Category: RUNNING STREAK (Page 4 of 34)

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)

As another day goes by with my running streak (#5,268), I continue to amaze myself, if not others. It’s been nearly 14 1/2 years without missing a single day. Yes, there are many other such streaks documented on the USSRA website, www.runeveryday.com, that far exceed mine, but this is solely my accomplishment in extreme discipline. I only wish that I would or could have applied it to other things in life – who knows what I could have achieved?

As it is, maybe I’ve extended my life or at least have kept myself in shape. I can eat pretty much what I want without gaining weight – and often find my sweet tooth to be a factor. As it currently stands since starting this adventure, I’ve run in 31 states and 16 countries. I will definitely add the state of Kentucky into my total when we spend the night there in August and tour the Louisville Slugger plant. Next spring, on our cross-Atlantic cruise, I will add at least 5 more countries and lay claim to six of the seven continents. I have little interest in Antarctica. 

Despite the many years I’ve been running and the daily habit I’ve established, I still find every single day to be a challenge. I struggle with taking that first step, often stalling or trying to sleep a little longer. When I travel, I always keep my running shoes in reach just in case there’s a delay, lost luggage, or last-minute schedule change. The last thing I do every night before getting in bed is get my gear together for the next morning’s run. I try to be as prepared as possible, with a preplanned route or finding the whereabouts of a nearby gym. All in all, I try to eliminate any excuse not to run.

Sickness, stiff muscles, injuries, hangovers, foul weather, unfamiliar terrain, and darkness are daily challenges with keeping the streak alive. My mind tries to come up with an excuse not to do it nearly every morning. It’s rare when I actually look forward to the task. My bones and muscles creak and resist during those first few steps. The first mile is always the hardest and I always seem to look forward to the end. I try to take my thoughts off the monotony with music, rhyming words, counting things like steps, songs, driveways, cars, dogs, people, and/or trash cans, and playing silly mind games. There are many times when I think I can’t go on, but a second wind always seems to ease any discomfort. I do not run enough miles to get that euphoric feeling, except when I’m finally done for the day. 

There is no finish line when you run every day, with nagging thoughts on how I’m going to possibly get up and do it again tomorrow. Yet, I’ve somehow done it 5,268 consecutive times. It’s by far my biggest challenge every day, especially in retirement. I’m thankful that my body has somehow endured and continues to allow me to perform. The time it takes to complete my 5k route is not a factor anymore, as I slog along. Tomorrow will be just another day of extreme discipline. 

Today was Wordle Puzzle #676 but I was not an early adapter, playing only for the 404th time out of 405. I’ve been playing well over a year now, somehow missing a day at some point, inadvertently ending another streak. Yesterday, I got stumped for only the 5th time with the word JOKER, interrupting my longest streak at 119 straight and a 99% solve rate. I will need another run of at least 100 to get back to that percentage, starting with this morning’s success. LEAFY was another memorable stopper, but JOKER was the first time I missed with multiple letters – both J and K. 

My other streak, the running version, is still intact at 5,232 days, with the challenge of boat travel ahead. I’ll probably have to use the deck or treadmill on our upcoming Nile River tour, as I walk then run like an Egyptian!

Here’s the Bangles’ version of that tune, although Steve Martin made the strut famous:

Today is another Borrego Boyz luncheon, a gathering of neighbors who mostly live on our Islandwalk street. A few of them have moved away, so we pick restaurant locations to accommodate their presence like Pelican Alley, today’s dining destination.  While living in Portland, I would organize similar functions called “Leadership Meetings,” usually at a Buffalo Wild Wings location. 

Last evening, I joined the guys on the next street over, Rinella, for their get-together at the Cool Today Park Tiki Bar. It was first time I had strayed outside the Borrego Street group. These were guys that I had never officially met, with the exception of two, but run by their homes every morning. Today was 5,225 straight, without missing. Rinella Street is my main daily route, encompassing about half of my run, so most of them see me wave as I pass by. I was curious to get to know them a little better. Several of the women on the street are in my weekly Chair Yoga class, so little by little I’m expanding my neighborhood network. 

There are a couple of runners on Rinella (I should call it Runella) that I’ve gotten to know at local races, but they were not there last night. I will undoubtedly have trouble remembering all the new faces that I met. One problem is that I don’t wear my glasses when I run, so passers-by are somewhat of a blur. Also, hats, helmets, and sunglasses often hide their identity, especially with women. I try to consult the address directory, but all too often are not listed. To make getting to know them even more complicated, at least half of them will be gone for the summer months, going back and forth between their two residences.  They will all undoubtedly miss me “pounding their pavement” most of the month of May because of our Egyptian travels. 

The Rinella homeowners all jokingly seem to set their clocks by me, since my running routine is pretty consistent. Every day at seemingly the same time, I pass by. Typically, I only cover about a block of my own Borrego Street with the exception of those rare days when I only have time for the minimum mile route. However, the Borrego Boyz luncheons, and Borrego Street “Meet the Neighbors” events have been a consistent means of getting to know the people that live close by. They often get more than just a wave of the hand.