I’m up early this morning in anticipation of upcoming heart procedures and hungry from fasting. I’ll be at the hospital in an hour or so after scrubbing my body with antibacterial soup. I’m still not sure what to expect but from what all I’ve read about a catheterization the doctors are probably not going to want me to run tomorrow. I ran a mile plus this morning with thoughts of it being my last for a while, the Streak ending at 5,379 days. However, I’m stubborn so if I am able to get on my feet tomorrow, I will undoubtedly try.
I would be surprised if they didn’t find some blockage in addition to the aneurism. I have really been struggling with my breathing and stamina of late. The run this morning was awkward and uncomfortable even though I tried my best to relish the moment and recount my accomplishment of nearly fifteen years. If I’m not able to run tomorrow, it will be only a matter of time before the surgery ultimately puts a stop to it. I’ll be like an addict with an itch to scratch and the period of withdrawal will certainly be miserable. I can start again, but who really wants to run when it’s such a bad experience fighting balance, stiffness, and coordination issues. I’ll be better off finding an alternative and my knees and hips will probably thank me. It’s the end of an era – “That’s All Folks!”
I honestly believed that “a 5k a day would keep the doctor away.” Why else would I torture myself first thing every morning? In the past, I would go in for my annual checkup and this was the only exposure I had to white coats. However, in the last few years this has increased to probably one a month – blood tests, preventative shots, neurologists, urologists, physicians, cardiologists, chiropractors, PAs, nurses. I also have a special glow about myself after cat scans, x-rays, and now an upcoming heart catheterization. My “best shot” anymore is solely related to flu, covid, shingles, and pneumonia! More importantly, I’m learning how to properly spell and even pronounce all these medical terms.
Running might be keeping some weight off, so I look good on the outside, but my insides are a mess. Like any addiction, good or bad, I know that if I stop, I may never be able to start again. I feel threatened that my running streak of now 5,376 consecutive days may be jeopardized by upcoming surgery. Then, my only streak would be Wordle, now at 145 straight solves. In a sense, this is a relief, knowing that I would not have to wake up with a feeling of regret, followed by sweat, strain, and breathlessness. I would finally make it to the finish line, without the next day to worry about.
Running has been my primary motivation for getting up in the morning for the last 15-years. Before that, it was races, marathons, serious training, and topping personal bests. With the streak, it was all about just doing it every day – time, speed, and distance supposedly didn’t matter. However, I was all too conscious, even embarrassed, that I couldn’t go faster and farther anymore. Plus, the Florida heat started to bother me, so 5k has become 2.1 miles. Fast walkers were starting to pass me and good runners left me in the dust. I was simply going through the motions.
Like everything else in life, if the streak ends, I will deal with it and probably find a better alternative. I salute those that have somehow fought off all adversity and made it to fifty years, forty, thirty, and even twenty years of running every day. It’s also a major accomplishment to do it that first full year! As a lifetime member of the United States Streak Running Association, I read the articles about these phenomenal achievements and also the stories about injuries, surgeries, travel, weather, and even forgetfulness that prevent a streak from continuing. There are sadly those that don’t get up the next morning and many that have simply started a new streak. I’m just not sure at my age that I want to, especially since, like a bad apple, it’s no longer keeping the doctor away.
I’ve really tapered off on my writing these past few weeks. I’ve also lost my appetite for TV shows, having wasted so much time streaming series after series. Now, I’m hooked on MonopolyGO, focused on getting to that next level. There must be a better use of my days than stupid video games. Admittedly, life has lost some of its luster with a pending prostrate procedure, heart catheterization appointment, and probable surgery. Any of these medical actions could jeopardize my Running Streak, that now stands at 5,372 days and counting. I thought I was a pretty healthy guy, but 72-years of wear and tear on my body is taking its toll.
