The Catch Up Blog

When real live people say, "oh, you have a running blog? Doesn't look like you post much." It must be time to post.

At the close of 2023, I wrote this:  "I want to simply feel better: less vulnerable, less fragile. Someday this running thing will end, but not in 2024, and not voluntarily." Luckily, 2024 has gotten gradually, very gradually, better. The weight loss thing is going fairly well (17 pounds so far - still 30+ to go). I'm hoping to have that weight thing accomplished by end of September. We'll see. In my case, lighter is better.

The running part of it has improved as well. I am currently at 690 miles for the year, and probably, unless something drastically changes, will see me around 1700 for the year. Running, of course, can often be somewhat controlled by the condition of my knee. 

January, February, and early March were fairly good from a mileage perspective averaging around 35 miles a week. Late March into April was extremely lame as injury, busy-ness, and apathy hit for three weeks. Logged only 13 miles in those. As I write this, my career total is creeping upward, currently at 122,868. While 123,000 is in the near future, the next landmark is 124, 274.2 ORRRRRR 200,000 kilometers.

Here's what I've noticed: it hurts less and feels considerably more stable. At the same time, it requires constant attention to avoid sprains, twists, pops, buckles, and anything else unsavory. My focus is to get out of slog mode. The slog mode is where it feels more like I am shuffling along as opposed to propelling myself forward. Actually, the intentional forward movement doesn't feel any worse, I've just spent so long slogging around that is more of a mental shift, a discipline thing, than a physical thing. Hopefully the more I work at it, the more natural it will become.

Still working on incorporating the strength and core stuff as well as dusting the cobwebs off my bike. This is the best time of the year to become habitual on those extra goodies as I am in the slow time for work and traveling.

Have set some goals. The first one was the 8 mile trail race at the Greenland Open Space. Unfortunately I missed that one BUT went there Monday and got in the 8 myself. As for the other goals, we'll lay them on the back burner for now.

All in all, life is good (as the t-shirt says). Run on.