Wrap #10

Welcome to my room of twisted ramblings, recovery from a traumatic brain injury, athletic training, vegan munchies, music sensations and social howls.

Today

12/20

Run - 1:02:30 - 7:39 p/m pace - avg hr 151

best run since the comeback from my over-use injury. I think rest is better than I generally give it credit for.

12/19

Run - 1:01:00 - 7.77 miles - 7:51 p/m pace - avg hr 140
good strong effort; no pain today

12/18

Run - 1:22 - 9.15 miles - 8:57 per mile pace - avg hr 122

The positive is I have run 4 days in a row since my injury related break. The negative is I had no juice at all.

12/17
Run - 1:01:00 - 7:55 per mile pace - HR 135
No pain!

12/16
Well The Black Keys were BIG last night! An incredible presentation at the BB&T center in Sunrise for this little Ohio band.
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Run - 1:09:00 - 8.29 mile - 8:20 pace - HR 135
I am happy to run two days in a row with less pain and at a slightly better pace. Yeah!

12/15
Run - 1:01:01 - 7.18 miles - 8:30 per mile pace - HR 126
Well, I am happy to run pain free... the week of mostly rest has helped. Now I need to return slowly and not re-injure myself. First two miles were just under 9:00 per mile pace and then by miles 5 and 6 I was in the low 8's; so I feel good about today. This injury scared me as I had put in 3 solid weeks leading up and ran nearly 300 miles in November.

It should be a great night.

12/14
Football Sunday another day to rest the leg. I will try again to run tomorrow morning. NBR: 4 Beers
12/13

Run - the endless rest continues - I shall try again tomorrow.

12/12
R E S T
NBR: 3 Beers

12/11
Run/Jog - 40:13 - 4.16 miles - 120 HR
I was going to take another day off but I manned up and followed Mimi and Irma to the store club run. Still very sore but followed the girls at the Runners Depot. Very slow jog, but I made it farther than any attempt since this injury began.
NBR: 4 Beers .5 btl of wine

12/10
Another full day of rest... played with the puppy a lot. I may be pushing the muscle pull too much. Rest is difficult.

12/9
Well, we are getting a new family member today... I will post a pic later!
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I tried to run again today. I ran the first mile in about 8 mins (so a big improvement as last time I was walking at .25 miles); unfortunately I was reduced to a walk again - I started walking around 1.4 miles to home.
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He is not home yet,  but he is commuting now. Name unknown, but I like Potato - time will tell - it is Noah's dog. I can't wait to meet him!

12/8
I don't know... I am not lazy; at least I don't think so. I am just gun-shy after my last failed attempt at running. I am afraid to hurt myself further. Still, I feel like a pussy for not training again today. It is so weird since I do not have general pain, but my last two runs ended up walks. I want to try to run again - patience. 
12/7
I'm a little bummed out right now... My running was on an upswing; volume and speed both increasing. Then last week, I tweaked my groin/leg and my training came to a halt. I didn't think it was serious but yesterday I was walking after just a quarter-mile of running. Today I bagged my ride even though I could have rode pain-free. I don't know if I am being smart or lazy. Hopefully my mojo stays calm and my rest days are short and I resume full running soon. Ever since my TBI, athletics have come back; but only in very small allotments. It was never this hard before the accident. I guess I underestimated the whole-body effects of a traumatic brain injury. A TBI definitely is mentally debilitating but let me say, the physical change is enormous as well. I will endure.
NBR: 6 Beers (Football Sunday)

A word from Santa (the naughty-list is growing); but there is a way to avoid it.

Jamie McDonald ran across Canada and is officially the Daddy!

Wrap #9

Welcome to my twisted room of ramblings, recovery from a traumatic brain injury, athletic training, vegan eats, music sensations and social screams.

Last week
Totals (11/16-11/22) 

Running 70.03 miles (67.77/65.65 previous 2 weeks)

Biking 0 miles

NewBoozeRules (11/24-11/30) (less is more)

2.5 bottles of wine, 20 bottles of beer

Weight: 152 (moved up)
Diet track: My Fitness Pal
This week

Today

12/6
Tried to run this morning. I made it .25 miles before the pain announced itself. I walked home. :-(
Today ended up being a rest day. I probably should have tried to go for a bike ride since I couldn't run. But instead, I opted to just rest. Hopefully, tomorrow is a better day.NBR: zero drinks
12/5
Noah, Mimi's son has designs on getting a new boxer puppy. We are driving to look see a couple today. I know boxer's, there really is no such think as "just looking" - The pad will have a new member later today. Ramone (my old man) will be thrilled!
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Puppy was super cute and we shall pick him up on Tuesday. So exciting!
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Injury update: Decided to take the day off completely. I will attempt a run tomorrow and hopefully the pain is gone.
NBR: 3 bud light

12/4
Bike/fixie - 1:07:00 - 20.2 miles - 114 HR
Easy spin; I didn't run again today. I don't feel any soreness but I want to be safe and be sure not to aggravate my muscle pull (hopefully nothing more serious.
    12/3
Well today will be different. A much needed rest day for my running sticks. Stupid boy here waited until he hurt himself after 42 day rest-free streak.
On a positive note, Mimi comes home from her work-trip today! I am happy about that.
NBR: .5 bottle of wine
12/2
Injured - Run - 1:18:00 - 8.26 miles - HR 117 -  ran good through mile 4 (<32', then struggled through mile 7 <57', then walked >18' pace pace home)
I don't know what happened... I was going to take today off/should have. But, I went out in the rain and actually felt pretty good. Then at around mile 4, I felt a twinge in my upper thigh which got really bad at around 10k so at mile 7 I decided to walk it in at a brisk pace. I guess it is time to get back on the bike for a bit. 12/1
Trail run - 1:54:00 - 10.12 miles - 10:23 pace - 785' elevation gain
Easy pace - 16 times up frontage road
NBR: 1 bottle of wine
11/30
Run - 9.32 miles - 1:15:07 - 8:03 per mile pace
3.5 mile jog to warm up, then 6  x 800  meter track intervals with 400 meter cool downs (between 3:10 - 3:15 each). Last time I did this I was around 3:20 per 800 so a step in the right direction.
NBR: 3 Corona Light

Take a minute and watch this. So inspiring!

Thanksgiving 2014 - Thank You

Another holiday season is here... I should have posted this yesterday but what the hell, here it goes.

I am thankful. 

It has been a little over 5 years since I was hit by a car and survived a coma, lengthy hospitalization and endless rehabilitation.

I am very fortunate in countless ways. I have a beautiful/brilliant daughter (Nico Berlin) and I am now a grampy (hello Margaux Juniper)! I left the snow of the Colorado mountains to the sunshine of Florida to be with my girlfriend, Mimi Reeves.  And along her side I continue to improve athletically; and more importantly, cognitively. I have exceeded by an enormous amount what was medically anticipated. It is a daily struggle and I can only say, thank you. The list of people who have contributed along the way is greater than my capacity to recall, but again, THANK YOU. I am happy to be alive. 

I can run.

Enjoy your food, relax and have a second glass of vino. There is no need to stand in line all night for a discounted thing. There is so much more to life - it is called living. It is okay to cancel Black Friday.