And now I’ve gotta get rid of a a lot of weight……..

I have not watched since, probably 2009?…….and, yeah…I’ve been a pig lately….

burgers, fries, Cheezies, the occasional apple, or banana……I think I gained 10 lbs just today…..

I never diet, but, well…tomorrow….WATER!!!!

Today, a disaster…….daughter’s aid, well, took the day off…so me and Sasha…..lots of basketball, shooting hoops, me making lunch, ordering dinner…..decided to move furniture…..and lots and lots of working on curriculums for three clinics, lots of emails, and generally not moving…

So, another tomorrow….still working on and building this life…

rebuilding, whatever…

can I run and swim and get rid of 10 extra pounds in one day….?

Every other day seems different, one day up, way way up..and then cerash…way way down….that would be today

tomorrow, who knows…

I need to find a way to stop bouning back and fourth like a tennis ball….

and yeah, diggin’ Prada, brings back my last visit to NYC

I know, I know, I should have taken pictures……OMG!….Yep, that’s become my job…cookin’ and cleanin’ so I figured I might as well get to work…

That freezer thing, the bottom compartment of our fridge…it must have been a year since….is it too hard to wipe things up after spilling stuff????

Cleaning wasn’t the hardest part….first moving the fridge out of it’s cubie hole….it’s heavy, it’s in a corner, out flooring is a little softer, so, yep, it was like a work out…..

Lots of hot water, and muscle power, but now, spic and span…organized, everything now in containers….freezer bags, and lots of waste…not a good thing in these tough high grocery times, but freezer burn and stuff beyond their best before dates….

Let’s see how long this all last……

I’ve gotta learn how to do selfies…..a great group…..fast medium and new……we did about 5K…some did 9K…..and it felt alright…

the Run Club is nothing about training, it’s about the group….that’ll be tomorrow…

But a good day, just wish winter would just go away!

started out the day watching a bit on a runner named Mary Lollar.

…https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/71-year-old-canadian-woman-runs-every-single-day-for-more-than-1-000-days-1.6331659

71 year old, ran every day for 3 years?….kind of inspiring.

As usual I screwed around most of the morning, wonder, oh my what should I do?

Did some grocery shopping to kill some time…and then, well, I went for a run

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was going to swim as well, but really, I just needed a good adventurous 5K to clear my head….and to get in touch with my inner Tom Sawyer?

I found ice…..

Yeah, eve though spring has arrived, the paths, at least some of them weren’t exactly HOKA friendly….

I think life is about to get a little busy, or busier…..so, I’ll have to get my fun done when I can…

I think I’ve settled on a plan…..I’m just going to train, and as events, races present themselves, I’ll do them….

I’ve had to already had to punt a few, jusr too many things to do all at the same time on the same days, but leaves a lot of days still with a lot of fun…….my guess is trails runs, possibly at least 1 triathlon….and let’s say a half marathon in Edmonton in August…and possibly another half in Victoria in October….

I just added more virtual clinic, a 5K …to go along with the Learn to Run and 10K……my days should be pretty full….

and working events and races….yeah, active in more ways than ever..

This is typical me, a typical day……

The goal was to eat healthy..started off with two cups of coffee I didn’t need, then a Starbucks with lots of calories, and then tonight, because the kids asked, a McDonald’s McChicken and a Coke.)

The plan this morning was a spin, some strength work…..and that didn’t happen.

I finally got out of the house, late……and, well…went for a run…..

I don’t know, I do this way too often….I finally get out the door….I vacillate … seriously I didn’t have any idea where I was going and my run route…..nothing planned….

And yes, the Kinsmen Sport Centre, the Edmonton River Valley, the same old, same old….same old my go to route, but there was a reason.

Not sure if all know, but two of our Edmonton Police Force were killed in the line of duty last week, the funeral was today….so being in the Valley, close to the city centre procession, and lots of blue ribbons everywhere……

The run was good….started out a 5K, forgot to hit the start button on my watch a few times, ended up just over 9K….and for some reason I decided to add a few stairs in the route, and lots of ice, slippery sections…….but a good, nope a great run.

