Just a quick update to let you know I’m still here, and that I haven’t suffered any injury related setbacks. In fact, overall, my training has been going very, very good—except that it’s cross-training. I’ve been hitting the gym 3-4 times per week for the last few weeks, getting in 1-2 sessions each of upper body strength training and lower body strength training. That’s definitely long enough to notice a difference in my physique. Fortunately, I’ve been able to hold my weight steady, so this has been good for my body composition, as I seem to have dropped a little more fat, while gaining the muscle.

As for my running, I am doing as the doctor ordered, and easing back into it. As noted last week, I’ve worked back up to a five mile run, with no issues. On Sunday I put in 4 miles in 100°F weather, with no problems, aside from being hot, hot, hot! The run was not pretty, but I got through it. I really would’ve liked to have put in 6 miles, but with the heat, it took all I had to get through the 4. Since starting back with the running, I’ve been running 3 days a week, and will bump that to 4 days this week. Next week I am supposed to officially begin my half marathon training, and just in time for that, I should have a new pair of New Balance 858s arriving tomorrow (black, 12 EE). Of course, over on 5Ks and Cabernets, I see this:

Hi again Kevin!
Thanks again for participating in our running shoe blog advertisement campaign and passing our info on! If you know anyone else who is a runner and has a blog, please do not hesitate to send them our contact info so they can receive a free pair of shoes as well!

Tamera

Tamera VanDyke
Marketing Director, NewBalanceHarrisburg.com
newbalancegirl@gmail.com

I am going to send Tamera an email and see if I can get a different style to try. After all, I am about to start on my 3rd pair of 858s, and perhaps I don’t need as much stability now as when I was last fitted for shoes. You never know what dropping 50 lbs. will do in that regard. I do recall being told back in March, when I bought my last pair, that I overpronate just ever so slightly—perhaps a more neutral shoe might be worth trying?

In other news, I finished week two of the One Hundred Pushup Challenge, took the test for week 3 (57), and did Day 1 of Week 3 this evening. I’ll have a more complete update in a post tomorrow or Thursday. Now if I can just find a way to squeeze in 5-6 miles tonight!