<p>Wow. That must have been shock to walk up the hill and see that. If it’s any consolation, it does grow back. Much of the White Mountains where I hike was stripped of trees with heavy clear-cut lumbering operations and wiped out by forest fires. You’d never know it today. Several of the hiking trails are along routes of old lumbering railways used to haul tree out. In fact, my Sawyer Pond death march last week followed the graded path of one of those old railways. These days, they seem to clear a patch here and a patch there. It looks like a quilt from some of the mountains. Anywhere you see a lot of white birch trees, that was probably land that was stripped bare.</p>
<p>mowc:</p>
<p>I had better success with trying to identify one or two particularly evil indulgences and make a vow to wipe them out of my diet. So, rather than an impossibly to achieve goal of “eating clean”, I just made a personal commitment to not eat donuts … or red twizzlers… or whatever obvious culprit I could see. I think it’s a easier way to get things jump started. Better to succeed at a more modest commitment than fail at a comprehensive plan and say, “oh, well… forget it…”</p>
<p>That’s good advice, iDad. I have resolved to stay away from the purely cr*p sugar like the candy bowls at work, the junk food (caramels, pretzels etc) that gets dumped by some of our vendors in all our break rooms, and, starting tonight, will eliminate my little 9pm TV-watching snack. Today I did fine with my breakfast (I eat a concoction of a few tablespoons of Greek plain yogurt, a tablespoon (well, heaping) of natural peanut butter that is ground at the store and a few sprinkles of grape nuts for crunch. I also have a small peach. Lunch after hot yoga (which was really tough today and getting back dressed for the office was challenging) was a pretty modest sized turkey sandwich on whole wheat with 1 slice of cheese and some lettuce from our new catering service at our new building. I’m not in the building yet, but I went over to check out the food selection. I ate half of a Picky Bar mid-afternoon. Will not have any wine or beer after work.</p>
<p>One of WildChild’s bikes (the road bike, not one of the tri bikes) was stolen from the bike shop Sat night/Sun morning in downtown Philadelphia. It cost more than many of our cars are worth, needless to say, and is pretty identifiable, so it’s not something that someone “borrowed” to cruise around center city. I assume the shop’s insurance will cover it, but it’s really a shame. </p>
<p>Oh kmc, I sympathize with the horrors of razed landscapes. It’s heartbreaking to see a special place treated like a valueless disposable asset. Unfortunately it’s way too common here where “improving” the land is synonymous with development. Sickening.</p>
<p>deb922, Joshua Bell must have been wonderful. He makes lovely music.</p>
<p>Yesterday I did one of the Cosgrove metabolic workouts, followed by a circuit of upper body weights. Today I ran 3.75 miles on the treadmill, and walked another few between this morning and evening. This kind of mileage done running, even though I’m still at a pace between a 10 and 12 minute mile, seems incredible for me. It was only a little over a year ago that I started with the C25K, thinking that I’d be lucky to ever make a single mile of running. I wouldn’t say it’s fun, but I feel a great sense of accomplishment in running without stopping for 40 plus minutes, and it has definitely become easier. You runners who go faster and farther are truly amazing!</p>
<p>For reasons known only to myself, I waited until 6:30 pm to run. Hot (81) and humid (60% and rising). Gnats everywhere! Short three miles but had to be done. On the plus side, I definitely don’t feel like eating. </p>
<p>PlantMom, congrats on the running. I’m never going to be fast but just being able to do it is a great feeling! </p>
<p>MOWC, serious bummer on the bike. That’s really unfortunate. </p>
<p>Dreaded Airdyne intervals for me. No video. Nobody should be made to see a geezer, shirtless, on an exercise bike! Air conditioning running full blast. Box fan propped up two feet away blowing on me from close range. Hot Airdyne intervals are not fun, but somebody’s gotta do 'em! Definitely no new PRs, but I punched the clock.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance, idad MomWC, that’s terrible…hope they nab the suspect. Deb 922, you are a lucky girl to see bell ;)</p>
<p>Notrichenough, indeed, I have now registered my displeasure, and also learned that indeed I own that easement land for 60’ width and ergo should have been given notice. Originally, I thought I was just an adjacent landowner. Dusted off the survey and learned otherwise…</p>
<p>The person responsible for the decision is out of town, and his lackey explained that he and the contractor thought it would just “be easier” to start over on that corridor since it had been left for “too long” without maintenance. At one point, he promised to “leave the raspberries and blackberries” alone next time. Hi ho. If nothing else, I think they’re getting the sense that there may be some bad pr brewing and to think the CEO of this ultility collects a 3.6 million dollar paycheck to pillage lands that should be in the public domain…it all makes my blood boil!</p>
<p>kmcmom, one of my neighbors is a lawyer and took them to court to try to limit the damage. But the way the original easement is written, and current state laws, lets them do whatever they want. There were articles in the paper, a lot of negative press, and their public response was “we have to do this to maintain our system”. Total stonewall, they wouldn’t bend or compromise. They ripped out people’s landscaping - trees and bushes that would never have reached the lines in a million years.</p>
<p>Good luck dealing with them - we couldn’t get them to budge an inch.</p>
<p>Re: food choices. Kill the enemies one by one is a good approach, as described by idad! I sort of did the same thing. At home, I would simply not buy things that are not good for us. Some victories were quick, but some took a while. After many years, I pretty much weaned Mr B off sweetened Greek yogurts - this is the guy who used to complain that his yogurt was too sour without honey. He now eats it with fresh blueberries just fine, At parties, I would eyeball the food and pick one or two things that I would normally go for - and not touch them at all. Every time I have a temptation to grab a cookie ore one too many slices of cheese, I grab a few broccoli florets or some celery. :)</p>
