Long Time, No Post! Where Am I At With my Running?

Running is Slowly Coming Back

Lat time I posted, I mentioned how I ran a 12:18 mile on the local track. I was disappointed then, but the good news is that I'm feeling better. And to be fair, I haven't been running at all since then really. I've just been trying to get between 8K and 10K steps each day - which is harder than you think if you work a desk job. 

But recently, I've joined (or re-joined) Planet Fitness. I signed up for the Black Card so I could workout even when I travel for work. So where am I going with this? Two weeks ago, I wanted to see how far I could get at a 10 minute pace. Could I make it a mile on the treadmill since you basically have to keep up? The answer was "no". I could not. In fact, I think I made it a tenth of a mile at that pace and then had to slow down or fall off. But then...I tried again and I was able to run at a 10 minute pace a quarter mile. I walked a quarter and then repeated this 3 times. I was able to hold a 10 minute pace for a 400m for 3 intervals. So here's where it gets good and really boosted my ego. In my most recent gym visit, I ran a whole mile in 12:07! I was really happy. That was my warm up mile. I then did my gym workout which took me about a half hour. I was feeling really good. Tired and definitely feeling the workout, but good. Really good. So just for fun, I thought, "let me see how far I can go at a 12:00 minute pace and then I'll walk the rest of the mile as a cool down. Well, not only did I go the whole mile, but for each quarter, I boosted the speed up a notch so each 400 was faster than the previous and then for the last 400, I boosted the speed up a notch for every .05 in distance. I finished the mile in 11:38!! I was so excited! I walked out of the gym feeling absolutely amazing. 

I think I've mentioned that after not running for months after my marathon, but ankles had locked up. Well, they are still really sore whenever I sit for awhile but they do loosen up after walking a little. The really good news is that despite that, they do not bother me when I run. In fact, they do not bother me later any more than usual so running doesn't seem to make the problem worse. I just have to warm up with walking and then go into running and they are fine. 

I'm feeling hopeful again. I'm also slowly - VERY SLOWLY - losing weight. I'm under 200lbs again which is a great feeling. I was 198.4lbs this morning. I believe the difference in my being able to run the mile on the treadmill was more weight loss than improved cardiovascular fitness. I was 206lbs when I attempted and ran the 12:18 mile at the end of June. I was 200.2 when I did the 12:07 followed by an 11:38 post-workout.

I don't want to get too cocky because I'm heading into the busy season of my work, but I'm feeling really good about things and looking forward to getting back into running. 

They hired more people at work so my workload has reduced. I was originally hired to oversee 12 counties. At one point, I had as many as 24, most recently 21. Now, I'm back to 12 so I should not be as exhausted, nor should I have to travel as much. 

I'm not great about posting here, but you can follow me on Instagram @ashevillerunningcoach where I have been more consistent with posts. 

The Post Marathon Blues are No Joke!

The Post-Marathon Blues Are Real!

WOW! What can I say. It's been awhile since I've posted. But I have good news. I seem to be over the funk that I was in. I was well aware that after hitting a big goal, that people can sometimes feel lost or that everyday things seem to lose their appeal, but I had no idea just how wrapped up I was in training for a marathon. Once it was over, I was absolutely on clound nine! But then it faded to "now what" and then full on being down in the dumps. I gained weight. I got myself to a point where I couldn't even run a mile. And did I mention the weight gain? I got up to 213lbs which for me is very very heavy but luckily I was able to real that back in a little. I've dropped 10 pounds just cutting back on Carbs, but more on that in another post.  

Then something happened. I saw a post about a mile road race in Waynesville and just like that, the fire was back. I had a renewed sense of wonder. I can't run a mile. But I love the mile. So I signed up this past Wednesday. It's August 22nd, which is exactly 8 weeks from today. So I went to a track today to see what I could do. I warmed up and then ran (slogged) a mile in 12:18. I had no idea I was actually that slow. I was hoping I could pull off a 10 minute mile, but I was fighting out there just to keep going. 

However, at the end, even though I was much slower than I had hoped, I was happy. It felt so good to be out on a track again. If you've ever seen Field of Dreams, you'll get how I feel when I step on a track. It's like I'm young again. At least on the inside...LOL.

