the flood

it has been raining steadily from sunday to the present.  today may be a bit drier, but i am not holding my breath.  my kingdom for an ark!

week 2, day 3
thursday september 1

i ran.  i know i did.  i remember doing it, but my life has been such a mad rush that i remember almost nothing about the running.  i was thinking about lesson plans, and the prospect of chewing out a student really filled my brain.  my side stitch nagged me in the very first interval, but it went away quickly and i managed to finish up feeling pretty good.

that's all folks!

week 3, day 1
monday september 5

Happy labor day! i went to the Maryland State Fair on Sunday and then the rains came, so I missed my chance to run.  i dodged the rain drops and managed a Monday evening run.  this was my first week of 3 minute runs, and i have to say, i did shockingly well.

i was afraid that i would burn out and not make it, but just the opposite happened.  by the time i finished, i was feeling good enough to keep running.  i think because the runs are longer and there is less switching between walking and running, i was not tiring myself out with the change of form and pace.

i didn't run more, instead i kept my cool down walking pace up for longer.  i am now afraid of injury because i had some serious issues last week with my right side hip/butt.  i think i had an angry piriformis.  it felt very similar in location to a sciatica flare up without the actual nerve pinch.  i went swimming on saturday and let it rest on sunday which seems to ave been enough to calm down things again.


week 3, day 2
friday september 9

i have had the longest and most taxing week.  just when i needed running to keep from punching anything, it has rained and rained!  wednesday and thursday were to wet to be out, and i was super busy friday, but i decided at about 9:30 last night that it had to happen.

earlier in the day, i had lunch with my friend N and she is training for a 10 miler while planning her wedding.  part of her training is to run a less-awesome 10 miler before the actual 10 miler she is trying to make a good time for all before entering wedded bliss.  (let's not even talk about how she is crafting 100% of her wedding decor and making the food for the party as well) obviously after a delicious vegan lunch with this amazing woman, i had to go running at 10pm on friday.

it was really really good.  i ran really well.  earlier in the week my friend db was telling me about the awesome times when he is running and it feels like your heart and feet sync up and you could run forever.  that didn't exactly happen for me (far too soon for that!) but at the end of my run, i relly wanted to keep going.  it was great.

mixed emotions

Week 1: Day 3

Thursday August 25

Very difficult today.

It seems like when I peel away one layer of distraction, another one then appears!  Feeling more secure in my route, the actual running was fine for the most part.  I am still working on form, of course.  The thing that got me today was the weather.

It was very sunny when I took off, and about halfway in, it started to rain.  But it remained sunny.  I couldn’t really keep my sunglasses on my face because it was so wet, but if I took them off, I couldn’t see anything.  I just tried to stay loose and continuously push up the glasses.  It stunk.

To make matters worse I had three near-falling incidents.  Some things are very slippery when wet.  Namely, manhole covers, yellow “no parking” paint on curbs, and the inset plastic grips that are installed in handicap access ramps at corners.  That last one was very surprising for me.

Stitch in my side came around the 6^th interval of running,  At least I can say that today, I did not hate running so much.

Week 2, Day 1

Sunday August 28

I have been so lazy.  I didn’t do my strength training interval workout on Wednesday because my neck was in knots and Friday I was just too busy.  Adding the running to the strength training has been difficult.  I was on 3 days per week of strength/cardio and now I am 3 days per week of c25k.  1 day off just doesn’t seem to be cutting it for my body yet. 

Must find balance.

The actual running was better and worse today.  I took a friend with me, and he was doing the week 1 routine so we walked together at the beginning and end and more or less ran in proximity to one another during the intervals.  It was nice to have someone else out there.

I say it was better and worse today because I think my form is improving, but switching up the intervals showed me I was running too fast.  I know that is all mental.  I walk very fast in every day life.  People comment on it without fail.  Because I walk so fast, I feel like I should be running a lot faster than I walk, which is not feasible at this point.  At least not a lot faster. 

The good news is that after the 2^nd interval of running I managed to correct myself and the new pace helped.

Week 2, Day 2

Tuesday August 30

Happy Birthday to me.  I didn’t have any birthday cake, but I did do my strength/cardio workout yesterday and my running today.  Don’t worry, I had some Utz potato chips, so it is not as if I did not indulge on the big day

I thought I was in for a disaster, but it managed to correct itself.  I had the worst stitch in my side (ever!) on the very first running interval.  It nagged me in the 2^nd, but somehow it went away and I did the rest of my run with little difficulty.  I even enjoyed the weather and being outside despite the running.

For the first time while running, my tighter left hamstring acted up enough for me to notice.  It is very obnoxious when I am doing strength/cardio interval work.  I must figure out what it will take to get it to loosen up and join the party.

oh, dear.

things have become mighty dusty around here.

on sunday my aunt and i were talking about how i never blog anymore.  it was a great way to let her and other family members know what i am up to, but i have been up to too much to have time to blog about it!  maybe i just don't have enough of that look at me! impulse.

the same day we had that talk, i started running for the first time in my life.  i hate running.  i hate the idea of running.  running is something you do when being chased by a lion. or a bear.  or a maniac with a chainsaw.  (i abhor chainsaws.)  given i hate running so much, i think i am going to be prone to whining about it as i try to become good at it, so i think i will whine here.

pre-game
several of my friends are doing or have completed the c25k program, and they have recommended it highly.  the idea of building up to actual running appeals to me.  so for about a month i have been staying serious about my strength training and shopping.

the shopping was completely justified.  i needed the equipment.  i hate shorts, so i had to go out and buy some.  i also replaced the circa 2004 ipod mini with a new (to me, i bought it refurbished) ipod nano so i could do the c25k podcasts.  finally, new shoes.  i had already workout shoes, but i only wear them indoors on carpet so my terrible carpet doesn't get any more terrible.

