Category: RUNNING STREAK (Page 14 of 34)

I needed Gatorade for two reasons this morning. First, there was 100 percent humidity and I sweated my way through my run #4,563. Secondly, I saw my first live alligator without being protected by a fence. I would like to tell you that it was a frightening sight, but it was the cutest little thing I’ve ever seen – about three feet in length. It sat there not more than ten yards from me and watched me run by.  When I looped back, the gator was soon surrounded by motorists warning others, especially those with pets, to stay away. I watched it scurry back into the pond. It was one of two nature sightings this morning. The second was a red-beaked Common Moorhen that was hanging out in my backyard, watching me swim. My conclusion is that these creatures of nature apparently like to watch humans exercise. 

I felt like Nature Boy this morning, when most days are pretty routine when it comes to outdoor life. There are the giant squawking Sand Cranes that stop by our neighbors to be fed on a regular basis and other marsh birds that normally like to watch me in my back yard cage while they roam free. The screened-in lanai truly feels like a bird cage, although the clear view design makes it more like a bubble protecting us from the perils of nature. Last night’s rain washed away any cob webs and bugs, so my view was relatively unobstructed. Small palm trees and flowering bushes give it that tropical feel that we love about Florida. 

I’m now safely inside at my desk writing in air conditioned comfort. Currently, there are no symptoms of Agoraphobia or the persistent and extreme worry about spaces that are outside my home. Bug spray and Gatorade should keep any  unwanted varmints away when I do go back out there, usually only to take Tally to do her business. Otherwise, I will be in my fortress probably watching the new season of Bosch or sports. I’m not an outdoorsman, so going for a run is a brave endeavor especially when it involves dodging alligators. Nature Boy – Not!

My running streak has now reached 4,550 days without missing in well over twelve years, an achievement that gets tougher with age. 3.1 miles is getting to be too much for me as I stumble home each morning now in the Florida heat and humidity. I cut back to a mile yesterday because my feet hurt after standing all evening for our block party the night before, but I sweated and strained to return to that 5k mark today. Those cool Portland mornings were not as hard on me, but I certainly don’t miss the homeless and boarded-up downtown windows. Here in Venice, I’m running through a sea of houses that all look pretty much the same and seeing the same faces every day. I need to spread out and try some other routes.

In a few days, we head back West to Oakland, Portland, and Eugene. We’ll celebrate my wife’s 65th birthday and leave Tally with her schnauzer buddies for a week. I have mixed feelings about leaving since we’ve finally gotten the house organized, and look forward to the privacy of the plantation shutters that will be installed just before we go. A night at the Tampa Airport Marriott will make an early morning flight convenient, with no need for even a shuttle. A SF Giants baseball game, Ghirardelli’s chocolate sundae, celebration dinner, and wine country will keep us busy in the Bay, then it’s off to familiar Portland to visit my wife’s other daughter. I’ll jump on the train for a side trip to Eugene and the Olympic Track & Field Trials. 

Before I know it, we’ll be back in Florida again, ready for the next steps in finishing the house and preparing for visitors. Retirement life in the Sunshine State is busy, unlike those long months of sitting in the apartment waiting for the pandemic to go away. We dined out last night without a mask in sight and rarely wear one any more, although the upcoming plane flights will be a step back in discomfort. This too shall pass! Time moves quickly in the twilight years, as I continue to count the days of my running streak and to appreciate the good fortune of making it to another milestone, Day 4,550.

In moving to this new Florida setting, I’ve been experiencing many computer woes. They aren’t serious problems, just little glitches that cause a lot of frustration. Over the past month, I’ve had numerous screen freezes, problems with the mouse arrow, and issues downloading pictures. However, over the past week, they all seem to have mysteriously disappeared. My son did make some adjustments a few weeks ago, but they didn’t seem to immediately take effect. I also do have my printer working again that was a concern back in Portland. I’m glad to at least temporily get these hassles resolved. 

