Tag Archives: weather

What Kind of Tuesday?

Posted on June 28, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was thinking it would not be a bad time for this blog to go All Boilermaker All The Time.  The race is less than two weeks away (too lazy and brain dead to count the days).  I ran nine days in a row, ending Sunday, did not run yesterday, then ran today.  I thought I might try for a Running Commentary Post.

For the past two weeks I have had Two Mile Tuesday.  It seemed reasonable to do that again today.  However, for some reason I was TIRED.  I know, Tired Tuesday is not unusual for me.  But I did not sleep badly last night.  I worked a reasonable amount of hard at work today.  I guess I’ll blame the humidity, although that felt worse yesterday than today.

The struggle is real.

In any case, I left work questioning my ability to make it a Two Mile Tuesday.  How about Twenty Minute Tuesday, I thought, while a little voice in my head voted for Two Minute Tuesday.  After I got home, I thought, I don’t have to get right ready and run.  I can sit down for a few minutes.  Big mistake.

However, I did get myself off the couch and into running clothes. It doesn’t have to be long, I told myself.  It doesn’t have to be fast (as if it ever is!).  It just has to be.  After putting some laundry in the washer, I set out.

I thought after a day off, my body might feel a little better about things, but the first part of the run sure was thunky.  Luckily I know how to persevere.  I changed my mind about where and how far to run several times.  Just make it a mile, I thought.  We’ll turn at the library (I was headed down Main Street).  Then I ran past the library to Park.  A mile isn’t really very far.  Maybe a 20 minute run.

As I ran through Meyers Park, I thought I probably could make it two miles.  Of course, I knew from previous runs that each block is not nearly the percentage of a mile you might expect it to be.  I continued to persevere.

I hit two miles around 26 minutes.  By this time I was wondering if two miles was nearly enough with the Boilermaker 15K looming so closely.  So I went a little further.  By running past my house three times (the neighbors, if they pay me any attention at all, must think I’m a crazy old lady) (my blog readers have known that for a while), I ran for a full 30 minutes.

Of course now I am even more tired than I thought I was, but I have a good reason to be.  And a longer blog post than my usual.  If you have read the whole thing, I thank you for staying tuned.

 

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In the Midst of a Monday Malaise

Posted on June 27, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I ran for nine days in a row and did not run today.  I feel a little bad about that, especially since the rain that threatened never materialized.  I could have at least mowed the lawn.

Don’t mind me, I am in the midst of a Monday Malaise.  Isn’t that a nicely alliterative phrase?  Hey, that rhymed.  Perhaps I am not as brain dead as I had feared.

Who, me? Get dramatic over Monday?

Here is another image stolen from Dracula’s House of Halloween.  I wanted a change from Frankenstein’s monster saying, “No like Monday!”

Most of my day has not been particularly monstrous, but as the evening progresses I am slipping down a depressive slope.  I suppose it is nothing to worry about; we all have our ups and downs.  However, this particular down is making me SO disinclined to do any of the things I ought to be doing.

Such as making a non-whiny blog post.

Well this is the way it is.  Whatever we may have accomplished (in my case not much, but never mind that), we continue to fret over what we have left undone.  Oh, I know:  you probably checked off every item on your to-do list and even got a jump on tomorrow’s (you know who you are).

I forgot where I was going with this.  However, I see I am over 200 words.  Enough of this nonsense!  Perhaps I could find a good monster to close with.

“I still don’t know why she wanted me to be in this blog post.”

 

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What a Run!

Posted on June 23, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Spoiler alert:  I did it!

Last Thursday I opted for Thirty-Minute Thursday instead of Three Mile Thursday, following Two-Mile Tuesday.  Well, this week I have challenged myself to see how many days in a row I could run.  I am up to six!  I did two miles on Tuesday, less on Wednesday, and was undecided how far or long to run today.  When you are on a streak, it is permissible to have some short run days.

So I set out thinking Thirty-Minute Thursday, giving myself permission to run less.  However, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I had taken a half hour walk in the morning before work.  Today I overslept (still made it to work on time, if you were worried) so thought a longer run would be better.  Three-Mile Thursday?  Could I do it?

