I know I joke a lot about feeling old. I’m only forty two (“WHAT DO YOU GET IF YOU MULTIPLY SIX BY NINE?”) but that isn’t the point, really.

You’re only as old as you feel, right?

It was almost a year ago that I ran my first 5K race. I had just finished the (fabulous) Couch to 5K plan from Cool Running. I wasn’t expecting much, but I finished, and ran about 12:09 minute miles. As of that time I had run ninety miles.

This morning I ran 5K in 11:30. I’m closing in on 500 miles for the year. Last August I weighed 255, this morning it was 263. I’ve cut way back on coffee, I drink bottled water, have high fiber cereal for breakfast (Colon blow!) many mornings, drink much less alcohol than I used to, and my blood pressure has come down considerably.

So other than being heavier and not much faster, I’m doing OK, I guess.

Something else – I was cleaning the other day and came across a page from a letter my wife wrote to me when I was in the grip of my depression. It was before I had even started looking for help. I read it again, (the particulars aren’t really important), and I wonder how much has really changed in the last two and a half years.

Overall, I’d say I’ve made some great strides. In the relationship area, with my wife and with my kids, is where I feel like I’ve still got the most to do. Some days, in particular, I don’t think I’ve come very far, and on a few dark days I feel like I’ve gone backward.

But, I guess it’s like everything else, you have to try and keep it in perspective. I’ll just say I’m happy to be here, and leave it at that.