Wishes for 2015

2014 only needs a short review, not an independent blog post since it was kind of dismal as far as sports for myself, Jan and friends. Filled with lots of injuries, surgery, physical therapy, slower than desired race times and, really, a lack of participation. Personally I completed three sprint triathlons, a 5k and a 10k. Oh, I did complete last year's Freezeroo series which was going to lead me to a great 2014 but that didn't pan out.

There were a few top three age group finishes in various races, but not what Sals, or friends of Sals, usually win. I see 2015 as a comeback year for many of us.

I hope we are all healthy throughout the year. Sure, there may be some minor aches and pains, but nothing debilitating.  My personal goal, which may sound a bit silly, is to finish in the top three in my age group for Rochester Runner of the Year. To accomplish this goal I will have to run a majority of those races and consistently place in the top 10 and higher. The series typically includes a one mile race on the track, several 5k races, maybe one or two 10k's and possibly a 15k or half-marathon. If I am truly in running shape these are good distances for me.

I will not be attempting a marathon. After the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon (my 19th marathon) I said that would be my last one and am still sticking with that statement. I visit my shoulder surgeon on December 29th and am hoping he gives me clearance to begin running again next week or soon thereafter.

I'm curious what some of your goals are for 2015. Please send a comment with your thoughts.

Tough Being a Buffalo Bills Fan

We have suffered through fifteen years of not making the playoffs, the only NFL team not to make the playoffs at some time in those years. This year there was some hope, if only the Bills could beat the Oakland Raiders, a lowly 2-12 team with a rookie QB they would still be in the running for a spot. As usual the Bills flopped and lost the game and all chances of playing in the post-season.

MW came up with the Top 10 Good Things About the Bills Losing Yesterday (Sunday):

1.    We now can openly discuss the real truth that they are not a playoff team and stop filling our heads with false hope. 
2.     When the Bills get slaughtered by the Patriots next week it won’t be so bad.
3.  Sundays just got 4 more hours of free time.
4. Time to focus on how much the Yankees will disappoint us next spring.
5.   We can play the Bills’ favorite off season game, Name Our Next Quarterback.
6.  Post season awards. Is there a Most Valuable Offensive Defense award? The Bills are the only team I know that wanted to keep their defense on the field to score points.
7.   Lou and Mikes can now go back to discussing health care and injuries.
8.   We can get back to saving our money to buy the Bills a new stadium.
9. We can purchase E J Manual Christmas jerseys for $5 instead of the original $85.
10.  For the last game maybe they’ll do some trick plays, like the Statue of Liberty play or the old Three Stooges ball under the shirt play. 

I responded to MW with my own list.

Before the game I had a sick feeling they would lose. That is the type of game they always blow. It was sad to watch. Bringing back Spiller was a huge mistake, the offense didn’t know what to do with him and he just kept running directly into defenders instead of using blockers. Not that their O line is really good.

Top Ten Bill predictions:

1. Orton will be back starting at QB. 
2.  They will let EJ Manuel go to another team.
3. They will draft a QB who will be let go in 2 years.
4.   They will get a top notch offensive lineman from college, develop him over 3 years, and let him go.
5. 2015 will be the year they win 9 games and don’t make the playoffs.
6. The Pagulas (new Bills owners) will alternate Buffalo Sabres hockey players with Bills players. They all know how to lose.
7.  Spiller will be traded for a tight end who will get injured in game 4. Spiller will gain 1,200 yards and be all-pro and in the playoffs.
8.  The Bills will keep their incompetent offensive coordinator and remain a bottom 10 offense.
9.  Brady (Patriots) will beat the Bills 2x again next season.
10. All the home games will still be sell out crowds.

Work is Calling

It's thirteen days after surgery and I am back at work. Fortunately, I guess, being a librarian in today's high technology world doesn't require much, if any, physical stress. Being able to drive to work safely and use a keyboard are my only real requirements.
There are a few things I've noticed this morning about working (remember I'm an old man, 58, so my perspective has changed over the years).

