Run #6: 40 min.

I should have done 12 runs by now. I've only done 6 due to traveling (& family gatherings 3 out of my first 4 days back). I'm about 2.5 hours behind. If I don't increase my # of runs, the--

Wait - shouldn't 40 hours = 80 1/2 hour runs? I messed up - I meant the equivalent of 40 1/2 hour runs which = 20 hours. Math. Need I mention it was not my most stellar subject?

Therefore, the total minutes should be 1200 min., I've done 205, and to do the remaining 995 in the remaining 28 runs would necessitate each remaining run to be...about 36 min. long. Not so bad. It could be worse. I ran around Lake of the Isles today, ran mostly, walked some. Listened to a few favorite ipod playlists...thank God for music. Well, we can still do this ladeeez & gentlemen! Onward & upward!

* painting by Christine Tierney

Run #5: 30 min.

June 22. Bernalillo, NM (near Albuquerque). About 80 degrees.

Remembered sunglasses & sunscreen. Used brand new $5 sports watch as stopwatch. Once I hit main road, the goal became 'to get to those beautiful mountains' if by hook or crook I could cross that highway. I journeyed in that direction for a significant time (15 min.) running, past llamas and for-sale trailers, until I came to some complicated space, which I deemed better to navigate via walking. Rattlesnakes and all. Cowboy boots are not just for style...and since I was wearing tennis shoes, I thought it best to take my time crossing around the tumbleweed and etc.

Upon reaching the highway I found it impassable by pedestrian traffic, as far as my eye could see in either direction. I maneuvered my way back to the main road and ran back...until I discovered a cart selling gorgeous butterflies (and tarantulas/bats/beetles) from other countries under glass in pretty arrangements. I am against such things theoretically...but that did not stop the bright blue butterfly from Indonesia in the wooden box from tempting me. Thankfully, my memory was short and I did not come back later, thus saved by a thread from supporting a heartless industry. Did you know they FARM butterflies for this? I need to start a Persons Against Farming Butterflies (PAFB) chapter. Anyhow, I ran back after, made it an even 30 minutes total...and did my 30 situps (my typical thing again - I used to do it all the time but stopped doing it this last year; now am back to it since Run #1). I used to also do 10 pushups but my arms don't really allow that now (cubital tunnel syndrome). They are in dire straits of late but when they are better I will pick up my arm weights again. :)

Runs #3 & 4: 33 min. & 35 min.

June 14 & 15. Los Angeles. 70s & slight wind.

Love the weather here, even tho' it is pretty hot. It's not humid so I hope to get more running done here so as not to have as much to do in the Mpls. humidity. I'm about a week behind already since I didn't do much more running in the Seattle/Portland/San Fran segment of travel. In my defense, I was only in Portland for a day, and San Fran was often freezing winds & random enormous hills that could not be planned for since maps don't include that info. If I were giving myself credit for dance exercise (sometimes 1 - 1.5 hours of dancing straight thru at the FC shows) or walking (miles & miles in San Fran), I'd be totally caught up. But that isn't what I committed to, so am sticking to the original goal. Such a masochist.

I'm running on my old running path here, on and off. So many changes. Many of my favorite spots are gone - the Rockotitlan Cafe, a hispanic clothing store or two, etc. A high school is now fully built and operational where they were building it for years when I lived here.

Much thanks for mental focus of these runs goes to Damien Jurado & the other artists I played on my ipod today & yesterday. I'd post the vid of 'Caskets' but it's rather creepy (tho' very artistic). Finally wore sunscreen/sunglasses but the glasses have suffered in travel so they're falling off. Maybe time for some new onezzzzz.

Run #2: 30 min.

Monday June 7. Seattle. 60s or 70s and windy.

Could have used same things as last run, forgot. Well the sunglasses & sunscreen. I have been looking for a stopwatch, but have not found one yet.

I wasn't trying to run for 30 min. I was attempting 23 minutes so that I could round the total to 1 hour, reaching 1/40th of my goal. But, as luck would have it, when I thought I was back, I wasn't, and the maze-y neighborhood kept me searching for a while more. So, now we have two tricks for running more:

1) Lose things you have to go back for!

2) Get lost.

Run #1: 37 min.

Minneapolis. 68 degrees & windy. Pretty perfect.
Could have used: sunglasses, sunscreen, a stopwatch. (I looked pretty nerdy running w/my cell phone open ;) )

Only longer than 30 min. because I left my keys in the grass when I did 30 situps at the midpoint of the run...and realized it 10 min. into my run back, 5 min. from my house! Lake of the Isles was stunningly beautiful, which I noticed while walking back after rescuing my keys. Sun-glittery waves spoke of the summer that is just beginning, and I didn't even get down after being passed by an older man in his 50s or 60s who was running w/his son who was also older than me. Tho' he did say hello in a very Minnesotanly way which took the edge off being left in their dust.

A very decent beginning to a summer of getting back into shape!