Running

In my mind, there are only 3 reasons a man should run:

1. To chase down a food source, kill it and eat it.
2. To chase down a beautiful woman.
3. To evade something bigger that believes you are the food source (or who had the beautiful woman first).

Why else is there to run?
Why did cave men run?
Why did the Indians run?
Why did Forest Gump run? (ok,,,,that doesn’t quite work.)

It wasn’t for joy, sport, health, prestige, medals or trophies. It was to survive.

I have a grocery store for my food.
I’ve already caught a beautiful woman.
The few things bigger than me also have grocery stores they can use. (and I got Vic first)

So logically, there is no, natural reason or need for me to run. Whew! I feel better now getting that off my chest.

So why am I intent on running Curahee. I could walk it. Slowly, methodically making it up and down the mountain in about 2 hours. Joe to self: “See self, you don’t like running and there’s no reason to run when you can walk. Case closed.” .

But it’s not. Aside from the health benefits, living longer, spending more time with my kids, I want to run Curahee. I want to see how close I can get this 44 year old, out of shape, lard butt body up and down that mountain as compared to the hero’s who did it 66 years ago in 50 minutes or less. How close can I get to 8 minute miles up and down that hill?

To be able to run Curahee, I have to start training for it. I have been focused for the last 3 ½ months on losing weight. Walking, biking, calesthenics etc. (With the tire I have around my mid-section running was out of the question. I’d feel like Dolly Parton at 75 trying to run.)

So what's the best way for me to train? I asked Joe Reger and Paul Kindzia the other day how they train for a big race. Paul gave me a great answer and Joe seconded it and I’ve started to incorporate his recommendations into my routine.

- Monday I added 1 minute of running into my treadmill routine. There were no cramps, no falling down needing an oxygen mask, no ER visits, so I considered it a success.
- Tuesday I did another 1 minute of running. No worries.
- Wednesday I did 2 minutes of running
- Today I did 5 minutes of running. (Pretended Kathy Ireland was in front of me and Rosanne Barr behind.)

Paul was right. I don’t have to try and run the whole routine, just little bits here and there and I’ll see improvement. I just need to keep slowly increasing the run time, not over-doing it and I'll get there.

I haven’t mapped out how fast or how long it will take me to be able to run 6 miles non-stop, but I’d like to be up to running at least 20 minutes non-stop by June 1st. We’ll see. Haven’t run in many years and don’t want to injure myself. I’d rather do this smart than let my ego get in the way. So there it is. I’ve started running. Oh yea, and the new shoes are doing great.

On the home front, no change with Vic. The treatments did not alleviate the pain, she’s still having horrific headaches. We have an appointment with a new doctor on May 5th. Thoughts and prayers are welcome.

Ok. Time to go get the ice and Motrin. G’nite.