Moved his body like a cannon ball.

So, yeah, I'm doing that thing where I drop a couple pounds and then I load up on fast food? Yeah. I have to not to do that.

Partner Run/Walk

Distance: 2.1 miles

Duration: 29:13

Run Pace: 10:23
Walk Pace: 17:32

Route: Horizon Loop

The kid is sensitive to stress fractures they developed last year, after one mile we decided to walk, and that was very nice, too.

Solo Run

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:12
Pace: 8:46

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Took my own solo run after, charged around the neighborhood. That was also very nice. It's spring!

165-174 BPM Playlist

Everywhere I Go - The Call

Fare Thee Well (Dink's Song) - Oscar Isaac & Marcus Mumford

Floridada - Animal Collective

Flying - The Beatles

Foundations - Kate Nash

Fragile - Sting

Freedom - Beyonce ft. Kendrick Lamar

Free Fallin' - Tom Petty

Temperature: 68°
Climate: sunny & warm!

Mood: very good

 

The vertigo has come back with force. This morning I was dizzy for over an hour, but also making pancakes for the boy who has a big test first thing.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 reps. (2x)
Water: yes

I want to take the breath that's true.

First off, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret is a very good film.

Now, did I feel odd walking into the theater by myself to see it? Yes, I did.

But I had this great, brief discussion with the only other person who sat through the credits, an older woman (anyway, older than me) who sat behind me. We exchanged notes, and we both agreed we didn't expect it to be as good as it was. A lot of great lessons about dealing with trauma, and how to be a good person.

I love living in Cleveland Heights.

156-160 BPM Playlist

Fade Into You - Mazzy Star

Cool Places - Sparks ft. Jane Wiedlin

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police

Don't Change - INXS

Where Are We Now? - David Bowie

Doubt - Hippo Campus

Gratitude - Beastie Boys

Lies - The Rolling Stones

Play For Today - The Cure

Circle of Life - Elton John

No Love Lost - LCD Soundsystem

Oh my GOD, Hippo Campus. Choose an identity.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 37:27
Pace: 9:21

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 52°
Climate: sunny & nice

Mood: excellent

 

Legs felt heavy on Tuesday morning. Remember to take a break. Never push. Going fast is all right, but not with anxiety, not with your heart high in your chest. Do not force. Flow naturally into your strides. Listen to your body, always listen to your body.

 
Stretches: yes 
Abdominals: 90 sec. 

Upper body: 10 rep. (3x)
Water: yes

The right shoulder continues to hurt, but I continue to work it out. I take pain reliever, and also a topical analgesic. The only way out is through. There must be muscle, that is the only protection.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 177 lbs. (-2.0)

Goal: 175 lbs.

Glorious. Beautiful. Just the right pace. Dodging goslings and deer and cars. We are in the zone.

Two-Mile Eldest Run

I mean, yeah.

The eldest returns to Athens today. Yesterday, they read with me at an event to celebrate graduating NEOMFA students, It has been an epic weekend. 

Distance: 2.3 miles

Duration: 23:39
Pace: 10:17

Route: Horizon Loop (clockwise)

Temperature: 53°
Climate: overcast & cool

Mood: good

Cool and groovy. Good talk. I love running with my kids.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 reps.
Water: yes

The revolution will not make you look five pounds thinner.

Boy in the back, on drums.
Hope you got your griddles.

Falling into old habits, consuming too much at mealtime, a useless alcoholic beverage just before bed, not doing the exercises, taking a sleep aid.

