"Son of Dad"

Ok. Slightly different take on the series of posts related to my father.  

Stephen Wilson Jr released an album "Son of Dad" in 2023.  I have had it on "heavy rotation" for over a year.  Stephen Wilson Jr straight up goes at the relationship with his father in this album.  Oh yeah, 30 plus songs.  And it is straight up amazing.  

Check 'em out.  

Saturday 20JAN2024

Thursday - afternoon and with the kids, out to the 36 bike path and back.  8 miles.  Felt pretty decent actually.

Second open mic of the year, first at Rails and did this one with Steve G and Rob B.  We did "What Have I Done to Help," "Stuck in the Middle," "Overkill," and "Nada."  

I mostly worked the board in prep for a Spare Change show coming up.  It was good to learn that and the back line.  Mostly figured out that amped guitars up there don't need a mic even if folks think they do,  

Friday - did hills with the kids.  50' up, back down, 25' back down, repeat.  5 Sets.  Did these on Main, getting my butt kicked by the varsity girls.  8.8 miles

Saturday - easy with GW and RT with the Eagles.   8.7 miles.

Poking back to a bit more miles on the daily again after a bit of a lull in the snap of cold days.  About 161 on the year as of today.  Will need to start to get to some longer runs as things warm up.  

Tuesday 16JAN2024

The cold snap finally broke, but some wind came with it.  I headed out towards Interlocken as that was mostly plowed.  On the way back I did 8x90' on a minute jog, and then I did four 30' surges on 2 minute jog.  7 miles.

A little recording from this AM.

Monday 15JAN2024

Saturday night was catching SP and his band Slyjax at the local watering hole.

Got this video from Tuesday night when I played with SP at Rickoli.

Sunday - still very cold.  Got out on the same route as yesterday but went a bit further into Interlocken.  7.1 miles.  

Monday - snowing and still sub zero in the AM but I got out a little later and found a places where I was making new tracks.  

Forgot to mention the other day I clicked through a 100 miles for 2024. 

Week ending 26NOV2023

Ended the week in PHX, driving back on Saturday.  Did that round on the interstate route to avoid some of the mountain snow - just around 14 hours (we were under 13:30 on the way down).

Six days of running (missing on the travel day), some fartlek stuff, and even some gym work on my retirement community card (no really).  

Sunday was back in Colorado and got in 8 and change with Greg in the snow soup.  42 something miles on the week.  1882 on the year.  

Did this last week.

Labor Day Weekend 01-04SEP2023

Friday - 7 miles.  HAF.  Easily 95 this entire late afternoon run over at the Commons during the Legacy meet.  Slow.

Saturday = 8.4 miles.  Ran up Straight Creek road (which then becomes a path) for a bit.  I just had not explored up there.  Not bad but not wonderful (it parallels I70).

Sunday - decided I'd give Buffalo Mountain, the big one that overlooks Dillon a shot.  I knew it was 3000 feet, but I couldn't remember exactly how long it was to get up it.  That answer was 3 miles, meaning it was in excess of 15% grade on average, but the first mile hardly counts in any of that climb.  It was a great little day of hiking hard versus running (not sure anybody really runs the boulder talus there anyway).  

Anyway, I added 2 and some changes miles back down to the car pickup after getting back down for an 8 plus run ... was sort of happy that I could make those less than 8 minute miles.   Nice to have a day above 12k feet.

Monday - back down to Broomstock.  8 miles easy as the kids did some work.  A bit sore to start but this helped.  

The week was just over 53, with 7400 plus of vert.  So, a good one after the 30 feet I got in Mississippi.

Of course, the news in the music world over the weekend was the passing of Jimmy Buffet.

Monday 19JUN2023

Warmest morning in a bit - got out for a half dozen with GW in the morning, but it was still sorta toasty.  

Yesterday was 4 with GW in the morning before gigging over at the local pool / tennis club (more on that in a sec).

Quads were a tad sore today from Green the other day.  The ankle was a bit barky yesterday but all at a manageable level.  

So, more basic slow building and progress.  I head out to DC for a few days - usually that makes for some inspired running at the mall - but it may be tempered by the smoke I have heard they are dealing with out there.  Would seem appropriate to target 40 next week, maybe with an 8 miler, and perhaps some minute on and minute off type of stuff.  

From open mic on Thursday.

From the gig on Sunday.

Checking in

Not much to report since the last bloggy post.  I have been fighting the foot issue. My left post tibial tendon is irritated and it has made running uncomfortable at best and impossible at times.  After screwing around with the injury for six weeks (since going to Tullamore), I finally went to Mark P for some treatment.  The jury is out as to how this is progressing.

So limited running.  Like I said, not much to report there.

Band and music has been fun as of late.  No tendon issues in the hands yet.

Current plan is to just not worry about the running until end of May.  Just being realistic.  If I can get ahead of that, I will.  

Week ending 26MAR2023

Monday - 7.7 miles around practice.

Tuesday - kick ass work day.   6.2 in the evening, feeling good.  

Wednesday - 6 miles easy.  

Thursday - 8 miles.  Considered quitting running.  

