Reverse Practice

I got up early and went to Plate City. It really is nice to see the day come in out there. Birds sing, the breeze is gentle, and squirrels scurry over the tops of large limbs high in the sky. I am out there all alone. Well, we are never alone. There is Pee Wee and there is God.

Push. I did a push workout. Only this time, I did not priortize the bench press but the overhead press machine instead. No, I am not tired of that machine. I don't think I will become tired of it. The way it makes my shoulders feel is something I like. I set a new PR at 145 on the overhead. If you are keeping count, yes, I set four PRs in the last four push workouts. I only did one set on the bench. In addition to all of that, I did lots of external rotations for the corator ruff muscles like I always do.

Inside, I made and drank a high protien shake, showered, got dressed, and went to work. At work, it was one of my two long days. I have four straight classes on Moday and Wednesday. That might not sound like much, but to me it is very tiring. I enjoy it, but when it is over, I am washed out.

Back home, I found my wife on the front porch with a grin on her face. What's up? I wondered. Our daughter and granddaughter were what was up. They had been there all day and were just gone to a store to buy some shoes. They came back two hours later.

There were hugs and talking and listening. Mostly listening. Our daughter is one of the great talkers of the world. She can and does talk for hour on end. We like that. We listen. We enjoy being in her presence. 

They left about 7:00 p.m. and I went to the pool. I almost never go to the pool at that hour. When I got there, Alaina was in and doing a set. I waded in and had the temerity to ask what she was doing. "Hundreds and fifties," was her response. I asked if I could jump in and she agreed. So I did 3 X 100 hard with no warmup. Then we did 50s and then it was time for a cooldown. So that is where I did my warmup. 

How did it feel to go right into a set without a warmup?

Not as bad as you might think. That first 25 was geat. Then I was sucking air. But I always hurt warming up, so now the only difference was I was swimming faster. That is probably not good for tendons and joints, but it's nice to know that it is doable. 

I only swam 1,400. After Alaina left, I gave in to that old temptation of not pushing myself because I was all alone. It's far too easy to tap out early when no one is there to push you or hold you accountable. 

2/20 - 2/26

It was a mixed bag last week. I had some good numbers swimming, but my running fell off the face of the earth. The lifting was OK, but some of the other stuff was non-existent. Oh well, I did what I could. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I started the week off by getting to the City before work last Monday morning. It felt really nice to get up early and get something done. I enjoyed that, hearing the early birds and seeing the squirrels get out of bed. I did my push workout and hit a new PR on the overhead press machine. Later, I did 2,100 in the pool but did not shuffle because of Over 60s.

Tuesday, I swam a short 1,350 yards and ran 5.76 miles. That was my long run of the week. But, I thought you were training for a 50-miler. Well, I cut that back to a 50K, and I am not sure I am headed for success in that. Pushing both the swim and run seem to be pretty difficult for me. When one goes up, the other goes down. The swim has been going up because I have some events upcoming.

The swim practice Wednesday was pretty good. I hit 2,600 yards and then I went home and shuffled 3.71 miles. Since it was so late when I finished my roadwork, I did not lift but saved legs for Saturday. 

Thursday, I did 2,675 yards in the pool, ran 4.06 miles, and lifted at Plate City.

Friday, I did that 5,000 straight and then sort of crashed. I did go to the gym for some pulling. Not only that, but I rode my bicycle to and from the pool, the first time on one of those since Bikes, Blues[,] & Bayous. 

I finished up the week with 1,850 yards Saturday. Later, I shuffled on the tradmill for 2.04 miles, and lifted weights mostly for legs, but I did a little shoulder work also. 

For the week, I

  swam 14,235 meters,

  lifted weights five times,

  bicycled seven miles, and

  ran 17.49 miles

I was disappointed that I did not run more. But I did do some good work in the water. Since the first of the year, my swimming looks like this:

  Week one - 6,992

  Week two - 6,351

  Week three - 1,051

  Week four - 2,878

  Week five - 8,088

  Week six - 13,093

  Week seven - 13,207

  Week eight - 14,235

As you can see, I have been hitting the water really hard the last three weeks. All of those numbers, by the way, are meters. I always convert to meters. After Saturday when I will attempt a 50K, my focus will be almost exclusively on swimming until late July. I will still run and shoot for 20-miles per week. But the really long stuff will be gone. My lifting also will change some to attempt to do more sports specific work. And I hope to swim even more yardage, hoping to hit a few 20,000 meters weeks. That's real training, I don't care who you are.

Pool Collapse

Since Penny was gone, I slept a little later than usual, made coffee, and drank the whole pot. I did not get to the pool until a bit after noon. I rode my bicycle over there and swam

  1,100

  5 X 100 r 30 (1:34, 1:35, 1:35, 1:35, 1:39)

  150 easy

  50 fast

  50 back

  total: 1,850 yards

I had intended to swim some more 50s and do more backstroke. But I was tired, and I had one of those pool collapses. That happens sometimes when training alone. That's why it helps to have a training partner. When you get tired, you feed off your partner's energy, and you don't want to be the one who taps out first. Alone in the pool, it's easy to say, "That's enough."

Apparently, Thursday's 5,000 hit me harder than I thought. When I got home, my whole upper body felt blown out. My traps were tired, my shoulders and triceps were gone, and I was just generally shot. I ate some food and after eating, I went to sleep.

I had also planned to run seven miles or more. After my nap, however, I knew that was out. The whole week had caught up with me. I did go to the City and shuffle some on the treadmill. I went 2.04 miles. I also did my squats and even a little shoulder work. I pressed 140 on the overhead press machine. Not bad for an old man who was too tired to get out on the road. Thus, I had a pretty good day after all.