<p>kmcmom, sorry to hear about the trees. I would be livid! </p>
<p>MOfWC - phew. I hope the new bike is as good as the one lost. Hope the thief rots in jail someday.</p>
<p>Good morning. MomWC, so very happy they made things right for your son.</p>
<p>Thanks for the sympathy guys…I am livid but have to figure out what’s productive and what’s not at this point because I’m already slammed in terms of business so need to minimize distraction ;)</p>
<p>I am also sitting here actually feeling reluctant to go up the hill as the sight aggravates me, but then there will be “real” damage if I don’t So I should stop talking and start walking if I want to have time for a swim!</p>
<p>Thanks. Yes, the bike is better. He bought the other Cervelo used from his coach and this one is brand new. I’m sure he’s very happy! I’m not sure when he rides all these bikes, but I guess you could say the same about all my running shoes! The shoes cost a lot less, though.</p>
<p>Got out for a 2 mile walk- extremely humid. I did pick up the pace somewhat and cruised in under 18 minute miles! Impressive! The temptation to take “just a few” running steps is there, but I haven’t done it.</p>
<p>MOWC, is there another doc visit soon that will put you a step closer to additional physical activity? </p>
<p>I sometimes find when I walk that I have that itch after 10 or 15 mins to just start running - I can imagine you feel it even more intensely since running IS in your blood! I’ve also learned that at races I often see people doing lots of walking beforehand - I now understand that that is part of their warm up routine and maybe makes a smoother transition to just taking off jogging/running. When I go out for my 2-3 mile runs I tend to not warm up alot - a very few stretches, a minute or so (maybe) of walking and I’m off. </p>
<p>How about others??? How much of a warm up routine???</p>
<p>I don’t warm up before I run (training) but will warm up for a 5K or shorter race by jogging. The shorter the race, the longer the warmup needed.</p>
<p>I go back for another Xray around August 7, which will be 6 weeks from the Xray I had 2 1/2 weeks ago. He had suggested 8 weeks before I could start running, but I’m hoping if that xray is really good I can start then. Right now I am 6 1/2 weeks into healing (which I count as when I got on the crutches) and about 8 1/2 weeks since injury. </p>
<p>I have learned from other injuries (and this one is worse since I can’t do ANY running and didn’t do any exercise for 4 weeks) that I can not maintain my running conditioning if I can’t run! People will tell you that you can by biking, elliptical or whatever, but I can’t. I can burn calories, build muscle, gain flexibility etc, but I can’t keep my running conditioning. When I was 26 years old and had my first stress fracture (I thought the world was ending) and was 6 weeks without running, I did EVERYTHING to keep in running shape. The first mile I ran after I was released to run was the most painful thing EVER! I have seen that with every injury since. I can get back pretty quickly (less so with each passing year…) but nothing seems to keep that combination of cardio/legs needed to run without feeling like death. At least now that I can walk it will help a little with some of the muscles. I can feel my quads just from the 3 miles on Sunday, even though I have been doing all sorts of stuff for them in yoga!</p>
<p>70 degrees with 90% humidity this morning. My friend and I ran/walked 4 miles. I was dripping wet by the end!</p>
<p>My parents’ visit has played havoc with my diet. I just can’t be strong when they’re here! At least now it’s so hot and muggy that I don’t have much appetite.</p>
<p>Hot and muggy here as well. Could not go to sleep last night because of the heat, so sat until it cooled off and got a lot of work done. This is one of the rare weeks per year when I wish to have an air-conditioned home gym!</p>
<p>MOfWC, I think I’m the same way about running even though I am nowhere near the mileage you do. My conditioning goes completely bust if I do not run (even if I do everyhing else), and the fist week of running after a long hiatus feels like torture. It does come back though. Fingers crossed for the good X-ray results. </p>
<p>Finished a strength training workout: kettle bells, squats, planks and balance exercises. Also did dead lifts with various weights (adding more wt each set), core work with weights using a stability ball, planks, and push-ups. Finished up with an hour on the Cybex arc machine–it’s like an elliptical machine but harder–I got my heart rate up quickly.</p>
<p>I always warmup before I do strength work–usually fast walking in a treadmill (set on 4 mph). I don’t run (I do a fast shuffle) so this might not be relevant for those who do, but I’ve found that it really helps me to do downward facing dog stretches for 3-5 minutes before I do spinning or cardio on the elliptical or Cybex. </p>
<p>I am completely not worthy! That is tough! Wow. I used to use the Arc trainer but maximum was 30 minutes. </p>
<p>D emailed me our little routine from the weekend, so I’m going to try to do that again today. I have to say I enjoyed it more than the one “my” trainer gave me. Circuit 1 - Frog squat w/medicine ball, squat to press, plio lunges. Circuit 2 - chest fly, bent over row, “tiny torture” ( 3 different exercises - row 2 lb dumbbells straight forward, straight to the sides and then up from the shoulders). Circuit 3- half bosu side knee-ins, half bosu burpees and planks. Repeat 2 -3 times. 20 reps of each exercise. </p>
<p>I’m trying to get into my training routine that calls for running on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Will force myself to do strength on Tuesday and Friday. Rest on Sunday. </p>
MomWC, that’s terrible…hope they nab the suspect. Deb 922, you are a lucky girl to see bell ;)</p>
So I should stop talking and start walking if I want to have time for a swim!</p>
I just can’t be strong when they’re here! At least now it’s so hot and muggy that I don’t have much appetite.</p>