Things Are Looking Up

I was thrilled this morning when Woody and I were walking to the gym at 5:15am and the sky was already starting to lighten! It was a brisk 44 degrees, but the days are getting longer and the rain and gloom had moved out! Then, as I emerged from the gym, the sky was blue and the sun was shining! Definitely a nice change from the past few days.

My workout was really good today. I haven't talked much about my injury lately; I figured you're all pretty bored with hearing about it. But, things are looking up and getting better every day. I feel like the amount of time each day without pain trumps the time with pain and fewer and fewer steps each day are difficult! The first few steps each morning continue to be hard, but Woody noticed this morning that my pace was a bit faster on the way to the gym and no limp to be seen! I've slipped up only a few mornings and haven't been able to find the time to put heat on it, but I continue to ice it every night. I've had my two allowable cortisone shots but the foot doc continues to do the ultrasound treatment and tape my foot when I see him. Next visit is Monday. 

It might seem trivial to most of you, but this morning I did 12 miles on the stationary bike and 3 miles on the elliptical (and could have gone farther)!! At one point in this 2 month long journey I could hardly finish a single mile. It's been frustrating to say the least, but I now see light at the end of the tunnel. Woody said the other day "just think, sometime soon you'll be running and hardly be able to remember what this feels like." I sure hope he's right. Injuries can be very tough for runners to deal with. At this point I've pretty much written off this year for hard core running, but once I can start running again, I'm going to use the year to rebuild and become a stronger and better runner. I'm counting on it taking a while to happen, but next year will be a great year for me! If elite runners can have 'off' years, runners who run for fun definitely can too!

Okay, did you see the article in the NY Times yesterday about Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek? If you follow me on Twitter, then you may have seen me tweet this link. The article, by Mark Bittman, is about a 36 year old New Yorker, originally from Minnesota, who has been competing in and winning ultramarathons (technically 50km or 31.07miles or longer) since 1994. He seems to spend all of his days running and eating. Eating 5,000 to 8,000 calories a day, as a vegan. It's an interesting read and I suggest you take a minute. I love how he shows the importance of eating whole foods packed with nutrients. Also, he proves that someone can be incredibly healthy and accomplish great physical feats while following a vegan diet, which I think still isn't recognized by some people. As Jurek shows, it may take a little more time and dedication, but it can work. If you're interested in learning more about Jurek and ultra running, check out his website.

People choose to be vegan for different reasons. Are you a vegan or have you thought about becoming one? What do you think is the biggest hurdle in adopting this lifestyle?

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Workout Stats -
12mi bike
3mi elliptical
3x10 tricep overhead extensions
3x10 tricep kickbacks
3x10 bent side arm raise
core work
125 crunches (various)
2x full locust pose
2x cobra pose
2x bow pose
foam roller and stretching