The Raven's Roost

That's one of the flyovers from yesterday. They don't look quite as impressive from the top of the tower as I thought they would but there it is!

We had even more "fun" last night. I'm used to Camp Blanding having night maneuvers, I mean, it is a training facility so you expect some levels of noise and activity. The helicopters woke me up last night around 10:30, and then there was a lot of gun fire, none of which was unusual. Just annoying. Then there was ... four or five times, this sound. This sort of reverberating, deep, incredibly loud metallic sound, like the long mountain horns Tibetan monks play, but louder and deeper. This isn't the first time I've heard it, but I still haven't found out what it is. And whatever it is, they don't do it very often. Finally, by eleven they were done.

I've been enjoying outdoor runs lately while the weather is good. Yesterday was pretty cold (for here) but I reminded myself I'll be dreaming about runs like this in six months when the heat index says it feels like the surface of the sun. But today it looks like I'm supposed to run hills, and since we don't really have any of those, I'll be running on the treadmill. I can make my own hills. I've also started to get more consistent with my strength training, mainly by telling Fox when I want to do it, so then I feel more compelled to, even when I really want to slack off. And it's starting to pay off, as I knew it would. My scale weight's going up, but I'm not seeing much change in how my clothes fit, and lifting is getting a little easier, so I'm happy. I still can't do a chin up, but I can do more inverted rows now. I'll get to chin ups eventually.

I'm also going to revisit making deep dish pizza tonight. I'm getting pretty good at regular flat pizzas using our pizza steel but a change now and then is good.

Yesterday's birthday celebration was low-key and enjoyable. I made a lemon cake with matcha frosting and it turned out very good. The citrus and green tea is a great combo, I guess that's not really surprising though. The cake portion baked up nicely, though it took a good ten minutes longer in the oven to actually set that the recipe called for, so I am considering picking up an oven thermometer so I can keep an eye on the heating. Fox and I also picked up "Stranger Things," which we didn't see when it came out because we didn't have Netflix. We're really enjoying it so far, even though we're only two episodes in. It's hitting all the paranormal and horror spots I want in a series.

This morning a small, angry cloud passed over us. At around 5 a.m. it suddenly started pouring rain - judging from the sound it might have hit a rainfall rate of two inches per hour. It didn't rain for an entire hour, though. After about twenty minutes it stopped as suddenly as it had started. I looked at the radar when I got up and in the entire northeastern Florida region that was covered, there was one tiny blob of yellow and red, and it went right over our house.

Today I start half marathon training. My 'official' race is cancelled (grumble) but I plan to get out that Sunday and run 13.1 miles anyway, under as close to racing conditions as possible. So the plan is to hit the road at first light. My usual water stop is closed because someone bought the property, but if things are quiet out there Saturday evening, I may still leave a drop bag at the telephone utility boxes. These people may turn out to be exceptions, but no one out here has objected to my stashing water bottles along my running route. And this is all contingent upon weather - if the weather doesn't permit, I'll be doing this on the treadmill.

The goal is to get as close to a two-hour half as possible. Even though some race conditions can't be replicated, like the choke points that make walking necessary, I am still going to consider this a PR if I make it. I mean, in part I feel like it's a bit unfair - like when they were running the sub-two marathon and Mo had pacers, and that car with a laser guide, and all that jazz. Without knots of people slowing you down, you can always race faster. But I also feel like if I do it under my own power it should count. Plus, having this as a goal motivates me to actually get my workouts done. This past couple of weeks it's been hard to convince myself to go run or do much of anything fitness-wise. Why bother, my races are all canceled. So the Keystone Heights Raven Run Half Marathon is something to work towards that should keep my interest and fitness up over the next couple of months, then it's a smooth transition into finishing up 50k training for the Hellcat, which is still planned to be "on" for January.

Today's run is a basic 3 miler, nothing fancy. Since I farted off all week I might as well start at the very beginning. I'm also going to remember to keep an eye on my heart rate, since I have noticed when I make a point of training in Zone 2 like so many coaches and runners recommend, I actually do seem to be capable of racing faster. I'm ball-parking this since I have a Fitbit rather than a full-blown chest strap heart monitor but I think it'll be good enough. I'm not an elite by any means, but I am the most elite female endurance runner in my household.

