Back to blogging

Yes, it’s been a long time since I last blogged. I’ve not stopped running in the mean time, even if I’ve not been blogging about it. So I owe my readers—even if they are imaginary or, as literary critics like to say, “ideal”—a brief update.

My last post concerned my problems with shoes. Shortly after that post, I visited The North Wales Running Company, where the salesperson helped me find a good replacement for my existing running shoe: the Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5. She also pointed out some problems with my form that had been contributing to my foot pain. Between new shoes and new form, the pain largely dissipated.

After spending a month running on a treadmill (in order to make sure that the new shoes were going to work out and so I could return them if they didn’t), I resumed my running on Forbidden Drive. I increased my mileage to 16 miles/week: 4 miles twice a week and 8 miles for my long run.  Unfortunately, I ended up running less in September after I started a new job with Susequehanna International Group. They’re a great company to work for—probably one of the best in the Delaware Valley—and I’m enjoying my time there. There’s one problem: one of the perks of working for SIG is catered lunches every day. Consequently, I was yet another new employee to put on what we call “the SIG 15”: all the weight I had lost since beginning to run came back.

Still, I continued running at least once a week, often twice, and, less often, three times.  In late September, I ran my first 5K, finishing at a 9:30 mile/minute pace (which, alas, I’m not going to be able to do again until I lose this weight)!  The latest incentive for me to get my miles in was the Broad Street Run, which its sponsor, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Pennsylvania, proudly touts as the nation’s largest 10-miler.

This past Sunday, May 2, then, I ran Broad Street. It was a terrific experience, and I’ll blog about it in my next post.