How am I feeling today?

Wow! It is August already. Summer is flying by.

Even with all the distractions and crap going on around us, I am doing about as good as I can be as I fight Father Time’s wonderful effects upon the body and mind.

What is my secret?

The secret is there is no secret.

The biggest skill or ability that I have is Persistence – that not giving in to slothdom and the couch. I figure that a moving target is tougher to hit or get than a stationary one, so even though it isn’t always easy or comfortable, I will keep doing my best to keep moving.

I know that I am fortunate that I can still do as many things as I can. At the same time, I also work hard to keep as much as I have for as long as possible. So, I will keep muddling along, running the mileage that the body lets me do, push the envelope every so often to see if there are improvements here or there, and keep smiling after I get done with the workout or activity that has just kicked my butt.

Yesterday’s reality check didn’t bother me as much as it might have a couple of years ago. I know that the Achilles, while better, is still not right, so I wasn’t shocked that it bothered me as much as it did.

Am I disappointed?

Of course.

However, at the same time, I am thankful for what I can do, and sometimes, too many of us forget that point.

We all, especially the old fart writing this, need to focus on what we can do versus what we can’t and stop comparing ourselves to everyone else or who we used to be.

You are who you are now and need to either accept it or do the work to make changes to become a better you. It is all about what you do, not what you fantasize about, think you can still do, or dream about doing.

Be thankful for what you can do and keep doing.

I am excited about getting to run in my new Saucony Ride 13s, that I got as a birthday present from D2. Saucony is one of those brands that I really like, but over the last few years have not been able to find a model of their’s that fits my Hobbit feet well. I am hopeful that the Ride 13s will be a great daily trainer for me.

Planned Workout Description: 

• Recovery Run

Per Stryd: “Easy runs are an important part of balancing training intensity and recovery. Your target for this run is 65-75% of your Stryd Auto-Calculated Critical Power. You are encouraged to start out at the lower end of your prescribed range and progress to near the top of your prescribed range by the end of the run. While going above your prescribed range might feel easy in the moment, it is important to remember the purpose of an easy run is to promote recovery without adding additional fatigue.”

Today’s Running Focus

· Focus on What I can do.

What I Did Today: 

Town Office O/B & Howard Circle

Run/Recover

Time Split	Avg Power	Target Range	Pace	Cadence	Heartrate
40:00	208	151-175W	9:42	165	139

Unplanned

Time Split #1	Avg Power	Target Range	Pace	Cadence	Heartrate
8:02	213	—	9:01	167	147

Did the workout go as planned?

Yes, although I added a little extra to the end of the run.

It was more one of those get-it-done runs than anything special. 

Injuries/Niggles: Nothing bothered me, but the shoes and the bottoms of my feet were not what I am looking for when I am running.

Weather: Clear sky, 69°F, Feels like 69°F, Humidity 66%, Wind 0mph from N

Shoes: Saucony Ride 13 – I am not sure what to make of them yet. I wasn’t all that comfortable the last couple of miles, but at the same time, I like the way that I run in them. My right foot bothered a little due to them being a little too snug, and the bottoms of both feet were not all that happy at the end.

Not the first impression I was looking for.

What I learned today?

I had the best mileage week I have had in a long time, and I wanted to start August off well.

Saucony is one of those brands that I would love to run in, but the fit has been an issue for me over the past ten years. I have attempted to run in multiple models in Saucony’s lineup and haven’t found any that have worked well for me. I did change the lacing pattern on the right foot to see if it helps at all. If not, they seem comfortable enough to be walking shoes, but that is not what I got them for.