Before I discovered Janathon, I would put on weight every January.  The holiday seasons have never been a problem for me; I’ve rarely overindulged in Christmas party buffets.  Then when that was all over, I would start indulging, possibly giving in to post-holiday doldrums.  But the past two years, Janathon cured me of that, and staved off the new year’s weight gain.  Until February, that is.  My January weight gain has now apparently become my February weight gain, which then folds into something to give up for Lent.  This year I’ve successfully (so far) given up pizza, and eventually resumed my daily yoga and mile.  I ordered several pizzas in February, which means I ate several pizzas. Pizza orders are a leading indicator that I’m on the slippery weight gain slope.  Then eventually even my ‘fat jeans’ start feeling snug, and then I know it’s time to stop indulging and step up the activity.

And now Spring is here, with light in the evenings for running, and milder temperatures.  All is good.  I did my mile after 7pm last night, and it wasn’t dark out.  I can’t say enough about the daily 15 minutes of yoga stretches in the morning, and a mile run in the evening.  The distance is nothing to brag about.  Some (me included at times) wouldn’t even count it as a run. But making it part of my daily routine is, along with the yoga, making me faster.  My posture is better, my stomach is tightening up, and I am energized with good spirits all day.  These things become evident after less than a week of the routine.  How can this not be a good routine?  I will have to start building in some weekly long runs, because I’ve got a few races planned this year; the first in early June.  But for now, I’m celebrating the success of this seemingly small daily effort.  It is making me feel good.

And then there was a superb tribute band that came to town.