Fast, Write, Run

Intermittent fast, write short-stores, and chi run, to be specific. This constitutes the bulk of my days. Fast continues into the second month. I overdid it yesterday, because I barely made it to my eight-hour chow block without cheating. Ah, but good old protein did the trick and I'm fine today.

My short story, "Growth," a tale of Hollywood, giant actors, and resentment, was kindly rejected by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. On to the next market. Meanwhile, my story of a man involved with a jealous succubus continues to wax and wane in size like the very moon. I like the set-up, but can't seem to locate the ending. More effort, I think.

Today is a running day and I look forward to loping around the perimeter of the Wilson-Harding Golf Course in Griffith Park. On non-running days I used to ride my exercise bike to pump up the cardio. However,  I broke a pedal. Now the bike serves as wardrobe stand.

In a few weeks, I'm away to the Pacific Northwest to visit family and participate in a chi running workshop with the big dog himself, Danny Dreyer. Here's hoping I glean some tips to make me a more relaxed, injury free runner.

A pleasant weekend to you!

Intermittent Fasting at One Month

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Cheap Weight Loss Method Works Fast

Yesterday marked the first month of my intermittent fasting whereby I fast 16 hours a day, leaving myself an eight hour chow window. Other than cutting way, way back on sweets, I didn't count calories or avoid carbs. Regardless of what I consumed, I found I ate less. 

Exercise consisted of walking and/or running a few miles, stationary cycling, and yoga 3 to 5 times a week. Exercise was always done during fast periods. 

After a step on the scale and a stretching of the tape measure, the results are in: I lost two inches off my waist and 12 pounds. 

I'm quite pleased and celebrated by eating four cakes. (Just kidding.) I shall continue through August into early September and see what pound-consuming wonders the next month holds. 

Periodic Running Update

Chi Running Eases Pressure on Knee

Losing some weight, however, can't be beat. Doing a little of both since my April 5K. I've been walking and running three days a week since February. This is the longest stretch of human locomotion since my knee checked out eight years ago.

I've had a bit of calf stiffness and couldn't be happier. (It's something other than the knee.) Ice and throttling back on training have done their work. Nowadays, I run slowly for 3 miles, then yoga it up on the off days. If all goes well, I may venture another 5K in August. 

Until such time, my goal is to stay in the running—so to speak—and not worry about speed or time. 

On a completely different note, teenagers in a pool two buildings away are playing Marco Polo and shrieking 'ohmygod' as a single word. If I owned an electric eel, and wooden gloves to carry it in, I would truncate this auditory chaos rather quickly.     

Santa Anita 5k Photos

Overweight Author Shambles to the Finish Line

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Well, there you have it. It's not the glory of Eugene, but it is a welcome return to running on this Boston Marathon Day.

Here is my bling. Pretty fancy for a 5k.

Santa Anita 5k: Ten Years Later

A Runner Returns to the Scene of the Ouch

A decade ago, almost to the day, I broke my fifth metatarsal running a 5k with Team in Training. I was gearing up for my second marathon in San Diego and really wanted to nail it. Jeff Carroll walked me back to my car and said I'd probably cracked the bone. Naturally, I didn't believe him.

I should have.

Subsequently, I lamented my fate here and here and here. 

Trading crutches for a walking cast was delightful. 

Time passed, I ran again, set prs, and was injured once more in 2008 and that's pretty much been the end of my racing life. I did a 5k in 2010 and another the next year, but seemed to develop a pattern of running for three or four months, usually no more than 3x a week, then suffering knee pain and backing off. In between there were knee and shoulder operations, plus a skin cancer surgery to vary the routine. 

Four years ago, I wearied of my accordion-like training pattern and chucked running for good. So long. Thanks for the medals. I took up eating instead. And added a prostate cancer operation for good measure.

Finally, back in January, I reached a point of absolute disgust with my own physical deterioration and signed up for a 5k. Having dabbled in chi running for the last eight years, I decided to recommit. If done correctly, the technique results in minimal pounding to the knees. 

So I've been running 3x a week, no more than 3 miles a session. I don't sweat pace and often don't take a watch. All I concentrate on is my form. So far, I've dropped ten pounds and whittled three inches off my waist.

And this morning, I once again finished the Santa Anita 5k.

What has changed over a decade?

No more plastic tie strips as the chips are now inside the bib. 

A mere 5k offered a technical shirt, plus finisher's bling of better quality than I've received for marathons.

A small drone circled the start line shooting video.

Compression socks are all the rage.

So are selfies at every stage of the race. (It's only 3.1 miles, not Badwater.)

What's the same?

Excitement, anticipation, goodie bags, kids running like mad through the pack, running out of gas, walking, then running like mad as before. 

Here is my time from ten years ago. I ran almost the entire first mile in around eight minutes before twisting and rolling my ankle. 

Hard to see, but hobbling along I finished in 37:41, averaging 12:07 a mile.

Here is my time from today:

  Forty pounds heavier and ten years older I averaged the same pace and finished five seconds faster.

Eerie.

But rewarding. 

So I'll relax today, do some yoga tomorrow, and run three miles on Monday, always working on my form. It would be nice if the running continued as I do enjoy it out of all exercises. 

On the subject of enjoyment, if you're in the mood for a creepy horror novel, feel free to enter Goodreads Giveaway for my latest book: Hallow Mass. 15 signed copies are being distributed free of charge. Just click to enter. The postage is on me.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Hallow Mass

by J.P. Mac

Giveaway ends April 28, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Hallow Mass is also in pre-order on Amazon and will launch April 29. 

Have a kind robust weekend.

UPDATE: Safety pins are still used to attach your race bib to your shirt.

The last tenth of a mile is run on the Santa Anita race track proper. Ten years ago it was thick dry dirt, like running in cotton. A decade anon, thanks to the rain, it was an oozing quagmire. A truck had driven along the track earlier and people were lined up Indian style, running one after the other because the tire track was the hardest surface. To pass, you had to slop out into the muck and punch the gas. It wasn't worth the effort. 

Rare Running-Walking Report

Me at the half-mile mark.

Overweight Writer Waddles Three Miles

Race reports used to be a regular fixture around here. There were marathons in Chicago and Eugene, Oregon and 10ks in Northridge, CA but age and illness have curtailed my outdoor sporting activities. Since 2009, I've had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee, skin cancer on the nose, arthroscopic surgery on my right shoulder and an operation for prostate cancer. Over the last 16 months, my weight has ballooned 30 pounds. I am a physical wreck.

So I started walking again. Even more, I signed up to walk a 5k. Nothing motivates me like shelling out money for an event. I can't move fast or far, but I can move and the endorphins percolate leaving me somewhat content. Incidentally, this upcoming race is the same 5k were I broke a metatarsal ten years ago. Time doesn't fly, it teleports.

More soon.