I realize you’re not on my Street Team on RunKeeper, so you have no idea that I’ve run:

• 1.18 kilometers on January 29th
• 1.71 kilometers on January 31st
• 4.08 kilometers on February 3rd in the snow in the dark at seven in the morning
• 4.0 kilometers on February 5th, and
• 4.08 kilometers this morning.

It seems my new exercise pattern is:

• Sunday | Running for Distance
• Monday | Strength Training with Ifat
• Tuesday | Running for Intervals
• Wednesday | Dance
• Thursday | Strength Training with Ifat
• Friday | Running for Time
• Saturday | Rest

And, as I just posted on my Social Medias, I have four exercise goals to prepare for the Tough Mudder.

1. “At a minimum, we recommend that you are running regularly (3-4 times a week), work up to at least runs of 5-7 miles…”
2. “…be able to do 15-25 push-ups in a row….”
3. “…be able to bang out 6 pull-ups in a row….”
4. “…and be able to swim 50 yards without stopping.”

The first week I ran, including for the race, my heart stayed up around 175ish. Whenever I hit the wall, my heart was above 180. To give a little perspective, my heart is craptastic because the resting rate is fairly low and the exercise rate is fairly high.

But worse.

When it hits 185ish, it drops to resting rate.

Which makes me pass out.

I’ve been to lots of specialists and had lots of tests, but the root cause remains unknown. But I’ve been working with Ifat since September and she’s been pushing my heart, and finally.

FINALLY.

I’m running.

For the first time IN MY LIFE for more than two minutes.

And the highlights?

• Noting my average heart rate for a run has dropped to 165ish.
• Running my first race and not walking or pausing AT ALL.
• Figuring out how to download PodRunner to my iPhone.
• Suspecting I might actually finish the Scotland Tough Mudder.