Tag Archives: Saturday Running Commentary

Not Bad Ass Yet, But Getting There

Posted on November 15, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Earlier this morning I made a note to myself: When you plan to run Friday afternoon instead of Saturday morning, do not talk yourself out of it. You will regret it Saturday morning. However, shortly after I made that mental note, I realized I was enjoying my run quite a bit and ceased to repine.

We got snow in the Mohawk Valley Thursday night. Friday it started sticking to the ground. Not a huge amount. We did not have to break out the shovels. Still, it was snow, and it was not warm, even by the standards of someone who spent years living in the North Country (that would be me). I almost talked myself out of it again. After all, I could run in the afternoon, when it might be warmer but would certainly be daylight. Surely a better time to run.

No, no, I told myself. Just put on some leggings and long sleeves. Find your winter running socks. Get going. Steven had cleaned out the living room closet yesterday so it was no problem finding a hat and gloves. I put on a sweatshirt for good measure. I hesitated about the sweatshirt, because I also intended to wear my reflective vest. If the sweatshirt got too warm it would be awkward to take off with the vest on top of it. Then I thought, it’s under 30 degrees. Put on the sweatshirt.

Snow covered the sidewalk but not thickly. I ran with a low, shuffling gait, in case of slick spots. You would think with the amount of padding I carry around my hips and midsection that falling would hold no terrors for me. Well, let me tell you, fat can bruise painfully, too. Spoiler alert: I didn’t fall today.

I was happy I had worn the gloves and hat. I only wished I had something covering my face, because that got cold in a hurry and never warmed up. No matter, I didn’t intend to run very far. 20 minutes would be sufficient, I told myself. I have been running 25 minutes. I thought I ought to think about increasing it by the recommended 10%. After all, I’ve been running for more than a week. Not as many times as I perhaps ought to be running, but I can work on that. For now I just kept going.

Occasionally my trailing foot would slip as I shifted weight to my leading foot. Nothing too worrisome at the speed I was going. I did not increase my pace. I felt so comfortable. Sometimes when I run a slow pace I feel it is too slow. I feel I am plodding like a fat snail, just slogging along in a pathetic, embarrassing fashion. Today it did not feel too slow. I felt awesome! I was so glad I was running!

I knew I would not end on a sprint. Too dangerous. I decided as I went which way to go. When I had mapped out in my head which streets would bring me back home, I thought I would just get home when I got there and that would be how long I ran. I was on the opposite side of the street. As I approached the house, though, I ran by to the corner then crossed the street and ran back. Yeah, I felt bad ass.

It ended up being 27 minutes, an increase of less than 10% but an increase nonetheless. As Tabby graciously walked my cool-down with me I started to feel cold. I suppose that means I did work up a sweat, even at my slow, shuffly pace. I still felt pretty damn good about myself. I will build up my run time. I will be bad ass.

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, running, running commentary and tagged bad ass, running, Saturday Running Commentary, sweatshirt, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

A Day in the Life of Me

Posted on October 5, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Alas, it is another Saturday without Saturday Running Commentary. I did not even take a walk with Tabby or write post cards to walk to the post office with. It was pouring rain and I had a sinus headache. I must say I felt rather ill-used about it, because I have had one every day this week (headache, not rain. I don’t mind the rain). At least, I don’t know if it’s sinuses. It could be a migraine or tension or cluster or just a common or garden headache. IT DOESN’T MATTER!

In light of my aches and pains, I will offer a brief summary of my day’s activities. I had some coffee and took a hot shower in hopes of alleviating the headache. I know there are also drugs for these things, but I have indifferent success with those so only use them as a last resort.

I spoke on the phone with my mother, one sister and my friend Phyllis. I almost always talk to Mom on a Saturday. I talked to my sister to get some feedback on whether or not I should have a Halloween party this year (probably not). I hoped Phyllis would accompany me to an exhibit opening at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts in Little Falls (she was busy).

