Across the sea, Ms. Popov cries for me.
I should sleep well tonight. I worked out this morning (push ups, glute bridges, planks, pull ups, chin ups) then read for a few hours and ate lunch waiting for it to warm up a little to go running. I don't mind running when it's cold since the exertion will keep me warm anyway but if the afternoon high is 45-65 like a few times this week I'd rather run in less clothes and comfortably in my vibrams. Ran about 2.5 hours around the fields, along Big Branch and through the power line towers, then brought in all the coal and fed the horses. I did the same on monday, wedsnesday, and friday but today I just did everything a little longer and with more effort. The long recovery time that had been plaguing me the past 2 weeks seems to be over. I had been getting random leg pain or a stiff ankle or calf that wouldn't loosen up that made it not fun to run unless I waited a full 2-4 days in between. Not waiting long enough meant a 3 mile run with suffering form and feeling much too brittle to really have fun by hopping rocks and fallen trees. Everything I read says listen to your body and you'll improve far more by running consistently without injury than pushing your luck so I'll be patient. I'll just keep building. It's nice to know that I can run 3 miles feeling like total ass, though. In early November maybe I couldn't run 3 miles at all.
I loosely track my miles on google maps but I almost don't even want to know because for the most part I'm probably running slow as shit. I always intend to do some days of a shorter and faster run around the ponds and fields but then I end up running mostly on four wheeler and deer trails or just winding between trees hopping a lot of fallen limbs and trunks instead. Next thing I know two hours have passed and my energy is waning and I never did run fast because I'm running uphill on a blanket of leaves doing my best to avoid holes, loose rocks, and fallen tree parts. I'm glad I started experimenting with this in November so I can make plenty of progress and hopefully have some deep energy reserves when spring and summer are here. Running seems like a good thing to work the rest of my day around. It clears my head so I can enjoy and focus on other things more, it keeps my eating habits even more uniform and healthy than I already had them and I rarely drink my beloved vodka or rum because my mood is already at peak elevation and I don't want to interfere with my muscle recovery. Lifting weights over the years had a similar influence but I since I rarely work out with a level of intensity that gets my heart racing and breathing heavy I never felt as many endorphins. I never did much lower body or aerobic exercise. Skateboarding and hiking some crazy hills were about he only thing that got my heart going other than caffeine. Got to keep moving though, especially in winter, or I get too antsy. I'd like to go snowboard and sled in the fields but I'll make the most of this mild winter with not even one real snowfall.
Tomorrow should be warm so I think I'll just go for straight hike with a book or two and lunch. I didn't read so much on the computer this week, I cracked 3 real paper books open. The World Inside by Robert Silverberg, Born to Run by Chris McDougall, and The World According to Garp by John Irving. The last 2 I've already read, and the John Irving book may be one of his only books I haven't read at least twice. I need to hit the library and yard sales soon for more books.
Besides running and feeding the horses I haven't left the house in over a month, which is fine I guess, and no where near some previous years where it was more like November-April. I do need to get to Target, Vitamin Shoppe, and Dollar Store soon. I annoy myself by procrastinating to the point where I'm really getting down to bare bones but I always do it and if I go out more my piles of drawings, mileage covered, and Boulder Dash games created would suffer. I've got some clean up and sewing done lately as well. Other things I'm procrastinating on: several dentist trips, a haircut, vision exam for eye glasses and contacts, MVA for valid legally required ID and hey then I could actually ride my scooter, too. I've been saving my money so it would be good to knock some of this stuff out soon.
That's about all for now, still have some reading etc I want to do... or I might just go to sleep in ten minutes.
This would be a cool place to live. It's over a quarter mile off the road at one of the best sections of Big Branch where there are several tiny waterfalls.
Many outdoor dining options.
I loosely track my miles on google maps but I almost don't even want to know because for the most part I'm probably running slow as shit. I always intend to do some days of a shorter and faster run around the ponds and fields but then I end up running mostly on four wheeler and deer trails or just winding between trees hopping a lot of fallen limbs and trunks instead. Next thing I know two hours have passed and my energy is waning and I never did run fast because I'm running uphill on a blanket of leaves doing my best to avoid holes, loose rocks, and fallen tree parts. I'm glad I started experimenting with this in November so I can make plenty of progress and hopefully have some deep energy reserves when spring and summer are here. Running seems like a good thing to work the rest of my day around. It clears my head so I can enjoy and focus on other things more, it keeps my eating habits even more uniform and healthy than I already had them and I rarely drink my beloved vodka or rum because my mood is already at peak elevation and I don't want to interfere with my muscle recovery. Lifting weights over the years had a similar influence but I since I rarely work out with a level of intensity that gets my heart racing and breathing heavy I never felt as many endorphins. I never did much lower body or aerobic exercise. Skateboarding and hiking some crazy hills were about he only thing that got my heart going other than caffeine. Got to keep moving though, especially in winter, or I get too antsy. I'd like to go snowboard and sled in the fields but I'll make the most of this mild winter with not even one real snowfall.
Tomorrow should be warm so I think I'll just go for straight hike with a book or two and lunch. I didn't read so much on the computer this week, I cracked 3 real paper books open. The World Inside by Robert Silverberg, Born to Run by Chris McDougall, and The World According to Garp by John Irving. The last 2 I've already read, and the John Irving book may be one of his only books I haven't read at least twice. I need to hit the library and yard sales soon for more books.
Besides running and feeding the horses I haven't left the house in over a month, which is fine I guess, and no where near some previous years where it was more like November-April. I do need to get to Target, Vitamin Shoppe, and Dollar Store soon. I annoy myself by procrastinating to the point where I'm really getting down to bare bones but I always do it and if I go out more my piles of drawings, mileage covered, and Boulder Dash games created would suffer. I've got some clean up and sewing done lately as well. Other things I'm procrastinating on: several dentist trips, a haircut, vision exam for eye glasses and contacts, MVA for valid legally required ID and hey then I could actually ride my scooter, too. I've been saving my money so it would be good to knock some of this stuff out soon.
That's about all for now, still have some reading etc I want to do... or I might just go to sleep in ten minutes.
This would be a cool place to live. It's over a quarter mile off the road at one of the best sections of Big Branch where there are several tiny waterfalls.
Many outdoor dining options.