Janathon Day 26: The Moods of Time, Evening

That’s the name of this sculpture (1938) by American sculptor, Paul Manship. I saw it at the Detroit Institute of Arts a few months ago & liked it very much. I often think of it when I’m sleepy. Like now. Aren’t the owls divine? The way the figure is afloat in the air, lifting up as her bedclothes unwind? I have to say, that “cloud” beneath her is the weak link in this work. In the artist’s defense, however, something tells me it may be quite impossible to create a convincing cloud made of bronze. Nevertheless, this sculpture comforts me. It makes me want sleeping & dreaming. I cannot wait to go to bed again tonight!

Milestone today: it was the unitard‘s debut in the gym’s pool area, HA! That’s right, I wore it for a test run — literally, as I wore it under my shorts & t-shirt for my 2 mi. treadmill trot beforehand. Then, after my obligatory Janathon run, I peeled down, rinsed & shower-gelled politely by the pool & got in the water. No one was there, save one older gent, who was kind enough to point out features & equipment there for use in water exercise… but oh, my favorite were the jets!

The shallow end of the pool is a bench with water jets, just like a jacuzzi. Have I mentioned I love my gym? Because it’s hospital affliated, they don’t have a full length pool, but instead, they have 2 smaller therapy pools. From what I remember so far, one pool has warmer water than the other & patients come there for physical therapy in the water during daytime hours. At night, there’s no one in it, so I can swim back & forth freely… or simply sit in front of the jets. I did a little of each tonight, as I only had 20 min. between my run & the start of my Vinyasa yoga class.

After running, a little swimming/soaking & that hour of yoga, I spent 15 min. in the sauna, showered & came home. I can already see that the pool might trump the Expresso bikes. There is so much to do at this gym, I can never seem to do everything while I’m there… but I sure wanna try :-)

Janathon Day 25: Will Run for Squirrel Nut Goodies

Things have been a bit squirrelly around here lately. My poor husband is having a time of it, doing his best to help care for his aging parents (Dad in his 80s, Mother will be 91 in April). They mostly do well for themselves — but when a new variable arises (ie. a surgery or an unexpected downturn in either parent’s health), things get a little dicey. I’m only background support for my husband, as they’re his parents so he’s on the front line, but I feel mentally tired too. He stayed at his parents’ home for 4 days this week & after being home with me for a few days, he’ll be leaving again soon for another 4-day stint. His only brother is on rotation, too. It’s so hard seeing older folks on a knife’s edge like that, striving to stay in their homes, but teetering on the need for comprehensive care. Hopefully, things will stabilize shortly.

Meanwhile, I ran 2 mi. at the gym. Ho-hum. Two miles, two miles, two miles – I may not be ambitious, but gosh, you can’t say I’m not consistent. Love that rhythmic breathing, so good for relieving stress :-)

Today’s photo display features Squirrel Nut Cookies & Squirrel Nut Zippers, both tasty treats. I made the squirrel cookies at Christmas, only because I found a “squirrel” in my box of cutters. I have no idea how I got it, or why… but it had to be a gift, because I wouldn’t buy a squirrel cutter. Anyway, I used it, just for fun. The cookies were decorated with chopped nuts, of course. What else would you cover squirrels in? The Squirrel Nut Zippers caught my eye at a candy store, because I once bought a CD by a band of that name. The band is good & the candy is really sticky. Almost tore the fillings right out of my teeth, but worth the risk, mmm.

Janathon Day 24: Nothing Interesting Happened. Now What?

Broken record: I went to the gym today. I ran.

