Back with Life, Great Start to 2012!

First of all, Happy 2012 to all of you! After 10 years in the US it was great to be in Brazil to witness the energy devoted to celebrate the beginning of a new year. And it started well.

On Saturday (Dec 31) I woke-up with a ton of energy, I felt like I could run a Marathon! Although tempted to do just that, I followed my Doctor's advice and went downstairs for a walk, right around 3PM, loaded with all the songs I used to listen to during my Triathlon training days, and the company of my daughter Dotsy, my sister Tricia and my little niece Lully. I had sneakers but no socks on and my feet started to bother me. I took them off and, just like my sister Tricia, started to walk barefoot. I never did this before and it felt quite good. Isadora got tired and after 20 minutes went back home. Tricia hung in there for a while, until Lully joined the tired club and fell asleep on Tricia's lap, who then also went back home.. I was then on my own.

By the time I hit 2K the song "What Can You Do" (from a punk band called "Bad Religion" that I really liked in College) kicked in. For some reason every time I did my training runs along the Mon River in Pittsburgh at 6AM during the week, this song would be the first one in my Shuffle iPod, and when it started playing I could not resist and ran a few yards. I could see myself in those dark and cold mornings picking up the pace, and that really made me feel great. Then reason hit and made me go back to walking.

When I hit 5K it started raining. Instead of stopping I went to the gym and hit the treadmill, which is definitely not made for barefoot walking. I really wanted to hit 10K, to the dismay of everyone that cares about me. By the time I hit 8K, Livia came to the rescue and made me stop. I guess I am not supposed to walk that much, but this walk already helped me beyond my imagination. Although I got yelled at by all my family members and friends when I told this story ("take it easy Patrick, you are still recovering!"), I had a nagging pain on my right foot since May, when I went out for a 20K pre-Eagleman training run. Turns out that my long barefoot walk cured my pain and I woke up on Jan 1 painless. In addition my stitches started falling, and if feels like that once a stitch falls the pain associated with that area goes away. What a great start for the year.

Don't worry about me going beyond my body's limit during this recovery period, I have the best person right by me 24 hours. Livia has been the best companion I could have ever wished for since we started dating, and she will continue to make sure that I don't do anything silly until I am 110%. I am so blessed to have her by my side, and despite me driving her crazy with a fairly high frequency she continues to be a trooper and stand by me, calming and protecting me. I am blessed.

Wish you all loads of Peace and Smiles in 2012. I hope my ridiculous new pair of glasses makes you smile!

Like I explained to my Doctor before he got worried that I completely lost my sense of aesthetics or common sense there is a reason for this. These are the prescription glasses I used to wear for biking, and they are way bigger than my head, but they were good to wear around helmet straps, winter face masks or both. Turns out that with that they don't press my head or stitches, so I can painlessly wear glasses. In addition they get darker w/ light (Transitions Lenses), so I don't squint when I change lights. Well, meet the new me, function first, form second!

Wish you all the best in 2012 and thank you very very much for all the really nice, encouraging notes you've been sending me. You are a huge source of energy to me and bring me the most peace of mind I have ever had in my life. God Bless You All!