2021 video

Here's a video I hadn't seen before, this was my last race of the 2021 season at the Ontario Masters Championships.  

The M60 200m race, broke a 17 yr old meet record,  25.54.    Was a bit tight and sore from the previous 2 races, a 12.63 100m and a WL 56.23 400m, also meet records.  

I'm in lane 5, in the red team USA uniform

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW5Z-KL7oAc

The 56.23 400m was the fastest M60 in the world until John W. won the World title a year later in Finland.  The 400m meet record I broke by 2.77 sec was set 32 yrs prior by the legendary Earl Fee. 

Weight pulls and sprints

Incredibly beautiful day, mid 70ºs and partly sunny.  Spring break, had the place to myself, save for Kelly, a 76 yr old marathoner who was shuffling around the track.  

I warmed up, did drills, and then ran a few 50s on turf.  Felt ok.  Felt that I needed to take advantage of having the place to myself and do some 90 lb weight pulls, which is something I started doing last summer.  I wanted to do these before trying some longer sprints on turf.  And wow, were they hard.  HR hit 178 after the second one.   

Stretches, drills, bands

2 x 50m sprints on turf

4 x 45 yd weight pulls w/ 90 lbs on turf

50m sprint on turf

2 x 100m sprints on turf - 14.62, 14.66

I can't believe how hard this workout was.  Probably due to my fitness and being a bit heavy and weak.  I literally laid in the shade on the track and dozed off before getting up to leave.  

I wouldn't say the sprints were 100% pain free but better than anytime this year.  Before the workout, I was doing slantboard and stability exercises pain free.  After the workout, it was a bit sore unfortunately.  The real test is how will it feel tomorrow and in the next few days.  

Probably will wait for at least a week before I do any more running.  Back to the bike for a while.  

143.9 lbs after workout. 

Off to Atlanta, next week to stay with Roya in her lovely house.  Will take my bike, dumbells, slant board.

Fast completed - 63 hrs

I fasted from 9 pm Thurs - when I finished a few after dinner snacks at home, until past noon Sunday.  Of course I stayed completely hydrated through the fast, drinking water and herbal tea.  

About noon I had a meal from the Chinese buffet of dry lean chicken, kimchi, steamed white fish, a california roll, brocolli, and some ginger.  After a relatively large meal I was about 144.4 lbs so I may have been able to lose a few lbs.  Badly needed.  I'm going to try and keep eating clean and moderately so I can get back to the low 140s.  

I'm trying some new band work that I think will help my knee as well as the slant board squats.  

Seeing my kidney Dr tomorrow.  Going to ask him about the fasting and low oxalate diet, as well as the stomach pains I've been having (even though it's not his area).  Fortunately, they've subsided.

Spring break starts Friday.  I may try my first turf running in a while.  It's supposed to be hot, not warm, but hot... in the low 80ºs.  Haven't run a real interval workout on turf since Christmas.

bike climb

Beautiful Sat evening, 65º and clear.   After a day of auditions at MTSU, I did the Roark's Cove bike climb.  I took it easy, about the same as last time, just a few seconds faster.  I was hampered with a little abdominal pain, and I'm now 48 hrs into a 60 hr fast.  This I think will be my longest.  

Roark's cove bike climb

Total time - 25:19

Max HR -  183

HR over 170 - 4:51

HR over 180 - 0:25

Feeling pretty good, not really hungry.  Not too sore after the stadium stairs.  I'm quite a bit lighter than Thurs when I weighed 148.  141.9 after workout, and that's a bit deceiving as I still have the fat on my abdomen and back that wasn't there in Jan, its just that I'm empty.  It'll take weeks to lose the extra few.

I had read that fasting 36-72 hours promotes cellular renewal and promotes autophagy benefits.  

Who knows.  Maybe I'll do it again.  Interesting that even after a 48 hr fast, blood glucose is at 85.   Thought it would be less.

