The News, The Progress, The Plan (II)

Happy Monday, y’all!

Firstly, thanks for all the happy birthday wishes from everyone on each of my birthdays! The good news is that birthday season has passed, leaving a few things in its wake but thankfully not reaching tornado impact at any one point. I have put the kibosh on any arbitrary birthday declarations until at least next October. Or maybe the summer. We’ll see.

With that said, it was so darned fun having my birthday again on Friday! Lots of tasty food was eaten, some celebratory DQ was shoveled, and much pj-wearing and movie-watching was accomplished. All smiles over here. All smiles. Thanks, M, you made it so very special.

In other news, I have my fabulous sister to thank for my very first IRONMAN GEAR!!! The very thoughtful rockstar that she is, managed to order some honest-to-goodness Ironman gear from the big island itself. Apparently, with growing concerns that my “themed” birthday presents (which graced my dining room table for a week, tempting me each time I passed!) wouldn't make it in time, Lil’Sis would call the poor guy at the store (noteably also his home) each day to see what was up with shipping. Um, but there is that pesky time difference. Needless to say, there is a very happy IM retailer in Hawaii who is very psyched that my birthday – part one, two, or whatever – is finally done. Although now he needs to start setting his alarm clock again….

Okay, focus.

Getting off track already…and it’s only Monday.

Very big news over the weekend, indeed. Thanks so much to all of the excellent advice and suggestions offered up by ShirleyPerly, Spokane Al, and D for my ongoing saga of blisters and knee/hip pain. The general consensus? Throw my New Balance shoes out the window of a speeding train in a foreign land as soon as humanly possible. No more NB for me. Apparently, my heel is too narrow and my pronation too, well, over for the beloved New Balance. Enter stage left, my new ride (which I somehow managed to put at the TOP of the post, instead of here...will I ever figure this out??)

This pair of gel-joy is (hopefully) the answer to my running dreams. A nice narrow heel cup, a legion of itty-biddy pronation midgets ushering my foot through the proper roll each time I land, and an insole even the Greeks would love for its architecturally sound support of my mid-foot, taking some of the strain off of my shins.

Ah, the joy of a good fit. I’ve mentioned before that a bad fit can ruin your day, and this bad fit had been ruining my past few months. Wa-flippin-hoo! BRING IT ON!!

The Progress

(cough, cough)

Okay, so...all bold-faced-large-font-fancy-color enthusiasm aside, segueing into the progress portion of this tome with the new shoes is, well, kind of apropos. Or, maybe apro-no, instead. Why? Check out the Buckeye bar, and you’ll see why.

Not. Much. Progress.

I know, I’m disappointed in me, too.

To be fair, running on the old ride would have just continued to exacerbate the problem and certain financial restraints dictated waiting for the new kicks until this weekend.

(That even smells like an excuse.)

What, you say?

The gym? Time in the pool? Maybe ride a little? Maybe even run IN the pool, like the big TGK? Sigh. I know – not a lot of progress. But never fear, dear reader(s). I have a good feeling about this week. A really, really good feeling. Stay tuned…I just may surprise us, after all.

The Plan

Here’s my thinking about this week. Run, run, and then run some more. Swim in between, for sake of my old joints creeking around. And then run.

Okay, well...maybe not that aggressive. I'm looking for some nice solid runs and a moderate pace early in the week. There is a marathon tune-up run on Sunday in Philly that I'm definitely doing -- a great chance to see how I'm doing on the fitness continuum and whether or not I risk falling completely appart on the Philly Marathon next month. I'm actually looking forward to the tune-up...a great chance to check on my nutrition tactics and pacing.

And, of course, there is the FearAsMotivator school of thought...that I completely subscribe to and wholeheartedly support.

And you know what? I can’t wait to get to runnin'. If I could slap the new shoes on right now and go out, I would be all over that! Patience, I guess, is a virtue. And moderation. But I have a good feeling about this week. A really, really good feeling.

Well, that’s all that is fit to report from here.

Be well!