So Far So Good, and Reasons to Keep Moving

I rested which actually means did nothing but eat, sleep, rest, for two weeks.  In two weeks time added to the time I was just worn out from too much life issues when
exercise was sporadic at best, I got weak.  My muscles were weaker, looked smaller.  I will make a judgement from my experience, that it doesn't take long to lose tone and strength as we age.   In past reading, I remember that muscle memory will bring you back up to baseline, but you must move.  Light exercise, walking at first for a few days, then Ben decided I was ready to do a faster walk\ slow jog on Sunday, with him.  I did well enough to complete a circle around our new neighborhood, after a day visiting with my grand kids.  I did not hold up as well playing I noticed.  I tired out quick for me.  So I decided Ben may be right.  I survived, felt pretty good for rest of the day, but tuckered out early.  After a good nights sleep, I am tired today.  Noticeably tired, but that only means I need to walk more today.  Or at least try.  I can feel parts of my legs that are sore and have not been used in a while.  The safest way to do this is to balance rest with activity.  After I get my Monday chores done, I plan a walk, a hot shower and an afternoon nap.  On the mend again, also for now, means on the road again.  I will not give in to weakness.  I continue to strive to be the strongest and best I can be for today.

A visit with this doctor will keep you running!  

Slowing Down But Not Stopping!

Some of you know that selling house, moving, moving again, travel and a huge race to run took its toll on me.  I have been limping along figuratively and trying to bounce back to where I was but it is not working yet.  I have had a hoarse or no voice since end of June.  It comes and goes, seems worse when I am tired out, but I have not felt like I had a cold or allergies.  I ignored it, and ignored it, and ignored some more......but a very observant friend who would call me regularly kept asking me "Whats wrong with your voice?"   She did this so many times, eventually I heard the message.  I have stopped running, but still walking.  If I quit moving, it will not help.  I have gotten more rest and regular afternoon naps or rest times, and will have an MRI of the brain today and some other tests to follow.  My doctor wants to be sure it is not anything of concern.  I am not singing in the shower, singing to the radio in the car (both hobbies I do enjoy!) and I have been resting my voice and not talking most of day.  If I stay home its not a problem.  No one to talk to helps.  But my voice is best first thing when I wake up, and worsens through the day.  The reason I post this blog entry today is not because I stopped running after the Senior Games.  Its not because I did not score a medal.  It is not because I don't want to run.  I feel like I can't and I should not be trying right now.  Several times I have preached about listening to your body.  I get in trouble when I don't.  I am still walking as I said, and try to be as active during the day as I can be.  I did trek over to Houston so spend the weekend with my son Mike, wife Kristen and my granddaughters and grandson, even though Gigi did not feel like whooping it up as usual, I did love the giggles, the kisses and hugs and moments together.

 Instead of going shopping at the mall with these bundles of energy, I brought some surprises and I did some online back to school shopping with Ava, who just started first grade.  She did not seem to mind not going to the stores to shop, but seemed happy to pick from pictures on my cellphone.  And she knows that she and "mommy" will be surprised when the boxes come to the door in the next week or so.
I am also writing about this so those of you who have looked to me for inspiration to just keep going to better fitness, will not stop or feel I am no longer focused on health and wellness, after the biggest race of my life.  I need your inspiration right now to keep on moving.  I do not need to get weak again and have to struggle to keep my strength.  Keep walking or running, whatever you do best.  Let others know you are still carrying on, rain or shine, and it will keep me in the game too!  If I don't blog about running, its cause i am not able to.  I will try to blog about walks, healthy living, and rest.  I will not blog about ailments and what is wrong with me.  My focus will be what is right with me, and if there are long lapses of time, its cause I am doing the best I can.  Thats all any one can do!  Exercise, rest, fun and therapy can come in many forms!  Enjoy each day!

Top 10 Reasons Running Haters Run Anyway

I read.  I read a lot.  I read recently, that if you ask people what they think about running, apparently you can divide the population into two distinct groups.  The lovers and the haters.  The interesting fact that I gleaned from this was that even though many people say they hate running, continue to make it a regular part of their lives.  Why?????  That sounds crazy to many of you, but it makes a lot of sense in retrospect.

The benefits of running are many.  Most people start walking and then running in an attempt to lose weight or tone legs.  Running is just fast walking.  Once a walker gets faster and stronger, many times they will think, "hey, I would get done faster if I did a little running too"  And then it goes from there.  The truth is that walking and running strongly contributes to winning many personal wealth battles, and enhances overall health in many ways.  The top 10 I have come across:

1) Whether you win a race or just finish them, you are on track to winning the battle of the bulge.  60% of runners run for weight control.

2) Prevent muscle and bone loss.  Even thin people get sagging and wrinkles if they don't exercise due to muscle loss and loss of muscle tone as we age.  Weight bearing exercise and running helps this and also prevention of bone loss.  Human Growth Hormone levels elevate as well.  These taper as we age, and this is why celebrities have injected this in themselves to hold off aging.  Running does this naturally.  It also slows aging on the inside of our bodies too.

