For the past few months I’ve been getting my exercise indoors. While I have gotten on to a treadmill a time or two, I’m sorry to report that I haven’t been running much at all. Most of my running has been done in mild weather and frankly I’m a little bit afraid of running in cold weather. But I see people out there running every day in 20°F to 30°F (-7°C to ‑1°C for … Read the rest
After a hard run, or any sufficiently intense workout, I can sometimes be sore for a few days. That’s not uncommon but it is sometimes surprising to me how the soreness doesn’t set in until the second day.
After last Sunday’s run I wasn’t recovered enough to run again until Saturday. Saturday’s run was harder than that one. I was looking at the likelihood that it could be several days before my next run.
Whatever it is that causes my soreness to … Read the rest
I have three weekly items in my to-do list which set a rather low bar for my weekly mileage: first is to walk one mile, once per week. A few years ago my doctor prescribed this for me. He told me it was intentionally an easy goal so that I could commit to it and keep my commitment. I added a second recurring task to «walk or run at least two miles», and more recently I added «run at least … Read the rest
In the past few years I’ve found myself having trouble getting back into the flow of running. When I go out it has been more difficult than it used to be. Perhaps I’m getting older, certainly I’ve fallen out of good training habits, but I’ve only rarely found that «zone» I used to enjoy where I settle in to a pace and feel I can continue indefinitely.
Today’s run was a good deal closer to that than it has been … Read the rest
OK, well, they’re sort of both island sides. See, Alameda is an island ever since they carved out the canal that separates Oakland from Alameda. Bay Farm Island isn’t actually an island any longer, though I’m pretty sure that once upon a time it was. So which side of the canal between Alameda and Bay Farm Island is «the island side» is left as an exercise for the reader. I walked both sides today so my bets are hedged.
I … Read the rest
Some people don’t believe it, but running in the rain is a lot of fun. The rain is cooling, which feels good but also means there is less need to sweat to cool off. The fresh water from the sky helps wash away all the salt too, so it’s an all-around win. I hadn’t been for a rain run in quite some time — I don’t think I’ve ever done one since I moved to Alameda. We had our first … Read the rest
This is the run I’d really meant to run Sunday. While this time I neglected to put the inhaler in my pocket, I did take a puff shortly before heading out. It was a tremendous difference being able to breathe. I’m not in great shape and I have a long way to go. but more days like today I can take. Attempts like Sundays, I just can’t.
Despite not getting far on Sunday, my calves were still painfully tight today even … Read the rest
It’s been a while since I logged any miles, so I think this has to be counted as a success, but one far short of what I’d hoped. The good news is that my heart and legs seem to be doing OK, at least so far as today was a test. The bad news is that I left my albuterol inhaler at home. I got about a mile out before I was wheezing so much I had to walk. I … Read the rest
It is sometimes easy to forget how much influence I have over my own state of mind. Undoubtedly it is because if my mind is unhappy, it is my mind that is telling me that I am unhappy. If I were to become happy, my mind would be wrong and I’d have to question my own powers of observation. As it is possible to enter into a self-hypnotic paralysis until one tells one’s self the instruction to move, so too … Read the rest
We could not have asked for better weather for the Independence Day Ralph Appezzato Charity Event 5K this year. The RACE is a great event for a few reasons. The 5K is on the parade route for the Alameda Fourth of July Parade. People line up to watch the parade along the entire route, so there are spectators, many of whom cheer enthusiastically, from the start to the finish. The spectators don’t dwindle at the end either; most … Read the rest