HGH Injections and more

Well the NCAA season is over. Tennis officiating is a great hobby of mine but at times it can get a little hard when we have several weekends in a row of intense tennis. I am leaving next week to Hilton Head to improve my skills in the chair. Should be fun!

Spring is here and outdoors is much more enjoyable. The pool is open and I have been biking most days as a commute. With gas prices at the levels they are, I estimate I am saving $70 or more a month and getting a workout.

I did go see a specialist about my knee last week. Nothing alarming but nothing positive either. I explained the good thing about the injury is I know when it happened and that was 10 weeks ago is it can not be a over training issue. It just drags on like a bad sprain. We opted to go with the HGH injection option as opposed to going right to the MRI right away. I have not run all week. The knee does not hurt but then again, I took two weeks off and it did not hurt either.

I have had some fun occupying my time testing the 405 against the 305. (Garmin) After the first few days, I hated the 405 with a passion… This was more of the frustration of not knowing where all the settings are and trying to use the online Garmin Connect. The sync to the online system is terrible. Error after error. Then I decided just to load it into Training Center and it was solid. I once again found the topography to be much more accurate with the 405. Like I reported earlier, it seems strange but there must be something to gain better readings.

I am looking forward to running next week. Hope the injections are all it takes, but I am still a little nervous. Will have to take it one day at a time.

Carry on…

No Superior Trail race 50K for me... 111 days to the 100?

As I awake on this sun filled morning, I think of what I am missing. The start of the Superior 50K is this morning and many are going to experience what looks to be a great day. However, Monday I am seeing a specialist about my knee. I ran for two weeks and the pain was back at a higher level. I just do not want to drive all that way only to have issues what is obviously a greater issue than thought. I would think 10 weeks is adequate to heal what can heal naturally. Funny thing, the only time it does not work is when I am running or biking. Once I am moving, it is fine. I just should not stop... RUN FOREST RUN... Last week, after a 6-mile run and 4 Advil, it still woke me in the night. Oh well, anyone have any thoughts?

I am going out to run today and testing the two Garmin’s again. As many know, I have a 405. My first reaction, the 405 can not be worn comfortably as a watch. About 15% of the watchband is solid, hard and fits my wrist funny. Imagine the 305 with the antenna on both sides. I may get used to it. My guess is the antenna is on one side and battery on the other to allow a smaller face. More on it after I test it a few more times.

My first test was interesting… I love the auto download. I hate the charging system. The distance was the exact on both the 305 and 405 (3.71 miles). Goes back to my 305 statement that it may not be the right miles but it is consistent… Although, the 305 measured the topography much different than the 405. I always thought the elevation charts on the 305 were skewed, especially as I have the ability at my office to calculate the actual elevation from the construction documents for the paved trails when built. The 305 had 970 feet gain (210 out and 660 back) and 885 feet loss. (630 out and 255 back) The 405 had 645 feet of gain (540 out and 105 back) and 638 loss (103 out and 535 back) … According to the plans, it is actually 662 feet gain and loss based on the two-foot contours… I have no clue why as the software and technology is the same. I think I will switch wrists. This should not make a difference but who knows.

Carry on…

Touchy subject?

I was running at lunch with some friends, all much younger than I, when they started talking about a marine that committed suicide.  He was 25 years old.  Brought back memories of all the war stories I heard when I ran with an older group of gentlemen over 20 years ago.  Back in the 1980s, I heard many stories about “that damb war”.  Between these runners I heard more horror stories than I have seen in the movies.  One runner had a limp and about 25 percent of his left butt cheek blown away by an explosion “he will never forget”.  One had a missing lung from a bullet.  

I never lived those horrendous activities as I lived in an era where there was no war.  Although, through them, I still have some real impacting thoughts.  For a 21-year-old who grew up in the rural part of North Dakota, these stories were like those things society packs into video games.  People lose sense of reality at times.  We read so much fiction that things that were repulsive thoughts in 1950 are commonplace today.

As the conversation went on, they started talking about suicide statistics.  Jan stated she read that in 50 years, the rate for 20-24 years olds has doubled (I looked it up, 6.2 per 1,000 1950 to 12.1 per 1,000 in 2000).  Then she said it still does not come close to my (Londell's) age group.  We started to discuss why this is a fact.  That is when I talked more than the rest.  I explained how this has been a very hard year for me.  I explained how at 40, things change.  Reading glasses we made fun at were now the needed, sleeping become more difficult, and so on…  As I spoke, it was rather depressing.  

The conversation turned to that of goals and objectives and the meaning of life.  Came to the discussion of how our goals and objectives in life change.  As kids, we have goals of playing with toys and friends.  As a teen, we have goals of our fist love.  As a collegian, we look for fame and fortune, as a parent, we strive to raise decent human beings, and then…  I had to think, then…

When parenting is gone, if we do not formulate new goals, we lose purpose.  Without purpose, we lose hope and with out hope, we lose desire.  Really was thought provoking.  Made me think back at the time when I got divorced years ago.  I was little depressed and sought needed help.  I wrote a story that I have come to appreciate.  To me, it is one that describes finding purpose in a strange way.  I wanted to share it with those who read this blog...  The story goes:

I have this chair in my living room right now, and I hate it.  It's ugly and big and takes up too much space. And every time I sit back and lean in it, it damages the wall behind it. I've wasted so much time, money, and energy in my life, looking for and buying chairs for that corner of my living room. I've bought ones that look good - but don't last, I've had sturdy ones that just don't look good with the style of my living room, I gotten them straight off the show-room floor - but they become outdated pretty quick. 

