Thursday, August 14, 2014

Newer, Faster Jeff

Most days, I'm an optimist. 

The glass is half full.

What will be will be.

Everything happens for a reason. 

But when a dark cloud is cast over your training program early in the season, it's a fight to stay positive. 

The ever-so-dark injury cloud. 

For the number of times I've fallen, sprained my ankle or worse, I guess I should have known I was bound to have to throw in the towel for a big race at least once. As luck would have it, that happened to be this year.

Not running IS weird. 

Though I find I miss running a bit in general, I miss running with my running partner more.

Jeff and I meet, rather religiously, at Montrose Harbor shortly after 6am each Saturday morning between June and October to run side by side for six to twenty miles. We have done this for the last few years. We moved up a pace group two summers ago. After our PR success, we talked about getting quicker to make another pace group move this summer. 

Unfortunately, when the time came, Jeff had to make that decision on his own. 

But there is a silver lining in every cloud. Even the injury cloud. 

Jeff has moved up not one, but two pace groups. He's running a full minute per mile faster than he was this time last year. During the week, he is meeting up with another friend to do speed work. In addition, he's following his wife's advice and doing the proper physical therapy strengthening exercises. 

2014 is going to be Jeff's big, massive, PR year. 

I can't wait to cheer him on, followed by a celebration of his marathon retirement complete with craft beers.

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