I was not a total sloth over summer, did a little biking and kayaking… wel okay, I was a sloth.

Other significant stats are that my exercise burned 171 donuts! They have the total “infographic” look there, I love it.

Its hard to believe that race day is Sunday, and I will be doing my 26 mile fast walk.

There shall be a blog post on the other side of that.

I replaced the Nike’s I ran last year’s half marathon in with a new pair of Saucony shoes. These ones will become my new slip on and work in the yard shoes

My running shoes were definitely on the worn side, and this is good timing (I hope) to break in the new pair before January 19. I’m not too fussy about shoes- I’ve had Ascis, Saucony, and last year Nikes- none really hurt my feet and all felt good when they were new.

The bib from the Phoenix 10k I ran 2 weeks ago had a 20% coupon on Saucony shoes from Runner’s Den in Phoenix, and on Saturday I “ran” over there (I drove) and got some great help picking them out. My 20% savings went back to the store in getting some new socks and runner’s goo.

I’ve not been regularly blogging the runs here, though I do update in DailyMile (shows up on the sidebar), my Google Spreadsheet that automatically updates my totals, and since I am using RunKeeper on the iPhone, it posts an update to my Facebook page.

On Saturday, I repeated the week before’s adventure of a 2+ mile neighborhood loop and then taking the 3 mile downhill from Strawberry to Pine to meet friends for our regular breakfast at the Randall House. My sweetheart was here and drove the car down, afterward we had to drive to the Phoenix airport to send her on her way home.

I hung around Phoenix on the weekend with friends, and made excuses not to run Sunday or this morning. I was at the airport by 11 to pick up my Mom who is here for her annual Thanksgiving visit.

The weather here in Strawberry is dipping into the colder temps again, will be trying to pry time to do mid-day runs when is at least sunny and in the 50s or low 60s. Bring on the snow!

View Running Around the World in a larger map

I’ve been on team Diabetes two weeks but have let slide my fund raising campaign, so I just blitzed my [now former?] friends and family (they have no option to opt-out) with an email message generated via the ADA web site.

The key thing I realized is that this October marks my 40th year of since being diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic. And damn have I been lucky. So while I feel like one of those people who come to their friends with their palms out each year for a donation to their cause– I want to be able to be this annoying for a long freaking time. Next year, and the year after that, and the year after the year after that….

So if you did not get my spam message, read it below. Then please take a click over to my Team Diabetes Page and show some support for all of the hating I am doing to get ready for another run through Phoenix.

Hi,

I’m becoming one of those people. The ones who e-mail you the same time each year letting you know they are biking/running/ballroom dancing to raise money for some cause.

Yes, I decided to run another PF Changes Half Marathon (or a “half mary” as a commenter on my blog referred to it) on January 16, 2011 in Phoenix to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. And I’m asking for your support.

But here is the thing- this October marks the 40th year since I was diagnosed with the disease that affects more than 24 million Americans (and many more who don’t know it). And I’d like to be here many years from now, annoying you a similar email message.

I have been super fortunate to have suffered no diabetic complications beyond a bout of retinopathy in my eyes more than 15 years ago, but its an every day effort to stay on track… and as much as I do not really enjoy running, it is the best healthy activity to keep my blood sugars in line.

Please help me reach my goal by supporting me for this year’s event. Follow the link to my personal fundraising page where you can make a secure, 100% tax deductible donation. (If you do not want to donate online, contact me at cogdogblog@gmail.com and I will provide an address you can mail a check to).

And if you do not feel like donating, or finances are too tight now to do so, I understand. Do me a favor and toss a comment on my blog site, or better yet, make sure your family members have been checked for symptoms of diabetes.

You can follow my progress at http://dommy.com/ihaterunning

Together we can stop diabetes. I’ll be out there running for it.

regards

Alan

Do you need that link again?

http://main.diabetes.org/goto/cogdog

Thanks!

My bum around shoes were retired from my previous half marathon adventures. It has *some* mileage on it.

I have new shoes and am running again
dommy.com/ihaterunning/

I’m glad shoes can’t talk, this one might just complain all day long.

This morning I used the communication tools the American Diabetes Association is providing us this year to send out about 80 some emails with my plea for sponsoring this year’s run. And did a lot of people respond quickly! Thanks to everyone who has responded early, and I am well on my way to reaching my fund raising goal (I actually bumped it a bit).

But the best moment, was when the CEO for the organization I work for, the New Media Consortium let everyone know who works for us:

In case you are interested, the NMC will match any staff gifts to sponsor Alan. Just send me a copy of your donation form and we will submit an equal amount. It is in all of our interests for all of us to practice healthy living, so I am setting this precedent of encouraging such action among us.

Of course, this is 100% totally optional and completely up to you. If you do contribute, any information about your sponsorship will be held in full confidence.

We are only a 10 employee organization, so that is quite a generous thing to do, thanks Larry! and thanks to my colleagues who step up to sponsor my effort.

Everything that happens like this is what compels me to get out and run when I don’t feel like it

I’m in San Francisco for NMC meetings but the running schedule continues with a beautful 30 minute session along the Embarcadero.

Stay tuned at dommy.com/ihaterunning

This was my best pace yet since training started, I might only slightly hate running now… subject to change

Ah now it works. Yay.

I’d had spurts and stops of running, none more than a week at a time. I have started kayaking, which is fun and good upper body work- here’s where I’ve been:

View Alan’s Kayak Spots in a larger map

and I am getting my mountain bike back into working order this weekend.

But… my health numbers have not been the greatest over the stretch (poor eating, lots of travel, etc) and my A1C numbers have been above where they should be. I need to lose that thing I keep bumping into when I bend over to reach something (e.g. my gut). And lately I have been seeing a few floaters in my left eye (I had a big round of laser treatment in 1993 for diabetic retinopathy).

A running routine, when had one, was the best stretch of fitness I ever had.

Yet, I never really found the elusive high feeling, and I marvel at people who look so damned happy and cheerful as the run (past me). Whatever.

I have been getting emails from Coach Dave about Team Diabetes and I’m thinking its time to join back up, and aim for the half marathon on January 17, 2010.

And in reading the current issue of Wired about the Nike Experiment (Nike+), I just purchased online a new pair of Nike shoes and the sensor, so I can do the Nike+ full data capture and training programs that will work with my iPod Touch.

Revving up. Maybe some power of suggestion. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running. I Love Running.

So I am starting with some really short runs, and relying on audio podcasts to keep me distracted. I’m also trying to get out once a week for some kayaking on a lake.

But keep it under your brim for a while. I have no plans to run a race or anything close to that.