Hey Y'all!

Since it's been a while, I figured I'd post an update to let everyone know I'm still not running. In fact, I'm doing so well at not running that I'm 25 lbs. over what I would consider my race weight.

Yes, seriously.

That 25 lbs. consists entirely of muscle and what is commonly known as "not quite muscle."

In fact, I'm the heaviest I've been, ever.

And, believe it or not, that was intentional. I wanted to see if I could hit that mark (for me, that was 180 lbs.) by my 47th birthday (Feb. 28th). I achieved that a few weeks early. You may laugh (or cringe), but I've always had a hard time putting on weight. At my age, that now appears to no longer be the case.

The combination of very little cardio (I'm walking a few times per week), heavy weight lifting, and heavy eating, plus an apparently slower metabolism than I used to have made the weight gain relatively easy.

As I skeptically train for a potential powerlifting meet sometime in the future (skeptically, because I have a tendency to get injured. Duh.), the added weight has helped me get stronger. However, my midsection has grown to the point of limiting my wardrobe. Sure, sweatpants feel cozy, but having only 3 pairs of jeans you can squeeze into isn't ideal. Although I need to brag about having more of a Kardashian booty now than my formerly scrawny runner's booty.

The upside is that this fair-weather cyclist is close to dusting off the two-wheel steed soon, since spring weather has finally arrived here in Spokane. I don't know if I'll ever be a hardcore cyclist, but I am getting the itch to get back to riding somewhat regularly. That, plus dialing back the appetite just a little should gradually shrink my waist back to an acceptable size.

Do I miss running? Sure, especially when I see other people out for a run. Will I ever be a "runner" again? I honestly don't know. The hamstring that shut me down several months ago still reminds me of its unhappy presence. In fact, I was doing lunges in a recent workout — an exercise I hadn't done in a LONG time — and I could feel a different sensation & tightness in that hamstring than in the other. I'm guessing it's a buildup of scar tissue. Even when I'm sleeping, if I move a certain way a little twinge in the hammy occasionally wakes me up.

So it's really hard to tell if/when I might find my way back into my running kicks. Still, I'm not giving up hope.

One thing is for sure, though...I'll have to drop a few dress sizes, or running just ain't gonna feel that good, healed hamstring or not!

I may still have a pair buried away somewhere...