And we're back

And we're back....

Yes, it's been quite a while since I've done a post and that's for any number of reasons; typical holiday distraction, business, lack of real content - the list goes on and on.

But I am happy to be doing this again. Personally, the end of the year was a bit of a mixed blessing. We had a wonderful holiday where we (while let me give my wife quite ample credit as she does most of the work) had at any given time somewhere between 18 and 20 people at our home. This included a lovely Christmas Eve Dinner as well as celebration on Christmas Day. What was most amazing of all was that, since we (my wife and I) were heading to Toronto on the day after Christmas, we had the place completely vacant (all guests had checked out of the inn) and clean. That includes the Christmas tree.

OK, this is a semi-Seinfeld riff - and maybe it has to do with being Jewish- but I really feel crummy about just tossing the tree out the next day it's like a dead body. I mean there it is in your house, decorated to the nines, everybody staring at it likes it's some sort of semi-god. And then on December 26th; it's as useless as a bucket with a whole in it that has to be tossed ASAP. While I know that lots of people keep them around for awhile, I still feel really bad when I drive around in early to mid January (NOW) and see these unwanted trees just waiting to get trashed along with smelly garbage. Some day, someone really entrepreneurial is going to come up with some wonderful use for these trees. They have to!

Anyway, why a mixed blessing? Well, to try to look at the positive, I can only say that my health at the end of 2013 has to be better than I've started out with. It started a few days before Christmas. To get my training kicked off for the Ft. Lauderdale Marathon which is on February 17th, I did a 14 mile run. Very even, nice pace from Yonkers to Tarrytown. I initially felt good after. A day or so later, my left foot starting feeling the way it felt back in November before I almost bowed out of Philly.

I decided to give it some space and it actually started to feel a bit better. So, being me (not always smart) I decided to do some speedwork on the day of Christmas eve. Big mistake. My foot felt fine during the run but was toast by an hour after. To the point where I was hobbling around on Christmas Day. I guess the only pleasure I can take is that I kind of felt like Bruce Wayne/Batman in the beginning of the Dark Knight Rises when he was hobbling around. That's as close as I'll probably come to being Batman.

OK, more rest. In fact, I kept on the bike until January 2nd. Thinking I must now be OK, I did a very, very light run on a treadmill. While it felt OK while I was doing it, an hour after, the pain was so excruciating I thought I'd pass out.

As I'm reading all this, really depressing so I'm done. Bottom line, between the feet and a flu which I hope is on the way out, my new year has started out anything but healthy. Hope better things are to come!! Bottom line, I have a feeling the Daily Runner might be the Daily Biker or Daily something else for a bit.

On a happier note, thrilled that Teens Run Westchester is starting it's first ever Winter Training Program this Tuesday January 15th. Looking forwards to keeping you up to date on that.

Actually, lots of other stuff to write about but this is really long already so to be continued...