Run!

30 minutes as 2:1. Very nice! AND THERE IS NOTHING WRITTEN IN MY APPOINTMENT BOOK FROM NOW TILL MONDAY. Undecided on the question of whether I should get downtown to lift, but I think I might just have a happy day at home - need to read job applications and make recs....

Wednesday run

Mixed report here. On the good side: a really lovely long run, it's mid-50s and sunny and I wore short sleeves and gloves and was happy the whole time! 70 minutes as 2:1 (actually 72). It is rare for me to be able to do the long one on Wednesday, and that's more the downside - had horrible insomnia last night, didn't fall asleep till after 3:30, and when alarm went off at 8 (I had turned out the lights at 11pm, then tossed and turned for ONE MILLION HOURS) I was still too wired and anxious to do what I usually do, which is set a new alarm and go back to sleep for another couple hours!

Friday and Sunday were write-offs due to travel and fatigue. Saturday I said no to human contact in the morning and had a LOVELY run in Roland Park - hilly, very mild sunny weather, 45 minutes and I appreciated every second of it. Monday should have been OK but I had a morning meetup with a colleague, left run till post-lecture which usually is OK but hadn't reckoned with impact of also needing to do a teaching observation from 6:10-8pm - I got home shortly after 4 and just basically huddled with internet, the idea of getting out and back in to work-acceptable clothes was just too much. Was awake in the night for hours, too many worries and not enough exercise, but did get up and out late morning (needed to be back here by noon for grocery delivery window) for just 30 minutes easy as 4:1. It is GLORIOUS, so sunny and mild, and I felt better and more positive about everything as soon as I was out there. Resolved to make sure I run every day between now and when I need to go to Ottawa again in the days before Xmas.

Tgiving!

Thankful I finally got out for a run! It is GORGEOUS, sunny and 30s but very mild, no wind, I wish I could have just been out there for a long time but it wasn't really in the cards. We were late getting in yesterday (flight delayed, and then we had to pick up rental car at Newark and drive HOURS through horrible gridlock to get to my place - don't need car till Friday, but it is impossible to pick one up in Manhattan then), had lie-in this morning and then the traditional diner breakfast that Brent and I always have when he's here. Digestive interval, minor tasks, then just 30 easy as 2:1. Gotta get in shower now and get outta here to get NJ Transit to Rutherford for Tgiving meal at my brother's (my mother will be there too).

30 easy as 2:1

Sat.

Ah, not optimal, wasted the day (got up normal time - not early- and ate small breakfast, thought I would then run but instead went back to bed and slept till after 3pm, ugh), late getting out, just too beset with minor freefloating anxiety to keep on going when I hit the invisible wall at the c. 20-minute turnaround. Anyway 40 minutes as 3:1 is fine (should have been 70). Haven't thought at ALL about logistics for tomorrow's travel, need to get my act together and sort that stuff out....

Thursday-Friday...

Hmmm, I must not have logged yesterday's here, but it was a glorious and surprisingly WARM (nearly 60!) nice one along the river, 60 as 4:1. Today colder and quite windy, I was shivering on the corner of Riverside Dr. (long-sleeved shirt and gloves, but no windbreaking layer), but it was beautiful once I got moving a little faster. 30 easy as 2:1. Must now get my act together for 1pm book event!

Wednesday run

Underprepared for important noon meeting, generally chaotic, didn't get up as early as I meant to, but the two morning essentials are done: lecture written for Castle of Otranto later this afternoon (kicking myself for adding new book to old syllabus!), short run. Maybe 25 minutes with some bits of waalking; forgot my timer watch and didn't want to go back inside for it, as this is the way one ends up not running at all on a busy day! Looking forward to a more leisurely run tomorrow morning and Friday, that will be good - this week has been really intense.

Soul running

It was one of those days when running was even better for the soul than for the body! Glorious day to be out along the river - an older woman walking in the opposite direction as I went down 115th St. to the park looked very skeptically at my bare calves and lack of layers and said, "You are bold!," but really it was absolutely perfect.

