Train To Run 10K - Day 1 (again)

Alrighty then. After several days of walking downstairs while holding the railing with BOTH hands, the legs finally felt better... on Thursday. Yeesh. Better safe than sorry, I put off the run until today (subtext: I was too darned lazy to get off my arse and instead sat on the couch and ate a couple of my hoarded Easter Creme Eggs... and perhaps even a couple of brownie sundaes).

Today I set out with my inhaler in my pocket. I don't use it very often, but I took it twice on this run. I was diagnosed with "exercise induced asthma" when I was about 12 years old. What this means is that if I run, especially in the cold, I end up wheezing. I never had an inhaler until I was 17. I had a two-day attack wherein I was able to walk around and do stuff, but I sounded like I had smoked 6 packs a day and should have had a yellow streak in the front of my hair.

To this day I'm not sure what brought it on... Psychosomatic reaction? Exceptional pollen count that spring? Dunno. I just felt like poop for two days. Sometimes I wonder if I was deprived of enough oxygen over those two days to alter my brain. Hmmmmm...

Anyhoo... all this to say: my lungs probably aren't in the best shape. 'cause I've babied them since then. Today I did "Run 1 minute, Walk 2" six times. Nothing miraculous, really. But I was out there! And I still had to walk the entire loop to get home! It's 5k. Yeehaw.

I came home to find my neighbour and her beautiful black lab in my garden. Did I mention that I have the world's best neighbour? She says gardening is her therapy and since her garden is small, and her kids haven't completely left the nest, she sometimes ends up in my garden. hee hee... I would like to say that I see her out there, raking away with a desperate twitch under her left eye, but that's not true. Once she puts her gardening gloves on, she's totally cool. She's the best. Really. And she's a trained psychotherapist, so if I help her with the gardening, I get therapy too.

So, once I saw her I ran inside, grabbed my gardening gloves and we worked away for an hour. All my little crocuses are now proudly showing their colours. yay!

We even spotted honey bees and a couple of fat little worms. It's spring. No matter what they say about us getting snow tomorrow. I refuse to believe it.

Exactly How Lazy Am I Allowed To Be?

Andrew has been quite busy (attention, understatement of the year) with the new studio, so I've been "Bach-ing" it here for the last little bit. When you spend many of your evenings on your own, you start to wonder about your behaviour. I don't want to be compared to any eccentric millionaires but I am kind of worried that I may have reached a new low with the little evening routine I've developed.

Please let me know if I sound like I've gone over the edge:

1. Arrive at home (big nasty commute takes all of 8 minutes - man, do I LOVE the Maritimes).
2. Change into comfy clothes (yes, Ang, eventually this will be replaced with "change into running clothes and bust hump running around Banook").
3. Scrounge for food. As J says "If it weren't for having to feed the Curious C, then I would survive on cereal". I think I'm pretty darn close to surviving on cereal.
4. Catch up on blogs while eating cereal.
5. Either throw in a load of laundry or half-heartedly consider housecleaning. Nahhhhhhh...
6. Gather knitting related items as close to the couch as possible:
a. Current Project
b. Distraction Project
c. Yarn for potential project
d. Needles
e. Altoid tin containing tiny scissors, darning needle, stitch
markers and occasional hair elastic.
f. Pattern books and reference materials within 5 foot radius.
g. Remote controls.
h. Telephone.
i. Glass of water.
7. Ensconce self on couch and begin to knit, getting up only to use the washroom and to do battle with the laundry. Wish that I could hold it just a bit longer.
8. When phone rings, raise left eyebrow, glare warily at device and sigh with annoyance. Answer but pretend I am just heading out. Talk at length only if it is a) fellow knitting friend, b) RJS, 'cause she doesn't take my "can't talk now" shit.
9. Knit until eyes become bleary. Consider taking yarn up to bedroom. Think better of it as I am still worried about waking up with needle protruding from ear, nose or eyeball.
10. Leave nest, er, couch as is and head up to bed.
11. Dream of knitting.

That's it. I mean, I really wish that there was more to the evening. Like, oh, I dunno, maybe my own band practice? Work has been wiping me out lately, so much so that I can't even get out of my own way. You guys don't think I'm fatal yet, do you? I'm not an Aviator yet, am I? I'm really just trying to squeeze in all the knitting time that I can. That is a respectable pursuit, is it not?

I did break from the routine tonight. Thank goodness, it is Friday after all. I hit Chapters tonight and bought myself a little somethin' somethin'. Must go read my hot-off-the-shelf copy of At Knit's End by she who needs no link. Harlot, you're brilliant and charming and very, very funny. But then, we all knew that, right?

G'night.

(If you make it through the whining there are knitting photos)

Who did I think I was kidding when I decided I was going to “Train to run 10K”? Who, I ask you, who?

I am not athletic. I was and still am the bookish bespectacled kid who was the “manager” of the basketball game. I'm the one who dated the basketball player and the hockey player, that's the closest I ever came to team sports! I just don’t do sports. The closest I ever came to being sporty was when I took Judo classes in my last year at Dal. Then I got mono and I wasn't allowed to throw the big boys around anymore! Sigh.

