Youth Sports

TRAGIC… This weekend, I heard of the Kasandra M. Perkins and Jovan Belcher tragedy… It appears they had great future potential, he had great income from a sport, and they had a three-month-old child yet, but what caused his actions? We may never know, but I wonder if it could have started at youth sports.

I recently read a few articles on bounties in Pop Warner Football.  Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, and you could find many more…  (Link 3 is the most disheartening!)

I also recently read Play Their Hearts Out: A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine by George Dohrmann.  I read this after reading the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission survey results, which stated:

• 45.3% of youth leaguers said that adults had called them names, yelled at them, or insulted them while playing a game.
• 21% said that they had been pressured to play with an injury.
• 17.5% said that an adult had hit, kicked, or slapped them during a game
• 8.2% said that they had been pressured to harm others intentionally. 

A USA survey poll in Indianapolis, Indiana, found:

• 55% of parents said that they had seen other parents engaging in verbal abuse at youth sporting events.
• 21% said that they had seen a physical altercation between other parents.

A survey conducted by Sports Illustrated For Kids magazine found:

• 74% of youth athletes reported that they had watched out-of-control adults at their games
• 37% of the athletes had watched parents yelling at children
• 27% had watched parents yelling at coaches or officials
• 25% had watched coaches yelling at officials or children
• 4% had watched violence by adults

In a survey of adults and players conducted by SportingKid magazine, more than 84% of respondents reported that they had watched parents acting violently (shouting, berating, or using abusive language) toward children, coaches, or officials during youth sporting events.

DO YOU REALIZE THAT EVEN WORSE CASE ABOVE? Just under 5 of 10 youth sports players have experienced verbal abuse.  The sad part is most of these abuse episodes are not reported.  I am guilty of not reporting incidents like these, as well.

A day I will never forget is February 21, 2002.  It was a Friday, and I was at a tennis tournament.  I saw a nice 14-year-old boy come off the court, winning in straight sets 6-0, 6-1.  I was near a secluded hallway away from most people (trying to find a lost ball).  Just one other person was coming off the court in that hallway besides the winning boy.  What I saw was the man (the boy's father) grab the boy's shirt, push the boy to the wall with his forearm across his throat, and say (and I am close to quoting):

"You little Sh#@, I do not spend over $20,000 a year for you to come out here and lose a game to a no-name F&@k.  Get your head out, you're a$^, or you're through!  You got it!"  

He let the boy down from his grasp against the wall, and they walked past me. The boy was in tears. Years later, I saw that same parent say, "Your day is coming," to an official after his son lost an officiated match. 

That is one of many things I regret in life.  I should have told the authorities.  I did not.

In sports, whether running an ultra, golf, tennis, baseball, football, soccer or croquet, etc… it's usually the competition (us against them, me against you, or even me against me) that drives participants.  Often, the battle goes beyond the participant, becoming coaches, peers, or parents.

Over the past thirty years, I have had the opportunity to be the best and the worst coach, player, and parent. Although I had my chances, I failed to be the best or worst in any of these. Some were good, and some were bad, but I learned quite a bit about kids.

I do not blame any one part; I blame normal human behaviors.  Whether it is little league sports, played in small rural towns, or professional sports, played in the limelight of New York City, there are inherent benefits to being the champions, the best of the best.  Obviously, personal pride in achievement and praise of your peers is the first undeniable benefit resulting from being the best. Championship youth sports teams or athletes often suddenly become inundated with sponsors offering to buy uniforms and equipment, some of whom flatly refuse to consider financial help when approached at the beginning of the season.

I had heard of ultra-runners who, after an impressive time or win, were given shoes, clothes, supplies, etc. Before they won, they had little opportunity for anything free unless they picked it off the table at the expo… It is ingrained starting at a very young age: You win, you get something; you lose, you get nothing. I support the idea that there should be no trophies for youth sports under 12.  

I think society has become one where everything is a game. A game of "who dies with the most toys or wins" has inflicted our society like a cancer that shows no signs of receding. It has destroyed financial empires and governments and left us without a moral compass.

Isn't this getting a little too involved, too deep for sport? What could sports possibly change in a world gone ethically awry? Possibly everything.

It goes back to youth. Our youth are exposed to the seriousness of sports before anything else in their lives. Think about it. Kids play, or at least play at, baseball, football, soccer, marbles, kickball, and other sports long before they take educational school seriously. They emulate the players they see on television, not their teachers, and that's not to belittle a teacher's importance; it's just a fact.