On a positive note, if my running streak ends, I will likely move on to some other addictive activity. Without the worry of injury to end the running, I might take up Pickleball or get back into skiing. Obviously, Florida is not an ideal location for fun in the snow. I was reminded that we are headed to Oakland in December with just a three-hour drive to Tahoe, so I just might consider finally achieving that 70+ Ski Club commitment. There is life beyond running, or so I’m told!
Since I last reported, IU football won its first game, and my son’s fantasy team was victorious in the NFL openers. The Bears and the Colts were not so fortunate. The Cubs, who I admittedly gave up on to start the season, are in strong contention for a Wild Card spot even if they can’t catch the Brewers. The disappointing White Sox have already been eliminated from post season play.
Shohei Ohtani has not played in over a week, falling behind the Braves’ Greg Olsen in the Home Run Derby. I have built a collection of over 150 Topps Now cards honoring the Ohtani, Babe Ruth-like achievements in the first few years of his career. His pitching season is over with 10-victories, but his claim to AL MVP might be threatened if he misses more games. His career high in homers is 46 and stolen base best is 26, both set in 2021. The Angels franchise HR record is 47 by Troy Glaus. Ohtani was on track to top both of these marks before this recent injury – he’s day-to-day. I have taken the collection to Blue Breaks, the local sport card shop, to get an appraisal on what it might be worth, having invested about $1500 in the project and numerous hours in monitoring the Topps site for purchase opportunities. It’s just another addiction that I’m tiring from!
“Tiring in Retirement” or “REally TIREd MENTally” might be the best descriptions of my recent attitude. As a distraction, we set up another Marriott Vacation Club (or in this case Sheraton) mental-health getaway for the first weekend in January. A group of neighbors will share our 3-bedroom Orlando condo to do Universal Studios, the Kissimmee Mecum Auto Show, and celebrate the New Year, along with a birthday. It will fill that travel gap between Oakland (maybe Tahoe) and our Cross-Atlantic spring cruise, once my medical woes have hopefully been resolved.
I continue to struggle with my daily run, fighting temperatures and humidity that feel like 100-degrees. I can’t seem to get out any earlier than 8 a.m., missing many of the regulars that have already finished. My times have badly deteriorated, often stumbling at a ridiculously slow pace of over 18 minutes the final mile. I don’t know what to do after shorting the length to 2.1 miles since the beginning of the month. My weight has even dropped to 185 (10 pounds lost) after my wife cut back on buying cookies and other sweet snacks. I can barely stand up after finishing, feeling drained and light-headed. I get in the pool to cool off and strain to get my laps in, breathing hard at each turn. There is something wrong. I’m tired and beginning to feel my age.
I called my cardiologist yesterday but couldn’t get through. I’m supposed to see the surgeon about my aortic aneurysm, even though it has not grown in size. It’s been there for years, carefully monitored. Perhaps, it’s starting to cause fatigue and loss of balance, that has been plaguing me of late. If the recent scans had shown enlargement that would have immediately put me on the table. Oddly, my biggest concern is the interruption of “The Streak” that stands at 5,339 consecutive days as of this morning.
I sat in dark, air-conditioned overload, trying to get through yesterday’s Barbie movie, only to step outside in the grueling heat. I’m drinking lots of fluids in hope that it cools off soon! Not just here in Florida, all over the country we’re seeing record temperatures. Even Portland, Oregon where I ran last month in comfortable conditions is expected to be in the hundreds over the next few days. Fires are destroying beautiful Maui. We need some drizzle to fizzle the sizzle!
The clock has struck August, so hopefully the heat will slowly begin to dissipate. This morning was steamy with threats of light rain, so the dampness of my shirt was more due to the showers rather than sweat. I was disturbed to find that the older, slowest runner in the neighborhood passed me by on his way to what he said was another 10-miler, “unless there is lightening and then I will call my wife.” I tried to speed up but couldn’t, caught in slow motion. Like molasses, quicksand, or moving with a piano strapped to my back. At that moment, I felt very old and ready to abandon this silly streak now at 5,329 consecutive days after today’s 2.1 miles. Soon after, for some reason, he ducked into the fitness center while I continued on. A small victory? When I finished, I checked my time – 14:30 for that mile – slow but not as lead footed as I thought.
