Where's My Saddle?

I haven't posted in a long time (due to injuries, physical therapy, and a huge life transition)

Injury
Since July of last year, I was extremely busy at work, flying two or three times per week and putting in a lot of hours...  Last December after a flight, I slipped and fell on the ice, injuring my hip...  After recovery (early this spring), I began experiencing right foot pains (plantar fasciitis, which later turned out to be a slight plantar fascia tear).  I was in and out of physical therapy most of the year.  After many months of physical therapy and treatment (to include iontophoresis, sonophoresis, dry needling [blah], deep tissue therapy, and stretching exercises), I was finally able to get out on an exploratory run and was quite pleased with the results: 1 casual mile at 8:32 pace (not bad considering that it was my first run in over six months).  I miss running.  I failed to enter in any of my routine events this year: Austin, Dallas, Ft Worth (new), Oklahoma City, USAF Marathon, and Tulsa.  I also let myself go by gaining nearly 15 pounds, and of course, regressing out of condition (endurance, pace, etc).  It'll get better (I've been there before).

Life Transition
I was recently approved early retirement from the military.   Additionally, I was offered a once in a lifetime position with the folks at Starbucks as a Store Manager (yay!).  This is a huge transition from my current role as a flight instructor - I'm ready for the challenge!  Frequent world travels enabled me to experience and enjoy many cultures, most memorable were of food and drink, notably coffee...  MY life blood.  Flying 16-20 hours missions would have been impossible without it.  This week, I began the next chapter of my life in hopes to learn more about the coffee industry in an effort to inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.

Running
I'm hopping back in the saddle slowly, and physical therapy revealed that my gait and form have shifted - "time to buy new running shoes!"  :-)  I am grateful for the physical therapists and technicians for bringing me back to form - thanks!  As a long term goal, I would love to enter next year's Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon (I PR'd 2013's half marathon).  I am not expecting a record, I'm just hoping to get back into shape for the half distance (again).  I would love to run the USAF Marathon too, but I am done with fall events (no more summer training).  So, I'm hoping to be back on the road in 2016 at my routine events [crossing fingers]...

Well, I'd like to thank my family and close friends for all of the support this year.  Thanks to the USAF for a wonderful 15 years...  And, thanks to Starbucks for investing in me - I have big shoes to fill...    

Happy running and God bless! "Fight the good fight, finish the race, and always keep faith" 2 Timothy 4:7