Is your game an Olympic sport?

Note to self, you need yellow shoes to run faster in the 5k:

This might be the most amazing story of all the Olympics.  H/T to Brownie.

Jager – damn good run.  Looked hot as blazes.  I saw 33C on the vid and that is at least 91.  The guy who ate the steeple with his face … ouch.  I think this meet has been periled with more falls, dives and painful to watch injuries than any I can remember.  On that note, Abby D is confirmed out as everyone probably saw. 

While there is a cloud of suspicion over all the Olympic T&F events, it is clearly shaping up to be one of the best showings for the US distance squad ever.  In most of the distance events, the US is coming home with some hardware.   One exception is the women’s marathon, but putting 3 in the top ten is a pretty stout accomplishment.  Women’s 10k is another exception but Huddle got an AR there.   Rupp was 5th in the 10k on the men’s side, which in past Olympics would have been considered over the moon.  There are alot of events to go, but so far if you have been putting money on the US being on the podium, you are doing ok.

I was thinking about Van Nierkerk’s 400.  Technically it was in Lane 9 as no one ran in lane 1.  So is that easier to run faster in because the curve is more gentle or is it harder because he has no one to see the entirety of the race?  That guy … man … only human to go sub 10, sub 20 and sub 44.  Wow.

The pole vault final … watched it.  It got a bit intense.

This sort of conversation reminded me of how my head spins each time I head to Cork.  It is English but it takes me a day to figure it out. 

I have been baiting some of the HS kids (and occasionally some adults) into the following conversation:  “should this be an Olympic sport?”  Typical stuff – should golf be an Olympic sport?  How about trampoline?  Table tennis?  Dressage?

Mostly for the sake of getting people worked up, I have created the following “rules” to determine if your sport ought to be an Olympic sport.
1.)  you have to create significant amounts of lactic acid.
2.)  all “judged” sports are out. 
3.)  if your sport has a championship that is bigger than the Olympics, that sport is out.
4.)  the exception to rule 3 is that if the Olympics create a venue by which there is international competition that would otherwise not exist, then you can be in the Olympics.

So a few examples … rule 1 drops sports like archery.  Probably table tennis as well. 
Rule 2 drops trampoline, gymnastics, diving, all synchronized swimming.  Boxing can only exist if the bouts go to a knock out.  No judged competitions (there is good reason for this beyond whether the sport should be in the Olympics or not … look up the Irish fighter that just got screwed by the Russian judges).  Rule 3 … tennis should not be in the Olympics because Wimbledon is bigger.  Soccer – out, World Cup is bigger.  Golf, out, you have the masters.  But by way of rule 4, basketball and baseball could be in because that is the only place that you can see Cuba crush the US in a 9 inning game.  Hockey stays in because of this too. 

Games like curling are out.  Still a cool game, and I might watch it elsewhere but it is not an Olympic sport.  With the drop of all these games, you can add items like the underwater swim (how far can you swim underwater without coming up for a breath), the highest dive contest (flip as many times as you want but that doesn’t mean crap, the gold goes to the guy who dives from the space shuttle and lives), and chicken fights.

Also, if swimming can have at least four events at the 100 meter distance (free, butterfly, back and breaststroke), then track gets to have the 100 meter backward run, the 100 meter crab walk, the 100 meter wheel barrow race, and the 100 meter spoon race.

Apparently Kemboi was DQ’d because of this infraction: 

That is pretty weak. 

Sunday 20MAR2016

I have been trying to listen to a variety of podcasts from both ends of the political spectrum.  I find this one – Left, Right and Center – to be a bit refreshing as the guests are at least civil enough with each other to let each other speak.  I listen to other ones as well, farther leaning to each side but find that I can only tolerate the anger on both ends so much before I have to tune into some good anger like this.

Mid day – I got out with these guys.

These runs are so much fun for me.  The conversation is just awesome stuff between guys who give each other crap endlessly but while talking about work (or lack of it), relationships, what is a good beer, how someone is going to crush or be crushed in their next race … and then suddenly you have put 10 miles away.  We got 16 plus today and it was surprisingly easy (although I whined very loudly whenever the pace dropped below 7:30 pace).   Someday I could be in a senior center with these guys and we will be talking complete **** to each other and enjoying it.  Then again, maybe not so much  …  because we can barely hear each other now.

Oh the craziness of running in Boulder?  Less than a quarter mile into this run I saw a guy who made the Olympic squad for the marathon in 1980 (he asked me why I was so underdressed), I saw his wife a quarter mile from our turn around some 8 miles later up at NCAR, and I saw an NCAA 10k champ in the middle of it all. 

