Category: RUNNING STREAK (Page 11 of 34)

I run every day now under the guidance of the Nike Run Club app. I’ve used it on-and-off for several years to measure distance and time. A female voice gives me that information in mile increments through my ear buds, so I never need to look at the screen while running. In the past, I’ve also utilized a Nike watch, but in retirement have found little use for a wrist timepiece since my phone is always with me. Plus, it’s one less electronic piece to break down and replace. However, I still need to rely on the runeveryday.com website to keep track of my current 4,739 day streak, since the app tends to shut-down or reset unexpectedly. As a result, I’ve lost all my data from this year and in a sense have started over collecting awards for my mileage. It currently only shows 52.4 miles with 18 runs and a 3-week streak, having started over in early December when it rudely logged me out of the app. 

I used to get annoyed with these system flaws and called Nike to have them retrieve my lost numbers. Anymore, there is little interest. I run the same distance every day at the same fastest slowest pace, so I can figure it out if need be. I would just assume forget about my lack of speed. I did earn a Gold Badge today for a 50-mile month, something I accomplish every month and a trophy for a “Just Do It Sunday 5k,” as is the case nearly every day. I then scoff at their daily recorded pep-talk messages about “owning the road.” With the exception of their verbal updates at one-mile, the half-way point, three-miles, and Congratulatory finish, music blasts in my ears. It serves the purpose of keeping me company. 

Today was post number 1893. When I look at what happened that year in history, times were quite eventful according to Wikipedia. “The 1893 World’s Fair, also known as the World’s Columbian Exposition, opens to the public in Chicago, Illinois. The first U.S. commemorative postage stamps and Coins are issued for the Exposition. May 5 – Panic of 1893: A crash on the New York Stock Exchange starts a depression.” I did not report on 1892 as part of yesterday’s post because little of significance happened except the Presidential election of Grover Cleveland. It all made me think of the book “The Devil in White City” by Erik Larsen. “Murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America,” all part of the “Gay Nineties.” Nike (Blue Ribbon Sports) didn’t start until 1964 and the “Just Do It” slogan in 1991.

“Just Do It” was part of Nike’s first dedicated women’s campaign and linked women playing sports with a new kind of female empowerment. Oddly, in Doug Pray’s 2009 documentary about advertising, Art & Copy, he confesses that the idea for the line was sparked by the last words of convicted serial killer Gary Gilmore, who said “Let’s do it!” to the firing squad before his execution. My personal motto of “Let’s Get This Over With,” is right in line with this philosophy. Just Do It…Dammit!

It’s been a long time since I used the words, “Mike, Start your Engine,” but I felt that way this morning. It’s usually some other race I’m watching – like the Indy 500. I was burning my own rubber on what I thought was a routine 5k race that turned out to be much longer. It was my first race as a seventy year old, hoping that this new age classification would mean high placement. However, it appeared that there were a lot more people that aged more gracefully when it comes to speed. I’m not sure yet if the distance confusion helped my case, since so many runners surpassed the turnaround point by mistake. There were no officials to guide us, but my GPS read-out was  indicating that we had already gone too far. 

My first mile was at 12’15” – the best I’ve had since moving to Florida. It was probably the adrenaline of running with a pack of people and the cool temperatures. The other two additional miles were slightly slower but overall my pace was about 12’30,” when normally it’s closer to 13’45.” My total distance covered was 3.5 miles instead a standard 5k of 3.1. When I crossed the finish line, 43 minutes had passed, including the minutes it took to the starting line where my chip started to officially measure my time.  Normally, there’s an e-mail to immediately follow-up with race results, but I’ve yet to see anything from race organizers and even the website is not updated.  The awards ceremony was probably an angry mob scene after we left. 

I’ve participated in other races where the course was not properly marked, so this was not a first. I didn’t expect to be competitive and simple relied on my Nike Run Club app for splits and mile markers. Unfortunately, I had just uploaded the app yesterday after all my past data mysteriously disappeared in an overnight software update, so I wasn’t confident that it was working properly. It wasn’t until I heard the other runners complaining that I knew for sure that my numbers were correct and the course was wrong. The extra mileage was not a big deal to me, so I claimed my finishing medal and a quick breakfast prior to leaving. Some runners were still on the course as we pulled out of the parking lot. 

The route took me by the seven practice fields outside the stadium, and I caught a glimpse of the batting cages and work out areas associated with the Atlanta Spring Training facility. The finish line was near home plate and we circled the dirt warning track along the outfield fences to get there. I’m glad I made the effort to participate and may even do it again next year. I’ll report my overall and age group finishing positions once that information is available. Unfortunately, it won’t be completely accurate since some runners went as much as a mile out of their way, while others took short cuts. It was much more eventful than a boring 5k run through the neighborhood that will happen again tomorrow morning – consecutive day number 4,725! As they say in the South, “Happy Race Day Y’all!”

Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to Post #1869. Appropriately, as I reported yesterday,  the year 1869 was the beginning of the Thanksgiving football tradition in America. I also happened to receive my latest (Winter 2021) edition of the The Streak Registry this morning put out bi-annually by the United States Running Streak Association (USRSA). The organization just recorded it’s 5,000th streak of at least one year. Mine stands at #229 on the active list, having completed consecutive day 4,715. Anyone who wants more information can go to the website at runeveryday.com. With cloudless skies, both the sun and moon were out to watch my short dip in the pool. 

It’s now much easier to relate each post to a specific year in history, as will become a habit going forward. Certain numbered posts in the past have reminded me of memorable dates, home addresses, etc. as I started writing and the number became part of that day’s story. For example, Post #1001, brought back memories of my childhood home on Carolyn Avenue. Post #1492 made me think of Columbus.  Post #1380 caused me to recall a radio station I used to work for years ago. I’m sure that many of the numbers that I’m now into will be reminders of years gone by. My parents were born in 1921, while 1951 was my birth year and 1969 the year I graduated from high school. With a post every day, I will start getting to these dates in the next three to four months. 2021, the current year is only 152 days away if I can continue at this pace. Many days it’s hard to come up with tid-bits to mention, so this will add something more to the story than simply what I watched, ate, or did.

I often start with the boring every day details of my life, hoping that it leads to something more interesting or in-depth. In too many cases, my posts never get beyond the basics. Sometimes, I can add humorous stories, travel adventure, adoption discoveries, sports memories, creature features, and poetry to make it more interesting, but all too often my life is uneventful. This is why I’m not compensated to do this and most of the time the effort turns out to be personal therapy. I do get some occasional feedback, but there is rarely anything controversial that gets people talking. It is what it is!

I signed up for the Tomahawk 5k race this morning, something I haven’t done in years. The last competition I was involved in was the Hood to Coast Relay four years ago. It will be my first organized run in the over 70 age classification. The race finishes on the field of the Atlanta Braves Spring Training facility in our neighborhood. So far, there are over 300 participants and it’s followed with a breakfast. I’m sure that my wife and Tally will be there to cheer me on. It’s not a great challenge since it’s my standard daily distance. I still prefer running on my own but maybe it will push me a little. Today marked consecutive day number 4,711 as The Streak continues. I’m also contemplating a ski trip to fulfill that other “athletic” endeavor on my things to do after turning 70 list. 

Today is “Trash Day” and the end of another week of retirement. Soon, it will be the fifth anniversary of my last day of work. Time has really flown by quickly. We’ve moved across the country, settled in a new home, and survived the first wave of Covid. Travel has been limited to our two cross-country drives from Oregon to Florida and a few side trips including Glacier National Park and several Florida destinations. We’ve put together a busy slate for next year that will start with a Disney Christmas. Sports are on the agenda today as I’ll monitor my fantasy football team and Da Bears, check-in on an untelevised IU soccer tournament match, watch Purdue basketball against equally touted Villanova, catch the Portland Timbers in action, and finish the day with IU basketball versus Louisiana Lafayette. 

Tonight, my wife and I will discuss our personal finances as scheduled and get on a Zoom call to review a good friend’s landscaping plan that we asked him to do. He was here visiting a week ago and has retired from the plant design business, but graciously agreed to help us out. We’ll then watch a couple more episodes of Goliath, having finished the finale of The Morning Show. It’s mostly a sit on your butt kind of day for me, as cloudy skies will not serve to lure us outside. Naturally, I will try to watch my diet these next few weeks, since I’m now officially now in training for a race. 

Running for me is almost always a solo adventure, so I was surprised to take on a companion this morning. I have met another runner in the neighborhood who’s home is about a half mile away. I like to think of it as two songs. I’ve had conversations with him before but this morning as I passed by his house, he decided to join me. He’s a bit more accomplished than I am, having completed 15 Boston Marathons. He’s also five years younger and in better shape. I’m carrying about 10 extra pounds and had a restless night of sleep, so trying to keep up with him was a bit of a push. He would slow down and rejoin me if he got out of conversation range. He also likes to talk, while I was gasping for air. I’ve never been good at running and trying to chat, but he kept me entertained. As a result, my split times were the fastest I’ve had since moving to Florida. 

The last time I ran with anyone was probably my step-daughter in Washington D.C. It’s been years ago, and long after we had run some races together. While in Portland, I would run while my wife would walk the dogs, and loop back to join her when I got too far ahead. On occasion I would take the leash of Tally and try to get her to run or push the stroller with Tinker riding along. I haven’t even run a race in over four years, the last being the Hood to Coast Relay four years ago. My mile split times back then averaged 11 minutes per mile, while today I managed a 12 minute mile that was well under my usual 13-and-a-half to 14 minute pace. It seems that every year of late that goes by my times get a minute slower. 

