Every Day Can't be Great!

Good news about Laurie and her wierd symptoms . . . not MS and not a brain tumor. Now they just need to determine what it is! For some reason I was never very concerned, but both Connie and Laurie were beside themselves with worry. This is giving them tons of relief.

Struggled through a humid 8 miles this morning. Just didn't have it! Oh well! Ran the lonesome Road . . . south from Vaughn. Just a few houses but mostly nothing, One "good" hill 1 mile long. A good training run, but for some reason every time I run it I have a bad day. Guess I just should pass on that route!

Medoc Mountain Marathon

Haven't talked about this much, but the Rocky Mount Endurance Club is putting on the Medoc Trail Races - a 10 mile run and a marathon. This is a big deal for our little club and the result of a whole lot of work by our race committee, but especially for club president Michael Forrester. Michael is a unique guy with tons of ideas, energy and the ability to actually execute on things . . . so often the idea guys aren't worth a crap at actually DOING stuff. Not Michael. we're lucky to have him.

We've got about 180 10-mile runners and 55 marathoners . . . a great first race turnout.

Lots of little last minute details, but overall we're feeling good about where we stand. Stay tuned.

Running is going good. Feeling much better but my doctor tells me I've got quite of few kidney stones, now broken up that will be passing through sometime soon. His recommendation . . . keep your pain pills with you at all times! Probably good advice, but none needed so far (of course no stones have passed yet!!)

Is that OBX I see ahead?

Like I said yesterday, cooler is better! Back when I was in my 40s or earlier, I loved cold weather. And I do mean cold. Below zero? Sounded good to me then. I even loved to backpack in that kind of weather.

But things changed a few years ago. I first noticed the change on a backpacking trip, in the fairly deep snow in SW Virginia on Mount Rodgers. Though I had adequate gear to keep me warm, I stayed cold . . really cold. No more cold weather backpacking for me. But that doesn't mean I like hot weather! I still love cold weather. It just invigorates me. My body operates better when the weather cools off. Today is is a great example.

Temperatures were in the mid 50s when I headed out for my run this morning. Planned on trying 10 miles. My longest run so far in my recovery has been 4.6 this last Wednesday and I felt good. Today was the same . . . I just felt good! Good frame of mind, legs strong . . . just plain good. As I neared home, I still felt good so I tacked on an additional two miles. 12 miles!! I'm excited! Of course, I maintained my normal race pace throughout: 11:30!! I feel like I'm back!

Cooler is better . . . much better!

At noon today the temperature was probably in the high 70s! How nice! I decide to to run 4.6 through MLK and really felt good. Could have done more! Guess I'm a little afraid to get too excited, but maybe I'm turning a corner. Plan to try 10 miles this weekend. This is as long as the temperatures don't get into the 90s!!

The Medoc Mountain Trail Races are coming along really well. October 4th is coming fast! I honestly feel good about where we are given the time till the race. At the race committee meeting today, we seemed to have most everything well covered. The key is always the volunteers that show up to help. We totally depend on them. Volunteers rock and we ann need to take our turns at helping on a few races.

Progress . . .

Volunteered today at the Ford's Colony 5k & 10k. Michael and Scott did a really fantastic job in both planning and executing this event. First time event and it went off without a hitch.

After an afternoon nap I went for a 2 3/4 mile run and it went fine. Temps were probably in the high 80s and I ran all the way!!!

May try 5 tomorrow . . . got to start pushing it if I'm going to be ready for the OBX marathon November 9th.

The Saga Continues

Monday I had lipotripsy for a 1.5 cm kidney stone. No pain at all (I slept through it thanks to some wonderful drugs!) Minor pain that afternoon and evening but no pain at all since. Hope it worked . . . but the Dr says he won't know until he x-rays in another week. Far as I know, I've not passed any fragments, but maybe they could be really small and I wouldn't know??? Hope so!

Dr put me back on antibiotics after the procedure but told me I could run all I wanted to! Unfortunately, I've got zero energy!! Was going to run 3 miles with my friend Andy, but had to walk after only 1/2 mile!!!!!!! Bet I walked 7 times during the 3 miles. Hope this is due the the antibiotics. Finished them Thursday night and plan to try again Saturday afternoon (helping with the Ford's Colony 5k - 10k Saturday morning.)

Stay tuned . . . things HAVE to get better!!

Improvement

Ran 4 this morning and could have gone further. Probably a 10:15 pace or so. Progress! Not sue if I can be ready for OBX by early November . . . but I'm trying!

Tomorrow is the big day for me . . . having the kidney stone "blasted." Can't wait to have it behind me!

Holy Crap!

Am I ever sore. Feels like a finished a marathon, not a four miler . . . okay 3+ miler! Took yesterday off but went for a run after Hanna passes us this morning. Sore but I did another 3 miles. Hard to believe I've lost this much fitness so quickly.

Will go for another run Sunday but then I'll be taking at least 1 day off for my ESWL on my kidney stone. Hopefully this will put a halt to my bleeding. Not looking forward to this. Guess I feel like my luck recently has been less than steller, and I need this stone to "dust." Not looking forward to passing any sizable pieces!

Libby and I have a new roommate . . . Luke. Luke is a black mostly (maybe even all!) lab. Luke lived up here a few years ago until he and Doobie decided they really didn't like each other. So Luke went back to Connie and Libby came up the the lake. I believe Luke and Libby will get along real well. We'll see.

Finally!!!

It seems like it's been forever! But today I finally went for a run . . . my first since I got sick. I had no idea how much fitness I had lost. Turns out quite a bit! I ran 4 miles tonight . . . well, I ran 3 miles and walked/ran one! Still, it could have been worse!

I'm guessing my fitness will return fairly quickly. But I will need to lose the extra pounds I added by continuing to eat as if I was running normal miles! I'm just really glad to be back running!!

It's been awfully quite around the house the last few days. Connie kept my dog Libby when I went to Clemson to see Michael. And she felt like I should let Libby stay with her other dogs for a few days. I asked Connie to pick out one of her dogs to come stay at the lake with Libby and me and see how that works out. Should help Connie . . . AND Libby and I would both like another dog now that Doobie is gone. We'll see which dog she chooses! I just reserve the right of refusal!