Senior Olympian Sprinter

Back in Tulsa for another week of work.   I am feeling a lot better after my battle with pneumonia.  Currently the score is pneumonia 3 or 4 and Jack 0.  That stuff is tough and I am thankful to be past the worst and getting some normal life back.   I am staying on the Southeast of Tulsa right across from Oral Roberts University--ORU.   I wanted to get some running in this week to start the trek back so I can do some racing this summer.   I went to my normal track at Memorial High School and they were having a soccer match so that was out.   I wandered over to the ORU campus to look around and they have a gorgeous facility that is open to the public.   I did some warm up the first evening and ran a little to get some feedback.   My body was a bit confused, it has been 4 weeks since I did any running,  but I made a couple 200's and called it a night.   My breathing was struggli...

I did get pneumonia after the meet in Landover and it may have been Legionnaires Disease which is pneumonia based sickness that is caused by bacterial infections in the air.  I think the building had a ventilation system that was not working properly and here we are, sick with pneumonia.  I am a lot better now and actually went to the gym yesterday for some core work and light leg stuff.  I am getting there, but I still get winded rather quickly and recovery is a bit longer. I am not eating many  cough drops each day, so things are improving, but gradually.   My next meet is May 5 and I should be ready by then.  But pneumonia take s a toll on your body and recovery is a lengthy process.  Last weekend was spent in Wauwatosa, WI celebrating the one year birthday of our grand daughter June.   She is a lot of fun and very lively.  We also got to see her first real walking steps.   She just pulled herself up by the sofa and ...

After I finished the National meet I hustled home, changed my luggage and headed to Miami Beach for the 2018 Tissue World trade show.   I had a busy week with meeting on Monday and Tuesday with a volunteer peer technical group in which I am a leader.  The martini shown is a Frescatini available at the Grill Fish on Collins Avenue and it a cucumber based martini that is just incredibly delicious.  If you are in South Beach--skip Ocean Blvd and head for this place.  The staff is fantastic and the food and service is top shelf.  This visit is always a trip highlight!   Then on Wednesday through Friday I was involved in the shows.   A very busy week of meetings and greetings.   I dragged my carcass home on Friday to get some rest with three days at home scheduled.    I was shot from no rest and constant travel all over the Eastern time zone.   But, on Sunday I started to get sick and by Monday ...

Last weekend I participated in the USATF Indoor meet in Landover , MD.  I did get one Gold in the 4 x 400 relay  and struggled in the individual events.   Overall it was great weekend, but I have some work to do to be competive in the outdoor season.   We ran the 400 race first day in  two heats and I was in the fast heat.   My plan was to stay with the leaders and make the first lap at about 29 seconds and then see what I had left.  I was close to 29 at the half way,  but I was already toast—nothing left.  I cruised home in big distress at 66 seconds and was 7 th, which was quite a  disappointment.   Great strategy, but lousy execution.    Next race was  the 60 which I did well but was 10th.  Too much speed on that track.  I ran a 8.78 second AA Silver Standard time! I had worked hard on my speed in the off season and will continue some of that speed work.  My start was really sol...

The USATF Indoor National track meet is this weekend near FedEx Field in Maryland.   I am headed that way today to run in all the sprint events and a couple of relays.  I am a member of the SoCal Track club who likes to compete for the team title at these National events.  We were second at the outdoors last year in Baton Rouge.    Hopefully I can score enough points to be helpful.  I am in 5 events, two relays and 3 individual races.  I think I can score about a dozen points--we will see.   I have been training as much as possible.  I have done a lot of core and hip related work and that's section is pretty strong.   I had a issue with some back pain last week and I can get through that with some heat.   Some of these aches and pains are probably the "new normal" but I do not want to admit that is the case.   I have been working hardest on the 60 and I hope to make a good show in that event.  Th...

I am in Tulsa, OK this week and guess what?  It is windy!  The wind is a constant in this part of the world.  We had some decent weather today and I headed to the Memorial High School field in Tulsa for some running on their 6 lane track.   Decent weather here  is 15 to 18 MPH wind, 11% humidity and 60 degrees at 4:00 PM.    The wind on this track is typically right down the front stretch, which is also shady.  To stay as warm as possible, I do my work in the sun on the back stretch.  Today I worked on 100 meters repeats on the synthetic turf into the wind.  I brought my parachute, but it was not needed.   I ran four 100 meter repeats  into the wind and after getting some pretty good work, I got out my stopwatch and timed two 100 meters into the wind--15.94 and 15.90 were the times.   I then ran two sets with the wind  with similar effort and  that was different....

Last weekend Linda and I made it to Vegas for a quick two nights to celebrate her 16th 39th birthday.  It was as advertised and we had a great time and were just exhausted when we made it home for the Super Bowl  game.     I napped into the second quarter. The reason for this trip was Van Morrison.  He is a bucket list show for us and he did a couple shows at Caesars Palace and we scored some tickets last July.   The fact that the show was the day after Linda's birthday just made the show that much sweeter.  Van delivered with a 100 minute show with great sound and the band and vocals were really entertaining. His show is a very bluesy.  This bucket list item did not disappoint.  FYI-- the Faith Hill song lyrics echoed thru my head all weekend. "Hey baby, let's go to Vegas, bet on love and let it ride,...." We stayed at the Venetian, which is a very large suite hotel right on the str...