Looking Back / Looking Forward

December. It's been a while since I posted, and I find I'm overwhelmed by the prospect of addressing my running life in print. I'm aware it's the time when I usually look back on the past year and forward to the upcomong year and what I'd like it to be like. So much running, so little time to contemplate it.

Looking back: Last time I posted I had just come back from the East Coast. Among the runs I went on there was a lovely Friday morning 4-miler that took me through the not-too-bustling downtown of Norwich, Connecticut, home of my mother-in-law, whom I hold dear. I ran along the Thames River (pronounced "th" as in "this," and with a long "a"), then along the Heritage Walk, and finished on Oak Street in front of the cemetery (above), which was alight with fall color. Although it was silent and lovely, and looked like a fine place for a long and final rest, I found myself giving thanks that I'm not there yet.

A few days later we were in Newport, where I got in three runs (a 4 and two 5's). I've already mentioned the Cliff Walk run; there was also a run that took me toward, but not all the way to Fort Adams. Mentioning this is really just an excuse to post another photo I took.
Confession: This photo was taken looking out from Fort Adams, but it wasn't taken during a run. We were actually in the car, on our way out of town.

The rest of November went pretty well. Last Sunday I did my running club's 15K race and came in under 100 minutes. I ended up with 75.5 miles for the month. The only nagging issue I have is with my left knee. It is the site of the first running injury I ever had--that was in 1978--and is also the site of an ongoing ache. At one time (maybe 15 years ago?) I had it X-rayed, and it showed no signs of degeneration either in the bone or the cartilage. The pain seems to stem from a soft-tissue problem, that is, the patella tendon doesn't track quite right. One year (1985) I effectively didn't run at all (swam a lot). I finally got tired of being wet all the time, and started running again. Periodically the knee lets me know it's there, but when I rest it and ice it I think it feels loved enough to quit pestering me. It doesn't like bicycling, but I just tell it to hu-u-u-sh u-u-u-p.

Looking forward: So what's up for this coming year? I'm going to put together a training program for the Avenue of the Giants Marathon, which takes place the first weekend in May. It was so much fun (??) last year that I want to do it again, and I want to do it well enough to beat my time (5:25:22). My two colleagues at the ad agency (yes, it's up from one runner to two--yay) say they want to do it too. Could be great for me to train for it with them. One of them is young and faster than I, the other is young also, but not (yet) in as good a shape as I. That makes me the middle part of the running sandwich, a good position to be in. (Talk about a metaphor that has nowhere to go--sorry!)

I'm looking for a half marathon in Feb., March, or April to do as a tune-up. It's fun to be my age and to still to want to do these demented things.

Today the weather is blustery, a change from the oddly mild and sunny days of November. I say, let's get into the winter weather, have the rain and the cold temps that the plants need, and then get on with spring. Happily, there are few days in Berkeley when it's impossible to run. When those days do come I'll stay inside and read a running magazine or read a book about the joys of growing older. Turns out there are more than a few such joys, as I'm finding out!

The next post, if the crick don't rise and the dog don't die: How I Eat, How I'd Like to Eat, and the Question of How to Ever Reconcile the Two.