Juneathon Day 2: Fumbling Along…

Went to gym today, biked 7.5 mi. on the Expresso bike. In my haste to do so before the gym closed @ 4pm (they close early on weekends), I forgot to log-in. I chose a virtual program, but accidentally rode as a “guest”, which means my miles didn’t register. (Fortunately, I know that program’s 7.5 mi. distance, since I’ve ridden it before.) I’m so disorganized these days. Too much going on with work & my trip planning & household chores & now Juneathon! But exercise is important, yes it is. Everything is important to me, that’s the problem.

I’d planned to switch to the rowing machine & then some strength training, but the Boston Red Sox game was on in the 7th inning & they were actually winning for a change (rare this season). I got distracted. In order to pick up the TV sound (digital signal) on my headset, I had to be close to the TV sets, which are smack in front of the bikes, but far from the rowing machine & weightstations. So I rode the bike til the 9th inning, when I got kicked out of the gym @4:05pm, despite the game NOT being over! Had to wait til I got home to be sure of the win. Trust me, the Sox are famous for blowing the game, despite a healthy lead going into the bottom of the 9th. Really annoying. (Please don’t bring up last year’s decisive Wild Card playoff game, where they did just that & threw their chance at the World Series. Grrr.)

To prove I’m not giving up all chance of sleep in June, today’s photos represent something to which I just said NO. My volunteer poster painting for our town library is officially on hold. I do their event posters each month. I did this Ella Fitzgerald one yesterday, then decided I would need to take the month of June off. It’s too much, with all the aforementioned issues. That’s the cool thing about being a volunteer. I can give myself a break when I need it. The other poster shown, about the hoarder clean-up, was fun to do. I’ve drawn & painted many things in my artistic career… but this was my first ever “dumpster w/trashbags art”, HA! My talent reached a new low ;-)

That presentation topic may sound weird, btw, but it was really interesting & informative. The PowerPoint show was awesome (yes, curiousity got me so I had to see it). I’ll be well prepared to clean out my parent’s house smartly & efficiently, if/when they pass on suddenly. My folks are not hoarders, so my job will be easy by comparison.

Still no outlined plan for Juneathon. Whatever.

Juneathon Day 1: Already A Winner!

Well, today marks the start of another Juneathon. I’m still scrambling for a plan. I do know I won’t be able to run daily, as I’ve done in past June/Janathons. My left foot is still messed up. I’m really depressed about it. I got thru Janathon 2012 when my plantar fasciitis was just getting started, pumped up on drugs, running a total of 68 mi. for the month. I thought I could beat it easily. Really dumb, cuz after that, my foot got a lot worse (see blogposts just prior to this one). The anti-inflammatory medication seemed to be helping, then not. The stretches, foot rollering, wearing Superfeet shoe inserts… still nothing. I get my custom graphite orthotics this coming Monday. Maybe those will help? I haven’t been running, doctor’s orders. I’m so sad. This time, my main goal will have to be protecting & healing my foot while finding other ways to exercise.

Two weeks ago when I signed up, I was still hopeful I would be able to run by now. I’ve done everything the foot doctor has told me to do. I deserve to be able to run! But I did a test jog 4 days ago (first run since March 26) & my left foot is killing me again, plus my ankle swelled halfway up my lower calf. Why me? I was supposed to be training for my first half marathon by now. Instead, I’m hoping to run without pain any time before the end of the year.

So… I want to Juneathon so I will, but I’m going to have to get creative & mix it up. Not sure how I will manage, but I want to, so I will. It’s that simple. Can’t wait to see what other participants are planning & doing. I hope everyone will have good motivation, good luck, good fun & most of all, have NO injuries!

