Just looking back to some posts I might have forgotten to reply to Surfermom…
Aren’t squats hard on the knees Surfermom?
And what was the ‘setback’ that prevented you from running?
OGF, you know I make a lifestyle maintain fitness, I deliver prescriptions of an evening, there is a tower block I have to deliver to, on the ninth floor there is a regular, I use the stairs, and, have a none breathless conversation with the recipient, as long as this continues post 60 years old, there is no need for a regime of any kind.
See if you are to fit, you may be the last man standing, and, that would never do.
If you were with the last woman standing too, that wouldn’t be so bad 
Especially if that woman was ‘Surfermom’…
That’s very good Spitty, I can’t string a sentence together after a sedate paced five mile run…
Stairs are excellent training though and I wish there was a flight of them near here…
I like to visit people in hospital and use the opportunity to do the 10 flights top to bottom…
Sometimes I think that we are too comfortable, especially as we get older and retired.
We live in centrally heated houses and take the motor wherever possible.
As a runner though, It’s just nice occasionally to push the limits. I’m sure Surfermom will agree.
And this morning was one such morning. The rain was pouring down and the country tracks were full of puddles and mud, but as I reached the lane with two miles to go, I slid back the hood on my waterproof jacket, let the rain run into my face and hair, and on tired legs pushed as hard as I could.
My quads hurt from the injection of pace and I began to stagger, lungs were fighting for breath and arms flailed outward trying to pull me along through the damp air, but I kept up the pace.
I got to the point where I just couldn’t run any more and slowed to a jog.
After a couple of minutes I began to breathe normally and the ache in my legs subsided, so I went again. My final effort was down the street and across the green to my house, I was sprinting as fast as I could, but although my muscles objected, it felt like they wanted more, and it felt good.
I held on until I was staggering onto my drive, almost dizzy and gasping for air I leaned against the wall in the pouring rain and it felt so good…
Not something a 69 year old does very often…Is it just me Surfermom, or have you felt it too?
Just seen your Spreadsheet in the random photo insert OGF, not bad.
Thanks Spitty, I don’t know how it happened, at the age of 27 trying to cure a hangover I took my first tentative steps down the lane and realised I could run a long way without stopping, and it felt good. It still does…
Oh, how I do love going outdoors, and it really is the best medicine out there…
except when it’s cold.
You see, I made the terrible decision to drive to one of my favorite trails, the one that winds through a small creek lined with deciduous and pine trees, wearing only shorts and a light running top. When I hopped out of the car, it was so chilly that I skipped my usual stretching and took off like I had just robbed a bank.
Tight and shivering with a stride a long-jumper would have envied, I ran forward only because the trail beckoned with one life-saving sunlit patch after another. Soon enough, I could feel my shoulders relax, and my body fall into that familiar rhythm and motion of heartbeat and breath, feet and arms, in a mysterious symphony that it had long-ago learned separate from consciousness - amazing things, our bodies (even old ones).
Mind wandering to the wonders of ancient evolution that make such things possible, I rounded the turn to see Lefty, the resident alligator, just crossing the pond and slithering into her favorite watery spot. For all of our smugness, she was way ahead of us in the evolutionary department, having evolved into a perfect machine of survival millions of years before we had. Why is it that despite her ectothermy was she never seemingly cold? Morning salutations cast her way, my feet continued on, one mile, two…and before I knew it, five had become six. Diamonds of rest around me, Lefty settled into her spot and the birds in the morning sky, I wasn’t so cold anymore…
6.25 miles.
Excellent outing Surfermom, but I could refer to thousands of occasions in my running career where I felt overdressed by the end of the run, but can only count on one hand occasions where I was underdressed…
And just a word about ‘Lefty’ and his million years of evolution, he’s not evolved too well as he slithers into his muddy domain, and I sit back after a run with Beethoven or Bach massaging my ears while taking a hot shower with a hot steaming mug of Yorkshire tea in my grasp…And where does he holiday each year?
Nice to see you back though, you’ve been missed…:hug:
Yes indeed OGF, we have our creature comforts, but who to say that that alligator doesn’t feel as contented. I get what you are saying though, me most especially with my penchant for being under mountains of fluffy blankets and piles of pillow around me. That said, it’s hard to argue with the success of being around for 40 million more years ;-).
I’ve been off wrestling some very big decisions 
:-), so it’s a breath of fresh air to be back. Thrilled to see you are back out there too! 
M running gear for tomorrow’s run awaits…
But Lefty hasn’t progressed Surfermom, like an old oak tree…He just is!
Suzie, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your latest tale about the alligator and of course your delightfully decriptive recollection of your run . It’s a breath of fresh air to read yours and Bob’s reports as always. 
After almost four weeks of rest and recuperation, I feel that I’m ready to do a bit of exercise and I plan to visit the gym for the first time since August tomorrow.
Don’t worry (or fuss please, encouragement would be better:cool:), I’ll be taking things very easy. After last week’s long walk along the river bank I felt absolutely brilliant and I just need to clear away the cobwebs from my creaking frame and do some light high rep weights and some treadmill work.
