Boy have I been lazy about updating my blog lately. Summer is into full swing (hot, humid, and generally oppressive) and coupled with a two week vacation out to Yellowstone National Park equals lack of blog updates for me. Unfortunately I feel almost as lazy about my weekly running tasks.

I continue to be plagued by injury to my lower right shin. I have been put on hold for the time being with the Physical Therapy and have had an x-ray performed on my shin but nothing was found again. As the doctor put it, the bone looks smooth and no spurs to indicate previous healed injury either so at the moment, I have no explanation as to why it hurts and continues to swell after running. How frustrating!

I’m still running about 3 – 4 days per week but only shorter runs of about 3.4 miles per event. My endurance has suffered greatly since running the 25K this past May, between the injury and now the heat of the day. I have always found it difficult to run in anything more than about 70 degrees and we’ve had more than 20 days in July above 80 and looking at the 8 day forecast, there is no end in site for the moment.

Had a great time on our vacation but ended running on the dreadmill at whatever hotel we ended up at during our trip for the most part. I did however get a chance to run outside the evening we arrived in Cody Wyoming. They had a cold front go through and it was only about 50 degrees that evening and I couldn’t pass that up for a nice run. I quickly learned about running at altitude that evening!

When I left for my run I never thought about the fact that we were basically in the mountains at the time and left for a 4 mile run. That coupled with the fact that the 2 miles out was basically on a slight downhill slope which meant the 2 miles back was a slight “uphill slope”, made for a very hard run. I couldn’t figure out why I felt so out of breath and exhausted when I arrived back at the hotel until I looked down at my Garmin Forerunner and saw that I was above 6000 ft.! My lungs weren’t quite ready for the thin air for sure!

I’ve been maintaining my weight successfully but I’m finding it more difficult to “just say no” to certain snacks and that needs to be controlled. Last thing I need right now is head back towards diabetes or weight gain and that needs to be controlled. I see the doctor next week for my quarterly cardiac risk profile and diabetic panel checkups so we’ll see how I’m doing and report all back here.

If you are just discovering this blog, go back into to the archives and join me on my journey from fat and unhealthy to thinner, healthier, and almost no medications attained through diet and exercise as “yes it does work”, as long as you are willing to work! Don’t wait and start today!

Well I certainly have been remiss about my blog posting as of late so I guess I better get my butt in gear. I’m not due for my quarterly checkup until July so not sure what my current status re cholesterol and all the other important things are at the moment. I’m still maintaining my weight around the 185 lb. mark and feel great overall so I’m hoping that my body knows what it’s talking about.

I’m still in physical therapy for my shin splint problem, going into week four of my treatments actually and so far the jury is still out on this one. It’s costing quite a few dollars a week to be treated and I’m not convinced that I’m actually improving at the moment but I’m sticking with it. Someone should have told me in the beginning that they inflict severe pain to promote healing though as that has been an unpleasant experience on some days.

The hardest part of therapy I’ve found is finding time to do all the exercises that they want me to do. The want me to do them 5 times a day! Don’t these people work? How in the heck does one find 5 times in a day to do exercises? Am I supposed to just stop in the middle of a meeting some other thing I’m doing and “drop and give me twenty”? Anyway, 5 times a day isn’t practical but I’m doing what I can in the evenings after a run or ride.

I’ve cut back my running to about 20 miles a week to try and help heal this problem during the therapy process too. I’ve cut back to 3.5 miles a day from the longer 5 – 6 milers I was doing although I am thinking a 5 or six miler is on the plate for today.

So how are all of you overweight people doing? Have you started on your mission yet? Are following me and just waiting for me to fail so you can say I told you so? Statistically, I should have failed already. Did you know that about 80% of people who lose more than 50 lbs. gain it back in less than two years? Sad statistic but I can see how it happens. It would be so easy for me to just say enough, I want to eat what I want, when I want, and the heck with the exercise! Not going to happen.

I don’t ever want to be the fat person I once was. I like my new body and new found health and I plan to keep it that way. I don’t ever want to go back to being that overweight, diabetic, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, $250 per month pill popper I was with all the prescription medications I was taking, person ever again. That means that this “is now my lifestyle” and I have to maintain it.

This can be you too! Get off the couch, change your habits, and do it now! It’s never too late and I’m living proof that it works and it can for you too! I’m here to answer your questions if you have them. I’m no expert by any stretch but I can pass on what I’ve learned along the way. Go back in the archives of this blog and you’ll find a wealth of information if you take the time to read it. You can share in the struggles along the way and find out that I’m no different than you!

Get going, change your life, and start now! Not next week, now! Get on the path to becoming a new healthier you that was “just one pound ago”.