1. Three hours into the day (around 11am) I looked up at the clock. It felt like I had been here for five straight days.
2. At 8:30am I realized the lunch I made last night to bring to work was still sitting in the fridge at home.
3. I miss my mid-morning laying on the couch having a second cup of coffee time.
4. Commuting is still not fun.
5. How many darn meetings can librarians schedule in two weeks? This profession has more meetings than any I can imagine.
6. I'm sooo Fat, my work pants hardly fit anymore. Something about not running, swimming, biking or lifting weights with my upper body I think.
7. It is nice eating anything I want without concern of how my body might react the next day when running and wondering what route I should take that has bathrooms and/or port-a-johns close at hand.
8. I miss my mid-afternoon laying on couch time and the third cup of coffee, maybe dozing off for a few minutes. My boss seems to frown on snoring sounds coming from my office.
9. I like my fellow employees but would not have missed them a ton if I never came back.
10. I get a lot of junk emails in my work account. Many emails I consider junk concern meetings I'm supposed to attend. Ugh.

Time After Time

Once the surgical drugs wore off and I began to feel more human, which really seemed to take 48 hours, it was time to figure out how to spend my days. With limited movement and no strength in my dominant arm, the right one, I am also limited to activities I can pursue.
I have ten accomplishments thus far;

1. Shredding. Jan has set me up with this annual task, the destruction of envelopes filled with receipts, pay stubs, bank statements and the like. I'm working on my second garbage bag, anyone need starter paper for their fireplace?
2. Reading the bookclub book, "Brave New World". Our bookclub will meet this Saturday to enjoy some discussion, wine and food. I'm finding this book particularly challenging to read, classic or not.
3. Napping. Normally I don't take naps, now I just fall asleep uncontrollably around 3 every afternoon. I still don't like naps as I always feel so groggy after I wake up.
4. Getting the mail. Yes, just walking fifty feet to the mailbox and breathing fresh air feels good. Except then I get to the box and find no mail and it's 4pm or later (it's 5:30pm today and no mailman yet). Why do we have daily mail, it should be delivered maybe 3x a week?
5. Updating my ESPN fantasy football team. I play in a league with some distant family members and their friends. For three years in a row I made the championship round, winning one, kind of like Peyton Manning. This year my team stinks and I can't seem to find players who will come through on game day, just like the Bills have struggled to find some good players for 14 years.
6. Watching Ellen DeGeneres on tv. This show is on about the time I come out of my nap. She provides a gentle introduction back to life.
7. I try to watch the television news, but it's so depressing after about five minutes I have to change to sports talk, though that can get old quickly.
8. Physical therapy. Today I began therapy, which went well. I will be going back once a week for a couple of weeks, at least. I might be able to drive a vehicle again by next Tuesday!
9. Drinking coffee. I still seem to be on the Pacific Northwest plan of drinking coffee at least three times a day.
10. Bugging Jan. She has had to do everything, including working from home, making three meals a day, getting me water, helping me dress, she does it all. I am very lucky.

Surgery Update

This will be a short article as I can only type with my left hand. All of the nurses, doctors an physician assistants were really nice at the UR Strong Medical center yesterday. It was nice being at a small medical building instead of a huge hospital.  I kept telling Jan we should leave because my shoulder wasn't that bad and I was wasting everyone's time. She wouldn't let me go. :(

My surgeon ended up repairing a frayed bicep tendon, shaving a bone spur, repairing torn labrum cartilage and doing something with bursitis. I guess the surgery was necessary. Kind of amazing I could do three triathlons the end June through July. Now it's all about recovery and not driving my caregiver, Jan, nuts.

Fears of Surgery

On December second I get to have arthroscopic surgery to repair tears in the cartilage around my shoulder (the labrum). The length of recovery will depend on how much damage there actually is; hopefully it’s just some minor scar tissue buildup and not extensive tears.

1.       When I begin swimming again will I just go around in circles since my right arm will be so strong?

2.       Will I get over the fear of falling? Snowshoeing and falling go hand in hand for me and that could be a real mental challenge to get over.

3.       I plan on lifting weights with my left arm while my right is still in a sling. Will the left arm become grossly distorted when compared to the shriveled right arm?

4.       I’ve only had surgery once before, yes I have been lucky. When I was four years old I had my tonsils out and my stuffed dog Bela came along. Do you think I can take him again?