So now, planning the rest of the week..

I’m really not aiming at anything right now…..maybe a few things in August and October, but things have changed, life changes….so, training has become, just training….with no goal…maybe that’ll be this week….working on that plan….

Goals, I need a solid goal, one goal, one goal to aim at, and training with that in mind, that one, or the next goal…

There were a few things odd this morning……I’ve decided to stop wearing my winter shoes, my Saucony Peregrine Ice + have been retired at least until hopefully next winter.

I still needed gloves and to cover up the ears this morning, hopefully that ends soon……

I’ve gotta get rid of a lot of weight….well, maybe not so much, but yeah, I guess because I’m eating crap, I don’t need to diet, just again focus…..real food dammit.

So a goal? Get fit, stay fit, and be me…more of me…..and hope that short and t-shirt season starts soon…

w

So yeah…yikes, I just dropped a grey hair on my keyboard!

Yeah, February 3rd 2014 I retired……April 1st 2014 I started working retail for the Running Room, March 14th..I retired yet again!

Then, well, Friday, I signed up for a new position at the Running Room for what I thought would be a few weekends a year, well, may be more than that…..50 events planned for this year, there are only 52 weekends in a year, and we’re into the fourth month of the year….so, it’s gonna be busy?

But, I don’t have to work every event apparently, but still…..oh well, another adventure….

I guess I’m still retiring wrong…

So still sort of retired with a lot of spare time, but not really…..actually I do, I just don’t really know how to use it?

Last week, I was out for a run through the Edmonton River Valley, I had a planned 5 to 6K run, and if time, a swim afterwards…..

I was worried about not having enough time?….. I’m retired, I have nothing but time!

Sort of…..

It was fine…the problem is, I keep trying to fill empty space with stuff….

then worrying about what to do all that stuff, and how to do all of that stuff…

and how to fit stuff all in……?

This past week was great…this weekend kind of sucked, but the week great…running, swimming, stuff…….but now I’m looking backwards and am freaking out because I keep thinking, I didn’t do enough stuff..

Than of course that leads to a Saturday and Sunday morning where I have so much I want to and need to do, that I didn’t do anything…..it’s like my head was stuck in a huge traffic jam…

Tomorrow, another week begins……the week should be fine…I just have to find a way to let go, to stop every so often to remember, I’m retired, I have all the time in the world….and I don’t have to do everything all the time and the same time..

Not sure why I like or use this picture so often….way too often it’s me…..more and more

I need to get back to this….and I think that’s happening..

Yep, I can’t remember the year..but that’s me way in the background…..I like that, me, I sometimes actually like me….and again, going thru changes….does everyone change?….Looking for something, anything..

Life now is about so many virtual clinics…..I love that..I miss in-person, and sometimes if one of the virtual people happens to be local, we actually get to meet……and run together. But, there is still looking for that spark, that Learn to Runner that starts not sure, and starts to understand the breathing, understands it’s about the effort, or effortless….and there’s that lightbulb moment right?…and even better, when I cross paths with someone that’s taken one of my clinics years later, and they’re still running….

Last summer at the Edmonton Marathon, I just took on the 10K option, and a couple of those that were in the 10K clinic that just finished….and was ready to go at the start, and came up with a thank you at the end…and are still running…how cool is that..

Anyway I have more of those coming up..so time to get organized, work on that curriculum, line up guest speakers to talk about things I’m not an expert on – nutrition and a physio to discus injuries, and usually someone to talk sport bras – ..

And well, now I’ve gone from selling apparel and footwear and running stuff to setting up and tearing down race events!

Yeah, I land on my heels….not a big deal, as long as the foot lands beneath that center of gravity…

So yeah, yesterday, I made that move…I’m hired, I’m a 64.4 year old with a new job, new skills, and new fun….and yeah, a lot of my weekends are now spoken for……but all good.