OK, on to the daily report: I rode 10 mi. on the Expresso bike at my gym today. That’s my formal exercise du jour. My informal exercise was mowing the grass. If you saw our hilly yard, you’d know this is more of a workout than the bike! And here’s the best news of all. June 1st also marks the first day of my FREE gym membership! Last month, I won a contest which entitled me to either a new iPad or a free one-year membership at my gym. I took the membership, of course! It’s a great prize (a $780 value, wow!). I won’t have to pay member dues again until June 2013. That’s why I’m already a winner :-)

Spring Things

Well, I’ve been all kinds of busy, but haven’t been online to report it. Here’s an update, mostly to remind myself I need to find better balance these days. If you read this, feel free to scold me about that. Also remind me to eat more eggs, as it’s spring & the hens are cranking out the goods. At an average rate of 7 per day, I have 5 dozen in the fridge as I type. One of my neighbors is buying them from me now & thank goodness for Easter. I made lots of pretty, hardboiled snacks! We’ve also been having vegetable quiches & sweet custards often.

Next, good news & bad news. Here’s the bad news: I’m on a running ban. It started March 30, as did my prescription Piroxicam. I’m not even allowed to walk fast. Nothing with a “heel strike.” All because my plantar fasciitis won’t let go.

I really want to start half marathon training this summer, but I’ve had some persistent & worsening heel pain since last fall. I finally bit the bullet & went to a foot specialist. He put me on meds & foot rest (NO running) for a month, gave me other instructions/exercises & suggested graphite orthotics, which will be expensive — but I really need my feet longterm. I’m to the point where I’ll do anything to get rid of it. Even not run (for a while). Even buy custom orthotics.

Here’s the good news: I’m allowed to do all the biking & swimming I want, since there’s no foot impact. The time I used to spend running has now been applied to my swimming effort. More time in the pool has netted me some extra attention from some of the lifeguards, too – in the form of free tips on improving my stroke! I am finally starting to feel more confident in my bid to maybe do a full triathlon someday :-)

In other news, my work is rocking the hours. Spring is trade show season for our giftware biz. I spent mid-February thru mid-March coming up with 2 new designs, updating sales materials, painting samples & being crazy busy. Then, the traveling. Went to a 4-day show in Portland (Maine) mid-March, came home for 2 weeks, then went off to White River (Vermont) for another 4-day show the first week of April. I’m still getting my bearings from all that. Getting supplies, putting orders in queue by ship date & chewing my cuticles, wondering how the heck I will get everything done by the due dates! Mother’s Day orders are particularly worrisome, as I have only 10 days left to get those shipped. (Please note that I’m unlikely to blog again until May, HA!)

Tho nervous about my deadlines now, the income is good for my UK vacation budget come June. Airfare’s been booked & accommodations are in process. Updated itinerary looks like this: Manchester to Leeds, York, Bath, the Cotswolds (including Chipping Campden & wherever else we wander?), then maybe Oxford & finally back to Manchester (airport). Whew! My next obstacle will be planning outfits for light travel. I might need to buy some versatile clothing &/or a piece of luggage with wheels. I know someone (who shall remain nameless, unless she reads this & outs herself) who traveled Ireland for 10 days on just 3 pairs of panties. Now that’s packing light, to ration one’s panties on a trip! I am amused. I’m picturing my sister & I driving about the UK in our rental car, the backseat strewn with clean-but-still-damp underthings, hoping they’ll dry before we reach our next destination? Hey, sis, fair warning: if that happens, I swear, I’m blogging it… so pack your best “knickers” for the photo op!

Running Away this Summer: I’m Going Across the Pond!

Woo hoo, I’m going to England! And here’s the unbelievably fun part: my trip, which is hinged upon a work conference my sister is attending in Leeds, will fall during Juneathon 2012! How fitting is that? My mind is already galloping away with fitness-related recreational ideas! I can perhaps run the 5K ParkRun route @ Leeds Hyde Park, in honor of abradypus‘s passion for ParkRuns! And I can maybe find part of the canal to run, in honor of TravellingHopefully! I’m also thinking of some non-fitness related things… like how I will think of psychojog as I eagerly chomp on any teacakes I’m offered, HA! How will I know good cakes without her guidance? I think ReliablePlodder said he works in Leeds? Perhaps he will break from work to lunch w/me, for my first ever ”fish finger salad creme sandwich?” HA! Anyone around Leeds who is interested in racking up some Juneathon miles together, speak up. How fun it would be to meet some of my British Jan/Juneathon runner counterparts, instead of merely blogging or Tweeting each other! Perhaps that will happen. As my sister & I decide on an itinerary — besides Leeds, which is already a guaranteed 3 days — I’ll post online about it. If I can find any ‘Athoners to join me for a run, a pint, or both, well, that would make us both an interesting Juneathon blogpost, eh? Warning: I’m a hugger :-)