So. In summary, I have 8 weeks to see how much faster I can go in the mile. I have to look at the course but I think there might be a slight uphill at the start but then should be fairly even to slightly downhill the rest of the way. 

My plan is to run hard twice per week with speedwork. Run some easy days. A long run day and 2-3 resistance training days per week. That's a big jump from what I've been doing, but I'll take it slow and easy and build up gradually so as not to overtrain or get injured. 

If you're feeling down, you may not want to, but find something that gets you excited. I realize how silly it is to run a marathon and then get excited for a mile, but trust me, it was just what I needed. I've always loved the mile and road mile races are hard to find unless you're willing to run the kid's fun run. 

I'm also honestly glad it happened to me. I fully believe it's made me a better coach having gone through it rather than just reading about it. Like I said, it's no joke. The depression was very real and I barely recognized myself for a while. 

If you find yourself down or needing help with running, please reach out to me. I can now say I've been there and I can relate to what you're going through.

Last Week of Half-Marathon Training - Week of Jan. 18th

Short and sweet. I did not run the 5K. We had a winter storm with lots of rice that was supposedly coming. I decided the night before I wasn't going to run. The race directors kept the race. The bad weather didn't hit until late that night. But it was freezing cold, my ankles hurt...it would not have been smart. 

I will be creating a new goal. A new plan. But first, I'm going to try and get my ankles working again and get out of this mental funk that I've been in. I help runners all the time get back into running and it always works for them. My issues seem deeper. I'm going to work through them. 

Half-Marathon Training Progress: Weeks of Dec. 28, 2025, Jan. 4th, 2026 & Jan. 11th

A sad couple of weeks. I really think I need to pull out of the Half. 

Sunday - Tried to go for a 2 mile run. I made it a half of a mile and had to walk to the mile mark. I thought I'd turn around and do a run/walk back but all I could do was walk. I was in a lot of pain. Shins. Calves. Feet. It was very disheartening. 

Monday - I received a delayed Christmas gift from my son. A walking pad. I set it up and walk .8 miles carrying 10lb dumbbells and did occasional curls while walking. My arms were spent after. But not bad for 20 minutes. 

Tuesday - I walked on my walking pad for 1.24 miles in 30 minutes and six seconds. I haven't tried running on it. for some reason, 2.5 MPH on this walking pad seems MUCH faster than the same on a treadmill. Maybe it's the much shorter walking area? I have no idea. In the gym, I walk at a 3.4 MPH speed and it's a brisk walk. On the walking pad, I feel like I have to run. No joke. 

The good news is that my weight is down a little. I had hit 206lbs last Thursday, Christmas Day. The last three days, I've been holding steady at 203lbs. So a 3 pound loss is decent. I'm sure it was mostly water weight, but I'll take it. 

Wednesday - It's New Year's Eve! I can't believe it's going to be 2026! That's crazy!! I took a break today since I'd walked on the treadmill the last three days. My ankles were a little sore so I figured I had been much more active the last few days. 

Thursday, January 1st, 2026!! HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Today, I ventured outside and ran 2.23 miles. I then did a squat and hold and some kettlebell exercises later in the evening. 

Friday, I walked 1.26 on the walking pad and did some kettlebell exercises and some more squat and hold exercises to help my ankles.

Saturday, I walked on the walking pad again and did some ankle rotations with a stretchy band the Physical Therapist gave me. 

This was  pretty good week. I was active and I got my weight down to 198. 8 POUNDS LOST SINCE CHRISTMAS DAY!! I'm very happy!

Week of January 4th 

Sunday I ran-walked on the walking pad for 1.71 miles 

Monday, I walked on the walking pad with dumbbells and did an arm routine for 30 minutes straight. I covered 1.24 miles while doing arm curls, shoulder presses, side raises, front raises and skull crushers. 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, I didn't do anything. Work got crazy and I lost my mojo. 

Saturday, I was able to squeeze in some PT stretches and some squats and 2 sets of overhead presses with a 20lb kettlebell. Overall, not a great week. 

