Running ...

As I explained in the in my first post, I am a runner. Better said, I was a runner. 2009 was not a good year for me. I became too involved in soccer and my running suffered. I was coaching three teams and helping with a fourth. One of the teams was the Crushers. I had practice every night of the week. I was the Assistant Commissioner of the the region, so I was heavily involved in the administration of the league. I stopped running, that lead to no cross training, which led to a poor diet . . . . Long story short, I gained back the 35 pounds I had lost over the previous two years. To make matters worse, I suffered a small tear to the meniscus in my right knee playing soccer, so I could not run at all.



Fast forward to this year, I am still coaching, but I stepped down as the Assistant Commissioner of the league. Once the spring season ends, I will be down to one soccer team. I will not coach more than two teams at one time again. So, my life is more balanced.



As far as my knee goes, I am extremely happy to say I ran one mile yesterday pain free. Yes, I am finally able to run again. I would like to thank Dan and Kerrie at Bronson Physical Therapy. Eight weeks of torture under their expert guidance has fixed the problem. In case they read this, I am still stretching every day and have incorporated their exercises into my strength training sessions. Its been a long road back. There was no running in December or January. I had to build from an eighth of a mile to three quarters of a mile in February. Finally, yesterday, I ran a full mile.



So, now I start training, ever so cautiously, for a 5k. If all goes well, I will run the 5k at the Borgess Run for the Health of It 5k and Half Marathon on April 24, 2010. I hope to run a marathon before the end of the year. But I have to go one step at a time and right now, the goal is 3.1 miles. So, wish me luck. Thanks again Dan and Kerrie.