Kurt (right) with the author. He was always supportive, enthusiastic, and he loved the Ironman. It was always a delight to see him and his lovely wife, Elizabeth. Liz kindly informed me that Kurt died recently. It's a sad day, I will truly miss him. This guy was delightful. Full of joy and happiness, and like all of us "old timers," at the back of the pack, where you meet the nicest people. But Ironman was in ... Read more
White Lake 2022 Half Ironman race report, especially concerning an unexpected observation. I knew this was where my problems with peripheral arterial disease claudication would kick in, to kill my run. The 2022 White Lake Half Ironman was well organized, by kind, helpful staff and volunteers. The main objective of this report concerns my peripheral arterial disease collateral hemodynamics, which means the ... Read more
You might think this is a slow mile pace, but with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) it was quite an achievement. A critical milestone. Hey! I ran Boston in 2009, but I didn't have PAD then. I was really happy with this result, as I head for 13:40, my goal for 26.2. I awoke in the night, last night, with pain in my right calf. "That's odd," I thought. I reached down, to find my right soleus muscle was really ... Read more
Gluteus (glute) minimus, one of many muscles that stabilize your hips, amongst other things, I'm sure. Image and copyright purchased from ShutterStock, Inc. After yesterday's hill repeats, I felt fine. Didn't stretch enough, but sometimes life intervenes. Cooking, writing, cutting wood for the stove for chilly mornings, ministering unto Cat, watering the vegetables, whatever, so stretching can be ... Read more
https://youtu.be/qolTBXG7NNU Rebecca taught me how to wake up my toes, and now it's paying big dividends for my calf pain. Some of my blood vessels are too big (abdominal aortic aneurysm, AAA) and some too small (peripheral arterial disease, PAD). Just wish they could get together, and work this thing out. These vascular events are due to the genetic cards I was dealt (no complaints), which included severe ... Read more
Not a pretty picture, but this is what happens in a bike wreck, if you try to save yourself with your hands. I've had a few bike wrecks, and some ended not so great. One: Car door opened in front of me, in heavy traffic, in Bristol, England, on my way to school, back in the 1950s. Just a minor head injury. Two: Ended in the eye hospital, as I disconnected my vitreous humor, prematurely. Classic bike wreck. I ... Read more
Both Gizzy and I prefer minimalist shoes for walking and running. We each have to choose what works for us, however. Having struggled to continue Ironman training with peripheral arterial disease for the last four or five years, selection of the best shoes has been an interesting journey. I tried Hoka One Ones, various other "orthotic" running shoes, you know, the ones with loads of support, plus a big thick heel. ... Read more
You can only change the world by example, how you live, and through stories. We are a story-telling species. If you are interested in my monthly newsletter, "Saving the World One Story at a Time," you will receive a free cookie for signing up. The cookie is a downloadable ebook, one that will tell you if my material might be of interest. I have no desire to waste people's time. You can readily unsubscribe, if ... Read more
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