Week of January 11th

Not a good week. This will be short. 

Sunday - Thursday I did nothing. I worked. I slept. I got up and repeated like some awful version of groundhog day. I have a situation at work that I'm having to deal with and it's just got me totally exhausted. 

Friday, Jan. 16th work was better. things have calmed down some but I was just so exhausted. 

As you can see, the last 3 weeks has been very little - VERY LITTLE - running. My ankles are still whacked so I definitely shouldn't run the half on the 24th. I just wish I knew what happened to my ankles. A month after the marathon, I was totally fine, and then they started hurting and aching all the time. I walk like I'm 90 until they loosen up. It's so frustrating!! 

For weeks, I've debating just running the 5K if they'd let me switch, so I looked into it and I was able to change my race distance. I ended paying a very small transfer fee and switched from the Half-marathon down to the 5K. Hopefully, I can do that. 

Saturday, Jan. 17th, my wife and I left for an overnight trip/getaway. Much needed, but not great for exercise and gym time. Also, I gained some weight back this week, but not too much. Still below 200 so that's good news at least. Being on the road so much, I was back to a lot of fast food, but I tried to be better and get less/eat less. 

Half-Marathon Training: Week of December 21st

Half-Marathon Training Update: Sunday, December 21st

It's Christmas week and it's been a slow start. Yesterday, Sunday, December 21st, I didn't do anything other than go Christmas shopping. I had time to run. But I didn't. It's Christmas week and I'm off on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Hopefully on Saturday and Sunday too but work is picking up. In fact, today we started to get ballot proofs coming in for the March Primary so works about to get insane!

Reflecting on this Past Week

Well - Monday, Dec. 22nd and Tuesday, Dec. 23rd were tough. I didn't run or do anything. Wednesday and Thursday were no better even though I was off work. there was so much to do to get ready for the family to come over, etc. On Christmas Day, I weighed myself and I was at 206 lbs.!! My all time heaviest. I've been on Mars Men for a couple of weeks now and I'm not seeing any increase in energy, drive, or anything else. They say to give it 90 days. So far, not impressed, but I'm willing to give it 90 days. 

Friday, Dec. 26th, I did attempt to run 4 miles. It turned into a run/walk for 3.2 miles. My calves were tight. My shins hurt. My Breathing was like I had smoked four packs of cigarettes per day for all my life. It was just awful, but I stuck to it rather than turn around at the half-mile mark like I wanted to. I did turn around before the two mile mark though. My feet were really hurting. 

I'm seriously considering just eating the entry fee and skipping the half-marathon in January. I'm feeling like I'm too heavy, too slow, and just COMPLETELY unprepared for 13.1 miles with less than a month to go. 

I was talking with family on Christmas Eve and telling them how I ran the marathon in March and since then I've just had ZERO motivation to run. It's like my brain and body said "OK. You achieved your lifelong dream of running a marathon. You don't have to run ever again." I know that sounds crazy. At least, it does to me. But that's seriously what it feels like. 

I've done some research and apparently it is a thing. It's called the Post-Event Blues or sometimes the "Post-Goal Letdown". Basically, my body and brain have said, "Yep, we did it. Mission Accomplished. Now we can rest and chill into the sunset."

So my work now is trying to figure out whether I accept that and just embrace coaching, hiking, and other activities, or if I try to put some new spin on running to re-invigorate me. 

Half-Marathon Training: Week of December 14th

6 Weeks to Go

I can't believe I only have 6 weeks to go before the half-marathon. I'm seriously considering not running it. One, I don't think I'll be ready to run sub-3. Two, my ankles are whack! They seem to hurt all the time. 

I don't care about the sub-3 too much as the end of the race is on the greenway and a little traveled road so if support closes up, no big deal. I also don't believe I'd miss it by very much if at all. But the ankles. OMG, I just feel like they are trashed. 

Sunday, Dec. 14th I did not run. It was below freezing and the temperature continued to drop all day long. It was actually warmer at 28 degrees the morning than at night when it was 16 with a "feels like" of 2 degrees. That's cold! 