I’ve just sent off for my passport renewal (wouldn’t you know, the lousy thing expired in August 2010, of course) & I found a credit card with a zero-% currency-exchange fee. There’s so much to do. Juneathon blogging from England may be a problem, however, depending on where we go… not sure I will be able to find high-speed Internet service in rural Wales, for example? I am hoping to at least have texting capability thru my cell phone (I do NOT have an iPhone or a Smart phone of any brand). Unlike here in the US, where it is easy to find free public-access Internet in urban areas (hotels, restaurants, public libraries — many have free service), I hear in Great Britain, it’s mostly not free? Is this true? Again, any who’d care to offer advice on this… or sites to see, etiquette & language, must-eat foods, etc. please do so! Suggestions are quite welcome.

My favorite thing currently is studying the map of England, Wales & Scotland. I thought of runtezza when I saw the English Channel. Thank God I won’t need to swim it! How fast can you say “shark food?” (Do they have sharks in the Channel?) And I thought of RunThomasRun when I saw Wales on the map. If we visit Wales, I’ve a mind to stop by an optometrist & try on some glasses for a photo op :-) Sadly, I won’t be going to London, where many ‘Athoners are. (No jogs with jogblog or “Running the Tube” w/BadWabbit, darnit.) My sister has been there & tho she loved it, does want to see other parts of the country this time… which is fine, as I fear I would be lost in a city so large! Bet it’s beautiful, tho.

Well, that’s enough daydreaming for today. Time to stop staring at maps of the UK & get back to work! Cuz I’ll need spending money for the trip, no doubt :-)

Running Away for the Weekend: Getaway #2

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For the record, I’ve been running 3x weekly, riding miles of Expresso bike at the gym, strength training each Tues., water aerobics on Wed. & yoga on Thurs., so don’t think for a minute that I’ve slacked off just because Janathon ended. It’s true that I’ve been running less often, but I’m enjoying continued fitness diversity. With no immediate goals other than losing 20-25 lbs., I’m just having fun. I even learned the rowing machine this week, for something new. I have a blister on my right palm to prove it!

I’ve also been away again, for some playtime with my sister & my niece (brother’s daughter). I flew to North Carolina, where my sister lives. My husband stayed home & my sister’s husband made himself scarce, since we’d planned my visit as “girl time”. We then found out that my 11-yr.-old niece was on school break that same weekend, so my brother drove her up from Georgia, to stay alone with us Aunties! Due to distance, I so rarely see either my sister or my niece… so seeing both at once, with no one else around, was a marvelous treat! We were a fabulous threesome & had a high time watching movies (Kung Fu Panda 2), playing card games, eating way too many Girl Scout cookies & giving each other home-spa manicures & pedicures.

Most importantly, my sister gave me some much needed swimming lessons! I’m still excited about it & have been practicing in the gym pool since I got home. Her YWCA had a few full-length lanes in 4 ft. water, which was perfect for a beginner like me. When I got tired &/or inhaled water, I could simply stand to rest &/or cough it out. We started with buying a pair of goggles & teaching me how to “bob & breathe” (up, get air; down, slow bubbles out my nose… up-air-in, down-air-out). My sister was unimpressed when she discovered that despite goggles, I still screwed my eyes shut underwater from habit… & it took me awhile to realize dramatically puffed cheeks are completely unnecessary when filling my lungs with air.

All said, I’ve made tremendous progress, but swimming is still very hard work for me. I’m kinda surprised that I can run as I do (2-4 mi.) with relative ease & yet be completely winded after swimming barely 25m? Stroke effiency is a problem. Breathing synchronization, another problem. Hm, learning to swim reasonably well might be harder than I thought…

Running Away for the Weekend: Getaway #1

I sometimes get a little down in winter. We haven’t had much snow, but we still have the diminished daylight & gray skies of winter. A change of scenery this time of year always does me a world of good. I feel readjusted by now, but have been so busy getting away, I haven’t had time to blog about it! Here’s a virtual tour of my Feb. 10-11-12 weekend. Maybe these pics will cheer you, too.

