I'm Back

It has been an interesting three weeks.  The last time I ran was Saturday November 20th.  I did a 5 mile jog/walk.  The next day I went to the gym and did 35 minutes on the elliptical.  I was then damn near crippled.  I really hurt my right calf.  I spent about two weeks limping around.  I got depressed and started feeling sorry for myself and despite not admitting it, I think I was starting to give up...again.

But I have to say that this little blog helped in a couple of ways.  First, the shame aspect.  Like I said when I started this up.  If I quit, I know there are at least a few people who have read my words here and would know that I was a quitter.  Second, I actually had a couple people say "Hey...whats up?  Haven't seen anything for a while on the blog."  Thank you to those people, you know who you are.  That is EXACTLY what I was hoping to get out of this effort.

So I really wasn't able to exercise much at all.  I went to the gym once and did the incumbent bicycle.  This was OK...didn't hurt too much.  But I really was just feeling depressed about not being able to run.

So I realized that I could not overcome nearly 20 years of inactivity in 3 weeks.  Despite thinking that I was following a sensible plan, I wasn't.  I obviously wasn't, or I wouldn't have hurt myself. 

But today I got back on the horse.  A couple of changes.  First, I took it slow.  Slower than before.  Second, I went to the gym and did the treadmill.  This was a WHOLE lot less stressful on my legs.  I obviously need to drop some weight before I go back to the roads.

I still plan on aiming for the half marathon this spring.  But I not going to do it by killing myself.  If I am ready, than I'll do it.  But hitting that destination is not as important as taking the journey. 

On another health note, I had my colonoscopy done this week.  Everything is fine.  One polyp, doc took it out and said it looked like nothing.  A relief.  I was actually worried.  Just had a bad vibe going in.  Family history and horror stories from other people had me concerned, but all is good. 

There was another lesson out of the experience though.  While I was getting ready to go in, they brought out the patient who was before me to the recovery bed the next curtain over.  I could hear the whole conversation.  55 year old man.  Smoked two packs a day and drank.  He had recently lost a lot of weight because he was having trouble eating/swallowing.  Well, I listened to the doctor break the news to this man that they had found an ulceration and a mass in his esophagus.  They immediately sent him to the hospital for more testing.  The nurse that was helping me was actually in near tears.  She said this was the toughest part of her job.

It is not often you hear a death sentence being delivered.  I don't know that of course...but that is what I was thinking.

Like I said in an earlier post.  Life provides you with plenty of messages.  You just need to be prepared to listen to them.

On a positive note, while I was not exercising I was still doing my low cholesterol eating and managed to drop some more weight.  Down to 276, which is a total weight loss of 14 pounds since I started.

Onward and upward...