This all had caused delays in getting my blogging work done each morning (an important aspect in keeping this country running). However, now both my computer and my body seem to run better. I have another visit with the chiropractor this morning and I will now officially admit to the effectiveness of the treatments. My mile splits have been slightly faster and some of the stiffness is gone. Some of this was related to the daily box moving and unpacking strains. My wife has also been having some foot and knee issues that we will have worked on. Everything is slowly coming together as we continue to get settled in our new home in the Sunshine State.

We took time out for old friends yesterday. A trip down memory lane to Decatur, Illinois where we lived for several years. Our former realtors (husband and wife) have moved to nearby Englewood and we got together after eight years for lunch yesterday. They are among several acquaintances that we’ll renew here in Florida. My predecessor from the TV station also apparently lives in this area, and many more Central Illinois co-workers vacation here. Our Lake Decatur neighbors just passed through a few weeks ago and we joined them for a few days on Marco Island. There are numerous others that I’ve kept in touch with through Facebook that are on my target list to contact. We plan to take a drive over to Singer Island in August and stay a few days at the Marriott Vacation Club property there to see some of my wife’s long lost friends. 

Fortunately, we’re no longer sitting on our butts waiting for the virus to pass. At one point, I thought it had gotten to my computer, but it’s working great today. All is good here in Florida and the sunshine feels awesome. It’s great to have an office once again and this afternoon I will have Florida plates – making me an official resident. To make things even better – at least for now – Bugs Be Gone. 

My thoughts during this morning’s run were on John Sutherland, the leader of the pack, whose running streak today reached 19,000 consecutive days (52.02 years). He’s two years younger than I am and would have started his daily routine in his Sophomore year of high school 1969. I graduated that year and running was the last thing on my mind. It wasn’t until I was 57 that I started mine with the goal of achieving 1000 consecutive days to celebrate my 60th birthday. Nine years later I’m still going, although age is creeping up on me. Robert “Raven” Kraft, who I briefly met in Miami,  will soon reach 17,000. I’m at a much less impressive 4,538.

All of us fellow streakers (fully clothed) are mourning the recent death of Ron Hill who presumably started this phenomenon. He passed a week ago at age 82, ending a 19,032 streak that started in 1964. Fred Murolo’s run of nearly 40 years also ended this past month due to Covid. I will never be able to catch either of them, unless I’m still running at ages 100 and 110. It’s hard enough to keep up the daily grind with 70 just around the corner. I’m stiff, I’m sore, and I’m tired but somehow I Streak On. There’s something inside that just won’t let me quit, even though the thought crosses my mind every single morning. Today, I was a little faster than normal, perhaps inspired by the perseverance of these running legends.

The men and women at the top of this list were struck with the training discipline at an early age. They were high school and college track stars who went on to run record times in races and continued to compete in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. I’m not one of this special breed, having only average athletic skills. My mile times are under 13-minutes on a good day, certainly not enough to win medals or ribbons even in my age group. I no longer collect t-shirts, accomplishment certificates, or medallions. Every day when I get to the finish line there isn’t much left but a sense of gratitude that it’s over and the relief of staying healthy. Marathons for me are no longer a possibility, but I will run again tomorrow. Streak On!

The Florida temperatures are starting to heat up. This morning’s run at 8 a.m. showed the temperature at 81 degrees but felt like 90. The humidity was 95 percent and in this neighborhood there are few mature trees to provide shade. My t-shirt was thoroughly soaked when I finished the 3.1 mile route to the bridge and back. I was drained until I hit the refreshing pool water and did a few laps. It made me think that the Marco Island conditions probably weren’t that much different, but psychologically I wasn’t familiar with the route. Confidence is  everything when it comes to running.

Today, I visit the chiropractor that should greatly  aid my flexibility. My back is stiff and sore but oddly  does not seem to be a factor when I’m running. It is painful bending over but once my posture is erect there is little discomfort. Some of this is just old age but all those recent hours of sitting in the car or sleeping on unfamiliar beds have thrown my hip out of adjustment. As has been the case the past few years, a couple of sessions should do the trick. I should start to feel better tonight, especially after a couple of margaritas. 

