RUN: 2.97 miles@??:??, Home<-->WM+, Melbourne, FL

This afternoon I had a doctor's appointment for a earache/headache that I've had for 3-4 weeks. A couple weeks ago, I went to see another HFMC doctor; she prescribed me migraine medication -- didn't help. Then last week, I had a brain MRI done -- and the results came back normal. The pain persisted.

I arrived for my appointment 10 minutes early, but the doctor was an hour late in seeing me. And what was supposed to be a 45 minute consultation to establish a primary, was in actuality 15 minutes of: Me: "My ear hurts" // Dr: "But everything looks fine. How do you feel about chiropractors?" // Me: "I don't like them."

During those 15 minutes, the doctor asked me 5 or 6 times how long I've had these headaches. I know that he was just trying to see if I'd change my answer -- I know their tricks. It would've been fun except that I'd been waiting for an hour.

I left the clinic feeling even less confident about my medical coverage, d&t, angry and frustrated but tired. I decided to head to the mall -- I had a Chic-fil-a coupon.

I ordered sweet iced tea and got a 4-pc chic-n-strips for free. I haven't had iced tea in years because it'd usually leave my throat scratchy. But with all that I've gone through with my ear and foot, what's a scratchy throat? Anywyas, the girl behind the counter was nice, and I appreciated it.

I walked the mall, food in tow and drink in hand. I stopped in front of the pet store and watched the puppy in the window as it slept. As I stood there for what seemed to be a long time, the thought of how much I needed a pet re-entered my mind. A lump started forming in my throat, pressure built up behind my eyes, and I knew that I had to move along or I'd cause a scene.

Then as I walked across the mall, a couple of ladies (obviously lesbians) rushed past me searching for what I knew was the community room. I deduced that a TLR meeting was happening, and for a split second I considered joining them. But as they entered the room and slid the clear sliding door shut behind them, instinct steered me away -- I knew there would've been nothing for me there.

[TLR is The Living Room, Brevard's LGBT center. I could elaborate on the reasons why I'm not active with that organization but it would have to be in a separate post. The short answer is just that I feel no connection to the local gay "community".]

I got back to the food court, got a refill of tea, and sat down to finish my food before I headed home.

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So I was told by the doctors that they couldn't find anything wrong with me, and deep down, I had the suspicion that could a possibility. Deep down, I suspected that I already knew the cause of my headaches.

I've had the bum foot (noted to be inflamed, otherwise still undiagnosed) for a few months now (since late May). And as a result, I've reduced my training significantly -- from three-to-five times a week to one maybe two (including the races that I registered for months in advance). I believe that this lack of running is the cause.

Asides from the aerobic benefits of running, running helps with stress -- it keeps my body loose and relieves the tension in my muscles. So with a more sedentary lifestyle, my muscles -- particularly the muscles in my neck -- have become a bit rigid, putting a strain on circulation.

So, tonight I decided to do something about it. I went out for a run.

Yeah, I thought about stopping by WM on the way home, picking up a 6-pack, and just drinking the rest of the evening away, but I could always do it another time with friends, but tonight, it was dark and cool and not raining (I mowed my lawn yesterday... first time in about a month... while the grass was still quite wet). I had to just do it.

And the run was fine. I started out slow, then after the roundabout, I picked up the pace and sprinted to the side of WM, my form looking really good. I stretched a little then continued with an easy pace around WM+. I started to feel the extra pressure on the 2nd metatarsal of my left foot, and more pronouncedly on the last mile -- I was wearing my old Reeboks with the green insoles. But I didn't stop.

I'll give it another couple days before I try another run. And I really should put ice on my foot.

Anyways, no jumping pic tonight -- I'm too out-of-shape for that -- just one sweaty ceddy pic below. I took a corresponding "from behind" picture, but my love handles showed a little too much so I'm withholding:

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So, it's kinda back to square one. I'm not dead yet.