Road to Health - #3 Plantar Fasciitis

In my early days of running, I discovered a condition that has ended many running careers and could have easily ended mine: plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is a condition where the bottom of one's foot, and especially the heal, experience such serious pain that it gets difficult to walk.

After some research, I learned what I wish I would've learned when I first started running. There were two things I was doing wrong. First, I was running in cheap shoes. Second, my form was wrong. I was landing on my heel.

My future daughter-in-law helped with the first issue. She recommended Asics shoes. So, I went to a mall in Winnipeg and picked up a pair shoes for over $100 dollars - more than I'd ever paid for shoes. In the end, they were worth every penny.

The second problem wasn't difficult to fix. I just concentrated on not landing on my heels - landing more on the middle of my foot.

These things did not solve the problem over night. The pain lasted several months. I picked up some tips from YouTube. Every night I would take a bottle of bottled water out of the freezer and roll it under my foot. I also did physical therapy - strengthening and stretching exercises. After several months the pain finally subsided and went away completely.

The Road to Health - #2 Running

It was 2008. I was 50 years old... almost 51. Somehow, a strange little idea entered my mind... "I should run the Yellow Rose 5K this year." At this point in time, I couldn't even run a half mile without having to stop. It's crazy that I hung in there. As far as I know, there were no 'couch to 5K' programs at that time. There was no one besides myself challenging me to do this. I just did it. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I hung in there and was gradually able to run a mile, then two miles, and finally, 3 miles. I ran that 5K in 31 minutes, 39 seconds. I had the bug. I don't think I ran anymore 5Ks that year, in fact, I don't think I ran any more, period that year. But it was a start and I was ready to run again the next spring.

Here's an early running picture. I weighed about 20 pounds more then than now.

The Road to Health - #1 Pop

#1 on my list of a million little things on my road to health was cutting pop out of my diet. I can't remember exactly when I did this. I'm pretty sure it was about 25 years ago. Also, I'm not sure what the motivator was. I do remember listening to an episode of Focus on the Family where the guest was talking about how the Standard American Diet has too much sugar. I think it was listening to that program where I first understood how much sugar is in a single can of pop (39 grams, 10 teaspoons!). I'm not sure if that program was the motivator, but there's a good chance it was. 

I used to feel I needed some pop at lunch every day. And I always had some pop in the fridge at home. It's interesting that quitting cold turkey was not that hard.

I am listing this as the first thing on my road to health. I did this years before I started running. This is certainly one of the top ten most important things I've done, if not the most important.

The Road to Health

Why is it, that at the age of 68, I feel that in many ways I'm healthier than I've ever been? I can do more push-ups than I've ever done. I can do more pull-ups than I've ever done. I'm not on any prescription medications. I actually think I'll be able to run a personal best this year. And I'm audacious enough to set a goal of running a 10-minute mile when I'm 90!

Is it 5 steps I've taken? Is it 10 habits I've developed? Or 25 tips I follow? No. It's a million little things that I've added to my life over the last 30 years. 

In the next several weeks, months, and maybe years, I hope to share many of the 'million little things' I've begun and continued to get me to this point. I am so thankful for my health, and I want to get these things written down and perhaps help others on this journey. Stay tuned. 

First race of 2026

Yesterday was the Torch Run at FSU in Panama City, FL. The weather was almost perfect - 60s with a little wind.

This may be the first picture ever of me saying the pledge of allegiance:

There were 220 runners/walkers:

...and we're off!

This was my first race with Brooks Adrenaline 24 GTS shoes (the orange bottoms).

My goal was to run under 30 minutes. The first mile was a 10:13 pace. The second mile was a 9:38 pace. My hope was to then do under 9:30. I ran out of gas. I was so exhausted I even walked for a short time. Here I am at the end trying to run again...

Limping home...

Waving to the fans...

Raising my hands at the finish.

I did not achieve my goal. Not only that - there were three old guys ahead of me. I didn't place. Not even close. Here's the numbers: