And now for something completely new!!!!

A prodigal runner is back for now.  Life sure takes one many different directions.  Sometimes at the same time.  Haven't really been able to do much of anything since last fall.  A little tennis, a little climbing/bouldering, and ... that's it.  However, some free time is starting to free up again ... I can start living a little more fully now.

I have run a little bit since last fall ... maybe fewer times than I can count on my hands, but for some reason I've been able to go out and run 5k plus out of the chute.  Maybe the tennis has helped after all.

Same route I took last Saturday, but a little longer (less walking to loosen up).  On the footpaths around Oquirr (sp?) Lake at Daybreak and then some.

Now if I could just replace "old pond" with "new artificial lake" and "frog jumps in" with "little jumping fish" ... then it would describe my excursion around the lake.

A little slow, but felt good.  Definately need a couple of weeks of mileage to get back into it all again.

Another trip around Oquirrh Lake on the walking paths this evening.  I thought about detouring to finish off with a longer run along a route I often enjoyed last year.  Decided against ... would like to get a few more miles under my belt first, since I haven't run a lot this year.

Feels good to expand the lungs.

Got to find a poem about wild geese.  A string of them were alight on the lake, gently paddling single file to destination unknown.  Four in line were baby geese.

Hot, tired, sleepy, and just not feeling great.  Though I ran at such a hot part of the day, the cooler than usual summer weather has been nice. Loving the cool breezes blowing in ahead of the thunderstorms.  Haven't had much sleep lately due to obligations.  It has definitely affected my desire to run, let alone anything physical.

So, I think I'll just rest a little ...

What a cool summer breeze!
Here, I make myself at home,
Rest, and take my ease.

--excerpt from The Narrow Road to the Far Province by Matsuo Basho (Trans. Dorothy Britton)

Played tennis last Friday and everything was out of sorts.  Tennis tomorrow, I'll go to bed early and hopefully that'll help.  Beautiful weather though!

Cleared the lungs out over the first mile or so, then ... felt good!  Thinking about doing the SoJo half marathon in October.

Looks like I'm committed ... .  I through it out there that the SoJo half-marathon might be something that would be fun to run this October.  Somehow it's turned into a whole group of people that have joined in since I'm running in it?!.  Now I don't want to let them down!

Hope the mileage goes well as I train for it.  I prefer to run off road, but have been running mainly on pavement lately.  Not sure how it will feel when I start adding some longer distance runs in.

Reminder to self: Don't run during the heat of the day!

Actually, I ran as it was starting to cool off, but it was still pretty warm with the sun still high in the sky. Breezes off the lake kept things somewhat pleasant at times.  A lot of natural grasses around here that grows long and sways in the breezes.  Kind of pleasant setting for my somewhat tortured efforts.

 My favorite poem ...

Basho writes as he views an ancient battlefield in Hiraizumi, Japan.  The former battlefield heralded in history swayed with summer grasses.

A late night run.  Finally ran on some dirt part of the way.  My knees are thanking me.  Though I don't have a lot of miles on me this season, I felt pretty good stepping the mileages up a 1 mile this workout.  Cautiously optimistic for the half-marathon in October now.

 -- exerpt from The Tale of Heike (O'Neill transl)

 Not going to get overly optimistic ... need to save that till race time.

Ran around after a small yellow ball on Friday.  Unable to run Friday or Saturday, though I wanted to.  Which brings us to Sunday.  Awoke from a nap with high blood sugars due to a few hard to count carbs cookies I had after mid-afternoon dinner earlier.  Instead of a big shot of insulin, I decided to run (had a little insulin still in my system) to bring 'em down.

Felt nice and strong.  Not sure my knees were overly happy later ... pound the hard tennis court followed by pounding the pavement, but they feel good now after a day of recover.

Have been running with a small hydration pack (waist).  However, when I start making some longer runs than I do, it'd be nice to have something bigger to carry a glucometer, insulin, extra calories, and my iphone in.  Being a type 1 diabetic means carrying extra stuff all the time.  I picked up a nice hydration pack/vest that has plenty of room to accommodate all of these items.  It would probably be overkill for anyone but an ultrarunner,  but it fits the bill for me.

 Tested it out tonight.  Awesome.  Didn't have to worry about anything, just running..  My iphone app mapped my run for me, so I didn't need to go to a particular website to map it afterwords manually.

As for the run, it felt good.  Ran a fair amount on dirt roads and paths to the delight of my knees.

Let's try a memorable movie quote from the Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman) ...

Mia: Are you tired?
Block: Yes.
Mia: Why?
Block: I'm in boring company.
Mia: You mean your squire?
Block: No, not him.
Mia: Who, then?
Block: Myself.

 

 

No running to report due to a doctor visit recently.  Had some lesions on my feet I wanted to take care of (been putting it off).  Still hobbling around.  I think this will make my October race plans a no go ... :-(

 Need to make plans for a race at a later date ... don't want to ease up on my goal.