach Diet, and with that and running, I may shrink.  Not Incredibly, like the guy in the movie, but somewhat.  Anyways, the roads were pretty much bare, and I tried to stick to the quiet ones.

I didn’t Map My Run but relied on my Garmin, which I tended to look at a lot, hoping for encouragement. It really didn’t feel too bad to begin with.  The frisson of virtue that I was finally running and the delight of almost springlike weather helped.  I had it in my head to run for 20 minutes.  As my body started to get a little tired, I thought I would at least do a mile, because that would probably be 15 minutes.  YES, that is a damn slow mile; one has to start somewhere!

At one point, I saw a lady walking down the sidewalk toward me.  When she got closer I asked, “Can you tell I’m running or am I too slow?”

She laughed and assured me I was doing great.  My first mile was indeed over 15 minutes.  By that time I was still at least five minutes from my house, so my 20 minute goal worked out fine.

Me feeling good about myself.

Since I had not Mapped My Run to share on Facebook, I took a selfie for my Facebook Friends’ entertainment.  Naturally I had to share my triumph on Facebook.

And now I have shared my triumph with my blog readers.  I plan to run again today.  I feel more Running Commentary Posts are in my future!

 

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Interval? Fartlek? Anyways, I Ran!

Posted on November 27, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

As I finished my run this morning, going past the house twice to make sure Map My Run agreed it was two miles, I said to myself, “This is great!  Two Mile Tuesday is back!”  Then I said, “You idiot, it’s Wednesday,” echoing Boris Karloff is one of my favorite Tuesday memes.

Tee hee!

In fact, it is like a Friday for many, because they have the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving.  I was euphoric when I finally had a job that gave me that perk (or is it “perq” short for “perquisite”?  Discuss amongst yourselves).  But I have covered the vagaries of three day weeks in this space before.  Right now I was hoping to make a Running Commentary.

I got up early, because I went to bed early last night (Tired Tuesday, remember?).  I thought I would do something different and go running right away, even before I had coffee.  For one reason, it was not raining. It was pouring yesterday morning, so I did not run, although I took a nice walk later. On Monday’s run, I started experimenting with interval training, that is, interspersing my normal slow shuffle with bursts of greater speed and effort (why did autocorrect capitalize “greater”?  And why does my computer underline “auto-correct”?) (OH, it wants a hyphen.  Who knew?) (Oh you probably did) (you know who you are) (but I digress).

Actually, from what I learned in the army, there is interval training and fartlek workouts (tee hee, I said “fart”!).  In interval training, your slower and faster periods are set; for example, on a oval track, sprint the straightaway, run slower on the curvy parts.  In fartlek, things are more irregular: “You’ll sprint till I tell you to stop sprinting!”  Of course, this may have been just some sergeant’s definition.

Oh, according to Google, it is unstructured!  I looked it up to make sure I was spelling it correctly. Also, it is meant to be fun.  I’m sure that wasn’t part of the sergeant’s definition, but I will certainly remember it the next time I put on the old running shoes!

Anyways, I ran for just over 30 minutes, doing a kind of a sprint about every five minutes. I say a kind of a sprint, because with my speed or lack thereof, an unbiased observer might not have recognized it as a sprint.  I would decide to sprint to a certain point, a telephone pole, a corner, that sort of thing, looking at my Garmin at the beginning and end.  My sprints lasted from ten to twenty seconds.  I figure that gives me something to build on.

I am thinking I will try to do the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls Dec. 14.  Regular readers may remember that I have done it before; it is a fun event put together by good people, the Rock City Runners.  I may not be in quite the shape I like to be for a 5K, but I could stretch a point.  After all, as I have often said, round and puffy is a shape.

 

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Because I Felt Like It

Posted on November 22, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

AAAaaand we’re back to late blog posts.  My computer does not like the way I spelled “And,” but it is the way I said it in my head.  Also, we learned in junior high school English class never to start a sentence with “and,” “but,” or “because,” so ha ha on two counts.  I am in a kind of a rollicking mood this morning, and I intend to make a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.

It’s not hump day either.