I started out running in the opposite direction from which I usually go, that is, I ran toward Church Street, not German.  I turned onto Church and went towards Valley Health, which regular readers may remember has a pretty decent hill. I was not convinced I would run up it.  Then as I got closer, I saw the sidewalk was shady for the whole hill.  Yes!  It was a very warm, sunny day.

No spoiler alert needed: I entered.

I just spent an inordinate amount of time searching my Media Library for a picture of the hill.  I feel sure I had one.  Perhaps this weekend I will make an index of that library.  Anyways, I wanted to add a picture so opted for this Do Not Enter sign, which of course I defied.  Regular readers know I love to do that.

So I ran a mile.  Then I ran two.  I spent most of those miles calculating how many minutes or what fraction I was from 30 minutes, a favorite distraction technique of mine.  When I got to two miles, I decided to go for three.  I could do it! I would do it!

My body wanted to stop pretty much every step of the way.  I kept looking at my Garmin for how far I had gone and quickly realized how short a block is.  Never mind, keep going.  I treasured the shady spots.  I did not think I could make it.  I flatly refused to go a block beyond my street in case it made my run over three miles.  I ran by my house twice.  I made it to three miles!

And oh did I feel crappy!  Yet proud of myself.  I walked around a block for a full ten-minute cool down.  I gratefully drank my chocolate milk recovery beverage.  I realized sweat was pouring down my face.  Yuck!  Into the shower!

I still feel tired.  And this is a long blog post for me.  No promises about tomorrow’s run or blog post, but as always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Thirty Minute Thursday

Posted on June 16, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had originally thought to follow Two-Mile Tuesday with Three-Mile Thursday, but I was skeptical of my ability to pull it off.  True, I ran four miles last weekend, but that was first thing in the morning not last thing after an eight hour day at work.  Then I thought, Thirty-Minute Thursday.  It sounds even better, it is still longer than what I ran Tuesday, and I could totally do it.  At least, I could probably do it.

I usually let myself off the hook on these week-day runs.  I feel they are really just to keep my hand in (feet, really).  Weekends are the time for improvement.  However, I feel I will improve moreso on the weekends if I do a little better during the week.  That Boilermaker 15K is getting closer!

After a little puttering around the house, I got into running clothes and set out.  It was warm and sunny.  Maybe I should run some hills.  But I also had to worry about traffic.  German Street in Herkimer, NY is pretty busy in the late afternoon.  I ran down the sidewalk looking for a place to cross the street.  I thought maybe the hill by Valley Health Services would be a good goal.

The three-way stop at Caroline Street provided my opportunity to cross the street.  I soon decided to run into Brookwood Park.  For one reason, there would be plenty of shade.  I could run along the path through the woods that comes out on the back way to Herkimer College.  I assured myself that I was in no way obligated to run the rest of the way uphill to the college.

As I ran, I tried to keep myself from looking at my Garmin too often.  When I did, I would do the math and figure out what fraction of 30 minutes I had done.  Six minutes was one fifth.  How much was a quarter? A third?  Thus I keep my mind occupied so I don’t think too much about how I would really rather stop running.

The path through the woods was nice.  I like looking at the trees, and the ground is somewhat soft under my feet.  I just have to be careful of uneven surfaces and things I could trip over.  I am pretty clumsy.

The uphill portions almost defeated me, but I persevered.  Eventually I was running on pavement again, and running down hill.  Phew!  It was an effort to get to 30 minutes, but I made the effort and was glad I did.

I don’t know if my effort at a blog post is equally successful, but I can hope at least some readers found it reasonably entertaining.  In another couple of weeks, this blog may become All Boilermaker All The Time.  I fear I am already making myself a little tiresome at work by talking about it.  Oh well, at my age, I need all the encouragement I can get.

 

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I Thunk It’s Thursday

Posted on June 9, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

The headline is not a typo; I really did thunk today.

I had not been running since Sunday, not a good idea when the Boilermaker 15K is a mere month away.  I blame the Canadian wildfires, which have rendered the skies such a freaky sepia tone. With my breathing problems, I did not care to go out there and huff and puff.  I know, I could have stayed inside and run in place on the mini-tramp.  I felt too  tired.  Judge me if you choose.

Today I felt equally tired, but the air was so much more clear!  There was blue sky and clouds.  The sun looked like the sun, not that scary orange disc!  How could I not run?

