I Can Run Again!

As some of you may know I haven’t been able to run in quite some time. I’ve merely wanted to run to get in better shape, feel less tired, etc. Plus it’s just good for you. Unfortunately, my knees have some issues which have prevented me from running for awhile. I have (I think) a tendon on the outside of both knees, which gets very sore and swollen when I run for over a mile. I think the tendon gets stretched, or something similar, when I go running since it’s a repetitive motion. Running isn’t that great on your knees to begin with, but mine simply couldn’t take it. I also had the same issue when playing sports for extended periods of time. I just couldn’t overuse the tendons in my knee.

Well, I went to the doctor last week and he suggested I start using a knee brace. My first thought was one of those honking braces people use when they tear their ACL or something similar. He was merely talking about the neoprene sleeve that goes over your knee with a hole in the front for your knee cap. It provides a little bit of pressure all around the knee. At the Day of Fun this past Saturday Becca allowed me to try on her knee brace for when we were playing sports all day. To my shock I didn’t have any tightness, swelling, or pain all day long. Granted we weren’t super active, but it was enough that I should have noticed something.

So I decided to go buy 2, one for each knee. I did that Monday since I had the day off. When I got home I put them on and went for a run. I made it about a mile, before I got really winded and tired (That’ll happen when you don’t run for a very long time), and I had no ill effects. Normally I would run a mile and I would have started to feel some pain or tightness. I was so excited when I didn’t feel any.

This morning I decided to run again, so I put on the same braces and headed out at 6:30 in the morning. I made it about a mile and a half and again had no ill effects. I’m fairly certain I could have gone further, but I didn’t want to push myself. In probably 2 years I have not been able to go more than a mile (and even that required some rest before doing it again) and I just made it a mile and a half. You can imagine how excited I was. :)

So now that I can start running again, I think I’m going to try and run three days a week. I’m going to get up early (between 6:00 and 6:30) and go running. Then I’ll have plenty of time when I get back to shower, get ready, do my devotions, eat breakfast. My life will become more ordered and I’ll feel better because I can run again!

Up With Me

So another 15 days have passed. Time to update everyone on what I’ve been doing. All sorts of stuff, that’s what! :) I’ve been really busy with work, and several side projects, and lots of various other extracurricular activities.

Work has been for the most part pretty overwhelming the past few weeks. We’ve got a ton of projects, short deadlines on a lot of things, and not nearly enough resources. We’re looking to hire another guy relatively shortly. The only thing holding it up is me actually posting on careerbuilder.com. We posted an ad on craigslist, but got very few applicants. I think we got 3 resumes, only one of which was worth taking a look, and then 15 to 20 “we can do your code offshore” emails. Simply fabulous.

I also did some preparation for my very first quiz practice. Unfortunately, none of the kids showed up due to some miscommunication and some cold feet. We’re going to try again for this coming Friday, so hopefully we’ll get a better turn out. Karl, the guy who is helping me get the quiz program at Northside started, told me earlier tonight that he had 4 kids we didn’t know about last week looking to come. Last week we only knew of 2. It could get interesting since I currently only have one set of jump seats which can only accommodate 5 people. I guess they’ll have to take turns jumping. :)

In the realm of Harry Potter, I was able to finish book 3 (The Prisoner of Azkaban). The books keep getting better and better. Of the three I’ve read, this was by far the best. I’m really looking forward to book 4.

I also participated in “Day of Fun…the second.” My small group (and a few others) got together to hang out all of last Saturday. We played Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, Basketball, Volleyball, and Settlers Of Cataan, interspersed with eating lots of food. It was pretty awesome. I highly recommend planning your own day of fun with your friends if you get the chance.

I also had my 28th birthday, which was actually more than 15 days ago. I had already had my birthday before my last post. It had always been my intention to post about it, but I never got around to it. Needless to say it was pretty fantastic. I went out to lunch with my work peeps, then went out to dinner with my family and my friend Matt. Dinner at Chili’s was the best birthday dinner I’ve ever had. Our waiter was fantastic (and also named Jeremy :)) and I got a chocolate volcano desert thingie. Yum. After dinner I got a few presents (mostly some books and a few dvds).

So I think that’s about it. I’ll try my bestest to keep this updated so you guys don’t have Jeremy withdrawal. :)