Beverly says... Back in the saddle again, again...?

Okay, so Julie is off starting a new career so clearly I should at least show a little life on the site to make up for her brief absence. This summer, and I use this term loosely, has been a struggle. June in Boston has gone on record as one of the top 4 worst summers since 1904. What does that mean? Well until the second week of July the average temperature around here was around the lower 60s and it rained. Like it rained every day. I know, cry me a river but it was gloomy. Now it is hot and muggy and I have used up my allowance of complaints. The hot weather has jump started my efforts. It is funny (not really) but agreeing to do this half-marathon kind of stopped me in my tracks on fitness. My Mom (hi Mama) says it is the way I am. I guess when things are my idea and on my terms I am fine but throw in a little control and a deadline and I fall to pieces. I have been doing better in July and now August. When you don't use the fitness you have acquired it goes away rapidly. I have been regularly exercising now for three weeks and I am just now starting to feel like I am getting some strength back. Last week I went up a 100 stairs cold. This is only 8-10 flights of stairs. Back in March I could do several hundred stairs. My legs were sore for days, like four days from these stupid stairs. Why did I stop climbing stairs?


Anyway the point is I am trying again. There isn't a lot of time left before the half-marathon. 27-28 weeks, whoa, I just looked at the calendar. Panic attack. My goal is still a 5K in October. But the big question is can I go from 5K to 13 miles in 3-4 months. I think we all know the answer. I will cross that finish line in February, I just may be crossing it on my hands and knees.

Now for the mp3 shuffle list. (See Julie's last post.) This little exercise proves to me that perhaps I should edit my music. I used the iTunes I listen to at work and not my entire library. Okay here goes but I don't think it is a true sampling of my taste in music although it is about half right:

Fall Line - Michael Houser (Door Harp makes an excellent baby gift!)
Indoor Fireworks - Elvis Costello
Daddy Go Down - David Byrne
Road Trippin' - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Thank you too! - My Morning Jacket (excellent song)
Wave - Alejandro Escovedo
Endgame - R.E.M.
Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
Mr. November - The National
Hard Women Blues - Paul Burch
Back to the Earth - Rusted Root
Big Backyard - Soulhat
Jewel of the Summertime - Audioslave
Mothers of the Disappeared - U2
Parking Lot Song - The Hackensaw Boys
Resignation Superman - Big Head Todd and the Monsters
London Calling - The Clash (favorite record cover art of all time)
Low - Cracker
Don't Let Me Down - 311
Heard Them Stirring - Fleet Foxes