The diet must be excused, this weekend has been delightful madness, attending two of our son's jazz concerts (school, Tri-C) on Friday night and Saturday afternoon -- each pushing three hours in length -- and then a play last night at Karamu. Dining out was practically necessary, especially with three house guests, if you include the eldest.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:31
Pace: 8:52

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 64°
Climate: overcast & nice

Mood: good

160 - 169 bpm Playlist

Coming Up Close - 'Til Tuesday

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Gil Scott-Heron

Lake Shore Driving - Duran Duran

Clandestino - Manu Chao
Boombox - The Mosquitos

Rocket In My Pocket - Little Feat

Giving Up On You - Wild Belle

Thick As Thieves - The Jam

You Win Again - Bee Gee's

 

Yeah, like we're in training or something. Broke three back-to-bac nine minute miles, that's been a while. Set the playlist to overlap to keep up the pace. It felt good.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 rep. (2x)
Water: yes

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: time to get a new bathroom scale

Goal: 175 lbs.

Four-Mile Elder Run

This is weird.

Last Monday, when the eldest and I took that run in Athens and it was so fucking windy, they asked if I remembered that time on the beach and of course I knew exactly what they were talking about.

We had run about a mile down the beach, which was fine, and then turned around and I realized we had made a mistake, because the wind was very, very hard. It was 2015, they were twelve.

The goal, of course, was to run the Island Independence Day 5K together and they had already expressed concern that they wouldn't be able to manage it. This suddenly very difficult training run did not help.

On Sunday I reminded them how we had succeeded, we made the 5K, in our matching Captain America shirts, and finished it together in very good time.

Yes, they said. Even that day on the beach, they pushed hard and ran all the way to the house without stopping, peeling away from me and up the beach. At the time I thought they were trying to get away from me, that they were angry with me. What they were really trying to do was finish, by getting back to the house.

"I kept saying things like, you're doing great," I recalled. "And you kept telling me to shut up."

They laughed. They apologized. No need.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 41:34
Pace: 10:23

Route: Cain Park Loop

Temperature: 58°
Climate: sunny & warm

Mood: very good

Is it a coincidence that, after the first evening I have a cocktail at home, that my sleep is disrupted so completely? The fat before was fraught with anxiety, and I sought to unwind, but I slept a few hours and then lie awake, worrying.

Not just about issues, but about my health. I felt achy. I had resumed upper body exercises, was that it? Or did I have Covid? Were the next two weeks ruined?

I got up. I had a glass of water. I read. I tried to go back to sleep.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: tbd
Water: yes

Eldest requested a four mile and chose the city route. Went extremely well, it makes me so happy when they are home. And I feel so much better than I did in the middle of the night.

It don't run on wishes.

Once more, with the cold and the rain. Now that the playlists are through, I have less impetus to get out into shitty weather. But I do need to continue the exercises. The weight work has helped my injured shoulder considerably.

Sometimes I feel old and weak. And sometimes I really don't.

Alternate 2023 Playlist

Exhausting Lover - Ben Folds

Eyez - The Arcs

Daily News - Bartees Strange (160 bpm)

Welcome to My Island - Caroline Polachek

$20 - boygenius

Worth Nothing - Twisted ft. Oliver Tree

Nothing Left to Lose - Everything But the Girl

Hello to the Weekend - Maria Isa

Pontius Pilate's Home Movies - New Pornographers

Yup. There have been songs released so far this year, and I am aware of them.

That's right! 59 Playlists for 57 Years.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 30:25
Pace: 9:48

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 48°
Climate: overcast & mild

Mood: anxious

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: 10 reps
Water: yes

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 179 lbs. (+1.5) 

Goal: 175 lbs.

Short Elder Run

Waiting on Mountain Stage
featuring Larry Groce

Brought a kit for an overnight in Athens, we had tickets to see Wilco at Mem Aud. Made plans with the eldest to take a run, but early morning was rainy and cold. We all just sat around for a while, drinking coffee and sitting by the fire, and eventually the sun came out -- so we went!

Ope. Forgot a supporter. Well.

It was a short run, made arduous by the wind in our faces heading back. Both of our ears ached, but we were glad we went. 

Distance: 1.3 miles

Duration: 12:41
Pace: 9:45

Route: Hocking River Bike Path

Temperature: 45°
Climate: overcast & windy

Pavement: damp
Mood: good