About This Running . . .

Getting older every day . . . how do we stop that aging train?

Story time first: I am a runner. I have run since I was 12; safe to say that I have a passion for it. While many may view running as a waste of time and energy, I see it through a different lens. What I see is a way to stay healthy even though I have paid a significant physical price over the years to sustain my passion. For years, I have run marathons, 1/2 marathons, 10Ks,  . . . you get the picture. Without belaboring the point, what readers need to know is that running is a key part of my life . . . but why?

I have paid the price for all that pavement banging: foot surgery, low back issues, intermittent knee pain, torn ankle ligaments have all been part of my life. A sane man may say "back away, boy, and try something else." The response is simple: I have. I bike, I use an elliptical, I ride stationary bikes, and I lift (sometimes)--all activities I enjoy--but running is where my passion lies. When I participate in road races, I see aging runners still hard at it, many of them just kicking my butt, and I walk away admiring the tenacity that they possess. I suppose privately I hope I can still run at an advanced age, but I do quasi-understand that at a point my body will give up and break down completely. I don't want to think about that.

When I run today, I realize I cannot go as fast as I would like. Never a speed demon, I could always compete within my age group; today, it is a rare occasion where that can occur. Given that, however, I love the competition. It would be easy for me to say that I just run, not caring about where I finish. Trust me, I'm lying. I do care; I love the thrill of seeing others running in front of me and the pursuit of them. I love the feeling of going faster as the race progresses; I love the thrill of passing people and gaining spots; I love the feeling of exhaustion when the race is completed, knowing that if I have something left in the tank then I have cheated myself during the run. I love the camaraderie that accompanies the races. In short, I love the hunt.

In truth, what I really love is the isolation of running. As I train, my mind wanders in many different directions, allowing me to organize, to vent, to categorize, and to analyze. Many times I set out to run three miles and end up at six simply because my body is in sync those days. When I'm done, I check my weight, knowing that with the juvenile eating habits I possess (what's wrong with a row of thin Oreos?) that my running has kept me in somewhat of a balance. Running is a passion for me.

On the downside, I get out of bed every morning with achy feet and knees, struggling to straighten up without my lower back hurting. Once the "blood gets pumping," the creakiness subsides, and I'm on my way . . . making sure I walk down steps a bit more carefully so as not to hurt my feet! Many days I say "why?"

The answer is simple: I want to fight Father Time, and I don't want to get overweight (despite my little puff belly that just won't die!). I don't know what is inside me making me abuse myself on the roads. It could be argued, using an ol' cliché, that the "butter dun slid off my biscuits," implying that my sanity level is a bit off center. Whatever the reason, I, and others like me, get out of bed and run; many run at their lunch break while others wait until their day is complete and hit the road. It's a curse, I guess, but I salute those who are willing to make those commitments.

My point? It's quite simple: being energetic does not come naturally to most people, myself included. It requires dedication, encouragement, and personal pride. I suppose most anyone could do it, but that is a big "suppose"; of course, many live with daily physical impairments that prevent any such exercise. However, I suspect that most of us do not exercise because we either don't care to or we are simply too lazy or too tired to make the effort. It all begins with that first step . . . many who think others will laugh at their over-weight efforts are so wrong. When I see someone attempting to exercise, that person immediately grabs my attention and respect because I know how hard it is to do so.  Folks, we live in an obese society, but it doesn't have to be that way for everyone. Running, briskly walking, or any another viable exercise of choice--bending our elbows does not count, by the way--can begin whenever we get the courage to do it.

Obviously, I don't know what the future holds as far as my running, but I do know that as long as the body cooperates with my mind, I will be motoring along the roads trying to convince myself that I am still 25!

I Wonder If . . .

As the summer flickers by, I am wondering . . . wondering

*if Donald Trump were a person of color, would anyone really listen to him? Clearly, he is voicing what the boys at Limby's or Dorey's might say sitting at the bar, but my hunch is that mainstream Americans would probably see him as making racist, unacceptable comments. Trump is obviously Caucasian, wealthy, successful, and outspoken; granted, his comments are not as far off the wall as many would like us to believe, but, because of his pedigree, we seem all too eager to endorse his views. If an Al Sharpton were to say the exact same words, I seriously doubt that we would agree with him. The reason is obvious, isn't it? The underlying "elephant in the room" is racism. I am convinced that much of the opposition to our current President is his skin color, unfortunate as it is for me to write those words. Trump is white, so many hop on his wagon. For too long, I have heard this comment regarding President Obama: "I'm not prejudiced, but . . ."--you fill in the blanks. Seems to me that the "but" carries a powerful undercurrent that disguises many white Americans' not-so-public feelings.