5.       People wear pajamas everywhere now. I am supposed to wear loose fitting comfortable clothes to the surgical center, but the idea of a 58 year old wearing pj’s out in public seems weird to me. I think sweat pants will suffice.

6.       If the anesthesia wears off and I wake up during surgery is it okay to scream?

7.       Will the doctor give me a tape of the surgery so I can watch it later?

8.        Will Jan get tired of waiting on me? I’m a bad patient when I have a cold, can’t imagine what this will be like. Have pity on her.

9.       Is Bourbon a suitable alternative to pain medication?

10.   How long before I get sick of daytime television?

Fear of Flying

No, I'm not afraid of flying, but a few people I have close relationships with would prefer other modes of transportation. Sometimes, though, flying is the quickest method of getting to your destination and there is little choice but to get your butt on a jet.

Recently Jan and I flew to Portland, Oregon to visit family. We went on Southwest Airlines due to the low cost fare that was offered for a time period that was perfect for us. Southwest is unique in that there is no assigned seats. They have A,B, and C seating assignments. In general the sooner you log on within 24hrs of your departure, the better chance you get to be in the front of the line. In practice, this does not work. If you wait one minute past your time you will end up in mid-B seating. This time we paid an extra $12 per person ($24 round trip) to get preferred early check in. This basically enabled us to get an A seating assignment and better selection of spots once on the plane.
There's no free lunch.

Seating space on all jets is pitiful. I read today that some airlines are thinking of shrinking some of the seats even more and offering them at "special" prices. The current minimum is small for anyone over 5'8" and the width is just horrible. Jan's elbows were jabbing me the entire flight. I can't imagine a smaller space. In the event of a crash you are supposed to duck down, bent over, hands over head. The majority of our population can't do that in the size seats offered today.

Ten things I learned about flying during this adventure;
1. Southwest Airlines crew are the nicest of any airlines.
2. I liked my minor Augieism - a business traveler on our flight home offered me his free drink coupon. I readily accepted and had my first drink of alcohol ever on a plane (Heineken beer, nice and cold). I almost got a Scotch in honor of NervousNellywhileflyingWeinpress, but the beer sounded good at the time.
3. It takes longer to get your checked bag from Rochester than Portland, even though the PDX airport is 5x larger.
4. Always, always take your own disinfectant wipes and clean the seat armrests and tray table as soon as you sit! The tables are the worse offenders of germs. On one flight a baby was having its' diaper changed on the seat tray. I understand a parent doing this, but just think if you were the next person in that seat? Yuck.
5. Did you get up and walk to the bathroom, like everyone should be doing on every flight to stretch legs and help prevent blood clots? Good. I hope you had more hand sanitizer when getting back to your seat and used it liberally.
6. Pets on plane. Sorry pet lovers, but this is getting out of hand. We had three dogs and a cat on our plane from Chicago to Rochester. One dog was a Labrador, very large, service dog. The woman had no obvious disability, such as sight, walking, hearing, etc. Maybe it was for anxiety? She got on the plane first, off first, got the best seat because of the dog. Nice deal. I may be insensitive here, but this seems a stretch.
7. Where in airports do animals eat and relieve themselves? At the Chicago Midway airport it seems to be anywhere they please. Three cleaners were working on a large area that a dog had used and people had then stepped in. (the Labrador maybe?)
8. When the flight crew repeatedly tells passengers not to place coats in the overhead bins because the flight is full and space is limited, don't do it! People are so self-serving.
9. Hey pig(s), the crew brings trash bags by at least 4x on a 90 minute flight. Do you really need to toss every piece of garbage on the floor by your feet?
10. Can we please get rid of seats that recline? Yes it can be a bit more comfy to lean back, but going back to my notes above, leg space is limited. Having your 1980's mullet cut hanging a foot from my head is not a pretty sight.

Sorry, another blog article not about running or triathlons. Well, I was wearing Brooks running shoes on the plane and did continuously stretch my legs (within my own seat space). I also read a Running Times magazine and almost completed re-reading "Once a Runner".

