What

                As I sat down to blog again I realized that my titles were beginning to look like the current events assignments that Mrs. Routzahn assigned in the 5^th grade. We were to stand up on our assigned day and follow the famous 5-W model and present our articles. Who, What, Where, When and Why and on occasion How. I remember distinctly that we could only do sports once a month. A rule I believe that was instituted because Christopher (known among my classmates as Kissy-fer, for reasons beyond my comprehension as it had nothing to do with the obvious) and I would have focused our entire current event assignment on the B section of the Frederick News Post.

                However I did realize that my order of the 5-w’s was slightly out of order, perhaps my tendency to exasperate Mrs. Routzahn is returning via my out of order blog. Though in my defense, it wasn’t my intention to mimic an assignment that I haven’t done in a couple of decades.

                Today’s blog thought is what. At first my focus was going to be what I do at the gym. What I do to get in shape for the marathon along with the other races I have decided to do. Then I began to think perhaps the focus could be deeper, focus on the what exactly it is I’m doing. The obvious of course being I’m running. But I think the what is deeper than that.

                To start with the easier of the two what’s-what do I do to prepare for the upcoming events. As mentioned in the "Who", I spend three mornings a week with Regina in a boot camp style work out. There is no set routine, Regina believes in mixing things up. In addition to freaking out the muscles by tricking them, her energizer tendencies prefers to keep things exciting and not stagnant. Though wall sits, lunges and tires are usually present in every workout. As is running, lots and lots of running in various forms….laps to warm up…sprits from end to end of the field, side to side, up the steps and down the steps….there is running with weights of various types…there is running with weighted sleds…and there is running backwards with and without weights or weighted sleds. As for exercises there are routines involving medicine balls, bar bells, TRX and these rather large rubber bands that I am deathly afraid will break mid exercise and snap me painfully somewhere. (Seriously, just think how painful a normal size rubber band is….now imagine a 2’ long, 3” wide and ¼” thick rubber band. See? I’m not so totally nuts) There’s no set routine aside from Monday being arm day, Wednesday being full body and Friday focusing on legs.

                On the in between days and weekends I do the Spartan Race Workout of the Day (WOD) that they post daily on their Facebook page. Pretty soon I’ll be running every day for distance and time. I’m waiting for the snow to finally disappear so that I can safely run without worrying that I’ll end up in a snow mound because some moronic driver wasn’t paying attention and ran me off the road.

                In terms of what I eat, it’s pretty standard protein shakes and healthy food stuff. I probably drink more protein shakes then the average person working out because I honestly have an incredibly hard time eating.  I eat like a bird. I’m rarely ever hungry and most of the time I have to be reminded to eat. The protein shakes give me calories and protein that I need and I find it easier to consume. I do eat real food in addition to the shakes. This area is honestly, more challenging then the physical aspect of what I’m doing. Practice will help me to eat healthy and consume the requisite number or calories every day.

                After covering the exercise and food routines I could easily say that what I’m doing is running. But that would be too quippy, even for me. While it is in essence true, to scratch the surface would reveal a deeper meaning. Running became a stress reliever for me. I would go out at night and would angrily run without regard for form. It was just an angry foot slamming on pavement at a very fast clip, arms pumping, anger driven experience, that at times would include playing chicken with traffic. I had no regard for my surroundings including the pot hole that nearly took out my knee. Some viewed it as running from my problems, for me it was a way to vent my anger in a clean and sober manner. I didn’t always deal with the issue at hand but I was able to reduce the stress and anger so I could more clearly look at the problem.

                If I were honest, I’m still running from my problems. Though I think this time is different than the others. Instead of running away from my problems, I’m hoping to run them out-the pain, the anguish, the heartache, the anger and the confusion-I’m attempting to run them out of my system to provide my soul with a new vessel in which to reform. It worked for Forest Gump.