I looked for a random photo and decided on this camel from the Utica Zoo. I guess the picture would be more appropriate for Wednesday, so you can see what a rebel I am.

These signs should be posted on my mind.

I searched for a while to find a “Do Not Enter” sign.  As regular readers know, whenever I am walking or running and encounter a sign that says “DO NOT ENTER,” I enter.  It makes me feel like a rebel.  Oh, I know, they are talking about vehicular traffic, not old ladies plodding along at whatever pace I can manage.  Give me a break; I have to get my chuckles where I can.

Herman is horrified that I am making my Thursday blog post on Friday.

I cannot make any promises about making my Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  Then again, I rarely make promises (but I often make typos) (I say that because it took me three tries to type “promises”) (but I digress).  I see I am approaching 250 words.  What, oh what, can I come up with for a headline?

 

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I Try to Run Away from Depression

Posted on November 6, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a run this morning and thought to do a Running Commentary Post.  Full disclosure:  I was trying to run away from the depression that threatens to overwhelm me. In the immortal words of Young Frankenstein:  It! Could! Work!  (If you do not get the reference, I encourage you to seek out Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein) (I would really like to insert a picture of Gene Wilder, which I know is somewhere in my Media Library, but I do not feel up to searching for it)

I set out before breakfast but after coffee.  My legs were almost immediately shrieking at me, “We didn’t sign up for this!”  I reminded them that they did too sign up for it (at least, I signed them up which is practically the same thing), that they had run for 30 minutes two days ago and walked for longer than that yesterday.  To no avail.  They impersonated overcooked macaroni for the entire run.  However, if nothing else, I know how to persevere.  To an extent.

I couldn’t blame him for taking a good look.

It was soon clear this was not going to be a 30 minute run.  However, I encouraged myself to at least make it a mile.  Maybe even 20 minutes.  All I wanted was to sit down.  I ran through Meyers Park, wondering if I shouldn’t just go home from there.  I have a picture of Meyers Park in my Media Library, I thought.  It will look good in the blog post.  Then I thought I could run past the post office and up to my beloved Herkimer Historical Four Corners.

Oh, my body did not want to! But through persuasion and stubbornness, I kept going.  I thought of cutting through parking lots in back of my four corners, to make a shorter run, but then I thought, No!  Run by the 1834 Jail and let Chester Gilette take a good look!  After some internal debate, Chester won.  I didn’t even cut a small corner and run over the memorial bricks which help finance jail restoration (note to self:  I must sponsor a brick in honor of my late husband, Steve).

So the run was just over 20 minutes, about a mile and a third.  Chester was the only picture I could readily find in my Media Library, so my blog post only has one illustration.  However, I see I am approaching 400 words.  It is much easier to type than to run, but then, I only have two legs but I have ten fingers.  As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Ten Finger Typing Again!

Posted on November 5, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

My Chromebook is charged again.  Phew!  I confess I am in a very wimpy state these days.  The slightest setback slays me.  However, I move forward as best as I can, sometimes one sloggy step at a time.  The Chromebook thinks “sloggy” is not a word, but I find it apt.

Previous loves.

I thought this illustration was appropriate to my title.  I do not really have much to say other than, Yay!  I got my Chromebook back!  I had thought yesterday to make a Running Commentary Post. I ran for 30 minutes, covering about two miles.  That was my longest run since this last time I re-started running.  I may actually be ready for the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls, NY in December (preview of coming attractions).  I have no hopes of the Turkey Trot but no real desire to do it anyways.  I will be with family on Thanksgiving.

Coffee makes everything better!

Yes, I am still using Halloween mugs.  I find it difficult to let go of spooky season (oh, let’s be honest:  I never let go of spooky season!  I’ll probably watch a vampire movie later!).  However, as I am fond of pointing out, we can only move forward (even if it is one sloggy step at a time).  I intend to try for more Mohawk Valley Adventures in the coming days.  Maybe I’ll start this morning with breakfast out.  I realized early on in the blogging game:  it is always a good excuse to do something fun!

