Five Years In

4.10

Living a wellness lifestyle, and maintaining a power pantry, is about setting goals, finding healthful boundaries you can live within and then persevering. How's your journey going?

Last weekend I bought my second pair of running shoes (ever). I decided after about five years of running I would do well to have a second pair. I have three weeks total to break them in before the Garden Spot Village Marathon and Half-Marathon. Should work out just right.

What's interesting is how my running habit has changed in the five years I've been pursuing it. I'm in the midst of my training for the April 8th half-marathon at GSV, and did my long run yesterday. At 10.8 miles, it really didn't phase me. I felt like I had another five miles or more in me.

No blisters (I now know the value of real running socks (synthetic) and doubling them up (instead of thick cotton socks)). And I'm in good shape with my recovery 36 hours later. That's a long way from where I was five years ago when I first started running.

And I learned a valuable tidbit about running sneakers which I had never tried. If you run, are you aware of the extra 'lace lock' holes on your running shoes? Those are the two holes closest to your ankle. I wasn't aware of what these were for, nor had I ever used them until two days ago. Turns out, it is a great addition to my running technique and foot health.

The lace locks are meant to cinch the top of the shoe snugly around your heel and top of your foot, allowing the laced area over your toes and arch to be tight, but not overly so. I did my long run with my laced 'locked' on my new sneakers and it felt great. No blisters and no hot spots.

What are you five years into on your wellness journey? Are you still learning? Have you tried something worthwhile and found that it worked out great? Or if it didn't, are you taking another run at it? A power pantry lifestyle is full of twists and turns, trial and error, and in the end, there's improvement. Here's to next steps.

By the Way

I looked up my running times from recent years and realized that I consistently trimmed time off of a yearly 5 mile run (the Sauder Egg Run in Lititz, PA where we live) and the GSV Half-Marathon. How cool is it that I have set a PR each year? No pressure, but we'll see how this year goes. Last year I was at a 9:28/mile for the five mile run and 10:14/mile for the half-marathon. Not bad for a middle-aged novice like me...