3) Fights Disease.  Running helps with increasing elasticity of blood vessels, decreasing blood pressure, decreases incidence of diabetes just to mention a few benefits.

4) Increases lung capacity and oxygen to all parts of the body.  It increases the immune system, by increasing white blood cell production, decrease risk of blood clots, and also increases the HDL levels, or good cholesterol.

5) Runners report a new level of self confidence, self esteem.

6) Stress Release.

7) Helps brain focus and builds mental determination.  The regular increased oxygenation to the blood and stress relief must also be considered as healthy for our aging neurons.

8) Runners High-- yep, that natural feel good, relaxed feeling of endorphin release that strenuous activity brings.  It keeps you going back for more.

9) Balance and Coordination improve.  These are things that also naturally decline with age and can cause injury.  This is important.

10) No fancy equipment is required.  Decent shoes, comfy clothes based on the weather and a safe place.  Meeting people who walk or run, and joining races and fun runs for charity a social bonus!

Out I go for a long fast walk and a few slow jogs!

Running in A Heat Wave, And Not Lose Focus

I have been reminded more than a bit, that I have been slacking on the blog.  Working on the house we will inhabit has occupied my time.  I have hit the gym a few times though for aerobic activity as I have had plenty of manual labor.  Friends have fallen off track too since my hiatus, and my friend Norma got after me for some motivation to get back on track with habit forming exercise and healthy eating.  We need to be less hard on ourselves, with weeks of 90 to 100 and above temps.

 Exercise in hot weather is important but so is avoiding heat stroke.   It is the main reason we have not had enough  running lately.  Ben and I are looking for a race to plan for coming up soon, so it will nudge us to get back to the road.  The 100 degree plus temps have not been helping. i have had a run or two on a tread mill, but not the same to me.  Personally I don't enjoy the tread mill, but its the only option in this heat.  This is the hard time to train if you live in the south.  Exertion outside when the temperature is higher than your body's and with high humidity is dangerous at any age.  Your body can not cool off.  Its that simple.   The tread mill is a moving track, that does not give the same feeling as you propelling along a track or road, but with this kind of heat it is all you can do.  I have been 2 miles on the tread mill and another 6 to 10 on the stationary bike, when not working on our move.  My focus has been back to proper nutrition as well.  While traveling and moving, we fell back into fast food and take out more than ever.  So, back to the basics of eating less processed and more wholesome choices is again in style at our house.  I took a few pics of recent examples to share ideas.   Figuring out what to fix for meals and stay healthy is some days more challenging than a race.  You don't always have the time to go to the store and browse what looks fresh and healthy to get ideas for meals.
In the first picture is an example of a healthy summery breakfast
Fresh blackberries, blueberries, watermelon and peaches, with two soft boiled eggs and a slice of whole grain toast.  Proper feeding of our bodies, adequate sleep
and exercise makes the body perform best.  Lets try to get back on that track!

I Have Had To Stop Running- Pushing Too Hard Can Slow You Down

I have been in a bit of denial.  Actually, a lot of it.  The build up for  the big race, moving out of a house, into another then again into an interim apartment, travel across the country in time to run in the biggest 5K held only every two years, and then back to adjust to a new apartment, preparing for and then presenting data in a Houston Tax Protest Hearing, then unpacking, cleaning and settling new home three hours away, just thinking about it is exhausting.  I wasn't sleeping well at night, and I had no time for naps.  My life became a terribly run on sentence.  It was like a train on the tracks hurtling forward without a brake.  My life became a marathon and I now feel every punishing mile.

 I can say proudly " I did it all and did it well" but that does not make me feel any better today.  I tried to function like I have not been  challenged physically and mentally, like I am not a vintage person with a physical and mental limit.  That is until I hit that limit, tried to push beyond it, and now am back to where the common activities of daily living are exhausting.  I have no energy to run errands, let alone run.  I have tried, and had to stop.  I tried to run yesterday.  I had to stop.  I had to admit defeat, for now.  After just trying I had to go lay down and rest.  Complete exhaustion set in.  It feels like I am too tired to beathe when I push too far.  I have taken more steps backwards now than I can bear to consider.
 I feel weak.  I feel mentally and physically spent.  I did this to myself, with the help of life and my sense of duty and need to accomplish.  I am not 30 any more.  I have limits and exceeded them, so now I am paying for it.

Running was a way I felt strong.  I felt free and like I was really alive.  I felt a sense of accomplishment without having to concentrate or remember.  I could put on music I love and enjoy natural surroundings, fresh air, sunshine, and the freedom of the open road.  Until I tried to expend enormous amounts of brain and body energy tackling our life changes and demands.  It feels like failure.

All stressors of life, work, effort needs to be balanced with adequate food, fuel and rest.  The older person, older runner, needs more rest.  I know now I did not take enough recovery time after each event.  Selling house, preparing for move, moving, unpacking and settling, training to run, travel to Senior Games, running that race, etc, my life became a run on sentence.  Until I hit the wall.

