Before coming here, I was worried about staying fit with all the food I had heard so much about plus no need to run up and down a hill or stairs. The truth is, we only had our first burger last week, a very yummy one, I might add, but besides that, I do not think I have ever eaten more healthily. One of the reasons for it is our now open two-storey supermarket across the park. As a passing customer very accurately put it - it`s like Whole Foods on crack. This means that while Whole Foods is the most famous and glamourous supermarket fully specialized in organic products, our Marianos just offers everything there is to offer period, including the whole range of Lindt and Karlfazer chocolate but also spinach in circa fifteen different variations.
The other reason for healthy living is sports that I now practice religiously. I used to think of myself as a workaholic. This has now completely turned around, but it turns out, I can be compulsive (or sometimes exaggerative) doing just about anything. It is easy, too, because everyone is running in Chicago - on Saturdays, when the traffic on Lakeside is heavier than on the Lakeshore Drive one might think only the minority does not. Also, the trails start in front of our house and if there is still some motivation needed, the Runners World website sends me a daily kick in the butt that says something like Every time I go out there I win. How can you not run after that.
Four weeks ago, I enrolled to my first 5K - a three mile run called Carrera de los Muertos (Race of the Dead) that takes place two days before my birthday, aka the Halloween, hence the name. I train five to six times a week and last Monday, the watch that monitors my heart beats actually let me run for the first time. So I could start increasing the mileage and might just not die at the race after all.
Of course by yesterday after a three miles run and the same distance walk back my knee started to hurt. The Runners World tells me its common for beginner runners to exaggerate with mileage and as a result suffer from an inflamed knee. So today I am keeping an ice bag on it and tomorrow is run free.

The running trails start in front of our house...

Those birds (geese, or maybe just huge ducks) also think they have a right to the paths and sometimes, runners clash into them. I am not sure which party wins.
Got to share today`s kick in the butt:
AntwortenLöschen"I've got more confidence. My figure is better. I'm more athletic and fit. My lungs are clear. My hair looks shiny. I'm proud of myself. Running has completely changed my life."
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York