Apparently, I was looking in the mirror at an awkward, shuffling old man on his last sporting legs. I’m no longer a spring chicken, approaching my 72nd birthday at the end of this month. Should I invest in another pair of running shoes? I guess that I will somehow continue to do this until my spindly members won’t move anymore. Two friends of mine are recovering from knee and hip replacements, so I’m fortunate to still be standing. Running is a bonus, regardless of speed. Plus, I’ve seen a lot worse looking stems at the beach. I guess I’ll keep on stumbling along.
I’ve been reading the book, The Maid, and found that it has somehow given me a new perspective on cleaning. Despite its silly plot, in the past couple of days, I’ve repainted some of our doors, refurbished the golf cart leather seats, scrubbed some floors, and taken a little more pride in taking care of our home. Few books have had that kind of impact. I’ve also been watching the Break Point documentary on Netflix, but it has not inspired me to play tennis, racquetball, or pickle ball. I did learn that the brand new V-neck Nike “running” shirt that I was wearing this morning is actually tennis clothing with the Rafael Nadel “Raging Bull” logo. Perhaps it was designed for making sharp cuts rather than distance running and this was what slowed me down this morning – not my old legs!
I’m experiencing a bit of jet lag this morning after a restless night of sleep. Yesterday, I was a bit sluggish but able to get up on time and run a full 2.1 miles. Last night, I was constantly up and down, getting rid of a lot of retained fluid, particularly noticeable in my swollen ankles, hopefully shedding the five pounds I gained in Portland. I then slept beyond my usual wake-up time and consequently faced 82-degree weather, still adapting from the cooler Northwest temperatures. At least, I got to wear jeans for the first time in a while. Needless to say in the heat, I only completed the minimum mile (1.25) required to maintain my running streak – now at 5,325 consecutive days.
I will undoubtedly slip into an afternoon nap before we do our sunset sail this evening. We’ll have dinner at the Laishley Crab House on our way to the Punta Gorda marina where we will board the boat. Tally, our aging schnauzer, will have to miss out on her evening golf cart ride, just as I failed to get her out this morning in a timely manner.
Having been on airplanes this past week, I’m even less steady on my feet. I’m sure that being on a boat tonight certainly won’t help with stability. One of the big issues I’m facing in old age is balance. This is particularly noticeable when I’m running. I too often feel like a Weeble, wobbling along like I’m drunk.
According to Wikipedia, “Weebles is a range of children’s roly-poly toys that originated in 1971 by the US toy company Playskool. They are egg-shaped, so tipping one causes a weight located at the bottom-center to be raised. Once released, the Weeble is restored by gravity to an upright position. Weebles have been designed with a variety of shapes, including some designed to look like people or animals.”
“The catchphrase “Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down” was used in advertising during their rise in popularity in the 1970s and during successive relaunches in the early 2000s. The line was coined by advertising executive Walter Cohen at Benton & Bowles when he and his partner Bernard Most were assigned to the account in 1971. The pair (as the creative team Bernie & Walter) used the phrase when they created the first TV commercials for the new product.”
It’s been a long time since I’ve tripped or fallen on a run. The last time was in Portland about 5-years-ago when I stumbled over some uneven pavement and skinned up my knees. Here in Florida, my course is very flat and smooth, so dehydration is the biggest enemy. I start every run with a mouthful of water that gets swallowed after the first turn. My shirt is soaked after the first mile. I’ve also cut back on my mileage, totaling only about 65-miles in July, compared with 97 in June. The heat is getting to me, as this old man comically wobbles along.
