In awe

Not that I don’t have things to write about but I haven’t had a single fully developed topic to post.

So this might be a garbage can or a recycling box that I dump everything.

About running, pretty consistently done. I love it and can’t do enough. My body is definitely taking a hit this week. Recovery from the 100k is slower than I want it. Kind of expecting that. It has been a miracle that I could even move. In the past, it took me months to recover and now we are talking hours, and get back out. I am taking easy this weekend. No more another 100k.

I switched to evening run again. Just been busy every morning…not busy busy, but there were things I got to do, and before I knew it I blew an hour and so gone was the time allotted for running. Luckily I had the evenings to run.

My body now aches. My legs (calves) are jelly. My shins hurt. They say need better shoes and rest. Sleep more at night. Eat better. Don’t ramp up miles too quickly. No more than 10% a week. I guess From 58 to 103 miles is a bit more than 10%. I’m not good with math. I will try buying better shoes or switch to no shoes, maybe that will help. I want to be a moron, just denying the reality.

Oh, I checked on the blister on my little toe, and it is not good. It has harden on the outside. I dare not pop it now. It might be painful. Bad bad bad. I waited too long. They say to soak it with water during shower and rub/file it down. They say don’t develop calluses on your feet. Hopefully my body will absorb the blood clot into the body and it will be ok. I plan to order those pumice rubbing things for my feet. No calluse. No pic here.

Though I didn’t post every day like last week, I was writing stuff to be posted later. Don’t do that right? Post now and post often, right? Sometimes you just have to wait for the right timing. Otherwise it is garbage bin like this post is.

The down side is if I don’t run, it means no dinner. I love running but no dinner is an extra incentive. I love food too. Usually my runs took 1.5 to 2 hrs and by the time I was done there would be no dinner any way…because the stores were closed by then. I cooked my own food but there was no food to cook. I have been putting off doing my shopping this week. I learned the hard way — Stores in our area used to open till midnight and IHOP is 24 hrs. But COVID changed everything. I didn’t know because I was sheltering in place. I thought they were essential and would keep to regular schedule but didn’t realize no one steps out the house after 9 pm now, so the whole city goes dark after that except for road construction – they don’t sleep. So after one of my runs, I said oh it is still early, only 10:15 let me go to Giant (our local grocery chain), when I was there, the restocking staff outside said they are closed. I did again the second night and the third night. By Friday, I got the message. The store has changed their hours. Duh.

I said I will call for chinese. There was no one picking up the phone. I drove there and saw a sign. It thanked the patrons for all the supports and all the years of doing business with them, but they have closed temporary since April 1 for everyone safety! what!? I looked in it didn’t seem to be closed temporary. I suspected many mom and pops went under during the COVID. Same thing played out for my haircut place/barbershop.

That’s that. I found what open late at night! It is 7-Eleven. Trusted old 7-Eleven. I finally got my dinner there couple nights ago. My third option would have been Walmart but that would be a longer drive and I didn’t think of Walmart at the time, who would do grocery at Walmart? I got dinner from a gas station couple times too (a bottle of soda really), but you don’t want to eat (drink) the same thing all the time. I know they charged me twice what I normally pay at a grocery store, but when you are hungry after a run, you pay whatever. I would even sell my birth right to my little brother for a bowl of stew 🙂

Virginia went to phase 1 of the reopening last night. My area is still closed for two more weeks because we made up the bulk of the infection numbers. My tiny locale is still showing 200 infections a day, that more than entire Australia (107) had in a week. These are known infections, many are suspected to be unreported.

They say wear a mask. Save life. Stay at home. That what my aunt in Sydney is telling me. She thinks we are nutz to protest to our local government for not willing to reopen a few weeks ago. Some here even refuse to wear a mask because it is their right. I told her, we have to liberate Virginia and Michigan – joking here! I feel proud of our state motto – sic semper tyrannis (my loose translation: down with the king).

I thought about my mission statement. I had something but it is not ready to be posted. On my last run, I was rethinking some of the stuffs of what I want to do. There is some problem with that. We are (I am at least) too focused on the doing this and doing that. Get this done or that. Buy this or that. Reach this level or that. So forth. Action items are easy – either you have done it or you have not. I like bucket list. You don’t have to refight the same battle every day. Have it done and move on.

I was reminded, there are mission statements out there focus on Being. Am I a better person? Am I more gentle and exhibiting patience this year? Am I more at peace with myself and people around me instead of being frustrated, contending with this or that? But shaking things up or throwing out the bath water with the baby, those are what I really like to do. Demonition and rebuilding! Have I gain any word of wisdom to live by?