pressing re-set

Since I am only gently easing my way back onto the trails, I fear my contributions will mainly be reminiscences...but here is one that is mixed with past and present.   When I was a regular runner, whether in training or not, I started each day with a glass of warm water with some lemon juice squeezed in.   Then I would go out for a run.  Then I would come back and eat some oats, or if I was on the road at a conference or something, demolish a hotel buffet.   And if I didn't get to run, I would be a grump all day.   Then I got injured as you all know.   For some reason, and though I've blown ankles and calves and knees and achilles before, this time within about six months I had dropped the cleansing start up juice and oats, and was starting my day with strong coffee.   No oats and no run.   But I wasn't grumpy anymore.  I had attained a new level of equilibrium...not post-run happies, but not no-run unhappies.   But I didn't like it.   The morning run was where I got out any frustrations or annoyances and where I got my best ideas.   Under the new 'regime', the caffeine induced spurt of work I would do in the first hour was productive but not real writing, usually just charging through emails and admin.   When I picked up the rowing habit and was on the water before 7, I would still start with coffee and some carbs, but it was a totally different experience.   With running you let yourself go and think of anything or nothing.  With rowing you get a long break from your work or life, but that is only because it is so technical and hard and exhausting that you can't and indeed shouldn't think of anything else but what you're doing ("Eyes in the boat!").   So, after all this time I am trying to lace up the shoes again, and it is purely due to being sick of being injured, and a great call with Spencer which made me look at the Roma marathon site and when I saw the countdown clock (6 months tomorrow), something clicked in me and I said "stuff this 'I'm injured' malarkey, it is time to get into recovery mode".  And so here I am again, tomorrow begins the first water and lemon in a long time and I will get out and have a plod around one of my old routes, with purpose this time!