Race Season Starts (yay!) And Colonoscopy By Mail?

Let the running begin! Actually, it started two weeks ago. Two 5K races in a row, and so far, so good. I am feeling pretty decent, running three times a week, all in the mornings. The good news is that I got my high-heat practice in during summer afternoons, which sounds insane (my hottest practiceContinue reading “Race Season Starts (yay!) And Colonoscopy By Mail?”

Seven Miles I Didn’t Mean To Run

I meant to run about four or five miles this morning. I wound up with seven miles. It was not my fault, really. I run on Sundays for two main reasons: to get my better half a newspaper, and it’s the one day when I can get a long run into my weekly schedule. SoContinue reading “Seven Miles I Didn’t Mean To Run”

Had To Have It; The Hydration Vest Arrived

I live in Florida, so you’ve already figured this out. It’s hot here. And it’s oppressively humid. It’s boil-the-brain-cells-then-squash-them-flat-them-flat kind of weather. I was carrying a 16-ounce handheld bottle of ice and water on my runs, and figured out that after a four-mile run, that’s nowhere near enough of either. So I broke down, didContinue reading “Had To Have It; The Hydration Vest Arrived”

Racing Season Over; The Next One Starts Fast!

The final race is done before the oppressive heat of the summer sets in. It had hills (OK, not hills to most of you, but for us flatlanders, they hurt). I’m glad the season is over and happy to take a break, though I keep peeking at the summer calendar to see if there’s anythingContinue reading “Racing Season Over; The Next One Starts Fast!”

10K Tough Enough? Surprise, Yes!

Last Sunday was my first 10K since knee rehabilitation ended. I finished with a first-place age group win. The weather was perfect, and fortunately, the start was early enough to get it done before the heat caught up. I also had the opportunity to visit a Hispanic grocery store and enjoy and buy the differentContinue reading “10K Tough Enough? Surprise, Yes!”

Cold And Flu Season Found Me

Well, it had to happen. I got a head cold. I did manage to go for nearly three years without one. Note that the last bout of illness was a chest infection that turned into pleurisy, but that’s another story. Hey, go big or go to the hospital, right? Fortunately, I had a week offContinue reading “Cold And Flu Season Found Me”

This Race Is For You, Miss Junie

It’s been a busy race season so far, with some good finishes, and even a first-place age group win. But that first place came after a bad day. Miss Junie died. She was a lovely lady, a proper grande dame, and she was my “running buddy,” not in the sense that she literally followed meContinue reading “This Race Is For You, Miss Junie”

Rules Change; Story Moves Forward

After rehabilitation on both knees and one foot, I have learned that the rules of workouts and competitions have come due for a reckoning. The good news is that swimming and cycling are unaffected, as neither is hard on the joints. Kickboxing and running, however, need a little adaptation. It’s time for orthopedic shoe inserts.Continue reading “Rules Change; Story Moves Forward”

First Race, New Season, I Am Back!

It’s Monday, a sort of recovery day if going to kickboxing, washing floors, draining the air conditioning line, and (later on, weather permitting) mowing the lawn counts as recovery. Hey, life’s daily chores are still here, race or not. It was a good race on Sunday, considering I had not raced since February’s injury. IContinue reading “First Race, New Season, I Am Back!”

Rehab Is Done; Normal Lives Again!

Twenty-four physical therapy sessions. The hardest work I’ve ever done. And they’re over. And I am running again. Not hard or fast but at least back to 5K distance. I am also retired from full-time employment, I’ll take both of those as a mark of success. I am looking for part-time work while I buildContinue reading “Rehab Is Done; Normal Lives Again!”