The week started a bit out of whack but I manged to have probably my best weekend of training in a while … weekends have generally been about a bit of volume me in the recent past and I seemed to get that without ending up quivering on the couch.  It has been a long time since I had a 30+ mile weekend (and this made up nearly half my volume for the week). 

Post run there was a bit of chatter that we may look to pull off a trip to the Grand Canyon.  Shad has Boston and Bob has a 50k in April, which means we would not have the best window to hit the Canyon.  It was hot when I went there in mid April in 2010.  I would guess it would be even more stupid hot at Phantom in May.  The discussion broke down as to whether this was a trip to see if we could get a fast time in the canyon, enjoy the canyon or to do a door to door how fast can you do it trip … like this:

Clearly very reckless but also a bit admirable given their spirit. 

But basically you should DO STUFF.  Because .., Everyone overcomes obstacles.

Bob recommended that I watch this one from World Indoors (the 800).  It is worth it.

I got the dogs out for some easy jogging later in the afternoon for another 30-40 minutes.

Tuesday 23FEB2016

Around the 22 mile marker I realized it wasn’t going to happen.

I really enjoyed this race report from Dave D, particularly the back and forth in the race between him and Nate J.  His splits are impressive too.  Has me wondering if I ought to do a variation of the Pre-30-45 workout to 41-60.

Scary stuff.

Hans is not buying in.

This is fascinating.

Mid AM – got out with the constantly improving Shad, Neeraj, Bob and Kendrick for some repeats around Harper Lake.  I knew this was going to be less than stellar for me because the muscle between my ears has not been focused well, but I figured I needed to jump into this … because it was yet again a start, because it would force me to stay on top of my Tuesday commitment, because it would be good to see the guys and all that makes the muscle between the ears … well, get better focus.

On tap was 4-6 laps around the lake on 2-3 minutes rest.  A lap is about 1500 meters.  We figured we better keep it just to a lap because we’d all get into some sort of gripe fest if we had to land on what a mile was (our GPS units would all come up with something slightly different).  And when we tried to land on running for time two weeks ago we still screwed that up.  So a lap it was.  There was the typical warm up and yammering at the start and knowing I was going to be the arse dragger on the day, I got on it.  I was quickly passed by the rest of the crew.  I figured if I was not going to go fast, I could accomodate to some degree by shortening the rest some, and so I kept them all to 2 minutes or less (I think as short as 80 seconds).  I was struggling through all of them, but at the same time I could sort of tell my ability to get in and do the work and the get to the level of hurt that Shad was reaching was … was well, not really there or desired.  Hmm.  But it was good work.  I managed through six even though I had told myself five would be enough when I was at four.

Admittedly, one of my favorite aspects of these runs is where we start debating some topic – and amazingly it is usually a scientific topic.  Recent topics have included what mechanical advantage is gained, if any, by a bike; if the salinity of sweat is constant (and sweat rates), what is a normal diet, and if time is collected on GPS watches from satellites or managed locally on the watch.  There is no lack of opinions, cursing, and emotion in these otherwise very well thought out and articulated conversations.

JV was in the ‘hood in the afternoon, so I got out for an hour with him.  It was easy but that ended up being 7:50 pace (as opposed to if I he had not been around I would not have gone out at all or if I did it would have been 8:50 pace).  Another great set of conversation:  siblings that have passed, kids (long days, short years), and how we tend to get worked up about things that are really not that important.  It has been too long since I have run with that guy.  Screwed up and did not bring a camera for a pic.

I am a pretty lucky dude to get to run with so many cool dudes.

Thursday 10DEC2015

Freak

The thing that gets me about these Danny vides is that I realize probably very few of these were done on the first take.  There was practice and screw ups.  Except the screw ups with what he is doing just has to really really hurt.    Dang dude.

I got together with Shad, Bob and Neeraj again today and there was some chatter that we’d try to make this a regular thing.  Bob and I have been yammering about getting back into some good habits.  As a result decided a couple laps around Harper Lake at “hard but comfortable” pace would be a good place to start.

Bob and I generally agree on most training methods.  But we are probably a little different in our consideration of so called speed work.  Bob is more of the opinion that speed work – or that shorter faster stuff is not necessary until you can demonstrate some level of basic strength (in this case say 2 miles at 6 minute pace or better).  I am more of the opinion that training speeds are a continuum and that you can sort of get an idea of a persons capabilities based on their workouts at various speeds. 