Portland on my mind

Truly I am sorry for the four plus feet of snow western NY got within two days of Jan and I leaving for Portland, Oregon. It's absolutely ridiculous to have that much anytime, but mid-November? Wow! However, here it is 45-50 everyday and no rain for the last four days, perfect running weather.

I am happy. In a day or two I will run around Nike headquarters, about a mile from my daughter's home. Maybe I'll be recruited by Alberto Salazar? Maybe Olympian Shalane  Flanagan will join me for a run?
 Probably not, but I can dream.

Subaru Commercials

I'm not overly fond of the hokey down-home Subaru radio commercials. In fact, they really annoy me with the fake warm fuzzy stories. What to do? Well, I wrote my own since I know a family that has two Subarus. The story is called "A Subaru Tale about Mike and Lou".

Lou and Mike, great friends for years, were traveling to Mendon Ponds for a race. Not just any race, this had hills and trails, deer and squirrels. Their beautiful wives gave kisses goodbye and off they went from the cozy confines of Spencerport heading east across the great river.

Kayaks firmly attached to the Subaru roof, bikes loaded on the back rack, running clothes jammed inside, Lou and Mike were ready for any adventure. They had smart phones, GPS devices, satellite tracking, written directions and a gas station map from 1973, getting lost was not an issue. The Subaru was filled with gas and ready for the twenty mile long trek to the hundred acre pond and deep woods of Mendon.

The Sirius radio was tuned to their favorite station with KC & the Sunshine Band blasting out a 1970’s hit and Lou singing along. After two hours they realized something might be wrong. It’s only a 25 minute drive, even at 45mph. The truth came slowly upon the two of them, once again they were lost. Having been to Mendon Ponds 93 times in five years you would think directions would not be an issue, but when you are easily distracted – Squirrel! – well, anything can happen.

Fortunately the Subaru self-directing button got pushed as Mike was searching the radio for another Credence Clearwater song and a sweet female voice came on to give them turn-by-turn instructions. Ninety minutes later they were safe in the Mendon woods, running amongst the wildlife. This is why Mike bought a Subaru and you should too.

To the Dark Side

It all began with the knowledge that a trip to Portland, Oregon was coming up. November in Portland, at least our experience there at that time of year, is rain. The daily high temperature hovers around 48. The rain might be a sprinkle or downpour, the sun shines about 2 hours a day... maybe. Sunshine in Portland can be taken with a grain of salt, it's more of a ray of light through a series of clouds. It's no wonder a coffee shop can be found every two blocks, all that caffeine is necessary to stay awake during the misty months.
Armed with this information I knew a rain coat for Jan and myself was in order. As a result it was me, anti-in-person shopper, online Christmas specialist, who suggested we trek to an Outlet Mall. Jan was shocked and hesitant, having suffered through my curmudgenous attitude in shopping centers for too many years when the kids were young.
The only recourse was to take the Weinpress's along for the ride to enjoy our outing and my potential poutiness. They are world-renowned Outlet Mall shoppers, I was actually surprised that a parking spot wasn't reserved for us. I think Mike has a rolodex with a credit card from all 75 stores in the outlet center. He is listed in the book, "Who's Who in Outlet Shopping" and regularly answers questions from bewildered shoppers on his website, www.goneshopping.com.

First stop - Under Armour, no purchase made. Second - Corningware, there must have been 60 people in line to check out, we didn't dare venture in. Third store - paradise - Columbia. I found the perfect jacket, as did Jan. The coats were marked down special just for the weekend (sure), they took my AAA card for an extra $10 off! Now I was a happy man. I was hooked.
We continued around the mall, buying clothes left and right. Our credit card started to melt from overuse. We had to stop at the truck and drop off packages that became too heavy. As any shopaholic knows, when you are on a roll just keep going. We went back to Columbia where Jan bought another coat! At least we weren't like the woman from Ottawa we met, who came down on a bus for $300 to shop for the weekend. She brought a rolling suitcase just to help carry her goods.
But we kept going, back to Corningware, which had calmed down, and bought new cooking dishes. (what do you mean our wedding present cookware from 36 years ago might be worn out?) Jan won that discussion.
Oh yeah, this is a running blog. Well, we all had run in the morning, Jan did buy a few running shirts, and we outpaced everyone else looking for bargains that day due to our fantastic physical condition. :)
I wouldn't say I'm permanently hooked to the Dark Side of Shopping. But maybe once every five years or so it's okay to get store crazy, just ask MW.

