through the outback

Ran a lovely 11 miles today. Snow was in the forecast, but those meteorologists were wrong again. Hardly a cloud in sight.

So anyway, I'm still practicing my chi running skills and enjoying the benefits of doing so. I felt strong today - strong and relaxed, which sounds paradoxical, I know, but it's not. Good feeling.

Upon arriving at the track, I was greeted by an atypical sight. People. Lots of people. And piles of stuff like duffle bags and.... stuff. There were several people, mostly guys but some girls, on the infield. After a bit, I realized that they were playing rugby. Rugby? Actually, they weren't really playing rugby, they just seemed to be doing rugby-like activities. Drills and things.

It seems there were two separate factions of them. One was at one end of the field doing some drills at the commands of a guy with an Aussie accent. At the other end was a group doing less organized stuff, just general kicking and throwing type things.

I have no idea who these people were. I heard more than one Aussie accent, but also heard a good number of yankees in there. There must've been nearly 100 of them. 100 people and their stuff. And the parking lot was full of cars and trucks, so it's not like they arrived together on a bus.

Mystery abounds.
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the CHI - she works!

Okay, about that book.

Yesterday, I did my first run since I started reading about chi running. The difference was really noticeable.

I was limited to the treadmill as it was cold and yucky outside, but I thought I could still give my new skills a try.

Same distance as always. Same speed. Same incline. Felt considerably different at the end.

Just a few slight changes in biomechanics - really, I don't think I was that ungraceful to begin with! - an Voila'! I think a lot of the improvement came from how I now think about running as well as changes I made in how I actually run.

I used to think that while running, I should be working. I should be straining. I should feel exhausted at the completion. Wrong! Who knew?

So I ran yesterday, my usual distance of just over 9 miles. I felt I could've easily run another 5 or so, if I had the time.

And I'm only on chapter 4.
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chi running

A few weeks ago, I was browsing the library website, looking for something interesting to read. I came across this book rather by accident. I wasn't even looking for a book about running, but there it popped up, so I decided to check into it. Turned out that all the copies were checked out, so I put it on hold and didn't think much about it.

By the fact that all of the library's copies were checked out, and that I was put 8th in line for the next available copy, I was thinking this could possibly be a good book.

I'm really not one to read about running. Just go out and do it. One foot in front of the other and all that. But a copy was finally made available for me over the weekend and I've started reading and find it pretty good so far. That whole "effortless injury-free running" is appealing.

I ran yesterday. Eleven miles. It was muddy in several places because of our big snow last weekend and the subsequent meltage. I got mud splatters all over my running tights. But my chi was pretty good.
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recess!

Did my Saturday circuit this morning. I think I started doing this about 3 or 4 Saturdays ago and I've continued with it ever since, it's so fun!

I do this loop from my house, it's about a 5-mile loop. Interspersed along the route are 3 different playground areas. I stop at each of these three and do something. I did some dips, a variety of pullups and pushups and situps

<---Here's a photo of some unknown-to-me women (they refer to themselves as "yummy mummies") having such playground fun. I borrow it to illustrate my own fun.

Looking at it, I wish I too had some companions. Am I not a yummy mummy?

But I digress... It really is quite fun.

The first playground is at a small park about a mile and a half from the house. After that, the next stop is another small park near some apartments, about 2 miles beyond the first park. A little over a mile further is the last stop - the elementary school near our house. The school actually has the best equipment, but really, any playground built for high usage, like the one in the pic, can provide even the fittest fanatics much entertainment and challenge.

After the school playground, it's a short run back to my house.

Anyone care to join me? I'm recruiting.

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snowed in

My last two runs have been on the treadmill. Ho hum.

Got a bunch of snow over the weekend, and it's still pretty messy outside, so I've resigned myself to the indoors. Twenty miles of going nowhere.

It's been warm, though, so the snow IS melting. We'll see how much meltage happens today to determine if I get to go outside and play tomorrow.

I will say that I think I actually work harder on the treadmill. I typically feel more tired afterwards anyway, so that's what I'm using for evidence of harder work. It is a handy little machine to have around.

I'm still wanting an ipod...
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guy in a hoodie and a good deal

For this morning's run, the temperatures hovered around 50 degrees, which is atypically warm for November. I wore short sleeves - can't remember the last time I did that without the sun being up!

Other than the warmness, it was a pretty uneventful run. There was a guy running then walking ahead of me at about mile 3. There are a few regulars out at that time of the morning, but he's not one of them. He seemed overdressed in a full-blown hoodie. I say full-blown because he had the hood on and tightly cinched.

I passed him by, and he gave me a pleasant enough "g'morning" if a little out of breath. If he was a weirdo rapist or some such, it wasn't apparent in his voice.

Just a while ago, I purchased some nike "training sorts". I've had my other pair since forever. I don't know, maybe even since before I was married - which is like forever! The other day, I noticed they were getting holes in places you don't want holes in your shorts/tights.

Anyway, I was near the mall because I had to mail some mail, so I decided to see if the sporting goods store had any good clearance deals, thinking of those holes. Found these for $10 which I thought was a pretty good price - especially if they last as long as the last pair!
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3 runs later

Ran today. Ran yesterday. Ran on Thursday too.

That's it.
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Okay, well since I'm here, I guess I can elaborate a bit.

Today's run was very pleasant. It was upper 40's when I left the house and overcast, but about halfway into it, the clouds parted, the sun shone down, and then I wished I wasn't wearing the light windbreaker I had on. I seriously considered ditching it in some bushes and coming back for it later. Seriously considered it. But then, the "coming back for it later" part convinced me to just deal with it.

About 2/3 of the way into the run, I stopped running to do some dips. I was at the middle school track, so thought I'd take a dip break using the middle-school-football portable aluminum bleachers. I did this for, I guess, 3 reasons: (1) to nicely break up the run, (2) to exercise the arms, and (3) to work on my comfort level of doing such things in public.

There were some adolescent type girls at the track doing some drills with a coach type person. Running with small parachutes emanating from their backs and such. I don't know if this was training for a particular sport, or if it's just some sort of fitness class/gathering.

Anyway, the point is, there were others there and I didn't let that discourage me from plopping right down on those bleachers and doing 2 sets of 75 dips.

Baby steps.
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