Three days, 2 nights at the Shaker Hill B&B. The hostess collects antique toys, including plush animals. The kangaroo shown above was my favorite, barely edging out a pair of tiger kittens. She also had a newly started jigsaw puzzle in the livingroom. I worked on it with morning coffee, then came back to it in the evenings. Puzzles can really draw me in!

We had booked this stay over a month ago, so we could attend Dartmouth College’s Winter Carnival. Ken read on a website that it was one of the 6 best winter carnivals in North America. Hmm. That may be true, but not this year, as there was no snow… so the Snow & Ice Sculpture contest I’d hoped to see was non-existent. A walking tour provided lovely views of the old university buildings, however. We saw lots of people iceskating on the campus pond. We had our skates in the car, but opted for a pad thai lunch & hitting the Hood Museum of Art instead. Double yum!

The next day, Ken wanted to visit the Woodstock Stove Company. He choose a new woodstove for the house. Then we went to the King Arthur baking store, where I bought ingredients to make good rye loaves. By afternoon, I was ready for some serious exercise. We geared up for a run along a lakeshore perimeter road nearby.

The road wraps around Mascoma Lake, mostly past summer camps. Nice views. We ran a random distance in one direction, then turned & ran back.

On our way out to dinner later, we measured it in the car: 4.5 miles! It’s the longest run I’ve had all year & I could have easily run farther, except we wanted time to shower before a dinner outing.

It’s amazing how running outdoors on a beautiful new route really rejuvenates my energy & motivation!

At dinner, I indulged in some educational beer tasting at Seven Barrel Brewery. They had many craft brews to choose from. A German-style Altbier (#2) was my winner for flavor that night, while Ken chose their R.I.P. stout (#3).

Both went very well with sweet potato fries. Glug, glug!

Tho the Dartmouth Winter Carnival turned out to be kinda lame, it was nice to have some away-from-home time to just relax & play the days by ear. It’s hard to sit around doing jigsaw puzzles at home, when there are chores to be done. At the inn, I made some good progress on the former & no progress on the latter :-)

February: New Month, Progressive Plans

It’s been a week since Janathon ended. I have enjoyed a rest from obsessive running, logging & blogging. I had an especially relaxing weekend. My brunch & latest library book are shown above, how I spent my late Sunday morning. Tho I took a break from running every day, I still ran some days & exercised every day. I’ve been to the gym, ridden the bikes there, taken strength classes, even went ice skating outdoors for an hour with friends! I am still focused on my New Year’s Resolutions & am making some progress.

I’ve lost 7 lbs. to date. My first weigh-in was on Jan. 2, so that’s 1.4 lbs. lost per week (5 wks.), which is encouraging. I’m almost at a “normal” body mass index (BMI)… but until I lose 9 more lbs., I am still considered “overweight” by current medical standards. And wouldn’t you know, I think the entire 9 lbs. is around my stupid waist! Built like an oak not a willow, I am. My husband jokes that a ”sturdy wife” is a good wife, but I won’t be humored until I lose 9 more pounds! Meanwhile, this sturdy wife’s still doing some outdoor runs to keep her hardy (at right, dressed for the weather).

I’m also making some progress on learning to swim. I have been in the pool several times this week. I can do a sort of made-up breast stroke across the pool, so I do it over & back, over & back, until I’m tired. I also committed to a weekly water aerobics class, now that I don’t have to run everyday (timesaver). The class involves helpful swimming skills like flutter-kicking & pushing water with my arms/hands. In 2 weeks, I’m going to visit my sister in NC. She’s a swimmer & is going to give me a few lessons at her YMCA pool. When I get back, I will need to practice, practice, practice! And maybe hire a trainer at the gym for a few additional lessons, as needed. Then maybe, just maybe, I will know how to swim?

