For this week’s Tired Tuesday, I present the Running Commentary I wrote but did not fully type in last Thursday (perhaps you read my post about my computer tribulations). In fact, I had meant to run today and write about that but instead stayed at work an extra hour. I can use the cash. Now I am pressed for time but managed to finish typing in what I wrote last week. I always say, waste not, want not!
Regular readers and well-wishers may be happy to hear that I started running again. According to my Running Journal I have not gone since Aug. 3. Yikes! How mortifying to admit it. I suppose it is possible that I went once and did not note it, but the fact remains: I waited TOO long to begin again. However, regret is a profitless venture. I ran and now I shall write about it.
When I left work Wednesday, it was near perfect running conditions. The rain had stopped and mostly dried up. It was neither too cool nor too hot. There was even cloud cover, so the afternoon sun would not get in my eyes.
“It would be flying in the face of fate not to run,” I remarked to the colleague I was walking out with. Kind of like not taking the elevator when it is right there open and your feet hurt.
I had rehearsal at 6:30 as well as a blog post to write, a shower to take and the usual problem of finding something to wear. I mentally calculated how long these things would take and figured a twenty-minute run with ten-minute cool-down would be fine. Oh, I also had to find something to eat. No doubt all these things could be worked out. What I could NOT do was get on the computer for a quick check of Facebook and email before I did anything else.
I know some of you are saying with a disdainful sniff that you NEVER get on Facebook and you have NO problem eschewing all forms of electronic distraction. Well, that’s nice for you. The rest of my readers are nodding wisely in agreement (with me).
I still almost talked myself out of it. I was hungry! I had rehearsal! The other part of me said, Flying in the face of fate! and Oh, just do it! So I did.
And it wasn’t bad at all. My first feeling as I started shuffling along was one of triumph. I was RUNNING! (Yes, what I do counts as running! Shut up!) I was going to post as my Facebook status, “I ran!” I would probably get lots of Likes. Perhaps it is a product of my low self-esteem, but I love to get Likes on Facebook (I like to get Likes on WordPress too. Just saying).
The run continued to feel pretty good. My knees felt a little sore but not sore enough to stop me. I figure running will help me lose weight and weighing less will help my knees more than anything else. In fact, I was feeling skinnier already.
I was happy to note some patches of brightly colored leaves as I ran. I’ve seen some leaves changing, but they seemed more brown than anything else. I was delighted to see bright orange, my favorite.
The run was going pretty well. My legs felt OK (other than the knees), my breathing was fine, even my feet didn’t hurt much, which was surprising because they had been aching all day at work. I blame the steel-toed work shoes, although I was happy enough for them the day I dropped a pan of metal parts on my foot.
I ran for the twenty minutes I had set out to do. I walked nine minutes for my cool-down, because that was how long it took me to get around the block.
I had plenty of time to make my blog post by virtue of having written most of it during breaks at work. I did not have time to fix myself something to eat but made do with a few pieces of cheese supplemented by a candy bar purchased from Ilion Little Theatre Club at rehearsal.
Do you suppose the candy bar cancelled out the run as far as my weight loss goals are concerned? If so, that would be unfortunate. On the other hand, the candy bar tasted really good and helped me get through rehearsal. Also, it is better than if I ate the candy bar and did not run, so I’ll call the glass half full and not of diet soda (I HATE diet soda!).
I felt happy with my little run and especially happy to be writing a Running Commentary. I may have been happier yet if I could have published it the same day I originally wrote it, but this is nice too.