Norovirus precautions still in effect (see Day 23 blogpost), which dampens the whole post-workout hangout — in the sauna, shower & taking my sweet time getting lotioned & dressed. Mask on, mask off, mask on, mask off. It’s a bummer. Of course, getting norovirus would be a bigger bummer, as would not working out at all… so whatever. I went, I ran, I came right home. 2.5 mi. on the treadmill, done. I took an hour long strength training class beforehand. My first time on a Bosu balance trainer. Eh, it was alright. I won’t be getting hooked on Bosu like I did on the Expresso bikes, tho. By the time I finished Bosu & the run, I didn’t feel like riding a bike. I just wanted to go home. I’m hoping that tomorrow, the face masks are no longer mandatory.

Oh wait, I just thought of something exciting! A milestone: I passed the 50-mile mark today. I’ve run 52 mi. in January so far. Not bad. I could probably beat my 76.5 mi. from Juneathon, if I really wanted to… but oh, I’m so tired & it’s winter. I’m cold, unmotivated. I don’t think I wanna run 25 mi. in the last week. Whatever I do for the month is fine by me, cuz I did far more cross training than I did in June, so technically, I think I already surpassed my summer fitness effort :-)

Today’s photo: flowers from my cutting garden, in the bathroom window. Ah, the window was open then. Can you feel that warm summer heat? (I wish!)

Janathon Day 23: Who is that Masked Runner?

Here’s the downside of a gym that’s affiliated with a hospital (connected to the hospital, in fact, by an enclosed corridor). This is such a Monday thing to happen, I swear.

After running on our dangerously old at-home treadmill with the herky-jerky belt on Saturday, then running outdoors in the cold with Jaime on Sunday, I was really looking forward to a comfy run & long workout at the gym tonight. My husband is out of town til Wednesday, so ahhh, sweet time! I could ride the virtual-course bike straight thru dinner til closing, if I wanted to. I drove happily to the gym in late afternoon, parked & as I was walking along the front offices (which I can see into from the sidewalk), I saw employees in face masks. Stupidly, I thought “… that’s new. Maybe someone in the office is sick, or it’s some kind of protest?”

Then I got in the door. Apparently, there’s a minor outbreak of norovirus in the hospital & the administration has put contagion precautions into effect. So in order to enter the building, you must sanitize your hands & wear a mask for the duration of your visit. How am I going to breathe while running in a face mask?

Thank God, a reprieve. Persons on the fitness floor do not have to wear masks while actually exercising, nor do patrons have to wear masks in the pool area or in shower stalls. But masks are required to & from the fitness floor, around the front desk, in the locker rooms, hallways, etc. The precaution is in effect “until further notice,” which means I saved my mask as I might need it tomorrow.

Needless to say, I ran 2.5 mi. on a treadmill & then came right home. No dallying on the bikes, no sauna, no shower. Who can relax in a face mask? We’ll see what happens tomorrow. Oh, & you know what else is a downside of a gym with physical therapy programs? Old codgers with poor sphincter control exerting themselves on the treadmill next to me. (Sweet Jesus, what’s that smell?) Maybe I should try running with the mask on after all.

Janathon Day 22: Back on Track

Busy day, but not like yesterday. I had made plans to run with Jaime & run we did: 2 mi. outdoors in sunny & reasonable temp (21 °F). Then I stretched & planked. Tomorrow, I should be able to get to the gym in the afternoon – one good thing about Mondays!

In honor of my continuing to peck away at run mileage, today’s photo is a handsome Red Bellied Woodpecker on a suet cake! (Click the photo to see him larger.) We have many feeders & lots of feathered friends, but this woodpecker is one of our larger patrons. When he flies in, he startles the others & hence, always dines alone! That’s all, folks. Goodnight :-)

Janathon Day 21: Great Day, Not in a Fit Way

Start reading excuses here: today I had my worst fitness day of Janathon yet. I was still tired when I got up at 7:30am. It was cold inside the house (woodstove had gone out overnight) & snowing outside. I had to be showered & dressed (nicely), ready to leave for Boston at 10am. I didn’t have enough time to drive to the gym, run & return. Running outside in the snow was not going to happen. So… my only choice was to run on the treadmill we have in the office/barn. It’s old & poorly maintained (bought new over 20 years ago). It sometimes makes a “burnt” smell (engine seized?) when it’s on… or the belt slips as I run (scary & unstable). Today, it was the latter. When the belt slips, a run is herky-jerky. But it was my only real option, so I held onto the handrails & pushed through it for 3/4 mi. That was all I could muster. I walked 1/4 mi., feeling irritated, then quit. That was it.