Mother’s Day is this Sunday so a couple of upcoming posts will focus on my wonderful mother who passed seven years ago, as well as my bio-mom that has yet to acknowledge my existence. Also, living down in this area of Florida has brought back many childhood memories of my parents and grandparents. For example, on our way back from Marco Island we drove past the Shell Factory and Thomas Edison’s home in Ft. Myers, sites of several family outings while vacationing in nearby Englewood. Life has gone full-circle for me at least geographically. I just have to get used to the Florida heat and humidity. 

We watched the Kentucky Derby a few nights ago, signaling the beginning of another May. My spirits are definitely higher than last year’s post (See #1311) where I first discussed Star Wars Day and all the other important dates this month. However, no force was with me on this morning’s run, a repeat of yesterday’s frustrations with the humidity here on Marco Island. It would probably take me several more days to adapt to these conditions, but we’re headed back to Venice this afternoon where it’s a little more inland and certainly less humid. My lungs and legs have been suffering, as “The Streak” continues.

Nothing says May to me more than the Indy 500, as activities kicked off with the Mini-Marathon. All those memories of long days at the track came flooding back with the loss of Bobby Unser yesterday. It was coincidental that our friends, whose condo we’re staying at this week, mentioned an Arizona neighbor of theirs named Lydia Laughrey who was one of the very first women to own an Indy Car racing team. This was back in 1987 when she secured the necessary sponsorship dollars for driver Steve Chassey. I, too, was very involved in the racing game that year and several more after. We called Lydia last night so I could hear her story since there’s very little about it on-line. It will be interesting to get with her on our next trip to visit these friends in Marana. It might be something to write about. 

We’ll get a few more hours of beach time this morning before we hit the road. Although it seems like we’re on a distant tropical island, home now is only two hours away. We’ll be back here many times in the future, as we’ll continue to explore Florida. I will also eventually adapt to the steamy conditions after a few summers in the state. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner last night at The Oyster Society and another comfortable evening surrounded by furnishings. Tonight, it will be back to our empty, hollow home, but Tally will keep us entertained. May the Fourth Be With You, Again!

It was day #4,500 of my running streak that now involves living in three different states and covering well over 10,000 miles. I’m missing my orthotics that are packed away in a Portland warehouse, along with our other possessions. I’m experiencing some back pain from the combination of miles, sitting in the car, and sleeping on an inflatable bed. This combination of discomfort has thrown my aging back out of whack, so a trip to a chiropractor is definitely in order. It’s been over a year since I stopped regular visits that also included acupuncture. It’s a matter of misalignment, putting pressure on a nerve in my hip. Oddly, it does not bother me when I exercise but gets stiff and painful from sitting afterwards. This seventy year body needs professional help to keep moving. 

The one big discovery in the packing process was the extra pair of Air Pods that add a new convenience to getting ready to go. I no longer have to fiddle with the radio and related wires to hit the pavement. Every once in a while that transistor clipped to my running shorts would come loose and crash to the ground. Also, the battery could fail at any time, plus in the long run I do prefer listening to the radio rather than my play list that tends to get repetitive. Eventually, I’ll add a radio station app to my I-Phone and let someone else do the DJing. 

With regard to music, the Santana/Earth, Wind, & Fire concert has been moved to my actual 70th birthday and renamed the “Miraculous Supernatural Tour 2021.” This means we will spend the night in Tampa to celebrate several miracles of life. I used my Covid credits from last year’s Spring Training ticket cancellation to purchase the seats. We will also try for tickets to see the Dave Mathews Band at the same outdoor venue when they go on sale next week. Could live music actually become part of our lives again? We’re still stuck on memories of Barry Manilow’s Las Vegas show – the last we experienced before the shutdown. With just four months to go, hopefully it will be a Happy Birthday!