We mostly agree – but like all good friends we debate a bit more than we should on this.  I see some value in doing some work at distances less than so called V02 max (3-6 minute) reps.  Admittedly, moving at those faster paces comes with some potential injury risk – probably more with old guys like us.

Anyway, I demonstrated how I am out shape with these two miles.  6:16, and then 6:31 with HR climbing to 176.  I watched Shad, Bob and Neeraj easily move away from me.  8.1 miles with the warm up and cool down.Bob made the note that my cadence looked … “laboured.”  It is the second time I have heard in the last month where someone made a comment that my turn over looked challenged.  Might be time to break out the jump rope.

Also not helping me is the slow increase I am continuing to see in my weight.  151 last night.  The mirror check is a bit deceiving as I don’t seem to be carrying it in a gut, but it gets more distributed into my legs and arse.

In any case, weight aside, cadence aside, and what sort of training is optimal aside … bottom line:  getting out there and working with these guys will help.  No smoke blown up yer tail old fashion work with good dudes who are looking to improve (and talk crap along the way).

Later in the afternoon I got another near half dozen, jogging with Greg as he gets kids out for easy winter running and prep for track.  My legs were pretty dead but that is okay.  I want to rip em off right now.

New normal

This is my current life as a runner. I take what I can get, and I enjoy every run I go on, but I am always challenged by a reality that I never feel ‘normal’ for more than a day or two at a time. Nonetheless, I have learned how to modify my running to fit around my physical limitations, which are very different than they once were.  Good read by Roes.

Grappling with the new normal is something I have been figuring out for at least 15 years.  15 years ago on Thanksgiving I won the BRR Turkey Trot 5k by running away from the field after the mile and put up a 16:14.  I was happy with a Boulder win (a rare thing and one I was able to get as apparently all the local elites were sleeping in) but a bit disappointed that I did not get under 16.  Less than a week later our second child and our son was born. 

It is not the last time I have crossed the finish line first – in fact I enjoyed that in burro racing several times this past summer – but I have watched the slow transition and slip of times.  I have joked that the effort is obviously the same but the clock just runs faster than I do these days.  Some of it is age, some of it is lack of disciplined training because I have other priorities or I just don’t have the same level of focus in my training time.

There are days I am not only okay with this or content in this state – but am instead completely happy with it.  I can see the span of my “career” in this hobby and smile at how amazing it has been. 

The childish part of my brain takes a bit of narcissistic pride that at 46 I can run with my kids in XC practice while I see other parents of the same age or younger struggle to walk the stairs to the school.  That same part of my wee bit ego driven brain takes offense when they say I am an obvious talent, as it seems they miss how such talent was acquired with a lot of time on the trails, roads, and tracks.  If that is talent, it did not happen by accident. 

But even beyond that childish part, I have days where I know that if I was suddenly unable to run another step for some reason, I’d be happy for all the steps I had run, the races I lined up and laid big eggs, the ones that beat me down and the ones that I found some level of personal success in.  The journey to each of those has been a strong force in molding me for over 30 years. 

But there are days where the decline drives me flippin’ batsh*t crazy.   Today it might be such a day.  Mostly because I know I am probably going to embarrass myself pretty well in the race on Saturday.  A performance that would have been an easy run with the fellas a handful of years ago is now suddenly a red line effort. I can see how it came about, but it does not make it taste any better. 

A funny thing is how good training and performances beget more good training and performances.  And the opposite holds true … poor training and performances and often can create more of that.  The muscle on the top of the neck drives all that of course, but I can see how once a slip starts, it requires almost more effort to pull out of it because of the level of choice it requires.

I realize some of this is just cuz of the rut I am in now.  If I had decided to take 3 months off altogether post Leadville there would be no blah blah blahwging on and on of how I feel now. It would just be how it is smart that I am off ski-mo-ing or something like that. Instead I am sort of dicking around with psuedo exercise while a bit compromised and talking way too much about it.

I will chose to fight the 50 plus mile hour winds today, even if it kicks my ass because while the results may not be what they were from such an effort, the choice and the journey lace them up and feel the wind and the taste of pennies in my mouth is better than not trying at all.

A few days in November …

I was considering on my run today how there was a period in my life that regardless of how crappy the weather was I not only ran, I made sure the effort was not compromised by the snow or cold or rain or wind (well, maybe the wind) or whatever.  I recall shoveling a lane in the track to do a 5k time trial with Andrew Crook.  Another time we did 400s on the track in a blizzard in Boulder while members of the Japanese national team looked at us from their cars and shook their heads.  These days I feel a bit too content to look outside and try to postpone my run to the most ideal time of the day and then wonder if it could be a little nicer.  Age may not be so much a thing of the muscles getting weaker and V02 max diminishing as much as the mind going soft in its willingness to do the work. 

