A Watershed Moment In The Life Of This Blog: Completing An Ironman Race With My Son And My Stent

  Hi folks, (I am not sure who many of you are, but I appreciate your interest in my chatter), I am now moving into the next phase of my e-life experiment. I started this blog about one year ago out of fear for my life, and the need to talk to someone about how it feels to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and an AAA-stent graft. I achieved that aim and found what I needed at the Facebook AAA ... Read more

Choosing Clothes For The Gym Or The Race: Appearance Versus Function

  Hi folks, When purchasing your workout or race gear select a balance between appearance and function that works for you. It is important to feel comfortable during exercise, but people differ in how their state of comfort is generated. At one extreme, there are people who really care about how they look to others. It is all about how other people perceive them, or how they are 'turned out.' We all have ... Read more

Do You Want To Fix Your Health Problem, Or Do You Just Want It To Go Away?

  Hi folks, I often encounter people with health problems or training injuries who complain about them, describe them in great detail or the symptoms at least, provide a litany of health specialists consulted and so forth, but when I suggest that they might actually work on the issue themselves they look extremely confused or nod their head and continue in the same old way to repeat the story to me a month ... Read more

Beware ‘Crazy Time’ That Comes In Many Guises, Including Barefoot Running

  Hi folks, During life we have to overcome many challenges, including major life-changing relationship issues. The author is no exception in this regard. The good news is that you learn what to expect, how to protect yourself whilst attempting to be fair to others, and you know the pain will end and a new, exciting life will appear once you accept the loss and move on. The real danger comes during ... Read more

20 40 60, Don’t Walk, And Appreciate Your Absent Supporters

  Hi folks, It is fascinating how interested humans are in what other humans are thinking about them. This clearly makes evolutionary sense, but can't we get over it? More accurately I should say, what they think other people are thinking about them, which reminds me of an old saying that I learned I don't know where: "When I was 20, I worried about what people thought about me. When I was 40 I didn't ... Read more

Sports Injuries: Are You Looking For The Wrong Thing In The Wrong Place?

  Hi folks, Whilst staying in a motel on the Interstate recently, I was awoken at 2:00 am by a cyclic buzzing sound, which I immediately assumed was an alarm clock in the adjacent room. You know what they say about, 'ASSUME.' Makes and ass out of you and an ass out of me. I just could not get back to sleep, so off I went in search of the offending noise, with the assistance of the night clerk (a nice ... Read more

Inspiration And Memories From The Lake Placid Ironman

Hi folks, Each time I come to a race I meet inspiring people and take home some great memories. This year was no exception. My inspiration at this event (LPIM 2011) came from three guys, in a slightly younger age group, who chatted with me on the day after the race. One of them remembered my name and called me over to ask about how my race went. Then I noticed that one guy was covered in 'road pizza' (bike crash), ... Read more

Compromise? For Success, Fit Your Workout Schedule To Your Personality

  Hi folks, Here we are in beautiful Lake Placid after the race, with a deadline for people to get back to North Carolina by Saturday (four days away). We are debating what to do next. There are two camps and an observer (myself - I have no deadlines right now). Camp one says, "lets go to Montreal for a day." This is one hundred miles in the wrong direction for getting back home. The other camp ... 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.