Halfway Through The Race Season Already? And What’s Next?

Seems a little unreal, actually, but here it is, early February, and I am planning March, April, May, and June (it’s too hot to race in July and August here). Except for a small issue involving a strained knee ligament (and with runners, almost all issues are small, even when they aren’t), it’s been aContinue reading “Halfway Through The Race Season Already? And What’s Next?”

I Don’t Exactly Hate The Holidays

But I admit to being tired of some aspects of them at this point, Please take your pumpkin spice everything and do unspeakable things with it. Christmas music starting in November? There is only so much Bing, Burl, and Mariah a person can handle. Christmas music part 2: turn down the level in retail stores.Continue reading “I Don’t Exactly Hate The Holidays”

Sugar, Grease, Protein: The Post-Race Food Groups

It was hot out there today, even for a 5K. And that’s eight days after an 8K trail run. Not a huge complaint. More of an observation, since this is acknowledged to be the hottest summer since anyone began maintaining meteorological records. I am a pre-race creature of habit. I eat the same things, withContinue reading “Sugar, Grease, Protein: The Post-Race Food Groups”

Two Weeks And Counting Down…

The first race of the season is coming. September 2 and it’s a tough 8K trail run. For me, it’s sort of like doing the Super Bowl first thing, and the other games after that seem easier. I did this race last year and wanted the challenge again. Oh, and the swag was awesome. Let’sContinue reading “Two Weeks And Counting Down…”

Injected With A New Lease On Life

I finally did it. After decades of nagging back and hip pain, I saw a neurosurgeon and a pain management specialist. And got an injection that literally hit me in the sacroiliac. I did not even know I had such a body part, never mind knowing where it was or what it was for. IContinue reading “Injected With A New Lease On Life”

Congrats, Cheapskate. You Made A Kid Cry And An Old Person Mad

I get that road races are hard to do. Not the running part. The management part. Being a race director or volunteer anything at a race can stink. Trust me. As a runner, we mostly love you. Unless you cheap out and screw people over when they’ve paid for the race and the swag thatContinue reading “Congrats, Cheapskate. You Made A Kid Cry And An Old Person Mad”

Old Body Parts: The Reality, And Hope For A Drag Show Of A Race

I was only half-kidding when I referred to being tired and having body bits give in and give up on me. I am seeing a neurosurgeon in June. But not so much for something worn out. More like something built up. Just in the wrong place. Calcification on my spine, to be exact. Good, strongContinue reading “Old Body Parts: The Reality, And Hope For A Drag Show Of A Race”

Land Of Lost Running Socks And Planning The Next Season (!)

My house is a shrine to single socks. For some reason, it’s the expensive running socks that seem to get separated from one another. Never the cheap-o, ten-per-pack knock-around-the-house socks. Only the nice, padded ones. Eventually, the missing sock does (usually) turn up, stuck to something else, courtesy of static cling. I had one sock,Continue reading “Land Of Lost Running Socks And Planning The Next Season (!)”

Going From Stressed Out To Surviving Better

It’s been a helluva two weeks here. From hacked credit cards to four weeks straight of competing to the dreaded “Check Engine Light” glowering from the dashboard to a daylong hospital stay. And I only signed up for the four weeks of competition. Not the rest of it. The credit cards were shut down, theContinue reading “Going From Stressed Out To Surviving Better”