R4R L7 Part 1

“The hard work puts you where good luck can find you.” At the end of every misfortune, there is a fountain of opportunity. Opportunity to begin again. Opportunity to fix the errors. Opportunity to write a new story. But opportunity doesn’t happen without hard work and grit.

Tonight was all about Lucky Number 7. Level 7 of Return-For-Redemption began in Lane 7 on this day, which is exactly 337 days from Marathon #7. The more I thought about 7, the more I realized I was lucky to be here today, 17 weeks from positive MRI findings. Never in my wildest dream had I imagined I would be making this kind of progress already, after the darkest day of the year.

One of the hardest parts of this physical injury has been the psychological turmoil and despair. For three years, I’ve been stuck in a cycle of injury-recovery-injury-recovery and it has been like a circus merry-go-round that has no end. But, things are making some sense, though I still have no idea what caused this injury this year and I’m not sure I ever will. All I know is that everything is further ahead than where I expected to be – and does it feel good to stack progress on top of progress.

Today’s progression for Level 7 of the run:walk phase was: 5min WU, 7min run:1min walk x6, 5min CD. This would take me from 36min of running to 42min of running, which was no easy feat. I found myself glancing at my watch a few times, wondering when the interval would be done. 7min just felt like forever compared to 6min, but I was still appreciating the opportunity to run a little longer. I chose the track today to allow for a change in terrain since my last two runs were on pavement. And at the track, I had the opportunity to watch two dogs chase each other during my entire run, while their owners looked on from nearby. “I wish I had their nonstop energy,” I remember thinking to myself.

I can feel the end of the run:walk progressions coming soon and I smell the fire burning in my soul for long runs on Sundays once again, without walking. I must have gotten lost in this feeling because at the end of my run, I was all fired up and zooming to the finish – pushing my luck of a happy skeleton. Patience is dwindling, but I’ve got to lock it in for a little bit longer. I can do it – I hope! I have to keep telling myself “Luck can run out. Don’t waste it now!” And with that, Lucky Level 7 Part 1 was done.

R4R L7 Part 2

Today’s run was a repeat of Level 7. I had to jam it in before an evening work shift. Otherwise it would’ve been done under the moonlight stars with coyote eyes, kind of fitting for Halloween week.

I woke up and got my breakfast in, which was cinnamon Cheerios with Fairlife milk, a banana, a kind bar, and a bottle of Gatorade. I also tanked up with 2 Huma gels during my run. Carbs on board is the right way to go! I decided the weather today was shorts and a T-shirt for 42° with 88% humidity, which felt stifling for me. I just prefer evening workouts and cool workouts because the humidity drops off. The in-between seasons of weather is rough if trying to acclimate to anything.

I skimped on my locomotion warm-up drills because I was really strapped for time and just had to get right into my workout. I didn’t have time for the track, I didn’t have time for the park, and I certainly was not about to do the treadmill (last resort option). Loops around the neighborhood it was. Luckily, my subdivision is relatively quiet most hours of the day while people are working or in school so it was just me, the pavement, and of course that northwesterly wind that would get me every time I made a loop. I didn’t sleep super well last night, due to a variety of life factors going on. I’m also feeling all of yesterday’s sizzling strength work and cycle ride, so my body isn’t exactly fresh like a new crayon. Knowing that and also that my primary goal is to protect my skeleton, I put my shoes into slow-roll cruise-control mode to coast it out for 6 intervals for 7min. Honestly, it was everything I needed today. Just focusing on one day at a time.

All I kept thinking was that in six months from now I will be better off than I am now, so might as well build those mitochondria the right way so they are ready to roll. Cheers to another level done! Later this week, it will be time to make these run walk progressions great by stepping up to Level 8. Let’s roll!