| 2021-03-19 | Good Morning World! | We're all in this together. When you are out running or walking, acknowledge the people you pass with either a Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, Hi, Hey or Eh. Some won't reply back. We'll be the start.
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| 2021-03-24 | First test for COVID | It's been a year since we started our 2 week lock down to stop the spread of COVID. In that time, I have never had any COVID symptoms. At least, none that didn't exist prior to that time. During the past year, I've never had to be tested for COVID. Last Saturday, I was one of the USATF officials at the UMW track meet.
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| 2021-03-26 | Historic Half Iron Mile Story | Even with the state of Virginia opening in-person running events to more than 1000 participants, again this year, the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon will be virtual. I'm one of the group of about 70 participants who have finished all 13 editions of the race, including a virtual race in 2020. Recently, the Marine Corps Marathon Office reached out to Iron Mile club members who are registered for the 2021 virtual race to profile participants on their blog site. These were their questions:
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| 2021-03-28 | Playing with a Running Blog | I've been setting up a blog site to write about my running experiences and the world in general. I'm in the process of testing my social sharing buttons.
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| 2021-03-29 | Spring Flowers | I can tell we had a regular winter by when my daffodils bloom. There were no nights below
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| 2021-04-01 | Don't Try This at Home | The most important workout each week when training for an ultra or marathon is a long run. I would not recommend the long run workout I ran today to any person doing their first marathon or ultra. It was only 18 miles. But
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| 2021-04-02 | Second Vaccine Shot | Yesterday, I got my second COVID vaccine shot. It was 21 days since the first dose. I received the Pfizer vaccine. 14 days from now, I'll be considered fully vaccinated.
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| 2021-04-03 | Second Test for COVID | Again today, I passed my COVID quick test. I was one of the USATF officials at the UMW track meet.
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| 2021-04-09 | Sign up for my Blog Update Emails | I don't always post my blog updates to Facebook. If you want to receive a notification email whenever I do a new posting
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| 2021-04-11 | Halloween 2020 5km Shirt | Probably, I have too many race shirts. Almost 6 months ago, I ran the Halloween 5km at the Jeff Rouse Center. Saturday, for the first time, the shirt from that race bubbled up to the top of the stack and I wore it on my 6 mile run.
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| 2021-04-12 | Devil's Den 2020 Shirt | This year's Devil's Den 10 Mile will be on August 15, 2021. Race organizers have asked for me to measure the course going in a counter clockwise
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| 2021-04-14 | Fully Vaccinated | Yesterday in the news, there has been one death and six other cases of blood clotting in persons receiving the Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine. These are high enough for the FDA to pull the J&J vaccine from future use. The death occurred in Virginia.
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| 2021-04-19 | Derek Chauvin Trial Update | Friday April 9, 2021 was the tenth day in the prosecution's case. There are so many terms used in the presentation, I'm not sure how the jurors can retain all of this information. The prosecution presented 2 or 3 witnesses that testified with similar information. One thing we learned from the OJ case, the trial was too long.
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| 2021-04-22 | Happy Earth Day 2021 | I learned how to drink from a glass when I was 2. Ok, I might have used a sippy cup for a while. So, why do restaurants give you a straw with every drink and refill? So, who dumps all the plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean?
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| 2021-04-27 | Where have all the runners gone? (April 2021) | I started at 8:20am on a Saturday morning and finished an hour later. During my entire 6 miles, I did not pass one other runner. There were a couple of walkers on Lee Drive and a couple pushing a stroller on the VCR trail.
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| 2021-04-30 | 2021 Virtual Historic Half-Marathon | I hope this is the last virtual race I will need to run. I've been running the virtual Grand Prix races and the Historic Half to continue my race finish streaks. This was my 14th Historic Half finish.
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| 2021-05-05 | Vic versus Robot Callers | Since I no longer need to use my phone number as a business line, I changed my outgoing message to try and weed out the computers from the humans.
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| 2021-05-14 | Virginia Republican Convention | Because of COVID, the Virginia Republican Party could not hold an in-person convention to nominate their slate for the 2021 Governor, Lt Governor, and Attorney General elections. Since an in-person convention was not possible and a primary may not produce good choices, the party needed to develop a new approach to determine nominees.
