A Long Overdue Trip...to Gonzaga

I'm back in Spokane, to study and get ready for classes to resume on Monday. It was a nice week in Portland, although the weather was pretty lousy for the last few days, and only warmed up when I left.

I decided to go for a 5 mile run today to wrap up my week. I was already over my past several weeks' mileage before this run--I've been running about 12 miles a week, but by my third run this week was at 15. I've read many places that increasing your weekly mileage too soon is a mistake, but I wanted to run anyway, instead of taking the day off (which I should have done). Long story short, my legs were lead today, and I ended up doing 3.4 miles, about half of which I walked. Lesson learned, I guess. Next week I'll try for about 13 or 14 miles, and try to be more moderate in my increases. On my way back to my car, on the Centennial Trail, I was lapped by a guy who is probably 75 years old--and quite fit. I find that totally inspirational, elderly people who obviously run regularly. I only felt a little bit bad that he passed me--he's probably been running for more years than I've been alive.

We had a crazy weather day today. It started off sort of cool, but the skies cleared and it got up to about 85 by 5pm. Then around 6pm the clouds rolled in and we had a mighty thunderstorm, with lightning and everything. It was pretty cool. It lasted about half an hour, then blew away, but it was cloudy after that until nighttime.

Not much to report with weight loss. Weight hovering around the same -60 lb mark. I am having a very typical bandster problem--eating fine during the day, overeating at night. I know my calories are enough to keep me maintaining this weight, possibly indefinitely, instead of losing another 15 lbs. I don't want to address this with another fill--yet. I have more I can do on my own first. Exercise isn't the issue, I'm doing plenty there. It's clearly the "calories in" half of the equation.

One issue has been where to study. I have a hard time studying at home--too many distractions. I usually go to a bakery to study, because they are pleasant and airy and I can usually concentrate there. If I'm being "good" I go around lunch time and order something on-plan for lunch, so I've ordered something and can justify sitting there for hours. If I'm having a more indulgent moment, I have a baked item, or a coffee, or even both. Not so good for weight loss. We have a little library at the hospital, but it's sort of subterranian. I like some sunlight, as much as I can get actually. So I rarely go there to study. Today I decided to go to Gonzaga and check out the library there. Shocking, I know. It's only the second time I've been on campus, despite being a GU grad student for 5 months now. Everything we do is at Sacred Heart, so you have to have a reason to go to campus. But I decided that I should look into having that as an option for studying, so I can go somewhere that I don't have to buy food to sit and study.

The GU campus is pretty good sized. It's not as scenic as I expected, actually. The UW (main) campus is prettier, I think. But the library is huge, and looks brand new. (Apparently it was built in 1992, though.) It has lots of reading space, desks, study rooms, and everything else you'd expect in a place designed for students. I could definitely go there to study, even if it's further away than any of my other study spots. I'll still probably go to the Rockwood Bakery or the Rocket from time to time. But slowly, I'm building a list of places I can go to study, and the library is very nice. The one drawback is that it seemed pretty warm today--why isn't the AC kicking in? It might not be very pleasant in the deep of the Spokane summer, as it gets much hotter than the mere 85 degrees it was outside when I was there today.

Tomorrow, I'm planning a rest day from exercise--I might ride my bike, but nothing major. I want to go to Manito Park and take some photos--most of the gardens are blooming now. I might go to the Buddhist temple. And I will go back to the library at 1pm to study (on Sunday in the summer, only open 1pm to 5pm). Then, early to bed--I have 2 days of IVs this week, on Monday and Weds. Onward!