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“Well shoot.” Was I ever so young? This is 2019's Capital Pursuit when I foolishly went out way, way too fast. Those were the words of my running coach when I informed him of my hamstring injury a few weeks back. Or I think Coach Ives said something to that effect. I strongly suspect that I said something a tad harsher when I realized that the "Capital Curse" had struck again. It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. After going over a year between races due all the drama

Allow me to introduce you to my good friend, ChatGPT. We’ve known each other less than a year, but I have to say that I have come to appreciate the expertise Chat provides. Are You Crazy? That’s for you to decide. I mean, I am quite aware of a number of serious concerns about Artificial Intelligence. Add me to the list of those who are greatly troubled by the economic and environmental impact of data centers. And don’t get me started on the absolutely frightening fears of

Run for over fifty years and you’re bound to eventually learn a few things. One such lesson is that being tired from a workout is not the same as being worn out from not having a sufficient recovery from your workouts. I can distinctly recall races where what I called “tired legs” limited my performance and in some cases, led to an injury. This essential lesson is the topic of today’s post. Walking with Rick? There’s more to recovery than “not running.” As I’ll delve into

I thought I could do it. I really did. I thought that with just one small 5K under my belt I could place in my age group in Iowa’s largest race, the Bix 7. Oh man, I put so much thought and planning into doing this. But when my Garmin informed me of my time for that third mile - much of which was downhill - reality splattered into me like the onslaught from an angry starling above. I was not able to maintain the pace I’d wanted. Indeed, given how I was already starting to

That's one way to model our new singlets! For the first time since the pandemic, I did not participate in the Market-to-Market Relay. That makes sense, I hear you saying. You’re still recovering from knee surgery. To be honest, my decision not to participate in the 75-mile relay race has little to do with my healing meniscus. I’d pretty much made the decision to step down from our Body Project team after last year’s race. Then it must have been a race that you didn’t really

May 2, 2026. Leaving earlier than any sane person on a Saturday morning and armed with a playlist of musical gems from 1976, I braved a morning chill to run not one, not two, but … five miles! Huh? Just five miles? I know. That’s nothing to most other runners. A year ago, it was nothing to me. But now, it's the longest distance I've ran since September 27, 2025. On that note, I’m also up to running five days a week and scheduled to return to workouts with my coach - both

Yes, this is a typical evening at hour house when I come home. And that kitchen is most certainly not created by AI! 😉 “Honey, I’m home! ” was my usual greeting to my darling wife after a long day of wholesome union work. Then I added, “And I’ve scheduled an appointment with a nutritionist.” All motion screeched to an immediate halt with a sound akin to someone lifting a needle from a record. “You’ve what?” I sought to ease her unintended anxiety. “My darling dearest, I o

Credit that post-op smile on some fine pain meds! There are a number of reasons that I love my wife. That I’m now recovering from surgery is one of them. Huh? you’re wondering. That Amy’s had you have surgery is a good thing? Actually, the surgery I had five days ago is the best thing to happen to me in months. Let me explain. Quick Refresher As I’ve shared in previous posts, I experienced a sudden sharp pain on the inside of my left knee on July 8 of last year during a c

As I navigate a hazy running future with my knee, there is the possibility that that half marathons will no longer be part of my racing calendar. Truth be told, I’m actually better at races that go between 6-10 miles. Those races don’t take near a toll on me as much as thirteen plus miles. Nor do they require the same degree of mental focus as the longer half marathon. That’s likely the reason I prefer the half marathon. For me, they represent the ultimate challenge in com

I proudly admit that I am a Comic Book Geek. I collected those slick-covered epic tomes for over forty years. I was there when...