Category: RUNNING STREAK (Page 1 of 34)
The trials and tribulations of running every single day
I’m probably more tired and sore than when I did my first marathon back in 1979. It was certainly a humbling experience, finishing a distant last of about 500 participants in today’s Atlanta Braves Tomahawk 5k. I earned my third medal in the 6th year of its existence, crossing the ballpark finish line in about 65 minutes. I was in last place from beginning to end, dragging my bum leg in the chilly conditions. Even the strollers and kids were faster! It was both uncomfortable and embarrassing with both a police vehicle and golf cart at my heels. Race officials were dissembling the course as I passed and, in some cases, just before I got there. It was annoying having these volunteers pushing me along, but they were anxious to get home. Although tempted to jog, I simply couldn’t go any faster.
It was as slow as I’ve run any race in my life, and I’ve done hundreds. It was also the longest I’ve walked since heart surgery at the beginning of the year. I strongly considered not doing it, but it’s been a Holiday tradition since we moved to Florida nearly four years ago. We were traveling the one year that I missed it, so determination earned my third medallion. I started the day keeping warm in the car of two friends, who won their 80 and 85+ age-groups. They left me in the dust, but I joined them for the awards ceremony after the included celebration breakfast. There was no award for finishing last, but I’ve never won my age division since a winter race in my early thirties when no one else showed up. Even at a healthy 72, I couldn’t compete with my peers on a good day.
This year it was just a stubborn matter of finishing despite nagging sciatica and back pain. I do get another steroid injection in a few days, but these procedures have done little to reduce my discomfort and stiffness. I can’t say that I was in constant pain throughout the 5k, but it was not easy being a gimp. I have a high tolerance at this point, but it was still difficult to move. The good news is that if I do it again next year, I may be faster, but it will be another year before I get into the 75+ division, if that even helps. I keep trying to increase my speed and mileage but there always seems to be a setback. I’ll start training for next year after my upcoming procedure. Chop! Chop!
The numbers on my post somehow got out of line and so I spent several hours readjusting them. It’s just another indication that I’m getting old, right in line with too frequent mistaken directions and memory lapses. I’m now in the 2600 numbers rather than the incorrect 2500s, after starting this retirement blog at the end of 2016. My last day of work was December 30th of that year, so 2,853 days have passed. The goal was a post every day but, so far, I’ve missed 219 entries. I’ve definitely gotten a little lazier every year, but some of this is related to health issues and travel.
Categories like open-heart surgery, prostate issues, and sciatica were never even considered when this all started. The first mention of the word “sciatica” was in Post #2543 (June 14, 2024), having never run across the condition prior to this time. Now, it’s a daily problem. I did have concerns about an aneurism when this all started, but never envisioned open-heart surgery. I was also about half-way through what would turn out to be a 15-year running streak. I now worry about what monster is lurking behind the next unopened door and wonder which portal will unveil good fortune?
Travel and sports are still favorite subjects of mine, but sadly I haven’t felt much like writing humorous poetry. Pets have become a bigger part of my life, after taking on a feisty puppy. Baseball card collecting has kept me busy, but I need to find something more constructive to do with my spare time.
We continue to watch the Old Man series on Hulu, although I find it hard to believe his strength and resilience at that age. My job today is dusting, more in line with old man capabilities. Window washing is still beyond my skill level, so we’re bringing in the expert in a few weeks. Laundry continues to be my responsibility, with the exception of items that require ironing. Most of the lawn duties are handled by the HOA. It’s been 25-years since we’ve owned a lawnmower. Our pool guy is right down the street this morning, headed this way.
Another 2,000 plastic sleeves arrived in the mail yesterday, so I’ll be sorting baseball cards again today. I’m finished with my son’s boxes that I will keep here while he moves over to the Atlantic Coast temporarily. He’s renting his property here in our area, so this will give him an opportunity to rejoin his girls.
My wife has the day off from substitute teaching and will take our anxious pups to the park on their golf cart. I take them when she’s working, which has been four days a week of late. She also gets to go to her tap-dancing lesson while I hit the fitness center for a 2-mile walk on the treadmill. We’ll dine in again tonight and try to find something new to watch. Not much going on as I continue to recover from prostate surgery, at least my blog posts are no longer misnumbered.
“Diaperession” is what old men like me get when forced to wear diapers. It’s a humbling experience but not without a bit of humor. I made the “Baby Huey” reference in yesterday’s post (See # 2632) about my stylish gray Depends, hardly a fashion statement. I’ll try to be patient in the months ahead while recovering from prostate surgery. In my ways, I’m fortunate to have avoided cancer in each of these procedures this year.
I may need to add a TV to the bathroom and a toilet to my office chair. It would certainly save a lot of inconvenient trips down the hall. Right now, once an hour is the norm, but I did manage several two-to-three hour stretches overnight. It’s certainly an improvement from every five minutes that wore me out on Day 1. I’m supposed to drink lots of water, but the catch is that it accelerates the cycle.
