Pain is temporary... but it sucks

"You're a runner
But you're chasing yourself
Feel the hot breath on your shoulder
You're emotion
Running cold running warm
The young just getting older"
- "Hungry for Heaven' by Dio

Weight: 152*

Throwing up the asterisk on the weight this week... I got on the scale after a 10 mile run, before eating anything for the day. Even though it was between 20-25 degrees outside, I was layered enough to get a real good sweat going. I'm guessing 156 is a more accurate weight.

Friday is my 'normal' day to blog... but I had a busy Friday and didn't get to it. It was a teacher inservice day, so my wife had to work, but my daughter didn't have school. Additionally, I had a dentist appointment and we had to go grocery shopping.

Had I blogged on Thursday, it would have been an overwhelmingly positive "wow! Things are going really well" type blog. My morning runs were going well, everything was just seeming to 'click'.

Instead, I went to the dentist to have two fillings repaired (I tend to crack them by grinding my teeth in my sleep), and during the process, it was determined that I need a root canal. So instead of a routine fixing of a filling, I have a temporary filling until I can see a root canal specialist (10 days from now), and dull pain causing an unstoppable headache. My jaw feels like a whore on dollar night.

It's not enough to 'derail' my training... but it's enough to make me a bit grumpy. I still got my 'long run' of 10 miles in today, but I wasn't happy about it. I didn't feel like smiling or waving at other runners (even in 20 degree temps, there are plenty of other runners out and about in Buffalo). I honestly don't even feel like blogging right now... I feel like laying on the couch and closing my eyes.

I imagine it's a bit like a migraine. Not as severe, but longer lasting. If we were taking the SAT's, 5K race is to marathon as migraine is to dull toothache headache.

Here's the big picture: My half marathon is in a month... literally in 4 weeks. We leave for Nashville in 3 weeks. I really REALLY want to have this fixed before we leave. If you've ever had a good toothache and been on a plane, you understand. If you haven't, well, tooth pain is greatly increased with pressure changes, and flying is excruciating. While I have an appointment with the root canal guy, it's undetermined if the root canal will be that day, or if that will be a preliminary thing to set up the root canal. Hopefully, this can all get fixed AND I can fully recover (as in no mouth pain) before leaving.

In other news: My summer race schedule is taking shape. Since I have no marathon planned (which means not travel, hotel, entertainment for marathon weekend planned), I am able to sign up for multiple local events... more than usual, and more pricey than usual.

I mean, last year I ran the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington DC. I stayed with a friend, so I didn't have any hotel expense. But registration was $88 (fairly cheap given the size/prestige of the race), airfare was about $200 (also, fairly cheap), and even though we kept food and entertainment to a minimum for the 3 days I was there, I know I spent at least another $150.

So taking that off the table, there's some extra cash in the cookie jar for "Mark's athletic mid-life crisis". Since I licked the frosting of the multisport cake last year, I decided this year I will eat a whole piece. I have already registered for:
Tiger Duathlon
Quakerman Triathlon
Wet and Wild Triathlon
(if I complete all three of these races, I get a 'bonus' of an Xterra backpack... a $60 value. Basically, it's like getting one race free)

There is at least one more triathlon I will be signing up for, and I'll predict 10-12 5K races before the year is out. PLUS, I'm hoping to do a "swim for charity" with my niece this summer (I will hit you up for donations later on). Not too shabby for a guy who is still no where near the shape he used to be in (but I suppose I am in the best shape of my adult life right now)

Hard to really think about all that when I can't chew on the left side of my mouth though.

And lastly: with a last name like "Fryer", there has always been an abundance of 'chicken stuff' in my life. Decorations for the house, clothing, placemats, towels, etc. It's something most of my family members embrace, because you'll be consistantly annoyed if you do not. So I have a couple different baseball caps with roosters on them. One, in particular, is a 'trucker style' hat (the kind with the plastic mesh) that I have had for at least 3-4 years. And this week, on TV, Dennis Rodman was wearing the exact same hat on "Sober House". I am not exactly sure how I feel about this... but I do know I will not return the favor and start wearing douchey Affliction and Ed Hardy T-Shirts.