KZ has received a good number of acceptance letters to colleges.  More than a handful.  Each of those are a little celebration in recognizing that the work she has done has made acceptance into these schools a non issue.  But it sets up the next steps of considering  where, costs and why.  It is a good problem to have. 

Good read on Bob Schul.

I think how you allocate time in running is more important than the total running time allocated.

Good interview with a CT kid – Donn Cabral. 

Heart rate doesn’t care how pretty the trail is or your level of stoke.

Wow.  Pretty insane.

Afternoon (into a setting sun) .. with KZ and her friend Nat from the XC team – an easy 4 miles with the kids.  It was flippin cold with the sun disappearing and with the wind coming up over the snow.
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I have had a growing frustration and some degree of disappointment with my recovery from Leadville.  I am 12 weeks plus out of the race and I feel some degree of entitlement to be able to run easily without it being a struggle.  I should be able to make myself struggle with harder speed work but I can’t even get to that.  My knees should not be yelling like they are.  There is a part of me that feels all these things must be … but they are not.  There is the world I actually live in versus the world that is.  And offsetting this frustration and perhaps even crushing it is the realization that I had an incredible summer of running, and an incredible life around me, and so much more to do.  I found these words from Nan K today to be very similar to my mindset. 

And now I currently have my thumb on the reset button. Again. It’s disappointing, yes. Frustrating. For sure. But thankfully, in this moment, my gratitude and joy is far over-shadowing my disappointment and frustration. Running is fun, challenging, empowering, and exhilarating. And I’m sure I’ll get to experience those feelings again soon. But in truth, the very greatest joy in my life is through service to my family and to others. The most eternal and rewarding pursuit is in loving others. And I refuse to allow my setbacks and frustrations disable me with self-loathing and sadness. There is just way too much to be happy about. Way too much to be grateful for. Way too much to DO.

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Monday AM – a big storm is expected to come in tonight or late this afternoon.  Between calls I snuck out in the AM for a short jog.  I was just stupid sore.  This was obviously an imprint left from not appropriately hydrating over the weekend and then running yesterday.  It was one of those runs where I ended up wondering what the hell I was doing and why I was doing it.  Ah well, it is the “off season.”  I really ought to just take time off altogether but I am not that smart.  4.1 miles.

Last night KZ was singing and playing the uke in her room.  I tried to sneak a video under the door but she grabbed the camera (I was apparently not stealth enough) and I got this:

But she was kind enough to let me play the guitar with her for several songs … very uplifting to play music with your kid.  Heart warming is hardly an adequate description.

Sign 1482 that I am a #GOM … we recently went to parent teacher conferences at the school.  With one of our children we went to one of the teacher’s classrooms and there were chopped up papers all over the floor.  No sweat – I get it, education can be messy.  But I was less than impressed with the scissors on the floor.  It sort of set a tone for me and then I was noticing all sorts of other things that were bugging me about the classroom and the organization of this teacher. 

But that is not even the good part.  My kids picked up on it because I muttered on the way back to the car, “Jeez, just pick up the goddamn scissors.”  Since then whenever I have started to ramble, they chant “pick up the goddamn scissors!”  So not only am I grumpy, I am a poor example.  And just to add insult to injury, my kid sent me this pic from the classroom today.

I was quick to point out these were not the so called snub nose scissors they told me they were.  Damn hazards.

Early evening or maybe late afternoon … hard to tell as it gets dark at like 2 in the afternoon.  It gets hard to imagine that a 6 PM run that was a no biggie deal in July is a chore at this time of the year.  The rain was falling pretty good as a prelude to the snow that was predicted.  4.5 miles.  Tired but a lot of the soreness that I was grumbling about this AM had pushed off … but it was still a very slow run. 

+++++++++++++++++++++
Weekend with the Scouts.  No running Friday or Saturday as the day was filled with setup and other activities.  We probably had 125 folks out there altogether.  I don’t have a shot of it below at the moment, but Bill L came out with Jack and Ziffel to the Fort Lupton site.  That guy is amazing. 

I got 8 on Sunday after we got back – but I was pretty done already from the weekend efforts, and probably running stupidly in a dehydrated state.  37 on the week. 

Thursday 05NOV15

Old gorilla in the mist in Ulmstead this AM.

6.3 miles easy on the trails in Ulmstead.

