Survival

Yesterday, July Fourth, I ran in the local four-mile race. My first mile was a bit fast for current condition, coming in at about 7:45. I was particularly fast for the first half-mile or so, being pulled by a friend. This race is virtually dead flat, and has a number of tight portions after halfway. I crossed the two at about 17:15 (at least that's what memory tells me), which would give me a 9:30, which sounds wrong, though perhaps I was undoing the earlier damage. I missed the clock at 3, but asked, and a guy volunteered 25:30. I finished about 34:15. It was no prize, but at least I held together. Around 3, keeping moving was a bit of a struggle. My head was just weak. I had walked a little as I took water at two, otherwise I ran throughout.

This race gave me hope of getting through the Utica Boilermaker in something in the low 1:20's. That will be a far cry from the 1:04 and change from a few years ago, but I feel good about making progress on the road back.

The thigh chafing continues, so I will be wearing bike shorts on Sunday. I am trying to figure strategy. For me, the key will be keeping myself moving slow enough early. I am debating walking the golf course, where going into oxygen debt is an easy thing to do.

My weight yesterday was 175.5, up 3 from earlier. I am not concerned. I've been eating mostly right, and attribute the added weight to water binding glycoen in my systen due to the increased activity.