Woodrow Wilson HS Track.

Today was the first day since I stressed my right knee that I’ve felt “normal.” 

Up until 7 weeks ago, I had been sedentary for a good year-and-a-half. I had Type II Diabetes (2 meds) and Hypertension (2 meds). As of last week, my doctor pulled me off both meds for diabetes and titrated me down to half of what I was taking for high blood pressure.

Getting back to running has been the best thing I've done for myself in decades. (I'm 66.) I started off walking on these stubby, little legs (I'm 5'4") and was clocking a 17:50 pace over 3.17 miles. Certainly, nothing to write home about.

Before stressing my right ACL during weight training a couple weeks ago (I hesitate to call it an injury) I had run a 12:28 mile. So, I was making good progress. I gave the knee 3 days rest and babied it since then. Until this morning. I pushed myself pretty hard today and did a 44:54 5K. That's a 14:20 pace.

Now, I know I'm not going to burn up the track in November. I'll be 67, then, and have a stride length that is barely longer than I am tall. I'm probably not going to be even in the top 10 in my age cohort. The important thing to me, though, is the fact that I'm running for my life. I'm getting healthier by the day.

When I started, I weighed in at 179 pounds. I'm down to 168 and I give the credit to the running (of course) and being on the Keto Diet. Never thought it would be possible to lose weight while eating so much fat. (Up to 80% of my diet.) But I have and I'm looking to lose even more before Thanksgiving. My goal is to end up somewhere between 140 and 145. Shedding 35–40 pounds has got to help me get my pace down to a decent range. I use 35 barbells to do curls with and I couldn't imagine carrying around that extra weight for a 5K. But that's exactly what I've been doing, every step of every day for the past year-and-a-half.

Each day is a new day, a new adventure, and a new opportunity to regain the health I've squandered for too many years.