There will be no ‘pulling’ exercises and everything will be done on the machines where I can sit down, no standing stuff which may aggravate the wound and definitely no direct abs work ever again. I don’t want the hernia to pop out again!
I feel I need to do something to get back to fitness in a moderate way before my pre-op this coming Thursday, as a couple of weeks’ worth of gentle exercise before my other operation on the 28th will be better than being a fat blob when I undergo surgery.
I’ll let you know how things go tomorrow 
With the social media and news stations whipped up into a frenzy concerning the flooding, even I was beginning to think that Barnby Dun would now be turned into a seaside town…So it was with this thought pricking my conscience that I set off on my Sunday morning eight mile run that would take me over the raging river Don bridge in Bramwith, leaving me with no doubt that eight miles of running is just fanciful thinking…
It was only just light as I set off, and a long way off sunrise although the sky was light enough to see there were no rain clouds lurking on the horizon, and with no breeze to speak of I guessed it was going to be a nice day, but cold.
With shorts, a thin fleece top and gloves I was dressed for temperatures down to sub zero, but about 4*C seemed about right.
I was almost surprised as I left the village, not even standing water where there usually is standing water from just a shower…The roads were dry and no sign of lakes in the surrounding farmland. I thought I was running in a parallel universe compared to the one the media had described.
I jogged on to the little village of Bramwith, just a small collection of farms really, but more recently with the decline in farming it had become a bit of a des res with several barn conversions and posh houses with large conservatories sited by the side of the canal each with its own private dock.
The first sign of flooding here, with a low field next to the canal submerged. No risk to the houses though because this field is lower than the surrounding land and rather than flooding from the overflowing river, flooded because the river is too high to drain the land, and the canal sits between this hamlet and the river. The canal is static and never rises more than a couple of foot each way.
As I turned the corner and viewed, first the canal bridge, and then the river bridge I was shocked to see the river still very high and almost trickling across the road. The current was strong and swirling and although a decent swimmer I would have no chance of survival in such an angry cauldron of swirling mud and driftwood. Although the bridge was closed I nimbly approached the bollards, and like a footballer I ducked and weaved my way through, what I considered to be the opposing team…
It was a different story at the other side of the river with floodwater as far as the eye could see, it was lapping each side of the road and occasionally I had to make for the high ground on the verge to avoid about a foot of freezing cold water spread across the road.
Once I was clear of the river the roads and surrounding fields became dry. A police car barred the way to Fishlake, but fishlake is not on my route today so I waved and jogged past.
Fishlake have had it very bad this time with most of the houses under a couple of foot of water. My friend has just moved there and made alterations to the property, which has been flooded and she has had to abandon her house and come and live with her parents across the road from me. Heartbreaking for her…
I returned to the river bridge on my route home and discovered a police car and a bloke from the local radio station had taken up positions on the bridge. Modest as I am, I decided to accept the news hounds request for an interview, so I stopped the watch and gave him five minutes of my time…Requests for autographs will be considered…:-D:cool:
So despite nature’s attempts to derail my Eight mile Sunday run, I managed to stay dry and complete the course…
Oooh we might see our very own Foxy on the telly later! 
Good run as always Bob 
Thanks Floydy, it was just an audio recording though…
It looked like a Radio Hallam Vehicle…
Hi
I am feeling a little better and have a set of exercise bands from physio.
The littlies were here today, so great fun was had by all using them.
OGF, what a brilliant account! 
I actually sat down with a cup of teat to give it a proper read. With the help of Google maps, I was able to understand the situation better; I do feel for those affected by the flooding. The flooding is making the news here too, though it’s a shame that Fishlake is now…well…a fish lake (sorry, I couldn’t resist). One of the things I realized when perusing the map is how many places you have to explore. I am sure you never tire of it, muddy or not!
Floydy, you are a wise one to go easy, and I do think that a nice gentle walk wouldn’t hurt. I am also sitting her trying a few arm movements and imagine that you could isolate your arms if you went very, very light. It’s good to see you here!
Swimfeeders, having little kids around is good for the body, mind, and soul - the very best sort of exercise! It sounds like you have homework. Have you been given a set of stretching activities that you are to try, or are you to make up your own?
This is the one time of year that I can run midday, so with a blue sky along with an empty sportsplex, I was able to run the big loops that take me to the river and pond. It was like it must have been when the dinosaurs roamed - primitive birds perched high in the trees looking menacingly down and herons standing like statures along the damp, fern-bordered banks. It felt great running 5.5 miles despite a good percentage of my muscles screaming that they now want a hot bath and massage. Alas there is laundry, bills, some tutoring, and phone calls all screaming louder 
.
Life is good, y’all. Mother nature is throwing at us all she’s got and we are still standing :-D.
Don’t know what happened really it all went by so fast, I set off at first light with my hood turned up against the wind and rain, ran five miles and felt good, If it hadn’t been the twenty minutes I spent cleaning the mud off my running shoes I would have sworn I’d not been out…
977 miles covered so far this year, it looks like the magic thousand is in my sights…