Fortunately, Kids are too young to comprehend the evils committed on Wall Street, such as Ponzi schemes, foreclosures, corrupt politicians, performance-enhancing drugs, or spying on a team's practice, but they are old enough and smart enough to learn how to play a game "Fair." They need the proper coaches, parents, and community to support the enjoyment of a game, not the "win or you're a loser" attitude. 

So, as I stated, I recently read Play Their Hearts Out A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine by George Dohrmann.  I read of the Pop Warner Youth Football bounties and Jevons Belcher murder-suicide.  I can't help but wonder, how many of society's issues are caused by youth sports?  People blame the schools, but if almost 5 of 10 youth sports participants experience verbal abuse, how can that help self-esteem? 

Youth sports require monitoring with as much scrutiny as our classrooms.  But society is generally focused on winning, and one thing we do not micromanage is youth sports or the military… This needs to stop!  I believe a coach can destroy a life in a single season.  Penalties need to be increased.  But that seems more and more like a dream to me…

Carry on my friends… Carry on…

Holy Crap!

Love that Frank Barone...  Classic show -- Everybody Loves Raymond...  Although, I have been into the real classic, Dragnet.  Not sure what that has to do with anything, as that is not why I said "Holy Crap" in the title.

I said it as it had been almost 3 months since a post.  WOW...  I have been busy with the promotion at work and trying to do more than I can.  Also been expanding my photography experience.  Some examples:

I will sit down and write something good this weekend. I miss blog posts a little since Facebook offers instant gratification. I really am not that thrilled with Facebook. It may be like Myspace or other trends. I have never tweeted and have no desire to do so.

Either way, the blog is to me much like pen and paper was to Grandma. I need to get back to it, as it was enjoyable.

When everything seems drab, I think of how I have it great and others, well, not so much.  Like the poor dog in this cartoon:

Thanks for reading!

Carry on...

Making incomplete judgements

I have been irritated the past few months by people who have been really hard on the police for a variety of reasons, most recently the YouTube video from St. Paul. When I see this, I am concerned in more ways than one, both from the side of the office and also those around the incident.

First, think about the life of a police officer.  Having a policeman around the house is awkward when friends drop by, and a man with a badge opens a door.  The temperature in the room drops 20 degrees.  If they are part of the party, people perceive that badge gets in the way.  Suddenly, there isn't a normal guy in the crown; everyone becomes a comedian and jokes about the police. "Don't drink too much, or the man with the badge will run you in," or "How is it going, Dick Tracy? How many jaywalkers did you pinch today".  Then at once, those who are known as police lose their first name… they are called copper, pig, dick, flatfoot, a bull, john law, bad news, trouble, fuzz, the heat, pick the poison...  They are called everything but a policeman.

Often, being the police is not much of a life unless you like missing important family events because a homicide happens, not unless you like working Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays at lower than average pay.  They are paid enough that if they pinch the pennies, they put the kids through college but have to learn about Europe on TV.

They spend years on the beat where they arrest a drunken prostitute, and she destroys the uniform.  Years ago, the office had to pay for a new uniform.  Police get a front-row acquaintance with the world's diverse and elite.  Pimps, addicts, thieves, bums, drunks, girls who cannot keep an address and men who care, tyrants, liars, cheats, con men, and many in skid row.  They see the heartbreaks, such as beaten wives or girlfriends.  They see firsthand beaten, neglected, underfed and molested kids with broken arms kids or broken legs.  They see dead kids, lost kids, homeless kids, hit-and-run kids, sick kids, and dying kids.  They see the old and homeless, the ones often nobody wants, the pensioners, the people who walk the street cold, hungry, and homeless.

They work daily and try to pick up the pieces of many lives while preserving their own sanity.  They often go on a call without knowing whom they will meet.  They could meet a kid with a knife, a crazed person with a gun, ex-cons with nothing to lose, or an angry mob who hates authority.

The cops get all the downtime to think and have to live with it. Lawyers and the courts have the police pounded with paperwork. They fill out a report when they are right and another if they are wrong. They may even fill out a report on a report so some twisted legal representation cannot skew the facts to let the killer go free. They have to write more words in life than most human beings.

They must live with doubt, anxiety, frustration, and court decisions changing the job's expectations and requirements. If it is not bad enough to deal with the basic criminal element, they sometimes have to defend themselves against lies, deceit, or YouTube videos taken out of context. They have to protect themselves from judges, juries, and, much of the time, the public, who has no idea what the day-to-day activities of a Police officer are. Most of the time, people are very unhappy with the outcome.

