Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Still runnin'

I still run a little.  Two years ago I returned from a recurrent injury-caused layoff and started my new paradigm--wear a brace while I run less miles with less pace and no races. 

I also turned 60.  Now I mostly run with the girls instead of the boys.  I consider it more social and I enjoy the scenery much more. (A recent fall foliage noontime run.)

But life still intrudes and I got several niggling injuries and I got busy at work so for the last year my running has been off and on.  The latest setback was a sprained foot I suffered three weeks ago when I stepped in a hidden hole on a run and almost went down as I rolled my foot.

I even went to urgent care for that one, but the injury healed quickly.  Yesterday I took advantage of the Veteran's Day holiday and the 60 degree weather to ran 4 miles on the W'OD Trail in 40:00:60.

I was disappointed that I missed breaking 40 minutes by a fraction of a second but that reaction probably shows I'm trying to get serious about running regularly again.  Today I ran on the Mall at noon with Markus, who I used to run with a lot and who has turned to barefoot running, 

As we went along we took a lot of comments from whatever tourists were around.  None of the wondering commentary was directed at me.  I held Markus up today but he elevated my game because he has always been faster than me. 

I used to be able to keep up with him a lot better.  He was nice to me and kept slowing down while I huffed and puffed along.  (Running with the boys in 2008.  That's Markus in front.)

We did 6 miles in 55:14.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day...

On this Veterans Day I want to thank my father (Peleliu and Okinawa), brother (Beirut), uncles (Pacific naval battles; Philippines; North Africa), grandfather (Atlantic duty in WWI), other forebears (Andersonville; GAR duty) and veterans I knew or know (Battle of the Bulge; Normandy drop; Aleutian campaign; Normandy landings; Pacific Island campaigns; Korea; Vietnam; Cold War; 1st Gulf War; Iraq; Afghanistan) for their service and sacrifices on our behalf.  (Below is a Doughboy forever ascendant in Astoria, Oregon.)