Category: RUNNING STREAK (Page 6 of 34)
The trials and tribulations of running every single day
We were unable to get to a movie theater this past week but continue to wade through the many seasons of ABC’s Lost. Each T.V. episode seems to factor in another hard to believe coincidence that has us scratching our heads. I think we’re only about halfway through. Tonight is I.U. basketball and tomorrow evening is the Super Bowl. It’s good to stay close to home for a few days, after 800 miles of local travel this past week. Hoosier company is coming these next few weeks, so we should have a full month of home brew before heading to Las Vegas and Disney World.
My Running Streak continues at 5,158 days. It’s a daily grind with a couple of shorter runs this past week to accommodate the local travel but a nice 5k around Anna Marie Island to break up the monotony. The Margaritaville lifestyle was appealing but the cost of beach property and related maintenance is salty. Million-dollar shanties were prevalent. Wind and water levels would be a constant worry for me, but obviously worth it to many.
Yesterday afternoon, we were dining on the Palmetto waterfront at the Riverhouse. It was my second LIN-TV reunion this week. This one was with our WISH-TV-Indianapolis colleagues, including an executive assistant, receptionist, and chief engineer. Last weekend, it was fellow GMs and a Local Sales Manager. Each interaction brought back lots of memories and forgotten names as we reflected on our years together. Retirement is only possible because of the pensions that we earned working there, so each of us is grateful to get a monthly check. Many media companies did not offer this benefit.
My wife will dig out her Longi’s pizza bread recipe for our traditional Super Bowl feast tomorrow. We first enjoyed this treat on Maui in January of 2005. Three years later, we went back for more with friends as part of the Maui Classic. We also typically have chicken wings on this special football occasion, where once again the ads will be more appealing than the game. It’s an annual reminder of when we were responsible for selling the local ads for this event that commanded the highest rates of the year. It was a huge revenue boost for the network affiliate lucky enough to carry it each year and serious competition, earning bragging rights, for outperforming the previous year’s spot rates. Super Bowl, Super Food, Super Weekend!
I was really confused on what day of the week it was today after a busy week. Our Sunday night Lunar New Year Party went well with 34 guests, but it seemed like more of a Friday or Saturday night affair. Confucious or Confusion? Monday was a traditional “Matinee” day, but we went to the movie “Plane” a bit earlier to get home for another party of neighbors planning a cruise, so dinner wasn’t even “Meatless.” Tuesday, I went to my first chair yoga class and stretched a few rarely used muscles. Temperatures have been cold, and therefore swimming has been more sporadic than normal, disrupting that routine. We had also strayed from the habit of having the kids over for Tuesday Eve dinner, getting that family tradition back on track.
Wednesday night, I watched I.U. men’s basketball barely edge Minnesota, but usually they play mid-week Thursdays, so that threw me off a bit. I was also up late for the game, fueled by adrenaline after a late tip-off. My wife and I ended up going chair shopping in Sarasota yesterday, our second visit there in the past week. We also gorged ourselves on Amish cooking at Der Dutchman and had no need for dinner, another unusual twist to the week. The night ended with an I.U. women’s basketball victory over #2 Ohio State.
In the middle of my run today, I suddenly realized it was Friday already. Jogging has at least been a consistent habit for me. That hasn’t changed in the last fourteen years, as “The Streak” now stands at 5,143 consecutive days. I also did not vary from my 3.1-mile course and was not rushed into a shorter distance. In addition, I’ve done a lot of writing this week, adding to the chapters in my Storyworth ramblings. Nothing much is planned for the weekend when traditional partying is done. We got it out of the way early this week, and that was the beginning of my retirement confusion.
A neighbor ran by this morning, halfway through a 10-mile training run. He retired earlier this year and decided to do another triathlon just after the new year. I used to be motivated like that, but never to do a run, swim, bike challenge. Instead, I’ve now settled into a daily running streak that reached 5,116 consecutive days this morning. It made me wonder when the last time was that I ran over 10-miles? I couldn’t find a date in my diary but noted five 6.2-mile races I did during this current running streak. There were two in Austin, Texas (Capital 10k) with my best time at 1:03:49 in March of 2012. That was when I was still able to run at slightly over a ten-minute mile pace. I also ran the Human Race in August 2008 at 1:08:25, Helvetica in June of 2015, and The Heartbreaker in February 2016. Those were the last of my distance races with the exception of the Hood to Coast relay event in August 2017. One of my training runs in preparation was 9-miles long and that seems to be the last time I covered that much ground in one morning. There were three legs of Hood to Coast that I finished in a 24-hour period of 7, 5.2, and 5.3 miles each.
Since that time, I’ve settled on a maximum distance of 3.1 miles and consistently cover this most every day. My pace has slowed to 14-16 minutes per mile on average, so covering 10-miles would take me over two-and-a-half-hours to finish, if I wanted to take an injury risk. In the good old days, I could have finished in well under an hour-and-a-half. My best Marathon (26.2 miles) time was just over 3-hours in 1979. It was an International Marathon that couldn’t happen in these Covid times, starting in Canada through the Windsor tunnel into the city of Detroit. Crossing any border is difficult these days. Also, border guards don’t like to see people running.