I felt I should try to do something blogworthy in spite of my headache, so I went to a rummage sale going on at Christ Episcopal Church in Herkimer. This is where I go to church, when I go to church, so I knew some of the ladies there. They told me I should return at 11 for the Blessing of the Animals (I didn’t, which is too bad, because I could have written a blog post about it).

I looked all around the sale. I was hoping to find some clothes suitable for ragging up to be my Third Witch costume for the scene from MacBeth I am in later this month. I purchased a purple graduation gown for a person 5′ 8″ to 6′. I don’t imagine I will use it as a witch, but if I do have a Halloween party, can’t you just picture Steven as the One-Eyed One-Horned Flying Purple People Eater?

Returning home, my headache was no better. I thought, black and white movie, cup of hot tea, sit on the couch and crochet the day away. I chose Dementia 13, part of a collection of Horror Classics. I’ve seen it before, but there were many parts I did not remember. I paused it when Steven came home for lunch.

After Steven returned to work and I watched the rest of the movie, I changed my shoes and once again ventured out. For one thing, I had to pick up a prescription. I also got a decongestant. I don’t remember what kind, but I had to bring a card to the pharmacist for it. I haven’t taken any yet.

Then I thought, oh what the hell, and went to Little Falls. It was a nice drive down Route 5S, although with less rain I could have appreciated the colored leaves more. I had a lovely time at the exhibit opening. I intend to write a blog post about it (preview of coming attractions).

Before returning home, I stopped at the grocery store. I had neglected to bring the list with me with the result that I remembered everything except dog treats. Tabby was nevertheless happy to see me when I returned home (she isn’t completely out of treats anyways). My headache had subsided but not left completely. I determined to write my blog post while debating the comparative merits of coffee, tea and wine.

And that bring us to the present time. I think now I will compile a list of all my activities in the last week or so that I intend to write a better blog post about. Or I will watch another horror movie and crochet some more. I hope you’re all enjoying your Saturday.

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal and tagged blog post, blogging, headache, herkimer ny, horror movie, Little Falls NY, Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, preview of coming attractions, Saturday Running Commentary, sinus headache, Tabby. Bookmark the permalink.

Into the Fog Once Again

Posted on September 28, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I guess Saturday Running Commentary isn’t really back, despite its appearance last Saturday (um, I did have a Saturday Running Commentary last week, didn’t I? Too lazy to check). But to expound upon my tribulations running would be tiresome. It would no doubt lead to a big long gripe, a real Wrist to Forehead Saturday. I would run out of Saturday before I ran out of things to complain about. In fact, I’d better change the subject now.

Tabby and I took a nice walk to the post office this morning. I know I just wrote about a walk we took yesterday, but, once again, I don’t want to run out of Saturday. I have to get this puppy posted (um, “this puppy” being my blog post, not dear little Tabby).

It promised to be a warm, sunny day, so I was wearing shorts. I did not wear my crazy old lady hat, because I had just showered and my hair wasn’t dry. I was going to Coffee and Conversation with a Cop later (preview of coming attractions). I didn’t want hat head. At 8:09 a.m. (I looked at my watch as we set out), it was perhaps a little cool for shorts, but one makes do.

At first I thought Tabby did not want to go for a walk. We went about ten feet and she stopped and gave me that look. I turned around, feeling sad and a little concerned. It was neither hot nor rainy. Why would my dog not want to walk? However, she bypassed our driveway and began sniffing in the front yard. I convinced her to try the walk again, this time crossing the street. She graciously consented to continue.

It was foggy, as it has been several mornings this week. I love the fog. So mysterious. I was a little sorry, though, as I looked into the distance and could not see color on trees which I felt certain was there. Oh well, you can’t have everything. I concentrated on enjoying the mystery. I occasionally saw somebody walking up ahead. Even a block away rendered them a sinister figure. Halloween is coming. I look forward to sinister figures and various hauntings.

We made it to the post office, where I mailed some post cards, then continued our walk. We went down a mysterious alley. It wasn’t so foggy there, but the backs of some of these buildings can be a little creepy, especially if you have a vivid imagination, as I do.