The Day

I am told that the Jewish people simply call it "The Day." We, non-Jews, call it "the Day of Atonement." The Bible actually calls it "the Day of Atonements." With the risk of sounding sacriligious, that is how I think of Friday. It is "The Day." It is the day I get to put the gear selector in neutral. It is the day I get to hang out with cats and drink coffee. It is the day I take the gear selector out of neutral and put it into gear, sometimes high gear. I run, I swim, I lift weights. And I get to do it all in spades. 

Yehaa.

This time, Penny was going out of town with one of our church members to a womeon's conference. Before she left, she picked my up from the shop where I left my truck. Of course I thought I would get it back before the day ended. A mid-morning call, however, informed me that I would be truckless until next week. 

!!! 

But it's the Day!

Well, I don't need a truck to lift weights or to run. I could use one, however, to get to the pool. Yes, I could run there. I have done that in the past. But despite the mild weather, it is still a bit cool to be wet and outdoors at the same time. Not to worry, I got my old mountain bike out, aired the tires, and headed off to Twin Rivers. At the pool, I celebrated "The Day" by going 5,000 yards straight in 1:36:12.

By the time I finished, it was growing dark. Yeah, I waited too long to leave the house. I did ride home not fully dry in the not cold but cool air. By the grace of God, I made it without mishap. 

Back home, I rested, took some light nutrition, and went to the City. Out there, I ran on the treadmill and did some pulling. Pee Wee played with his toys between bouts of watching the window, looking for Penny to come feed him. I had a nice workout with no need to hurry since I was baching for the night. Back inside, I warmup up a hamburger patty, made me a burger, and enjoyed my meal. The Day, this one, was a nice one.

A Strong Day

No, I did not get out early Thursday morning. I set my alarm to go to Plate City before work, but I opted for rest instead. After work, however, I hit the pool and swam

  1,400 28:22

  3 X 200 rest 1:00 (3:21, 3:19, 3:16)

  100 easy

  4 X 25 no breath

  100 back

  2 X 50 25/25 breast/free

  25 easy

  300 easy

  total: 2,675 yards

I took inspiration from Alaina on the 200s. I was proud that each one was a little bit faster. I only did three, but next time I will either do four or do 250 on the first one and slowly work the set up until it covers some major yardage.

After some rest at home, I went out for a 4.06 mile run. It was slow and did not feel good. But I did it. Win.

I went to the City. I skipped the bench and focused on one move: the overhead press on my still favorite machine, Titan's Overhead Press and Deltiod Machine. My top set was 7 X 130 which was as high as I have gone on that move.

So, I finished the work week out with three workouts. I like that. Now, Luvie is keeping me company while I drink coffee and peck on this computer. Penny just left for a women's conference which means I don't have to gain weight tonight. I will miss our meal, but try to take advantage of the opportunity to maybe lose an ounce of weight. My truck is in the shop, so I am sort of stuck until I get it back. But I don't have any deadlines today. I can run tonight if that what it takes to get it done.

A Little Mortar in the Brick

Wednesday was back to a long day at work. I like it, though. After work, I made my way to the pool for some serious training. Vicki showed up with a practice she had printed off the internet. It had a lot of stroke work in it. I was OK with that, so we did her practice. It went something like this:

  50 I swam before she got in

  550 we were to swim 500 but I lapped her for some more volume

  2 X 100

  2 X 100 back

  2 X 50

  3 X 100 descend one to three (1:50, 1:45, 1:38)

  Then it was a bunch of IM stuff. I substituted on the butterfly

  400 back that was my cooldown

  total: 2,600 yards

I was satisfied with that since it gave me 50 yards more than this day last week, and it hit my backstroke hard. I also did some breast stroke which is not something I can often make myself do very often when I am alone. I find that stroke very taxing.

Back home, I took some rest and drank some Kool Aid. Then I went out in the dark for some roadwork. I went 3.71 miles and then went in for the night. No, I did not go to the City. It was too late, and I was too tired.

After supper, I chilled with Luvie. CC has been acting strange lately. When she pulls away, the other cats fill the vacuum. But she is the one I want to snuggle with. Oh well, such is life. We take what we can have. Luvie is a sweet boy. He is named Luvie because he is so loving. I sometimes feel sorry for him because CC has beaten him up many times for simply trying to get close to me. He is getting his time now. That is something to be thankful for. Thank you, Jesus.

Another Brick in the Wall

Tuesday was another brick in the wall of fitness I am building for the State Senior Olympics, the State Games of Mississippi, and Pool Fools. Not only that, but there is the Heart O' Dixie Triathlon, the Dragonfly Triathlon, and who knows what else will pop up that I decide to jump into.

No, I did not get up early. Usually, I meet Tyler at the pool before work. However, they had the baby, Sunday night, I think. So he was out, and I slept in. 

After work, I was in the pool by 2:30. I only did 1,350 yards as

  500 warmup

  50 fast

  200 for time (3:14 - 1:37)

  300 back

  150 cooldown

At home, I rested before going out on the road for some running. I went 5.76 miles before I went home for more rest. Then I went to Plate City.

I must admit I became a bit lazy. I only did three sets, or was it four? on the chest-supported row. In addition, I did some corator tuff exercises and some tubing work for the upper back before going inside for the night. I then spent time preparing for class the next day. With seven different classes, I have to study most nights, all weekends, and many mornings. That's what they pay me the big bucks for. Thank you, Jesus, for that.

I Always Do

Mondays are always a difficult day for training. This one was more difficult that usual. We had Over 60s, which meant not only did I have to work long, but I had to be ready to leave the house by 5:30. Consequently, I rose a bit earlier than usual and went to Plate City. Getting out there about 6:00 a.m., it was dark and Pee Wee was happy. He is always happy when I go out there. I saw a squirrel at 6:14 which is early for a fox squirrel, very early.

