Refocus

I started back running. Sort of. Actually, I shuffled twice last week and once this week. And I mean shuffled. Like 12:00 minutes per mile. Slower really. Although I was only off thirty days, it is like I never ran a step in my life. At my age, time off means starting all over from scratch. Guess what. I ain't worried about it.

In one way I am thrilled. I'm thrilled because I thought my running days were over, gone for good. The knee gave me such problems that I believed the end, judgment day had come. They say old runners never die, that they just limp away. I was limping away. So to be able to shuffle even a few steps at such a pitiful pace is and was for me joy unspeakable and full of glory. 

My son recently suffered an injury that pretty much ends his running for life. That made me feel guilty for still being able to run at my age when my young son no longer can. I suppose one lesson to be learned from this is to never take your health for granted. It can be gone in an instant. Now with every step, and there haven't been many, is accompanied by prayer and thanksgiving.

I said earlier that I'm not worried about barely being able to shuffle like an old man. Don't get me wrong. I would love to be able to knock off some miles like I was doing only a month ago. Last year at this time, I was starting my adventure runs with Buddy Bones. We explored the Holcomb area, ran for miles and miles, and had a blast. But not this time. Physically I can't do it, and I am determined to take it slow and easy, not re-injure, not to be foolish. And while I thought my running days were done, I determined to to do something else. I determined to refocus, to put a renewed effort and emphasis into my swimming. That's right, I don't swim enough so I am going to do something about that.

Last year, the running and the swimming were conflicting a little. Since I am a typical openwater swimmer, I don't rely heavily upon my legs in the water. My general energy level was, however, impacted negatively by all the road work. Sometimes I just didn't have the umph to complete the long, tough sets I had planned for the water. This time around, I plan to major in swimming and minor in running instead of the double major I did in 2016.

The renewed emphasis will start as soon as the Twin Rivers pool closes. In some ways it has started already. As of the end of last week, I am 100,000 meters of swimming over this same time in 2015. But when the Twin Rivers Pool closes and my access to water shrinks, I plan, as always, to hit the weights big time. I have spent long periods of time thinking, dreaming, planning on new workouts to prepare my body for the spring onslaught that always precedes the Chicot Challenge. I want to be in my best condition ever.

Last year I was. It seems that each spring I reach a new high point, a new physical peak. I enjoy that, and I want to experience the apex again. Since I am still in the thinking/praying stage for Chicot VI, I don't yet know what the distance will be. But the goal will be higher than the distance swum in 2016. the limiting factor right now is the length of the days.

Besides Chicot, I have some other swims planned. In separate posts, I will introduce Pool Fools, The Greer's Ferry Challenge, and some other swims I am praying will come off in 2017. I would love to do a swim for French Camp Academy and one for the Claud Independent Methodist Church, but the former two have dates already. I would even do one for the Sonny Brown Memorial Pool if someone would ask me. There are lots of causes and many bodies of water. So much swimming, so little time.