And yet my body rebelled.  My knees hurt, my hip joint felt out if whack.  I questioned my ability to run 15Ks in July or even at all ever.  So I said to myself, Just Try.  For one reason, I had to do laundry. What else was I going to do while the washer washed?  Just Try, I repeated to myself as I got changed into running clothes.  Once I had the sports bras on, I knew I would get out there and do something.

A few steps down the sidewalk, I felt like, hey! I can so run!  I’m going to do this!  That feeling lasted to the corner, which was only about three houses away.  No matter.  I had started;  I would persevere.

Persevere I did.  I ran slow.  I ran thunkily (autocorrect seems to believe that is a word now).  I huffed and puffed.  I coaxed myself on a little at a time.  Just get to that truck that’s parked over the sidewalk.  Just get to the corner.  I looked at my Garmin and calculated how much further would make one mile.  .73…  .54…  .39…

My first (OK, my only) mile was 13:30.  That is really not too bad for me.  Could I make it to 20 minutes?  I kept thunking. Maybe a 17 minute run would be acceptable. By virtue of running past my house to the corner and back to the house, I made it to 20.  Score!

My hip was hurting a bit, so I cut my cool-down walk short.  I had a problem with that hip about a year ago and did not run for a month.  Then again, perhaps I could have started running again sooner.  I’m no expert on hip joints.

I felt happy and relieved that I ran.  I am also happy that I did laundry. Now I don’t have to have Dirty Pants Friday.  Um, not that I would ever do that.

 

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I’m a Lame Bum!

Posted on June 3, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

What I mean is I am a lazy bum, but I changed it to lame in the headline because, you know, Lame Post Friday.   I have been sitting here mindlessly scrolling down Facebook instead of doing anything useful or at least less embarrassing for a woman of my age and supposed intelligence.

Oh dear.  Usually when I get started, I keep going.  Sometimes, however, I get out a paragraph and dry up.  Quick, throw in a picture to pep things up.

You can just about see them.

Earlier today I enjoyed a thunderstorm complete with hail.  I tried to get a picture.  I even stepped out on the front porch and aimed my Tablet at the hail collecting on the street.  Then the rain abruptly started coming down in sheets and the wind started whipping, and I beat a hasty retreat.  I took this shot through the screen door.

After things quieted down somewhat, I took my shower and ventured out to run a couple of errands.  It was still raining but not too hard.  I did see one impressive streak of lightning.  How do people get pictures of lightning?  It seems to me that is quite a trick.

And why does my Tablet let “lightning” stand in one sentence but underline it in the next, suggesting “lightening” instead?  Lightening is what the sky does when I start my runs or walks while it is still dark out.  That is not the same thing as the stuff you get with thunder.

Picture taken while walking before sunrise.

I see I am over 250 words.  Score!  Lame words?  Lazy words?  It doesn’t matter!  It’s Lame Post Friday!  I hope you are having a lovely evening.

 

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I Walk, I Blog, It’s Sunday

Posted on May 29, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I took a walk earlier in hopes of making a Pedestrian Post with Pictures in lieu of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday Post.  I do not know how well it went.

Gotta get me some of these.

I paused to take a picture of a snowball bush shortly after I left my house.  It was a bit of a challenge to do, since the sun was shining brightly on my Tablet and I could not see to unlock it and get to Camera.  At last I managed it by peeking underneath my prescription sunglasses.

 

Don’t know what it is; must find out.

I paused to take another picture, this time of a plant I might like to get for my yard.  I had realized by this time that it was warmer than I liked for a walk.  However, I persevered, for exercising and blogging purposes.

 

I am still hoping somebody does something with this building.

Having walked down Bellinger Street to Meyers Park, I decided to walk up Prospect Street to home.  I paused to take a picture of the former Quackenbush building, now taken over by Herkimer 9.  I must find out what the current status is.

I gotta love daisies.

I walked all the way up Prospect Street to German then back to my house.  I walked past the house and back then up and down the driveway to make it a full mile.  I took a picture of the daisies in my front yard then picked a few of the lilies of the valley which the daisies obscure.

A nice display, or do I flatter myself?