I did my push workout, doing bench presses first then going to the overhead press machine. On the overhead, I hit a new PR at 120 pounds. It was not really a one-rep max since I did six reps. But I keep upping the weight each time I do the movement.

For breakfast, I went high-protein oatmeal. That is, I made it with milk instead of water, added peanut butter, and then dumped in about 15 grams of whey protein. I mixed all of that up and drank milk with it. As a result, I was full all morning with no cravings for sweets like I usually have.

After work, I went to the pool as fast as I could get there. I swam 2,100 yards which beat last Monday by 100 yards. That's my goal this week, to beat each day's total by a little bit and thus end up with a strong week of training.

Penny and I left a little early because we had to get gas. Then we made our way to Itta Bena, to First Baptist Church there where Larry's Fish House was preparing our meal. So with a weight session early, and a pool session late, I was ready for the fish. It was good, yeah, and I ate a lot of it. I always do.

2/13 - 2/19

I had a pretty good week in the water, a fair one on the road, and a decent one in the gym. It went like this:

Monday, I swam 2,000 yards, ran 2.12 miles on the treadmill, and worked out at Plate City. Win.

Tuesday, I met Tyler at the pool and we did 1,300 before work. After work, I shuffled 2.54 on the mill again. I also hit the gym pretty hard. Win.

It is usually leg day on Wednesday, and this one was no exception, but not before the pool. In the water, I swam 2,250 yards. At the City, I shuffled 2.45 miles, and did my squats. I have cut back some on the squats and during this cycle, I am going to focus more on building up reps in fewer sets rather than building pure strength. Win. 

As unsual as it is, Thursday I did my running on the treamill for the fourth day in a row. Why? Partly it's a mental thing. When I combine my weight training and running, mentally, it feels like one thing rather than two. Also, it saves a little bit of time to do it that way. I did my lifting. I also did my swimming that afternoon stroking 2,350 yards. Win.

Friday was long day in the pool. I hit 4,850 yards before I had to extracate myself from the water to take care of necessary business. Later in the day, I shuffled 2.2 miles on the treadmill and lifted weights. Yeah, that is five days in a row of treadmill running. Win.

For the first and only time of the week, I hit the road Saturday. I got up kind of early and swam 1,400 yards. Then I spent the morning with my son. Later in the afternoon, I hit the road for 9.12 miles. Unlike last Saturday when I actually felt good running, it was a dreadful, plodding shuffle. But. I. Did. It. Win.

For the week, I

  ran 21.13 miles,

  lifted weights five times, and

  swam 13,207 meters

  Win

That is not too bad though a little light on the running. By the way, I downgraded my registration at the Mississippi Trail 50 to a 50K rather than the 50 miler. I am 100% sure that I could not complete 50 miles in their time cutoff. I have, however, a real shot at the 50K, so D Day is in twelve days. Yes, I am a bit apprehensive, but what is life without challenges?

I Want it All

Friday morning, I tried to and did lounge a bit. Then I went to the pool. Friday is normally my distance day. Most of the time, that means a straight swim, or it can mean some long sets to achieve a lot of volume. Bear in mind that I train like a sprinter five days out of the week. One day, I go for low end endurance. Friday, I got in aiming for 5,000 yards. I stopped at 4,850 because I had to take care of necessary business. Yes, I could have gotten back into the water, but 4,850 was enough. I swam it in 1:32:44. That is a marked improvement over last week's 4,700 in 1:31:41. That is 150 yards farther in only one minute more time. Yehaa.

After some serious resting, I went to Plate City Gym where I did some small shuffling on the treadmill and lifted some weights. It was pull day so that's what I did. 

Then Penny and I went to Nail's in Stewart for dinner. I ordered and steak and it was good, yeah. I did notice and have a hankering for one of their burgers. They looked good on the menu. 

So what?

They also looked good cooking on the griddle. The kitchen is wide open and you can see them cooking all that good-looking meat. I want it all. Give me a little time, and I will eat it all. It's only forty-five minutes from our house. What is that when a good meal and a new experience is to be had?

Kicking Butt and Taking Names

Friday (Thursday), was a nice day at work. It's real Friday now, and as I type this, I still have not had my coffee and there is not a single cat on the bed with me. I want a cat.

Luvie just climbed up on the bed and got close. Thank you, Jesus. Where is CC?

Friday (Thursday), I taught my classes and went home. Yes, I needed and took the nap. Then I met Vicki at the pool for some more Senior Olympic Swim Meet training. When we got there, Alaina Matthews was in the pool. She was kicking butt and taking names. It was obvious that she was in training mode. It's nice to see people train and not just exercise. Not that there is anything wrong with just exercising. In fact, everything is right with exercising. But training, having a goal, a purpose, and putting in the extra work and intensity, is a beautiful thing. Before she left, we got to ask Alaina how many yards she did. Her answer: 2,400. Nice.

Vicki and I swam

  700

  350 for time

  400 easy

  10 X 25 drills, breathing patterns, and no breaths

  6 X 50 breathing patterns

  300 25/25 free/back

  total: 2,350

That was a decent practice. At home, I rested and then went to the gym. Since it was threatening rain, I did some shuffling on the treadmill instead of going out on the road. I also did my push workout and set a new PR on the overhead press machine. I did 115 on it. Next week, I will go for more. On the mill, I hit 2.7 miles, so I had a good day: work, three workouts, cat time, and wife time. Life is good. Thank you, Jesus.

Two, Four, Six

No, I did not rise early. But I went to work on time and taught my four classes. Yeah, I was tired after that, so I went home and took a nap. Then I went to the pool and met Vicki there for some Senior Olympic Swim Meet training. We swam a new set I dreamed up. I call it the 2, 4, 6 set. I went like this.

