So it has been a while since my last blog entry. A lot has went down and much of it is why haven't blogged. The purpose of this post is to catch you all up to speed.
Several weeks ago I ran my first half-marathon( 2 hours 6 minutes). Holy shit. I felt pretty good in the weeks leading up to it with my training, but nothing could have prepared me for the mental challenge this race gave me. I felt really strong most of the race but some huge hills took a lot of wind out of my sails around mile 11. All in all, I fell 6 minutes short of my goal but I am proud of how I ran.Below is a picture of me from mile 10.
After the half marathon, I decided to take 2 weeks off of everything. Running, blogging, hiking, EVERYTHING. This was for 2 reasons. I wanted to to take some time to reflect on the last few years and decide a course to go forward. I came up with several goals for the next few months. To love my wife as much as I could, to hike as much as I could, and to conquer some personal goals. With those thoughts in mind, I signed up for a 5k, hunted for mushrooms, and started to help out more around the house.The 5k I ran was awesome. It was exactly 2 weeks after my half marathon and I felt really fresh going into it and felt almost no pressure. I went in with the intention of setting a new PR. In 2012, when I was still several pounds over 300 and beginning this journey I ran the race in 34:22. This was the second 5k I had ever ran and I was still trying to accept this way of life. In 2013, I attacked the course with an attitude of strength and perseverance. I was hovering around the 85lbs weight loss area and wanted to earn a sweet time. I finished that race in 25:21. Boom, blazing. This year I went with the extreme intent of blowing this time out of the water. As I arrived to the race I quickly realized I didn't have my headphones or phone or at the very least my watch. I was going to run this race blind. Step by step, breath by breath, I ran how I thought I should. Sidenote:13.1 mile running and 3.1 mile running are very different. Either way, I crossed the finish line in 25:08. A new PR. Hopefully next year I can be even faster.
Hiking. I have began hiking again as a criss training activity. Several times I have used this time to hang with my pup, and other times I used it as a form of meditation with my hammock. I participated in mushroom hunting (morels are really fucking good) an exploring. More adventures to come. I will be visiting Ireland in July, hopefully backing in June/August, and planning for an adventure race next year in Sweden with my brother. The future looks amazing.