Lessons Learned

This week was amazing! I learned so many new things in sports and life it's hard to keep track of them all.

1. Madison Kyle Bumgarner, nicknamed "Mad Bum," will go down in history as one of the greatest pitchers ever (World Series MVP winner for San Francisco Giants). My guess is the NY Yankees will sign him in about six years for $250 million. This date will coincide when Mad Bum's arm will be dead.
2. I absolutely love running in the fall season in upstate NY. This fall has been particularly wonderful weather; little rain, averaging 45-60 degrees, no allergy issues.
3. It's far better to drink 70 proof SoCo than 100 proof, at least if you don't want to quickly become a weeble-wobble.
4. Work can be extremely stressful. I'm tired of that phenomena. Every change that was to occur over the summer, before school began, has happened from the first week of school and is continuing.
5. My goal Race With Grace 10k pace, the annual Thanksgiving Day pre-feast calorie burner, is slower than what many of my marathon pace races used to be. I know I'm older, slower etc, but it's still hard to adapt to the change. It could be worse, I could be injured and not running. 
6. I only have to work twelve days between November 3-December 15. This will help greatly with number four above, and maybe save me some money on number three. 
7. It's sad that shoulder surgery seems like a good alternative to work.
8. The time change is tomorrow night. It will be lighter in the morning and darker at night. I don't like running at 5:30am much, but at 5pm it will be dark. It's a conundrum.
9. As I write this blog article it is October 31. In four days I don't have to read or listen to any more political ads.
10. Jan and I are on a new nutrition plan. I do about 70% of the cooking. It's hard to break my habit of casseroles, bread, pasta and fat. I don't know what to cook anymore. A meal without bacon? Without potatoes? Only one glass of wine every couple of days? This is a tough adjustment.

Texting, Sexting, Embarrassing

There is an ass in the word embarrassing for a reason. When did texting take over our society? Cell phone usage in the United States really didn't take hold until the 2000s. In 1992 less than 10 million Americans owned a cell phone, in 2013 91% of Americans owned a cell phone.
I was behind the curve, only getting my cell about four years ago when we dropped our land line. I still have the same phone, an old LG that texts and makes phone calls, that's it.
Sometimes I miss my old wall phone with the 10 foot cord. What an advancement that was, being able to sit on a living room chair and talk on a phone located in the kitchen!

There were/are advantages to everyone only having land lines;
1. No motor vehicle accidents were ever caused by talking or texting on the phone.
2 People didn't walk into me at the grocery store, work or school because they were playing Candy Crush.
3. I never accidentally sent a text to my daughter that was meant for my wife.
4. Webster's Dictionary didn't take up space including the words cell phone, cellular, texting, sexting or mobile phones.
5. Friends didn't include me in their family text "conversations".
6. No one tried to steal your wall phone when you were walking down the street.
7. My identity couldn't be stolen if someone gained access to my land line phone.
8. What will happen to all the trees if we don't cut them down for telephone poles? Do we really want all those forests untouched?
9. My monthly phone bill was about $200 less.
10. The old rotary phones are much more stylish and could match any decor. Who doesn't love the old green 1970's phone?

And for a bonus:
11. My running shorts or shirts didn't have to be designed to carry a 2x4" electronic device! I was free to just go for a run!

Desperately Seeking Roots!

Over the past several decades my visits to the dentist have involved nothing more than cleanings and x-rays. It has been 10 years since I had any real dental work done, and that was replacing a cavity, which came about 12 years after my last one cavity was filled. I've been lucky. My luck runs out today as I go in for my first root canal.
Root canal is not an endearing term. I think if dentists changed the name, people like me, virgin rootists, wouldn't be so nervous about the procedure. Maybe call it "a cleansing rinse", or"tooth purification" or "gum massage"?

