Clean bill of health

[I'm listening to Suddenly Everything Has Changed by The Postal Service]

My blood pressure was slightly [and strangely] high, but my doctor’s assistant told me that it wasn’t really worth worrying about. I was more worried [to be honest] about my weight – I weighed in at two bucks. I may start to watch what I eat a little more, may even cut back on the libations – I figure if I can run lighter, then I’ll definitely run faster. The strange thing about all of this is that I’m running so much more than I was this time last year, and yet my blood pressure is higher as is my weight.

Maybe it’s the muscle mass – muscle is more dense and it’s probably pressing my blood vessels closer to my skin thereby causing the slightly higher blood pressure.

Yeah.

In any case, I have a new run schedule. It has me doing 3 days a week. I figure that I’ll start doing pushups and sit ups on my off days [did you know stronger abs and arms make you run faster? Really, I can’t make this kind of crap up]. My GP basically said that I can run through the blisters as long as I can endure the pain – he said my feet will eventually become harder [this I knew, I’ve just never had the intensity or frequency of blisters that I do now]. His advice was to run a little slower than usual and to buy new socks [Blue Cross Blue Shield is paying for some good athletic care hereJ]. He also said that I shouldn’t worry about speed work for a little while.

So, tonight I went for a 5-miler through South side and then down Greensprings Hwy [not the most pedestrian friendly place, I know]. The smell of burning wood filled my nostrils as I meandered through historic neighborhoods. The wind kissed my face while my sweat mingled with cold rain drops.

It was nice to be out on the street again.

[tonight’s run] 5.1mi [tonight’s pace] 9:15/mi