I’ve Still Got It

Yesterday was the day I was to have checked into a hotel in Redondo Beach, so I could participate in this morning’s 5K.

After testing my walking legs out at the mall a few weeks back, realizing they were in poor shape from having not trained in over a year, not to mention not wanting to deal with the hassle of traveling, I cancelled the hotel.

I was prepared to eat the 5K registration fee, but then thought to email the organizer to see if the registration could be converted to virtual.

"No problem at all", was the reply but that "It may take a few days after the race to ship your items".

"Items" would be my Bib Number, so I can log in my results, and whatever else is included in the swag bag.

Waking up this morning to feeling a long walk was just what I needed to clear my head of stuff that’s been bugging me, I suited up and headed out to start training.

Thinking the University might now be open to walkers, I headed there first, with a plan to head for the mall if the University's parking lot area was still blocked off.

The area was open.

Two security cars were parked where they’d be highly visible, but none of the occupants bothered me, and there were others walking about.

The first 0.45 miles was a struggle, but then, as being out in the sunshine began to feel good, my legs warmed up, what fresh air I could get through my mask kicked in, and I got lost in the music playing on the iPod. The struggle passed, I was in the flow and, before I knew it, I completed the entire 3.13 miles.

I’ve still got it.

Had not my Runkeeper App failed to accurately record my time and miles, beyond 3.0, I could have counted the 5K done and, when my Bib arrived, submitted my results.

However, since it did fail, I’ll have to redo the walk when the items arrive. But that’s not a problem, because the weather is back to walking weather AND, when I saw how many steps my fitness tracker had logged in, how many calories it indicated I’d burned, I’m ready to make this an every Saturday morning thing again.

Runkeeper failing is not new, so I'd better play it safe next time and see if the phone can run Map My Walk and Runkeeper simultaneously, so I can end up with the correct miles and minutes.

Other than that, nothing much going on, except my to-do list, which had been cleared, now has another visit to the medical center added to it.

When I returned from the flu clinic, there was an email from the doctor’s office that the next refill on my blood pressure medication would be withheld if I did not come in for my annual blood draw.

Seriously?

You’d subject me to a stroke?

Had I been advised blood work had been scheduled — which notification I did not receive, I could have taken care of it the day I was getting the flu shot, no need to threaten.

But whatever.

So, other than another trip to the medical center — soon, I’ve got nothing else on my to-do list. I can just coast into the 1st of Halloween (October 1), when I can put out my candy corn door mat, candy corn door wreath AND, because Activity Director is hosting a Halloween Decoration Contest, I’m going all out this year by adding candy corn lights to the balcony and a candy corn window poster.

I’m going for the look of the wicked witch’s home in Hansel and Gretel, except I’m substituting candy corn for the gingerbread, cake and pastry that covered the witch’s home— but it would be cool to recreate the gingerbread house in its entirety (if only I had the storage space).

Can’t wait to walk around, see what other residents come up with.

All are being encouraged to decorate their patios/balconies and front doors, but to keep it “family friendly”.

I guess that means no skeletons, blood, gore.

If Activity Director doesn’t get the participation she expects, and that I’m hoping for, that will just mean I win whatever the prize is hands down.