I’m feeling a bit burnt out, both with running and writing. What was once a strict daily discipline has now become a tiresome chore. I’ve consequently cut back on my mileage and my postings as I struggle with maintaining these important retirement routines. Yet here I am at 5,311 consecutive days of running and 2,362 posts. I remember in Austin when I first started the streak while working, I was doing a daily 2-mile course that often extended to the treadmill. I had increased to 5k or 3.1 miles after retirement with more time on my hands, but now the Florida heat is taking its toll. I’ve added Chair yoga for flexibility and swimming some laps to the daily regimen of push-ups, sit-ups, and stretching. I definitely want to get to the 15-year mark before considering other changes, including surgery that could put an end to the streak. I’m fearful that I wouldn’t start another streak after this one ends and might end up retiring from running.
With all the traveling we’ve been doing this year our goal of seeing all the area sights has taken a back seat. Tourist Thursday was back on track yesterday afternoon with a journey to Arcadia. We visited a true tourist trap in buying tickets to Solomon’s Castle, just recently under 7-feet of water. As the brochure states, “the home, galleries, and workshop of internationally renowned artist Howard Solomon are open to the public. Decorated with more than 80 interpretive stained-glass windows and countless metal sculptures, the castle is a day-long delight.” The whimsical tour delivered by a neighbor lady scripted in the artist’s words complete with puns is worth the price of admission. Everything is made from recycled materials including the exterior panels of the castle constructed with aluminum newspaper printing plates. Next up: The world’s largest ball of twine -just kidding.
We’ve seen the amazing Ringling Brothers miniature circus (See Post #1779) also crafted by a local artisan, but this is even more mind-blowing, especially knowing that he started carving at age 4 and never stopped. He built the castle, boat in the moat, lighthouse, and restaurants on the property. Then, we stopped downtown at several antique stores and finished the day with Tally’s golf cart ride around the neighborhood and into our shared garden.
The Friday follow-up to this adventure has already proven to be another retirement whirlwind of activity. I ran while my wife went to tap classes and then proceeded to reset some sunken pavers around our pool. I had tried unsuccessfully the other day, scraping up my fingers badly. However, a borrowed rubber mallet proved to be the solution. I was covered with sand and sweat so the pool laps afterwards felt especially refreshing. The doorbell than rang with the crew that installed our dining room cabinet countertop and again with the A/C repairman. We also took the opportunity to book a Punta Gorda sunset cruise out of Fisherman’s Village (Tourist Thursday on a Friday) with a buy-one-get-one coupon and made arrangements for a flight to Oakland for Christmas with my wife’s daughter. Next Thursday we will be in our former home of Portland, Oregon (as tourists) with her other daughter and at a wedding on the coast.
In retirement, the days of the week quickly lose their identity, blending together and distinguished only by the sunrise and sunset. There is no longer a need to set an alarm and little concern about scheduling conflicts. For me, now, every day is just Runday, the only commitment that I really need to accomplish. The sun gets me out of bed, usually just before seven until time change screws that up. I like to hit the pavement before it gets too hot, even though most days it’s nearly 80 degrees by the time I get the dog duties and push-ups completed. By the time I get to the half-mile marker I’m already sweating profusely, and at the finish line my t-shirt is soaked.
It will be good to get back to the cooler Oregon temperatures in a few weeks. I might then have enough energy to do some longer runs. So far, this summer has been draining on my 71-year-old body. Apparently, the Sahara sands that typically drift over this area not only filter the intensity of the sun’s rays but also give us the striking sunsets that people flock to the beaches to watch. We were there last night for the show from Englewood Beach, but the clouds got in the way. Fortunately, the Fourth of July from Venice Beach was clear just a few days ago.
I’m proud to report that my running streak now sits at 5,305 days without fail. Despite the soreness in my hip muscles and the lack of motivation, I somehow manage to fulfill this daily commitment to myself. December 28th will mark fifteen consecutive years, but still a long way off. By then, I will have been to two more weddings, at least two more baseball games, celebrated another birthday, hopefully will have avoided another hurricane, and joyfully will have witnessed many more sunsets from the beach. I’m counting down the Rundays until this next milestone.