I put the lilies of the valley in a champagne flute which I put next to my husband Steve’s ashes.  One does like to put flowers near one’s loved ones.

I guess it makes an OK Pedestrian Post. Or, once again, do I flatter myself?

 

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Wednesday Walk

Posted on May 25, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I walked a mile, but not in somebody else’s shoes.

I have been wanting to say that to someone, but the opportunity has not arisen.  I thought I would use it as an introduction to a Pedestrian Post.  I have been walking most mornings before work but have not made many (or any? Too lazy to go back and check as usual) blog posts about them.

This morning I actually walked with a purpose, because I wanted to return a couple of overdue library books.  You are welcome to judge me for not returning them on time.  I have no excuse.

I headed towards Prospect Street, where I could walk through the library parking lot.  It was a little after 5 a.m. and practically light out.  I am more used to walking in the dark, but this was OK.  The thermostat in my house said it was 60 degrees out, so it was warmer than it has been.  I enjoyed that.

From my Media Library.

This is a picture I took earlier this month.  The library sign is back now, freshly painted, so I have to go get a picture of that soon.

Also a stock photo.

I walked down Main Street to Park Avenue and by the Post Office.  I was enjoying my walk.  My legs felt good, and my mind was not dwelling on stupid stuff.  Sometimes I am my own worse enemy in that respect.

My walk was 22 minutes, my favorite number, and a little over a mile.  It was a good way to start the day.

 

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Good Run! Good Post?

Posted on May 5, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a really good run this afternoon, and I am a little surprised I did.  Perhaps I can surprise myself again with a decent Running Commentary Post.  No promises.

It has been difficult to run regularly lately, partly because of rehearsals for Shooting at the Grange (guess I haven’t finished talking about that yet) and partly because of the weather.  It rains! It stops! It rains again!  Monday it rained, and I said, “Good, I’m off the hook!”  I took a shower and got dressed to go grocery shopping.  Then as I left the house, it was bright and sunny.  What the hell, Mother Nature?

I ran on Tuesday but not on Wednesday, so Thursday was clearly a good day to go.  It rained during the day but had stopped when I left work.  Perfect!  There were a few dark clouds, but I couldn’t worry about that.  I made a couple phone calls, business, nothing very interesting.  I mention it merely to give a time frame.  Also, I feel a little proud of myself, because usually if I delay getting ready and running, I talk myself out of it.

Earlier today I had a vision of myself running in the residential area behind Valley Health Services.  I have not run there recently.  Most of my runs have been closer to home as I slowly build my time back up.  My weekday runs have been especially short, as I often let myself off the hook after a full day at work.  Today I thought I would try for a little longer.

I made it to that area and ran a couple hills along the way, nothing too impressive.  I ended up not running considerably longer than previously, but I did run a little faster.  Of course my fast runs are like other runners’ slow runs.  One does what one can.  I felt pleased with myself.

As I walked my cool-down walk, I reflected, sometimes beating up your body is just what you need.  After I showered and got dressed to go to the store (dull errand, not worth mentioning), it was pouring rain.  Me have good timing?  That’ll never happen again!

 

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More Meander than Mental

Posted on April 18, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Some of the first green I’ve seen.

I have been waiting for the trees to sprout leaves again.  For one reason, when the sun gets as bright and hot as it was this past weekend, I like the shade.  No, I am NOT complaining about the heat at this early date!  Sheesh! Anyways, I took this shot of a neighborhood tree when I was out walking on Sunday.

I have noticed other trees starting to bud but have not gotten any other pictures.  I feel I should go for a walk and remedy the omission but am too tired.

Well, I just went searching for a monster that was also a tree but had no luck.

And that was as far as I got last night.  I took a walk this morning, but I can’t get good pictures in the dark and was too lazy to carry my Tablet with me.  I am temporarily without a cell phone.  I could write a blog post about no longer being able to carry connectivity around in my pocket (preview of coming attractions).

From my Media Library.

I did walk by Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners,  but not from this angle.  Still, it is a not bad picture of two of the four corners and I found it rather easily, always a concern when one is pressed for time.

I see this nonsense has gotten me over 200 words.  Score!  I think I’ll bill this as  Monday Mental Meanderings.  It has a double meaning, since I also meandered around Herkimer.  Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

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