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.

Yesterday, my car was getting a tune up. It was rainy, the kind of day most people would not want to be outside. The technician at the car place told me that it might take an hour or an hour and a half.

In the waiting room, the TV was playing the typical political news in the background. Ugh, I'd rather not just sit there and listen. Of course, everyone else was sitting there patiently.

Yesterday, my physical therapist did a reassessment and said I probably only need one more appointment in a few weeks. The exercises he gave me seemed to do the trick as my knee is so much better. The swelling is gone, no more pain going up or down the stairs and I can actually run again.