My Exam (former My Running)

I've been running a bit, but really not pushing myself. I guess I am not used to bad weather running. I am more into bad weather couch-potatoing;)))), a habit that I struggle to give up.

I find myself thinking about an Energizer Bunny..but just occasionally... who knows where he is? Maybe flying to some distant corner of the US..maybe partying with a stranger (who's never gonna be more than a stranger), late at night, in a bar somewhere...shining, as usual...

Yesterday I studied a bit...it seemed to go fine (as in "too easy"), which is deceiving. The exam is 3 months away.

***At least I caught up with other people's blogs--always nice, interesting and adventurous lectures for the bored and blue spirit.

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 6:34 AM | Permalink | Comments

I will run today. I can't wait..I am REALLY missing it.

I will try to stay away from asphalt surfaces and run on grass. No tilting forward...I will stretch before and after ( with some Bikram yoga...hehe...while all exercises look beautiful, some are quite unattainable for me right now in terms of flexibility:)

Later on I'll keep moving -on the dance floor, baby! Isn't that the best workout ever? Dancing for 2 hours straight:)

--PS: I've been slacking at both running and studying for the exam. My bad. Tomorrow -50 problems

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments

Ok. I run yesterday, this time close to my house. I didn't feel like driving to the Community Center. It was dark already.

I managed ~1.25 miles again...I can't seem to go past this point yet. I should really go back to a schedule (not skipping so many days). About half-way in the run, I stopped to catch my breath for a minute...I almost threw up near a fence. Hehe! But I felt better soon and started running.

Now here's my dilemma: when I run, I feel great! Afterwards, 24/7 I have this constant back pain. I feel it all the time, when I sit for 8 hours at work, when I drive but mostly when I am in bed (shouldn't I feel comfortable at least then?). No matter how I toss and turn, my lower back seems to have a mind of its own. Is this something normal?

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments

A girl I knew from work, about my age, passed away from breast cancer today.

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 7:28 AM | Permalink | Comments

Running update:
This Sat at 6:30pm I went for a run around the Recreation Center.
I run for ~1 mile and walked the rest .25. Good news: no back pain afterwards (endorphines, of course). However I was out of breath and pretty sore.

Next (well, in a couple of hours)...I ended up at Oktoberfest, at the Detroit Zoo.

For $5 we got access to the world of dark/light beer, German food, huge TVs and anxious Tigers fans-all in a big, white tent.
Go Tigers!


***Afterwards we went to a local club and saw one of the actors from "Fashion House." He's so cute! I guess he was in town for the Yankees-Tigers game:)

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 3:57 PM | Permalink | Comments

I've had the pleasure of visiting some very interesting blogs, mixing poetry/ prose with running (one that stuck with me, due to its unusual name, was "A blog about nothing"). I'm all for that mix!

I've done more studying than running these past few days. I have found excuses..the weather, the cold, my fatigue after work. The main thing actually has some truth to it...my BACK has hurt after the last run. How can this be? I'm 25, in good shape, never had back problems, my shoes are comfortable, I have acceptable posture...But the pain in my back has been so bizarre and persistent! I feel it sometimes in the bone, other times in the muscles. It is pretty hard to sit for 8 hours..I am far from complaining...just wondering why this is happening:) And whether I should run or not. I want to and I think I will, since it's sunny today.

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments

Are they? Are we?
Every runner seems to be keeping to himself/herself.

I've looked at about a dozen blogs on running, mostly running journals. They don't abound in comments...it's like other runners don't really care about anybody's progress but their own. Do runners ever read other people's blogs? Do they ever offer advice to the novices? Why this self-centeredness?


***Somehow, this pic of winter near the Mackinaw Bridge seems to illustrate my feelings better then 1000 words. It speaks of distance, coolness and indiference.

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments

Hi y'all.. Today I'll be running again, although it's pretty bad outside. Temps are in the 70s but it's very humid around here (by the Great Lakes).

It has rained all day yesterday and it's continuing to do so this morning. The immense gray sky seems to be disintegrating above us.

I don't have good gear for rainy days:( Just polyester t-shirt and pants..but no impermeable outside layer.

***Wondering what the pic is? My dream house Up-North:)

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 6:44 AM | Permalink | Comments

Here are some pics I've taken this summer, while
walking on the beach ("Costinesti" resort-Romania).
Aaaaah, summer!








Enjoy!

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments

My running...my running....

After a Friday night that turned out to be "young" (as Shakespeare said) for too long (3am), ay ay ay I woke up Sat morning (at 11am) with a heaviness in my limbs and a generally poor disposition. I have really scattered memories of what exactly I did to occupy my time for a while..probably ate and surfed the net.

Eventually, "duty" got to me and here I was, on my two feet, dressed up, hair pulled in a pony-tail...Out the door I went to a Barnes &Noble! Why? Cuz they have Starbuczzzz and a nice atmosphere, conducive to studying hard.

I got a hot chocolate and sat quietly at a table, solving 50 Math problems. Behind me...four ladies (and another one via cell phone) were having some kind of loud conference-call, about students and classroom activities....ah, but I was too concentrated on my task to care (the dirty looks don't count). I was done in 1 hour and 44 minutes...

But this blog is about running...right? Well, as mentioned before, it isn't JUST about running...Running can function as a prop for something else: studying. There's this test I'm going to take in Feb... I need to create/learn DISCIPLINE. I can do my BEST when juggling multiple hard things. Focusing on just the test...neah! That's why I need my running:)

So Sat evening, at 7:30pm, I went to the Rec Center again...It was cold and I could feel the rain in the air. Not a soul was bothering me..there, in the heart of the suburbs usually so noisy.
The sun was setting again...this time everything around me was milky. Fog was rising from the fields in a calm, warm ballet...I always am seduced by how ever-changing these sunsets are...this one had very delicate red and orange nuances...dying slowly...

I ran the full 1.25 mile trail, in 15 minutes. It seemed too slow for me...maybe next time I should do it in 10-11 min? I must mention here the fact that I stopped for some time, to answer a phone call from a friend, wanting me to go with her to a club that Sat night. The call came in just in time...I was out of breath and exhausted, although there was 1/4th of the distance still to go! Why did that happen? I couldn't stop thinking that it had to do with my messing up my sleep/rest routine the night before:)

I increased my speed on that remaining 1/4th...and was completely out of breath in the end. No good. My lungs hurt...my throat was dry...my 2 t-shirts were soaked (and mind you, one is 100% poliester). The most annoying thing of all was the swamp-like air...so HUMID! I hate it...it makes me sick.

I got home...took a bath...and ended up in my cozy, warm bed, with an amasing book in my hand "Measure of a mountain," by Bruce Barcott. I couldn't put it down...

Posted by Exam-exam-exam at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments