Catching up?

As much as I'd like to think I'm immune I know that at some point times will slow and I'll need to adjust to a new normal.  Just not sure that I'm there yet.  Last week I hit a 19:01 for the first summer series race.  I think the last time I was over 19:00 was when I first moved to Arizona and was getting off an ankle injury.  At this point I've had a month of 25-30 miles a week and no ailments.  So...have I started to slow...or am I just rusty?  It's been nearly 2 years since I did a 5k, so maybe I just need to get back into the groove.  I've come back from injuries before and, while not knowing really, I've always come back to what I was before.  Now, I'm trying to come back from aging.  Not that I'm old-but I am older.  Or am I just not doing the training I used to?  If I get back to something close, am I still that runner?  I guess in the end all I can do is put my best out there and appreciate the effort - and not be worried about the time.  Those will come, whether faster or slower.  But I can always compete - always give the same effort.

Coming Back

It's odd how the easy runs can tell you so much.  Although the recovery from my long runs has been better and my interval & tempo times are dropping, it was the 2 easy runs at the end of the week that really let me know I'm starting to get back in shape.  Why the easy runs?  Well, because they were....easy.  I wasn't struggling at any point, I felt loose & relaxed, wasn't wishing for the end somewhere in the middle...and even though it was only 4, I felt like I had gotten away for so much longer.  In a good way.  The total immersion in the running experience-simply enjoying the movement through space in a way that can only happen when the body works efficiently-creates a mental separation like nothing else.  When the easy runs truly become easy - then I know I'm on the right track.

The Week That Was: 3/17

Two running highlights from the week:  on my 2 mile tempo, mile splits were 5:58 and 5:55 - first time this year have hit consecutive sub 6's; and, my longest run of the year - an 11 miler.  Beyond the running, getting the green light to work one day a week from home & a (small) raise finished things off nicely.  Oh, and Ezra said that he is now "sure" he likes me (after our road trip to Tucson to pick up my suit-left at the Congress last weekend after our anniversary trip).  Anniversary, as is mine and Courtney's (not mine & Ezra's).  However, it's good to know that after countless stories, hours on the carpet playing trains, many miles together with the baby jogger, library times, and...well...just gotta love 4 year olds...  Add a nice birthday party on Saturday for Ezzy as well and, pretty much, a really good week!

BMI - Big Me Is

Overweight. That was the verdict at my last health screening this past fall. At 140 lbs, I was now, according to BMI, overweight. Now, likely most people looking at me would have not come to that conclusion on their own, though thoughts of my running group seeing me and saying amongst themselves, "Hmm, yea, he's kind of let himself go," ran through my head. But as much as I laughed it off, it also bugged me - and I knew I was heavier than I ever had been and far from race shape. So I started making small changes - cut down on sweets (but not cut out - life is still meant to be lived), holding off on portions, cutting the soda. And ever so much as I could, picking the miles up to over 20. And with that, my first, concerted effort to lose weight has been succeeding. I'm down from bouncing around 139/140 to now around 133/134 as an average. I don't know if I'm any faster, but hitting my (modest) weight reduction goals has been almost (yes, almost) as satisfying as dropping those couple seconds off a 400.