Carry On

Long stretch between postings...



I had an Achilles heel issue. It hasn't really gone away but, I'm dealing with it. I'm tight when I start to run & I'm sore when I stop. I'm stiff (take it easy Jenny) in the mornings. Stretching, icing, medicating all helps but, doesn't make it go away. I think back on when I first started exercising sometime in 2003 & my left heel was often tight when I would start a workout on the Nordic Track. I've decided it's not something that is going to keep me off the road. I just have to make sure my training routes give me ample time to warmup before I hit the hills.

While on vacation I bashed my left knee (the same one I injured on a trail run in April). I was hiking along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon & slipped during a sudden downpour. Kneecapped myself on the edge of some blacktop. Hurt like Hell. Thought I was going to puke. I think I went into shock from the pain a little bit, to be honest with you. I wound up with a lovely coulda-used-a-stitch-or-two gash that took about a day to stop bleeding completely. The next two days the family & I hiked about a mile & a half down into the Canyon. It was awesome. This was despite the fact it hurt to walk downstairs when I got up in the morning. It was worth the pain. This was about three weeks ago & the knee's fine now.

I'm really happy September's almost here. It's a lovely time of the year. It's cooler but, not too cool. Sunsets get earlier & earlier, which is sweet for my evening runs. I prefer to go out after the sun is completely down. I wear one of those orange reflective vests & I feel like a boob if I'm wearing in out in daylight.

Time to set some goals both long & short term.

I'm going back to Weight Watchers or at least I'm going to start counting points again. I weigh 200 lbs. That's total bullshit that I put back on almost 20 lbs in a year. It is what it is. Exercising is easy. Developing & maintaining good eating habits is very challenging. I did it before & I'll do it again.

Running. Hmmm. At this point last year I thought I would be training for a Fall marathon. Maybe the Baystate in Lowell. It's not happening this year. Instead I'll settle for maintaining a good running program with some steady weight loss. I'd like to do a half marathon this Autumn. Either a repeat of last year's Applefest or I'll run in the Baystate Half Marathon.

Long term Weight loss. Make goal. Make the smart eating habits a lifelong habit like the running has become.

Long term Running. A marathon, of course. At least one legit, Baystate next Fall or maybe something really cool like the Mount Desert Island Marathon. Not so legit, if I got myself in shape enough I will bandit Boston again. If I did it in 2008, it'll have been 25 years since my last marathon. I really don't care about the arguments about crashing Boston. Priyanka would like me to do it & that's that. What father doesn't want to impress his daughter. Besides my wife nobody else's opinions mean more to me.

{Note: the above paragraph is classic me. I have had one really good run since I was sidelined in April. A Spring marathon is a real reach. Winter training didn't work out so good for me this past winter. We'll see.}

Carry on.