Think about it next time when we believe what we see…  I am not saying the St. Paul Police were not out of line for how they treated that person, but I hear an angry crowd yelling and commenting in the background.  They are telling him, "You gonna get paid, man".  The crowd was antagonizing the police for trying to arrest a felon.  This was a guy with a warrant and threatened to harm his girlfriend.  I hear a person yelling about "getting it all on tape." I could only imagine that officer with his back to the crowd was wondering if someone in that crowd would pull a gun and be the last day that officer would see his wife and kids…  I know I would be terrified if I was near that area.

I've been watching Dragnet lately, and in the words of Joe Friday, "Being a Policeman is a thankless, endless, glamour-less job that has got to be done, and I am dumb glad to be one of them." I, for one, am very glad when I see one, even if I am speeding!

Carry on…

1,831

After Grandma’s Marathon, I anticipated recurring knee pain and other issues associated with completing another 26.2 miles. It was the first time in a long time I actually missed running—not the roads but the trials. However, I decided to stay on the bike. However, the knee pain never came, and other body parts told me to take a break.

I have a goal of 3,000 commute miles this year, which equates to 84 days of commuting to work.  After his week, I am halfway there for work commutes at 42.  However, I have logged 1,831 miles so far this year.  I thought that was OK, but then I realized I averaged 8.2 miles a day this year.  That was an emotional uplift.  Then I realized I have several running friends who average more than that for daily miles on foot.  It is all relative.

I also improved my average speed to work recently.  After watching the Olympics, I decided to do a time trial on the road bike to work.  The previous time was just over 56 minutes, wind-assisted.  But August 2 was ideal.  No wind.  Since I ride in all directions to get to work, I always have the wind, no matter what direction it blows.  On this day, it was a new personal best of 54:23 for 17.81 miles... According to the Garmin 405! Only had one red light! The record average speed for me is 19.6 mph. Ave heart rate was 152.  I was pumped.  It was on my new road bike, the Fuji Roubaix 2.0.  I love the way it glides!

Been taking more pictures and learning new techniques.  Select pictures below.

Overall, it has been a decent summer so far. The infection was under control, yet now it seems to come back. I was so happy I rejected the Prednisone the last round. I will have another exam in a few weeks, but I fear I will be given Levaquin again. But NO PREDNISONE! I cannot afford another 10 pounds, and that is what I seemed to gain every time I was on the stuff.

I am going to be a half-century in the next month.  Time goes by so fast.  I'm unsure where it all went, and I see so much more I have not accomplished as I get older.  Some call it making a bucket list while others call it regrets.  I call it opportunity.  Many of my friends did not get the opportunity I have as they passed at an early age.  I will cherish the time, and I believe the trials are in my future.

Carry on…

Grandma's 2012

My first thought when starting this post was, "Where was a blog 28 years ago".  I have been comparing my experience at the 36^th Annual Grandma's Marathon (my 28^th consecutive) with past experiences.  However, I did not have a blog back then, so I did not keep a journal?  Bummer as after 28 finishes, they all run together, even two days afterward.  I did have blog entries for 2008, 2009, and 2010.  Last year was hard, and I only had 5 blog entries (2 in January and 3 in December).

My Friday could have been a better precursor to a successful weekend! Work was issue after issue, and I struggled to get away.  When I did, I went to my girlfriend's house, and we drove up in her second car, as sleeping in a Nissan Altima is easier than my Smart Four Two.  I took her car to fill up with gas, and about 5 blocks from the station, it ran out!!!  CRAP… I had to push it to the station.  I thought I would get a hand or two with Minnesota nice, but nothing.  Fortunately, the route was flat; the only issue was the entrance. I picked up speed and made it…

After that fiasco, we left Minneapolis at about 3:30 PM on Friday. I was concerned because I knew I was not as prepared as possible. LLogging no running miles since the 2011 Grandma's Marathon means there needed to be more preparation. I logged over 1,500 miles on my bike in the two months leading up to this attempt, but biking differs from running.

Battling traffic made the trip about 45 minutes longer than normal. However, my arrival at the DECC was perfect timing, as the 5K had finished, and much of the parking lot was clear. I picked up my packet and walked around Canal Park before heading to the car to sleep.

I set my alarm for 4:45 AM as the bus/train was scheduled to leave between 5:20 AM and 6:30 AM, and I expected rain. I had a great night's sleep, which was strange as I have had so much trouble sleeping the past few months. When I woke, I was surprised to see a mostly clear sky. The weatherman was predicting thunderstorms for the day. I was happy that they missed the forecast once again!  

The train ride to the start could have been more uneventful. Got to the start, went to the Biffs', and did the final race preparations.  I truly believed this was only going to be an attempt at best.  I have been a little down, thinking this would end my consecutive Grandma's Marathon attempts.  One side hoped injury would take me out, and the other was a fighter.  I hate to quit.  More than anyone I have ever met, I hate to quit or fail!

