Race day

Not for me. Darcy ran the Kids' Dash of the local running shop's race series. She had done one in the spring of 2007, but it was frigid out and hardly felt like running weather. Tonight's 'race' was far more enjoyable.

There were huge crowds, but the organizers did a good job of keeping things on time and getting people to the right spot, especially when it was in a brand new location from other years and events.

Her race didn't consist of more than running around two sets of pylons and into the finish area, about 100m. Sue was going to run with her, but about 5 minutes before the race she announced that she wanted to run the race alone, with the other big kids. So she did. After a bit of a slow start, she took off and even though I could only see her back, I could tell she was smiling from ear to ear. When she came around the bend for the 'back stretch' her grin was ear to ear. She saw me and said, "I can't catch them!" But I told her to run hard and get to the finish line. Which is where she got her medal.

She seemed to take pleasure in the fact that this was HER race. Last time I ran with her and then did my own race, but today she was the only one running. So this is HER medal and she's very proud about earning it.

Me too.

Oh, pictures are here.

Slowly, but surely

It seems like my year off has slowed me down. That's fine, I'm in no rush. I'm just happy to be running again. I looked back in my log to see how I started back in April 05. I'm pretty much using the same sort of program, run/walk slowly building until you take out the walk (some people leave it in with great success).

Even after a few short, slow runs, I've noticed how much I feel better after running. It's not just the 'runner's high' it's that I'm more focused, I can concentrate better, I breath better, I have more energy. Sue and I have even been able to figure out a decent schedule for getting runs in. But we still have to work one out for her to run too...

You know, I really missed how great a good sweat feels. I just don't get the same sweat on a bike, whether on the road or stationary. After running somewhere, I just feel like I've earned the right to be soaked.

In other news: My sister and her dragon-boat team won a competition in Boston recently and are being sent to NYC for other one! Pretty cool.

Time goes by too quickly

Somehow I have a four year old daughter. I don't really know how that happened. Seriously, how is Darcy four?

She was so excited all day. Right from the first thing out of her mouth this morning, "Is it my birthday now? Am I four now?" So we did everything in 'fours' today. Four more bites, four more minutes at the park, four stories for bedtime. And depending on who's team you're on four minutes for time-out. And despite all the excitement of the day she did manage to go through the whole day without getting one. Miracles do still happen.

In other news, please note that my running total has begun to increase in the right hand column. After I wrote my post the other day I was inspired and went for a run. It wasn't anything special. My legs felt the burn and I was pretty tired after TWO WHOLE MILES, but I ran (well it was run/walk of 4 minutes & 1 minutes, repeated four times) and I enjoyed a runner's high afterward, so it was worth it. The next morning my legs felt like they'd run ten miles instead of two, but I've got to (re)start somewhere. I went again tonight and am committing to find the time to run three times a week. I'm not planning on any races, but I need to be ready when the urge hits.

First post of the year

Does anyone read this anymore? Oh well, that's my own doing.

So why post now? Why not wait six more months and make it a whole year? It wouldn't have been hard, believe me.

I realized today that it's now been a year since I broke my leg and stopped running. My last run was on June 3rd 2007 and could barely get through it. I did try again in September, but the pain returned and I gave up.

To me running was therapy. It was time to burn off steam, to see things clearly, to test myself. Without running I would say there is definitely been a bit of a void in my life. Don't me wrong, I have a great life; I have the most amazing wife, wonderful kids and an exciting job. But over the last three years running had become my identity and without it I feel somewhat goalless. At the same time, I have absolutely no time to run. I need to start from scratch and I don't know when I'll actually do that. The best time is after the kids are in bed, after 8pm, and that's taking away from time alone with Sue.

Getting the stress fracture when I did was a blessing in disguise. It forced me off the road shortly before Sue was put into hospital for six weeks. Even if I had been healthy, I wouldn't have been able to run during that time. Then the WesMan was born and it took us four-six weeks to feel like humans again. I couldn't put together a regular schedule then and when I tried to run, the pain returned. Now I'm still working rotating shifts (one week days, then afternoons, then nights, etc...), which kills the structure of regular training.

So here I am a year out from having a severe stress fracture. Probably 20 lbs. heavier, lacking energy and without a fitness goal (although I tempted by this P90X program, anyone heard of it?). It hasn't been all bad though. I've lifted weights more than before (more than zero that is), I'm still biking to work as much as possible (I did it all winter through ice, snow, rain, sleet, slush, wind and cold) and I still WANT to run.

Maybe tonight I'll lace them up again and start from scratch. Better late than never, right?