And finally, I promised to answer Eleven Things which Tegan at Tegan Running asked of me in a game. The game rules are:
1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3. Answer the questions the tagger (in my case, Tegan) set for you in their post and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

Here’s what Tegan asked, with my answers:
1. If you could be any animal what would you be and why? Does a bird count as an “animal” ? If I were to be any creature, I would pick a bird. I love birds. A songbird, or an owl perhaps. I would want to fly. And nest. I would like both.

2. Where did you grow up? In Pennsylvania (USA). First, in Philadelphia suburbs, then later, in farm country near Lancaster County… we moved around when I was young.

3. What is your all time favourite guilty food pleasure? Oh, I have too many. Here’s one: Eggs Benedict w/tabasco (see pic above). Here’s another: gooey homemade macaroni & cheese w/stewed tomatoes. And another: moist chocolate cake w/caramel frosting. Shall I go on?

4. How do you spend your weekends? Impossible to answer this, cuz every weekend is different. I will tell you this: since I’m self-employed, my work time & free time are very integrated. My “days off” are not always on a Saturday or Sunday. Sometimes, I take days off when it’s sunny, while taking workdays on rainy days. Or take the afternoon off, but work into the night. “Weekends” are flexible time, no matter what the day of the week.

5. Do you have a favourite teddy (or other item) from your childhood? Long ago, I was very fond of a plush toy monkey.

6. Do you have any weird habits? Yes, I do.

7. What event are looking forward to seeing at the Olympics? Um, I don’t watch the Olympics.

8. What is your favourite film and why? Oh, these “favourite” questions are so difficult. I love too many things. Let’s see. I really like movies that make me gasp or cry or laugh. The Sixth Sense. Gasp! Sense & Sensibility (the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet one). Boo hoo hoo! The Incredibles. HA HA!

9. What is your favourite book and why? Girl with the Pearl Earring. Memoirs of a Geisha. Cold Mountain. The Time Traveler’s Wife. These books were so incredibly good, the movie versions pale by comparison. I like books about women who turn vulnerability into beautiful strength thru their experiences.

10. If you could buy yourself one luxury item (money no object) what would it be? A personal assistant. A very sexy male one, of course (since money is no object, I’ll presume morality is also moot, tee hee). With an assistant, I’d be able to achieve so much more each day. I always have too much on my plate, too many dreams.

11. What was your most embarrassing/silly moment? Embarrassing, you say? Hm, well… I sucked my thumb in my sleep til I was in 6th grade. Does that count?

It’s just past midnight & I must still think of 11 questions for others to answer & tag them to the task? I will have to do that another time, as I’m exhausted after all that self-analysis ;-) More another day. Goodnight!

Janathon Day 31: Purpose, People & Power

My big smile! 68 mi. in a month by running every day, my last 2 mi. run having been this afternoon, just before a strength training class. Post fitness, I sat in the steam room, whiffing eucalyptus as I leaned back on the warm tiles, eyes closed, grinning like a cat who ate canary. It is done.

My friends & neighbors sometimes ask me why I do these personal challenges. Few of them seem to really understand. They don’t set personal goals on a lark, just for the fun of it. They don’t necessarily challenge their daily schedules, their physical abilities or mental stamina. Except Jaime & Mary, they do it… but most people I know don’t. Maybe they are not curious?

I take on challenges because I want to make sure I can still make commitments to stretch myself & fulfill them. I need to know I can do that. I need to know a plan can be made anytime. I need to know I can find others who understand that, & do it too. I need to know I can change whenever I want. In one month, Janathon (or Juneathon) gives me all of that. Purpose, people & power. What more could a girl want?

That said, I hope to carry the spirit of Janathon into February… not with regard to running (tho I will still run & take fitness seriously), but with regard to other commitments I have made but are stalled. My art (as in “what art lately?”). My friends (I have unfinished projects needing completion). My work (oh, talk about stalled!). My relationships (I owe some people more attention & love). And Tegan, I didn’t forget about your tag, you little devil ;-)

If you’re reading this now, thanks for your support! Another thing I have planned for February is to bookmark a few Janathon/Juneathon folks for year-round following, not just during the challenge months. There were an awful lot of fun blogs to read & I’m still enjoying them. Tho I may cut back on running & blogging for myself, reading about others’ efforts & good humor will continue to keep me going…

And finally, let’s not forget deep, long, glorious sleep. Good night, all!

