Update

Hmm...been busy lately with mostly good stuff happening, but for whatever reason it hasn't really come together as blogs usually do for me. So I'm just gonna rattle on with what's been happening. I think it's related to not having pushed the envelop in any significant way lately...no overly-inspiring thoughts or experiences, perhaps?

Getting ready for my Binghamton Bridge Run 5K yesterday has been enjoyable...going outside and jogging for an hour at a time several times a week over the past month or so. Picking different routes...taking in the beauty that is in such abundance around the Southern Tier of New York. We've been on the cusp of everything green preparing to BURST out of the zillions of buds that are just crackling with the promise of summer and life.

This past Saturday was the ride I had signed up to lead for the bike club, before I knew anything about my cardiac condition. Another member led the ride for me, for which I was appreciative. The starting / finishing point of the ride was just north of my home. I didn't think my timing would be right, but as it happened while out on my jog up through town and over down the towpath into the nearby state park my return back through town coincided with everyone's return from the ride so while it was bittersweet to meet up with them, the accent was definitely on the "sweet" as I reassured them all that at the end of the month after my anti-coagulant has stopped and worked itself out of my body I would be returning to the wonderful world of cycling once again! Some kidded with me saying: so did you follow us on our ride? :-)

Actually the irony was while jogging down the towpath stones kept multiplying and becoming less and less level and out of the blue WHAM! the front of my sneaker caught a stone with just enough force to send me sprawling flat on my front-side with my hands flat out beside my face. A sort of reverse-dolphin pose from a standing position.

So I'm jogging instead of cycling because it's less risky? ;-) Ah well, no broken skin, just a little sore in my wrist which cleared up fine.

For the 5K on Sunday I joined with another bike club member who was doing the run also. It was nice to chit-chat and start with her, but it soon became apparent that my pace was going to be faster and I really wanted to see if I could beat my record which I think is 33 mins. around an 11 minute mile.

My theory behind jogging an hour during my preparation was that if I was used to jogging that long a 5K would take considerably LESS time so I would have some gas left in the tank to kick in the "afterburners" and hopefully bump up my speed overall. Not sure yet what my official time was, but I think it will be a new personal record for me...stay tuned!

A couple other bike club members greeted me at the finish...they had been volunteering as marshals for the half-marathon earlier in the day. It was nice to catch up with them.

Next Sat. our bike club will pull a MASSIVE effort together as we celebrate another Bike Giveaway during National Bike Month. Hundreds and hundreds of bicycles have been donated and refurbed to be given away to children and families with limited income. Safety classes will be held and riding demos. Busy, fun and WAY gratifying day for all of us!

The following Saturday we honor one of our bike club members who was tragically killed last year by holding a family event at one of our local state parks. There will be both mountain bike rides and road rides of varying lengths. I'm toying with the idea of camping overnight to test out all my self-supported camping gear which I've accumulated since last September so I'm more familiar with it by the time I use it for any of my self-supported touring rides which I hope to do later this year.

This past Friday I went to a reception a friend of mine and his wife had for their newly married daughter and son-in-law. Meant to get a photo of me all duded up...doesn't happen often! But overlooked it.

It was a wonderful time with fairly healthy food choices available...until I dared to venture into the room filled with a zillion desserts. I foolishly thought I could retrieve some goodies for a family member and firmly maintain my resolve not to indulge. Ugh! This was my first foray into the world of sugar and flour since I stopped it all in January.

But yanno? It was just one night, lesson learned and not too much of a blip on the scale which has been fluctuating between 210-213 over the past few weeks. Now the challenge is, do I want to get serious and keep shedding those pounds to reach my goal of 200 or what?

So THAT'S been what's cookin' in my neck of the woods!

A work in progress, as we all are, learning to be kind, yet firm with myself...iron fist in a velvet glove!

Onward!

Don

ps.. Oh! Forgot to share this very intriguing article. Yes, I'm a Michael Pollan, "Real Food" fan, but I gotta say my curiosity is so PIQUED by this concept! Who hasn't had at least SOME periods of time in their lives when food just gets in the way. The shopping, the preparation, clean up, storage, not to mention COST, etc.

What if we could just do away with all that muss & fuss? The simplicity of this, the lack of triggers...SO ALLURING! Read on!

THE END OF FOOD
Has a tech entrepreneur come up with a product to replace our meals?

www.newyorker.com/report
ing/2014/05/12/140512fa_fa
ct_widdicombe

PPS...and another cool thing: I've decided to spring for an upgrade to my bicycle saddle and am awaiting delivery on my Brooks Flyer Saddle to replace my old seat. Brooks saddles are renown among distance cyclists and I thought, what better treat for my ride? :-)