In a haze, a stormy haze

There aren’t many good sides to getting out of shape but the process of climbing out the rabbits’ hole does have some minor consolations. For one thing you don’t have any trouble knowing that you are actually improving each day.

That process of seeing the improvement each day or each week is a motivating process. The key is not falling too far down that portal. One of my goals is to not get so far down that I can’t see where I’d been. It was okay when I was younger and I could go on a crash course and beat myself into shape over a few weeks. Because of a bet 10 years ago, I was “required” to go on a self-imposed diet and training crash course. By some miracle I lost 13 pounds over 8 weeks and ran a sub-33 10K and won the bet.

The process was quite painful. Especially being one those runners unsure of whether they eat to run or vice versa. That experience inspires me today as I know it would be far too painful to go through that at my age. I also remember my usually toned, muscular (i.e. skinny) legs actually rubbed together for the first time. In the search for appropriate photos to go along with that image I found a song called Legs Rub Together by The Graves Brothers Deluxe. Amazingly it's on iTunes but mistitled as Let's Rub Together. I'd pass on that download if I were you.

As my legs don't yet rub together, I can still enjoy a nice dinner. Tonight I joined friends Kim and Jason for dinner at Ginger, an Asian Fusion restaurant. It reminds me of a pair of excellent spots I experienced in New York earlier this month. I wish we had more of these type of places in Anchorage. Kim and Jason just finished their first Ironman distance event four weeks ago. Both did outstanding and are in the process of recovering before getting back to work. Anyone that puts in 2.4 miles of swimming and 112 miles of biking before running a marathon have all my respect (and sympathy).

A big shout out to Joleen Smith who joined the running blogosphere today. Joleen is going for her first marathon in January and trying to conquer the challenges of training and her self-doubts. I know she'll do great but she needs to trust herself more. Check out her blog and give her some positive words or quotes. Here's mine from one my former runners, Kaarin Knudson, a former All-American star at Oregon and one of the nicest people I know.

Be confident. Success lies in the decision to believe in yourself.

Happy Thanksgiving