  700 warmup

  2 X 100

  4 X 75

  6 X 50 all @ WIFL

  200 easy

  4 X 25 no breath

  10 X 50 25/25 back/free

  250 cooldown

  total: 2,550 yards

The 2, 4, 6 part was pretty intense. That made 800 yards of tough swimming. Then we kept adding stuff on the end to get the volume up. It was a solid practice which should help us both swim much better.

At home, I needed a little rest before getting out on the road. I vascillated between running at Plate City and running on the open road. Eventually, I chose the road and went 2.45 miles. 

Yes, I did go to the City, but only after eating supper and resting a bit more. I did a truncated leg workout, performing only three total sets of squats and one set of extensions and curls. Yes, I used the Hip Ab/Adductor machine. 

So I finished the day with three workouts and good ones at that. Now, as I type this, it is our Friday at work. The weekend starts today at 1:30. Life is good. Thank you, Jesus.

Ahead

I met Tyler at the pool Tuesday morning.This was our first weekday morning swim together in two weeks. We already had our practice planned so we could get in, get it done, and get to work. We swam

  700 warmup

  300 for time (I did 5:02; Tyler did 4:36!)

  300 cooldown

  total: 1,300 yards

Ater work, unlike Monday, I needed the nap and I took it. Then the wind began to blow like a hurricane. That always makes me nervouse about running on the streets of Greenwood. We have so many large trees, and I have personally witnessed huge limbs come down. That could give you a headache or you could lose a toenail. So I opted to do it all at Plate City.

I shuffled on the treadmill and lifted. The chest-supported row, the reverse fly, the lat pull down, and the swim pull were on the program. I got a good workout done, and I ran 2.54 miles.

Thus I have a decent week started. I am 650 yards ahead of last week in the pool, and on foot I am a bit over two miles ahead. Now to keep it going and not get lazy. Thank you, Jesus, for the challenge.

Rebuilding

It was another long but enjoyable day at work. Once off, I did not take a nap, but instead took a bag of laundry to the cleaners. About time. Then I went to the pool. It was cold in there. The heater was broken and the pumps were not running. The pool thermometer said 76. My body said 79. When I uploaded my practice, my watch recorded it as 76. I swam

  1,000

  20 X 25 no breath

  5 X 50 25/25 free/back

  100 easy

  total: 2,000 yards

You went a little crazy on the no breaths didn't you?

Sort of. There were two of us in the pool, plus Miss Debbie and a couple of students. I don't feel compfortable swimming hard sets with some traffic in there so I stuck with the no breaths.

I opted to do my running on the treadmill. Last Monday, I did not run at all. Now, I feel like my legs are mostly recovered so I ran and lifted. I did three sets of bench presses and five sets on the overhead press machine. I hit a new PR there at 110 pounds. And I shuffled 2.12 miles. The rebuilding has begun.

2/6 - 2/12

Well, I had another week. Yes, it was a pretty solid one. One of the main goals of the week was recovery, to recover from the Mississippi River Marathon. Did I do it? Read on and find out.

Monday I swam 1,500 yards and then went to Plate City. I did not run on the treadmill, but instead I did a little gentle walking between sets of my push workout. 

By Tuesday, I felt up to rising early and swimming 1,150 yards before work. Then at the gym I shuffled a little between sets of my pull workout. I totalled 2.01 miles of running.

I swam in the afternoon, Wednesday, for 2,475 yards. Then at the gym, I was tired and uninspired and only shuffled 1.21 miles before going in for the night.

Thursday, however, was the fulcrum of the week. I decided that it was time to get out on the road and run. That's what I did. During the run, my legs seemed to awaken. Not that they felt good, but they felt better, much better. I went 4.24 miles, but by then it was late so I went inside for the night and Plate City remained unoccupied.

I hit both pool and road for longish stuff Friday. In the pool, I went 4,700 yards straight. On the road, I went 5.32 miles. Once more, however, the gym got squeezed out.

I met Tyler at the pool Saturday morning. We swam 2,250 yards for some quality training. Later in the day, I went out for a run with the idea of completing my requisite twenty miles for the week. I ran 7.36. A strange thing happened while I was out there. I felt good and my pace started quickening after four miles. Usually it goes into slow decline. I kept running faster and faster (more accurately, less slow and less slow) and finished strong feeling really good for the first time in forevever it seems. Maybe I am recovered.

At the gym, I had to do everything, and I did legs for the first time since the marathon and push and pull. So it was a solid day completing a fairly solid week. 

For the week, I

  ran 20.14 miles,

  skiergged 2:03

  echobiked :30

  lifted weights three times, and

  swam 13,093 meters

That ain't bad right there, I don't care who you are. My legs came back, and my swimming was good getting both quantity and quality. Thank you, Jesus. Now to do it again.

Aerobic Card: Punched

A slow-start day. Yeah, the cats and the coffee. I think it was about 11:00 before I made it to the pool. Since I had four previous days of swimming with some quality sets in there, I opted for a straight swim. I went 4,700 yards in 1:31:41. That was my longest swim of the year and the longest going back pretty far into 2022. And of course that boosted my numbers for the week quite a bit.

I went out for a shuffle in the late afternoon and wound up going 5.32 miles. That was my longest run since the marathon. The gym really needed hitting, but I was out of time and out of energy.

Penny and I went to Hilltop for dinner. We both ordered a steak and mine was really good. It was not overcooked which happens a lot when you order medium rare. Usually only a small part of it is medium rare and much of it is medium. This one was all medium rare, and I enjoyed every single bite.

