Bends Toward Justice

With chances for more conditioning?! Today at basketball I could really tell that I'm in better shape (aerobically -- not aerodynamically, haha!) than I've been in years: I ran more, helped more on defense, blocked and/or changed more shots, worked harder for better shot opportunities, etc. And I was still fresh when other people were leaving. Some of us stayed on for a final game of four-on-four. So, I got in better shape so I played harder and longer, so I'll keep getting in even better shape. Woo Hoo! I need to go for about a five-mile run tomorrow morning.

Meg and I ran again on Saturday, the same course as before, but reversed. I'm sure it is more than 3.5 miles. Aerobically I felt good most of the way, but I had noticed that my calves have really tightened up, so I did an unusual thing: I stretched a little before I ran. After about three miles one of my calves was really tightening up. I ended up walking the last 1/4 mi+. I'm not blaming it on the stretching. Conventional wisdom for runners says you should increase mileage by only 10%/week. I put mine up by around 30%, and increased the intensity during the same week. The calf feels good today. I may be able to get through this just by dropping the mileage back naturally (because I'm not on vacation any more). I'm considering that I may have to initiate some of the things that mature runners do, like regular stretching and strength training. I hate to consider it, but I don't want to spend the summer with a nagging tightness, or go down with an injury.

Yesterday Meg and I went for an estimated 3.5 mile run. I walked a couple miles on the beach later. Today I rode a bike down to the pier area and back, with some side jaunts and some walking around down there. I estimate the bike ride at around eight or nine miles. Later we went back down there to visit the lighthouse museum and climb to the top of the lighthouse. So, running and walking yesterday, biking and walking today; I can't seem to get psyched to run two days in a row, but we're definitely staying very active.

Meg and I ran just over three miles this morning. Then we went to the beach. After a while we decided to walk to the village for a coffee; that's about two miles. two thirds of the way there, we had a little conference and I went back for the car. So I figure I walked a good three miles. Early this afternoon we went for a little bike ride. I logged it all on Anthemrewards and made it into Pennsylvania. It'll be a while now before I cross another state line.

In contrast to Virginia, West Virginia has only two miles of the AT. I'm already in Maryland. Woohoo! I didn't expect Anthem to give me bonus points for this state line, but they did. The exercising is really becoming a habit; earlier this week I felt like I had to get out and walk just because I felt like I had to, if you know what I mean. I'm hoping to be able to legitimately log two hours each day (the max Anthem allows credit for) while we're in Georgia -- well, Tuesday through Saturday. Maybe I can make it to Pennsylvania by May. Mileages and High Points Along the A.T. By State State Mileage Highest Point Height (Feet) Maine 281 Katahdin 5267 New Hampshire 161 Mount Washington 6288 Vermont 146 Near Killington Peak 3870 Massachusetts 90 Mount Greylock 3491 Connecticut 52 Bear Mountain 2320 New York 88 Prospect Rock @ 1433 New Jersey 74 High Point 1803 Pennsylvania 232 Methodist Hill (?) @ 2100 Maryland 41 unnamed @ 2000 West Virginia *

Woodjunkie pestered me a while ago about not having posted much. What I've been doing is making iMovies using Tom Martin's digital pictures and videos, with soundtracks I made in Garageband. I have three. I thought I could post them on Youtube, but I can't. I haven't figured out a way to get them out of this computer!

I knew I was getting close; seems like I've been in Virginia forever. This morning's 90 minutes of walking put me across this bridge into West Virginia on my cyberhike of the AT at AnthemRewards. Fifty bonus points, baby!

I'm a warrior of love With helmet in glove And baby you'll know when we go toe to toe I'm trained in hand to hand I'll bang until you can't stand I'm a warrior Warrior of Love --for Woodjunky Woodjunky would Woodjunky would He likes to see that junk slidin' round in your trunk He's got a power tool but he's a trunkjunk fool Woodjunky would woodjunky would He'll smooth it good He keeps the project clean Puts on a tung oil sheen Woodjunky would woodjunky would Oops, should've posted this at Jasmine Six-string. What I meant to say is, I went for a long walk today (snore)

Last week I had probably the best workout week in years. I played wallyball Tuesday, walked 45 min. on Wednesday, went for that run (see my last post) on Thursday, walked 45 min. again on Friday, did my regular walk/basketball/walk on Saturday, then ran for about 40-45 min. on Sunday. This week the weather is playing havoc. How about a foot of snow on April 5! I had a great night at Wallyball Tuesday, though. The first games were played at a very high level; it was intense, and I felt like the people on the court were pretty much all into it, where sometimes you have some people who make you feel like you have to take a little off. This time it was both teams playing really intensely, some great plays being made, and my team winning, which is still part of my definition of a good night (I'm still seeking spiritual enlightenment in that area). Today Meg and I went over to the S.P. Rec and ran for about half an hour on the track, which prevented a serious backslide from last week