Ten things to think about during a root canal procedure;
1. Can I run a couple of hours later? (yes, but I didn't)
2. Will blood be oozing out for the next day? (no)
3. What if I have to go to the bathroom when all those instruments and suction devices are stuck in my mouth? (I did, it was embarrassing). But I was in the chair for 2.5 hours!
4. It costs how much? Are you kidding?
5. Why is a dentists' six minutes equivalent to twelve in real time?
6.What happened to the rinse and spit spittoon? Now they have a suction device the size of a horseshoe that stays in your mouth and takes the fluids away. It was a bit cumbersome, the first time the assistant put it in my mouth I thought I was choking to death. Seems breathing through your nose is key.
7. Is my old silver filling worth money?
8. Do the drills have to be so noisy? It's like listening to road workers dig up old pavement with big machinery!
9. When did dental assistants begin to look like high schoolers?
10. Why does my new crown have to be tinted to look like the other coffee stained teeth? Can't I have one white tooth?

Under The Knife

Health-wise I have been pretty lucky over the years. My first and only surgery was a tonsillectomy 53 years ago when I was four years old. Incredibly I remember a great deal about the event. My grandmother gave me a small stuffed beagle type dog that I named Bela to accompany me to the hospital. A girl in the shared hospital room cried a lot when she got some shot before surgery. My Mom told me not to cry when I got mine, so I didn't, though it seemed like a huge needle they stuck in my buttocks! I remember being wheeled to the operating room and then eating lots of ice cream after recovery.

On December 2nd I am having my shoulder operated on. Evidently there is scar tissue and quite possibly tears on my labrum from the fall I took while running trails in Alabama during late May.

 

Mike W. warned me some things have changed a bit since my last surgery.

 

Top 10 Surgery Things That Have Changed Over the Last 53 Years

1.       Stuffed animals are no longer allowed in the operating rooms. (I actually still have Bela)

2.       Recovery is 20 minutes and you’re discharged compared to 1 week staying in the room 53 years ago.

3.       The doctors look like they are 15.

4.       The nurses look like they don’t want to look at you.

5.       If you cry you don’t get nearly as much sympathy.

6.       Not as understanding about “accidents”.

7.       The surgical gowns seem a lot smaller.

8.       You care about how this is going to be paid for.

9.       No clown or candy striper will visit you.

10.   You still may get ice cream, but you have to buy your own as you drive yourself to work the next day. (fortunately I'm off from work for 7-10 days as I am not allowed to drive or use the computer for typing).

When the Wife is Away

What activities should a man do while his wife is off visiting children in another state for a few days?
If you watch television he might be going to the local bar, eating sloppy meaty meals from a take-out restaurant, wearing the same undershirt everyday and/or drinking beer from a can while sitting on the back porch in his underwear and belching loudly.

Now if that same man has the initials MW, what do you think he is doing?

1. Babysitting three dogs, only one of which is his?
2. Watching Yankee rerun baseball games because he lost the remote control?
3. Counting his nightly nip of Scotch as a vegetable serving?
4. Sending text messages to random numbers on his phone?
5. Running twice a day to fill up his time since Eileen isn't there to tell him what else to do?
6. Using the same dishes for breakfast and dinner so he doesn't have to wash them? (all the food mixes together eventually anyhow, right?)
7. Wearing two different colored socks on two consecutive days, not realizing if he had switched them the colors would have matched?
8. Driving a different Subaru each day so he doesn't have to get gasoline?
9. Still sleeping on "his" side of the bed (with two dogs next to him and one at his feet)?
10. Setting his chronograph to count down to when to pick up Eileen from the airport, his smile getting bigger with every second that passes?