Today in your government run amuck …

Wishing luck to Sean B at Pinhoti this weekend.

Sunday 01NOV15

The buzz of XC, the Basic with JV, Javelina yesterday with Wyatt, and NYC with Laura T and JT … got my head and heart very motivated to run.  I just need to get the body to cooperate.

I was flipping through XC results and some of the follow up posts yesterday afternoon (check out this interview with Greg W … if you look carefully you can see me and Ethan G goofing off in the background)

Of course I wanted to see Jake win the 5A race yesterday, as I have seen the kid train for a couple of years with that target as a goal.  Isaac is pretty much known as a kicker and so as the 5A race progressed out a bit slower than earlier rounds, it seemed to play more and more into his hands.  Coach Greg told me that Jake had fallen back to fourth with 500 to go but he battled back to even the race as they entered the stadium with 80 meters to go. 

Jake came up just a hair short … it was sort of hear breaking because he had obviously gone to the very deep (further evidenced by him loosing his cookies while on the podium) but that is how racing goes.

But I was pretty impressed with Green giving props to Jake in this interview.  I really appreciate seeing that sort of class when shown by a kid.  In that there are two traits I see in these young people that I want to be.  I want to crush myself like Jake did and show the graciousness that Isaac did.  Every time.  Well done gents.  This grumpy old man is happy to learn from kiddos like you.

Last night TZ got me out to the Westminster Brewing Company to check out one of her local favorite bands, Big Paddy.  Fun stuff.  I totally get the idea that these are guys who work at Walmart or Oracle or Big O Tires and are just having fun together at night with drums, guitars, fiddles and mandolins.

It seems that whenever we visit one of the local breweries there is always talk as to which is the best.  There is some combination of the actual beer, the ambiance of the room, the distance from home, etc.  I find Big Choice to have the best beer but TZ like Westminster a bit more.  Four Noses has great beer but their room is so high and metal framed that it is almost impossible to have a conversation in there.  I also like the small atmosphere of Big Choice but I can see how it is limiting.  Westminster has been doing a lot of stuff with bands as of late and I noticed last night that Thursday is an open mic night.  Sing a song and you get a free beer.  I might need to do that.  Whistling Hare Distillery opened next door to it just a couple of weeks ago so that may help their draw. 

I did make the mistake of bringing up politics while out last night.  Basically I can think of 10 people on my street, some of which are in high school, who would make for better presidential candidates than the clowns that are in the game now.  Still, I probably managed to piss off both ends of the spectrum with my crapping on the latest contestants in that made for TV reality show we call our presidential election.  I find no inspiration in any of the candidates.  I find inspiration in all sorts of people I know.

The kids have passed their days of trick or treating and were off to various other parties. 

Off to Durham today.  Last week of a three week stint of travel.  Ready for that to end!When I get an empty seat next to me, I have come to see it as my lucky day.

A few other recent shots.

Latest Lucho and Tawnee podcast … I get called out for a shitty squat form.

Got to Durham and by passed going to directly to the hotel to start.  Instead, I diverted to Ulmstead Park.  I had never explored this park.  It was a nice jog, testing the calf, enjoying the rain, the leaves, and the soft trails.

The calf was a little sore, but not as much as my lats.  JZ and I came across a Marine Corps booth at State yesterday and took each other on in pull ups.  He asked how many I could do and of course my answer was one more than him.  So he made me go first.  I got off a dozen and he got nine.  I have probably not done a pull up in six months so I am feeling it a touch today.  But I was thinking more about the calf.  It held up okay on the run but I need to baby it a bit.  No sudden movements …

I have caught a bit of the World Series in the last couple of days.  Baseball has gotten ridiculous in how they analyze every play, every pitch, every player in all sort of digital nutty ways.  Good grief … just play the game.

Friday 101615

Fall Choir Concert last night.

League meet – which for my kids means the end of the season.  Both of them ran great, and PR’d.  KZ was a bit downtrodden that it was her last HS meet.  Of course I shared with her that there is always another race.  JZ was pissed that he did not break 20.  I promised him we could get that done at a 5k on T-Day.

Much to the delight of folks like Lucho and I who put away a pot a day:  coffee is the new water.

Dakota’s writing is truly entertaining.

Mass participation has hurt the sport, in my mind. It’s made a lot of people a lot of money. I have to be careful what I say because I get called out on it sometimes, but I don’t believe that starting and finishing a marathon makes you a marathoner. I don’t believe that. If you’re racing it to go as fast as you can, that’s completely different than being part of an event and just wanting to get from point A to point B. Interesting point by Jonesy – and one that Bob and I have made talk about in the ultrarunning world.  There is a bit of a more acceptance of “completion” versus “competition” in the MUT world because simply getting to the start and finish in some of those events is a helluva accomplishment unto itself.  However, for some, it has seemed to turn into a complete disdain for the competitive – and Bob and I take issue with that. 