Apparently we have about 50 events to look after this year, there are only 52 weekends in a year, so that’s a lot of events every weekend…so instead of doing this

(please don’t look at that time…yikes..it was like a tour of NYC)……and I’ll be the guy tearing all that down…exciting huh?

So a change…or a little improvisation, innovation…..my first event isn’t untl May, but I’m looking forward to this….

Saturdays have become my rest and recovery day (yep, I looked, there are a lot of Saturday events coming up)…..it’s snowing, I need to do some house and home stuff…catch up on laundry, a stairway to paint, and yeah make dinner…..because I’m part time, my wife is full time, I’m taking on more and more household chores, well because….well, unlike some of my fellow men, I didn’t go from my mom doing everything to expecting my wife to…I know how to cook, clean, and yes iron…it ain’t rocket science….

Anyway, back to work…a 12+K run to plan for tomorrow, for Sunday…and well……lots of coffee..

What I do, sometimes…..

Well, my retirement didn’t last long.

Yep, about a week ago, I stopped selling running shoes any our Running Room……at one point when I was the manager, the boss, I guess I called it my Running Room…..but, I still have the 3 run clubs to look after every week…..a couple of virtual clinics on the go more often than not…….my next two…a Learn to Run, and a 10K crew….lots of Zoom meets and emails…..and lots of running!

It was time……others needed the hours, and I was fine with giving that up…9 years, that was enough…

So?

I decided why not help out at events……so, yep, now I get to set up and take down the start/finish lines, map out and whatever else is needed a few weekends, or a lot of weekends…..apparently we’ve 50 events to go this year…..there are only 52 weekends in a year, and this is April?…….that’s going to be a lot of busy weekends…and a quick look means I’m doubled booked with races I want to do, and yeah, with run clubs and clinics….so this 64 year old guy is gonna be busy, possibly busyer?…..yikes..

I wasn’t going to run today…..every other day?…….but the weather was just so good, and what’s another 5K……my pace felt okay, yet for some reason my tights kept wanting to fall down….either I’m getting too fat or too thin?

You know what? Life is pretty good, not bad…not great……kind of happy where I am…..am not sure what the future holds…there’s a lot going on……dad still in the hospital, a handicapped daughter who’s a bit of a handful…and way too much yard work to look forward to this summer….and finances that arn’t fantastic, but, yeah, things are okay….

So, I got a new Job…..a went for a run….a good Friday

A pretty good day, another pretty good day. A good run…at my age, my pace has gotten better…..am not sure why?

It felt so good….not that yesterday evening didn’t….coaching, helping someone catch this running bug….I loved that, and that felt so good…and running with someone I hadn’t run with before….was kind of looking forward to that, and am looking forward to that again next week, really………that was kind of really, really cool……

This morning, the goal was to do better on the same route….so this was this morning…and last night

A bit of a difference…

The rest of the day went well…I seemed to be busy all the time…….groceries, made something new for dinner for the family that actually turned out…..lots of work arund the house, I was so busy…..

The run was magical…..crossed paths with more than I few people I knew, which was soo cool…..people I hadn’t crossed paths with forever……..one more that didn’t say hi back, that sort of crushed me…..not sure what that was about, I suspect though…..so, that was kind of depressing…I guess I’m no longer a co-worker, so I guess no longer worth the time to say hello?

That’s pretty awful actually…but life goes on….

There’s a few other things…but life is good, maybe I should have retired a 2nd time sooner…..it’s almost like a relief vavle has been opened up…..

But, I’ve gotta reach out…..there are things that are really bothering me…yeah, yeah, I know the past is past, but for some reason I just can’t well let go…..and until I let that all go, I don’t know…depression is still going to be a huge part of me….being active, running, whatever helps me be distracted, but, well…..life’s gotta go on, looking ahead, occasionally looking over the right shoulder and ignoring the blind spot….