I was worried because the sun was hot. The forecast was 65 degrees for the day with scattered thunderstorms. It was 65 degrees at 7:00 AM, and the sun was scorching. Standing at the start grid, many of the runners already had sweat from the warmth.  

This year's race started 15 minutes early, at 7:45 AM, rather than the traditional 8 AM start. I knew that I needed to run smart to have a chance at finishing.

The race start was uneventful. Took over 7 minutes to get across the start line. I was doing a 12-minute mile without much worry. Had a heart rate of about 130. Not much to worry about.  As typical for longer activities, I followed the heart rate monitor as my pace guide. I kept the heart rate in the 130-140 range.

Everything was going along fine when, at six miles, I had a loud and painful clicking in my right knee.  It was like a ratchet.  Step after step...  Click, click, click... I started to get really concerned and changed my gate and rotation, hoping to ease the issue.  I walked for a while and tried to minimize the pain and odd feeling. Then, I started to run in various ways to ease the pain.  I found a really short shuffle that was pain-free.  After the half marathon mark, I realized my brisk walk was about a minute slower than the shuffle run, and walking did not hurt.  I was beginning to think, can I finish? I have to finish!

So, I proceeded to walk briskly. I was clicking off the miles at a 15- —to 16-minute per-mile pace. It was easy, and I had built a cushion. I knew I only needed a 19-minute mile average for the rest of the race to make the cut-off. I decided this was all about the finish rather than the time.

Everything was great until mile 22, when I felt both calves, the right thigh, and my lower back start to tighten up. I focused all my mental energy on each step, changing each step to ensure I did not get a cramp to stop me in my tracks. I had been taking S-Caps and felt I had completed a solid regimen to keep hydrated, so I just focused. I have always said the brain can overcome so much if you know how to use it!

Shelley met me at mile 24.5 and walked the rest of the way to the finish. It was a finish like so many others, only the slowest ever. I was not disappointed, nor was I happy. It was strange that for the first time I can ever remember, it felt like I had finished a day at work, and it was time to clock out and go home. I was not happy with my job but had no intention of quitting. 

Let's see what the next week holds, although I look forward to returning to the bike!  I am surprised my knee hurts much less than the week before the race.  I noticed that last year as well. It felt better after 26.2 miles than it does with zero miles… I really enjoyed the bike rides this past year and hope that someday, I will once again look forward to running and finishing Grandma's Marathon.  When that day comes, I will make it my last as I do not want to quit without my last one being a race I enjoyed, so that positive memory will stay with me for as long as I live.

Right now, I want to focus on fighting this infection again.  I do not feel much improvement after 6 days of Amox-Clav.  It looks like a stronger option is needed, and that will limit my activities.  But I need to take action as I wake up unable to see clearly for the first 10 minutes each morning, and when I lay down to watch TV or read, within minutes, everything is blurry.  As I wrote, this is my 9^th antibiotic rotation in 26 months.  I will fight and win that battle so I can win others.   

Thanks for reading, and may you all live happy lives and enjoy everything you do. Humans often take this blessing for granted, including me, who needs to feel blessed with the health, perseverance, and success I have had for over half my life, finishing Grandma's marathon. I still have a hard time comprehending 28 years… Wow!

Carry on, my friends.

Grandma’s 28? Now that is a young Grandma!

No, I do not mean a human Grandma, but the marathon in Duluth, MN. For some reason, thousands of people meet annually on the third Saturday in June for a 26.2-mile trek from Two Harbors to Duluth. This is the place where I have put my body at the start line for 27 years and managed to finish. I am beginning to think each time, the body was different…  

There have been a great variety of personal outcomes and race conditions over the years.  There were brutally hot races, a brutally cold race, and even one where the wind took down the finish line entertainment tents just hours after I finished.  My PR (personal record) and PW (personal worst) on this course are over three hours apart.  Yes I have averaged 8 miles per hour but also as slow as 4 miles per hour.  The race is different experience at each pace.

This is actually the 36^th Annual Grandma’s marathon, but my 28^th.  I know three people in their 60s have run them all. (I am not out of the 40s yet!)  I was not even a teenager for the first annual Grandma’s…  With 27 under the belt, I do not understand what makes me think I need 28!  Some think I need an intervention, some think I am overly competitive, and others wonder why I started in the first place.  Over the years, I have met other “streakers”…  In 2009 I ran with a women who was on her 23^rd.  I have a friend who is going for his 29^th consecutive finish.  In 1985, my goal was 25 consecutive finishes, but like those words from Forrest Gump, “for no particular reason I just kept going” or “I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going”.