That was the bad news. The good news is that I had an awesome day in Boston with our friends. The Shen Yun dance troupe was fabulous! The pics shown are the inner lobby of the Boston Opera House (photos were not allowed inside during the performance) & my serving of Fish Maw Soup w/Black Mushrooms, accompanied by a slice of scallion pancake. Tomorrow, I will have to exercise all the more because I sampled a lot of good food at the East Ocean City in Chinatown.

Janathon Day 20: I Wish For My Bed

Today’s photo: the wishbones I save from the chickens we raise. (We eat a lot of chicken & forget to make wishes, apparently.) If I were to make a wish right now, I’d wish I was in bed! I’m exhausted once again.

My fitness report is more of the same. I ran 2.5 mi. at the gym. I’d planned to do 3 mi. & had just passed 2.3 when a maintenance guy came to work on the defunct treadmill right next to mine. The treadmills are close together in a row & the guy had to squeeze between the rails, then crouch down between, to finagle the cover off & get to the mechanics of the belt, etc. I grabbed the handrails as I stared nervously down at his backside, thinking if he bumped my machine, would I stumble & go flying? I was hoping he would get up & go around the front or something, but instead, he took some tools out of his shirt & started operating. I wanted to hiss “Hey buddy, can you work on that later? You’re breaking my stride!” but I was running during non-peak hours (3pm), which I’m sure is why he chose to work on the machine then. My bad. I was too nervous about the guy right there (practically under me!) so I stopped @2.5 mi. & did my weight-machines circuit instead, then stretched out, iced my foot & hit the shower.

Tomorrow, I will have to get up early & run before 9am, or I’ll blow it. I’m going to Boston for the day with friends to see a Shen Yun performance, then eat out in Chinatown. Happy Chinese New Year, Year of the Dragon!

Janathon Day 19: Run, Bike & Unitard!

Still motivated to exercise, but am steadily losing my motivation to blog. So very tired again tonight. I ran 2 mi. on the treadmill as soon as I got to the gym. My reward for that was going to be a bike ride. Are you sick of hearing about those bikes by now? HA! I want to ride a new route every day, they are that fun. Both bikes were occupied, so I stayed on the treadmill but jacked the incline way up & lowered the speed, to imitate a steep hike. Got up to the same heartrate as running flat, but had enough stability on the belt to look over my shoulder every minute or so, as I watched the darn bikes. I tried mentally willing one of the guys on the bikes to finish. Thanks to Tegan, I considered going over there & staring until one of them gave up his seat! But finally, one sweaty bike-squatter abandoned ship & I made my move. Meanwhile, I’d climbed just over a mile.

I rode the “Farmers Bluff” course (7 mi.). Just as hilly as yesterday’s route & the same length, but spacious digital views of farm fields, barns & livestock on one side, overlooking a great lake on the other. A challenging ride. Once again, my rear end ached & my legs were shaky as I dismounted. Ahh, shower, sauna & home.

OK, now the news: my SwimOutlet.com unitard arrived yesterday! That’s right, I said “unitard.” A synchronized swimmer friend suggested I get one for pool workouts, as she said it’s not likely to give me a wedgie, bind on the chest & best of all, the one-piece shorts eliminate the need for obsessive grooming of the bikini area, HA! When I first saw it, I was stunned by its ugliness. ”Only $29.99, & looks every bit the price!” But I tried it on. I did some jumping, twisting, flapping & high kicking. (No one saw me, you can be sure.) No slippage, it held fast & comfortably! Suddenly, it didn’t look that bad. In fact, I kinda like the retro ”1920′s bathing beauty” feel of it. Now I wish it came in bold sailor stripes. That would be something!