1hr easy as 2:1

Monday end of day

Had a morning class visit that is exactly the sort of thing (would be different if I were truly an early riser) that realistically prevents me from running in the morning. Meetings middle of day, busy office hours, lecture where I felt scattered but it seemingly didn't register to audience. Came home for brief regrouping, then got out in the last bit of light for a really nice easy run in perfect climate conditions (high 40s, damp - lungs really really like the damp air better than the dry when it's cooler). 30 easy as 2:1.

Sunday: got it done! Late afternoon, not as cold, 1hr easy as 2:1. Yesterday was a mixed bag - I think I was just so tapped out from strain of workweek and finishing that essay that I had NOTHING, had 3pm haircut downtown, dressed with possibility of running home, talked myself into it by saying I could walk as much as I wanted - but that turned out to be 99.5%, couldn't really make myself run at all! That said, about 6mi (FREEZING and sorta scarily deserted and dark for last part, not doing that again soon), 2hr brisk walk, perfectly reasonable form of cross-training!

Winter!

Barely above freezing, and super-windy, but also really sunny - I finished my essay and sent it and uploaded my fellowship application and felt LIBERATED! Also, canceled event now safely rescheduled for May 2 with no worries about books not arriving in time (Nov. 30 proved unrealistic). Such a beautiful afternoon in Riverside Park - and shortly I am off to meet up with friends near Lincoln Center for pre-opera drink and Ades. THIS IS GOOD!

30 easy as 2:1

Thursday pm run

Was awake for hours overnight/early morning, so though I slept pretty late I didn't feel rested when I got up. Had massive work session on the essay (it is nearing completion, I MUST finish it tomorrow or my self-reproach will be too dreadful, and the thought of waking up on Saturday and still having to work on it is filling me with dread - cannot let that happen). Finished with what I needed to do around 3:45 and got just the last bit of light and coolth - it's a beautiful day in the park. Something is tweaked in the back of my left knee and my back is reallyl starting to protest at all this computer time, but I will address that in another day or two once I have sent out this essay!

30 easy as 2:1.

Tuesday run!

A very happy one. Had a really good writing session at Nous cafe, then came home and changed and went out into the gray wintry afternoon for a short run. SO GOOD. I have been feeling so low, and yesterday had a few tough external stressors too - I am relieved that normal nice things can make me feel at least somewhat cheery!

40 minutes as 2:1

Monday run

Today and tomorrow are the fall election holiday at Columbia, my only hope for sanity! Had a very good long morning of work on my overdue footnote essay, despite numerous distractions (waiting for a meter reader that never arrived - I havve already been d inged $100 special penalty of some mysterious sort and HAVE to get the reader in this month or else it is a recurring monthly penalty! - and worrying about another piece of worrisome news from Ottawa, etc.). Just did 30 easy as 2:1, the weather is DISGUSTING, well into the 60s and must be 100% humidity - I have just put all the air-conditioners back on to try and strip some of the moisture out of the air. Really s hould do another work session now but may be tapped out.

Sunday run

30 easy as 2:1. I have slept as much in the last 36 hours as is humanly possible, it is one kind of coping strategy! Renewed commitment to run every day even if only for a very short time....

BTW

I did run Tuesday and Wednesday, just clearly didn't have wherewithal to log either one here! I think it was 40 Tuesday, 30 Wednesday. Resolution: every day between now and next Ottawa trip, I will run, even if it's only for 20 mins....

Saturday - minor victory....

Thursday and Friday were zeros, my own fault (I am not firing on all cylinders and as soon as I am in low spirits I get much worse at protecting time for the two restorative things that take some energy, namely exercise and writing - basically 2 days of fairly altruistic and highly worthwhile activities, but I was flattened and had no vim for anything else!). Today is a day entirely to myself, at least until evening, and I had a really really nice run - the weather is back to normal again too, it was well into the 70s these last couple days which as far as I am concerned is TOO DARN HOT - along the river, crisp and cool and sunny. 70 minutes as 4:1.