Chronicles of a Runner...

Welcome back to Chronicles of a Runner. June is just around the corner. Wow! Where has the time gone? Can you believe half of the year has come and gone? Training has become my priority this month. The next three weeks will be a test of my endurance. The last week will be geared towards carb-loading and stretching. The anticipation is starting to set in. San Diego here I come!

Los Angeles - San Francisco - San Diego

Los Angeles and San Francisco are the cities where I have completed a marathon. San Diego will be my next destination. The excitement is starting to build. May will be ending soon and before I know it, I will be joining thousands of runners at the starting line. Thousands of runners… Wow! I still get excited about the event as if it were my first. I don’t know what to expect, that certainly makes it exciting. It’s been a full year now, since then, I have learned some valuable experiences.

This next marathon will not be about beating my personal best. Instead, I plan to cruise the entire course and listen to music along the way. They have 42 bands scheduled to perform between 26 miles at various intersections and a post race concert featuring Seal. That totally rocks! I can't wait!

Chronicles of a Runner...

Welcome back to Chronicles of a Runner. These last two weeks have been a bit rough. Training for a marathon, caring for a diabetic cat, two classes and a fulltime job! I do have a plate full. Just to give you an idea of what my last two weeks have been like, I’ll share with you some of the details.

The Last two Weeks

The last two weeks have certainly been very busy. After writing my last blog about Oddie and his condition, I did some soul searching. I have not yet gotten to the point of making the decision of putting him to rest. I consulted with my vet once more during a visit on Friday, April 12. We had some other tests done and x-rays taken, only to find that there may be something else causing the weakness in his legs. Now, I have been referred to a Neurologist. Once again, I found my self at an important cross road, how much is this going to cost and what will be the outcome? So, I decided to give the little guy anther chance. Wish me luck.

My marathon training has been going pretty good. I have placed my self on a weight-loss meal plan. Notice I didn’t say diet. The word “Diet” seems to have a negative meaning. When people think “Diet,” the first thing that comes to mind is cutting out the good stuff, food we enjoy to eat that is usually the not so healthy choices. By that, I mean burgers, fried chicken, sugary drinks and those oh-so-good to eat sweet treats. And yes, my meal plan does eliminate all of those choices, but I am able to enjoy some things like bread, potatoes and not-so-bad meals. It’s very simple, I won’t get into the full details but I will say it’s a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Let's take my dinner for example, it consists of a 6oz piece of lean chicken, white meat is the leanest, a cup of brown rice and a cup vegetables. All in reasonable portions should help curb my appetite through the evening before my last snack, which will be a glass of fat free milk. Wish me luck! My goal is to lose 10 pounds.

Between all this, there’s also school, I am currently enrolled in an English course and a theater course. Study, study, study, cram, cram cram, that' s all it seems I do. I just completed a mid-term for the theater class. Lucky for me it’s on-line. There’s just so much to read. Oh well, what doesn’t kill me, will only make me stronger, right? I have one more test left, the English class. It shouldn’t be too difficult. Is there any room for a social life? Yes, I try to spend sometime with family and friends. Never an empty plate...

Chronicles of a Runner...

Welcome to Chronicles of a Runner. This entry will not be about running. Instead, I thought I’d share with you something that’s been on going in my life. Besides family and friends, I share my life with two wonderful little guys, my cats, Oddie and Buddie. Earlier this year, I found out that Oddie is diabetic. Up until then, I didn’t even know that cats could become diabetic. Oddie and I have been together for eight years going on nine. Buddie has been with us for a short while, about four years and he’s doing fine. This last year has been a challenge for us all. For the purposes of this blog Oddie is pronounced Odie as in the comic strip of Garfield.

Oddie and Me

On a cold night as I got ready for bed, I heard a distant cry in the courtyard--that of a kitten. I began to wonder if maybe one of the neighbors left it out. It was late, close to midnight. I hopped into bed and turned off the lights. As I laid there, its cries seem to get louder and louder and I couldn’t focus on my sleep. Frustrated, I jumped out of bed and walked over to the window to see if I could see anything, nothing. Then I began to feel bad, this poor kitten is out there, I’m in here, he’s cold, I’m warm, what to do? Well, I did what any cat-loving person would do, rescue the little guy or gal. There I was, late night, cold and it's got me down on my knees talking to a bush with a piece of ham. Don’t you just hate when that happens! So now, I am a proud owner of male cat.

Well since that cold night, Oddie and I have been through alot of life’s challenges. We have gone from place to place, a few roommates, other cats, and now this illness. Believe me it’s been no walk in the park. I am sure to some this sounds like no big deal, but to us it a huge deal. Since this illness, Oddie has gone through some physical changes. He has lost some use of his hind legs, they have become weaker. Medications of have come into the picture, insulin injections twice daily. I had to introduce a new diet and now our biggest challenge, the litter box. How much can he take? How much can I take? The problem of making the litter box has been perplexing me for the last month. The vet can’t seem to explain why. How do you discipline a pet for something that may seem to be out of its control?

I wonder sometimes how he’s doing. Friends ask how I’m doing. I reply “we’re doing fine.” But is that how he really feels? I will never know. I have pondered the idea of maybe he’d be better off asleep and maybe not. Hopefully, I will never get to that point. Believe me, I have entertained the idea simply because life would be a little easier around the litter box. Between the wee wee pads, the litter box and shots, It’s seems like it's the easy way out. He’s given me so much and still does. I have always believed he’d be around for a very longtime but now his future seems a little grey. Who knew caring for a pet could be so hard...