Friday - 8 miles.  Felt pretty good.

Saturday - 7.1 miles of running but the watch had another 9 miles for me ... I guess that is the walking around at the all day track meet (the Shootout).

Sunday - 7 miles easy.

Another 50 something week.  Ankle, other parts not feeling great.  

Week ending 22JAN2023

Monday - 7.3 miles in the afternoon
Tuesday PM - 6.1 miles.  Snow came in the evening
Wednesday - a good amount of the whites stuff and still coming.  5.3 miles
Thursday - 8.3 miles in the afternoon

Open mic in the evening.

Friday - 8.1 miles
Saturday - 9.2 miles, mostly with GW.
Sunday - 9.2 miles, slipping around a bit between the snow and the ice with GW.  Some new kicks.

A 53 high something week, but pretty slow given the slop.  

Week ending 06NOV2022

A few rando things to start the week:  

- Mark Plaatjes interview.  His story is amazing.  I had to look up what "necklacing" was.  Way more horrific than what I guessed.   
- Centaurus boys XC at State.  9th at the mile.  6th at 2 miles.  2nd at the finish.  That is the way to do it.  
- JT tried to get me out for Boulder XC race this Saturday and I bailed.  Excuses won that one. 
- Why the hell have I not dug into Marcus King before this week?

Monday - up in Fairplay.  Did a seven mile loop down the pipeline, then up Breck Estates, back up the access road, out to the base of 663 at Ice Axe and then back up Slow as you'd expect for an outta shape old guy at 10k feet.  

Tuesday - back down from the hills.  Gorgeous fall day.  10 miles.  

Wednesday - 7 miles with some fartlek thrown in.   

Thursday - 8 in the AM before the weather blew in.  

Friday - snow and wind.  Meh.  Felt cruddy.  Cut it at 5 miles.

Saturday - 8 miles and some.  Mostly with practice.

Saturday night:  gig over at Mother Tucker's.

Sunday - 11 miles.  

Ended with 56 ish on the week.  Eyeballed where I am on the year and its mid 2100.  It would seem that I would be dancing with 2500 if I manage at least 7 a day.  

I definitely do not have the base that I used to - meaning, for a bit because of all the miles I had done in my 40s, I could still easily manage a 12 miler.  That is gone, and I need to earn it back.  

Week ending 04SEP2022

Monday AM - 3 miles easy with GW at practice.
PM - 5 miles with the coaches easy.

Evening band.

Tuesday - 7 miles with 12 x 1 minute on, 1 minute off.  Hot.  

Played the Broomfield Farmer's Market.

Wednesday AM - 3.1 miles easy at practice

PM - 5 miles

Thursday - sorta dead.  7 miles in the afternoon.

Friday - 7 miles at the Legacy Invite.

Saturday - 7.2 miles at practice.

Gig in the evening at Front Range

Sunday - 8.1 miles with JE (haven't seen him in 30 years?) over at Marshall Mesa.  

Played a charity / memorial event at Broomfield Golf in the evening.  We were pretty tight on this one.  We do better I think when its outdoors, it is a scheduled event, and we are on two sets.  

52 and change on the week.  

Week ending 28AUG2022

Monday AM - up and out in the rain in Cleveland MS for an easy wake up 3 miles.

Pix from the hotel room (really):

PM - again, post a corporate outing.  Certainly not preferrerd, but manageable.  3.3 miles in the rain-ish, sweating so that I look like I am swimming, and did my first true workout of sorts in a while - at least since the lung diagnosis:  10 x 1 minute on, 1 minute off.   Ended up averaging sub 8 for a run, which hasn't happened in about a month.  Anc this new fangled watch tells me my resting HR this AM was 29.  I am not sure I believe that.  Apparently I got to 180 on the run for some of that whopping 6:20 stuff.   All that doesn't matter:  it felt good to spin the wheels a bit.  

Tuesday AM - a bit of the second day drag.  3.2 miles in the AM for the wake up.  Typical conditions for here I guess.  

Evening - 5 miles.  At least not raining.  Easy.  

Can anyone answer why Strava doesn't automatically flag runs that have mile splits at better than 3:50 in the middle of a 5 miler?

Wednesday AM - 3 miles in the mist.

I guess Sage Canaday also dealt with pulomonary embolisms last year.  I need to dig into understanding his circumstances a bit more though.  

Thursday - missed the AM.  Slept in.  Got out for six in the evening.  The rain cleared and the skies were blue so it felt stupid hot.  Did six by 2 minutes on full active rest.  Six miles

Friday - 4 miles slow in the AM in the humid again.  Shorts were soaked as they could be at the end of this one.  Had to wring them out before tossing them back into the luggage.

Saturday - Back in town and got in six at the Mountain Vista meet.  Easy.  Saw several of the CRUD folks who now coach for Cheyenne Mountain with SOD.

Fun in the evening up at Peculier (yes that is how they spell it) Ales.  Great brewery and location.

Sunday - tired legs.  6.4 miles to get 40 on the week.  

This is ridiculous.

Week ending 25JUL2022

wait.  It is two weeks until Burro Days.  Damn.  Not ready for that on a variety of fronts.