JAK took me for a walk today at lunchtime. She had to run and errand so she asked if I wanted to run with her. After we stopped laughing at how pathetic I am, we went outside. It was a beautiful day for a walk. The two of us were in great shape: She’s got a nasty sore throat and I walk like I have artificial legs (there are three amputees in my family - I know of what I speak!) Anyway, JAK and I were strolling along and at one point had to cross the street in front of some cars. JAK said, “Run!” and I screamed “J! No! I can’t!!!! Gah!!!!!!!!” and I flailed after her.

Anyhoo, enough about me and my stupid foray into the athletic world. I would like to share the following photos with you.

For the baby who is currently residing inside my dear, impregnated friend, Leslie, may I present the Baby Ugg booties from that TV show that I’m too lazy to look up...

This is the yarn from the Cottage Craft sweater that I frogged.

Here is what it looks like now:

Isn’t it pretty?

The green stuff was done with Lemon Lime Koolaid. The other with some tropical stuff that said Iced blue on the outside of the package. I want to re-do the blue, because it’s a bit blotchy. But I LOVE it!!!

Oh, and now the crowning achievement...

Remember this?

I held an intervention wherein I told Sophie that she was just too boring and I thought she could be better... I asked the scissors and the sewing machine for assistance and now, Sophie is almost achieving her full potential.

Any suggestions for buttons? I think she needs something in the centre of her flower.

Here’s a plea for you sock knitters out there:
I’m attempting to make socks using the Regia sock yarn my darling husband bought for me while he was in Germany. I’ve got 3.0mm x 12” circulars (geez, how international am I? mm and inches in the same sentence). How many stitches would you cast on????

Suggestions?????? Please? Does anyone want to help a girl with lots of sock yarn and minimal sock experience?

Thanks!

That’s all for tonight. I’ve got some knitting calling me back to my position on the couch! If my legs will carry me that's where I'll be the rest of the evening!

The Aftermath - In Which I Dropped My Pen

My Day so far:
Got up ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

walked to bathroom ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

had shower ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

got dressed and walked downstairs ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

went to work ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

had to walk manager to bathroom as she is on crutches and can't open heavy doors ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Dropped my pen and attempted to pick it up ow ow ow ow ow ow owow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow owow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Wondered aloud if I needed pen. Left it on the floor. Perhaps cleaners will pick it up later.

Came home. Went into house (up four stairs) ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Came out of house ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Husband watched me go down the stairs. Said I looked like I had a disability. I said I did, "It's called stupidity."

Ran errand to LYS ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

LYS owner and shop employee asked if I had hurt my arse... they had seen me getting out of the car. ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Came home ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Sat down in front of computer ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Don't know if I'll ever walk properly again.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid girl. Why can't I just weigh 110 like I did in high school despite my horrible eating habits?

Train to Run 10K - Day ONE

Ideal Day One Program:
walk 5 min
(Run 1 min, walk 2) x 12 times

Actual Stephied Day One Program:
Gear up - sporting new biking/running jacket from MEC, dri-fit shirt (also MEC), ball cap (Thank you Rhoxal Pharma), stretchy cotton-lycra pants and old New Balance Sneakers. Put on belt with water bottle (newly acquired belt thingy) and take dose of inhaler before I leave.
Walk 5 minutes.
Run 1, walk 2 (1st rep)
Thinking: This isn't so bad

Run 1, Walk 2 (2nd rep)
Thinking: Geez, I don't need that stop watch, my old Timex is just fine

Run 1, Walk 2 (3rd rep)
Thinking: Hmmm... this boardwalk is nice for running. I can't believe there was ice in the lake on Saturday.

Run 1, Walk 2 (4th rep)
Thinking: Heh, I blew past that older lady. Of course, she was walking. With a limp. Oh, hey, there's the grocery store. I totally forgot to get that cream cheese. crap.

Run 1, Walk 2 (5th rep)
Thinking: Crap. I have to run up this hill. At least I'll be walking down the other side.

Run 1, walk 2 (6th rep)
Thinking: Geez, it's freezing cold here by the highway. Man, my ears are frickin frozen. Stupid ball cap.

Run 1, Walk 2 (7th rep)
Thinking: Hmmmm. I wonder if my in-laws are home. Maybe they would give me a ride home... My legs are frozen... or is that the muscles seizing up?

Run 1, Walk 2 (8th rep)
Thinking: Crap. It's cold. Is that my cold-induced asthma kicking in? gasp. I think soooo!!!

Run 30 seconds, walk 10 minutes (9th rep)
Thinking: I can still see my breath! It's coming out in short gasps. That's a little scarey. Yeah, run by me skinny lady and man in spandex. I can see the grapes you're smuggling, buddy. There's a reason you should wear something over those pants! Yeesh.

Run 1 minute, walk the rest of the way home.
Thinking: It is not spring. Daylight savings time my arse. There isn't enough light to even turn the grass green yet. I'm frozen. I think I'm going to die here by the golf course. Is that snow in there? Sweet mother of Dog, it is!. Going down this hill is nasty. I think I'm going to go over the top of my knees. my legs feel funny. That's it. I'm running inside until the weather warms up. My lungs are frozen. Stupid asthma.

Am home now. Going upstairs to defrost self in bathtub.