Ten Activities for Retired People

Three close friends of mine recently retired. Yes, I am horribly jealous, but besides that I believe it is important for them and any other retiree to stay active. So I present to you ten activities for the newly retired;

1. Erie canal path tollbooth attendant. Due to a recent influx of FF runners/walkers, Hilton people, dog walkers and other miscreants, booths will be set up near Henpeck Park, Union St. Bridge in Spencerport and Adams Basin. The retirees will collect $2 from each person to use our path. We need coverage from 7am-6pm Monday-Friday and 7am-11am on weekends. Sals began using this path 25 years ago, when it was really a dirt trail barely wide enough for two people. It is OUR path!
2. Free lawn care. Why should I mow my lawn when all of these retirees are available? Think of the exercise they could get. Retirees would be doing the working people a favor. We will supply a step counter to provide motivation.
3. It's fall in upstate NY, which means leaves, lots and lots of leaves falling. Raking is a valuable service. In our little village the leaves don't even need to be bagged, just brought up to the curb. More exercise and fresh air!
4. Book club reader. Sometimes it is difficult for those of us still with jobs to complete whatever book has been chosen for our club to read. Retirees have loads of reading time. They read the book and prepare discussions freeing me up to concentrate on the food and wine/beer at our meetings.
5. Traffic control. From 4-6:30pm Monday-Friday Main St. in our village is a traffic jam, with lines of cars more than a mile to get through the village. It's become worse over the past couple of years and needs to stop. The retiree will stand at the intersection of rt. 31 and Union and direct every other driver to the east towards Gillette or west to Trimmer so our village isn't continually abused. I can't get across the street when running without being scared of getting hit by a car. Ridiculous. It's probably those Hilton people again heading home!
6. Significant Other flower delivery. Retirees should feel obligated to grow pretty flowers year-round then deliver cuttings once a week to homes. With this service it would help make some husbands still appear romantic.
7. Food Delivery/Chef. Why should I, a working man, have to prepare meals every night? Retirees can cook the meal and deliver to homes, sort of like Meals-On-Wheels for the elderly. Of course I would pay for the ingredients, but not the cooking or delivery.
And 3 more - by an anonymous author:

8. Crime concealment technician. After the wife of this author reads the list the retirees should aid in the covering of what would surely be a capital crime. Body hiding could be on the canal or near the yellow line on Union St. in the village.

9. Political advisors. It seems that once one retires they become experts on public policy. The first step is to write down all of the world problem solutions that are yelled at the TV and told to their working spouse before he has a chance to run to the kitchen and stick his head in the fridge.

10. Entertainment coordinator. With free time during the day, Geva tickets, TV recording schedules, and weekend race arrangements can be procured leisurely on the veranda with their laptops and bon bons.

Things I Don't Understand

When is a running race a charity walk? I volunteered as a road marshal for the Rochester 1/2 marathon on Sunday (Jan helped too). The number of people walking slowly past us at 6.5 miles was incredible. 1881 people finished the half-marathon. Forty-three participants took over 3:30 to finish, a pace of 16+ minutes per mile. Eleven more took over 4:30 to finish at a pace of 21 minutes per mile.
Admittedly this is a long way to walk at any pace. But are they helping themselves physically? No. Better to walk 30 minutes at a faster pace and do some other exercise for another 30 minutes. Or, since it's a running race, why not train to run?
Four plus hours for a half-marathon, that is when most of the marathoners are done. It takes resources of the city, the police, the race event staff and volunteers to make the events stay open this long. Is it worth it?

In 1982 I completed my first marathon in 3:33. I finished 107 out of 250 finishers. I was pretty disappointed by that time and place, especially since I made it to the halfway point in 1:33. That same time this year, on a less hilly course, would have placed me 49th out of 543. Top 10% versus 40%.  The last place person in 1982 finished in 4:58. This year last place was 9:14, almost double the time, at 21 minutes per mile. Another 27 people took over 6 hours, a pace of 13:50.
Again the question must be asked, is this a worthy athletic achievement? Is it worth the time of the police, emergency crews, volunteers, inconvenience to the regular population and traffic? How about store owners whose customers can't get to their shops?

I have an internal struggle with this development all the time. I like seeing people being active, but I don't believe walking 13 miles or 26 miles at more than 15 minutes a mile, on a normal road marathon course, is a race or a significant athletic achievement. Call me elitist or old-fashioned.