(Note: That’s not me in the unitard photo… yet. Gimme another 6 months to get there, HA!)

Janathon Day 18: The Chickens Suffrage Movement

Today’s photo documents another prank. (The fun never ends.) New Hampshire just had its political primary & Mitt Romney was my husband’s candidate of choice, not necessarily mine. Suffice to say, we often cancel each other out at the polls. Last evening I noticed that the hens seemed to also have chosen Romney, as there was a bright new lawn sign posted just outside their coop! When asked how they would get to the polls, I was informed that they had procured a ride. To which I announced that any hens caught voting Romney would be eaten. To which my husband chuckled & we went on to dinner, other household chores, then eventually went to bed.

Overnight we had a storm with extremely high winds. In the morning, I noticed the Romney sign was gone! “Must have succumbed to the winds of change,” I joked smugly over my coffee. When I left the house a half hour later, I saw the lawn sign had blown down the driveway. Tho tempted to drive over it, I did stop & salvage it kindly :-)

After yesterday’s weak performance, I had a better fitness day today, thankfully. I went to the gym @10am, to beat the crowd. There was a physical therapy group just winding down, so the machines were busy at first… but within 15 min., the flurry of patrons had thinned & I had run of the place. Literally :-)

I ran 2 mi. on a treadmill, sandwiched between a 1/4 mi. walk on either end for warmup & cooldown. Next, I got on one of my beloved bikes. I selected a more challenging 7 mi. course called ”Apple Grinder”, which was amusing to me since was designed with scenic Vermont in mind. If it weren’t winter, I could drive 45 min. to the NH/VT border & be in Vermont itself, for some real biking!

Vermont’s real scenery is a lot nicer looking in person, but just as hilly, I’m afraid. This course was quite a workout. My butt started to ache on the seat after 3 mi. & because of the hills, I was not able to keep my heart rate up where I like it to be. As if answering a call, my former yoga/fitness instructor came in & took the bike next to me when I was at the 3.5 mi. mark. We programmed her bike to “Apply Grinder” too & tho she couldn’t catch me, we rode side by side & had a nice chat. I still miss her as my instructor, but I now may end up getting to have more of a friendship with her, as we can talk in ways we couldn’t when I was in class… & as a gym-buddy, she will be a fitness mentor to me nonetheless! Funny how the Universe sometimes works things out for us, in wonderful ways we could never anticipate.

Janathon Day 17: Winding Down

The photo above was taken in a long pedestrian tunnel at the Detroit Metro Airport (I was midway when I stopped to absorb it). The lighted panels along either side slowly change colors & emit ethereal tones. Eerie or consolatory, I wasn’t sure which… but I liked being in there, so I took a picture. I wish I’d thought to video some of it, but being in an airport, I was in a hurry to be elsewhere ;-)

I have nothing left today. I’m completely uninspired. I’m running out of photos in my pre-downloaded file & too tired to search my phone. I’m exhausted cuz I hardly slept (husband snorted like a bear cub all night) & I ate too much dinner (postpranial somnolence). My foot hurts & I’m peeved because today was the Janathon day I did not run a 2 mi. minimum. Instead, I ran a clipped 1.25 mi. in the brief time I had left before an hour long strength-training class, which I did do. I arrived to the gym later than I’d planned & after class, the treadmills were full. I didn’t feel like waiting around to run another 3/4 mi. just to prove a point… tho I confess, if one of the virtual-ride bikes had been available, I’d surely have ridden it until a treadmill opened up (total addict, no question). Both bikes were already manned, however, so I hit the showers & went home. I didn’t have the mental drive to fight my lethargy tonight.

But tomorrow’s a new day. I need to get up at 6:00am so I’ll be tired then too, but hey, it’s still a new day.