Thus it was a nice day. I punched my aerobic card a couple of times. Maybe I can punch the strength card today. Thank you, Jesus.

Deal with It

It's been two days since I posted about training. Yesterday, I made the announcement about Pool Fools and guess what. A swimmer DMd me and said she wanted to take part. Praise God. That brings us to ten people who will be actively involved in the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi fundraiser. 

Back to training. Wednesday I went to the pool in the afternoon. I've been kind of lazy and sleeping a little late in the morning. Vicki showed up and we did some sets. I can't remember everything we swam because it bounced around a lot. I know we did two fast 50s, some no-breath 25s, and some dive 25s. 

Dive 25s?

Yeah. That's where we do a dive start and swim 25 yards as fast as we can. It's good training for a swim meet.

But don't you start off blocks in a swim meet?

In the geezer meets we do, you can start off the blocks, off the deck, or even off the wall in the water. I have settled on starting off the deck. Yes, off the blocks is faster. It also raises the chances of your goggles coming off by about 700%. Off the deck is faster than in the water on the wall, so that is the route I have been going.

Is there any advantage to practicing that?

Yes. Last year I lost a race I could have won because I went too deep on my dive off the deck at the start. Going deep is good if you have a strong underwater kick. If you have no underwater kick like me, it's not good. While I was coming up, I saw the guy on my left on top of the water, swimming, and ahead of me. In a 50 yard race, I did not have time to close the distance.

Since I had done some swimming before Vicki got there, I finished with 2,475 yards. Not bad. Back home, I went to the City and shuffled a little on the treadmill. I did not lift because Wednesday is leg day, and my legs were still not feeling too well after the marathon.

Thursday, Vicki and I planned to meet at the pool. I went in a little early because I like long warmups. I/we swam

  600 before she got there

  50 while she was getting ready

  550 for her warmup

  10 X50 @ WIFLE This was the main set of our practice, and it pushed us both.

  100 easy

  4 X 25 no breath

  2 X 25 dive 25

  4 X 25 DPS (distance per stroke)

  200 cool down

  total: 2,250 yards

So that makes four days in a row for me and two days in a row with some quality. It is difficult to do much quality swimming alone. At least it is for me. It looks like Vicki and I are going to team up to help each other get in competition shape. Thank you, Jesus.

Back home, it was getting late. I needed to go to Plate City, and I needed to run. Usually when faced with this conundrum, I go to the City and mix some treadmill work in with my gym work. This time, however, I opted to go out on the road for the first time since the marathon. Out onto the dark roads I went, and I shuffled 4.24 miles. An odd thing happened. My legs did not feel good. Then around mile 2.5, it was like they woke up. Not that they then felt good, but they felt way better. Praise God. Now I know I can start running again.

As you can see, running and swimming compete with each other and they both compete with the gym. That is my perennial problem: I try to do too much. That is one of the reasons I stopped hunting (besides the fact that I don't want to shoot anything anymore). When I sold my boat, I grieved a few days before I realized that it was one fewer thing I had to try to fit into an already too busy schedule. Concerning exercise, the bicycle has been squeezed mostly out. Last summer, Tyler rescued me by insisting we ride some several times a week. But I see no answer to my current delimna other than to retire from work, and I am not ready to do that.

So I continue to fail at being the best I can be in two sports. When I think it over, I kind of like my problem. My name is Zane Hodge, and I am an exerholic. Accept me the way I am, or I will run away or swim away from you. Deal with it. I have.

The 2023 DFM Fundraiser

Drum roll, please. The 2023 fundraiser for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi will be, . . . will be, . . . will be . . . Pool Fools.

Huh?

Pool Fools. Notice the plural form of "fool." Tyler Kirk and I will be joined by other swimmers at Twin Rivers Recreation Center on June 17th. The current plan is to start at 8:00 a.m. and go until around 1:00 p.m. or a little after.

Why this?

Several reasons. First, because we can, thanks to Debbie Oxnam who has graciously donated the pool to us on the day of our choice. Right now, that choice is June 17. Another reason is the simplicity of it. In the past, the Chicot Challenge, the Great Geezer Run, and the Crazy Man Quadrathon all have been not only physically difficult, but logistically challenging as well. With this one, everyone involved can sleep in their own bed the night before, no one (read Irena McClain) will be awake all night on the eve of the event worrying about Zane Hodge getting killed, and people can come spectate if they so desire. Furthermore, they can make donations on the spot. In addition, this gets more people involved. When I pass from this world, my hope and prayer is that this effort will continue to live.

So, how will Pool Fools operate?

I plan to swim seven miles or more, and Tyler will do a significant swim. Since he will be a new father at the time, his goal for the day is yet to be determined. The other swimmers will set their own goals and raise some funds for the cause.

How many other swimmers will there be?

As of this writing, including Tyler and me, we have nine swimmers who say they want to take part.

How many will be in the pool at one time?

That is a good question, and that is the logistical hurdle of this event. Since the Twin River outdoor pool does not have lane lines, we think it prudent to have no more than five swimmers in the pool at one time. Tyler and I will most likely be in the whole five hours or close to it. That means only three other swimmers should be in the water. So we will have to come up with a schedule which will be dependant on the goals and desires of the other swimmers.

Why June 17?

Three reasons. In the past, I have always shot for my birthday on June 2. This is after my birthday because my birthday is on a weekday. Not only that, but the first Saturday in June is also the date of the State Games Masters' Swim Meet, which I hope to do. With this event, a weekend allows the other participants and spectators to participate. The main reason, however, is that it gives the outdoor pool sufficient time to warm up. The indoor pool has spoiled all of us around here to warm water. And finally, it gives ample time to train. The outdoor pool is usually swimmable in May which will give training time to the worst procrastinator among us.

