Maine Quartet

Been a while since my last post, but I HAD to take some vacation hours and go to Maine with my wife, brother, and his wife Debbie. We were on Eastern Bay across from Bar Harbor in a rustic cabin. I'm not sure why we left, insanity is the only explanation.

I've had a couple of good developments: first, I did my first x/c run in many years and second, my blister has completely healed and I seem to have the answer for it.


Jennifer and I ran several times at the cabin, but the best moment came when we ran in a state park on a 1-mile loop path through the woods. I had tried to run on this path back in 2006, but my old arthritic ankle hated anything but a flat or crowned roadway. I had to watch my step and made sure I lifted and lead with my right knee but I never fell. About a quarter mile down the path Jennifer asked me to stop...and kissed me. Her happiness for me was sweetness squared.

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I find I can keep my blister block on for my shorter runs and remains in place for several days. Before our vacation I peeled it off to find the spot on my tibial crest where the blister tends to form was completely pink and healed. I am continuing to use the block when I run, but remove it on my days off to give the skin some extra air overnight. So far the Johnson & Johnson brand works best, whereas the generic drugstore brand doesn't stick nearly as good.

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Before our vacation I was dressing myself to run in my wheelchair one morning. It struck me how intensely ironic that I was putting on my running togs while sitting in the symbol of the handicapped. I stood up, walked into the workout room, and ran 3 miles on the treadmill. And I remembered:

"Now I will turn the miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen every day."

- Pi, from "The Life of Pi" (Yann Martel)

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My life has become richer than I could ever imagine.
Yet it grows every day.