Running In Place

A little more than 168 hours since splashdown and I’m still not 100%.  I don’t know that I expected I would be but I’m still disappointed.  In my secret heart I was hoping for a short, easy run on Monday, as though 7 days was the magic healing number.  Part of me - you know the part, you have it in you too - thinks I could probably manage it.  The swelling is clearly down quite a bit and the pain is so diminished that I’m not needing to limp.  But. The swelling’s not gone by a longshot.  It’s still sore, with areas that are very tender to touch, and the pain jumps right up with significant extension and flexion.  So, yeah, in spite of my impatience, I inherently understand that it’s not time yet.  Maybe Wednesday.

Let me talk a little about eating.  I had previously mentioned that VJ piqued my interest in Eat to Live which is, if you choose it to be, a vegan way of eating.  So I am trudging through the book (which is informative but dry) and I cut out animal products a couple weeks ago.  It’s not the actual ETL program, which is clearly more restrictive than my fast-food vegan diet of salads and prepared, pre-packaged animal-free foods.  I lost 8 lbs in the first week (yeah yeah, mostly water but, shit, it’s still 8 lbs) and nothing since.  But the weightloss aside - I feel awesome!  I can’t even explain it fully.  I feel lighter physically and emotionally, I feel focused, I’m not having wild cravings that lead to mini-binges, I have an easier time telling when I’m really hungry and it’s time to eat and when I’m satisfied and it’s time to stop eating.  It’s really cool.  I do think I’d like to go deeper and cut out the processed foods as well - just hang with the fruits and veggies and beans and a few whole grains and such.  I’ve even found a couple of forums and blogs manned by vegan runners, including a vegan Ironman.  So, I’m not sure how this will unfold.  In my usual dive-in-headfirst fashion I’ve ordered a hundred and two vegan cookbooks and I fancy that I will joyously dance about the kitchen, aproned and skillful, as I prepare all of the delicious food I will have at the ready so I’ll never be tempted by convenience again (which, really is my biggest downfall - the ability to grab it on the road and eat it while I drive is more seductive than actual edibility, say nothing of health).  We’ll see if I actually turn into Chef Polly Vegan.  If nothing else, I can live on salad and french fries, right? (As long as they’re cooked in vegetable oil).