Running Journal 16

I missed a week, and yes, it made a difference. I did not run last weekend, and caught a cold (or something with cold-like symptoms) late Wednesday, sniffled all day Thursday, felt better on Friday, and fully recovered on Saturday. 

As we know, correlation is not causation, so I don't know for sure that I was under the weather  because of missing a workout, but it's hard to ignore the link between an interruption of my normal workouts and my immune system's reaction. If it was a "cold" virus, it was a mild one and didn't last long. If it was an allergic reaction to some unknown airborne agent, apparently I should be on guard next April when things start bursting open in the botanical kingdom.

My way of fighting back was to skip a planned night of drinking with a friend and save my strength for the World Taiji and Qigong Day gathering in Goodale Park on Saturday morning. That initially looked like a very bad idea, as Saturday started out cool and rainy, but I dressed in layers and went anyway. Almost as soon as I got there, the sun came out and things started to look better as people drifted in and things got going. As in years past, each participant led a short taiji or qigong movement, we all practiced in a circle, and everybody made a contribution.

Just getting heated up a bit felt good. I did a little yard work. Gven Golly and I went for a short bike ride. She made guacamole, and I made turkey burgers - delicious! We put in a movie that was virtually unwatchable, and I went to sleep.

Sleep is good. Sleep is my friend.

The Sunday morning gang at Java Central greeted me after my absence last Sunday, and we had a spirited discussion of something or other. You had to be there, and I was. The regulars in the balcony at Church of the Master also missed me, but they accepted the excuse that I was visiting my parents and attended Easter services there. Rev. Todd Anderson was in rare form, and once again I appreciate having had the opportunity to attend his sermons. He will be a tough act to follow, and I hope his successor in Methodistville is half the teacher Todd is.

I started a batch of bread and a new book, Not Always So, by Shunryu Suzuki, edited by Edward Espe Brown (of Tasajara Bread Book fame), and it looks promising. I weeded some more of the back yard and part of the front yard.  When the bread went in the oven, I went out for a run, and because the high school track was locked shut, I rerouted up the bike trail and across town to the Otterbein University track, took a lap and headed home in time to take the bread out of the oven.

No news is good news. Four very slow miles, pain-free, adequate stretching before and after, India Pale Ale and Cheez-its. That is all.