Monday and Tuesday I didn't run. I had ZERO motivation. I thought about it. I wanted to at some point during the day, but I just could NOT get myself up, dressed and out the door. I don't know if I'm just caught in a holiday funk, a work funk, a running funk or what. It's bad. 

On Wednesday & Thursday, I didn't run or hike, but I did do some push ups and held a low squat for 30 seconds the first day and 50 seconds the next day. 

On Friday, I held the squat for a minute and did arm curls with dumbbells and some front and side raises after. 

Saturday I didn't do anything, but on Sunday I held a deep squat for one minute and then I did 2 sets of 25 reps on a bench press type exercise with 25lb dumbbells. I didn't have a bench so I used a foot stool of sorts. I followed that up with 2 sets 10 deadlifts with 25lb dumbbells.

On the bright side, I did lose 1.4lbs this week. So that was interesting.

What to Do at This Point?

My ankles have good days and bad days. Because I haven't been running, I'm not sure what my long run even is at this point. Not to mention that I haven't been running, so I haven't been wearing my barefoot style shoes. Can I jump into a long run of 5 or 6 miles (assuming I can still go that far) in barefoot shoes without injury? As a coach, I'd advise against it. In fact, as a coach, I'd probably tell any client to just drop out of the race, I'm not ready, I show nothing / demonstrate nothing that would indicate anything is going to change at this point. But my ego! My ego is insisting I have time. I just need to figure out what's happening that I have ZERO motivation. 

Half-Marathon Training: Week of December 7th

Week of December 7th: Marathon Training Progress

Here's an update on training progress for the week of December7th. 

On Sunday, December 7th, my wife and I took a 4.5 mile hike at the arboretum. It was cold, but nice. That evening, for some reason, I decided after brushing my teeth, that I was going to drop and crank out just 10 push-ups.

I will add that my Mars Men T-Supplement arrived late Saturday night, but today was the first day I took it so I do not credit it for the desire to do 10 push-ups. It was just something I did.

On Monday, I got off work and really didn't feel like running even though I had told myself I would all day. I just wasn't feeling it and my ankles were hurting for some reason. But I sucked it up a little bit, put on a jacket and hat and told myself I'd walk 30 minutes. I ended up walking around 35 minutes so that was something. I also did 15 body-weight squats before bed.

On Tuesday, I didn't do anything. My ankles were pretty sore from the day before. 

On Wednesday, I did my arm curls, front raises and side raises before bed but no running. 

Thursday I didn't do anything due to work. I was on the road to Raleigh at 8 a.m., drove the 4 hours there, dropped off the equipment I had to take them and then drove home. However, on the way home, I did stop and see my son in Chapel Hill. We had lunch and I got to see his new place. Then I dropped him off at the airport on my way home. I got home around 8:15-8:30 p.m. and I was pretty beat. 

Friday we went downtown and walked around and shopped so that was some walking but I don't think it was too much. We did finish by walking up the same hill that the 2012 Asheville Half-Marathon went up around mile 12.9. That brought back some good memories. That was the year I ran Sub-2. Hard to believe that was 13 years ago. Crazy stuff!

Saturday, December 13th: 6 weeks to go before the Half. 

Saturday, my wife and I hiked 3.5 miles in DuPont Forest and took a trail to see the Wintergreen Falls. 

My weight started and ended this week at 202.2 lbs. I'm not sure what's happening and why my weight seems to be at a new set point. I'm not happy about that but we'll keep plugging along and trying to eat better. I hate that I'm over 200 lbs. If I was bigger guy, it would be a fine weight, but I'm only 5'7". They say that a better metric for weight is a waist: height ratio. One's waist should be half their height. So even on this front at a 35" waist (and that might be being kind) I fail the weight test. 

Overall, I'm feeling strangely more and more positive about the half but worried my ankles aren't getting better. Of course, I'm not very good at doing my exercises so that's on me. 

My fear is that I may be thinking I can do this since I ran a marathon. However, that was back in March, and I did NOT keep up that level of fitness. I really feel like I'm starting at square one. The weather is not cooperating either. It's been cold and sometimes rainy this week. In fact, tomorrow is supposed to be really cold with "feels like" temps in the single digits.