It was during this time, that I once legged over 120-miles within the course of one week (over 17-miles a day)! My legs often feel like concrete anymore, but at 71-years of age I’m lucky to have avoided serious injury. It takes about a mile to even loosen up and then I begin to tire. There’s certainly a great deal of admiration for those who can still compete as fellow Sexagenarians. For me, however, it’s often just challenging enough to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
I was forced to bundle up on this Christmas Eve day in what is normally sunny Florida. However, the temperature was 35 degrees as I took to the streets this morning. The knee-high compression socks that I wore were comforting and supportive. Most days it’s just too hot to wear but it definitely helps keep my muscles and joints warm. My times were even a bit faster despite a stiff breeze on the way out. It felt good on the way back – the cold air in my lungs reminded me of being on the ski slopes. It also made me recall the only time I’ve ever won my age division in a 10k race. This was probably over 25-years ago in temperatures well below zero and unmentionable wind chills. Obviously, few people showed up and even fewer finished, but I seemed to relish the challenge.
Slow and steady is my motto these days, coinciding with my pace. There was one other runner that I spotted this morning guiding a dog on a leash. Our aging schnauzer Tally is usually only good for a short burst before she’s distracted by nearby smells. There was a time when she would tag along but not much anymore. My wife’s dog, Belle, when we first met, would actually wrap her leash around a mailbox post so she wouldn’t have to run with me. All my former pups -Gizmo, Smiley, Belle, Tinker, and Roxie – monitor my daily running streak from the heavens above, grateful that they don’t have to participate. Tally watches me pass by her dog park every morning and on occasion will come to the fence to greet me.
We had “Date Night” at Big Mike’s Pizza last evening and especially enjoyed their Mac & Cheese Boulders. As is the tradition, we always visit a new restaurant on this occasion. We have no plans for Christmas tomorrow since the beach picnic is cancelled due to cold weather. It would have just been the two of us, since my ex-wife and her family is now in town, so we’ll wait until next week to get together for gifts with the grandkids. A movie matinee might be in order, even though it’s not Monday.
I cleaned out my car and even degreased the engine in hopes of finding a buyer. I was surprised at the low-ball offers that I got from Kelly Blue Book, Carvana, and various dealers despite the need for used cars. Sadly, I can’t even buy a used golf cart for what it’s apparently worth, and I really don’t want to put any more money into it. It’s due for an oil change, insurance premiums will be coming up, and license fees will soon take another bite. If I repaired the oil leaks it would cost another $2,000, so I’m at a stalemate. I can certainly wait until after the holidays to find a buyer, but not too much longer.
We have newly paved streets in the neighborhood so many of the familiar markers are gone along the route of my daily run. I had become very aware of every pothole, crease, and oil leak along the way. I’ve spent a lot of time staring at the pavement each morning. It’s been nearly two years now of running these streets as I quickly approach the 14-year mark of doing this every single day. I’m very proud of this accomplishment knowing that it could come to a stop any day now. The stiffness and heaviness in my legs makes me dread the first half-mile. Once I get to that point, my aging body begins to loosen up. I envy those that can move freely and pass me like I’m standing still. I just keep putting one foot in front of the other like a machine.
My car and I have a lot in common – rusted out on the inside and not worth much anymore. I wish I could trade my legs in on a new pair, but at least they still support me. There are too many people my age in wheelchairs, leaning on walkers, or bedridden to feel sorry for myself. I’m lucky to still find the motivation to take that first step every morning regardless of whether I’m home or not. These legs have carried me across frozen streets, blazing hot asphalt, up or down stairs, rutted trails, over cobblestones, fighting a fever, post-surgery, up never-ending hills, climbed mountainsides, around islands, through mud puddles, down dirt paths, on ship decks, busy highways, junk yards, crowded sidewalks, treadmills, and sandy beaches all over the world. I’ve run through airports, tunnels, malls, hallways, parking garages, grassy parks, football fields, and baseball stadiums. I’ve used indoor and outdoor tracks, worn rainsuits and snow gear, crampons for traction, braved a hurricane, gone barefoot, and even donned my street shoes when I forgot to pack my Brooks. There’s not much that can stop me, but I’ve also been lucky to avoid injury and serious sickness. Today was the 5,107th consecutive. Hopefully, there’s tomorrow.
Too many computer problems discouraged my efforts to keep up on this blog during our time in Kauai. I tried changing from Chrome to other search engines but had to reconstruct many of my links, apps, and passwords to no avail. I could not transfer notes from my phone to my laptop, adding to the frustration. The days went by too quickly as we criss-crossed the volcanic valleys by car, boat, and plane.