 

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Current Run, Old Selfies

Posted on October 24, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had thought to do a Running Commentary Post this morning, as a change from Pedestrian Posts.  I thought of it while I was running.  Unfortunately, I did not run by any places I have pictures of in my Media Library.  Ever since I started putting pictures in the blog, I hate to have a post without one.  Then I thought, I’ll take a selfie after the run.  That will do.  I forgot to.  There is no point in taking a selfie now; I ran almost three hours ago.  I’m showered and dressed.  Anyways, my phone is across the room charging.

A selfie after a run four years ago.

I am not very photogenic.  In October 2020 I took a challenge to exercise for 34 minutes every day for 34 days to raise awareness for the 34 million Americans who suffer from diabetes.  As part of the challenge, you were supposed to take a selfie and post it on Facebook with some information about diabetes.  I did not take 34 selfies, but I took a few.  Also, some days I walked instead of running.

Today I ran for just over 20 minutes.  It felt pretty good.  Before I ran, I said to myself, “I don’t wanna run!  I’m not gonna run!”  Then I put on my gear and ran anyways.  It felt pretty good, surprisingly enough.  It was still dark when I started out, so I enjoyed seeing some Halloween lights.  As it got lighter, I could see other decorations.  Sometimes a good run involves distracting yourself from the fact that you are running.  Luckily I did not distract myself so much I tripped on the sidewalk and skinned up my knee. Yes, I have done that, the last time while walking.  I am not the most graceful creature on God’s green earth.

Also from October 2020.

I add a selfie where I look a little more cheerful.  My friend is Mookie Wilson, a bat my late, beloved husband Steve won in a claw machine back in the late ’80s.  My sister Diane suggested the name.  Mookie Wilson has hung on light fixtures in many of our residences over the years.

I guess I haven’t said a whole lot about my run, but I am over 350 words.  Score!  As always, I thank your for tuning in.

 

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Once Again, The Best Lame Plans…

Posted on October 19, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I really, truly meant to make my Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  They say something about the best laid plans, but my plans are almost never best laid, so never mind that.  It is early Saturday morning, earlier than I have been getting up, so that is something different.  I always say I don’t like getting up, but I like being up.

And now I have the Type It In Backspace It Out Disease!  I even backspaced out “type-it-in-backspace-it-out disease,” because I decided to capitalize instead of hyphenate.  Which is better?  Please feel free to comment or just discuss amongst yourselves if you prefer.

Weren’t we beautiful?

I threw in a picture to pep things up, one I have shared and will continue to share.  It is the cast of Fabulous and Fatal, a murder mystery we presented in 2019 to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  It would be a good idea if I started writing more murder mysteries, ahead of the time when I actually have to start rehearsals.

Another kind of fabulous.

In searching for another picture to help along the post, I found this one from October 2020.  For once I was not too lazy to go back and look.  It is from a post I made about a walk in Russell Park I took with my sister Cheryl and her daughter Jenna.  That is Cheryl, posing on a bridge for a photo op.  I should give Cheryl a call and see if she is up for another such walk.

This is what I’m talking about!

I see I am over 250 words, so I close with another fall photo.  I don’t think this is as good a year for color as others (this pic is from 2022), but I am enjoying what I see.  I hope to take a walk or run later and see more.

 

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Tired But On Time!

Posted on June 26, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

At least it is the end of the day Tuesday.

I promised myself I could use this picture if I made my Tired Tuesday post on Tuesday.  Bribery often works with me.  Unfortunately, just because I log onto WordPress and start typing does not mean I have anything to say.  I know, when has that ever stopped me?

I typed that in (I once again quote Truman Capote: “That’s not writing that’s typing”) then could not think of another word to type.  Perhaps I should not have put both the play and dinner in the same blog post for Sunday.  Perhaps I should be having more Mohawk Valley adventures to write (type) about.

They were pretty.

I threw in a picture before I got any more bogged down in “shoulds.”   This is a shot of my Black-Eyed Susans from August 2018.  The patch has since overgrown with weeds and stuff.  Not a yellow bloom to be seen. I plan to cut the whole thing down and start over again.  Not today, of course, but possibly by the weekend.  Then I can have another Lawn Order post.