Playing the guitar, reading, writing a lot….planning ahead…..and tomorrow, a job interview?…Not sure if it’s for something I want, really, really want……but yeah, life is pretty interesting..

And I am sleeping better…

Yep, Wednesday night Run Club…we’re back!…..

It felt weird to walk into my previous place of employment tonight, but still felt comfortable. I’ve my Run Club, and yeah, I still helped around the store like I never left…….it’s just what I do.

It was kind of old times….a variety of paces…..I kept with the newest member of our crew and another long time friend, and enjoyed it……it’s what I do, introduce new runners to what we do…..

I would have liked a bigger crew, but as summer continues things will improve…..

It was the end to a pretty good day with me as Mr. Mom?…..not really, I’ve always been the clean up crew…so yeah that and a little interior painting…shooting hoops with my Autistic daughter (she keeps kicking my ass)…..yep, a good positive day , the run is the cherry on the top

one more coat maybe tomorrow….

Run Club is where I began………about 27 years ago….life carries on

I’m a morning person……if I’ve got anything planned, it’s gotta be done before noon. and I pretty much have to have that thing started first thing…….basically get out of bed, and either that moving, or at least going towards the spot where I need to start moving……..and if I don’t, or am not, I just lose my intestinal fortitude or whatever……and well, the day is done…

Sometimes I’m fine with it…….I just needed that extra sleep, a rest day or whatever…….like this morning. a restless night, after a hard Monday, my body said to relax today, and save myself for Wednesday…

Other times it’s just frustraiting…….but, still, I guess the body, the head, always gets it’s way….

Today was one of those days…a day of rest, and a day to get caught up on things….and, well, to make dinner.

I’m re retired…my wife still works…so I’ve become the chief cook and bottle washer…at least I’ve decided to become that…just do stuff that has to be done, need to be done, should be done….I’ve never divided things like that’s my thing, and that’s someone elses….and now there’s just more that I do….cookin’ cleanin’…….today, besides things like changing oil in the car, washing the car, groceries, putting together diner, laundry…..etc, etc, etc…..I’m at home and not really doing anything, so why not….?

There’s always things that you have to do .. cleaning out the garage, a storage room, scrub out the fridge, re-organize things out……..

I’m really trying to wrap my mind around of running every second day rather then every day……building my training around 10 days rather than a 7 day routine….making sure I have that rest day, and that active rest day……..and on the days I don’t run, still train…..cross train……bike, swim, walk, strength training a spin class on those off days…

It’s really hard to figure that out, there’s really not much in the way of a road map, every published training schedule is build on that work week, 7 days, and I get it, so every long run will always be on the same day, every 7th day, hills and speed training the same day…..10 days, doesn’t do that……I guess a 14 day routine might……

A lot is that mentality….7 days, it’s always been 7 days, long runs are always the same day…..then, well, I’m currently digging through Jeff Galloway’s book on training for us old folks called Running Until You’re 100..and he says that, every second day, not consecutive days….less high impact days…..and weird thing, as I’m writing this, why not build this on a 14 day routine, so that longer day would be on day 14?……

I do like doing lots of stuff…..I love biking and swimming, still wrapping my head around spin classes, but spring is here, so out on the road is in my future as soon as it warms up a bit more…

So, this should work……I do have a handicap though….I’m looking after three run club runs…..and the back to back Tuesday and Wednesday crews, are my responsibility, and Sundays, yep I have to run every Sunday…

So my homework for what is left of tonight, this evening, is to figure out the rest of this week, and next week…there’s a handful of things I have to do, some I need to do, and some I want to……so that’s in mind……and will try and focus..

The other thing I’ve got to keep in mind is, I don’t have any huge races planned, a couple of half marathons, so, my real goal, is to just keep training, and just what races I have on my schedule, will just be a part of my routine…fun events, fun runs, and possible a couple of fun triathlons..