I need a bike

I took Thursday off from running. My left knee felt horrid, if I pushed it I probably wouldn't be able to run Saturday or Sunday. With my time off Thursday night I decided to go bike browsing. I stopped into a local bike shop here in Lima, Ohio. The owner is a great guy and they do group rides out of there all the time. I couldn't afford any of the road bikes there but he told me if I found something to ride in a triathlon to bring it into him and he would help me set it up. Then... then the man made my day. He said that he may even sponsor me. Granted he said that before he knows how bad at running I really am. I will probably never win a triathlon or a marathon, but I always give my best. I would love to have a sponsor, Having someone else backing me like that would be a huge help in my push to get stronger and faster. My hunt for a used road bike continues, but first I need to secure the funds for one.

Epic Fail

Today is the day that I had an epic fail. In good spirits I went to the gym. I had a four mile run lined up and was ready to go. 1.2 miles later I am in pain and stepping off the treadmill. My left knee just didn't want to let me finish. I tried, I really did, but after I had to step off to the side of the treadmill for the third time I knew it was time to walk away. It was hard to do, I felt like I let myself down by giving up. There was just no sense in pushing myself into further injury so here I am now on the couch, with my leg up. After all my time spent on the couch when my back was bad, this is really the last place I want to be right now.

Another 3 down

Three more miles down. I even got a PR on my 5 k and finished at 34:09. Its the only time I will say that I am glad I don't have readers of this blog cause dang that is a bad time, but its a great time for me. To many years of neglect and my legs are taking a beating to get back into things. If I can just get my legs to take a steady beating for 3 miles. Right now I take 3o second walk breaks from time to time. Cut those out completely and I can get this time under 30:00.

Besides all the progress I have been making with running I am still looking forward into triathlons. Right now trying to figure out how I am going to afford a road bike and some gear. Well hopefully with Christmas coming up I might get a few items.

I didn't die

Well 5 miles later I am still alive. It turned out better than what I expected it to be. Granted it still was pretty slow, but in the end I still made it to the five mile mark. Half way through though I was thinking about what I was doing... could I really run a full marathon. 26.2 miles feels so far away. I can't even run a constant pace for 3 miles. Once I got those thoughts out of my head I got back into the run and finished up. I really need to work on my pace though. If I could just get my pace steady for 3 miles I would feel like I accomplished a lot.

Today was miserable

The marathon training guide I am following had me run 4 miles Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I had a rest day on Friday and for today I had to run 3 miles. I figured this would be an easy three miles... boy was I wrong. 42 min later I finally got off the treadmill feeling like junk. Both my legs are cramped and I felt exhausted. To make matters worse my training guide has me running 5 miles tomorrow. I truly don't know how I am going to run that tomorrow. Well I guess the only thing I can do is rest up and hope for the best tomorrow.

A inspiring quote

I was sitting in the doctors office today and saw a quote that was framed on the wall. When I read it I was amazed how it opened my eyes. It was like it was wrote just for me and what I was going through. I have been training hard for a year now, and I am training even harder this year. I dare my friends to do the same with little results. This quote is for them as much as it is for me.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Theodore Roosevelt

The start of daring to be great

Hello and welcome to my first post. I am embarking on a great adventure to push myself farther than I ever have. Two years ago I would have thought there was no way I would ever be at this point in my life. It was this time two years ago that my back hurt so much there were days I couldn't even walk. I would spend those days on the couch feeling like half a person.

I woke up in August of 2009 and decided it was time to take back my life. Everyone was giving me advice to try exercising more, that it would help with my back problem. August 28th I got a membership at a local gym and started down the path of better living.

Here I am Sept 3 2010 with few and far between back pains. I have ran a few 5k's and I am currently training for my first marathon. After this marathon I hope to get into triathlons.