Now Go Get Lost.

Its been a year since my world came tumbling down. So now what?
I read somewhere and it read "What others think of you is none of your business" . He was right. I have to just be myself and do the best that I can.

And now back to our show-or better yet the road. Having a blast on the fat tires! Long term thought-XC race!
Just picking a direction and I'm gone.
Sunday I reached a point. I had seen this road before and the small hill at the beginning so why not? What I didn't notice was that was only a quarter of the hill-holy cow! This is what it is all about so off I go up the hill. Now I'm pinging the heart rate and feeling good. Until the second hill and here I go again. Where is that Granny gear? Yea I said that and I made it up! Now I turn and what is this-another hill! So now I have a choice. I can either stop or walk it up. To me it is always better to keep moving so walk up and get my heart back down.
Now I was  basically thinking I was going to ride in a square so turn at the next road. This is about the time I realize I might be seeing what I just rode through and I was right. So hill four -ok, hill five not ok.
I made it back and was the better for it.
I really believe we have to break ourselves sometimes. How else are we going to learn? How else are we going to get better if not by testing our limits? I died on that ride and felt great about it,

And now on to running! Today was a great day. Today I hit the trails. I've been blessed with a state park just down the road. I know I'm going to have a great time at this place. So with water in one hand and a map in the other I was off running. Something about being alone of the trails just fills the soul with great energy. I'm in love.

With all that is going on in the country we cannot forget about our parks. We need to get out and use these great places and support them. These are true treasures!

More to come...

My New Long Road

Well I'm back. Not like anyone noticed. Any now I'm back in a new location and loving it. Why-well because I get to explore some beautiful country. It is GREAT!

I haven't had done much running but I have been taking my mountain bike out exploring the back roads. Great way to see things and clear your head.

So in a few days I start back on a plan. Actually because the kids start back to school and I have time in the morning to get back to the running. And it comes at a good time. I need to get back on a routine-a get rid of 25 pounds routine and running is a big part of it. I get back to running-I start eating better........

Now I just need a goal (a race) -a marathon. Also need to get my sights set back on an Ironman.
And I will!

More to come...

I Believe.

Even though I can't get out and run I'm not giving in and climbing back into my hole. I have to figure out ways to keep myself going and I am. There is a small problem. I gain weight. I don't get hung on weight but when I gain this type of weight it goes straight to my Bubba gut and it feels uncomfortable. The sad thing is that I know where it comes from and what to do about it and how to get rid of it. But when I can't get out and run it seems so much harder for me to do anything else but eat.

This will all change soon, I hope. In a few weeks I will be settled in to a new place. I've already measured out some routes figured out  when I can run. And I found a goal-Ironman Louisville 2012.

This whole thing started when my life fell apart training for this race last year. A year ago I was cranking away getting so pumped for this race. The workouts were a natural high. Five k long swims, hours on the bike, and twenty mile runs all in the zone. And in a few weeks I begin again.

For now? I do what I can when I can and I believe. So get ready because I coming.

More to come...

I'm Trying.

Well I'm back on the road, back on the trails, back on anything. Not the mileage I was at but I'm getting out the door. Some days it's still hard. Some days I get out there and I'm wondering what am I doing? I just want to get back in bed. But when I finish I always remember how much I love what I do and why I run-sheer joy.

And now things change. I'm going to find time. I'm going to have new places to explore. I'm going to find new friends on the roads and trails I explore. It's all there waiting for me.

I start fresh. I work on my form. I get back to eating healthy (which I believe is half the equation). I set up a goal and work out a plan.

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

More to come...

In My Hole,

I hate my hole. That place I climb into and want to stay. Climb in and stay is what I did. I guess it all caught up to me. Seemed like everything happened to me at once. Things happen and things change and I have to deal with it and learn to make the best of it. I think what got me was that I couldn't run and it snowballed. I didn't want to get up. I even started back on some meds trying to get me out of the whole. I thought if I started from scratch it could inspire me to get moving. Nothing was working and wasn't moving. You could say I got plenty of rest.

But a few days ago I decided to not give in to the negative thoughts. I had to get up and get going. I had to stop eating whole pizzas and drinking a gallon of soda.

Today I got up and did three miles. Today I ate fruit and a salad and drank water. Today I feel positive. Tomorrow is going to be even better!

More to come...

I'm Back????

I sunk down-way down.

After my "misstep" that twisted my knee.... I thought I could tread lightly for a few days and be back to normal. That being 40 miles a week. Some pain I expected as along as the swelling stayed down. And it did.

Now skip a few weeks and I am in the crowd starting a marathon feeling groovy. I love this stuff! This is where I feel the energy of the moment. So here I go again. From the start I spot the 4 hour pace team. Great I can do that! Six miles feel good. Thirteen miles still hanging in there. Seventeen miles-what was that? And there it is! Hello knee, time for some pain? And time it was.

So the knee was gone. I mean really gone, and with eight miles to go! I can do eight miles. No way I am dropping from this race. The last one killed me. So off I go no matter how I go. I jog, I walk, I hop, I do everything. And everything I do. Thank goodness for sunglasses because if anybody saw the pain.

And I finished! Forget the time-again.

I know I shouldn't been there in the first place. Its not like I was in the middle of nowhere. I could step aside and catch a cab ( I always carry a twenty in my shoe). I had my phone. So I was good.

So then it was back to where I should have been-healing. So for a few weeks nothing. Nothing at all. I'm too old for another rebuilt knee.

So here I am know. Low miles, easy pace. Starting all over again. And I couldn't be happier!

More to come.... I promise

D.N.F....y

DNF! Three letters that drive me crazy. Three letters that sink into my very being.

So last weekend I joined some friends on a 50k run. Basically I was going to enjoy the ride. Maybe take a few pictures along the way. Be in the moment and all that. Well that worked until about six miles into the race when my left foot slid on some leaves sliding it in one direction, my knee in the opposite direction, and hip following the direction of my foot. And just to add to the fun my head into a tree. So there I am laying on the ground screaming out every dirty word I can think of in the book ( and inventing a few more),my knee starting to swell, my hip just weird, and my sunglasses busted.

After what seemed to be forever I get up and start hobbling to the next aid station two miles away. For me it doesn't get any lower. I can't remember the last time I had to drop out . This REALLY HURTS! Physical pain aside I was lower than low.

The sweeper catches up to me and helps me for my last mile. Another nice person takes me back to my cabin were I ended up on the floor with ice packs on me. I was able to get myself up and get to the finish line and cheer on the people I now admire.

My friends? They were awesome! Both finish and I couldn't be more proud.

So what am I to learn from this? What is this suppose to teach me?  Watch my step? This wasn't my time ?

So I take few days off. Pain was still there Wednesday and only made it a mile and a half. Thursday I did make it three and Friday five. Slight pain today after three but the tingling in my toes gone.

The countdown begins. That mountain doesn't own me. DID NOT FINISH.....YET!

More to come...