I was wrong...

I like the Biggest Loser. I like the heart and soul that often comes with the workouts and results... I was looking forward to this season. Bob and Jill working together. Dan is such a friendly kid and is back to finishing what he started. This was a season of good people. But after tonight, I am just disappointed! Where do some of these people come from? My wisecrack answer is their mother, but come on! Today, Steve Quick wrote The Biggest Loser, officially a freak show. There is a freak on the show... Does Tracy really have anything going for her? Some people, like the red team, are just great human beings. I feel sorry for Mo! To have such an idiot for a partner, what a bummer! And how can you lose 11 pounds without a trainer and get injured, plus eat four cupcakes and supposedly be under such stress... When I stress out, weight gain is the only result.

Oh well, I walked at 15% on the treadmill again for 30 minutes, which was 1.7 miles, and then rode my bike for over an hour. It felt good! On my way up, I'm looking so forward to Shelley (my girlfriend) finishing her first half-marathon at Whistlestop in 11 days. I'm also looking forward to volunteering at Surph the Murph. I look forward to the treadmill at 15% tomorrow. Yep, looking up!

Carry on...

Ups, downs, biopsies...

I had a great start to the week. PT on the shoulder has me lifting weights pain-free (about 60% of what I was before the bike crash). The Doc has not given me clearance to run, but walking is not even slightly painful. So I jumped on the treadmill, cranked it up to 15% (the maximum), and went for a mile walk. That is 20 minutes and was a good workout. So, I did it again the next day, and it felt great. I was not running, but I was perspiring harder than I had in a long time. And all I could think of was Diane Farmer's successful ST 100 training... Cranks the treadmill high and walks til you die. I felt like I could walk another mile but wanted to ease in...

Then I woke the third morning and did not feel pain, but my knee was bruised. I hit on something, but I have no clue what that may have been. It looks like a vampire bit me! The bruise is over the size of a dollar coin! Oh well, I had to take time to do other things anyway, as I am a referee for the NCAA Regional and had to get the draws set up.

Besides the NCAA Tennis referee thing, I have had some problems in my esophagus; I have been hoarse for some time, and as reported earlier, I went to the Doc and got medicines to cure the pain. But my throat was not better at all. Today, I had an Upper GI endoscopy, sometimes called EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy). This was intended to be a visual examination of the upper intestinal tract. There were unexplained growths. So, several biopsies were taken, and now I get to wait a few weeks for the results. (Should I have asked Steve for a few to analyze? I think he loves that stuff...) Sucks, but I think of Don (Check out his blog about running or the blog about his illness) and many others who have much more demanding issues and realize I am blessed to have had so few issues my whole life!

I've been posting a picture a day on the other blog. It's hard to find or take really cool pictures each day, although the one from earlier this week is just cool. What a great idea Emily had! I would have liked to see the look on Steven's face, whoever he is!

I am preparing for winter. I am looking forward to the cold weather. I'm not sure why, but I like that crisp air in my lungs; that sense of tranquility from the white of newly fallen snow, and I want to get through 2009. It hasn't been a good year. Last time I had a bad year, I had a few outstanding years. I'm looking forward to that.

Carry on!

One Sick Ignoramus

I finally went to the regular Doc today after feeling like crap for weeks. I just brushed it off as seasonal allergies and have been putting up with the crap that comes with it. But I was getting worse, and now that I have been pain-free in the knee and riding a bike (PT has done wonders for the shoulder), my lungs and energy level were just not there. I was so tired but could not breathe when I lay down and woke often at night...

Well, he stocked me up on meds... WOW. I have a sinus infection, bronchitis, and a middle ear infection. My head was in so much pain. We also did a blood test, and my Vitamin D level is low again? My Doc is sending me to a nutritionist to evaluate what may happen. I think I ate right, but I will find out.

So I have four medicines of a variety the guy on the street corner would envy? By Monday, I am better, so I can at least enjoy a workout without feeling dizzy, weak, and light-headed. Well, ever since my bike crash, my head has been an issue, but some think I was born that way. Either way, I'm drugging myself up and looking forward to improving. Why do men take so long to go to the Doctor?

Although I am very superstitious, today is my birthday! So I take all this as a 47th present to myself!

Carry on...

Update

I've been busy. (And keeping up a second blog with daily entries is not easy. Check out one picture—cool!) If you missed the previous post, I am going to try to post an interesting picture every day at Time to Picts—Daily Shot.)

Work is picking up, and Fall tennis is here. I have complained twice on this blog that I must quit officiating tennis, but I enjoy it more than running. But that is not fair. I still cannot run, and I am sure that if I quit tennis for 2 months, I would not miss it either. (Although, I feel like I could run, which means my knee is improving!) I have had two PT sessions, and my shoulder feels much better. Amazing what the right exercises can do for an ailing body.

Superior has come and gone, but I am surprised I have not seen many reports yet. There are a few good ones, but I am still waiting to hear about the run from a few pals, especially some who have the hated DNF. I am interested in hearing what they thought went right and what went wrong.

Oh well, I will keep looking for posts and keeping up the PT. Maybe before I know it, I will be able to run and look to have a DNF myself. They are the best sources to learn from, and there is nothing to be ashamed of, especially on that BEAST—Superior trail!

Carry on!

