The wagon has lost a wheel

The answer is no, that is not the normal size of my foot. I've often been accused of having feet that can stomp out forest fires, but this as you can obvious see, is not a normal thing. Unfortunately, I sprained an ankle playing tennis yesterday so that should lay me up for a little while from the training regimen - just in time for the holiday season and the evil temptations of holidays goodies. OK, well that's not such a terrible thing after all.

I'm Baaaaaaaaack

It has been a few weeks since my last post, mostly because it has been a few weeks since my last run as I took some time off to rest and go on vacation. A few lessons I've learned since then:

1. Going from nothing to running roughly 30 miles plus 7 tennis matches in 2 weeks? Not good for the body - especially the bodies with the chewy nougat center like mine. Okay, so I got a little carried away with the thought of this marathon thing and tried to get out of the gate quickly. Not the first time I got so overexcited about something that I overdid it, and certainly won't be the last. Problem is, the last time I did that I gained 50 pounds when I discovered the late night drive-thru and the wonders of "4th Meal" from Taco Bell.

2. The first run after taking a few weeks off is like running with a Grand piano on your back. I already run at the pace of a Clydesdale, but today's run felt like I was reduced to "old lady with double hip replacement and a walker" speed.

3. PowerBars (and any "Energy Bar" including but not limited to Clif Bar and Balance Bar) taste like absolute dogshit. They are like munching on a cereal box without the lovely sugar coated cereal as part of the equation. While on vacation I tried to eat a few of these things and quickly returned to the trough. Whoever invented these things was clearly not a restaurateur (but was a very savvy marketer). No wonder most runners are so skinny....if I had to eat these things regularly as opposed to regular human food, I'd probably just not eat...or just choose to gnaw my own fingers off as an alternative.

And while we're on this subject, what's the f'in point of the Snickers Marathon Bar? Might as well reach for the Reese's instead at half the cost and equal the amount of calories, fat and sugar. I laugh at those folks that think they are "health food" and eat them as a snack or even as a meal replacement. And to those folks I say, "I've got some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you. And if you'll buy that I'll throw the Golden Gate in free."