Janathon Day 30: Yes, My Tree is Still Up

…but who cares, I am one day away from finishing Janathon! Barring any extreme circumstances, I will easily run tomorrow, thus completing 31 days of daily running. I can’t wait. I need Janathon to be over, so I can move “must run today, when?” to the middle of my brain & move other thoughts to the forefront. Thoughts like “for God’s sake, take down the Christmas tree before Valentine’s Day.” Or “put away laundry instead of just wearing it from the dryer, to the washer, to the dryer again.” And don’t forget “how’s about we do a little work today?” HA! My head has been on nothing but fitness for 30 days now. Game almost over.

Went to gym today @ 5pm. Bad move, as it was crowded, but I couldn’t help it. That was the soonest I could get there. Luckily, I got the last open treadmill & got a 2.5 mi. run out of the way. Afterward, I stretched on the mats & put on the unitard for a dip in the pool. I did a little paddling around, but mostly, I sat in front of the jets (2nd time, it’s becoming a trend). The heated, pounding water feels so good on my back… or on the soles of my feet, for an arch massage. Next, into the steamroom for 10 min., finally showered & went home. How I love my gym! It really is like having a luxury apartment. Except there’s no fridge. But the lounge furniture is certainly more comfy than ours at home, so there’s that :-)

I’m at 66 mi. for the month. That’s only 10.5 mi. short of my Juneathon total. There’s no way I’m running 10.5 mi. tomorrow. Had I known I’d be so close, would I have pushed harder in the first half of the month? Maybe… but I’m still quite happy with my performance. If I can do between 2 & 3 mi. every day for a month, I know I can easily train 3x a week for my first half marathon. Only thing left to do is pick one & start a scheduled plan!

Janathon Day 29: Painting A Pretty Picture

This morning, I drove from our friends’ home in Stow to my inlaws home in Ashland, Massachusetts. My husband went there yesterday to help care for his parents. Tho he will stay until Tuesday night, I drove home to New Hampshire this evening, so I can work during the week. Janathon is ending just in time, as my work will soon start to get busy. I am feeling the strain, not in body but in mind. I will still run, but at least I won’t feel personal pressue to do so every day. I can limit my fitness effort to 3 or 4x a week.

Today, I ran 2.2 mi. through my inlaws neighborhood (see photo above). It was warm (44 °F) & sunny, a gorgeous day for a run. My husband even came with me, a first since our Thanksgiving Day race – but we weren’t racing this time, so he held back to stay with me. Our looped route included Pine Hill Rd. & Birch Hill Rd., tho we bypassed Blueberry Hill Rd. Do you see a trend? Hills, hills, hills. I ran up, I ran down. Then up again, & down. I pre-mapped my distance to exactly 2.2, since yesterday, I accidentally ran 2.8 mi. I like to keep my distance tally at half-mile increments. Compulsive, I know, but whatever.

While visiting friends & family, I get to see some of the paintings I’ve done over the years. I’m ashamed to say this lighthouse painting (at left), of Bass Harbor Light in Maine, was a gambling loss! My husband’s friend Scott & I used to play a lot of Yahtzee, to the point of making bets on the games. We don’t bet money, but instead, bet things or acts. Stuff like homemade coconut custard pies, which Scott likes to win from me. Or a shoveling-out of the chicken coop, which I like to win from him. I had once racked up a string of losses, my debt having mounted so high that Scott wanted to quit playing. I begged him not to stop til I’d had a chance to diminish my burden (I think I owed him at least 8 homemade entrees & desserts)! He agreed to play one last high-stakes game. He offered that if I won, he would allow that one win to erase all of my debt… but if he won, I would forfeit my lighthouse painting, which I had just gotten framed & hung in our house! I protested that as an unfairly expensive winning, but I was such a desperate gambling addict diehard fan of high-stakes Yahtzee that I took the bet.

You can guess what happened, since this painting now hangs in his guestroom. Scott was kind enough to reimburse me the cost of the framing, but he took the painting happily & without mercy, the little stinker. Flattering, yes, that he wanted an original painting of mine… but gosh, that was one of my best works! At least I can still visit it.