Running Update

I'm still running. I've not missed a day that I've committed to yet. I've changed days when necessary to get them in when I've been gone or otherwise scheduled. I'm kind of at the limits of my current routes in terms of distance. I can only get about 3.25 miles without doing some backtracking. I'm not really keen on going too much further from my current routes because of hills. I'm tackling about all I can right now hillwise! Today I did an extra half of the panhandle and I'll map it to see what I gained by doing that. I suppose I can always go twice around. Anyway, I have two more running days before we go to Spain, so I don't have to worry until later in the fall. I will not be running while I'm traveling--don't want to carry the shoes.

I have never been interested in exercise and mostly resist it because I find it so boring. But my body is clearly liking it. I sometimes wake up wanting to run when it isn't running day or otherwise find myself wondering if I should run. This is not normal, but like wanting children, may be something that your body does without your head. I don't really enjoy the running itself and it isn't easy, but clearly my physical self is enjoying it.

It is also adding to my Pilates prowess. I say that tongue in cheek because all physical things are a little slapstick for me. But I feel way stronger. And Pilates has freed my shoulders so except for when I'm struggling uphill, I run with shoulders square and head high. I can sometimes even feel my abs working to keep everything smooth.

I've cooled so off to the showers.

Milestones

I spent some time on Google Maps and now know that my running routes are approximately 3.1 to 3.5 miles. The extra is primarily when I have to backtrack or run extra blocks to cross with signals.

I've been running since August 4; I do it Tuesdays and Fridays and haven't missed yet, although I think I've run once on Thursday because I couldn't on Friday. August clocked 8 running days. This week due to some scheduling changes I ran Monday, Today and will run Thursday. I've already run 4 times in September! Next week I need to miss my Monday Pilates so will probably run Monday too. The good thing is that running is cheap! Although probably possible, I won't be running when I am in Europe.

This morning I saw a youngish guy with his little boy that I also saw yesterday. Today the dad lit up a cigarette, and it reminded me that I quit smoking on Labor Day 21 years ago. I have never, ever had another cigarette. The first year was awful; it took years to not think about smoking and it still sometimes flits through my brain.

Nothing else to report. I don't think I've actually lost any weight doing this. I do think that I am reducing my measurements some which is really all I want. I can pretty easily ignore the scale!