Three Years Later

A few things have improved since 2008 March, from when the jogging started.

• Takes 13 miles instead of 2 miles generally, before the knee pain kicks in. Sometimes I still have bad episodes of swelling. Aleve and anti-histamine seem to help. Joint pain seems to correlate with allergy levels.
  
• Don't seem to suffer minor shin splints any longer (were never too bad really).
  
• Post-exercise induced allergies have dropped a lot, but I also adjusted my diet (no soda or diet drinks or caffeine, minimal nuts) which is probably related.
• Aerobic capacity seems to be way ahead of my leg endurance (probably due to the fast mile practice runs).
  
• Finally achieved a sub-six minute mile, though running that fast is hard on my body, so it's back to longer distance jogging now.
• Joined a local running club, which is a nice after-work social event, but they push so much e-mail spam for the local sports stores.
• Lost several pounds the first year, but it all came back. I think it took a lot more energy and effort to run the first year. Now, it feels like I'm not pushing myself as hard, even though the pace is faster and longer. (I'm still ridiculously thin, comparatively -- I have no need to lose weight except to be a faster lighter-weight runner.)
• Switched from the G2 pre-mixed to Cytomax powder mix for hydration.
  

Two or three 9-minute miles used to utterly decimate me for a couple days. Now I get frustrated when I don't pace below 7:30 for 10+ miles, ha. Recently, morning runs have replaced my afternoon runs, in an effort to prepare better for the next half marathon (HM) events, which of course are always at 7 or 8 am, and I'm not much of an early bird, historically, or a cold weather person. A few weeks ago I bought clothes for running in the cold, and they seem to be working out. Managed to slip and fall on an icy wooden bridge -- yup, the shoe treads are history on the right foot. I think they they're due for replacement after 32 months!

Still plotting the first full marathon. I'm not in a rush, as that's going to take a lot of training time. Maybe in 2012, as I don't think it's going to happen this year. Oh I could probably finish one soon, but I'd like to do a 9:00 pace and beat 4 hours, not just jog and walk the event -- and that's going to take some effort, due to my various unique health challenges.