In my jog with Steve M yesterday (a LT100 vet) he told me that he thought I went out too fast to Mayqueen and that this set me up for the challenges that I had later in the race.  A Unabomber rebuttal: 

I thought of this on the dog jog today.  Probably a bad idea.

Five and change on the AM with the dogs and nearly a baker’s half dozen at the meet running around.

… friends like these …

I once liked that guy.

Payback … is coming.

Burros and #GOMs make for a great Labor Day

The AM we spent over in Louisville at the Labor Day Parade with member of the WPBA.  TZ was a saint and played the poop fairy.  Pix by Jeff Valliere.

Afterwards, we headed out to the Mayerhoff property and checked on the new recruit, Boog.

In the evening there was a chapter gathering of the #GOM club.  Discussions included asterisks to particular performances, and a traditional round of the game of “My problem with that is …”

Somewhere in there I got in an easy four miles.

Cell phones, entitlement, emotion, and

There was a touch of interest expressed with how we  are managing the cell phones of our kids in the comments last week.  I understand there are a lot of opinions on this, and different ways to approach this topic within a family.  It is not my intent to define some “this is how you ought to manage cell phones with your teens” post as much as share some of the elements of our experience with these devices.  Your mileage may vary.  It is your family.  Do what works for you.  Feel free to judge me as you wish but realize I might not give your judgment any consideration (or alternatively, I might find it valuable).

Like a lot of parents we held off on getting our kids cell phones.  Of course, from our kids, we heard a lot of how other kids had cell phones.  And we could actually see that.  There were some parents who had set their kids up with cell phones in elementary school.  We were not quite ready for that plunge, but admittedly, the culture around you does have some influence (even if we tried to stave it off for as long as we could)

We got to a point where we as the adults in our home were personally considering eliminating our land line to save some bucks.  As a result there was some thought of how we would provide a phone to our kids in the cases when we were not immediately available at the house.  There were a few other things that sort of moved us towards getting our kids phones as well, but this decision was one trigger that nudged us along a little further. 

Of course, we also saw some value in our kids having these phones. It gave them and us the ability to contact each other for a lot of day to day activities.  “Hey, staying late at school to work on some project” or “I am going to Steve Ray V’s house to play guitar for a while” or “I am done with choir practice, can you come get me?”  There is a positive to being able to communicate in that fashion.

So we started with phones like Trac phones that provided some basic plan or pay as you go sort of option to meet our needs of basic communication.  Our kids “needs” or desires with these devices are different than that (and understandable).  They want a full keyboard so they can text more easily.  They want to run apps or play music or take pictures.  They want to be able to get on Facebook or whatever because some aspect of their lives legitimately revolve around that (e.g. my daughter’s XC team communicates practice and meet timing on FB, her work schedule is on FB, several teacher have FB groups to communicate various academic needs).  I get that, because I use my company provided phone for the very same sort of things.

We wanted the kids to have some skin in the game so after a lot of conversation, consideration, calculation, and hesitation, we found a plan that we could manage.  We had the kids buy the phones with their own money (earned or gifted in a variety of ways) and we agreed to manage the cost of the plan (there were essentially no overages in the plan where if they went nuts with data usage there were additional costs).  By buying the phone, they had to make some choice in how much they were willing to spend versus get and they also were notified if they lost or broke the phone it was their job to replace it (or live with it if was broke but functional).  We also did this with their computers (we provide the network at the house but they have bought their laptops.

We also made it clear that while they have bought the phone, we own the plan and can take these devices from them whenever we want for absolutely no reason.  Realistically we would not take them for no reason, but in the eyes of a teen, our reasons may be a nonsensical reason so we wanted to be clear – it could be no reason.

So yeah, we got them phones.  We waited for a bit, probably could have waited longer, but we made that plunge at some point.  I realize some will never get their kid a phone.  We see the positive to these devices and realize there is some downside … but we went ahead with the phones.  Our daughter has had one for a bit, and our younger son got his at Christmas.

The push and pull between us and our kids on this technology (and to some extent use of their computers as well, which sets up for other challenges because they have to use those for homework) is what is an appropriate level of use. 

