A lot of friends have seen the posts on Facebook that I created over the past six months related to running.

The goal here was not to run a half-marathon or a marathon, although I might do that some time; It was to get back to a point where I am able to skate for 2 1/2 hours in a college hockey game, and be as strong at the end of the game as at the beginning.

Tonight I refereed an ACHA Division II men’s game between Princeton and Army. This is club hockey.  The game was certainly slower than a men’s varsity game, but was still a good pace.

The key was that I skated end-to-end for 2 hours and 15 minutes, because I was the referee in the 1 referee-2 linesman system.  This is more skating than I do in a game where I am a linesman in a Division III varsity game.

Running is different from cycling or in-line skating, because when you run, there’s no way to coast. I’m convinced at this point that I can bike or skate and become reasonably fit, but greater fitness requires a significant dose of the intensity of running– or perhaps something like swimming– activities where there is a lot more resistance for me to fight against.

It was amazing how much better I felt tonight than I did at the end of last season.  Mission accomplished.