A FitOldDog Happiness Interview – Steve Of Outlaw Hot Dogs

Hi folks! Just a brief video for your viewing pleasure, as I explore the world around me! Thank you Steve for a great hot dog, that Willbe also enjoyed, and for your interesting commentary on life and happiness, while the crossing beeped and people milled around. Yes! I know hot dogs aren't Paleo, but one has to live the American Dream! -k @FitOldDog   ... Read more

Invited Blog Post On Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Survival: Tom’s Story

The last week of June 2012, I had a terrible lower back problem. I went to the doc and they x-rayed my back. They didn’t find much problem with the back, but this AAA showed up and they sent me for a CT scan. Sure enough, they called and confirmed that I had a 7.0 cm aneurysm in my abdominal aorta. I had never heard of this, so I got online and read enough to scare me to death. I decided I better get a grip, and deal ... Read more

Rebuilding Your Life After Aortic Surgery With FitOldDog’s Quick Start Guide To Aortic Surgery Recovery

Hi folks, welcome!  FitOldDog's Guide to Aortic Surgery Recovery, or how to handle your life after such a life-threatening event, is now available, as is Aortic Disease From The Patient's Perspective. This weekend I also completed my first FitOldDog product, which is available for purchase on this site. This 49-page document was designed for the FitOldDog of August 2010, when I went from Ironman ... Read more

We Call Him Boyd

  Hi folks, Every now and then Jess comes home with a lost soul, be it dog or bird, and here is the latest, now known as Boyd. As the resident veterinarian, I was recruited into service, so I looked up advice on rearing orphan bird chicks on the web. Boyd now seems to be doing well, and we think that he is putting on weight. He certainly makes a fuss if he wants to eat. Boyd really likes ground beef ... Read more

Cathexis, Rescuing A Little Dog (Porgy), And The Strangeness Of Human Motivation

  Hi folks, Empathy for other species is a strange human emotion, given the fact that survival is everything on this win or perish planet of ours. But it is a real emotional driver. It is one that keeps me away from dog pounds, as it just feels bad to leave any homeless animals behind. I find that my feelings towards homeless humans is in fact less charitable, being laced with suspicion. As I think ... Read more

Why I Love The Liverwort And What Has That Got To Do With Safe Exercise?

  Hi folks, Life is a series of branches, and each choice that you make will define your future, to a greater or lesser extent, for the rest of your life. This is what is so interesting about the all-pervasive presence of physical branching in nature, where life or death decisions are also made. I attended a lecture many years ago on the branching of the airways in the lungs of mammals, including ... Read more

Fingers, Toes, Ironman Training, And The Power Of Human Imagination

Hi folks, We have many sensors with which to explore our environment, and now the Universe in general, including sight, sound and touch. We have extended our senses through the development of tools, which increase the reach of our bodies, from earth moving machinery to the Hubble Telescope. Feedback from these tools markedly extends the range of our minds, but once you start to train for an Ironman or other ... Read more

Conditioning Versus Technique And Why You Need Superior Training Partners

  Hi folks, Learning new skills always seems to be a kind of stepwise process, be it learning a foreign language, running a business, playing a musical instrument, or becoming an athlete. You reach a plateau, stay stuck for ages, have a breakthrough, and with your new found knowledge work towards the next sticking point. This certainly seems to be true of swimming. I've made major progress in the last ... Read more

Disclaimer: As a veterinarian, I do not provide medical advice for human animals. If you undertake or modify an exercise program, consult your medical advisors before doing so. Undertaking activities pursued by the author does not mean that he endorses your undertaking such activities, which is clearly your decision and responsibility. Be careful and sensible, please.