Where is Twin Rivers?

I'm glad you asked. It is located at 503 West Barton Ave, Greenwood, Mississippi 38930.

How will I get in if I want to watch?

Simple. Come to the gate on the north east corner of the pool. It will either be open or someone will open it for you.

Are donations tax decutable?

Yes.

What is y'all's fundraising goal?

We have set this year's goal at $10,000.

What is the amount of a typical donation?

Last year, we received donations ranging from $5.00 to $2,500. A typical gift is usually in the $25 to $50 range.

What if the weather is bad that day?

We will reschedule for the following week.

What if I want to donate based on how far you or someone in the event swims?

We like that idea. If you challenge me by promising to donate more for each mile beyond seven, I will try my best to make you pay. I'm pretty sure we all feel that way.

Will there be event T-shirts for sale at the pool on swim day?

Yes, and all proceeds will go to the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi.

Will there be a DFM representative on hand?

Yes.

One more question. Why the DFM?

Several reasons. One, they are OUR diabetes charity. Two, 100% of every dollar donated to them stays in the State of Mississippi. Three, 89% of every dollar donated to the DFM goes to the charitable cause. Four, they have a high rating with Charity Navigators, much higher than the American Diabetes Association. And five, they do a huge amount of good work in this state. For example, if a child is diagnosed with diabetes in a Mississippi hospital, guess who shows up? It's not the American Diabetes Association. It's the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. They show up with supplies, information, and personal support. Guess who educates school nurses on diabetes? It's not the ADA; it's the DFM. Guess who conducts two camps per year for children in Mississippi who are diabetics? Again, it's not the ADA; it's the DFM. I could go on and on, but visit their website at msdiabetes.org Spend a little time there, and you will see.

What can we do to help besides donate?

You can do a couple of things. One, you can spread the word about the event. Tell you family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Try to get them to donate and maybe come watch the swim. And two, you can pray. Pray for good weather on event day, and pray for good health and good training for all the swimmers.

Will there be more information forthcoming about Pool Fools?

Yes. We will post about it from time to time. We will also publish a schedule as soon as one is available.

I Runned

Not much but a little bit. First, however, I swummed. Tyler didn't show. At least he wasn't late. I can't remember everything I did, but I totaled 1,150 yards, I know there was a long warmup and there were some fast 50s. It seems that I finished with 150 on my back. 

Amazing thing. When I swim before work, I get to the job early. When I stay home, I get there barely on time, breathing hard, and glancing at my watch. But since it was Tuesday, I was off work at 1:30 after a pleasant day. I then went to Tractor Supply to pick up some cordage for a project at the City.

What's the project?

A simple one. For Christmas, my son gave me a double-end punching bag. I finally got aroung to rigging it up. It's neet. I punched it once then missed it eight jabs in a row. What!?!?! Yeah, I need some practice.

I alternated between short shuffles on the treadmill and doing my pull workout. I hit the chest-supported row machine, reverse flys with tubing, the Swim Pull, the skierg, and the heavy bag.

So it was a good day. The running totaled 2.01 miles, and I hit the upper body hard. Yes, I am still recovering from Saturday. That will take about two weeks, but I'm on the mend and thinking about kicking butt and taking names at the next race. NOT!

Monday after Mississippi River

No. Not only did I sleep all Sunday afternoon, but I slept in Monday morning. At least as long as I could. Work was nice. And long. It was nice and long.

I went to the pool in the afternoon and saw my old pal Tom Flanagan there. It had been a while since I had seen him at the pool or anywhere else. I swam 

  1,100

  4 X 50 @ WIFL

  50 back

  4 X 25 no breath

  50 back

  total: 1,500 yards 

It was about 7:00 p.m. before I made it to the gym. I did some gentle walking on the treadmill and my upper body push workout. That included some bench pressing and several more sets on the new overhead press machine. I hit a new PR on it. I have every time I've worked out on it ever since I got it. Yehaa.

How are my legs? 

Thanks for asking. They don't feel too bad walking around. I might try a little run tonight and that will tell the full story on them.

1/30 - 2/5

The event finally got here, but I have already written about that. Read about it in the previous blog post. Last week, I had a taper week, but with the marathon, I still got in a good bit of volume. Monday morning I was in the pool for 1,100 yards. That afternoon I shuffled 4.11 miles and went to the gym for some good work on the legs. I maxed my squat for a two pound PR. 

Tuesday morning I once more swam but only did 700 yards. I got a late start and had to get out early. I ran on the treadmill for 3.25 miles and did my push workout.

MDCC campuses were closed Wednesday and Thursday due to weather. I took the opportunity to bump up my swim endurance and did a 4,100 yards straight swim after sleeping a little longer than normal. Life is good. At the gym, I again ran on the treadmill for 2.76 miles and performed my pull workout.

Thursday was 1,700 in the morning at the pool and only 1.25 on the treadmill. I hit shoulders hard at the gym. Friday, besides spending time with my wife, all I did physically was to swim 1,250 yards.

You know what Saturday was. No, it was not hump day. It was the Mississippi River Marathon. I ran it, or I ran 20.16 miles of it, but had to walk some. I went, I saw, I was conquered.

For the week, I

  swam 8,088 meters,

  skiergged 4:20 minutes,

  walked 6.1 miles,

  ran 31.53 miles, and

  lifted weights four times

Hey, that wasn't bad. The running numbers were decent, I set a PR in the gym, and the swim yardage was okay. Right now, the chief goal is the recover from the marathon. Doing the 26.2, however, really put some questions into my mind about the Mississippi Trail 50. I am not sure I am fit enough to do 50 miles right now, and I really doubt I can make the cutoff. So the question is, will I go, make the trip, toe the line? I don't know. Stay tuned. Better yet, offer some prayers for me.

