not from running by any means, but from my blog. Sometimes I feel like writing, sometimes I just can't wait to get to my keyboard and write and sometimes that's just the last thing I want to do and before I know it several days have gone by. So running is my passion, there, I've said it! I run so I can eat, but I also run because I can. God has been very good to me and allowed me to keep running well in to my 60's relatively injury free. When I was in college I had a shin splint. About 10 years ago while training for a marathon I injured my Achilles tendon. I have fallen while trail running several times and bruised my ribs on one of them. That's it - not bad considering I have been running a lot since my 30's. I do have some arthritis in my left knee which flares up now and then but I am having a blast. Some of you may know that I have finally decided to run a marathon. In fact, I will probably run two marathons on the same day - my first and my last. So, you ask, how is my training going. I am running three days a week, two short runs and a long run. I do yoga and Spin classes in between and throw in a little swimming when I can. I am doing my long runs on Mondays instead of the traditional Sunday so that I can spend Sunday with my wife and my church. So, Monday I was scheduled to do between 15 and 16 miles. I plotted out a course for 15.6 miles and did my checklist. Shirt, shorts, shoes - check. Garmin, Gymboss, iPod, hydration pack - check. Fanny pack, wallet, phone - check. Put em on, strap em on, load em up and out the door at 7:40 a.m. Set GymBoss for 2 min run/1 min walk intervals. As I head out through the neighborhood my legs feel a bit stiff, my ankle creaks a couple of times, my knee twinges and by the end of mile 1 I am settling into it. It's a nice cool morning, so even though I am in shorts and t-shirt I included my skull cap to keep my bald head warm. Down White Lane, right on to Old River, right on Stockdale until I get to Cal State University where I get on to the bike path. Warming up so I take off my skull cap and stuff it into my fanny pack. Lot of runners, walkers and bikers using the bike path this morning, most of whom give a friendly wave or at least a head bob as we pass. Turning on Mohawk I am still feeling really good. I am thinking, I could do this all day long! I am cruisin', feeling strong and powerful when I get to California. I stop at the intersection and push the button for the cross-walk. The car on my left is waiting behind the cross-walk and when the pedestrian light goes on I step into the intersection. I take two steps and the car on the left decides to go through without even looking to his right. Uh-oh, car/pedestrian collision occurs. Fortunately I run into him instead of the other way around. I give him the ol' whats up gesture, he apologizes profusely and drives away. No harm done, let's go. Everything was good until about mile 12 when suddenly my left knee starts hurting. I walk a bit, run a bit and work through it and am able to finish off strong. Dang, I don't feel like I just ran 15.6 miles. Woo hoo! Tomorrow, recovery run.
Well done on the run and the decision to do a marathon. Shame about the car but good no one was hurt. I'm at a stage now where 10k feels the norm will probably need to push my distances a bit no rush as my next big run 10 miles isn't til April. Keep up the running and blog it good
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