Purgatorial Meanderings

Last week wasn't Hell. I'll just start with that. However, it was a kind of Purgatory. Day after day of being tested and antagonized, with no real torture, just general misery and angsty elements poking me in the eye with a stick.

On other fronts, I had my first 25 minute jog. I ran with a friend who is training for a marathon and ran 16 miles earlier that day. So he came along to keep me company and encourage. After a five minute walking warm up the running began. I almost had to laugh, because my laughably slow pace resulted in my fellow jogger bounding to keep from walking. This was sort of funny, except that I was full-on jogging...

After the run, we had a look at some statistics. I don't have any bells and whistles for running, but he does. So we had splits and times and all kinds of data to look at. And, what I found out was that my starting pace was a stultifying 14.30 minute mile and I finished close to a 10 minute mile. So from pathetic to presentable in 25 minutes.... not so bad. And I did actually keep the jogging pretense up for the whole time.

After that we went shopping for proper running shoes at one of those stores that video tapes your run before suggesting shoes to try. I found out I have a fairly neutral gait, and that there are shoes that make barney look less purple. Yes I got some extremely purple shoes. with bright yellow nike chevrons. I'm ready for my next run.

I AM up to three work outs a week. But, one of these work outs is a cardio-dance class rather than a run. I like the opportunity to mix it up and shake my booty. And this is an improvement. Also, it's an hour long class. So I'm increasing my work outs to three and adding a half hour. So that's probably a move in the right direction.... I'm just not up to having four workouts a week yet, but I'll get there.... More on purgatory's next time....

Mortal Enemies, and Other Reasons not to Swim in the Ocean

I'm watching the Discovery channel and not feeling quite so mush brained. But, I'm fascinated that they are willing to call the sperm whale the mortal enemy of the giant squid. when no one has ever seen a giant squid in person. But I guess that's the thing with theories. you get to espouse them until someone proves them wrong. Squid attract whales. And then whales wander around with squid in their mouths. And then caught sperm whales have giant squids in their bellies... OK I guess it's not just a theory.

This confuses me... I thought whales ate brill. and teeny things -- the great irony of the sea. well, Brill and giant squid. I think I should be more fearful of whales than I previously suspected. And what about Dolphins. I'm staying away from the sea.

Giant Squids, by the way, eat their 'cousins' cuttle fish. kinda creepy. I wouldn't eat my cousin, unless I was stranded in the Andes.

This weekend went from sleepy to active in the last couple of days. I keep agreeing to do stuff...
Now I'm running tomorrow am. then off to my french toast ritual. And then going to the local farmer's market. and on to furniture shopping in a local store that's going out of business. But the afternoon will be free. And, then on Sunday I'm off to the Antiques Market in a neighboring town.

Run on Saturday... Back to intervals, I'll let you know how it goes.

2nd Base

No this is not the beginning of a big romance. I finally showed up for a softball game, and played second base. I am still not comprehensively fit -- this is apparent in the very slow beginning to my sprint... uh run...ish - to first base. And I really should have stretched a bit before I started jumping around like that.

I also have to give notice that I will have a very interesting bruise on my shin tomorrow, because sometimes, just "getting in front of the ball" isn't enough. it has to hit you before it will stop.

After this Softball "experience" I've decided that it is highly unlikely that I will run/jog anything tomorrow. I think it's time for an extra day, to end the week. And on Friday or Saturday I'll jump back into the program -- Week 6 Here I Come

Afterward we went to Taste of Peoria. A mini version of Taste of Chicago on a Wednesday night.
I have no idea why this event is on a Wednesday. It's not like there's a crime issue in Peoria. It was, nonetheless, very well attended. Go Central Illinois!

This Sunday I'm going antiquing. It's been quite an adventure learning how people in semi-rural/semi-urban locations fill their time. It's different, and - in many ways - horizon expanding.
I'll let you know how the antique fair goes...

A BUG flew into my Mouth...

And other things I think while running.

Another bug in my mouth. geesh. Do I need to take off my makeup before I go running.
Bug... is that carb or protein... I think it's protein, mostly.

What was that?! oh, a bunny. that's not scary. I'm just running through the woods on purpose. And, I'm pretty sure I can't run any faster. So I hope it's a bunny.

The butterflies are pretty. That's a butterfly right? or is that a dragonfly? It's moving to quickly to tell.

Is my left leg moving differently than my right?

this is hard.

I have to keep going.

I made it 18 minutes, how much longer do I have to go. I'm not sure I can do it. I have to do it. 1 minute and 15 seconds. I can do that.... am I going up hill? will it still count if I turn around and go down hill for the last minute.... ahhhhh flat straightaway. I like that....

done!

Really I did it.
I ran for 20 minutes in a row! I didn't think I could do that. And, I did it! I really did. I didn't run a ten-minute mile pace, but I could tell that I was running a lot faster and more strongly at the end than at the beginning. And I clearly lost about five pounds of sweat on the way. hopefully some of it becomes really gone. I also am not as hungry when I'm doing this more regularly.

I didn't run as hard as I might have, because I really wasn't sure about running for 20 minutes straight, so I was holding back a little. And I think it was about right. But this makes me more confident to run faster when I go back to intervals on my next run. I'm going down to 18 minutes total with two three minute walks. I will try to go a little faster.

I'm also officially in the second half of the running program. This is very cool. I'm really glad this run was so long. It really makes me feel like I can do it all!

Tomorrow I play softball. I think that will be a good thing and fun and active.

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail

So, I have reached the fifth week of the nine week running program. It's exciting to be on the cusp of the second half of the program. This time as I ran down the "big hill" I realized that I really could open up and run down hill pretty quickly. And just when I got to the bottom of the hill, I had to turn around. And, then I realized that I needed to run BACK UP THE HILL. This is terrible. After the big expansive steps running down hill, I became a shuffler, with my head down. Then when I looked up, down the hill came a co-worker who is training for an iron man. Yes -- an honest to God Iron Man race. And I have no doubt he'll do it. I, on the other hand, am only hoping to be able to do a three mile run. So I shuffled up as he waved and ran by like a gazelle. fabulous.

On other fronts, I think the habit is starting to form. I remember, the days. In my twenties. when I used to work out a LOT. and was clearly Addicted to working out. I had certain responses to working out. I'm starting to have sense memories of those days. It's actually kind of exciting to think that that level of fitness is not Completely out of reach. is it?

Then I looked at the next run of my program. I run for EIGHT MINUTES IN A ROW... TWICE.... it's crazy. This is from a program that hasn't had me run more than five minutes at a time. So I have some concerns about my ability to rise to the challenge, but I think that at long as I keep myself in check I will make it through the whole time frame.