(no subject)

[vicarz]

It's not me...it's me. There is no boxy-boxy today, so I went running to avenge my death. Well, perhaps death is overstating it, but it really hurt my feelings not to be able to finish my course just because it was like 95 deg and humid. I was going to do heavy weights today, but when I saw the weather and noted today would be the coolest day in many, I decided to go ahead and run. I toasted, drank, stretched, and returned to my 5 mile course. I nailed it...I started fast for about 2 miles, slowed a bit - but never, ever, came to a point where stopping was imminent. Oddly, I didn't really sweat much and my mouth did seem dry - so that wasn't just the heat that day...but without the heat I did the same course with no problem. I mean I didn't go fast, only about 5 miles at 10-12 minutes per mile if that, but I made it without stopping. I are pleased.

I don't wear, or own, an ipod. I run without music, though I often "play" a song in my head (other times I compose motions or LJ posts). Today's inspirational hymn was noting that after last time I failed, that today nothing was going to break my stride. No body was going to slow me down, oh no, I had to keep moving.

I'm never going hiking again. Hiking is stupid. I left my house and there were people parking here to walk around. I passed the memorial, where runners were parking and stretching. I crossed the bridge and ran into more hikers and bikers, then when I finished the island part of my run passed a metric ton of people parking and setting up their workouts by Roosevelt. Winding up at the edge of Rosslyn I think I passed a marathon training crew - over 100 people who were no professional runners out running. People come to where I live to work out - and I live here. Why would I leave to work out?

Ok the answer is cute girls. I would go hiking for cute girls; but, there are cute girls galore here so no need to travel and waste fossil fuels.

Comments

[pictsy.livejournal.com]

Hiking is so contrived. It's an industry. What ever happened to just taking a walk in the woods?

[vicar.livejournal.com]

The "gear" is an industry, but the trails are remarkably not-well-traveled. I've been hiking for years with my ghetto associates, and we always blow by the people who have $ hundreds/thousands in "hiking gear." I will say you can get a workout hiking, but you have to try to do it. I'm afraid I've really gotten into the "payoff" mentality, where I expect to get tired and work hard to do it. Strolling is nice, but I think the part of me that likes to do that would rather sit in murky coffee and gab with friend(s).

[kelowna.livejournal.com]

my ghetto associates

w00t!

hook a sistah up!

All of a sudden I recall the little blonde girl at the strip club that I introduced you. The one who had no problem calling me a "niggah".

--kelowna

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I do remember her...you had a hoot with that for at least a week. Funny what people do to try and fit in.

You know, we could really get down this DC sidewalk faster if only we had some $150 ski poles...

[kelowna.livejournal.com]

She was pretty damn funny. I needed funny there. To combat the insanity. Tho, what I would give for that insanity - it made me feel sane. Comparatively, here, I _am_ the weird one because everyone else is so good at hiding their wacky nuances beneath a corporate shield.

I think I picked up a stick and used it once in a while -- to poke at shit.

--kelowna

[cweaselle.livejournal.com]

I sure wish I could run or at least walk without the cane. It's been extra hot here so I've been trying to stay in the air conditioner because I still have the hard time telling if it's hot or cold.

[samaritan1975.livejournal.com]

Buddy of mine and I keep talking about going for a hike- talking several, several miles. Maybe an overnight thing, tents and equipment on our backs. Pull the whole Grizzly Adams motif off. Dunno if there's anywhere around here to do that, though, since I've never really hiked (well, with the Marines, okay, but that doesn't really count. I mean something of my own accord, you know?).

Plus, I see the same thing you talk about- the excessively overpriced gear people buy to show off on the trail. I see it on the running trail. Your $400 track suit isn't going to make you magically faster, nor lose weight.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Ha! Well if you don't mind driving 90 minutes there are lots of places to hike. Some great sites that make it easy to check around:
http://www.hikingupward.com/maps/nova_map.shtml
http://www.midatlantichikes.com/

I think every fit person who sees the lazy but uber equipped weekend warrior (one weekend a season) has the same reaction on some level. It's just so...USian...to buy a bunch of crap while missing the point.

[samaritan1975.livejournal.com]

Or, more accurately (IMHO)- getting the *wrong* point. Impressing someone else with the shiny exterior, and having nothing under the hood, if you'll excuse an automotive metaphor. ;)

Thanks for the links, will definitely have to check them out! My friend had suggested Luray, but I'm not sure what the lay of the land is like out thataway (other than having visited the caverns proper).