I hope to get a little more sunshine today, but a dip in the pool could lead to infection, so I’m restricted to a comfortable chair. I’ve been very involved in two good books, “The Waiting” by Michael Connelly on my Kindle and the audiobook, “Persuader” by Lee Child. Both authors are favorites and have kept me distracted during this unpleasant time. The audiobook keeps me occupied while walking on the treadmill, the one form of exercise that is allowed for the next few weeks. I continue to struggle with the transition from running every day to finding new exercise outlets. A taped shoulder is an indication that I’ve yet to find a comfortable routine.
Walking is plagued by sciatica discomfort in my left leg that ranges from stubborn leg cramps to unbearable pain. I bought a stimulating device on Amazon from the manufacturer, BeActive+, that several friends have found effective. I was waiting for the appointment with a pain management doctor before doing anything, but they cancelled my appointment yesterday. I nearly cried out of frustration after already waiting more than three weeks to see him. The soonest they could get me in was another 9-days, so I’m desperate for relief. What it tells me is that there are many folks in this area battling pain – so I’m not alone.
This has been a constant battle since open-heart surgery in January, long before the very recent prostate procedure. Once I stopped running every day, my fitness level has suffered, and I battle weight gains. Every new routine that I’ve employed has been interrupted by discomfort, not that running was ever that enjoyable. However, a consistent exercise approach is important, and I’ve had to give up sit-ups and push-ups at the very foundation. It’s nagging leg pain, a sore foot, bicep strain, and surgeries that have constantly disrupted my active lifestyle, so no wonder I have “diaperession.”
For fifteen consecutive years, without fail, I got up every single day and did a run without much complaint. Nowadays, I whine of pain and discomfort – not the same person. There is no more running, just limping while wishing I could turn back the clock. My wife is sick of it, insisting that I’m not being proactive enough in dealing with the doctors. They too, seem to ignore my pleas for relief.
My chiropractor is at least sympathetic, saying that I’m a good sport about it. With my pessimistic nature, I rarely hear that about myself anymore. He called my doctor, requesting an MRI of my lower spine, where the pain seems to originate, before it radiates through my left leg. Sometimes, it feels like a cramp in my thigh, while other times it can be debilitating. As the day goes on and it loosens with activity, the intensity diminishes, until I start to relax on the couch before bedtime. It’s been going on now since I stopped running, just before my open-heart surgery in mid-January. Ever since then, my body has resisted recovery by rendering my left leg stiff and useless.
The Ultrasound revealed no circulation problems, and the pelvic MRI showed arthritic deterioration in my lower spine, but the report suggested a second scan, as was initially recommended by the chiropractor. The doctor didn’t think so, consulted a neurologist, and they stubbornly proceeded with looking primarily at my pelvic area. Wrong – thinking like too many others that chiropractors are uneducated quacks!
The doctor did put me in a pain management program, but it’s been three additional weeks of pain, and I’ve yet to have gotten in to see him. The chiropractor’s steroid doctor, another futile side-step, provided some pills that gave only temporary relief, but didn’t solve the problem. So, I wait another week for my consultation, where he will probably suggest getting the second scan and I’ll have to struggle another two weeks waiting for insurance approval. I was simply trying to get that process moving forward before the consultation, but my doctor once again ignored me in favor of waiting for her man to see me. Easy for her to patiently recommend, while my pain persists!
My body is slowly falling apart, fulfilling the fear that this would happen if I stopped running. I have out-patient prostrate surgery tomorrow, a taped-up right shoulder from a bicep tendon strain, and an injury to my right heal from apparently overcompensating from the pain in my left leg. That leaves just my left arm that I’m typing with this morning. At least, I can express my frustrations though this blog. Thanks for listening, hopefully your hearing isn’t getting worse like mine!
Geoffrey Chaucer is credited with saying, “all good things must come to an end.” In other words, nothing lasts forever, including all of us. Chaucer, of course, is best known for writing The Canterbury Tales. I do not recognize any of his other works, but just like his words, he died in 1400 and is buried in Westminster Abbey. I do not recall seeing his monument there when we visited exactly a year ago today, in fact. I was still running at that time, although I knew that the end of my streak was not far away.
Sure enough, January 15, 2024 was the last day, with open-heart surgery later that morning. I sent a notification to the United States Streak Runners Association to that effect, and today I saw the official word in the Summer newsletter. I had been moved from the active list to the retired list, slotted as #164 in all-time lengths of streaks, after 15.05 years of running every day. Realistically, others will soon pass me by, and this ranking will continue to fall. I will salute each one, as well as the 163 others that maintained longer streaks through the years.
Even though I indicated that I had already started walking a couple miles every day in recovery, I have since had a setback. Charlie Horses and cramps in my left thigh and calf have led me to the gym. I can do the stationary bike and rowing machine, but after about 15-minutes on the treadmill the pain is too great. I do finally get an ultrasound next week in trying and get some answers. Also, for the first time in several weeks, I started to feel a bit light-headed during the course of writing this post. This had been an issue, along with balance, for some time. The treadmill at least allows me to hold onto the side rails for support. I did notice that my blood pressure dropped from 111/87 to 83/77 after this morning’s workout.
