The "New" New Normal

Let’s make something clear.  My January 3 post from earlier this year does not count.  It’s been retro conned away.  It was a bad dream.  It’s been written out of the script of my life.  

Thanks to a successful surgery on my left knee, I’m back to running.  Specifically, my Nike Pegasus’s are being put through their paces five times a week.  That includes speedwork with Coach Ives again.  My paces are approaching where I’d been before I tore my meniscus last July.

That qualifies me for a “do-over” on my Goals for 2026! What I somewhat cleverly consider the "New" New Normal!

What does that look like? 

Call it a work in progress where I do what I can to regain my previous conditioning without inadvertently inserting any potholes into my "road to racing." A sore right hip reminds me that I need to pace my return to racing as carefully as I did my return to running after surgery.

All of that sets the foundation for the Five Goals of the "New" New Normal.

1. Savor the Sweet Summer Sweat!  Eager to make up for lost time, I've signed up for two races in July. First up is Midnight Madness - a 5K run in the late evening in downtown Ames.  No doubt the heat and humidity will sorely test my endurance. But what better distance and event to welcome me to racing after over a year away!  From there, it’s back to Davenport for the Bix 7 on the final Saturday of the month where me and that repaired meniscus get to compete in Iowa largest race amid some truly daunting hills.  Both races present key challenges to assess my recovery and conditioning.

2. Ramp It Up for the Fall!  Assuming all goes well in July, it’s my plan to compete in the Capital Pursuit - a ten-miler in mid-September and the IMT Des Moines Half Marathon in mid-October.  I’ve zero clue as to what my pace would be that far into the distance.  But regardless, I know that my participation in those races will require picking some more mileage in my Saturday runs. Based on some research, there's a decent possibility that the IT band issues that badly impacted my performance on two half marathons in ‘25 were connected to my eventual meniscus tear. If and that its’ recovery lessens the problems on the other side of that left knee.  One way to find out!

3. Ease into the Winter!  Far as I’m concerned, there is simply no better way to enjoy November and December than being part of the Hillbilly Hike 10K and Sycamore 8 trail run.  Both are low-key races with fewer participants.  By that time, I should have a much better idea of my conditioning and speed.

Time for a Deeper Dive!

My goals extend beyond those six races.  Throughout my recovery and conditioning, it’s essential to consider these two key factors as well:

4. Remind Myself to be Patient. I've lost considerable ground on my training for nearly this past year. Indeed, I went nearly eight months between training sessions with Coach Ives and had over two months without any running. Exhibiting patience allowed me to return to running. I need to remind myself that, like it or not, returning to full racing condition is not going to happen overnight. Push it too hard and I simply risk an injury that will further delay that progress.

5. Maintaining Nutrition!  After months with my nutrition emphasizing recovery (meaning lots of protein!), it’s time to shift my diet to building more carbs that will be essential to granting me the fuel I’ll need for my training and competing.  Let me add that I cannot wait for that dish of pasta the night before a race!

6. Focus on Recovery as Much as Training!  Dialing up the mileage and intensity in the coming weeks and months will put additional stress on my body and legs in particular.  That means I need to allow myself adequate time to recover before diving back into that pool again. Truth is, given everything that’s gone on and my age, recovery days will be every bit as important as my training days.  

I’d like to think that I’ve been patient up to this point with my recovery.  No reason to change that.  I view the remainder of 2026 to ultimately determine my New New Normal and savor every step, every stride I take!

What about you?  Any revised goals to share?  Feel free to share them!