Once A Runner…

The Road Back So Far (Week Four)

Well, here I am at the end of the fourth week of this odyssey. Not that “odyssey” is completely accurate as things haven’t been very eventful, but there has been progress and some of it almost good enough to qualify. It has been long and wandering — or it will be before I’m done — so I guess maybe the word does fit after all.

I’m still a long way from my weight goals. The initial weight goal being to get over the line out of “overweight,” which for me is about 173 pounds. I still have about 15 pounds to go. The goal after that is to get back down to something nearer my weight when I retired from the Army — 160 pounds. I probably may never, but I would love to, get back down to the weight I’ve always identified with serious running shape — about 2 pounds per inch of height. For me, that would be about 140 pounds, but that’s probably just too damned unrealistic a goal to pursue.

The diet has been slightly modified, but is still going strong. I added back in old-fashioned oatmeal for breakfast a few times a week, and frozen beans and corn are back in, sparingly. Oh, and the wife and I now share an English muffin at breakfast, so I get one-half of one. There are “free meals” on the diet plan, so I can deviate somewhat for up to three meals a week but we’ve not done too much of that. We will, though, because we both have missed Tex-Mex food terribly — tacos with very lean ground beef are in the menu plan for this weekend. (I’ll just walk a little farther than usual Saturday or Sunday.)

I’m still not running, and when I try jogging my knees still protest, but they protest less vociferously than they did in the beginning. I hope that is a good sign that I may realize that goal eventually and be able to return to running. It’ll be a red-letter day for me when I can. I’m so looking forward to being able to run again. Just jogging for half an hour would be wonderful, as that is pretty much the end-goal of the Daniels’ Running Formula “White Starting Plan,” a sixteen-week program that is probably a lot like The Couch-to-5K Running Plan or The Runner’s World 8-Week Beginning Runner’s Training Program, except for being twice as long and, I think, would build a good base, as Jack Daniels says, “… as preparation for future, more advanced training.”

I’m still kind of hit-or-miss on the strength training and not really doing a regular routine. I have mostly just hit some work on my quads, gastrocs and soleus, and some upper body work. I’ve been relying on the walking to do most of the rest. I really do need to get more serious about it, though, and not just because the garage gym is sitting out there unused if I don’t. More lean muscle mass burns more calories to maintain itself, which helps lead to greater weight loss and a chance I can keep the weight off.

I had last repeated the wisdom of continuing anything for 21 days makes it a habit, and then I read somewhere that 35 days was when the magic happens. Regardless of which is supposed to be true, the walking has become pretty much a habit now. So’s the diet. Now, I just have to get that to happen with the strength training side of this battle.

Overall, I’m pleased with the progress so far. I want more, of course. I want to be running again. I want to be more healthful and physically more fit.

And, so long as I stick to it, I’ll get there. Patience and perseverance. I’ll get there.