I really do need to state this:  Our kids are good kids.  They are hard working and self motivated in school, get good grades, and set us up for ridiculously boring parent teacher conferences that leave me smiling as a parent.  They are honor role kids, NHS, Boy Scouts, and we are really proud of.  It is almost not fair that I am posting this thing about them and their phone use because in the grand scheme of their lives, they are wonderful people.  They are at least 10x the person I was when I was that age by an almost any set of measures. 

As we recognize our kids are hard working in many regards, we want our kids to be able to relax, check out with a movie, or playing some game when they have down time in part as a reward for their other efforts.

But the interpretation as to how far that goes is where it gets sticky.

Our teens think spending 3 hours sending Snapchat photos back and forth is appropriate.  Or playing some other game for 4 hours is okay.  We as parents don’t, particularly when we see it start to interfere with some other things like basic house responsibilities … you know, like picking up your room, bringing your laundry down, practicing on that piano that we have you getting lessons on, working on that merit badge you have been churning on for 5 months, or putting the milk away that you took out 3 hours ago.

Where the melt down occurs for our kids is we get to a point where we say, “okay, that is enough on the phone, I need you to put that down (or give it to me) until you get xxxx done.”

This is where the teen can loose their crap and have the meltdown.  “I BOUGHT THAT PHONE.  IT IS MINE.  YOU’RE ON A COMPUTER ALL DAY.  YOU HAVE A COMPANT PHONE THAT YOU CAN USE WHENEVER YOU WANT.  I WORK HARD.  WHY CAN’T I HAVE IT?  I JUST WANT TO RELAX FOR A LITTLE BIT.  WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH ME TALKING TO MY FRIENDS? ”  And so on (and probably more colorful and entertaining than this).

This usually goes on long enough to where we decide that since they have gone so nuts over this object and have acted in a fashion that is so poor, we are just to going to take the from them as a consequence (potentially as a part of other consequences).  This of course creates additional emotional angst and backlash from the kid. 

My goal in these cases is to be a Vulcan.  In other words – non-emotional.  The more non-emotional and dumb I am in these exchanges, the better it is for me (and probably the kid) in the long term.  I’d like to say this is easy.  But it ain’t always easy while I am being compared to all the parents who let their kids do whatever they want, and I am being cried at, screamed at, doors slammed at, etc. Refer to Kline Fay Love and Logic type materials for tactics to deal with this sort of stuff.  I sometimes can keep the view point that it is entertaining and actually laugh as I watch the melt down.  That is not the best approach because it is rather infuriating to have someone laugh at you when you are super pissed and it can light them up more. 

(side note, my son wanted to know if he could keep the phone as he bought it if he also bought the plan.  I appreciated his enterprising thinking on this and encouraged him to research that but that … but that I could not guarantee that it meant he could always have the phone).

There is a lot of stuff in here, right?  I mean, this is not just stuff that teens deal with but that we deal with as adults too.  Expectation, entitlement, emotional response, and learning to deal with how to manage that.  It is very human.

They expect to have a phone.  They believe they are entitled to the phone and to use it however they want.  When that entitlement gets challenged by this authoritarian figure, particularly as they try to define their own independence, they can get emotional.  Toss in the sea of brain rewiring and hormones they are swimming in at these ages and you have quite the tinder box. 

But I get it.  I expect things and have attachment to things I feel entitled to.  When I don’t get those, I can get pissed too.  TSA comes to mind. 

I actually don’t see the cell phone drama as a bad thing even though it consumes some of my energy.  That is parenting, right?  I have come to look at the cell phone (and computer) dance as a good thing because it provides a Petri dish in which our kids can learn to deal with some of that stuff.  I think it is better to learn about it for something as trivial as this at this age as opposed to coming across it for the first time with bigger stuff when they are older.

One of our kids does not have their phone right now and they want to know when they will get it back.  Our response is when they can demonstrate they can communicate appropriately on the topic, and they can demonstrate they can manage the expectations of their other activities.  Those of you who are reading this as parents might recognize that the response has been that these are unreasonable expectations, or that they have demonstrated these things for the last six minutes and thirty seconds so can they have it now. 

More to come.   I might get this figured out by the time I am a grandparent.

Again, your mileage may vary and you may have a different approach.  And again, my kids are completely awesome so if you say they ain’t you can expect a fight.

Thursday 021915

Doping is estimated to be occurring at anywhere from 1 in 10 to 1 in 3 elite athletes.

Scored a 112/82 BP today in my work place “biometric screening.”  This will mark me as pre-hypertensive in the “Vitality’ program (side note, that is a program that has roots out of South Africa and has ties to J. Dugas).  I should get additional lab results in a few days.