This year will be a little tougher.  My right knee is painful, and I'm not sure why.  The pain is all around.  It needs to be more consistent.  Often feels better the longer I use it.  It may be a good sign?    Feels like a hamstring strain but also feels like it did when I had the meniscus issue.   I may have that checked after the marathon, as I did not want a medical finding to say I could not run this year.

Although, I have been waking in the morning with my vision being an issue again.  It gets so bad that I cannot read or watch TV when I lie down.  So I went to the Doctor late last month, had another check-up which led to another CatScan... we found out the infection I have been fighting since 2009 continues to impact my head.  For years now, seems like every 4 months, I am on a Prednisone and antibiotic regimen…  Seems like two or three weeks on and then 13 weeks off and back on again!  He wanted to put me on Levaquin again, that helped for about 5 months in 2010, but I could not risk taking that and running the marathon.  So Amox-Clav in the meantime…  If that fails (like it has in the past) then I will get back on that dreadful Levaquin.  I did refuse more prednisone as every time I am on it, it is 15 pounds added to the body!

I am sure the infection will make the marathon a little harder, but hey, 27 years in a row is more than 99.999 percent of all humans could do? That is still 700,000, so I may not be correct. Also, if the body fails, I will only have a reason to do it next year if I want to run it! The last time I looked forward to this race was in 2003.

Looking back over 28 years, things I recall from 1985 -- as it was my first Grandma’s and I set a goal of 25 consecutive years…

• I could not find a place to stay, so I stayed at the Best Western in Hinkley.
• Michael Jordan (Basketball) was a rookie in the NBA!!!!
• New Coke/Old Coke fiasco
• We celebrated the Dow Jones breaking 1,500!
• VH1 started
• Wade Wilson replaced Tommy Kramer as Viking quarterback.
• Dukes of Hazard was canceled. (Yes, I watched it…)
• Back to the Future (Movie) was released!
• We Are the World was recorded
• Billy Joel married Christy Brinkley
• But Moonlighting started (I always liked Cybill Shepherd)
• This is also MacGyver's first year. (I loved that show as well)
• I purchased my first computer – A Macintosh 512K – I PAID $2,100 OUCH!
• The world has 4.8 billion people

Between 1985 and now

• World population grew by 2.4 Billion people!  That is right...  BILLION.
• I lived in 4 states (North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Illinois)
• Six US Presidents (Ronald Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, William Clinton, George Walker Bush, Barack Obama)
• Four so-called stock market crashes…
• Ten Jobs (From a cook, waiter, manufacturing, sports official, retail sales to my current job as a City Planner)
• Lived in 14 different homes
• Went through 12 cars – Including my ex-wife and Son’s cars (Chevy Malibu, Ford Mustang, Honda 600 Sedan, Chevy Station Wagon, Dodge Daytona, Mitsubishi Expo, Ford Fiesta, Kia Sephia, Mazda Millennia, VW Passast, Smart Fortwo (twice))
• Went through 6 girlfriends, one wife
• Son was born, raised… now 23 years old
• Couple of marathons just over 3 hours
• A couple of 6-plus-hour marathon finishes, many in between

What a ride this has been!  

It is time to saddle up the old bones and head North.  Hope I can still enjoy the ride or at least do not fall off the horse.  I will once again (as I have done since 1999) sleep in the car, run it and come home.  Unlike 28 years ago, I feel it much more before, during and after…  

Carry on…

Vacation...

On May 9, 2012, I loaded up the Smart car for my first long journey (920 miles) in the micro car.  I headed to Golden, Colorado where my son was graduating from the Colorado School of Mines.  Graduations are an interesting time as relatives all get together and desire time with the graduate, but the graduate also cherishes the chance to reflect alone.  I was prepared to be as accommodating as possible to his wants and desires.  After all, it was about him, not me or others in his life.

This would be the first time I have left the office for more than 5 consecutive days of vacation in over 10 years.  During that time, vacation was usually used to work tennis events.  Since I left all sports officiating at the end of 2011 (after almost 20 years I have seen all I wanted to see in that hobby) I was at first depressed then lost with extra time on my hands.  Looking back, I think I was in need of a vacation and this was the best reason of any to take a longer vacation, for personal reasons.  I planned to spend 11 days in Colorado; some alone while my son-spent time with his mom but most with him.

The drive was not unpleasant as I was unsure of the small car comfort potential.  In fact, I was surprised how the little Smart Car was a comfortable ride!  I was a little disappointed about only getting 38 MPG on the highway, but there was a slight head wind and I was driving 75 MPH.  Once I get over 60 MPH, the gas mileage drops from the usual 42-43 MPG.  I made the trip in just 13 hours and 30 minutes and spend the night at my son’s place before heading to the hotel on Thursday.  I stayed at the local hotel for 3 days as that allowed his mother to stay with him.  He has a nice place, but not one to hold more than one visitor.

