As always don’t write on here as much as intended! Time isn’t short, it’s just a taking the time to make something a priority to get it done. Blogging obviously hasn’t been a priority. 

Life has been crazy as usual. Health issues with a family member being the main thing occupying space which is still ongoing, I’m stay8 g positive as I do about the whole thing. The time change as well as the season change is always tough and helps nothing as far as motivation to train. Dark rainy and cold is anything but motivating.

Hit another speed bump a few weeks back. I older my ankle really badly. Not really sure how as I was on the canal! I think it was a rock I hooked my toe on. Did a full on Superman, so besides really tweaking my ankle I scraped the hell out of both knees, elbows, and tore my gloves! I managed to get home. I took a week off and it seems to be recovering well, I can run on it fine, but I’m worried about doing it again. 

Previous to my crash I was on a long run and came across a dead rotting fallow deer! It must’ve been hit by a car and ran off to die. It was literally directly next to an overgrown trail I run on frequently, someone had cut the grass back and exposed it! It had a huge rack on it! 18 points on palmate antlers! I separated the skull from the body, maggots everywhere, and ran with it for a bit to hide it near a road for recovery. It sat for a good ten days but was next to a private drive so access was questionable via car. A week or so later on my long run I ran it back the other direction for easier access, then returned with the car. I ended up giving it to my martial arts instructor, he was really psyched on it and it really doesn’t suit out house. I know it’s in a good place! 

So between my ankle and motivation to run at night my training has lagged a bit. My plans to fix the running deck on my treadmill failed. I couldn’t find the an appropriate piece of wood to replace it. I was disappointed because it was a fun project but it would’ve ended to costing more money than I paid for the treadmill, so I’m currently hunting for a new used treadmill. I’m really missing having it with the dark nights, why don’t I run outside? Cars, people, noise, is all off putting outside of the weather. I also feel I can get a solid speed workout in on a treadmill versus outside.

Foot through the running deck! 

My board fit but was a few mm too thick and I think the sliding surface was going to be too grippy.

Going forward I’ve been on the fence about running the Arc of Attrition in January. I do have plenty of time to train, I’m hesitant about my ankle on a technical course. So, I’ll keep training as I can and see how it feels. I can’t get a refund and I’ve ran it before so I’m not overly disappointed if I don’t do it. It’s a fantastic experience though and I’d hate to waste the money so I’d guess I’ll likely run it if my ankle allows not matter how training goes. I’d love a sub 24 hour time which I know I’m capable of. 

In non-running news I took my Dacayana Eskrima black belt grading in October. I passed of course! Grading went smoothly and it has a motivated me to up my at home training in martial arts. I’m doing at least 1 hour a day at home now. I see this stuff as a replacement for running in the future plus it’s really good for keeping my brain engaged as I age. Absolutely loving all of it! 

Good friend Steve, me, Russ

And of course a load of running photos from training:

Pub logo illuminated over the canal

Severn Way

One last thing to mention. I met up with my old friend Alex in Oxford. He was passing through London so we met half way. Great to catch up, really good friend who I met in Aspen. We wandered the Thames Path with a pub lunch stop half way. Great day out catching up!