Seeing the kidney Dr on Monday.  I would like to start my collagen supplements again but not sure if I should.  I really do think it helped.

stadium stairs

Did stadium stairs this morning.  Only could muster 8.  Feel as if I were in better shape in Aug.  About 4 lbs lighter then.   I definitely felt it in my calves and thighs.  Will have to do more of these.  

Stretches, drills

MTSU stadium stairs x 8

Also, have been feeling a persistent mild to moderate abdominal pain in the area of stomach/ pancreas.  Was bothering me during this run but went away afterward.   Certainly worrisome.  Hadn't eaten since Thurs night.  

I think I'm going to try a fast.  I need to lose weight and it might be a good time.  Just water and herbal tea.  Let's see if I can make it from Thurs night to Sunday morning, 60 hrs.  We'll see.   

I think I'm going to get the Galleri Grail test, and another CA19-9 and CEA done in a few weeks.  Just curious if there is movement in these markers.  Genetic test was negative for known inherited mutations associated with cancer.  

Looks like beautiful spring weather for the next week and beyond.  

I was 148 lbs yesterday, 146.2 lbs after workout.  

row and bike

Freezing cold Monday night, went to the gym.  Did the usual rowing workout.  Got down to 15º last night.   Today Tues, I opted not to run but to wait til Friday and do stadium stairs since I'll be in Murfreesboro.  I did a little biking instead.  

Concept 2 rower 

4 x 500m w/ 1 min rest - 2:04, 2:02, 2:18, 2:18

USATF Nationals were last weekend.  I wish I had gone and just ran the 200m.  Ron won the 400m (M65) in 60 flat, 200m in 26.27.   No one was close, Silver was mid 28s.  Not much depth in M65.   He won all 3 sprints in M65 - formidable times in all.  If I were healthy and able to train fully, I may be the only person in the US to challenge him, but I'm not really interested in getting any more Silver medals.   

No hurry to get back.  If I endeavor to train for the 400m again, it will take 4 months to get there and I'd be starting over.  If I'm able to do 2 good workouts a week by mid April, I could get there by summer.  

bike and hike

Very warm on Friday and Sat, 70ºs and 60ºs, did the ATL neighborhood bike circuit 2x on Roya's bike, which includes 500' of hill climbs.  Hiked Pine Mountain on Saturday in Cartersville.  Even this little 700' 2.5 mile climb, I could feel some fatigue on the knees.  Hike pushed HR into 150s on the hike, and the bike - peaked around 170.  

It was a great day.  Roya really needed the time out.  I had an exceptionally unhealthy dinner but it was delicious.  A large fried haddock sandwich with french fries and a scoop of cappuccino chocolate chip ice cream for dessert.  I hadn't eaten french fries or fried fish in 8 months, (since I was trapped in an airport trying to get to NY).   Later that night, I felt some acid indigestion and cleansed myself with a liter of lemon water, which has now become my 'health tonic' of choice.  I drink a liter of water with lemon every morning before I eat anything, and another during the day.  I think it helps my digestive and renal system.  

Going back to Sewanee on Monday for a brief respite before I start the busiest week of my semester.  I'll be working 8 of the next 9 days, not long days but meetings, auditions, etc  .... A week from Monday, seeing a kidney surgeon about a cyst as a precaution, then Faculty Senate later that day, then my usual work week that ends Thurs.  Then a week off for spring break.  After that, the home stretch, just 6 weeks and I'm off for the summer by May 1 and looking forward to a yr half time sabbatical (F26-S27) where I'll be working about 6 hrs/ one day per week in Murfreesboro, and maybe 3 or 4 in Sewanee.  

A brief return to winter on Monday, supposed to be only in the 20ºs with a low of 15º Monday night.  I have my fireplace ready to light and wood in when I get home late afternoon Monday.  It's only going to be in the mid 40ºs on Tues but I'm thinking I may go out and run hills or wait til Friday and do stadium stairs at MTSU.  Will try to lose a fee lbs this week.