On Friday morning at 9:00 AM was the graduation ceremony.  It was cold but there was no rain as forecasted.  Instead, we were blessed with an occasional snowflake.  Throughout the ceremony my son sent a text messages exclaiming, “I’m bored”.  With about 600 graduates, it was long but then, he earned that boredom!  Took a few pictures and then off on our own ways.  A little more than an hour after Graduation the rain started falling.  We were lucky!

Proud Parents

The "M" for Colorado School of Mines

While Jordan spent time with his mother Saturday, I traveled to Boulder for a day trip.  I always liked Boulder.  Could have moved there a few years ago but did turn down a nice offer for it was the best decision at the time.  Often wonder about decisions like that?

While in Colorado, I ventured on an excursion or two every day.  My GPS watch logged just under 15 miles hiking and 7,000 feet of climbing and 28 miles on bike with just under 5,000 feet of climb.  Some of the highlights of the trip was hiking to the Royal Arch in Chautatauqua Park just outside Boulder.  About 1,500 feet of climb over 3 miles.  At the top, there was the arch (Picture below).

I also bike up Lookout Mountain. This was 57 minutes for 5.1 miles and 2,000 feet of climb.  I posted a youtube video of the ride (driven in my car and them sped up by 800%).   It was a killer, but glad I accomplished the thigh burning uphill ride.  .  I tried on Wednesday the 16^th and only made it 4.2 miles.  So on Thursday I was determined and completed the attempt.  VICTORY WAS SWEET!  I also visit many sites and cities and took many pictures. 

Also while we were in Boulder, we test rode the Optibike, the ultimate electric bike!  We could go from 0-20 in 5 seconds and fly over speed bumps at 20 MPH and did not even know we hit one.  What a  great urban bike!  Although, at 60 pounds I would hate to run out of juice and have to pedal home.  Unlike my Bionx, it can not charge while riding.

The trip home was an event.  My son came back to Minnesota with me and with a full Smart Car and a 30 MPH side wind, we had an adventure.  We were not the only vehicle struggling in the wind!  It was way too much to handle at times, but we made it.  My forearms were cramping! We also were lucky to top 38 MPG…

What was unique is when I was in the Denver area, I was getting closer to 50 MPG on a regular basis but one I left that area, it was back to the usually 40-43 MPG?  Made no sense…

Anyway, the trip was so very nice and I was able to get some very high heart rate hikes and bike rides in while visiting.  Been a while since I was able to get the heart rate up as my last dose of Levaquin and Prednisone was only a few months ago and after regular doses of the medicine for two years.  I really think I have rid myself of the issues and can start working out regular again.  Hope so, even though my son made fun of me panting like a dog in heat, I sure slept wall and felt good.

Thanks for reading.

Carry on!

A state of perceptual anesthesia?

I recently read a shirt that said, "To be in true love is merely to be in a state of perceptual anesthesia." I immediately thought of my girlfriend—not because of the love but because of the anesthesia. She is miserable and hates the thought of anesthesia. I, on the other hand, have never had any issues and really feel great after any surgery where I was treated to a great nap (at least what I call it).

It made me think about how we are all unique and have different answers to the question of who, what, where, why, and how of humans.  Some run fast naturally, and others have a hard time going half that speed and are the same height and weight.  Then some are twice the weight and run faster than those half their weight.   No matter what we try, there are those who are geographically challenged, whereas others can find their way around any city easily and without a map.  Some can enjoy a beer, and those who can't enjoy one (alcoholism).  Is this all genetics?  Is it all the result of our environment?  Is it the long-lasting effect of good decisions or bad decisions? Will I ever know?

Recently, at the office, we had a middle-aged woman die from Cancer.  This is my 4th friend in 5 years to be taken from cancer.  The most recent smoked and lived like the average human being would regarding diet and exercise (meaning occasional). Recently, another staff person in my office was informed she has terminal cancer.  She is very healthy in life.  She always made organic food choices, never smoked, exercised regularly, and took good care of herself.  Made me think, does it matter what we eat or how much we exercise?  

Then, I digress and speak about the world of technology and how we are fooled by what we see and forget the variables that caused the false visual. Advertising often uses parts of factual data to emphasize how great something is over another. People believe what we see more than what we read, which the advertising group tells me.  