There was just too much going on with the six of us in the condo. Limited privacy, excursions, board games, plus trips to the pool and beach did not give me time to gather my thoughts. I needed to get back in my home office and perhaps send my computer off to be repaired. I did, however, manage to maintain my daily running habit that has now grown to over 5,100 consecutive days while on the island. In a few short weeks, “The Streak” will surpass 14 years without missing a single day.
In an effort to do something constructive, I started doing on-line surveys that allow me to collect points and potentially payment for my opinions. To me, it’s similar to playing a video game for rewards and keeps my mimd occupied. However, being 71 years of age, retired, caucasian, and with limited purchasing power often excludes me from participating.
I’ve read five books over the past few weeks, so getting away from the television has been a positive change. I did watch a lot of soccer with all the World Cup action, but fell behind on shows like Yellowstone, Curse of Oak Island, and Gold Rush. I mention this like I’m actually missing something important!
There have been no dog duties, those rare moments outside of running when I actually venture out into the Florida heat. Sunny days on Kauai were surprisingly limited as we explored the islands, from Waimea Canyon and “the wettest spot on earth” to Hanalei Bay, home of “Puff the Magic Dragon.” It was always breezy with pop-up showers, and cloudy skies. We put a few miles on the rental car because there was little to do at the resort other than Cornhole, swimming, biking, and wandering. The crashing waves of the Pacific were closely visible from our balcony, but the sandy beaches were quite a distance away. We were, however, surrounded by lush landscaping, golf courses, swaying palms, and other plush resorts. Restaurants and shops were also a major hike away.
It was 11-hours of flight time both there and back with overnight stops in Seattle. We won’t get back on a plane for another three months when the two of us weary travelers head to Vegas for a few days. Egypt is but 6-months away. It’s time to get off the road for a holiday break that will allow us to get reacquainted with the neighbors before we hit it hard again.
I doubt that there will be time for a post tomorrow with the overnight in Seattle and early morning flight to Kauai. I’ll also have to cut back to the minimum on my run. I almost reached my monthly goal of 90 miles at 86.7, an improvement over the past few months with all the travel and GPS restrictions. It’s more in line with where I was this past summer with much cooler conditions. I will miss the annual Tomahawk 5k at the Braves Spring Training facility but will have a beautiful golf course route on the island.
I was counting on free shipping of wine to our resort destination, but Alaska Airlines only does this from their West Coast airport locations, not from Florida. We’ve also apparently lost our MVP status that allowed for extra luggage. I was spoiled with the hub located in Portland, but now have to choose other options at our nearby airports. With the Alaska merger with American Airlines, we’ll have to start rebuilding frequent flyer points. As a result, we’re in need of a Costco for wine and other essentials once we arrive.
Our Marriott Vacation Club resort is very near the Lihue Airport, so we’ll pick up a rental car for the days when we’re traveling to the other side of the island. Otherwise, we’re pretty isolated from restaurants and hot spots. We’ll make use of our kitchen facilities on several nights or walk the mile to the other Marriott property that has more amenities. We brought some games and I’ll try to keep up with all the sports during the early hours of the day. The USA has just advanced in the World Cup, various conference football championships will be decided, the College Cup soccer features Indiana, both men’s and women’s college basketball is also looking favorable for the Hoosier teams, and the NFL is in the last month of the season. I have a lot to keep up on, while Off We Go, Again!
I received my Fall edition of the USRSA Registry newsletter, dedicated to streak runners like myself around the world. My streak now stands at 5,079 consecutive days. There are now 4,125 runners who have completed at least a full year of running every day, as more and more enthusiasts join the organization. I can remember when there were less than a thousand of us. I also used to be ranked #203 on the overall list but now have dropped to #230. Apparently, others have been doing this for years without awareness of the website www.runeveryday.com, otherwise I would only be moving up not down. I shouldn’t be passed unless I stop, but the whole process is self-monitoring. I once had aspirations of getting into the Top 200 but now it means that more than 10% of the top “streakers” would have to quit running. More likely, it would be death or injury that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
I’m content to be in the top 5.5% of this growing group. It’s better than my normal race performance that is typically in the top 20%. For me, it’s not a race anymore but a matter of perseverance. At the age of 71, my pace continues to slow, but nearly 50% of those listed in the Top 100 are also over 70. Their streaks extend to over 50-years, having started in their 20’s. I did not begin until a few years before my sixtieth birthday, being unaware of the challenge. My goal was to get to 1,000 by the time I reached sixty, but have obviously continued the quest to this day.
There are many days that I wish that I was not committed to this challenge. There is no finish line and it can be inconvenient when traveling. It’s often hard to believe that I’ve stuck with it for nearly 14-years, and can only imagine the pressure to perform by those in the Top 10. No one will probably notice when I eventually fall off the list, especially knowing that there are undoubtedly others out there that have yet to reveal themselves or never will.
I sputter along day after day, taking it one day at a time like any other addiction. I try to get in about 90 miles a week but it takes longer and longer to get in my 5k a day goal. Occasionally, I’ll drop back to the minimum mile when time is particularly tight. I’m glad I’m not alone out there, even though it seems lonely and even painful at times. Streakers Unite!