sunday: week 1, day 1
i made it.  and it sorta sucked.  i decided to run on the residential streets in my neighborhood because there is less traffic.  this was great for avoiding cars but a really bad idea for day one of my training.  we have hills.  lots of hills.

the many hills paired with my overcompensating to ensure i not land on my heel made my calf muscles scream.  after a lot of stretching and a hot bath, i lived to tell, but a new route was needed.

happily, i underestimated how much distance i can cover so the path was a little convoluted, but it was a nice boost to my ego after several "oh, $%&*! i am going to face plant down this hill!" episodes.  that brings us up to today...


tuesday: week 1, day 2
today i chose to run into DC and through downtown tkpk to get back home.  the terrain was much flatter, but there were so many distractions.  plus more car encounters.  those paired with uncooperative headphone wires and my ID constantly trying to creep up out of my sports bra made today....interesting.  i had a really hard time keeping my eyes on target far enough ahead.  i think my posture was all over the place.

i worked on my foot strike to reduce the calf soreness, but i am certainly not there yet.  my toes became numb halfway through.  i also learned i can take a short cut in my route to shorten it (i was done about 1/3-1/4 mile from home) that will avoid downtown tkpk during the morning flock to the metro.

i was much happier with my hamstrings stretches post run. Old Lefty is still being a jerk and won't loosen up as much as Righty.  I have my eye on you, buddy.

so, i made it.
and i restarted the blog.  all in one day.  i will get around to cleaning up the rest of the blog page on the weekend maybe.

lovely

good news bad news

Visuals window at school

BAD

I clearly cannot discipline myself to write a blog post daily or even take a photo daily.

GOOD

I still bake my own bread every week.

I have only had maybe 3 diet sodas in the new year.

I am still working out, and I made no health related resolutions!  HA!

As a distraction technique, I have posted the photo above.  This is the current display window I made with my visuals students.  Pretty nifty, huh?  There are many other notable events of the last two weeks.  Maybe I will download my camera and post a few of them.

Or not?

scratch

Today I make chickpeas from scratch.  Dried beans will, hopefully, become happy usable little fellows for hummus, salad toppers, and to throw into dinner soups and sautees.

Other things I have made from scratch in the last few months...

1. bread! challah, no knead wheat, soda, cardamon, and several quick breads.
2. pizza dough.
3. scones.
4. gnocchi.
5. sweet potato oven fries.
6. divinty fudge.
7. rice milk.
8. greek yogurt.
9. pasta sauce.
10. whole roaster chicken and gravy.  this last one is only impressive because i made it for someone else (I don't eat animals) for Thanksgiving.  I learned this Turkey day that many people I know just go out and buy their holiday turkey or ham.  Too weird to me!

Of course I still make my own jams. yum.

i want one

 I lieu of a photo, we have some video I did not take...

Watch the full episode. See more Antiques Roadshow.

tkpk at night

excessive gravity

i tried to lose three things today:

1. these mittens, one of my favourite handknit pair. yes!  both of them!

2.one of the new earrings rW gave me for christmas...  the same earring lept out of my ear the day he gave it to me!

3. five dollars.  cash is squirrelly.

still knitting

lest this become a place about everything that takes time away from my former savior hobby...

i am still knitting.  i still start projects when i don't need to (sweater at right made of wool and stainless steel) and i can't resist a good new knitting book for the holidays.

i have knit less since i took the full time teaching job about 7 months ago.  i miss the knitting, but i am also not as stressed out about time and money so the activity is less necessary to keep me from being a basket-case.

knitters joke, but it is true!  it is cheaper than therapy.

easter is late this year

April 24th.
yep, that is the day these eggs are supposed to be consumed.  that is 15 weeks from now.  I will have completed an entire quarter teaching (which does not even start until next Monday, mind you), gone on break, and come back to a new quarter before this candy is meant to be eaten.

and yet they are in my local CVS right this second having an identity crisis.

what you can't see in this picture is that I am standing in front of a rack of valentine's day candy and behind the shelf of eggs and peeps there is a display of christmas stuff CVS is still trying to clearance out.

people long to be young.  not me.  if i were a kid today i would be baffled.

nom nom nom

I don't do specific New year's resolutions.  I just try to decide what I want to do more of, less of, and something new I may want to try and leave it at that.  Less disappointment that way if I don't manage.

I love to cook, and I decided it is time to expand my repertoire so I can really put processed foods in their place--off my plate.  In that spirit, I tried three new recipies today.

Pictured we have, six-seed soda bread, which is my first soda bread.  (I started baking breads in the fall.)

I also made smashed peas with ricotta, which is much better than it sounds and not very smashed at all.  Also, I picked up some French lentils at the co-op and made a delicious peasant dish, basic french lentils.  They are accurately named becaus the preparation is basic, but they taste very very good!

first knit

twins = knitting x 2

DC was supposed to have all of this snow on the 26th of December that never came.  All i got to show for it was some extra time in Ohio and these little hats.

(Only complaining a little, really.)

It appears to be the fate of the wee hats to live a fly-by-the-seat life.  I snapped this picture on a metro bicycle rack before shoving them into n envelope bound for Cleveland.

Best thing I saw today that I could not get a picture of?

An ad posted offering "Guitar Hero Lessons".  Slips were missing from the phone number tear sheet.

zombie flamingo sighting

my neighborhood is awesome

I took a walk up to town in our spring-like weather conditions today and came across these fellows.  I wish I had been the clever soul who thought this up.

new year's nap

What else should one do January 1st?