For example, I saw an advertisement for the "new wave" oven on Television this morning.  They were bragging about how much more fat is removed using their product than a conventional oven.  They "prove" it by cooking chicken in the "new wave" and conventional oven.  Then, they dump the drippings into a cup to show how much more fat is removed.  Everyone was in awe!  They do not say that the over they were selling did not allow the moisture to escape.  Instead, water was added to the fat, increasing the volume.  In the real oven, it dissipated, and the leftover fat is like motor oil.  But people just believe what they see. We need to remember to think...

I recently saw an inspiring video about YRG - Yoga.  It was a video about Arthur Boorman, who sets a goal to walk again and reclaim his life. An Army veteran who was hurt in the first Gulf War, Arthur suffered for 15 years with the effects of a botched surgery that left him unable to walk without the assistance of leg braces and canes. By February 2007, he had ballooned to 297 pounds and, by his own admission, was waiting to die. In looking for a yoga program to alleviate some of his constant pain, Arthur found the YRG workout. He gained inspiration and strength from DDP and other members of Team YRG to propel him toward his goal -- "I Will Walk Again!" -- and, ultimately, to blow past it. Watch here as Arthur vividly demonstrates that life is not about how many times you fall down but how many times you get up.  http://youtu.be/suTPns5cy_Q

What I have come to the conclusion is that science is wrong to generalize when it comes to health and well-being!  Our bodies are vastly different genetically, as are the environments in which we are raised.  What works for one may have an opposite impact on another.  It is so strange, but it makes scientific research difficult.

I did buy a new road bike.  I intend to ride my Bionx Cannondale Quick 5 one day and the new Fuji Roubaix 2.0 the other.  This will allow me to ride more without exhaustion.  It is 18 miles one way.  I have commuted over 500 miles to work in 2012 and have a goal of 3,000 commute miles.  Crazy when I think about how that is almost an iPad's worth of fuel savings!  

Now, on to my health.  I have not lost any weight since January 1.  I believe this is caused by three things:

1. I had been depressed about leaving tennis (after almost four months, I am really feeling good emotionally about quitting.
2. Work has been so busy and stressful.  I have cut back to working 55-60 hour weeks.  We did hire two new staff, and I will be able to work my 40-hour weeks again soon. (THANK GOD, I AM BURNING OUT!)
3. The right knee is strange.  I have been taking genuine care not to push the knee.  It never really recovered from the surgery. As I stated many times, if the weight goes down, the pain is less of a possibility.  My weight is only 18 pounds from my obnoxious weight in 2005.  Gained 72 pounds from my 2005 Grandma's....  Ouch!  I am to blame, but the regular dose of prednisone between 2008 and 2011 sure did not help.  I felt the weight add each time I was on the drug, but I felt so much better!

I have signed up for my 28th Grandma's Marathon. I am really not sure if I will run the race, but I am a lifetime member and never have to pay an entry fee. I had to enter by April 1 or lose my chance for the year, so I signed up. Last year, I ran it with only one 2.4-mile training run the Tuesday before the marathon.

As I close, I have been taking more photos and learning about my new camera.  I took one the other night, and there was a strange object in the sky for one of them.  Look at the upper left.  When you look at the second picture, I zoomed to the corner.  It is only in one of the pictures; I took several of them that night.  Strange!

UFO? I doubt it, but I was not feeling good about what was around me that night. It was an easy feeling. When I came home, I told my girlfriend I felt uneasy the whole time I was taking photos. Later in the week, I downloaded the photos, and we both were surprised!

Anyway, looking forward to running when I can.  I miss running through the woods for the first time in a few years.  It had become a chore.  Almost went a few times but was so exhausted after an 11-hour workday that I did not.  Really stupid, as I know an easy run would make me feel better.  

I have been told that telling everyone I am going on a diet and posting the results weekly will enhance the likelihood of success. I'm not sure, but it makes me think.

Carry on...

You would think...

I was back on track...  I sidestepped.  Had some issues with the infection again.  Had a CAT scan and was on medicine and feeling much better this week...

With no longer spending 35-40 of my weekends a year in tennis, ending the decade of tennis officiating would mean so much free time.  That has not been the case...  There is an adjustment when making a life change.  I have always emphasized the year rule when ending relationships, replacing the deceased dog, moving into a new place, etc.  That means give yourself a year's break before diving into a new "replacement:" for what has been lost with the change.  People often say it takes two years to fully unpack and feel settled in a new home (unless they move from a dorm room).

Well, I believe that leaving tennis caused me a slight amount of depression, as I have dabbled into many things over the past two months. I have had eight free weekends in a row, and only one has seemed productive. However, that is because I am immersed in many other things that keep me busy, but none have become a passion. I have always loved photography and recently gained some skills in that hobby.