Running for me was more than just exercise. It was a daily goal in my life that helped me transition from the working world into retirement. Now, I at least have the gym to keep me busy for an hour every morning. Writing is a secondary motivation that keeps me going every day. I’ve been so consumed in writing a neighbor’s life story that I’ve somewhat ignored my own personal need to get in touch with myself through these rants. I’ve often noted that putting things in writing is like having my own personal therapist – you, the reader. Thanks for tolerating my all-too-often-boring life stories. They, too, will inevitably come to an end someday. Right, Mister Chaucer?
I guess I’ve been watching too much Lawman: Sam Bass because I’m beginning to liken my surgery tomorrow to a hanging. Obviously, the outcome won’t be the same, but the anticipation certainly is. I’m currently eating my last meal, sausage & eggs, before the restricted diet comes into play. It’s certainly not a pleasant experience trying to plan for a life-changing event. I will be glad when it’s over and friends stop worrying about me. I’m trying to process all the well-wishes, prayers, and goodies. “The Streak” stops tomorrow at 5,496 days, but I’m still harboring hope that the rope will somehow break.
Surgery has been moved to later in the morning tomorrow, so I won’t have to run my final mile in the middle of the night. I’ll have the option of going outside or using the treadmill. Then, if I can even barely pick up my feet and cover a mile by Tuesday midnight, I could get to 5,497 or more. It’s probably a pipe dream, the same hope that any hanging victim might have in waiting out the hours and anticipating the questionable.
This morning’s mile-plus was cold and windy, but not like the conditions of last night’s NFL Wildcard game in Kansas City. We’ll make the drive to Tampa in a few hours as I continue to contemplate my fate. My wife’s daughter, the Cardio PA at Stanford, just called to advise me to move as much as possible after surgery despite the weakness. However, the other implied message is not to overdo it. A mile is probably out of the question the day after surgery, but the intent is still there.
I will not be able to continue my reports for a while and will not take my laptop with me into the Hospital. I might jot a few notes down on my phone, if that will even be allowed in Intensive Care? Just know that I will run tomorrow, likely for the last time on this particular streak. Beyond that is the unknown! Will there be more running miles ahead?
The Hoosier men managed another home victory against Minnesota 74-62, with a game that was never in doubt. Malik Reneau’s lay-up at 13:02 took them over the magic mark (61-39) and went on to score 16. However, it was really Mackenzie Mgbako who flexed his freshman muscles with a 19-point career high. Two other starters were in double figures, including Kel’el Ware’s double-double and Trey Galloway’s ten. Xavier Johnson primarily rode the bench as retaliation for his actions at Rutgers. The Cream and Crimson accounted for 16-points off 14-turnovers, limiting themselves to a respectable ten, a vast improvement over the Scarlet Knight debacle.
The Hoosier women were on a 13-straight roll since the Stanford loss. They stood at 14-1 headed into icy Iowa City to play before a national audience on FOX. The #3 Hawkeyes left little doubt after an 84-67 drubbing behind Caitlin Clark’s 30-points and 11-assists, after missing her first six three-pointers. I can’t even say she then finished hot in the blizzard-like conditions outside because she has averaged 31 for the season. I.U. had fifteen-turnovers and only scored 20 in the second half. Mackenzie Holmes led Indiana with 16-points. Yarden Garzon and Sydney Parrish each totaled 11. Iowa is now in sole possession of the BIG Ten Conference lead, while I.U. will surely drop from their #14 national ranking. Purdue, Illinois, and Wisconsin, all ranked in the Top 20, loom for the men, while the women next host Minnesota. At least, the Purdue battle is at home.
Three more runs to go – or maybe not. As I completed my “Runella” this morning (See Post #2463), I got a call from Tampa General Hospital Financial Services claiming that my insurance had yet to be approved. Without confirmation by 3 p.m. this afternoon my surgery could be delayed. Just the kind of stress that a heart patient doesn’t need. I might need to cancel my transportation and accommodation plans and if so, “The Streak” continues.
At the same time, I received two hard copies of my Storyworth contribution, “My Life in Black & White” in the mail. It’s 408 pages with photographs and a project that I’ve worked on since last Christmas. I’m finally published but not in the manner that I always expected. This was a wonderful gift from my family, and I personally autographed each one. Maybe someday I’ll be an “official” author, but at least my story is written and in book form.
On another note, when I was a teenager, I would never have imagined running every day. I hated to run, so it’s even more remarkable that I’ve done marathons, races, and developed an uninterrupted daily running habit of over 15-years. I did expect at that age, however, that push-ups would become a daily endeavor. It was a Florida retiree and friend of my grandparents that was the inspiration. I admired his motivation in telling me at this vulnerable age that he had does push-ups every morning. As I watched, I decided to make the idea mine, and as a result do a short exercise routine of stretching, sit ups, and push-ups before my run each morning. In fact, I can’t remember a time in my life, running or not, that I didn’t do a regimen of push-ups. I currently do over 90 a day, but this habit will also soon be disrupted.
I won’t be allowed to lift over 10-pounds for at least two months after this surgery. Sit-ups will also not be possible, so it’s hard to say what my new life will be like. Will I eventually get back to doing these basic elements of fitness or turn into a slug? At this moment, everything is on hold!
