Diet, Running and Yuck Stuff

I can sum up my weekend in one word: Gluttony.

Friday evening's Maifest outing was a feast of sirloin tips, polish sausage, funnel cake, more sirloin tips and topped off with way too many liters of beer and a late-night trip to Skyline. Saturday was just as bad. We headed back down to Maifest after football, beer and appetizers at MLT's. After a shish-kebob and more beer at Maifest, we headed over to Sidebar to watch my friend Shane polish off 50 hot wings and an entire pitcher of beer, hence becoming the only person to complete the eating challenge in the bar's history (they've only been for open two weeks though). I had pizza and wings at Sidebar. Later, I wolfed down more wings and some saratoga chips while watching small children sing innappropriate karaoke songs (both hilarious and disturbing; I'm fairly certain social services should have been notified).

So, by Sunday morning, I knew that my streak of gluttony had to come to an end. I made a healthy breakfast (french toast with lo-cal wheat bread and egg whites), then headed out to Lunken for a run. I promised myself after the marathon that I'd keep my distances to under 4 miles until I start the training group again in June, but after this weekend's eat-fest, I had to break that promise so that I could burn some calories fast.

It felt great to be outside running yesterday. The weather was perfect. Sunny but not hot, and with a gentle breeze. I used to run Lunken all the time back in the late 90s when I was living with my parents in Anderson Twp., but it's a little bit of a drive from Wilder, so I don't run there as much anymore. I've always kind of felt that Lunken is my "home" track, so it was a good place to test the waters for my first 5-miler since the Pig.

It was strange feeling how difficult 5 miles was again. It almost felt like the first time I ever ran Lunken, not knowing if I'd be able to make it or not. It was a little depressing. However, I cheered up when I got to the long two-mile stretch down the back that anyone who has run Lunken dreads. "Ha!" I said to myself, "This is nothing compared to Eastern Avenue."

After my successful 5-miler yesterday, I plan to push myself hard for the next few days so that I can take a few days off completely and enjoy some comfort food after my minor surgery on Wednesday. I'm not thrilled about having my third yucky biopsy in two years, but I know that it's important for me to continue getting screened so they can diagnose it and treat it before it becomes cancerous. Cancer would suck.

So I'm going to run hard in the next few days and try to eat better as well. Now that Maifest has packed up and moved out, that will certainly help matters in terms of what I am putting in my body. I am, however, counting down the days til Oktoberfest...