Tuesday, June 13, 2006

New Direction



This is another picture of me my jr. in HS, circa 1977. 29-years ago. I wish I had that hair again. I wish I had that body fat. I weighed 147-lbs then. I weighed 147-lbs when I got out of college in 1983. I'm down to 170-lbs right now. Most people consider me fairly lean. Not hardly.

Before I go any further, I'd like to point out the comment left by anonymous on my last posting. It's the most heart-felt, well-written piece of writing you'll find anywhere. She (possibly a he) should be syndicated. I'm glad I can elicit such responses. That's all I ask, all I promise I'll write from the heart, and I want you to respond in kind.

Well, the Corporate Challenge debacle is behind me. I showed up for the duathalon Sunday, new that I didn't "have it", so I just kind of jogged through it for the participation point. I did ride the bike fairly hard, for the workout.

I've been facing something for the last several months that I don't want to reliquish to. I may becoming arthritic. God, I hope not. I don't recover nearly as quickly as I used to. This week, the pain is in my knee. Before that, It was in my hips.

I didn't met my goal this year of winning a medal in the corporate Challenge. The funny thing is, if I would have competed in this week's races, three weeks ago, I think I would have won a medal. I came in 2nd in my age division in the Heritage Du and felt great. But, I didn't bounce back from that race. I took it easy for a week, but, in the next week's workouts, I just nevewr recovered that spring in my step. The funny thing is, a week from now, I'll probably be ready to kick some ass again. Such is Life.

My next, primary, long-term goal, is to post an impressive time in the KC Marthon next fall. I know that my body is not going to take the pounding of a lot of running miles. So, plan to hit the bike, hard, both road and mountain. In fact, my next key race is going to be the Xterra triathalon, July 16.

I've been running at least 5-days a week since August, 2000. Maybe I just need a little break from running. Let's go back to the hard-easy approach. You normally think of that on a day-to-day approach. Then, I brought up the fact that you need to put in one easy week for every month. Well, you can aplly that to an even bigger, macro period. It is probably a good idea to take a little Sabatical every few years. Maybe I've entered a period where I need that. One thing I've noticed about coming out of an easy period, you can usually punish your body in ways that you could never before imagine.

So, this is the plan for this summer, I plan to switch the focus to bike riding. At first, I'm going to do a high volume, low-intensity style of workouts. I'll probably do just two runs each week, the Monday 31st route of 5.6 miles, and the Wednesday morning runs to the Plaza, 9.5-miles. We are supposed to start those tomorrow. We'll see. My ultimate goal is to ride close to 200-miles a week. I'll count mountain bike miles as double, which is probably about right.

On Monday I ran the traditional Monday 31st route, a very hilly 5.6-miles during lunch. I ran it a pretty good pace, maybe 8:15 miles. Today, my knee was sore and I didn't do anything.

Below is a poem that is from a movie I watched last night. It was the last poem a man wrote before he died. there is a prise for whomever can tell me what movie it was from. It's one of my favorite movies. Hint: the movie was in black and white.

How calmly does the orange branch
Observe the sky begin to blanch
Without a cry, without a prayer,
With no betrayal of despair.

Sometime while night obscures the tree
The zenith of its life will be
Gone past forever, and from thence
A second history will commence.

A chronicle no longer gold,
A bargaining with mist and mould,
And finally the broken stem
The plummeting to earth; and then

An intercourse not well designed
For beings of a golden kind
Whose native green must arch above
The earth’s obscene, corrupting love.

And still the ripe fruit and the branch
Observe the sky begin to blanch
Without a cry, without a prayer,
With no betrayal of despair.

O Courage, could you not as well
Select a second place to dwell,
Not only in that golden tree
But in the frightened heart of me?

14 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Movie: The Night of the Iguana

Poem: How Calmly Does the Orange Branch

Poet: Tennessee Williams

You're right, that is an awesome poem!!!

6:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looks like someone beat me to it. Was looking down your posts. The first anonymous really took it personally what the other anonymous said. Wow she must really need an orgasm or something. Good luck with the training and injuries.

1:27 PM  
Blogger Lori said...

Switching to bike riding might help you out with all the aches and pains....Maybe to much impact on the knees and hips!!!

Great Poem!!!

Have a great day!!!

9:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow, this second anonymous sounds an awful lot like the other second anonymous. Resorts to personal attacks instead of intelligent discourse (about something that has absolutely nothing to do with him/her).

Personal attacks are meant to be taken personally, are they not?

Not sure what an orgasm has to do with stating one's opinion, but I can assure you that the first anonymous has plenty of both.

Oh, and to KCrunner: I agree with Lori, the bike will be much better on your joints. And you love to swim, that's always good too.

10:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous needs to lighten up a bit. I was joking about the orgasm. I guess sarcasm wasn't readily evident to her. Just remember to change those batteries. I hope this isn't your girlfriend. If it is oops.

3:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cool pictures of ole Van Horn. Too bad you didn't run cross country in high school. Nice hair though. Give me a call and we'll go biking. Take it easy on me though. Nice pics of the blues festival too. Whats with those anonymous? They sound like an old married couple.

P.H.

6:01 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOL@anonymous #3!!!!!

12:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I said I wasn't going to read it but here I am...someone really cares enough to give the feedback they did. You're lucky KCRunner that you have friends who care. I'm the girlfreind (I think) and I can't even say that I care enough to tell it how I see it. I just go along with the flow.

11:19 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

going with the flow is fine, as long as you're happy and getting what you need from the relationship...or just life in general.

i've recently been going thru some pretty major health issues, so that has sort of put things into sharper perspective for me about my own life and choices, and those of my friends as well.

i made some observations that may or may not be correct about kcrunner based on what i know and what i read here. my comments obviously upset someone, but at least some conversation has taken place...even if some of it has been negative.

if what i say helps someone (even just one person, or even just me), that's great! if it pisses someone off, that's okay too. everyone's entitled to their own opinions and feelings.

life is just WAY too short to waste it being unhappy, angry, bickering (with those we know and/or those we don't), searching fruitlessly for something outside yourself, and for not spending quality time with people you care about and those who care about you.

i saw an opportunity to say some things that i've been thinking about for awhile now and i took it. if i offended or hurt anyone, i do apologize for that. but i will never apologize for calling something as i see it or for being honest.

p.s. - i love this blog, the photography is amazing...you DO have a gift, kc!!!

2:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you for your comments! From the sort of girlfriend.

I don't think I am getting what I need, and obviosuly he is not getting what he needs. I told KC that I care about him but don't love him. Big difference -- I think he is addicted to alcohol but doesn't see it since he manages to be around people and go to work. Some of the most talented writers and artists have been alcoholics so I'm not knocking it - just doesn't make for a good relationship. I also see a side of KC that is very selfish and territorial relating to his family, but he does not see it. KC is a very special person and I know this so I appreciate his freindshhip. I am happy with life in general but found myself in a depression period last year. I had a lot of losses in my life and here's where it sounds like a country sound: my cousin shot herself in the head in the backseat of a Chevy, my aunt and uncle died of AIDS, my grandpa fell off a bar stool, broke his hip, went to a nursing home and never came out, my grandma died of COPD, then my sister died at 32 leaving her 4 girls to me, my mom moves here to help me with the kids, my dog dies, the kids dog runs away, my boyfrined of 15 years leaves me, my mom dies at age 55, and then the kids leave. All of this within 7 years. And on top of all that I'm a bastard child. So, now thanks to Zoloft, I'm back on track however no medicine can change a relationship.

I hope you are ok with the health problems and enjoy the blessings in you life as we all should. KCs blog is a blessing in its own way and I'm sure it and you are touching many people in a a postive way.

I think anyone reading the BLOG would make assumptions and that is why I am reluctant to give it to my friends and nieces. I'm embarrased sometimes by the behavior and comments that I am associated with.

I really agree with you about life being too short to waste it on anger and bickering etc. KC and I have good times together and avoid those negative things at all costs. I've lost people I loved and can't change that or any of the regrets I have for not doing one thing or the other: there really are only 2 and I have made peace with them.

Have you ever heard of the Johari Window?

Peace Out!

4:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hope that things work out for you "girlfriend". Sounds like you and dave do things together and enjoy them. Feelings can get hurt when your relationship gets on a blog. It may be that you both need to move on unless you are comfortable with it as it is going. I hope that your other family issues do not get any worse and that you are a positive influence on your nieces, that can help you heal. Don't put yourself down because your dad abandoned you. Thats on him. KC's blog seems harmless to him but it can affect others I'm sure. Sounds like he can't commit or is in no mood to. Too deep for us here to analyze im sure. Not everyone can or wants to have a relationship. The jahari window was cool. Very insightful. Good luck. These responses were very entertaining. Keep it up kc.

6:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you had every right to be depressed with all of that going on around you. i'm not sure how i would react to all of that, and hope to never have to find out. unfortunately, we all have our 'stuff' in life to deal with. it sounds like you've dealt with yours pretty well!

i'd never heard of the johari window, so i looked it up...very cool & insightful, like the other anonymous said.

hope everyone's having a great weekend so far!!!

9:01 PM  
Blogger Lori said...

Anon girlfriend....I have had alot of stuff happen in my life in the last 7 years.....7 years and 1 month to be exact....just when you think everything is going smoothly something else happens....It seems too much....like you can't go on....But somehow you manage to keep going and going....a very long road to go down.....I have found blogging helps me....and writing poetry.....it helps to be able to express yourself.....Sending only the best your way....Stay Strong!!!

10:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you. You are all right.

1:23 AM  

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