I Am A Runner

I used some credit hours to knock off of work a bit early today.  I am planning to go see the new “Star Wars” movie with my daughter (Sarah), so I wanted to get home and get my jog out of the way.  The jog was noon-“ish”.  A bright, clear, cloudless day.  Mid-60’s temperature, but with a cold, stiff breeze blowing.  It wasn’t constant, but it was more steady than intermittent.  It was really nice to get out in the mid-day sun to just see the brightness of the world.  I’m so used to the fluorescent lighting of work, it seems strange to see things in natural (bright) light.
Day 5.  The jog was same old-same old; 13 laps; 3.25 miles in 70 minutes.  I actually timed it today.  The time is even slower than it used to be, but that’s the way it goes when you’re starting back up.  The times will drop and the distance will increase before all is said and done.  So, now that my curiosity is satisfied, I don’t have to time myself again for a month or so.  By then I’ll be used to the activity and time, and distance will be more of a consideration.   Until then, it’s just one foot after the other…
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On This Day In:
2014	The Law Of The Perversity Of Nature
2013	One Standard Deviation
2012	High Anxiety
2011	And I’m Taking Me There
2010	1,000

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I Am A Runner

Day 4.  Sunset jog, finished in the dark; another 13 laps; another 3.25 miles; another hour(ish).  Fitbit is still saying 5 miles and about 65 minutes.  I’m not actually tracking the time.  I’m just trying to get through the distance each day.  The evening was dry and warm with a intermittent breeze which was cold but not steady.  The temperature was probably only a couple of degrees warmer than yesterday, but it felt much warmer without the rain.  The breeze was nice.
Sometimes, when you pull your eyes up from the pavement in front of you, you can see some amazing sights.  This evening’s was a partly cloudy sunset with the most brilliant turquoise sky I can remember seeing in ages.  The blue was framed by clouds with pink and yellow edges.  It looked like something out of a Cecil B. DeMille movie.  Anyway, it was definitely a high-light!
The process is starting to feel easier.  My legs and feet hurt less each day.  No change in weight yet (it’s only been four days), but my clothes feel better (slightly looser) – so that’s a good start.  Now I just have to keep it up.  It feels good to be a runner again…
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On This Day In:
2014	Some Things I Learned (Mostly) In The Army:
2013	Who You Are
2012	Mine Stands
2011	Aversions

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I Am A Runner

Day 3.  Another 13 laps; 3.25 miles; approx. 5K.  Fitbit still says it’s 5+ miles, and I still doubt it.
Raining and dark, but not cold.  Sometimes you just got to suck it up and get out there.  It’s more difficult mentally when you’re trying to do it after work and after walking the dog for 40 minutes.  Still, I found the gentle rain cooling.  Of course it stopped with two laps to go.  Legs hurt more during the day than when I’m actually out pounding.  Go figure…
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On This Day In:
2014	Just Dig ‘N It, Why?
2013	Additions
	The Object Of Instruction
2012	Telling Her
2011	On Torture

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Back On The Bricks

Yesterday, I started jogging again.  Today was day two.  As of yesterday, I am a “runner” again…  Like most things / types of activity, you can only “be” it if you “do” it.  In this case, in my case, running – or more precisely very slow jogging – which I call “slogging”.  (Not very original, I know.)  I am not timing myself yet.  I am counting the laps (around the schoolyard across the street from where I live) with my little “clicker” and my “Fitbit” says it’s about 5 miles.  I reckon it’s closer to 3 miles, but whatever, I’m back in my shoes and beatin’ feet!
I started one of my hundreds of diets back in July and lost 35 pounds by the end of August.  As of today, I am still down 20 of those.   And so the beat goes on…  I joined the “YMCA” back in September, but injured my left knee pretending to play basketball.  And by “pretend”, I mean literally pretending: I was playing by myself, missed a shot and was challenging for a rebound under the basket.  When I landed, my knee gave out (quite painfully) and I had to limp to the locker room to get my stuff and go home.  My knee cap swoll-up the size of a grapefruit and I couldn’t extend my leg straight for about a week.  The pain has mostly (now) gone but I’m still not able to push off of that leg the way I used to.  But I have been walking 40 to 60 minutes each day and I’ve now been able to begin jogging – slow but steady.
So, I am a runner again.  One day at a time.  One step at a time.  And today is day two.
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On This Day In:
2014	Changing Frequently
2013	Trifles
2012	Simple, Ordinary And Wonderous
2011	Humane Writers

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Running To

As a teenager, I sought out this transformed reality in the proverbial escape into books away from my unhappiness.  We like to lose this world, our very self, in a good book.  But reading isn’t just anesthesia or a verbal trip to the theme park.  We’re not only running from something, in many cases, but running to.
[Found at one of the blogs I follow: http://aholisticjourney.wordpress.com/
The specific post is: http://aholisticjourney.wordpress.com/2013/08/05/the-writing-process-ii-why-we-read-part-4/  —  KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2012	Suddenly
2011	Liberal Washington
2010	Giants Advance To NLCS!!

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Essential Experience

We are different, in essence, from other men.  If you want to win something, run 100 meters.  If you want to experience something, run a marathon.
 

—  Emil Zatopek
 

 

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One More Rung

You can’t climb up to the second floor without a ladder.  When you set your aim too high and don’t fulfill it, then your enthusiasm turns to bitterness.  Try for a goal that’s reasonable, and then gradually raise it.
 

—  Emil Zatopek
 

[Slowly, slowly; step by step; one rung of the ladder at a time…  —   KMAB]
 

 

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