If you decide to learn how to knit, you will suddenly run into a gaggle of fiber enthusiasts.
If you give up meat, 25 vegetarians will squash their way into your circle.
If your “thing” includes dressing up in a college mascot uniform and making out with other people wearing big furry suits, well, there’s a tribe out there waiting for you!
I know I’m not telling you anything new when I mention that the world is a big place, yet it’s also wonderfully (and sometimes alarmingly) small.
This morning I had my annual physical exam. I fasted for 14 hours before the exam. (I slept for 7 of those 14 hours, so I realize that I sound sort of ridiculous when confessing that the fast was tricky.)
This was the trickiest part of the fast:
Me: AUGH! I can’t eat!
Jeff: What’s wrong? Do you want a bowl of Blueberry Morning?
Me: I’M FASTING AND YES I WOULD LOVE A BOWL OF BLUEBERRY MORNING!!! INTENTIONAL DRAMATIC ARM FLOURISH!!!
During the appointment, my doctor asked what I do for exercise, and for the first time EVER, I didn’t have to lie and tell him that I’m thinking about signing up for some sort of class at the J.
Me: I’ve been running two or three times each week!
Doctor: Excellent.
Come to find out, he’s a runner, too. (Not a knitter. Not a vegetarian. Not a furry make-out weirdo.) ((Wait. I’m not a furry make-out weirdo, either. Sometimes I just type and type and the next thing I know? I’m no longer representing myself very well.)) (((My doctor just might be a knitter, a vegetarian, and/or a furry make-out weirdo. We did not cover those things during my appointment. There’s never enough time to touch on all topics when you’re having your blood pressure taken (106/60!) and your heart rate checked (60!)))) I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me that a doctor runs. Practicing what you preach and all that. (Wait. Did you notice that I sort of referred to myself as a runner at the beginning of this paragraph? My next run is my “graduation” run, during which I’ll run for 30 minutes without stopping.)
Anyway, we talked about the minimalist running movement and how it’s okay to sit in the middle of the spectrum between running barefoot and running in ridiculously supportive shoes. (He likened it all to politics, and I cringed, and suddenly my blood pressure shot up and I started bleeding out of my ears because I’m really getting nervous about this election, People. (By the way, thanks for your comments yesterday. If you didn’t comment? Please do. I’m loving the comments. Wait. Let me type the word comment one more time. Comment.))
To improve my crazy town sleep issues, which I haven’t really discussed here because I bore you enough with the headache thing, he told me that I need to get between three and five hours of exercise each week. (I’m about 2/3 of the way to three hours.)
To reduce my risk of running injuries, he told me that I should try to increase my steps per minute, which will force a shorter stride and will eliminate the jarring that occurs when one strikes with the heel.
He keeps his stride at 80 steps per minute.
I asked how he keeps track of this.
He said that he counts his steps for 15 seconds, multiplies it by four, and then maintains the pace.
I told him that I’m very slow and inconsistent, but that I was interested in this idea. I then pictured myself running with a metronome attached to the top of my head.
(I often picture myself running with only one leg and a bunch of half-fingers.)
Luckily, I remembered that my-mia-mie suggested Cadence many moons ago. This will save me a trip to the hardware store. Thank you once again, my-mia-mie!
This has nothing to do with anything, but look what I found today:
I can’t remember the last time we had alcohol in the house.
We currently have alcohol in the house.
Honeycrisp alcohol. ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
you know you can download songs based on beats per minutes? this helps with speed, but also with stride. I know this from the tribe-member *I* know, my chiro. who I seriously hope is not a furry. I don’t care if he’s a vegetarian knitter, but I can’t let him crack my neck if he’s a furry.
There are also apps that click out loud like a metronome.
I-Tunes will let you sort your music by beats-per-minute.
I LURVE Honeycrisp apples. Am paying $3/lb because I love them so much and will eat many every day until the store doesn’t have them anymore. And then I will be sad, but will have more money ($15/week for apples but I don’t care! It’s October!). Good thing I don’t drink alcohol or that beverage there would probably be my downfall.
You are a paragon of healthy living, FP! A few bottles of honey crisp alcohol isn’t likely to do you in. Congrats on the great check up!
MUST HAVE HONEYCRISP CIDER!
The only thing that would make that picture any better would be if you were toting a French horn in your right hand and wearing hand knitted socks!
Can you imagine if they started making SweeTango hard cider? Head explodes!
My BIL just posted this on Facebook and it made me think of you. In fact they use the phrase “You don’t need to run with a metronome”. :-) http://gizmodo.com/5906815/the-most-mathematically-perfect-playlist-for-running
THAT CIDER. I blame that cider for my current pants problem. (The pants are too snug because the cider is too good. Also I have poor impulse control. CIDERRRRYAYAYAAAAY.)