 

*if the Browns could successfully build a winning franchise if they would just give a head coach and his staff four years to jell. This season will be interesting; in all likelihood, the record will not indicate significant improvement, but I have to believe that a "building" culture must be allowed to materialize. When a city as starved as Cleveland suffers through another long year, the coaches take the criticism. For once, I would love to see the owner turn a deaf ear to fans regardless of the season victory totals and say, "This coach is our man, and we are sticking with him." Yep, Mr. Haslam is saying that today after a few days of training camp, but I hope he is still saying it in December . . . and meaning it.

 

*if professional sports are in significant need of dramatic changes. Football's injury lists are sad to see, particularly with the catastrophic injuries that occur more frequently every year; basketball is a close second as our own Cavaliers can attest; and baseball's all-too-common arm blowouts are devastating to the sport. Perhaps shorter seasons could be an answer, but I am perplexed by what appears to be a contradictory belief: professional athletes today are stronger than they have ever been and have the best workout regimens, diets, and flexibility training. So, the logical conclusion would be that the percentage of athletes being severely injured would be reduced; however, the opposite has occurred with injury numbers climbing every sports season. Is it possible that the mantra of "lift, lift, lift--get bigger, get stronger" has created a monster, one that exceeds the human body's capabilities particularly when the strong meet the strong?

 

*if we truly understand the complexity of a policeman/woman's job. Today, of course, an officer's every move is under the proverbial microscope. Granted, as in any profession, rogues exist in uniform; however, we must also understand that much--not all--of a peacekeeper's job is dealing with the "scum"--those who have little if any respect for authority. Certainly, we talk tough after the fact about what should have been done, but given the split-second thinking and reacting that those officers must perform is  something few of us could do. I also must stress that to perform these duties, the financial reward is almost embarrassing. Translated, we ask "cops" (as the term most frequently used) to not make a mistake, to not embarrass people, and to not profile anyone--and I am not just talking about race when I mention profiling. Additionally, we ask them to do this while not making as much money as a bulldozer operator. Something seems out of whack, doesn't it?

 

*if Dover's citizens realize that we just lost an excellent superintendent, but we have the great fortune of having a successor who is equally qualified. I have said it many times, but a person in charge is living in "rare air"--the friends become fewer, the opponents become larger, and the criticism becomes more frequent. Such is the case when a person is a school administrator whose salary and benefits are public knowledge because that information immediately creates opposition. It intrigues me when criticism is leveled at school administrators; their task is to maintain the ship and do what is right for all parties involved: students, employees, and taxpayers. If a person were to examine Dover's record, that person would see excellence in many areas, including financial responsibility. Of course, many will not believe me--check the records, my friends: those are facts, not opinions. The future of the system is in strong hands with responsible leadership in both the top job and the assistant superintendent. Will the issue of a new school again surface? Of course! It was not a Bob Hamm thing; it's a Dover thing. . . and I don't want to wait until the crumbling begins to say, "Hey, we should have done something before this like to maintain the building" (as I have heard many times). Check the facts, my friends--before we spout off about how "a custodian told me that they haven't done anything . . . ," it might be a good idea to actually find out just how much has been spent on that high school building. Again, before we settle on our opinions, let's make sure we know the facts.

 

*if the Common Core opponents are pleased that the accompanying tests have been temporarily abandoned. I would think they are because the teachers certainly are! As I have written previously, the excessive number of tests was a central issue; if the Core is studied, don't be surprised if we find out that it has a strong base. Again, from my seat, the Core is not a problem; we need standards, and we need them enforced. Remember my comment two paragraphs above about rogues? In the teaching profession, unfortunately, random rogues can be found as well. By having standards that are consistent, teachers are obligated to teach certain material, but they are not stuck teaching only that material--teachers still have the freedom to go beyond the Core! For those who are opposed to the Core and know only a limited bit about it, please recognize that, educationally, it holds strong value. As stated in an earlier blog, just give it time to be implemented and perfected--change does not come about without opposition, but it does not mean that change is necessarily wrong.

 

*if you are still reading. You must be, so thanks! Many have commented that they have enjoyed reading my material--I do appreciate it. At my "core," I am just a T-County boy who enjoys life and enjoys writing--thanks again for your support!

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