As with any hobby, there are upgrades and expenses. I recently upgraded to a new DSLR. I selected the Nikon D5100. While this is not a professional-level upgrade, it sure has a great deal of enhancements over the old camera. It has almost three times the MP's.

So I have been "learning" the new camera.  It is hard to believe that so many variables make or break the right photo taken in the perfect light at the right time!   Here are a few recent pictures I took to see what I have learned so far.

Nine Mile Creek - Bloomington

Two Harbors MN 

Split Rock Lighthouse  

Lake Superior south of Two Harbors

Therefore, the new camera has been occupying my time.  

I also have had regular workouts for the first time in years.  Then again, let us define regularly.  Some who read this blog say that 50-100 miles running plus throwing in a little cross-training, like weight lifting three times a week, swimming a little, and another 100 miles on the bike is normal.  For me, normal is getting at least five times a week with at least 45 minutes a day.  I started 2012 that way and slipped for about 2 weeks, but I have two great weeks behind me.

Rally getting itchy for biking to work.  It is 18 miles one way, but more often than not, a nice day ride is a great way to prepare for the day, and then coming home is an excellent way to de-stress from what has become a very, very stressful job.  I am considering upgrading my 25-year-old Cannondale SR 400 road bike into a new flat bar road bike.  I have looked at:

• Marin Lucas Valley
• Jamis Allegro Comp
• Novara Express (REI) 
• Trex 7.5FX (However, I have never been a Trek fan)

But with the new camera, there is always that thing called a budget. That is noticeable as tennis, while a hobby, generated about $400 a month net in extra cash. While I live comfortably, that dent makes a difference. It is more than a 10 percent decrease in net pay from last year. So my "toys" take longer to acquire and appreciate, but with tennis, I never had the time to enjoy the toys, so there is a needed balance.

I plan to try occasional runs soon.  It will be really slow.   I am trying to get the weight down before I pound the surgically fixed knee, but running is the best way I lose pounds...  Catch-22.

Anyway, still experience some withdrawal in the life changes, which can be expected.  It was over a decade! I will fully adjust in time for a nice spring.  

Hope you all are well and wish you safety in whatever you do...

Carry on...

Update

Been busy after the Holidays and the start of 2012.  On January 10, I rode my bike to work... (18 miles one way and in January without winter gear!)  I rode home that afternoon in a T-shirt...  In JANUARY, in Minnesota?

Getting good workouts in and not losing weight.  After a solid first 8 days into 2012, where I worked out about 2 hours daily, and at least one hour of that was cardio over 145 HR, I stepped on the scale with anticipation...  PLUS 4.2 pounds!  I wanted to use four-letter words but realized there were as many choices as three and five-letter words to use.  Spend a few days pissed off and then get back on track, and do not plan on visiting the scale for a while!

Tennis has been finished for just over a month. Initially, I had planned on helping the Association cover the collegiate season, which starts this weekend. However, after some thought (and pushing from others), I decided I would not officiate for a while. Have I looked at Lacrosse? Well, that is false. I am going to improve my health and eating. That takes time by itself.

For about 13 years, tennis was a significant part of my identity.  That of which makes me, me and makes me feel whole.  Many of you may understand when I say you have an identity outside yourself, which makes life whole.  Some have running ultra-marathons, some are their spouse, some are their children, and so on...  Well, my son and tennis have been at least 80% of who I have been since getting divorced over a decade ago.  SHIT, it has been over a decade!  Time flies...

Either way, I am trying to adjust and find new passions. I look forward to the outdoors, but today, the wind chill is -35 degrees, so I will stay in. Thank you. I am considering upgrading the bike for the spring. I am considering putting a flat bat on my 25-year-old Cannondale SR 400. Flat-bar road bikes look funny, but I like the flat-bar better.

For Christmas, my girlfriend purchased a weekend outdoor photography class (Coldsnap.com—Winder Wonderland) in late February. I hope for better than -34 degrees, but it will be fun to learn. I will share some of the results later.

Running still needs to be improved.  I need to get the weight down to ensure the knee is not an issue.  So indoor biking, elliptical, and weights are the extent of the workouts.  An occasional swim and yoga are also enjoyable.

That is the extent of it. I will continue onward to regain a sense of identity lost with leaving tennis. It was time, however. I really was not enjoying it, and many of the people I dealt with were not, so it was time for a new hobby. I know I have a very happy week after volunteering for an ultra-marathon. The next close opportunity for such looks like Zumbro 100! I think I should contact John and secure a spot.

I leave for Colorado tomorrow for four days. It should be fun. I'm going to help my son move and get caught up on some matters that need attention. He just returned from five weeks in Chile. I hope to get some good stories and pictures.

Please be warm and take care of yourself.

Carry on...