Old Dog, new Drugs

This is what I've been feeling like while cleansing my body of my life-saving(okay maybe not that bad) medications and anti-inflammation stuff.

Now I see why old people are in such an uproar about their medical expenses and medications.

I wonder of they put drugs in that dog food that supposedly makes an old dog run around like a puppy again? That's the only way I can see that happening.

Well this weekend was the long run weekend for most of the folks around here and I've heard some horror stories. I hope that most of you had a good weekend and got in your prescribed mileage.

I decided to take some time off and just relax and enjoy a weekend of sleeping in and sipping coffee in the morning. I bet a lot of you can't even remember what that's like! I also took this time to compile my running schedules for the 2009 Spring TNT season. That's right, I'm already thinking about 2009.

I can't wait to get the team out there on a cold November morning for a few miles. Now I know I'll be needing my drugs to get me going.

Have a great day everyone.............

Ken 3 - Work 2

In what started as a relatively calm week, I took a commanding 3 – 0 lead on work. I was hoping that it would be a shutout but work had other intentions. Yesterday work caught me off guard and scored for the first time. Why is it that when we get close to implementing something new at work, all hell breaks loose?

With this newfound momentum work slammed me today with a nine hour day and no lunch! I had plans of enjoying the weather and getting gin a lunchtime run. It was still a victorious week for the Good Guys, with the hopes of taking it easy and getting in some mileage this weekend.

For all of you speedsters running an event this weekend, good luck. This is the 20 miler weekend for a lot of folks around here. Sandy takes her team to an organized 20 mile training run tomorrow morning, the weather is supposed to be perfect.

No Today Appearance

People were lined behind the barriers before 6:00AM to be in the audience of the Today show. This combined with not knowing when they would air anything from Detroit, I opted to stay at work and ensure future employment.
It was cool to see how Al Roker and Ann Curry were transported in and out in separate stretch limos. Maybe they were going to different airports and needed to be driven separately?

Since I'm still going without any meds, I decided to forgo running and take a spinning class and sit on my a$$....

You really do lose some conditioning when you don't ride your bike for a month!

We're having a round of gorgeous weather that I wish would never end, but alas I know the truth.

Maybe this global warming thing will finally hit Michigan.

A few of you have been thinking Halloween already and I just receieved an Evite for a costume party. Now I have the dilemma of finding a costume that will fit me my personality and can handle BEvERage spilage.....

Is Sarah Palin Qualified to be VP?

Cast your vote at: http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html

Wednesday's Why????? and Mo'

The Today show will be in town tomorrow, right across the street from my workplace. A group of us are contemplating going for an early morning run and try to get in some photo ops.

We'll be like the guys you see in the background jumping up and down for our fifteen minutes of fame.

Okay, here's my Wednesday Why.

Why did the automakers have the driver's side window automatically go down all the way? Can't I make the determination of how far I want the window to go down?

Ouchie

Day two without drugs and I think I can handle the pain. All I need to do is combine the alcohol with ice and everything will be okay.

Today I decided to go to the track for a softer surface to run on. Boy am I smart or what?

Well it helped and I was able to complete my workout. Now I'm sitting at work with an ice bag on both knees. Don't you just love running?

I can't wait to introduce this lovely activity to more individuals. Misery truly does love company.

Going Cold Turkey

That's right, I'm detoxing my body from the meds and anti-inflammatory for a while.

I like to think that it helps my body ward off crap without science.

I started on Sunday and I was still feeling the effects of Saturday's run in my knees but a deal is a deal. Thank God for a rest day.

This morning's run was a different story. I was stiff in all the wrong places!!

I was feeling every step and thought it would never get better. Every now and then I loosened but it didn't last long. Needless to say. I was missing my drugs.

The lunchtime EXTREME class was going to be a real test. Not only would I hate have joint issues but I would have some muscle issues as well.

WOD - 4 rounds (20 each)

Barbell Cleans
Dive Bombers
Ball Slams
Walking Lunges with medicine ball overhead.

So, since I'm going sans drugs I'm using alcohol..............

Running with the Old Guys

Today I ran with a couple of older runners and it was a blast. One of the guys (Pat) I've known for years but we've never trained together.  As a matter of fact, we both ran the Columbus marathon in 1989 and finished the race almost together. We laugh about it, because we didn't know each other and ended up in each others finish line photo.

Even though it was a slower pace, these guys had their own routine. Every mile marker, Pat would sprint for thirty seconds, his form of fartlek training.

Every hill we encountered, I would charge the hill and wait for them to catch up. This went on for our six mile loop, mixing in more old stories and a lot of laughter.
Most of the stories were of
runners that we each knew and how we always considered the faster
athletes the 'good runners'. We always thought that through attrition, we would one day be the fast runners in our age groups.

It got me to thinking about how many friends and other runners we had known that were no longer running. Just the fact that we were out there moving forward made me smile.

We left each other agreeing that our view of the 'good runners' had changed just a little.

TGI Finally

Thank God I Finally had a good run!

After two consecutive days of crappy runs, I was able to get out and feel like a runner. Tuesday and Wednesday, I was the weak and injured Wildebeest waiting for the lions to pounce on me.

This morning I was like a impala bounding through the streets of Detroit.

Okay, it wasn’t that graceful or fast but I didn’t feel like I had a third leg dragging behind me.

I just got notification that my Team in Training season is just around the corner. (Yay)

It seems like forever since I’ve had a team to train. Now I have to create training schedules and think of creative ways to get the team across the finish line. I’m thinking of a few runner assessments on the track during the beginning weeks and even a marathon simulation run.

This is the best training season because we have twenty-five weeks to train, even if the weather doesn’t always cooperate.

Good luck to a few TNT alumni that are participating in a fifty-mile trail run this weekend. Those folks are crazy.

Ken 3, Work 2

Well after a tough Monday and Tuesday, I was able to break back into the win column with work!

I took Wednesday and Thursday, which just left Friday for the weekly lead.

After a great morning run, even a unscheduled meeting couldn't take me off my game. I had a lunchtime workout and breezed into the afternoon without any problems.

It was just a matter of finishing off the day until the clock struck four and I had secured a win. After last weeks shutout victory by work, I was beginning to think this losing streak would continue.

Finally, the Good Guys win!

I'm Dying....

Today was another EXTREME class and it hurt!

We finally have some decent weather so that meant going outside on our parking structure's roof. I'm not sure if was being ten floors up or the sun reflecting off the pavement, but it got hot quick.

WOD

Wall Ball with 20 lbs. Medicine Ball

Broad jumps up garage ramp

Run 200 meters

Wall squat with a Ball press (20 lbs. Medicine Ball)

Wednesday's Why?????

Why can't I find one of those Emergency bailout applications from the government?

Race Smack Talk

I received a comment from tfh, regarding a comment that another runner made during a race. The comment was, "You're smiling too much, you're not working hard enough."!

Well, I’ve heard similar comments at races about me. I can’t just run and be quiet, I have to talk the entire event. I try to make it as social as possible. Talking helps me ensure that I’m not over exerting myself, plus it takes my mind off the excruciating pain......

This got me to thinking about what’s the craziest conversation or comments that you’ve gotten at an event. I know that those training run conversations can get pretty intense but that’s with people that you’re familiar with. I’m talking about talking junk with some stranger.

Tonight I’ll run with my Tuesday evening group and have a few BEvERages afterwards. The weather is perfect for frolicking through the streets of Detroit.