Kickin' It Off

Soooooo, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Why? I don’t know. I guess I felt like I didn’t have anything too interesting to write, I was too lazy, and I was waiting to have BIG news to relate. I’m not sure I have anything too interesting to convey, but that, I suppose, is not for me to decide. I have news and I’ll share it---that’s what this whole blog thing is about…right?!

Along those lines, a few months ago I was emailing back and forth with one of my friends and she mentioned my blog and I wrote back something to the effect of, “yeah, I really need to update it. I need to write more often and be more witty.” I can’t make any guarantees about stunning wit coming to you (and probably surely not right at this moment), but I am going to make a concerted effort to update more regularly. Whether or not I have major news…because all the little parts that eventually lead to something major may hold their own degree of importance. Is it not the journey that we are urged to enjoy and view the significance of?

To get this rolling, let me give you a brief update of where I’m at right now.

I voluntarily took a long layoff from running this summer. I have had a nagging Achilles the past few years and while it gave me very little problems, I knew it had a degree of inflammation and limited mobility. It seemed to be getting worse early this summer (even with reduced mileage and intensity) and I figured that in order to take a step forward, I was going to have to take a step back.  It took quite a while and there is still a bit of scar tissue, but I think it was worth it. Despite what happens running-wise, it is nice to be able to not limp around the house upon rising from bed, after sitting still for a few minutes, and, of course, after running. It is also refreshing to not hobble through the beginning of a run, waiting for it to “warm up” or “loosen up.”  I think it was causing other problems and was definitely a weak part of my chain. 

I just started to run again recently and I plan on taking it fairly easy to start, especially since there is still a bit of scar tissue and I'm turbo out of shape.  While running this morning, I was talking with my brother and saying that I would like to try and qualify for the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials, but that it was going to take a (very) concerted effort to do so. But, I think I’m going to go for it and see what comes. I know that I just can’t rush trying to get a qualifier or I’ll end up back on my butt, so I’ll take it as it comes.

The other news is that I got a new job...a job that I'm very excited about!  This past year I substitute taught and spent most of the spring and summer applying for college coaching jobs, but no dice. Then, right at the end of the summer I applied for a high school teaching position (chemistry), which I was also interested in doing, and I was hired less than a week before classes started. Suffice it to say, it’s been a lot of work, but I’m really enjoying it. As it relates to running, I’ve been so busy that it has tempered my running, which is good for this “getting back into it” stage.  Going forward, I’m going to have to plan and schedule my runs and make sure I get them in despite what goes on during the day or how tired I feel. I’m a routine person, so once I get it ironed out I should be good.

Well, that was not witty, but an update’s an update (and I stacked wood for over 5 hours today), so it is what it is. I’ll be more regular in updates, more open in my writing, and perhaps even more entertaining.