The Foundations of Stone

Stodgy Legs Elf and Bucket Belly Elf had trained together and were enjoying life. Then they had a brilliant idea. What if they were to face a bigger challenge than the 26.2 mile Portland Marathon? What if they were to fly on the backs of dragons to the famed stone wall of Hadrian and march on their tiny elf feet over the 84 mile path which ran most of it's length?

Bucket and Stodgy decided to consider this option. "Scotland is a lovely place to visit", they thought. Dragon flight masters are charging less than usual right now. Hmmmm.

Stodgy Legs: Resting

Stodgy Legs Elf had been overwhelmed with stress-noogles and still recovering from buzzy-glucks and green dragon illness, but the equinox brought with it a week of rest and finally Stodgy felt some renewal.

"I have enjoyed spending time with the creatures I love", thought Stodgy Legs Elf. "I haven't visited the Forest of Training as often as usual, and I still have some buzzy-glucks in my head, but I think I am ready to train with Ork and Faerie again."

Stodgy needed to expand her running time to match Bucket Belly Elf's fast legs. "His legs are so much swifter than mine when he runs". She pondered his legs. Stodgy liked pondering over Bucket's legs. He had fine, muscular legs. "Hmmmm." thought Stodgy Legs Elf.

Stodgy could walk fast, but she could not run very fast. "I will increase my running time slowly" thought Stodgy. "This week I will double the length of my short runs and I will try to maintain my pace."



Art: http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2100000/Resting-with-a-Friend-fantasy-2185402-700-560.jpg

Speak Friend And Enter

Stodgy Legs Elf was overjoyed. She had a new friend and partner who was going to train with her and run the Portland Marathon in October! Not only was he a good friend and training partner, but the man who called himself Bucket Belly Elf was her lover and life partner as well. Now she and her husband were training together once a week.

"It makes me feel like I'm not alone", thought Stodgy Legs Elf. Bucket Belly Elf was in much better shape when he ran, but Stodgy Legs could hold her own at speed-walking. They decided to do a walk-run pattern rather than just run. "That way we will not hurt our old knees, hips, and backs" decided Stodgy and Bucket.

On Saturday Stodgy and Bucket did their first training together. They started easy and slow and did a 10k outside on the mountain trail. There were many elves and dwarves and centaurs and other creatures on foot and on two-wheeled contraptions zooming back and forth in the mountains. It was a warm and sunny day with no frozen lace in the air. Stodgy and Bucket were happy to be training together, but very sore when it was over.
Artwork: http://www.epilogue.net

Sad Elf Wakes Up

Stodgy Legs Elf had been in a very dark and sad place for three weeks. She had tried to run, but being sick and running do not pair well. Now Stodgy Legs was finally feeling almost like herself again. She still had many heavy gargoyles of stress clinging to her limbs, but at least most of the buzzy-glucks had left her head, and all of the gooey-mooks had left her tummy.

"I feel like I have wakened from a dream", thought Stodgy Legs Elf. "I will rise up and become an elf who is trying to run again."

Stodgy was ready to return to the Forest of Training and confront Orc.

Feeling Blue

Ever since three dozen buzzy-glucks had crawled into her ears and nose and given her the green dragon illness, Stodgy Legs Elf had been feeling a little blue as well as green. She had missed almost an entire week of visiting the Forest of Training, and this past week she had only allowed Orc to chase her for five minutes at a time with a walking rest in between. "Will I ever get rid of these pesky buzzy-glucks?" wondered Stodgy Legs.

Looking down at her stodgy legs and stodgy arms and stodgy belly, Stodgy Legs Elf felt very, very blue. Many weeks had gone by, yet not a single measure of flesh had been lifted from any of her stodgy parts. "How can I run and run and avoid eating sweet figs and still have so many measures of flesh?" she complained.

There was no doubt about it. Stodgy needed a change in color.

At the Green Dragon

Stodgy Legs Elf was green. She was very green around the gills today. "I have been struck by the Green Dragon illness" thought Stodgy Legs. She did not want to rise up from her soft feathery bed, let alone run in the Forest of Training from Orc.

"One of the discouraging moments in training is when an illness sets you back weeks" moaned Stodgy Legs. She was trying very hard not to feel depressed.


Artwork: freakygaming.com

The Old Forest

Stodgy Legs Elf was in an old forest, feeling old. Every time she tried to run from Orc for more than one mile she would get a pounding headache. Her Elvish heart would beat as if it were trying to fly out of her chest. "I will have to revise my goals and plans" thought Stodgy Legs. Her lips felt like quivering, but she held them firm. Stodgy looked down at her legs. "Why can't you be willowy and fleet?" she asked them.

The best plans are the plans that can be followed. Stodgy Legs knew this. "I must not be too idealistic" she thought. "I must embrace my limitations and love my stodgy legs." So she made the following revision to her plan:

"I cannot run more than one mile at a time. Therefore I will place strategic faerie protection more frequently here and there and I will increase my time with more faerie walking." Stodgy Legs Elf told her blog.

Week Six
M- 5 min walk, 8 min Orc, 3 min Faerie, 5 min Orc, 3 min Faerie, 3 min Orc, 5 min Faerie
W- 5 min walk, 10 min Orc, 3 min Faerie, 5 min Orc, 5 min Faerie, 3 min Orc, 5 min Faerie
F- 10 min Orc, 3 min Faerie, 10 min Orc, 8 min Faerie
TTh - 45 mins weight training
SSu - Yoga

Week Seven
MWF - 5 min walk, 10 min Orc, 3 min Faerie, 10 min Orc, 3 min Faerie, 10 min Orc
TTh - 45 mins weight training
SSu - Yoga

Week Eight
MWF- 5 min walk, 10 min Orc, 2 min Faerie, 10 min Orc, 2 min Faerie, 10 min Orc
TTh - 45 mins weight training
SSu - Yoga

Week Nine
MWF- 5 min walk, 10 min Orc, 1 min Faerie, 10 min Orc, 1 min Faerie, 10 min Orc
TTh - 45 mins weight training
SSu - Yoga