Superior Blues

I had journeyed to the north shore for the past three years to run a looooonnnnngggg race. First, the 50 mile in 2006 was a success, and then 2 attempts at the 100 mile, where I failed. Although this year, sitting home watching the first football game of the season (a real bore), I can not help but think about the many friends and others who are about to venture out to finish a great race. It is a great race because of many factors, but in any event I have ever been involved in, the people make it great!

The core of compassionate, caring, and knowledgeable friends who put this on year after year is unmatched in any other armature event I have participated in. Larry, Don, Bonnie, Scott, Colleen, and others put that event on without pay. I want to maintain the great successes of all those who will finish, but with that core group and all the volunteers, they would start. They can never be thanked enough...

Good luck to all, and I am saddened that I will not be there with you running or volunteering. Life throws a curve ball, and I am smart enough not to swing.

Carry on...

Burger verdict / new blog & more

Well, I have come to the conclusion that real beef is better. Hard to believe but true in my mind. I have decided that veggie burgers are OK, but the best nutritionally overall is real beef (97/3) and my dry pulp left from the morning juice. I feel better with that combination. I also will make them with a bit of coconut oil... No sodium... I do not even season them... M M GOOD. Maybe next year, at a fat ass run that I can actually run, I will supply the burgers? Any interest?

I have been biking/walking more. I totaled 47.5 miles of biking last week, plus 12 miles of walking. It sure feels nice to get some workouts under the belt, and even though they are not killers, they still push the knee a little. I see the Doc tomorrow (Tuesday, September 8) but have yet to get clearance to run... I know that based on the pain. I also will start physical therapy on the shoulder next week. Is that all I need?  Should I tell the Doc that I could simultaneously do therapy on the knee? Physical therapy is required on the right knee and right shoulder. Nothing is left. (pun intended)

Last, I have started a new blog. It is called Daily Shot. (http://timetopicts.blogspot.com/) I did so for two reasons. 1) I have my new camera and iPhone 3Gs and practically every day I see something that is cool and deserves to be preserved in a picture. 2) Friends have been talking about Julia/Julia (the movie) and how the reader cooked her way through an elder's cookbook each day and put it on a blog (The real blog).

I will see if I can post 365 consecutive interesting pictures (or videos from the iPhone). One each day. All unique from my daily experiences. I was thinking, why a new blog as opposed to putting them here? It allows me to post daily without comments, and here, this is more about my life than about other subject matter. Some may not care about the pictures, others about life, so separate Blogs are the final answer.

Carry on...

Veggie-burgers? A short review

I have read many blogs lately about ultra runners trying the Vegan diet. I declare up front that I am a meat lover, period. I wonder if there I am other than a white male, as my favorite foods are BBQ ribs, BBQ chicken, cornbread, and watermelon... Although, with some fine reading, I have been open to vegan burgers lately. I like the flavor and taste of some over a regular burger. But I recently did a nutritional comparison and found some Veggieburgers are not much better for you than 97/3 beef.

There are so many different brands and flavors out there now that the selection can be a little overwhelming. I found three brands at Target and Cub. Some burgers are made with soy, and others with grains. I have read about some veggie burgers that are just that and made from veggies. Sunshine even makes its burgers with sunflower seeds (I have not found this brand yet, but I know it is out there…). Depending on the main ingredients, all your options will differ in calories, Sodium, carbs, and protein, so check out this breakdown to see which satisfies your needs.

This may be hard to follow, but here is the nutrition information for a variety of burger options using a 2.5 oz patty (Common Veggieburger size)

97/3 beef has 88 calories, 3 G fat (1 Saturated), zero Sodium, zero carbs, zero fiber, and 15g protein.

Veggieburger comparisons were broad – Boca original seemed the best and less expensive than beef…

Boca Original has 70 calories, 0.5 G fat (0 Saturated), 280 mg Sodium, 6 g carbs, 4 g fiber, and 13g protein.

Boca Grilled Vegi has 80 calories, 1 G fat (0 Saturated), 300 mg Sodium, 7 g carbs, 4 g fiber and 12g protein.

Boca All American has 90 calories, 3 G fat (0.5 g Saturated), 280mg Sodium, 4 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g fiber, and 14 g protein.

Gardenburger Garden Original has 100 calories, 1 G fat (0 Saturated), 230mg Sodium, 12 g carbs, 3 g fiber and 10 g protein.

Gardenburger Original has 100 calories, 3.5 Grams of fat (0.5 grams Saturated), 420 mg of Sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of protein.

Morningstar Classic has 120 calories, 4 G fat (0.5 g Saturated), 260mg Sodium, 11 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, and 11 g protein.

I have found the Boca Original to be far better balanced, about 30% less expensive than others, and comparable to beef. In addition, I found that a properly dressed 97/3 beef patty would be a better option than some others calorie-wise, but it still has 3 G of fat.

So, I had another alternative. I have a juicer, and most mornings, I juice 12 ounces of many flavors: carrots, apples, blueberries, ginger, Kiwi, green pepper, and so on. Tonight, I mixed 4 ounces of my dry pulp into 2.5 ounces of 97/3 burger. It was GREAT! I may experiment more, like going down to 1.5 ounces of burger and adding egg whites to the mix.

Does anyone out there have any thoughts on this topic or suggestions?

PS: This week, my knee feels it, but so far, I've walked 12 miles and ridden 3.5 on a bike. But it hurts a little.

Carry on!