 

Where will the road lead me?

Another kind of post I have not made lately is a Running Commentary.  For one reason, I have not been running.  I hope to begin again soon.  In the meantime I have been walking every morning.  Perhaps a Pedestrian Post is in order.

For today, however, I am over 200 words.  It will have to do.  Full disclosure:  I have been fighting a vague headache most of the day, and I think it is winning.  However, it is the end of the day.  We shall see what tomorrow will bring.  I hope you will stay tuned.

 

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It’s Never Too Lame!

Posted on June 8, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Once again I make my Lame Post Friday blog post on Saturday morning.  I thought about making it last night, but bed seemed like such a good place to be.  It’s been a difficult week, although it has had its good points.  Nothing is all good or all bad, I hope.  At least, I hope nothing is all bad.  All good, I would like to try and see.  There is some half-baked philosophy for you.  We are used to finding the silver lining in bad times, or at least it is a good idea to do so.  Do we ever look for the fly in the ointment in good times?  Are there any other hoary expressions I can throw in?  Really, me, “silver lining”?  “fly in the ointment”?  Have some more coffee.

Ah ha ha! Coffee can be evil!

I throw in a random picture while I go get another cup of coffee.  I do not want to speculate on whether coffee is or can be, in fact, evil.  I put the caption because I believe that coffee mug looks malevolent.

Since this is my second cup of coffee,  one might think I had just rolled out of bed, but that is not the case.  I got up prior to six and went for a run.  The problem with running before coffee is that sometimes I forget to make coffee.  I had my recovery beverage of chocolate milk (it’s science!), made myself an egg sammich for breakfast…  oh yes, coffee. Ahhh… coffee.

I got rained on during my run, off and on.  Now it seems mostly on, so I am sorry about the local events going on today, for example, Little Falls Pride 2024 and Dolgeville Violet Festival. I had been thinking of running the Pride Stride 5K in Little Falls.  There used to be a 5K associated with the Violet Festival, too, but I don’t know if there still is.  How uninformed of me.  Anyways, I am not in 5K shape at this time.  I am in shape, though, because round and puffy is still a shape, you know.

I don’t think these two are in 5K shape either.

Here are Bonita and Bonaparte to wish you a happy Saturday.  I will never be as skinny as Bonita.  Puffy little Bonaparte is more my speed (almost literally).  I suppose I am not as cute, although my husband, Steven used to think so.

 

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About Those Blog Posts…

Posted on June 7, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I put off making Wednesday’s post till Thursday morning, then Thursday was a Blogger’s Sick Day with all capital letters.  I spent the whole day in bed, unable to do anything but lie there and try not to toss and turn.  I tried to get up in the late afternoon, thinking I would never sleep at night.  I thought, I’ll eat something, I’ll call my Mom and Dad (which I try to do every day), I’ll make a blog post at least saying why I am not making a blog post.  I walked downstairs.  No food looked or sounded the least bit appetizing.  I walked back upstairs.

What a dull, boring, whiny paragraph.  It is just as well I did not attempt to make a blog post yesterday.  Quick, throw in a picture to pep things up.

Aren’t they pretty?

Here are some flowers I used to have on one side of the front porch.  They stopped coming up, but I do not rule out planting more.  Still, if I want to plant anything, I had better get moving on it or it will not happen this year either.  Just to continue whining, everything is so much effort these days.  Maybe I need to eat my Wheaties.  Too bad I hate Wheaties.

Doesn’t this picture look like it was taken by accident?

I still have these sneakers and wear them sometimes, although I have more recently acquired running shoes.  I had planned to go running Tuesday, then put it off till Wednesday, then till Thursday.  Let that be a lesson to me.  In my defense, I was dreadfully tired on Tuesday and busy on Wednesday (not that I got much done) (see previous paragraph about everything being too much effort).  And now I am back to whining.

I guess I’ll bill this as a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  Full disclosure:  I am still feeling a bit woozy but think I can make it through the day at work.  Then we’ll see if I can manage a Lame Post Friday post.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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