However, we did not encounter anything alarming and Tabby was happy to head for home. I had things to do, so was not sorry the walk was not longer. I’m a little sorry the post is not more exciting, but as I often observe, you can’t have everything. I did have a couple of Mohawk Valley adventures today, so perhaps more exciting blog posts will be forthcoming.

Random Thoughts at the Laundromat

Posted on August 31, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I really must get back to running on Saturday mornings and have my Saturday Running Commentary. This week it was better for me to do run on Friday and do laundry on Saturday (today). I suppose I could have written about Friday’s run and published it today. Only I did not write about it on Friday and today I don’t seem to remember that much about it. Ah, middle age.

In the meantime, Saturday is passing and I have no blog post. In desperation, I offer some nonsense I wrote while at the laundromat this morning (I’m not really desperate; I just like the prepositional phrase “in desperation”).

I have discovered that 50 Mystery Classics is not filled with the delightful cheesy nuggets I found in 50 Horror Classics. I’m sure there are some films I could write about. First I am seeking films I can sit through all the way. I tried and discarded two last weekend. As I often say, one must persevere in these things. Um, not necessarily to the end of a movie. In writing a blog post about a movie. Or anything. That is what I mean to persevere at.

A note to new readers, if any: 50 Horror Classics and 50 Mystery Classics are DVD collections I purchased for my husband Steven at the local big box store for a really quite reasonable price. I have written several blog posts about silly movies in the Horror collection.

So here I am writing Another Post About Why I Can’t Write a Post. This one is perhaps destined for my Drafts section, so I can haul it out and hit Publish in an emergency. Um, unless I don’t come up with something else to write about for today. Then this baby is right here for me. (And you see what happened, obviously, although full disclosure: I, for one, saw it coming.)

OK, what I am really doing is killing time in the laundromat while my clothes tumble in the drier. I’ve already folded the first little bunch (confession: some of the sock cuffs seemed a little damp. I hope they don’t mildew). I wrote a letter to a friend, stared at the last things I wrote on my novel, pondered a few other ideas, made a to-do list for the rest of the day. Why I don’t bring a book to the laundromat is beyond me.

I continue to sit here jotting down randoms thoughts and wondering how or if I will use them. Publish them as written? A kind of stream of consciousness patchwork, a sort of modern art, abstract deal. Or could I take each random thought, expend some actual thought on it and come up with several authentic blog posts? The possibility intrigues me.

I am tired of being here and want to get on with my day. I could sit here and list all the things I dislike about doing laundry. Then I could attempt to counteract my grouchiness by listing all the good things or at least the minor compensations.

Oh, but it’s time to stand in front of the drier and stare at the 1:00, waiting for the last sixty seconds to pass.

Hope to see you all on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

Running Comments If Not Commentary

Posted on May 4, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

As I ran this morning, I thought about the Saturday Running Commentary I would write. And now, sitting at the keyboard, I can’t remember much of what I thought. Serves me right for not making the post right away.

Last weekend, I had a good run and a bad run. Then I didn’t run Monday or Tuesday but put in an unprecedented 31 minutes on the mini-tramp on Wednesday (I was watching a John Garfield movie on DVD at the time) (not a particularly cheesy entry, but I do not despair of writing something about it). I took Tabby for a good long walk on Friday. I honestly cannot remember a damn thing about Thursday.

This morning’s run was not as heinous as last Sundays, but I can’t say it was a good run, either. My legs protested. I ignored them and headed down German Street toward Valley Health, which boasts a not bad little hill. It is the hill I start on when I once again start building myself up for hills.

As I got to the bottom of the hill, one leg said, “Are you KIDDING me?” while the other one said, “Don’t DO it!” Well, I was not kidding and I did it. After that my legs were resigned and beyond suggesting once or twice that a long run was unnecessary did not protest for the rest of the run.

I ended up running for 26 minutes, the same length as last Sundays run, shorter than the mini-tramp work-out. I felt pretty good when I walked my cool-down with my schnoodle, Tabby. I felt even better when we went for a long walk later. During the run itself… well, let’s just say I did it.

Mohawk Valley Girl