Okay, okay already!

After hundreds and hundreds of requests for a status update . . . here it is!  Okay . . . so there really weren't any requests!  I knew you wanted to ask for one but were just too shy to ask!!  So here it is . . .

My shoulder is doing fantastic!

There . . . that pretty much sums it up!  But for those of you needing a little bit more information my pain is largely gone.  There are a few positions that I move my arm into that hurt but we're working through all those at PT and I'm certain I'll have 100% mobility shortly . . . probably at about 80% right now!

The doctor still doesn't want me to lift any weight with my bicep as he whats that tendon reattachment to have plenty of time to heal.  But I should start some weight-bearing next week.

My doctor said I could start careful running this weekend!  But I decided to wait until Monday morning.  Why you ask?  Well . . . just because I had other things going on and decided to wait!!  The doctor just wants me to be super careful and protect myself for any possible fall so I'll be sticking to the roads for quite a while.

Obviously my fitness level sucks!  5 operations in 12 months is not a good recipe for fitness!  So my comeback will be slow and steady.  Right now I'm just not certain where my running will go in the future.

Right now a huge part of me wants to cut WAY back on running and simple run for fitness . . . maybe 5k, 10k and an occasional 1/2 marathon perhaps.  No need for me to decide right now.  My most important objective should be a slow, steady fitness build-up where I don't risk any injury.

Quite frankly I've had about all the injury I can stand!

And ultra running just became disproportionately important in my life.  There is so much more to do . . . and things I can to do make a meaningful difference out there!  My running had become something that defined me . . . at least in my mind.  And I don't believe that is a good place to be.  Isolation played a role in this but I believe I sort of lost my life guide-markers.  For me, running should NOT be the focus.  It should play a supporting role in who I am and what is important to me.  Slowly over time I had sort of lost my way in life.

To give you an idea of how bad it was I had a bedroom FULL of race shirts!  The vast majority and never been worn and still had their tags!!  I went through them and

• gave to the Salvation Army 29 shirts plus lots of other running stuff!
• Set aside 68 shirts to possibly make a few quilts with.  If I don't do that I will give these to the Salvation Army too!
• I kept 40 shirts split between summer and winter, cotton and tech!  I mean . . . how many shirts does a person really need????

So . . . at least for awhile I'm sure I will back away from the ultra running and just run to stay healthy.  And maybe an occasional shorter race.  I may come out for a 24 hour race or two but my goals would have nothing to do with distance.

As a result of this, don't be surprised if "Hurry Slowly . . . But Hurry" doesn't start to take on some new topics and varying directions!

Nothing is forever . . . and change is good!