For the working man, the Fourth of July is a welcome holiday and in most cases a few days off with the long weekend. For us retired folks, it’s just another day with crowds at our favorite haunts. I just completed my 5,299th consecutive day of running, another hot, sweaty affair. Temperatures remain hot and the 5k route drains the life out of me, even with an earlier start. It was time to make a change and shorten to a 2-mile distance. I established a new route, hoping to take some of the strain about maintaining “The Streak.” Besides, it may be in jeopardy pending two potential surgeries. I would at least like to make it to the 15-year mark and finally move from the “Experienced” to “Well-Versed” category of the USRSA.
I noticed how much more energy I had yesterday after doing a 1-mile minimum. I had slept in a bit and struggled to get going, especially with a sore hip. I had already adjusted my path to the to the on-coming traffic lane. The slope of the pavement put more pressure on my left leg and relieved the discomfort of my right. It would be a few more days before I could get back to the chiropractor for an adjustment. However, the smoother asphalt surface also seemed hotter than the concrete paths. Today, the two-mile course seemed like a necessary compromise, followed by a refreshing swim. I think this will be the distance going forward, with the exception of really early mornings where the minimum mile will have to suffice.
We planted our garden yesterday, starting with some flowers until the weather cools down. Maybe at that point, I can resume the 5k routine. Our new evening plans will now include a golf cart ride with Tally and a stop at the garden for watering and weeding. Both Tally and I need a refreshing change from being sunset couch potatoes. Perhaps we’ll even see the sun go down rather than the glow of the TV screen. For variety, we also went to neighboring Wellen Park last night for a picnic dinner, rock band performance, and boat parade. Tuesday night will end the long holiday weekend for all but us retirees with a fireworks show at the stadium. For me, it’s just another Holiday – NOT.
It’s day 5,287 of my running streak, as I near the 14.5-year mark of this consecutive daily feat on these old, tired feet. It’s one of my few remaining accomplishments in life along with a 22-year marriage and a 71-year-old body. I’m also back into a post-run swim as the summer heat and humidity soaks my running gear. A bottle of Gatorade and a dip in the pool provides refreshment. I’m fortunate to have a pool in my home, along with two other resort pools and a fitness center just down the street. I rarely use the other facilities, but my wife enjoys these amenities, just a golf cart ride away.
My wife’s birthday was yesterday, and she seemed content with doing very little. I’m still tired from a month of traveling. She used her outdoor kitchen to prepare lobster tails in lieu of dining out. She got flowers, balloons, cards, gifts, phone calls, e-mails and texts honoring the occasion. One came as far away as London from a friend she met on our recent Egyptian cruise. I think her favorite gift was probably a hand-painted rock with a camel illustration. It was also Tally’s “Gotcha Day” when she joined our family 13-years ago. We have a lot to celebrate.
The rain held off this morning, but my shoes were still soaked from yesterday. The sun felt good at times and torturous at others. There is no chair yoga class this morning, so I have time to write but little to write about. We’re watching A Small Light on the Disney Channel, the story of Anne Frank from the perspective of her protectors. It’s much more meaningful since we had the opportunity to visit the Amsterdam home a few years ago. It stirs the emotions of hatred for the Nazis, sympathy for the Jewish Faith, and gratitude for Freedom. Our retirement hassles are silly compared to what they all went through.
We might even have time for “Theater Tuesday” this afternoon, if there is something worth seeing. Bridge has replaced “Matinee Monday,” but we still kept it “Meatless,” even despite the birthday celebration. We also started “Salad Sundays,” with my Father’s Day request of a cheeseburger salad. We’re trying to slowly settle back into a routine after all the travel disruptions. Looking back to the beginning, even on Mondays, running every day remains the only consistent aspect of my retirement routine. (See Post #438)