How I Am Running

January 1st - After a week's vacation in the Catskills, Christmas Day through New Year's Day, including six straight days of skiing, I decided it was time to get back to running. The fact that it was the beginning of 2008 made it an especially pertinent day to begin on, almost as if it was training from scratch. I ran on January 1st 2008 for exactly 20:08, an almost random coincidence. I saw that I was nearing the end of my run and my watch read 19-something. I had to slow down a little not to over-run my mental finish line, which is my driveway. I stopped the watch at 20:08, like for good luck, or something. It was a relatively warm day.

January 2nd - Wednesday Night Club Run. It turned cold overnight. I felt chilled. I remember saying to Lesley, "I feel under-dressed." I found myself running with Talia, who was telling me how sick she was for the previous week, and that tonight she wasn't sure how far she wanted to run since it was her second day back after being stuck in bed for a bunch of days and taking antibiotics. I remember telling her about my supplement, VIBE, and that I believed it supercharged my immune system, and that I had not gotten sick in two years. I ran about 4 miles with her.

Jaunary 3rd - The jinx I gave myself on January 2nd kicked in: I got a cold. Sinus stuffiness and headache continued through the next 12 days.

January 4 - 15 - I ran a bit despite the cold and skied one Sunday. I didn't take any sick days. I used some decongestant, Advil and Tylenol when I was very uncomfortable. My first week of 2008 total was 15 miles, and 2nd week was 20. I have been interspersing walking thinking it would help the recovery from my cold, but am realizing it is a smart idea, since I am starting almost from scratch.

All my runs since the run on January 2nd have been 5 miles. My run walk intervals have been progressive. I started with walking 30 seconds at every 5 minute mark in the run. Then 35 seconds at every 6 minute multiple. Then 40 at 7's, 45 at 8's, 50 at 9's. I am due for 60 at 10's, but it is a club run tonight, so I am likely not to observe the walk break. I am imagining that I am training for an ultra, for trail running, imagining Jeff Galloway would say I am doing the right thing.