I talked with an old boss yesterday who was amazed that I could still run at 70. I call it slogging, but still grateful that I can do it. I saw a post from him on my hometown Facebook site yesterday recalling his years at WTRC radio in Elkhart. He became my supervisor after the death of our sales manager and went on to manage the station. I moved to other markets and we lost track of each other. I sent him a friend request and soon we were talking on the phone. He has a second home in Florida about an hour south from us, so we’ll be getting together in the near future. This is one of the great things about social media, once you get by the repetitive hum-drum. 

With limited movie options this week, my wife and I will head to Siesta Key this afternoon for the sand sculpting events in lieu of “Matinee Monday.” Several of our neighbors went over the weekend and reported great things to see. It’s a chilly morning with little else to do, so a walk on the beach will be refreshing. We did watch the original 1984 version of Dune last night, Our last trip to the theater was to see the remake. Tonight, we’ll watch the third episode of Yellowstone and eat some home made minestrone soup to warm our bones because 50 is the new freezing by Florida standards. 

I missed a day of blogging yesterday with a full schedule of activities. Besides, the most loyal of my followers is visiting us this week, so there wouldn’t have been anyone to read it anyways. I did not miss my run, finishing the 4700th consecutive day without fail. A year from now I will have passed the 5,000 mark sometime after my 71st birthday. We’re headed for the Kennedy Space Center later this morning so I will have a fresh route from our hotel for tomorrow morning’s endeavor. We plan to visit some of the sights along Cocoa Beach this evening, while I will have a tough time talking my wife out of eating dinner at the neighboring Cracker Barrell restaurant. 

We should probably cut back on dining expenses after last night’s extravagant birthday celebration for our visiting friend. We had a very good bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, jumbo stone crabs, and filets, topped off with a candled dessert. We had already spent the afternoon with Tito’s and lemonade while observing the dolphins romp in nearby Lemon Bay. Afterwards, we squeezed in an hour on the beach in anticipation of the sunset. It did not disappoint from our view over the Venice Pier. Did I mention that I also drank a Seafoam margarita before the wine was poured? I could feel the aftereffects of all the alcohol sugars that caused me to be jarred awake early this morning.

Tally is headed for Schnauzerville this morning for a couple of days with her doggy friends. It’s about a three hour drive over to Cape Canaveral. I have a rental Jeep for the journey that will have us returning late tomorrow night after a tour of the launch facilities. It will be our first overnight getaway since Pittsburgh, a month-and-a-half ago. Our next hotel stop will be Disney World for Christmas. Tonight, however, once the hangover passes, it may very well be bottoms up again!

I felt really good this morning on my run, achieving the best times since I’ve moved here to Florida. It was still very slow but under 40 minutes at the three-mile mark with a stronger finish. Most of this I will attribute to the cooler temperatures, but I was also a little embarrassed by a woman’s comment last evening. We were all at the neighborhood ballpark watching the Braves play the Dodgers on the Jumbotron, sipping on a margarita. My wife had befriended her at the dog park, but when we first moved to town she noticed me running along the golf cart path that I travel every morning. I’m very self conscious when I’m running, worried about form and what other people think as I pass by. I’m often passed by other runners and very aware that my pace has deteriorated through the years. However, when I  heard her say to me, “you run so slow, but at least you do it,” it must have stirred up some competitive juices. 

I often feel awkward and out of balance with my arms flailing at my sides. It’s not the same smooth motion that I had ten years ago, although I was never an accomplished athlete. Also, I watch other runners and form does not necessarily dictate speed. There are some unusual running styles and I always hoped that I wasn’t a comical target. In fact, when I first started running I did it on a path through the woods where no one could see or judge me. These days, I too often feel like I’m moving in slow motion, about to topple over at any time. Moving faster helps with balance, but I’m not always motivated to make the additional effort to push off with each step. I tend to shuffle, even when I walk, and often fall behind the group when we’re moving from place to place. At seventy, I’m fortunate to still be able to run or walk without help, regardless of speed or style. 

I hope that today was the beginning of a resurgence in my running speed, but most likely it was just a temporary uptick. There is a 5k race at the ballpark this Saturday that I had a notion to compete in, but with company in town I may have to wait for the next one. Most people see 3.1 miles as a long distance to run, but I do it every day. It’s taken a toll over the nearly 13 years that I have been running without missing a single day. In fact, today was #4,670 with an occasional mile mixed in as a “day off” when I’m restricted by travel or injury. Otherwise, it’s the same 3.1 mile route every single morning when I’m in town, passing by the same group of seniors on bicycles, golf carts, and on foot with their dogs often in tow. I’m like the tortoise in the race against the hare – slow and steady.