New Normal, New Challenges

There's some big changes afoot. I've started comment moderation until things shake out.

A couple of weeks ago, I went for a run, wheezing a bit and ran into my friend Don. We caught up a little and I was telling him about some recent difficulties I've had (remembering that this is the guy who started the FANS 24 hour run two days after having his prostate removed). "You've been my hero for 30 years," he said, "You can't quit; you've got to figure this out." He asked me about the upcoming Rocky's Run and suggested I do the Challenge Depression 1500 meter run on the 5th of December. I went to Rocky's Run and Don snuck up behind me, giving me a bear hug... which, his not knowing what was going on with me lately, nearly made me pass out in pain; I got to cheer for him out there and when he saw me near the end, put on a good show of charging for the finish line.

So I had to start thinking about running an indoor 1500. Can't disappoint the acolytes.

Unfortunately, my competitive days are truly over. There's been some rumors going around about my health and at least one of them's true. I can't run far and I can't run very fast and that's not going to change any time soon. Everyone seems to be downplaying the situation; I'm used to that, as people doubted I was running with broken bones last year and, since I was racing a few weeks after getting injured, it's just expected that I'll be back to form in no time.

I'm getting used to the new normal. I'm just going to push on as well as I can and eventually I expect others will get used to it as well.

November 1-14

Monday [37 degrees] 3.5 in 31 (last slow, with Barb)
Tuesday [51 degrees] 2 in 15:43 with 2x1000m in 4:00 - 4minR. [hit max heart rate of 184] Wheezing at 1.5 and coughing afterward so hard that I was vomiting for half an hour.
Wednesday [51 degrees, windy] 3 in 28.5 with soreness in both achilles tendons
Thursday [killing frost ends allergy season!] 0 miles. Sleepless night.
Friday [38 degrees] 3 in 26.5
Saturday [47 degrees] 4 in 34 w/ 8x200m @ 5:00-5:30 pace. Severe neck pain.
Sunday: call it 1 mile in 10 @ Rocky's Run. Severe neck pain.

Monday 3 in 24 w/ 3x900m in 4:00, heart rate peak at 180.
Tuesday 3.5 in 30 w/ 3x300m in 60, top speed 4:08/mile, peak HR=182.
Wednesday [63 degrees, windy] 4 in 33. Last mile difficult.
Thursday [41 degrees] 4 in 35 w/ 16x50m sprints, top speed 4:08/, HR=175. Heel and achilles twinges. Felt a ripping in right quad.
Friday 5 in 46. Sore quads and left hamstring from yesterday.
Saturday [33 degrees, 23 wind chill, heavy snow] 5.5 in 60. Back spasms. Very stiff.
Sunday [still snowing] 5.5 in 57. Back, quads, ham: all still stiff.