Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

Last year, I did the Manchester Road Race for the first time. This race is well known internationally and gets thousands of participants on Thanksgiving Day.

I didn't do as well as I could have last year. I came in at 50:55. My knee was bothering me that day. I really shouldn't have run. I completed the race and by the time I got home, my knee was hot and swollen. Eventually, it got to the point that I couldn't put any weight on it. It was also gradually getting more painful, to the point it was excruciating. I ended up calling the ambulance to go to the ER.

I stopped going to the gym about a month ago, when the COVID numbers started going up again in my state. I feel like it's too risky to go as I worry about getting others around me sick. II don't want to be a carrier and have the guilt if other people were to catch it from me.

I miss the gym but I do like running outside. It gives me a chance to plan for my next race. I'm planning on doing a virtual run for the Manchester Road Race again this year

I didn’t do the typical potato challenge, spearheaded by my friend Andrew “Spud Fit” Taylor. I did a modified version that also included all the GBOMBS foods (greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds) from Dr. Fuhrman’s list. The reason is because I have eaten Dr. Fuhrman’s suggested foods since 2012, and I couldn’t imagine going a month without them. Plus, I know Fuhrman’s plan will keep me in optimal health.

So why did I bother with the potato challenge? Well, one reason is the diet always intrigued me. People have the incorrect idea that potatoes should be avoided because of their carbohydrate content. I think the challenge proves otherwise. I also did the challenge because I wanted to explore other kinds of potatoes. I always liked them so why not explore what other options are out there? It would also allow simplicity. This way, I don’t have to think about what foods I’µ going to eat. I just know it will be either a potato or one of the GBOMBS foods.

I was always interested in doing a potato challenge, ever since I heard my friend Andrew "Spud Fit" Taylor did one to get healthy. In the process, Andrew lost a total of 115 pounds. He also reversed the depression he was dealing with prior to his challenge.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Andrew about his potato challenge. I learned why he did it and what it accomplished. The whole point of the potato challenge for Andrew was to take the thought out of food. It was a way to remove additions to food. Instead of having to think of what to eat everyday, he could focus on other areas of his life.

I decided to sign up for the Fairfield Half Marathon on June 7. I did this race last year and thought it was a lot of fun. It was tough with some of the hills but I enjoyed starting and ending by the beach.

I know what I need to work on for the next time around. I need to practice my incline running. I need to figure out how to adjust the speed so I'm not so winded by the end. But those things will improve as I get to practicing again.