Time has not been on my side since we lost October and found ourselves square in the second-to-last month of the year.  I wanted to keep the blog (ah…see what I did there?) updated.  I’m happy to report that the 30 day trial was a success…. I didn’t make it the full 30 days (28 to be precise) because the half-marathon took a lot out of me!  I am indeed, not as young as I once was.

After a few days off though, I have returned.  The new focus is on weekly mileage…. I’m now allowing myself to explore the work/life balance.  You will see many fewer 11pm runs and longer runs.  The goal is to start with a 15 mile week and bump up by 10-20% each week depending on how I feel.

I am sad to report I tweaked my Achilles tendon yesterday after my last run…getting out of my car!  I’m keeping an eye on it and hoping it’s not too big a deal but will likely take today off.

So, there ya have it folks…Thanks to those of you who pressed me in texts and Facebook to write again.. it is helpful to air my successes and failures in a public forum where I invite ridicule… 🙂

A solid lesson I learned in college was, no matter how painful it might be, you need to get out and run the day after a race.  For me, Sundays in Geneseo, NY were nothing short of painful.  They’d typically last 8-10 miles and the acid levels in my body would almost always be dangerously high.  The lactic acid from the day before’s race and stomach acid from the night before’s excessive drinking.   No matter the hangover…no matter the leg pain… getting out and doing it again was very important.  It set the tone for the week and reminded you that there was life after “death.”

So, although I risk making this way over-dramatic, I got it done.  It was just over two miles and it was at a limping 12:41 pace.  I burned 347 calories which should clear me to eat exactly two pieces of candy.  It wasn’t pretty… it wasn’t pain-free and it wasn’t fun but it was necessary.