I love the sport but the analysis this guy does on masters competition is a whole another level above what I got.

It is Girl Scout cookie selling season again.  Apparently some of my co-workers found my post on this topic from a couple of years ago.  They have been appropriately kind to reforward me any of the emails that get spammed to our company bulletin board about whatever parent is selling these cookies out of their cube.  Apparently that post is quite humorous to them and is something they call a rant.  I thought it was rather tame and hardly a rant at all (although there have been rants on this blog).  And in an appropriate stroke of karma, these cookies are actually being sold directly in front of my work spot. 

Distance runner beats world’s best athlete in an arm wrestling contest.  Well sort of.

So I guess I have jogged with someone who has officially received a doping ban.

So was the XC course slower this year compared to last year?  Short answer: the data sez probably not.  I compared the results of the 72 common runners that ran in 14 versus 15.  Straight up, the finish time average was about 29 seconds slower in 15 compared to 14.  But, I then modified the average calculation to only consider those that ran within a minute of their time last year.  There is a lot of things that can get a guy’s results to  vary year over year outside of the course.  They could be more fit or less fit, have a great or bad race in one year or the other.  And they all get older.  One guy in the 80 year old division ran six minutes faster.  With that, the course comes up 3 seconds slower.  With that, I’d have to say the course considerations were a non factor.

Afternoon – again, press for time so I pressed the button to get what I could in the time I had.  13.2, tempo-ing it with a bio break between the Ketner Loop and Johnson Loop.  Probably one of the better tempos I have actually had in a couple of years …

Conversations with my doctor

I have two physicals this week.  Today I had one where I needed to get a physician to sign a form that cleared me to do the Scout trip to the Bahamas later this year.  So this was a general routine stuff sort of physical. 

I am part of a big HMO type plan so I really don’t know my doctor.  In fact when I booked my appointment, they wanted to cancel it because the system assigned doc was not available.  I asked if any GP was available and when they confirmed there was, I stuck with the original appointment.

So this included the typical stuff … height, weight, pulse, BP, looking in the ears, etc.  When they ask the typical questions though, it is as if there is another party in the room other than the doc and me.  And that other party is the voice in my head.  Some excerpts from this AM are below.

Doc:  Do you ever encounter shortness of breath, chest pain, or dizziness?
Voice in my head:  I actually try to make that happen on Tuesdays and Fridays with either repeats or a long tempo effort.
Actual voice:  No.

Doc:  How much on average alcohol do you drink in a week?
Voice in my head:  Let’s see … I will go weeks without drinking a drop, but then decide that it is a wonderful idea to drink a 12 pack with friends.  No, that is a 12 pack for me.  And yeah, they have their own 12 pack each.  And then we might go for a run. 
Actual voice:  Maybe 2 drinks a week.

Doc:  Do you ever engage in activities that might cause injuries, like parasailing or rock climbing?
Voice in my head:  Does running with a burro up to a 13000 foot pass count?  And W.T.F?  Am I only supposed to do those sort of activities on my XBOX?
Actual voice:  No.

Doc:  Any knee, hip pain or soreness?
Voice in my head:  Probably all the time compared to the average person.  Really bad if I take a spill when running down Green.  Really really bad after some races. 
Actual voice:  No.

Doc:  Any questions?
Actual voice:  Yeah, I saw that the BP you guys measured for me was 106 over 82.  My workplace wellness program will classify me as prehypertensive if the top number is greater than 120, or if the bottom number is higher than 80.  What is your take on that?
Doc:  That is ridiculous.  Your BP is fine and we don’t get concerned until the lower number gets above 90.
Voice in my head:  I agree.

Doc:  Do you do self testicular exams?
Voice in my head:  What?  Do you really need to ask any man that?  Well, yeah, I guess you do.  Don’t ask how often. 
Actual voice:  Yes.

Doc:  Okay, I need to check your prostate.  Please roll over to your left hip.
Voice in my head:  Ah, really?  Is this the time where I officially go down that old man route?  Thank Buddha you are a small handed older woman.  And that I showered this AM. 
Actual voice:  (nothing said).
Voice in my head:  I am really really glad now that I did not say all these things to you out loud.

So, another annual checkup done with some new fun.  Admittedly, the voice in my head were much worse than what you read above.  The general take of the appointment ended with the typical feeling I get from these:  “good job, we are not really familiar with how to deal with folks that are healthy like this … we are much more familiar with dealing with the ill.” 

And I am fine with that for as long as it lasts.

PS – lab results came in

Other lab results are here.