eat light:

i ran 3 miles this morning. i didn't end up running the planned 4 miler on sunday, and also didn't run yesterday, so i'm only at 3 for the week. i didn't sleep well over the weekend, so i decided to take it easy. today's run felt wonderful. i'm probably going to do the 4 miler tomorrow instead, then 3 again on thursday.

unfortunately my heart is still acting up. running seems to help, plus i've cut way back on both stress and caffeine--i actually haven't had any caffeine at all for about 2 weeks, except what occurs incidentally in foods like...girl scouts thin mints cookies, to take a wildly hypothetical example. ;-) but it still has these periods when it can't seem to find the right rhythm. it's worst in the morning when i'm waking up, or if anything startles me or makes me feel nervous or worried during the day. yesterday evening i noticed it a lot while i was just sitting and reading, though. it would be fine for a few minutes, then act up for a couple of minutes, etc. (it's not surprising that i would notice the arhythmia more when i'm sitting quietly, but it still freaks me out.) i finished the 2-week course of tranks on friday, but the doc wrote the prescription for 1 refill in case i wanted it. maybe i should take it for another couple of weeks. i normally don't like taking drugs, but this one doesn't seem to give me any weird side effects, and it's a really low dose, so maybe it wouldn't hurt.

ran 3 this morning, so i'm at 5.5 for the week already, and it's only monday. today's run was lovely. i hit just the right pace for my mood and fitness level, so it felt like i could run forever. afterward, while i was still outside cooling down and stretching, the fog condensed on my eyelashes. it could feel it, cool and moist on my cheeks, whenever i blinked.

i've been doing the back exercises i got from the PT several years ago, too. they are very helpful.

( back exercise descriptions behind cut )

now i'm having breakfast. yogurt with a sliced banana and a little honey, if you're curious. also grapefruit juice and coffee. i love how food tastes after a run. the only time/place it tastes better is on top of a mountain i've just spent several hours climbing.

hmm. i think i just made a belated new year's resolution: this year i will hike more. over the past 3 years, transportation has been the main issue keeping me out of the woods (that's when i sold my car--december 2003), so i guess my corollary resolution is to figure out how to get myself to the hiking places more often.

ran 2 this morning. i somehow managed to hit just the right pace, so it felt great. that puts me at 4 for the week.