Beautiful Sunday

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I am still smiling from yesterday evening–first, a very exciting basketball game, and then some great local bluegrass music.

Bluegrass-w

Today we’ve had a gorgeous day for being outdoors–working in the yard, and giving the car a good wash and wax.  It was also perfect for meeting today’s Janathon requirement.  I did a jog to the grocery store and walked back home with my trolley of groceries, 3 miles total.  Tomorrow morning I visit the podiatrist.

Last night and this morning, I also experimented with bread recipes.  I tried combining this no-knead bread recipe with this recipe for whole wheat potato bread.  The results were quite encouraging.  I have to tweak it to get it just right, and when I do, I’ll post what worked.

Observations about the daily run.

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My daily runs are short, but I’m noticing improvement in my core and posture, from making it a daily event thanks to the holiday running streak and now Janathon.  The yoga stretches are surely contributing to that as well.  Today was a mile run and 15 minutes of yoga.  The ankle that I think I mildly sprained last week is still painfully weak for the first few steps of my run.  I’m starting to think that will go on for awhile.

Tonight I’ll enjoy a live bluegrass band in one of our local cafes.  It’s a rare treat for me.

Yoga, run, and a really good movie.

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I saw this movie tonight.  It had a lot to entice me:  The 1960s folk music scene, eccentric characters…

…and a Mumford.

The story was inspired by Dave Van Ronk.

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The Janathon routine continued with another yoga session and a mile run.  I foresee a longer run in my weekend, as we are predicted to have sun and unseasonably warm temps.  I’m ready!

The Bathroom Sink

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Mosaic artists have covered a lot of different objects in their tile work, right?  But I’ve always heard you should never mosaic tile a sink.  I got this design idea from all of the pictures of watercolor quilts I’d been admiring.  I knew I’d never get one of the quilts made, so this took its place.  This sink was old and damaged, so I decided to give the mosaic a try.  If it didn’t work out, no big deal, because the sink would have to be replaced anyway.  After nearly finishing the project, I realized I’d used unsanded grout when I should have used sanded.  So I tore the mosaic off and redid it with sanded grout.  That was about 12 years ago.  Today was the first ‘major’ repair.  I replaced a little tile that popped out of place.  Is it good for another 12 years?  We’ll see.

To clean it I use spray liquid cleaner, baking soda, and a brush, then pat it dry with a terry cloth.

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For Janathon, I did my mile run and 15 minutes of yoga, focusing on Achilles stretches.  The ankle is still tender when I take my first few running steps.  Then it loosens up and all is good.  Weather is getting back to normal January temperatures, thank goodness.  The polar vortex has moved on.

T-G-F-Yoga

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Thank goodness for yoga.  I was not able to get outdoors for a run yesterday, so yoga came to my rescue and allowed me to meet my daily Janathon requirement.  Yesterday was also “Blue Monday,” i.e., the most depressing day of the year.  But I did fine; had a good day, even with the polar vortex, and even though I didn’t get outside for a run.  I hope everyone else had a great day!

“I’m a man on fire
Walking through your street
With one guitar
And two dancing feet
Only one desire
That’s left in me
I want the whole damn world
To come dance with me.”

Yoga, run, repeat.

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I love beating the elements, even for a short run.  WP_20140105_003a

Yesterday’s run was in below-zero windchill, and 2 inches of new snow.  I went to a new level of layering.  I wore my insulated coveralls that I normally keep in the car for emergencies.  They look something like this, but navy blue.  No frills, no special features for runners, and not the slightest bit girly…all of which gives me some new sewing ideas.  *grin*

Coveralls

The coveralls would have been too warm for a long run, but my usual winter running tights would not have provided enough protection from the windchill, even on a short run.  So I really had no choice but to wear the coveralls.  I wore my usual cap, neck gator, and Bear Hands, and opted for screw shoes.  I stayed on the main road that had been mostly cleared of snow, but was slick with a thin layer of snowpack.  The screw shoes were great for traction, once again.

DGE Screw Shoes-a

The windchill was so cold that my forehead froze, even through my fleece cap.  I tried to keep my cap pulled way down to my eyes, and my neck gator way up to the bottom of my eyes, and around the back of my cap.   I really needed a windbreaker hood that I could pull down tight around my head and face.

The Bear Hands were great.  My hands were toasty warm.

IMG_5821wThis is getting old, going through all of this layering and equipping for the elements, all for a one mile run.  So I tried to stay out longer this time.  I managed 1.5 miles before deciding that the exposure to my forehead was going to become unsafe.  So that was the limiting factor on this run.

A mile before the game.

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Another quick mile yesterday, taking advantage of sun and relatively mild temps in the morning, before we plunged back into the deep freeze.

Amazingly, there are still remnants of the Christmas snow fort. 010420141028w

Then I attended a basketball game, in the same athletic complex where in college I used to run 30-60 minutes, 7 days a week, to keep my sanity as a student.   010420141029w

Today’s run will be in snow and sub-zero windchills.  I’d like to do a 3.5 mile loop, but if I can’t adequately protect against the windchill, I’ll have to cut back to a mile.  I’m really ready for a longer run.  Darn this polar vortex–whatever that is.  And to think we are just on an outer band of the vortex.

There is a big window in my house that on the coldest days, reminds me that I really need to replace it with something more energy-efficient.  010520141038w

Yoga and a Mile

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This will likely be my regular Janathon workout, considering my current issues.  Last night when I did my mile, it was a balmy 41F with 8mph wind, and mostly dry pavement.  Definitely not bad running conditions for January.  It would have been great conditions for 3 to 5 miles, were I not trying to give my foot a chance to strong again.  I finished my run to this song; wishing I could keep going at least one more mile.

Then I did this 15-minute Yoga set.

Yoga and Seeing the Doc

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Yesterday’s workout was not a run, but yoga from Priscilla’s Yoga Stretches, which I hope to work back into my morning routine as it once was.  I’m already feeling the effects in my legs and torso.  Hopefully it will result in better posture for running, sitting and standing, which I’ve let become atrocious.  Her stretching workout airs here on PBS every morning at 6am.  Her workouts are packaged into 15-minute segments, which is perfect.

Priscilla's Yoga Stretches

And then came the visit to the GP to confirm a preliminary diagnosis of Morton’s Neuroma in my right foot.  And so begins my own personal journey to see what it will take to keep running.  At the moment, I’m not really worried; just need to work through this.  There will be a short run today, in the bitter windchill and an inch of snow.  In ten days, a consultation with a podiatrist.

And so goes Janathon.  janathon-participant-logo