After the universally positive feedback from last week’s update, I figure I’ll do this weekly. I aim to inspire but remember, I’m only a man. Overall I’d say this week was a step forward. I’ll continue to play around with which sabbath on which to avoid exercising. Last week, I appeased the New Testament God by resting on Sunday. This week, I pandered to Old Testament God. Perhaps next week I’ll see if Ahura Mazda (Zoroastrianism’s Creator) will grant me strength in my journey (not sure what day that means I don’t jog). The deeper I dig, the more I realize I’ll need all the help I can get.

Monday, February 6th: Last Monday, I ran four miles. This Monday, I ran almost six. “To do something you’ve never done before, you must do something you’ve never done before.”

Tuesday, February 7th: Disaster. I aborted my run after a few steps due to a dull ache in my right foot. After consulting with the medical experts at WebMD, it’s entirely possible I experienced an acute gout flare up.

Wednesday, February 8th: The combination of taking yesterday off from running, avoiding shellfish and abstaining from my nightly glass of mead seems to have done the trick. Gout averted. I gutted out another six-miler today, pain free.

Thursday, February 9th: I was invited to join a group of local fitness enthusiasts for their weekly workout today and I welcomed the company. Avid exercisers Scott Fauble and Scott Smith were slated to do a speed session on the indoor track (10 x 20 seconds fast, one minute jogging). I hung on for eight, before lying down on the floor. It’s important to know when to say when. Those boys are fit and I’m sure they will perform admirably in whatever obstacle course race or CrossFit contest they are training for.

Friday, February 10th: Yesterday’s bout of sprinting left me in a state of physical dishevelment, but I persevered. Another local jogger named Thomas Awad suggested I tag along on his afternoon aerobic run and I was grateful for the company and distraction from my ailing body.

Saturday, February 11th: A sore knee left me questioning my balls-to-the-wall approach to training. Not wishing to wind up like poor Icarus, I sat today out as well, lest my wax wings melt before I even get to attempt to buzz the sun’s tower in April.

Sunday, February 12th: I knew when I was pulling on my sleekest pair of jogging shorts, that today would be a good day. Folks, I daresay during today’s nine-mile affair, I experienced a “Runner’s High,” a sensation rivaling anything noted in Freud’s genital psychosexual stage.

It’s remarkable how the human body adapts to new stimuli and how the human mind readjusts its expectations in accordance. Last week, I was satisfied with an objectively impressive 25-miles. This week, I accumulated over 31 and fear I will only be satiated by a greater or equal effort next week.

Contemplating a getting the following affixed to my body in the form of a henna tattoo: “SUB-2 OR DIE TRYING.”

Note: There is now a Facebook event for those in Arizona with interest in possibly attending the sub-two attempt on April 20th.

This is the third post in a series by Paul chronicling his journey to break the two-minute barrier in the 800 meters. Check out his previous post below:

Introducing Debajo Dos and one boy’s quest to run fast as heck

Inside Paul’s first week of training