Running To Sanity -- Starting Over

Keep up the good work, Dave.

Thanks Michelle -- Still plugging along with a nice 40 minute run this morning in new neighborhoods. Still looking for permanent housing near the kids. Need to make a change soon for sanity's sake. May run the NYCM with a friend from California so I need to continue with these little runs. Ever so slowly getting a little better -- seems harder with each passing year to get in shape.

Another short and easy run. I've slowed down and shortened the runs which I think is helpful to everything but my ego.

Hang in there. I haven't had a great week myself and that was after just a 2 week stretch of not getting in as many runs as I'd like. The ego thing I can't help with, I have the same problem!

Thanks Jim -- had a good afternoon. went to the Running Company flirted with a couple of young runners and picked up a pair of New Balance 880s for the base building I'm about to do. Signed up for 6 NYRR races on my way to ensuring entry to the 2014 NYC Marathon. Damn good afternoon -- especially the flirting part. Going to try and do a lot of easy running ala Mark B. until I get some fitness back.

Looking forward to tomorrow's run.

Sounds like a great afternoon, Dave. And your notion of not pushing it too hard, for too far, too soon is a good one.

If you keep finding yourself looking forward to your next run, it means you're doing it right.

Thanks Mark -- ran for an hour this morning. Only 5.2 miles but felt about the same finishing as when I started. So the pace must have been about right. Goal this week is to run at least 5 times -- including tomorrow. First "good" run in a long time and I could actually sense a small improvement in fitness.

Have had a very good week of running. Got out for 4 of the 6 days Sunday- Saturday mostly short runs. Ran for an hour last Sunday and struggled to complete 5.2 miles. Ran for an hour today and completed a much easier 5.41 miles. Nice to see some improvement so soon. Looking forward to a late fall marathon and I am considering the idea of being one of those people who run a marathon in all 50 states. Thinking of doing some traveling.

Found a very nice sublet apartment in a nice co-op building. Very close to the kids but not quite in the same neighborhood. Literally at the northern tip of Manhattan. Next to a nice, hilly park with trails -- and about two miles closer to Van Cortlandt Park. Need to get board approval and don't foresee any problems there. Things are looking up.

Couple of things I don't care about:

1) The soon to be ex-wife complaining about being a single mom. (It was her decision).

2) Whether certain expenses "are part of the child support." I pay a certain sum of money -- I don't care what you spend it on. If you don't want the kids to have something say no.

Yes, it has been a while. Ran my first 10K of the season yesterday in about 1:03+ (10.18 pace) so there is a lot of room for improvement. Looking forward to having more time to run. My wife and I are finally separated and I have a small, but nice, apartment near the kids. Things are looking up. Now to get back in shape!!

Good news all around, Dave. I admire your ability to break this whole new experience down into digestible parts.

Good job on the 10K, but more congrats sound in order for finding a place to live that will let you remain in your children's lives. That's important.

I think the idea of chasing the 50-state challenge is a good one. There are a few Marathon Maniacs on the board (Mr. Matt M, Kenny, others?), and I bet they could give you some good suggestions. I think Michele is also working on the long-term 50-states project. It sounds like a good motivation to keep at it.

Thanks Mark. Had a good run this morning. Went for an hour and @5.6 miles. Now to finish a few move-in related chores on a beautiful day off.

That is true, Dave. I am taking the long approach as I find that I really can't run many marathons in one year and I'm really addicted to Boston. I am running Steamboat Springs in early June, Indy in the fall and then I'm going to look for a Spring marathon different than Boston as I don't want to go back there until I'm 55 (and hopefully still running marathons). I've only got 26 states - Indiana will be my 27th, so I've got half done.

Good job with the 10K and I'm sure that you are finding it nice to be settled in with your new start. Keep on moving forward that's all we can do everyday.

OK -- I let this blog die as I was very inconsistent with running for a bit and went through a rough patch. But I am back at it in a consistent way, training I hope for NYCM (lottery) or an early December marathon. Then next spring I hope/plan to visit friends in California and do the Big Sur Marathon at the end of April.

Good week in training with only 20 miles (26,2 if we count Sunday to Sunday.) Also starting P90X to get in all round shape before marathon specific training.

Glad to see you back to consistent training and the blog. To many people seem to have fallen off one or both.

NYCM would be nice. Thanks for the support on FB and see you on the flip side!

I trust you meant to say you're trying to get in all "around" shape & not "round" shape.

Yes, in all-around shape. P90X is an ass kicker. Ran 3 miles on Monday but was so sore from last night's workout that I couldn't run today. Try again tomorrow.

Dave Wolfe wrote:Yes, in all-around shape. P90X is an ass kicker. Ran 3 miles on Monday but was so sore from last night's workout that I couldn't run today. Try again tomorrow.

The joys of P90x. Bring it!

Caution, legs and back on Friday will make running on the weekend difficult.

HaHa why yes Tim Legs and Back did make running difficult. I am assuming you work through this and come out stronger.

Ran 6 today but the P90X is making it difficult. My left calf has a knot in it and is very sore -- not in a good way. And my right arm and pecks are sore in a good way. And apparently I don't have any core strength. Find out about the NYCM lottery on Weds? or Thursday. Hope to run in Van Cortlandt Park tomorrow -- but may skip the hills.

7 miles today @ 10 per mile. My new apartment is 2 miles from Van Cortlandt Park a near perfect warmup for the x-cross country course. I skipped the hills today. I am getting in better shape and looking forward to marathoning again. Did P90X Plyometrics shortly after the run -- a mistake. But it is done.

Oh no! Another soul lost to P90X? What's wrong with being a scrawny runner, anyway?

Kidding aside, you might want to keep the intensity low on some of those runs at this point. Rippling abs won't do you a lot of good if you can't stand up to show 'em off.

Just losing the fat. I do need to figure out a way to integrate the two as best I can. When I got to Van Courtlandt Park I got a side stitch -- and I thought damn Ab RipperX. So yes I slowed down to run thru it. One nice thing was that a runner @ my age was stretching post-run and started chatting (nice to chat with a woman my own age).

But yes I need to figure out how to get the most out of both workouts and still have time for work and kids.

Hot 3 mile race on Weds. Ran well. Hot 4.5 miles this morning -- ran easy. If I can get up early 4 mile race tomorrow. If not I'll run longer after dropping off the kids.

Smart working your way through the heat issues. Seems a little early for scorchers in New York, doesn't it?

Dave glad things are going well for you and thanks for help getting Lisa motivated again!!! You both are doing so awesome!!!

Space Coast Marathon 12/1.  Good to have a goal race.