The 2023 Mississippi River Marathon

Four twenty-five. That's what time I got up Saturday morning, February 4, 2023. Why? I was registered for the Mississippi River Marathon. At this time of the morning, I always ask myself the same question: "Why?" But I have seen this movie before. I know What the answer will be and where I will find it. I will find it at the finish line.

I left the house at 5:03 a.m. headed for downtown Greenville. When I arrived and parked, I headed out in the cold dard to find packett pickup and make it to the shuttle bus. At 6:30, we were on our way to Lake Village, Arkansas. The half-marathon starts at the Cow Pen. The full-marathon starts on the bridge at Wiskey Chute Bayou which is just past the causeway bridge on Lake Chicot which I have swum under so many times.

The last time I did the full, there were fires, maybe twelve of them, in the open field beside where the busses parked at the start of the race. This time there were no fires, but there were porta-potties: fourteen of them. You think fourteen was enough? I went to the ditch like we all did back in 2016, I think it was. 

At 8:00 a.m., we were on our way. It was only a mile or so before I settled in beside an old man who looked pretty steady. It's always good to have some help with pacing if you can find it. I found it. Or so I thought. After two miles, I started talking to this guy. He was John Leonhart (pronounced Linhart if I heard it right).  About three miles in, I asked him how many marathons he had run.

My buddy for the day, John Leonhart.

"Two hundred and twenty-six," was his answer.

What!?!?!?!? "Are you kidding?" was my response.

He wasn't kidding. He told me that he lacked eight states from doing a marathon in all 50 states TWICE. And he was 71-years old. Dude, I thought I was old. Then we wound up running with another man who was 71. Imagine, three men running together, and I am the youngster at 66.

At mile four, I had to take a pee in the porta-john. It took awhile to catch back up to the guys. Then one of the 71-year olds noticed the fat lady ahead of us. She was doing run/walk which drives my friend Vicki Jee crazy. But I learned a long time ago that to survive a half-marathon or a full, you have to leave the fat ladies alone.

The fat lady who caused so
much trouble on our run.

The other 71 year old man took off after the fat lady. When we got onto Highway 82, about seven miles in, we caught back up with him, and he confessed that he had burned himself out in the process. Somewhere about that time, I heard my long lost pride calling my name from somewhere deep within my soul. I, however, refused to anwser.

I had to duck into the next porta-potta and then we caught and passed the fat lady who was wearing shocking pink leggins. A lovely sight for sure. Us passing her that is. At mile ten, I hit the potty for the third time since we began. It took me .75 of a mile to catch back up to John. When I did catch him he asked, "Do you have a prostrate problem?"

"Probably," was my response.

Somewhere after mile eleven, I asked him what his PR was, and he told me 2:32. Dude, that is blazing. I also asked if he went through something when the PRs stopped coming. He told me he did, that it happened in 1981, that until then he PRd every marathon he ran. He failed to PR in '81 and never did again. I didn't ask anymore questions. Men are not comfortable talking about their feelings, and I was a stranger although an imperfect one.

Around mile twelve, I chatted with a 66-year old woman from northern California. She had forty-five of the 50 states marathoned. Then we got to the Mississippi River at 13.1 miles. Did you know it takes two and a half miles to cross the beautiful bridge? You climb for over a mile. It was here that John began to pull away from me. First a step, then two, then five. "That's okay," I thought. "I'll catch him on the way down." But on the way down, the gap only grew. And he was running with the lady from California.

Mile fourteen happens on the river bridge.

Once you get across the bridge, you have six dreadful miles on the arrow-straight, almost treeless, flat and windy Highway 82. It was just past the sixteen mile mark that my right knee began to hurt. It felt like illiotibial band pain. Oh boy. So at mile seventeen, I took a walk break and clicked off my watch. I had decided ahead of time that if I walked, I would trun it off and record only what I ran.

I used a few more porta-johns, and the walk breaks became more frequent and much longer. Eventually, by around mile nineteen, I could only shuffle .05 at a time. Then the pain, which vanished when I walked, would get the best of me. So I did short shuffles and long walks as the miles slowly clicked off. My goal became just to finish and hopefully to run twenty miles. I did both. Near the end, a police car with his blue lights on pulled up behind me. Did that mean I was in last place?

I didn't care. Remember when my long lost pride called my name? It called again and flipped me the middle finger. I ignored it and kept walking with a shuffle here and there. When I crossed the railroad track on Washington Street, I think it is, I could see the finish. Slowly I drew closer. Then the cop that was following me, pulled up beside me. "You made it," he said. "Congratulations."

For some reason, that touched me. I fought back tears. That always happens. When you empty the tank, the last thing to come out is a cup full of tears. I crossed the line. They gave me my finisher's medal, a nice one, and pointed me to the food inside the building where we picked up our packets. Inside I sat down. Several people came by and chatted. We talked like long lost friends, and we didn't even know each others' names. Shared suffering does that. It creates a bond, a brotherhood, a sisterhood.

I sat a few minutes while an engraver engraved my medal. You could get three lines for free. Mine now reads:

                                           Zane Hodge

                                           Time is Classified

                                           February 4, 2023

Then I grabbed two pieces of pizza and left walking slowly and gingerly back to my truck. Will I do it again? I don't know. But if I were a betting man, I'd take odds that

Bad Weather Day Two

"All MDCC campus locations will be closed for classes on Thursday, February 2. Students should check Canvas for assignments," read the text. Yehaa and praise the Lord.

I used the bathroom (I know, TMI), scrolled through Facebook for a bit, then went back to sleep. Yeah, I dozed off another hour then felt like living when I woke up the second time. After that, it was business as usual.

