Feeling positive...

It was a nice Thanksgiving weekend. I worked 9 hours Thanksgiving Day and another 34 hours Friday through Sunday, but I had a great time with my son, who flew in on Wednesday night. We got tickets for the Gopher/Iowa game from a friend and attended. Even though it was cold, it was fun. He was also able to spend time with his Aunt, Uncle, niece, nephew, and Grandparents.

For those who may not know him or be aware, he is attending the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. (The thing about coming home is that I think they catch up on his sleep.) He is 21 and really a great person. He has run Grandma's with me twice and kicked my bottom doing so (but I still have a PR just under an hour of his PR). He still plays great tennis. (See the club tennis page.)

A little more about him. It was Thanksgiving, 1994, when there was an event that would change his life. It also changed much for all around him as well. We were visiting my father's farm, where his right hand was amputated. He really is lucky to survive. He never really sulked in loss and is very successful due to his attitude. Of course, attitude is so much. If you do not believe me, check this out: (Website: http://www.attitudeisaltitude.com/)



But I think he learned an attitude and balance from his grandpa, his mom, Neal Halberg, Tommy Valentini, Steve Wilkenson, and so many others. Parents do not raise a child successfully without others, and there were so many others who made him into the successful man he is today.

Enough about that, although once again this weekend, I spent time with some good tears. Almost every year, I cry less about the accident and the impacts of that day. But this year, as I have written before, it is the loss of loved ones that really hurts a little more. I think it is strange how some people are sheltered and never see the things others experience in this world. Some of you know Shelley. We speak of how she has never had a human loss. She has had real bad luck lately, with two of her three cherished pets getting ill and being put down. That was hard for her, and I think she adjusted to it.

Well, this weekend was an especially hard one, as well as one of elation at having my son home. I kept hearing songs on the radio, which brought back memories. I started to cry when a few of Dana's favorite songs came on, and I bet I looked like an idiot crying at the stoplight. As many of you know, Dana was such a positive influence in my life, only to see hers cut short.

Then I heard some 80's songs. That was when a good friend committed suicide, and two others were lost in a car accident. Then, in the late 80's, when my nephew drowned in a few feet of water. These losses hit me hard this weekend for some reason.

But a good cry seems to wash away some of the pain and sorrow we hold within ourselves. I know that the positive feeling from a good hard cry makes things better for a while. But it is still hard to overcome the loss of a great friend. I know there have been many, and there will be more. But I try hard to recall the best, and that usually helps. In 1988, I had a great friend and we grew apart, that is also hard to accept but when I see they are doing well and happy, that can only bring a great smile. Life throws us so many curves, but as a good catcher, we do not let the ball of life pass. We grasp it hard and throw it back for another pitch!

Today, I was talking to someone who asked me how is it so often I laugh? I responded, "Every day I laugh because I can". Laughing is beneficial to your health. It has been said that laughing for 10 minutes heartily is equivalent to 10 minutes of moderate jogging. So tonight, as I came home after crying several times throughout the day, I thought, if laughing benefits your health, what are the benefits of crying? We all have those nights here when tear drops saturate our pillows. For those who say they have never cried, I say you have never lived.

And this cry will get me into the gym more often—I can feel it! It was something that needed to be done, and as I close this post, I smile. My son will leave tomorrow, but it will be a brighter day for so many reasons that I know his going back to school after a short visit will be OK.

Carry on, my friends...

Fatigue, memory loss and other losses

Before I start, all this talk about the "pat down" was put in a different perspective in a cartoon sent to me by a friend. Here it is:

I lose memory after a third week of 75-80 hour work weeks, including Saturday/Sunday, of over 26 hours on those two days on successive weekends. I used to get concerned about this, but I no longer do. What is remarkable is how people tell me what I accomplished, and I look at them like, "where have I been."

I started to compare this to my long-running efforts. I have had several training runs that lasted over 20 hours. As I look back, I recall a common thing, once I reach a certain level of fatigue, my body goes into some type of auto-pilot before it crashes.

Like the 2008 ST 100 attempt, I recall so much of the race until about 4 AM (20 hours after the start). Then the memories fade, and by the 25th hour, I am totally unaware of what happened. My mind just shut down. When I quit at 28 hours, my mind regained control of the body, and that was the end.

In these long weeks, I have found the same thing. I go into autopilot. I just float along. I am much more productive than when I am aware of my surroundings. It is an interesting phenomenon. It may be interesting if it has been studied. But sadly, I do not realize who I have spoken to or what I said. This could be dangerous. However, the general consensus of others is that my facts are significantly accurate and that I can answer much more detailed questions on the fly. This is just strange.

Taking extra vitamin B12 can assist in reducing this activity. I used to take a Multiple B vitamin each morning, but lately, I have skipped taking it regularly. I should consider taking it for 2 weeks and tracking the progress since I have two more bad weeks before I return to a 50-hour week. At times, this is all a bummer, but in reality, I am happy to work in this time of job difficulties. I have many friends who would love to be in my shoes, so it is not bitching, just the facts.

I read an article today that was actually sad for me. Many might have known the 53-year-old Mike Broderick. He finished the Western States 100 in August, finished the 50K Green Lakes Endurance Run, and in September, he finished a marathon and half-marathon. On November 4, 2010, he died. He had an aggressive lung cancer.

He was a lawyer who left the profession to do what he liked—run, coach, and teach. He threw himself into running with knowledge so vast that he was in demand as a coach. I only met the man once. He reminded me of me with little tact in what we said, but we were also funny and charismatic. There is that trait of being happy with running whether we were first, last, or between.

One website posted an e-mail from Mike that read:

"It turns out that the shortness of breath and other symptoms I have been experiencing over the past several weeks are not due to pneumonia. I apparently have lung cancer and am now in the process of further testing and evaluation to determine the extent to which it may have spread and to begin a course of treatment."

He died just weeks later.

As I age, as we all age, we see life just for what it is—precious. It is times like these that I really need to look in the mirror and not see the fat, out-of-shape runner but the person who has been given another breath, another step, and another moment to either cherish or waste.

May we all cherish our loved ones, friends, and enemies on Thanksgiving.

Carry on, my friends, carry on!

Another run

I did another 2-mile run. It was rather enjoyable. Well, kind of sucked in the process, but after I was done, it was so great when I was done. The Strassburg sock helps the PF, but the pain in my toes in the morning is odd. I will take a little toe pain over the PF pain in the morning.

There is a benefit for Larry and Colleen Pederson next weekend. My son is here from Colorado, and I am working tennis and will miss it. If anyone wants to meet great people, help great people, and work off a little post-Thanksgiving calories, check it out! It should be great!

I talked to a few friends, and they pointed out the Wild West Relay. If I return to it by next year, I may have to have my son and a few others try it. It is 36 legs and 200 miles. There are several 7-12 team runners. Entry is about $1,300. I like the Flatliners (all runners live below 2,500 feet). Minnesota qualifies! They have structured formats or Helter Skelter, where anyone can run whatever they can. Leave Fort Collins and head to Wyoming, then southwest, over the mountains! Any interest?

For a shorter race, consider The Colorado Relay? Both sound cool...

This is the type of event that can make me dream and motivate me as needed...

Either way, I have a few weeks where I will work no less than 70 hours, so one week at a time. May we all have a great Thanksgiving, and take care of yourselves.

I want to close with a story I heard today:

A man was running behind an Amish Carriage which had a bumper sticker that read:

"Energy efficient vehicle. Runs on grass and oats."

This was on one bumper, and on the other, it read:

"CAUTION: AVOID THE EXHAUST!"

Carry on, my friends, carry on...