An Unpopular Opinion

Someone much smarter than me is going to have to explain the uproar over the NFL, in particular, regarding the recent domestic violence and child rearing practices. It seems like the players, even before being fully investigated by law enforcement, are supposed to be suspended and/or permanently kicked out of the league.
My problem is that I don't believe that is fair. I believe domestic violence is horrible, but it is also rampant in society, not restricted to the NFL. I think for these players the courtroom, jail time if so determined, counseling is appropriate. Taking their job away makes no sense. I work at MCC. If I did the unspeakable and hit Jan and she turned me in to police, they would handle the situation. MCC would only be involved if I had to go to jail and miss substantial work time. Otherwise my job would be fine.
It should be the same for the NFL and other sports leagues. The players illegal behavior needs to be dealt with, but by the proper authorities, not the league. If the Ray Rice case, the current poster child for domestic abuse (which was extraordinarily heinous), had been handled correctly and Rice punished to the full extent of the law, why should the Ravens and/or NFL in general have to do more? I don't believe it's any different than if Rice had been working for General Motors. Are you telling me no one, man or woman, in the tens of thousands who work there, didn't commit the same crime? But yet they keep their job.
I don't believe it is up to the league, any sports league, to do more than offer counseling or other employee assistance in these cases, the same as most medium to large corporations we work for would do. These people aren't role models, they are entertainers. They represent a cross-section of our population and will do good and bad things just like the rest of us. Only some believe taking their jobs away will make a difference. For whom? Not the player, his family or others who make money from him.
By the way, if Rice had been an offensive tackle or other low-profile position, no one would have cared. He has issues, as does his wife, but that is for the them, the courts and counseling to work through, not the NFL or the rest of us.

Beet This!

How can I write about beets and not include an old time classic? I can't. Michael Jackson and "Beat It".

In the yet to be published book, "Faster, Higher, Stronger" by Mark McClusky that I am reviewing for LibraryThing, the author writes about beet juice as one easy, legal nutrition aid that has been scientifically proven to help athletic performance. In some studies, drinking about 2 cups of beet juice daily lowered blood pressure in healthy adults.

Continue reading below...

Beet juice helps your stamina when you exercise. People who drank beet juice for 6 days had better stamina during intense exercise. The effect is more profound on an average athlete than an elite one. Though even if an elite athlete can enhance their performance by .1% it could make a difference in their results.

 

Published studies show a nearly 3% gain in events lasting from 5 to 30 minutes. Right now studies don't show a definitive relationship for longer events, though that doesn't mean it won't help. The nitrate in beet juice becomes nitric oxide in the body which causes blood vessels to dilate, allowing more blood to pass through. The juice also effect mitochondria, making them more efficient at creating energy while using less oxygen.

 

You may not have to drink beet juice everyday, though doing so may increase your ability to train harder and recover faster. Drinking two cups the night before a race may be helpful for the next day.

 

Be aware your urine and feces may have a reddish tint to them when drinking or eating beets (only drinking the beet juice works as a performance aid, though there are health benefits to eating beets too).

 

I would recommend introducing beet juice slowly into your diet and see what effect it has on you personally. Each one of us is unique. Don't just take two cups before your important race without testing it first in practice.

Check out WebMD for a bit more information on beet juice.

 

Why Should I Race This Weekend?

Recently there has been a lot of pressure put on me to run a 5k or 10k this weekend at the Pound the Ground for Vets race. Mr. Katz is a volunteer for the Veterans Outreach Center and former member of the Navy in the days when ships still had cannons, a crow's nest and sails.

After much arm-twisting last night Mr. Katz almost had me convinced to race. After waking this morning though I realized I really had no desire to race this Saturday. Mike W created the 10 reasons why I'm not racing.

1. Hates riding with Lou and Mike W. Can’t contribute to any Yankees talk. (true, I am no match for these two lifetime fans who have encyclopedic knowledge of useless Yankee statistics).

2. Is selling his piano at Joanne’s garage sale and is afraid if he is not there she will sell it for a quarter.

3. Hates driving to Mendon via Geneseo. (apparently Lou and Mike never heard of a map).

4. 10K is too long for Mike McTrisprinster.

5. Has to put mud flaps (with lady silhouette) on his monster truck.

6. Has to a new pine tree scent in Jan’s Malibu.

7. Has to do a anaerobic workout. He is up to 2 pushups.

8. Mendon has a hill. (it has several).

9. Mendon’s bathrooms are too “naturey”.

10. Top reason….Jan said no.