A Runner Who Can’t Run

The Disabled List.  The Injured Reserved.  Down for the count.  There are lots of ways to say it but no matter what term I use, I’m still a runner who can’t run.  At least for the next few months.  I had surgery a few days ago to repair my rotator cuff.  Dr. Kwartowitz says my shoulder wasn’t as bad as he thought so hopefully the recovery will be faster than planned.

For the next 30 days I have to use a CPM machine (Continuous Passive Motion) three times a day for one to two hours to keep the shoulder from freezing up.  Then a couple months of therapy.  Then back to running.  

I hope to keep posting while I’m in therapy but since I’m typing with my wrong hand the entries may be short.

A 3 Mile Minimum

I realized the other day that I now have a three mile minimum.  I’m not sure when it happened, but I can’t run less than three miles per run now.  On days like today when I’m not training for a race and I just want to get a “quick” run in, I automatically go out for three miles.  No effort, no planning.  Just head out and do three.  I remember years ago three miles took some thought.  For some reason three miles seems like that will stay the minimum.  I don’t see the day when it will be four or five.  But only time will tell.

What’s your minimum?

The First Race of the Season!

   Last Saturday was the 32nd Annual Oak Apple Run in Royal Oak, MI. For many years (about 32) it has been the first race I run each summer.  I’ve missed a few over the years since that first one but not many.  It’s a great, flat, interesting course and it’s close to home.

This year it fell on my 51st birthday so I set a maximum time of 51 minutes, knowing that I would blow that away.  I thought if I pushed I could get close to 48 minutes.  My best time in years was the 49:10 I ran last year so beating that was my real goal.

Race day was perfect weather – around 50 degrees and clear at the 7:30AM start.  I hit the first mile marker at 7:50 so I was right on pace.  Picking that pace up slightly the back half and a strong kick at the end gave me a 48:12 finish for 169 men out of 473 and 11th of the 25 in my age division. And a medal.  Not great but not bad for the first race of the year.