What I want is a chair that is comfortable and that looks nice too. Something that adds to the decor of my living room. You know, the kind of chair that when you're having a shitty day, in the back of my mind I know that my chair will be there when I get home, for me to lounge and relax in. Where I can throw my legs over the arm of it, and read a good book or work for hours, comfortably. Yet, it still looks good too, like when company comes over, I don't have to dress it up with a throw pillow or anything, it's fine the way it is. And also it doesn't need constant maintenance, no need for weekly polish or scotch guard treatments. But like I said, right now I have this terrible chair in my living room that I need to get rid of this chair. 

But there's a problem, my son likes that chair, it has sentimental value to him. So I can't just take it to the dump, I'm going to have to store it in the shed or something, so my son can play with it when he wants to. But it's cumbersome and hard to move, and I just haven't moved it out of my living room yet. 

Then the other day I was at an antique store, not even looking for a chair, and I saw this one that I really liked. I thought, damn, I'm not even looking for a chair right now, I don't even know where I'd put it. But I really like this chair. It has a look that is unique. It had a classic frame, well made, I even like the upholstery, and I wish I could just take it home and see how it really looks in my living room. 

Then these two guys walk in worksuits walk up to me and say, "Sorry sir, I hope you're not lookin' to buy this chair, 'cuz it's not for sale." They go on and tell me, "see the shop owner here, well he's a bit of a perfectionist, and we came here today to pick up this here chair and take it our warehouse so it can be polished up and refinished." The guys go on, telling me how funny it is that the shop owner always does this, and that usually what the customers like about the furniture are the flaws, you know that used look, gives it character. And how often the items get all scratched up on the way back to the store anyway. So the guys tell me that they're taking that chair today, but if I really am interested in it, then I may want to check back sometime in the future, when it's all fixed up. 

But the storeowner does have two other stores so there's just no telling where this chair will end up. I laugh to myself, figures. The guys then tell me that I look a little tired from shopping, and they got some forms to fill out still, so why don't I just sit in that chair, try it out for a few minutes while they finish their paperwork. Sounds like a good idea, so I sit in it. This chair really is pretty comfortable; I like it so far. 

Then I remember that, it doesn't matter really, because I have that big, ugly chair in my living room still. Even after I get it out, I still have to repair the damage it's done to the wall behind it and paint where I've patched up the wall. And well, this chair here today, remember it's not for sale anyway. 

I tell my therapist this and she says, "How about not having a chair at all in your living room for now?" I say, "yeah, I agree, I think I'm just going to get myself some good art work to hang on the wall for that corner of my living room for now." And art is good. I really can sit on a floor and enjoy the art. Life can go on without a chair. Although, at some time, there will be a chair that I will grow old in, and with a little luck, die smiling in it.

End of story…

I did buy the art after writing the story.  Still have it on the wall.  It reminds me of those hard emotional times I had back then and the thought provoking events in my life.  I am proud that suicide was not one of the thoughts, but I felt I had an understanding of what it is like to be lost.  I can not imagine the hell the war was for those running buddies of mine.  I often wonder if those runs and openly discussing those issues was the best therapy for them.  I know, when I dumped during my runs, or got dumped on during the runs, I or someone else really felt better afterward!

Reminds me we can never succeed dwelling on our failures if we do not look for new opportunities to succeed, which requires the risk of failure.   In the words of Matthew Keith Groves “Winners lose much more often than losers.  So if you keep losing but you’re still trying, keep it up!  You’re right on track.”

Carry on!

Escape from ...

Finally, I escaped the world inside a world, Las Vegas.  I am sure many people like this vacation/conference spot but I was never happier to leave.  Of course, I arrive at 40 degrees less in temperature but I did not mind.  I like the cool weather.  You can always add layers, but at some point, there is nothing else you can take off!

I have now logged about 20 miles a week for two weeks.  There have been pool workouts and hundreds of miles on the bike as well.  I think this week I will run two days on and one off and so on as I still am nervous about the knee.  I still plan on trying the Superior 50 K but I may walk much more than normal.  I think that is doable as if you add in my walking time, I have been over 30 miles a week for quite some time. 

Anyway, the weight is slowly going the right way.  I thought I would blimp out in Vegas but I ended up the same.  That makes me happy.  

I did recently read about the runner who died at the New York City Marathon.  Enlarged heart…  This is the second time I have heard of this causing death.  First was a good friend Ken Nordquist and then I read about this death again.  Brings back memories and thoughts?  I think should I have the heart scan they talk about on the radio?  What should we do to protect ourselves?  I think about the words “Ryan and other top athletes underwent medical testing in Flagstaff, Ariz., where he trained, last spring, Joe Shay said, and he was cleared for running.”  So why did this kill him?

There have been articles, which read “An enlarged heart like Ryan's translated into extra endurance — crucial for a distance runner.”  Additionally, USA Today wrote “Scientists long have noticed the phenomenon of the "athlete's heart." Athletes who train hard in aerobic sports, such as cycling, running or swimming, tend to have a bigger heart that pumps more blood throughout the body.” 

Just another thing to think about in this world where there are so many hidden killers.  Takes me back to what I wrote a while back,  “We all we need to get busy living or get busy dying” and if I worry to much about what might be killing me, I forget to save enough energy to live.

Live on my friends!