I'M BACK!!!

I have finally reached a place where I think my foot has recovered to the point that it can handle some mileage. I've been going out for occasional walks on the street, four or five miles at a time, and my foot seems to be able to take the activity. No returning pain from the plantar fasciitis. I am hopeful that I've healed and I am ready to resume my Three In Three Challenge.

However, I will need to reset my goal. When I originally set my goal, it would have been this month that I ran my first ultramarathon. But that's not going to happen. The concept of the original goal still applies (to get into shape), but the timing is pushed out because of my plantar fasciitis injury well over a year ago.

So at this point, I am not going to set a training plan, I am not going to start measuring every mile and reporting every pound like I did last time--at least not at this point. Instead, right now, I am just going to focus on getting back into a routine and slowly building up my base. I am not going to try to break any land speed records but instead just get out there each day and put in some easy miles. Will probably jog a little and walk a little at the start. It's more important right now to get back into the routine.

Please cheer me on!

Waiting

I haven't posted in a while. Why? Because I haven't had much to say. I am in a waiting mode. Each time I try to run my plantar fasciitis flairs up. So I decided to just stop running.

Its been about six weeks since I ran the trail. I miss it. But I think waiting is the best thing for my recovery. It's been about 10 months since my original injury. I've gone through numerous cycles of recovery and reinjury. And I think because I've tried to get back to running sooner I've just prolonged the recovery process.

So, I am going to continue to wait. Probably for another couple of months. Then, maybe, I'll be ready to start again.

Patience, patience patience.

Thank You DORBA!

I have been running a new portion of the Northshore trail. The new section was recently cut by DORBA with volunteers from some of the local running and riding clubs. Work like this makes Northshore such a special place.

Thank you to all who help make this a reality.

Some pics from the new trail.

SNAKE!!!

I am no snake expert, but I think I came across my first copperhead on the trail this year. I can say it startled me big time, just about had a heart attack!

I basically stood there for about a minute and waited for the snake to slither its way into the woods. I thought about trying to go around it but that would mean I would need to go off the trail I was convinced there were other snakes waiting for me! So I just waited, patiently.

Call me a wuss--but one of my trail running rules is... don't play with the snakes!

Inspiring Marathon Story

Have you ever thought about running a marathon? Yea, no problem.

How about a muddy, dirty, trail marathon? Yea, piece of cake.

How about a muddy, dirty, trail marathon WITH your spouse and five kids? WHAT! Are you NUTS??

That's right. Last weekend the Barron family (all seven of them) completed the Grasslands Trail Run, 26.2 miles of mud, dirt, sweat, and probably some tears.

If they can do it, you can too!

Watch this...

Discipline

I am finally over my little pity party and I am back to training. I went to the grocery store this morning and stocked up on fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, basically what I was eating while I was on the Paleo Diet for Athletes. And I went out for a short trail run this morning, more of a jog actually, just to get things moving again. I will start working on building my foundation next week. It's all about getting back into the habit. It's about discipline. 

For those that know the Northshore Trail, following is a picture from the crossing near the concrete bridge. Usually you can step on a couple of rocks to cross this creak. But today I but it was knee high, the result of some heavy rains over the last week or so. 

Excuses, excuses

That is all I really have... excuses, excuses. I would like to think of them as reasons... reasons why I haven't been blogging regularly, reasons I haven't been running regularly, reasons I haven't been eating properly, reasons, reasons. But if I am being honest, they are only excuses.

Why is it much easier to be undisciplined? Why does crap food taste better than good food? Why does it feel better to rest than to exercise? Does it ever get to the point where it is easier to make the right decisions? Does it every become natural to want to eat well and run for mile after mile? Or am I doomed to a never ending cycle of good days and bad. Of good months and bad. Of good years and bad.

I don't know of an easy solution. I just know that I am happier when I know I am making good decisions. So why do I do these destructive things to myself? Why do I make these bad decisions? It is my undisciplined self winning over me. It is my undisciplined self that is making me do the things I do not want to do.

So I can either let my undisciplined self continue to rule over me or I can take a stand, slay the monster and get back on my course. I realize the choice is solely mine, I just need to make the decision who I want to be--the default undisciplined self or the self that rises above, to accomplish that which is beyond my normal reach.

The only thing achieved in life without effort is failure.

I will shut up now and go for a run.

Excuse The Mess!

It's been over a year since I've worked on my blog. Time to get it back up and running! Please excuse the mess while I go through posts and update URL's. If you've come to this page in error, click here to go back to the main page.

Fat Ass 50K Training Plan

After six months of recovery from plantar fasciitis. I am finally healed and have decided to resume training for my first 50K trail event. I am calling this an "event" instead of a "race" for two reasons. First, this will be a fat ass (self supported) birthday run at my favorite trail, Northshore Trail, not a formal race. And second, at the speed I run, you can't really call it racing!!!

I've developed a 28 week plan starting today. I adapted this plan from the Ultraladies 50K plan. Why 28 weeks? Well, because that is the amount of time between now and my birthday! Not so complicated. I am following a similar plan as the one that I developed last time around. I plan to keep Monday and Friday as rest days, but I might incorporate a little strength training on those days as long as I do not feel tired.

Beating Cancer through Exercise

By Liz Davies

The benefits of exercise on physical and mental well-being have been extensively studied in clinical trials. Regular exercise has been shown to promote maintenance of healthy weight, prevent loss of bone mineral density, reduce the risk of diabetes and hypertension, and improve psychological health.

In individuals at risk for cancer development or with an existing cancer diagnosis, however, the positive effects of regular exercise are even more far-reaching. Exercise has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancers, such as colorectal, breast, endometrial, and mesothelioma.

The mechanisms by which exercise reduces cancer incidence remain unclear. One theory is that regular exercise reduces the production of inflammatory proteins thought to be central in the development of certain types of cancer. In the case of breast cancer, exercise is thought to affect hormonal balance in a way that deters tumor formation. In preventing colon cancer, regular exercise is thought to promote bowel motility, consequently reducing the amount of time the bowel is exposed to potentially carcinogenic substances.

Week R1--Weight A Minute

I'll admit it. I haven't been keeping track of my weight nor paying any attention to what I have been eating over the last few months. I was blaming it on my foot injury--you know, can't run so might as well eat! But when I stepped on the scale this morning I was shocked to see that I had gained 15 pounds from the last time I posted a weight goal update. I'm a little ashamed.

Since it is a new year and I am ready to start my training again, I am going to get refocused on my weight loss goal.