Everything hurts.
I ran 7.15 miles last Wednesday, the furthest distance I’ve ever traveled in a single day, and as I sit here now, on May 4th, some 5 days later, every single. thing. still. hurts.
My fingers ache, which obviously makes no sense at all. All ten toes are throbbing individually and as a collective group of sufferers. Knees, thighs, shoulders (?) and shins too, all moan in unison for a reprieve.
What my body is also saying, beneath its muffled bellowing, is that I did it. I freaking did it. I accomplished a massive stretch goal for myself. Last month, I ran a little over 92 miles.
92 stinking miles in 30 days.
92 miles in April was important because it covered for a very poor March and brings my yearly mileage total to just under 255, putting me squarely back on pace for the 750 miles I hope to run in 2015. That’s #750in2015 if you’re playing along at home on social media. I am tracking my progress as if I am really running west, making virtual stops at Joe Louis Arena, home of my beloved Detroit Red Wings and the Breslin Center, the basketball mecca for my Michigan State Spartans, before concluding outside Notre Damn Stadium in South Bend. I can see Pittsburgh from where I am right now! Not really, but you get the point I hope — I’m trying to keep myself interested by pretending I am physically going places.
Phew. A third of the way there. Phew and also, ouch.
*****
I’ll never run a marathon. Or a half. Or a quarter, should that actually be a thing. Maybe an eighth? Wait, what is that? Oh 3.275 miles. That I do, almost daily. Regardless, I’ll never have a white oval car magnet on my Subaru Forester.
No 26.2.
No 13.1.
And that’s okay.
I’m not a runner in this kind of way. But I am an extremely sore runner who just traveled 92 miles in a single month as I try to go a great big distance this year. That ain’t nothing, ya know?
The thing about putting your body through that much stress is you’ve got to consider other things outside of the gym and far away from the trailhead. I don’t stretch enough before and after my runs, I can freely admit that I am foolish in this regard and likely I will pay the price for it eventually. I also don’t eat enough greens nor do I do enough at the kitchen table to fuel my body for a level of work and fatigue it has never. To paint this particular picture a little more clearly for you: I chose to be the goalie when I played soccer as a kid because there was no running. Just side to side on the goal line. Lateral movement trumped up and back. That’s the kind of life I’d led. 14 year old me is looking dazed and confused at his 39 year old self right now. #750in2015? Are you mental? Maybe, kid. Maybe.
The muscle work, the hamstring stretching, that is on me alone, but I’m getting a serious assist on the vitamins and nutrients tip.
I’m happy to announce here that I’m partnering with SmartyPants Vitamins this year, as I go #750in2015 in my quest to be a dad who’s around for his eventually-grown-up kids’ momentous AND thoroughly bland moments. I want them all, for as long as humanly possible. SmartyPants is helping me accomplish this reachable goal.
A couple of summers ago, back when I would meekishly talk about my 36:30 PR 5K time, I spent a weekend in D.C. with Clay Nichols, then of the site DadLabs, along with a handful of other dads and their kids. Clay is a runner, in a fancy numbers sense. 26.2. 13.1. He’s probably got those white oval car magnets. Clay talked running with me, a chubby guy just starting. He encouraged my efforts and gave me a few tips on going further, faster. I’ve never forgotten his kind, inspirational words.
Fast forward to early 2015: my 5K times are 5-7 minutes faster on average, with a new PR of 28:20. And Clay is now with SmartyPants Vitamins. Seems he hasn’t forgotten about me either. When I saw him in San Francisco in February, I asked, meekishly again, about ways to boost my energy level and recover faster after each run. I told him I’d never taken a daily multivitamin. And then, in an instant, I was, and I feel better than ever as I keep going on my 750 miles in 2015 mission. I mean, I’m sore as hell right now, but I feel great. Make sense? Mine is a mission SmartyPants wants to be involved with and so I will tell my story, that of a regular guy trying to do something special to be around for his young family, to not feel gross when he sits down, and to be able to stand back up without feeling winded. I’m a simple man with simple dreams.
Over the course of this year I’ll be sharing my journey as well as a few tips on eating well(er) and getting fit(ter) on the SmartyPants blog. But for now, SmartyPants and I want to give one lucky reader a big ol’ supply of gummy vitamins, to help you start down a similar path of healthy-gettin’.
This would be a great time to tell you that these SmartyPants vitamins are so freakishly delicious while also being 100% devoid of artificial flavors, GMOs, and high fructose corn syrup. Real stuff. Good stuff. Simple as that.
You will enjoy taking your vitamins, and when was the last time you ever said that to yourself?
Enter to win two big bottles of SmartyPants Vitamins, one for you and one for your kiddo(s)!
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