New running shoes today, and new knee braces. I had put about two thousand miles on my previous ones (I am not making that number up), and they recommend you change running shoes every 300-500 miles. I was a wee bit overdue. I could feel the difference immediately, much more cushion in my heels and better arch support. I worked the same running pattern as I have the past two workouts, alternating between running and walking at regular intervals, and managed several minutes more running time than yesterday. It wasn't anywhere near easy, but I can feel the increase in stamina. I genuinely am kicking myself for not taking this approach along time ago. As for my weigh in, it was also positive. The five day moving average dropped another half pound, and the one week change is hovering right around the rate I am shooting for. Looking at that graph over on the right, I can finally see the barest tick downwards. I have a good long ways to go before it really looks like a trend, but at least I am finally back on the right track. I just need to keep at it. As for Sapphire & Steel, I started a new story today. Check it out below the fold.

Sapphire & Steel: The Railway Station, Episodes 1 & 2

New story, new location, new supporting characters. In a creepy abandoned British railway station, a ghost hunter is trying to track and contact a lingering spirit. Of course Sapphire and Steel show up, and Creepy Stuff Happens. Much like the previous story, this is all about mood and atmosphere. Although it is the dead of night in the middle of winter, parts of the station will suddenly feel like summer in the daylight and flowers will appear. Areas of darkness (not shadows, more like an actual fog of darkness) appear. Voices from the past are heard. Things to bump in the night.

Over the course of the first two episodes it becomes clear that this particular station was a departure point for soldiers during the Great War, and possibly a place to which the wounded and dying returned from the trenches. Sapphire senses a malevolence and hatred in the energy, and at one point even interacts with the apparent ghost of a fatally wounded soldier. And, I have to say, the imagery there was surprisingly bloody for a show targeted at children. I really have to give credit to the British television of the seventies, they weren't at all reluctant to properly scare the bajeezus out of their audience.  The second episode climaxes with Steel wrapped up in a vision of being a fighter pilot about to crash in his plane, and it is properly tense.

A bit of history: immediately after that episode was originally broadcast, in August of 1979, there was a strike at the television studio which led to the program being off the air for two full months. My friend Rik remembers it vividly, being left on that monumental cliffhanger and then dangling with it from the beginning of August all the way to Halloween. In fact, so much time passed that when the show came back on they re-broadcast the first two episodes again in order to get viewers back up to speed. I kind of feel like I should wait until Thanksgiving before I watch the next episodes...

But no, I will be back at it tomorrow morning. Fifty one year old me doesn't need to suffer the same protracted wait that poor nine year old Rik had to endure. Binge watching rules.

STATS:

Episode(s): Sapphire & Steel: The Railway Station, Episodes 1 & 2
Steps Walked: 7,155 today, 5,059,670 total
Distance Walked: 3.25 miles today, 2,608.21 miles total
Push-ups Completed: 0 today, 12,458 total
Sit-ups Completed: 0 today, 7,865 total
Weight: 275.20 lbs (five day moving average), net change -32.10 lbs