Monday mid day.  Was up until 3 with the Asia gig.  It was good but I was tootin' fuzzy by the end of the work day.  Still was up at 8 after some fitful sleep.  Got out mid day and it was already 98 at the start.  Apparently it was 101 at the end.  3.8 on the ditch.  Tired from the work and tired from the weekend running, so just self care jogging in the sauna.   

I contemplated a second short run in the afternoon before starting the work grind but opted for the nap instead.  I probably ought not wake up and just start recording stuff.

Tuesday AM - finished earlier last night - 1AM - so I was able to manage some git up and go to grit through practice.  Figured that was better rather than fighting the heat later.  6.6 miles with some hill strides.  The lack of sleep had me feeling like I was running with a hangover.   Hot again - in the 90s by the middle of practice.  

PM - took a mid morning nap, did some work and then got on the ditch.  96 degrees.  3.7 miles. Then back to work.  Ordered a GPS watch today.  I don't think I have had one in 3 years and have just used the phone.  

Wednesday AM - just felt horrible/  5.7 miles at practice.  Tight in the chest.

PM - Ditch.  Still feeling like ass.  3.7 miles.  

Thursday and afterwards… woke and I knew I wasn’t gonna run.  I had deep pain in my right side.  It subsided a bit as I moved around but it got way worse Thursday night.  But breathing at anything close to volume created a stabbing sensation.  Woke up Friday am and it started to subside but decided to enter into the care system towards the end of the work day.  

Fast forward 12 hours (well, that is its own story of observing process management in the healthcare setting, the variety of tests I went under to figure what was going on, seeing customer service in action, etc - but that ain't for this blog) and I was diagnosed with a few pulmonary embolisms.  Low risk given my overall health, but I am now on a regiment of blood thinners for a bit.

Puts Burro Days in question for sure.  The doc cleared me for travel and said I could do Burro Days but there are risks (a kick that bruises would be a bad thing).  I think it is more a question if I CAN run - because right now I can't.  I want to but if I can't breathe, fighting 13k feet with a donkey for 8 hours is more than I am willing to take on.  

More to come on this I guess - they are not sure what caused it.  Genetic disposition is a possibility (that is unknown to me) but it could also be a left over symptom of COVID (I have never tested positive but I could have had an asymptomatic run of it).   This is sorta of a different kind of injury for me.  I am hoping the pain will subside enough by the weekend that I am good to go.  Will see how that plays out and how I respond to the meds.  

Week ending 10JUL2022

Back at it.  Started the week in a bit of a mental funk with the events at the tail of the week, but recognized I need to keep grinding for the good.

Monday - 4th of July.  We went up and buried Bart at the ABC.  I still had the ashes from Lucy's cremation so I put those in with him  Won't lie - I was a blubbery mess with all of it and still am as it hits me.  It is not the thought of him as gone that gets you but the unexpected things that catch you because they have been habit for 14 years.  Going to feed the dogs and realize it is just feeding a dog and you only need to do one dish.  Stuff like that.  

So it was an day off with the up and down on the mountain.

Tuesday AM - with GW and RT at practice (over there and back too).  Gets hot early nowadays but expected.  8.1 miles.  

Didn't stay up for the fireworks last night.  I was just beat.  But saw the better show up on the hill before hitting the rack.

Forgot to mention we did a gig Saturday night over in Vista Ridge.  Ir was good fun.  Fireworks, rocking ten year olds, etc.  Was sorta nutty with rain coming in and then blowing back out and then coming back in over a few times but a blast in any case.  

Was up way too late on that day.  

Tuesday afternoon - cooled off with it being overcast.  JZ got me out on the ditch.  3.7 miles.

Tuesday night went over to Red Rocks and caught Lyle Lovett and Chris Issak. Just captivating entertainers at probably the best outdoor music venue on the planet.

Wednesday.  Beat.  Long work day.  Took the day off from running.  

Thursday - up early and went over to Lion's Lair with JV.  Been too long since I have run with that guy.  

It has been so long since I have been on Sanitas, they completely redid the back side trail (Lions Lair).  It is a nice grade but was still an ass kicker for me.  Need to get back,

Friday AM - over to Bobolink for a run with the Eagles.  8 miles.  A bit tired from yesterday but it worked out a bit.  

Saturday - 6.1 miles with GW outta Aquarius.  Did a gig at Front Range last night and then one on Saturday night at Mother Tuckers.

I had a pretty amazing moment at Front Range.  While playing a woman walked up to me and pointed to her ear.  I thought she was saying the music was too loud but then I somehow understood she was saying she was deaf and couldn't hear the music.  But she wanted to feel it.  She put her hands on the guitar and we enjoyed the music together.  

Sunday.  Hooboy.  Tired.  Hot.  And busy.  Had intentions of getting up early and going to do Green but a 1AM finish with the gig put the kibosh on that.  Life chores, etc. Ended up with near hour nap in the afternoon and so a goose egg to cap the most inconsistent running week I have had in a bit.  I guess I could rationalize and say I needed the nap.  

Will keep on plugging.