Time for me to unplug, take a deep breath and plan my days again.  I need to get back on the routine. I need to have a walk every day.  That is healing.  I need more rest, and that means a good nap every day, at the same time.  I need to eat only healthy unprocessed foods.  I need to drink more water, and wait.  I will feel better, it just takes longer.  My body will respond.  It has before.  Each time I get myself to this point, I swear to myself I will not over do again, that I have learned my lesson.  This is a constant struggle.  Find your balance.  Know your limits.  Take best care of yourself first.  Then get on with what brings joy to your life.

The Motivation Of Other Runners

I have gone quiet but not away!  Since the Senior Games, the necessities of life have intruded on our recreation and leisure time.  I have prepared for and won a Protest Tax Hearing in Harris County which was way too much brain overwork for me.  Several days before and after, I had a drive to College Station to take care of repairs and prep new house there for living.  Ben had to stay behind and cure pestilence and disease, so I was on my own with fighting bureaucracy and cardboard boxes.  This new home project is just 2 1/2 yrs old, but has some serious wear and tear on floors and ice maker and freezer gaskets, think frost and snow in a Texas Summer!  In addition,
we still have mountains of cardboard boxes with miscellaneous things I am beginning to think we should live without!  Time for more purging!  We are both at the stage in life where less is more, except apparently for light bulbs.  I discovered Ben has a collection of light bulbs that should take care of us forever.  I have been working my brain, arms, shoulders, back way too much lately.  Today is the first day of the rest of our running careers.  My brain and body still function better with consistency and routine.  Never being a routine driven person in the past, it still puzzles me, but one important exercise in brain (re) training is routine.  Wake up at same time, eat at same times, afternoon snooze or rest at same time, etc.... and yes, I do feel better.   The piece that has been missing most has been the exercise part.  Ben has been waiting for me to come back, so we can jump start our running for fun program.  He is sleeping in right now, but I am planning his reentry to the world of the run.

In the mid to high 90's with high humidity, we are going to be  mostly inside.  If I can get him motivated early enough my plan is to warm up, run a mile or so outside on the track, go inside then to run another mile on the smaller inside track,  or hop on the tread mills that are designed for going "the distance".  These are more forgiving, easier on the joints for distance run.  Today will be for distance, a moderate steady pace.  After this I would usually spend 15 or 20 minutes on the rowing machine.  Not for awhile will I be doing that.  My upper body has had more than enough strenuous working out lately!  Its time to get back on the run, and a friend has helped point me back in the fast track!

Lisa

An excited shout out to Lisa Weidt Heller.  Lisa grew up one street over from me, and she has started a running career already successful in completing other 5Ks and weight loss.  On Saturday, Lisa ran the Chick-Fil-A 5K in Hagerstown MD,  winning the third place Grand Masters Division with a super time of 33:18.  Way to go Lisa!!!!!    I think Lisa has done a great job!!
Another shout out to my sister in law, Patty Hull for completing a walk 4.85miles!  Patty has also completed a Ridge Race, and an ALS Fun Run event!  So much motivation to encourage each other and keep going!  

Amazing Statistics

For many reasons, this was not the most enjoyable race for me but it was the most satisfying, the most humbling, the most inspiring and most memorable.

The Games are still going on, but Ben had to get back to work, and I too had business and moving issues to take care of, so we came back early.

After the last post, I sat down to reflect on a few of the  people I met at the National Senior Games.  The first athlete I met was at the airport.  She introduced her self as an 80-84 y.o 5K contestant from Georgia.  She had her husband, son and daughter in law with her, and her grandchildren and more family joining to cheer her on race day.  I checked the results and there she was.  Andrea Harrison of Newnan Georgia, won Bronze for a 3rd place finish of 12:18 min per mile pace for a time of 38:13.  The bright smile and the "yellow shoes" I was told to look for on race day!

The second person who impressed me was "Peter", who said he was 88 and  from Mississippi, but qualified in Florida.  I checked the mens stats for that era and I found him.  I knew he took first as I saw his medal ceremony.  Peter Miazza, of Madison, MS set a 10:24 mi/min pace for a time of 32:16.  I wondered if this was a record time for this age group.  It seems impossible for an 88 year old male to be able to run that fast.  The NSOG record for 85 to 89 was set in 20021, @ 27:54.  Unbelievable.

I also wondered if the record for my age group was set this time, as I vaguely remember that the times of this Senior Games was faster than last in 2013.  It was faster, but not a record.  The 60-64 5K record was sent in 2009 at 19:55.  The record for men 60-64 was sent in 1989 @ 17:27.  Having run this one, I am so in awe of these people who don't let a number stop them from being their best.

The friends who took time from busy lives to drive to where we were staying and spend time sharing history and catching up, meant a lot too.  As we age, its more important to keep connected with others, and support each other in life.  Really nothing much else comes close to being of importance in the big picture.  Life and the aging that comes along with it, is filled with challenges, illnesses, situations, pitfalls and potholes.  Helping each other along the way, even if just by telling someone they mattered to you at one time in life, and you still care about them is a very healing pastime.  We need to continue to support each other on this journey.  We should try to make each day special in some way, and caring about our fellow man is top of the list.