I Live in Iowa: Week 128

I had a smile on my face all week, baring about 45 minutes on Sunday finishing a marathon and immediately afterward. I have so much! I am so blessed! Even though I am still limping around, I can walk! I have run some great races in my time, faster than most people will ever run. I have a wonderful job, I am paid a lot of money. I am rich. For a brief moment, this past week and week to come, I will spend more time dwelling on the success of my life than the failures. I spend more time looking back than looking forward. Soon enough the concentration will return and probably another dabble with the vegan diet will continue. Soon the focus on career projects and athletic endeavors will once again consume my time.

For now, we celebrate!

I started a new job at work designing structures! How fortunate am I? After close to four years of finite element experience at three different companies I now am on the front end of design. Instead of judging others designs I will now present my own designs to be judged. Instead of only working with design and physical test, I will work with hydraulics, power train, electronics, marketing, manufacturing, assembly, sales, customer support, and at least in one case, materials science. It may be a less technical role, but it's more applicable to the business side of things, and more creative. I am very fortunate. Why do I have all this success?

Running has not happened since the marathon. I tried on Monday, but after one step my right leg was not going to survive. What is the deal with my right leg? I am hopeful it is one or more nasty knots, trigger points, that tightened up in the last three miles of the marathon, exacerbated by hitting the wall and having slightly less protein than normal. It may also be a second degree muscle pull. Serious and painful, but soon to heal. It may also be compartment syndrome in the anterior and/or lateral compartments. I have not been to the doctor but I have been to an athletic training and a massage therapist, and it's still a bit early to really know. I will visit a doctor this week if it doesn't get any better. I can say it is a muscular injury, not ligament, tendon, or bone, so it should heal relatively quickly once it is properly understood. Yes, I did register for another marathon because the registration deadline was Tuesday night. So if I am healthy in a couple months I will give this thing another try.

Coaching is good. It's never as good as I imagine, because the athletes don't have the same motivations I have. That's on me to recognize and deal with. My goal is not to change their priorities, but to support them in their journey.

Other than that, a fair amount of sleeping, lots of sitting around, and enjoying the meats and cheeses that my enormous wealth allows me. I still have not bought any cow's milk or cheese for that matter.