Moderation ...

I haven't been running as much lately - ran a mile on Wednesday and then walked 2 more with a friend.  It felt nice to run again after my knee issues and as the weather shifts I think it might be nice to start running more again.  I just don't seem to like the whole running plus heat equation.  I don't seem to like the yoga plus heat equation either.  Hmm... maybe I just don't like the heat part of the equation.  Interesting.

Anyway, between that nice moderate slow run and my own realization that I really feel like the gentle path of yoga is serving me well (rather than the more aggressive style that most classes seem to lean towards these days) I kinda realized that moderation is my thing.  I don't think it's a revelation exactly - it just felt like a solid reaction to various more extreme stuff going on around me - various friends hurting themselves ... running half marathons, doing hot yoga, pushing pushing pushing.  No likey.  Just not for me. 

Encouraging you to read some Barbara Pym

Barbara Pym's novels focus on the lives of women and village life in England.  Many of her novels are set in the '50s and '60s - she died in 1980 and her last novel was set in that time period.  They are studies of the internal lives of (mostly) women, and I find them soothing and funny.  There are lots of vicar's wives, spinsters, academics and writers - struggling to understand their relationships with each other, the culture, the church.  There has been a lot written about Barbara Pym - dig around online to find articles like this one from the guardian.  Her books are available for very little on Amazon - used hardbacks are 3 or 4 dollars.  Or of course, free from the library!

5 Miles and Counting!

A couple of weeks ago, I actually ran five miles... it felt amazing.  And since then I've been consistently running 3 miles easily - in WI, DC, NY and this week hopefully in Boulder.  I'm really enjoying my runs - even the hard ones.  I am excited about this year; optimistic about so many things in my life - Iain, my work, my family and my new hobby - running.  And I hope we kick the Governor out of office too :-)

Running in NY

I am at my second home in Malden-On-Hudson, NY with my fiancee Iain - here for a glorious week.  I love Thanksgiving and the holidays and it's a treat to spend so much time with Iain.  We went to the Rhinebeck Farmers' Market yesterday and got our organic turkey.  We drove through the countryside and looked at houses and talked about the future and travel and family.  We got lattes and strolled around Woodstock.  We made gluten free Dundee cake - delish (just substitute Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix for the flour). And I ran 3.5 miles through the sunshiney NY countryside yesterday morning and enjoyed every minute and every mile.

Three Miles

I ran three miles yesterday. It was really fun and I felt victorious - especially because it was so much fun.  I am a slow runner (about 12 minute miles) and I took it really slow the first mile yesterday and it never felt like work.  And the last mile felt like floating.  It was a amazing.  I am becoming a real runner. 

Velvet Morning Run

Wow my run was amazing this morning.  It was a soft damp morning and so perfect for running.  I ran from my house to Deb's house - about 2 miles.  And it was a great run, so easy and fun.  It almost (almost) never felt like work.  The air felt like velvet against my skin.  LOVE!!!!

The Only Way Is Essex... I'm warning you. Don't start.

Okay ... busted.  Love reality tv and my newest obsession is the rather ridiculous show The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE for those in the know).  I'm sure part of this particular obsession is my relationship to all things British (Monty Python, the Stones, the love of my life (Iain), lots of Virginia Woolf, sticky toffee pudding, Dickens, Dorothy Sayers and on and on).  But seriously, this show is one of those great train wreck half hours of guilty pleasure - a completely ridiculous reality show that you know isn't real.  And like sticky toffee pudding too much of it is probably not good for you - but it's hard to stop.  Oh... fake boobs, spray tans, glamping, vajazzling.  It's reem.  Sigh.  Don't start.  Trust me.