Nana-cat is the most elite female sprinter. Her little ass is fast. Especially after her morning constitutional when she goes zooming around the house like, "YAY I POOPED"

Recycling pickup should resume tomorrow, and I'm thinking about a trip to Jax Oriental Market. I need to top off some of my pantry staples, and moon cakes should be on sale. I think the actual festival is today but that isn't going to stop me from acquiring some delicious pastries.

I'm signed up for a Spartan Race. Heaven help me.

And since it's not enough for me to do dumb things on my own, I signed Fox up, too. They were having a VD Day sale - two registrations for the price of one. Just registrations, mind you, not all the other fees. Spartans are expensive! :O

I spent this morning putting my various training plans in order, so I should be ready by May 2. The reason Fox was questioning me about this yesterday was when he looked at the website, he thought I was signing up for a different Spartan event that is on February 22. But he agrees that if I stick to my plan I'll be prepared for May.

The training plan calls for making a 15 to 25 pound sandbag, but considering I haul around 35-pound buckets of cat litter, 5-gallon water jugs, and firewood logs of various weights and sizes, I think I'll have plenty of heavy objects to lift, carry, and put down. Worst case, I put a bunch of books in a grocery bag. I have a 15-pound cat but he gets cranky when I bench press him.

 Yesterday, Fox and I headed out and bought a weight bench. This sounds random but we have been discussing replacing our old cheapy Walmart weight bench for a while, and I have been wanting to work on my body fat to muscle ratio, which requires strength training beyond my couple of sets of dumbells. This thing is a home weight machine, so think of the consumer version of one of those things in a hotel gym. You remove these pins, put this here, and it does leg exercises. Move this thing over here and you can do upper body, back, and ab stuff. We finally got it assembled, five thousand pulleys and all, last night late, and today I tried my first workout with it and have a nice case of "noodle arms," LOL. I don't want to be "lean, toned, and sexy," I want to crush a man's skull with my bare hands and strike terror into the heart of my enemies. You can't buy that at Planet Fitness! :D

I made another batch of garlic bagels today and I am much close to having my technique down. These LOOK like bagels - Fox even said they look like bakery bagels. They're round, golden, and they make a nice hollow sound when you tap them. The insides are sort of chewy - could be chewier but they taste good. I am pleased. I slathered some Kite Hill cream cheese on one that was still so warm it was hard to handle and it was delightful.

I figured out what part of my MOOD is - I'm tapering. The races are in less than two weeks, and tomorrow's my last long run. During the week I do a couple of three and five mile runs and that's it. So being aware that is happening, I'm trying to make a point of getting a yoga session in every afternoon to keep my Zen, and keep my IT bands happy. My hips will start screaming at me if I don't at least do the physical yoga postures regularly. I moved my yoga space to the rec room where there's not only plenty of space, but there's a free blank wall I can use to work on my headstands and shit when we get back from Disney. 

And since I don't really do New Year's Resolutions or do any partying, I've got nothing planned for the upcoming holiday except maybe DMing a game online and getting some wine. (Rollllllll for initiative!) I DO try to set some intentions, or goals, or what have you for the coming year. I identify areas I want to focus on, and if a concrete goal arises out of those then that gives me a way to narrow down my focus. For example, in 2017 I said I wanted to run more, and get better at running longer distances. Then I found that at RunDisney in 2018 they were having the marathon's 25th year, and the Dopey Challenge's 5th. I didn't feel in any way shape or fashion ready for it when I signed up in April but I trained, and I did it. 

What am I focusing on for 2019? In general terms, minimizing, decluttering, and a general embrace of "slower living." I am also going to put pen to tablet and start putting my webcomic out - I've spent too much time collecting underpants and it's just time to get started. I may even just sit down and lay out some pages tomorrow because why not. That's it for me, I like to keep it simple.