Check Engine

It seems I have been riding around for quite a while with my CHECK ENGINE light on. Actually, my engine is fine, humming like a Ferrari, it the tires, or chassis that's wearing out.

I finally got the results back from my MRI. The doctor had a model of a knee and was lifting bones and throwing out anatomical mombo-jumbo, what it came down to is, its pretty messed up. It's more like two different injuries, one, being the posterior ligaments. These are the ligaments that run along the left side of the right knee. This was the injury producing all the pain. It's starting to finally subside. Just in a nick of time to, I was running out of Tylonal-3's. At least the ligaments weren't torn.



The second injury, though not really painful, is the potential career-ender. The cartilage underneath the knee cap is damaged. If there is a tear or lesion in this lining, then you have a bone on bone situation. Not good. He didn't go into to detail, but was pretty sure that it would need surgery. I'm scheduled to see an orthescopic surgeon on Aug. 3. Who knows when the surgery will be scheduled. This thing has been going on since June 13. It has been a bummer of a summer.

I could tell that the doctor wanted me to be prepared for the fact that my running days might be over. I was really feeling down for a few days after that. I mean, people get much worse news from their doctor everyday, so, in that respect, my problems are trivial. Still, I was bummed.




I've been very active in a lot of different sports my whole life. I used to play a lot of basketball and tennis, both of which are hard on the knees, and several other sports, too. My knees have been pretty solid, but, over time, all that wear and tear can take it's toll on the knee cartilage.

I read that there is an epidemic in osteoarthritis. That's the arthritis due to the wear and tear of ligaments. The main cause is because the average weight of Americans is so much higher. The airlines did a study on why their fleet was getting the same fuel efficiency and they determined it was because the average passenger was 10-lbs heavier than just 5-years ago.

I think my slight pudge contributed to my knee problems. That and the 1,500-miles I ran each year since August, 2000. Here is link to a Body Mass Index Calculator. If you are big-boned or thickly muscled, then shoot for the high side of the normal range. If you have a light frame, like me, then shoot for the low side. I'm currently on the high side of norm. Calculate your BMI, then leave it in a comment, please, as well as your gender and age. You don't have to leave your name. I can figure that out from the other three.
I have some strategies to being active and/or competitve, into your latter years. So check back.

All Messed Up

First off, I'd like to appoligize for the quality (and quanity) of my writing lately. I just haven't had the time or energy latey to much into it. Someone left a comment recently that I seemed "self-abosrbed" (SA). I appreciate this type of feedback. The more I think about it, he (she) is probably right. How can you not be SA when you are a 46-year old single man with no children, and, very goal-oriented. Or, maybe I'm all that, because I'm SA? Hmmmm...

A certain degree of SA is probably ok, at least for a limited time if you're in pursuit of a goal. I think even a married person with children owes it to themselves to have aperiod of SA, such as, when the are trying to qualify for Boston, or even the Ironman Championship in Kona. Might as well think big. Nobody should go through life, thinking "What if?"

The reason I started are this blog are multifold. First off, I wanted to motivate people to take up an active and healthy lifestyle. Secondly, I wanted to hone my writing skills. Just like working out, the only way to become a better writer is to write on a regular, consistant basis, and to stretch your limits. Third, I wanted to showcase my photography. And lastly, I thought I could use it as a means of self-discovery, by answering questions of myself, and, accepting feedback from others.

I chose a dual topic, Running & Love (or the pursuit, thereof), specifically, internet dating. In one subject, I'm very knowledgable. The other, not so much. Well, things kind of got messed up. The girlfriend that I went to Puerto Vallarta with last April, and I, were on a break. I had been "kicked to the curb", again, when I wrote about the Branson girl. A few days after that, we decided to get back together. Everything was cool. I thought she had even read the revealing posting. She hadn't. When she did, less than a week into our reconciliation, she called me a slut, and "kicked me to the curb", again. Apparenetly, she's never been informed about the well-established, double-standard.

So, I'm out on the curb again. I am back to scouring the personals, but, I'll refrain from writing about it for awhile out of respect for her. It kind of reminds me of the Friends episode: "We were on a break!"

Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee

Well, my Branson woman wrote me two days after I got back and said that a guy she had dated previously had proposed to her and that she had said yes. Of course, she is going to have to wait two more weeks until her divorce becomes final. Some people are just meant to be married. Maybe not to the same person the whole time, but married.






My knee is still hurting, and is pretty swollen. I found a doctor and will see him in 4 days. I've only worked out one day in the last week. I have also gained
9-lbs. I should probably just bite the bullet and give my knee total rest for another week (at least), but, I can't do that. Instead, I'm going to swim everyday until the doctors appointment.

The Xterra Du is one week from tomorrow. I guess I could just rest the knee and still race. We'll see how it goes.

What Happens in Branson, Stays in Branson

Here are some more pictures from the KCK Street Fest. The older lady is local legend Cotton Candy, and the old guy in top is Louisiana Red, and the one below is 91-year-old "Honey Boy" Edwards. Don't you just love the names of these old blues legends?

If you remember, I mentioned in a posting a couple of weeks ago about a "hankering" I had. Well, I took care of that this weekend. People are looking for two different things on the internet personals, some, true love, others, just want to have a little fun. Me, I'm looking for the first, but, I'll also settle for the latter. A few weeks ago, these urges were very strong, and this weekend was from searches from that period. She actually lives in Joplin, over two-hours away, which, for me, was perfect.

I booked a room in Branson, with an in-room hottub, of course. I took her to dinner at the Chateau on the Lake where we had a spectacular view from our table on the veranda. Then, we saw a great music and magic show. Then, it was back to the room for a lot of steamy, hottub sex.

Will I ever see her again? Maybe, maybe not, but we'll both have some fond memories of that night. One thing that scares me to death about the prospect of marriage is the fact that I would never have sex with another woman again. I'm sure could learn to deal with it, because, I plan to get married someday. So, I guess I'll have to learn. That, or find a very understanding woman. :)

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I couldn't workout for several because of the pain in my right knee. I wish I new what was wrong with it. It felt a lot better today, so, I went on a 47-mile bike ride, my longest of the year. I felt pretty good after it too. Though, I took a long nap afterwards. Happy 4th of July!