Enjoy the Journey

It's always fun to play with the new equipment. I hope you're having a great Holiday Season.

Merry Christmas Mack to you and your family. I hope Santa takes good care of you.

How's it goin', Mack? I hope you and your family had a great Christmas.

Olly Olly Oxen Free Free Free.

Come out come out wherever you are.

Where are you Mack?

It's a new year and time for everyone to start running and posting about it....

Thanks for the shout out Fly.

We said it different in my neighborhood. It was: Olly, Olly oxen, in come free, if you don't come now you're it. The threat of being "it" worked every time.

I have had a rough past few weeks. I somehow hurt my back. Some days I can hardly walk. It's so bad that some mornings I can't hardly get out of bed and have to crawl in excruciating pain to the bathroom. Nasty, nasty pain. Running has been completely out of the question.

It's been a little better the past two days. In fact, yesterday it was good enough that I was able to walk 2 miles on the TM with only a little discomfort.

I have been a little embarrassed to come on the board and tell everyone about it and sound like a whiner.

I know it will get better and I'll be back on the run before long.

I still check in from time to time to see what everybody else is up to. Thanks for checking on me.

Sorry Rhett and Dale for not responding to your posts...I just wasn't feeling up to it. Hope you are all doing well!!

Hey Mack, I completely understand how you feel. I hope your back heals up soon. It's good to hear from you.

Ouch! Sounds awful. Having a hurt back is a great reason to whine if you ask me. Have you had it checked out?

Hey Mack, how's the back feeling? I'm hoping it's getting better each day.

Hi DoG,

Actually it is doing really well. I would say it is about 99% healed. Yesterday I went out for my first run in several weeks. I ran two telephone poles and then walked one. Ran two and walked one etc for 2 miles. It felt great at the time. Unfortunately later that day I could feel the pain in my back. VERY frustrating.

So, I am sad to say, I have become a walker for the time being. I've been walking from my work to our church in the evenings and then back to my work to get my truck after my meetings. About 2 miles each way. Feels pretty good, but no where near as good as a run. But my back tolerates it well.

I feel as a walker I'm not worthy to come on here and post. :) So I have been awol from the blog.

My plan is to keep gradually introducing running to my sore back until I can eventually be back to my old self. I think it may be a slow process. I'm going to be patient with it. My goal is to be ready to run a half in June.

Thanks for checking in on me!

Being patient is the hardest part Mack, but it sounds like you have a good plan.

"I feel as a walker I'm not worthy to come on here and post."

You are worthy. The world 50k racewalking record hasn't been bested in almost 4 years. That's ripe fruit for your picking Mack!

Thanks Fly :)

I would love to chase that record, but would feel like a bit of a fool doing the whole arm swing/wobbly leg gait thing. I already feel kind of sheepish about having to walk normally while sleek, fit runners blow past me. Having them fly by while I'm walking that way?? I just couldn't do it. :)

It is the runners who should worry about looking foolish. At record pace you'll be flying past all but a few of them!

I remember watching the Olympic racewalking 50k at the last summer games and I think the winner finished around 3:30. I was very impressed.