You know the drill: coffee, cats, studying, blogging, and YouTube videos. Oh yeah, I had some work to do for the school, which I dutifully performed. About the time Penny asked me if I wanted her to make another pot of coffee, I answered, "No, I'm going to the pool." 

Wednesday I did quantity. Thursday was time for quality. I swam

  1,200 warm up

  3 X 50 fast @ WIFL

  2 X 25 no breath 

  1 X 75 fast

  25 no breath

  150 back stroke

  total: 1,700 yards

That wasn't enough. I am aware. But I'm tapering for a marathon, and yes that makes a difference. Different muscles, you say. But one same muscle: the heart.

Yes, I went to Plate City. How could I resist? I was cold and pouring rain. I wasn't going to run on the road, and I wasn't going to miss hanging out with Pee Wee while rain pelted that metal roof. Even though it had only been forty-eight hours since my last push workout, I could not resist that new overhead press machine. I ran 1.27 miles on the treadmill and did seven sets on the machine setting a new PR at 100 pounds. Yeah, since I've had it, I've set a new record every time I've used it.

It was great out there. I don't know what Paul Finebaum was talking about, but he was playing, the rain was pelting, and I was smiling. Thank you, Jesus, for a productive and enjoyable day.

Bad Weather Day One

It was nice. The bad weather day. We received a text around a quarter to six that all campuses of MDCC would be closed Wednesday due to the weather. Well, that wasn't bad news. Immediately, I booted my computer and began to put assignments on Canvas. Since we were working on things in all my classes, it wasn't too difficult to direct them to continue or finish what we had started. So I was through in about an hour.

What did I do then?

Three guesses. Yes, I drank coffee, petted cats, and wrote a blog post. Then I went to the pool, and since my numbers have been so bad of late, I thought it would be a good opportunity to do a straight swim. Heck, I had the time. I went 4,100 yards straight. That should add some endurance back into my swimming muscles. It took me one hour, twenty minutes, and thirty seconds. I can't do that before work.

After the pool, I came home, fixed some lunch, and rested. Yeah, I needed the rest. Around mid-afternoon, I went to Connerly's to get a new pair of Hokas. I will need them Saturday. Twenty-six point two on a worn out pair of running shoes spells severely sore legs, maybe injured ones.

Back home, I really wanted to get out on the road and test drive the new shoes. But it was cold and raining. Not happening. Instead, I will give you three guesses as to what I did. You got it. The City was calling my name. I did my running there (2.76 miles) as well as lifting weights. I did my pull workout and no, I could not resist doing one set on the overhead press machine. I love that thing.

Now I am wondering if I should lift today. Doing legs on Monday, throws everything off. I did push Tuesday and pull Wednesday. Ordinarily, I like seventy-two hours between weight session on the same muscle group. If I do push tonight, it is only fourty-eight hours. 

Why seventy-two hours? 

Lifting weights causes so much muscle damage, that you need to time for the body to repair itself before hitting it again. That is how you get stronger. You damage the muscle, and it builds itself back better than it was. The Psalmist knew this when he wrote, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). God made our bodies where they will respond to training, fight off illnesses, heal themselves from injuries. Praise God. Thank you, Jesus.

It Was Real Fun

My legs felt pretty good after the four-mile run and the max squat effort Monday. But once more I am getting ahead of myself. I went to the pool. I was a little late getting there. Then I had to get out early for necessary business. To make a short story long, I only swam 700 yards. But hey, that's better than a poke in the eye. A little bit.

I had a nice day at work, drank lots of coffee, and changed the world through my teaching. Also, I received some good news about the Greenwood Center. It is looking like we are going to be here next year, maybe for several years. That means I will be working next year, maybe for several years.

After work, I had a sudden tooth dentist appointment. I had an appointment latter in the month for another crown. I think I have spent enough money on my mouth to build my dentist a vacation home in Florida. Anyway, they called and said the crown was in, and if I could drop by we could finish this project up. Yehaa.

It was cold and rainy in Greenwood, Mississippi. What do you think the chances were of me getting out on the road and running were?

   

     a) slim

     b) none

     c) not a chance

     d) never gunna happen

The answer was e) all of the above. 

No I don't like running on a treadmill. But when you need a run and the weather is such that even the ducks call in sick, a treadmill is a gift of God. That's why He created it on the eighth day. It's in the Bible. Look it up. Not only that, but the treadmill I have was literally a gift from a nice lady who sometimes looks out for me. She gave me the treadmill and that big fan that keeps me alive in the summer time.

I ran and lifted. It was push day, and I did three sets of benches with the Swiss bar and four sets of overhead presses on Plate City's newest machine. Of everything I have at the City, this overhead press machine is my favorite. I love this thing, I love it a lot, and I love it more than that. 

Why?

It is convenient and it feels good. I know that might sound goofy. You go to the gym to work hard and are always looking for an easy way to do it. But the easier it is to get into an exercise, the more likely you are to do it and put a lot more into it. In the past, to do overhead pressing, I either had to get out the log or move some j-cups and benches and get things set up. The log is awkward and difficult. Yes, that makes it a good exercise because it works the whole body in the bracing. Doing them on the powerrack is nice, but I have to set up for them. 

Yeah, I'm lazy like that. 

With the machine, I just sit down and start cranking out reps. That's nice. I can push hard, don't have to worry about falling down, and don't have to worry about dropping weights on my head. Heck, I like it so much that on pull night guess what else I do? I can't say no to it.

So I shuffled 3.25 miles on the treadmill while it rained on the City's metal roof. That sound is so soothing that I hope it happens again today. I worked my pecs and shoulders until they started tapping me on the back and saying, "No mas." 

It was real. It was fun. Heck yeah, it was real fun.