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| 2021-05-16 | 2021 NFL Schedule | Since the 2002 season, the NFL schedule has had a perfect parity. This coming fall, the owners and players have agreed to expand the regular season to 17 games. Throwing a wrench at the monkey
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| 2021-05-18 | Psyllium Husks and Sugars | I'm trying to figure out how to consume Psyllium Husks that equate to 12 grams of fiber with no more than 8 grams of sugars.
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| 2021-05-23 | 2021 Granite State Marathon | I ran the Granite State Marathon in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. This race was the second day of the New England Challenge. The Challenge is six marathons in six days—one in each New England state.
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| 2021-05-24 | 2021 Maple Leaf Marathon | I ran the Maple Leaf Marathon in Fairlee, Vermont, on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. This race was the third day of the New England Challenge. The Challenge is six marathons in six days—one in each New England state.
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| 2021-05-29 | 21 Dead in China Ultramarathon Tragedy | When I got up this morning, there was a steady heavy rain. I looked at my weather app to see 55 degrees and rain most of the morning with a bit of wind. I made it through my six-mile run. Last weekend, 21 runners in a 100 km ultramarathon in China perished
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| 2021-06-02 | UVA 29, VA Tech 0 | On Monday May 31, 2021, UVA increased its lead over Tech
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| 2021-06-04 | Go for 25: Now available on Amazon | I see many how-to books written by great ultrarunners and elite athletes on ultra running and what they overcame to be great. But, there are more of us ordinary people than the elites. In 2020, I was preparing to complete my 25th consecutive JFK 50 Mile race. A week before registration for the 58th edition opened, I started having severe digestive issues where I could not run more than four miles without searching out facilities. I became concerned that I would have to stop every five miles during the race to find a porta pot. On May 20, 2020, I started this daily journal documenting the process that got me to the JFK finish line six months later.
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| 2021-06-08 | June 8, 2021 Primary | This morning, I exercised my voting rights as a US citizen. In Virginia, I do not need to declare a party affiliation. Thus, the primaries are open to all registered voters. What happens when you have an election, and nobody shows up to vote?
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| 2021-06-09 | 2021 Great Train Race | Last Sunday, the 27th Great Train Race was held as an in-person event in downtown Fredericksburg. The event included three races, one mile, half-mile, and quarter-mile runs for kids 18 years old and younger. The turnout was the largest mass participation event in Fredericksburg since March 2020.
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| 2021-06-10 | Long Run June 10, 2021 | I got out early this morning. I wanted to avoid the heat and the possibility of rain. My cleaning lady comes at 7:30 am on long run days. So, that is another motivator to get up early and out on the roads.
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| 2021-06-13 | 2021 SPCA 5km Rescue Run | We're back to in-person races without COVID restrictions. On June 13, 2021, I was able to line up for the start of a 5 km in downtown Fredericksburg without having to wear a mask, stand on an X or wait for my wave. This trend is the start of something big.
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| 2021-06-17 | Long Run June 17, 2021 | I got out early this morning. What a beautiful day to run. For the middle of June, the dew point was in the low 50s with clear skies and low winds. These are days I dream of running.
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| 2021-06-19 | 2021 Losing to Live 5km | Pastor Steve Reynolds is the race director and the director of the Losing to Live program that incorporates running to help with weight loss. Today's race is the end goal.
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| 2021-06-26 | Major League Baseball in 2021 | This game was my first post-COVID in-person experience. Stadium workers wore masks, and most fans did not. Most of the concession stands inside the park required to order online and pay and then pick up.
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| 2021-06-27 | Long Run June 24, 2021 | At 6:30 am, it was cold for June 24 with a dew point of 48 and temps in the low 50s.
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| 2021-06-29 | Slow is a Relative Term | Don't take an offense to the terms slow, old, or fat. These are all relative individualized words based on how you feel. Most runners are critical of themselves. As a result, we are never as young, fast, muscular, or good-looking as we desire.
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| 2021-07-01 | Kevin Can F Himself - Review | When the waiter asks how her husband died, she responds, "Oh, I killed him."
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| 2021-07-03 | 2021 Reedville Firecracker 5km | Today was the 19th edition of the race that supports the Reedville Fisherman Museum. The museum holds the race on the closest Saturday to the fourth of July. Reedville usually has its race, parade, and fireworks on this closest Saturday.
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| 2021-07-04 | 2021 Heritage Festival 5 Mile | Today was the 41st annual Heritage Festival 5 Mile in downtown Fredericksburg. Since 1990, I have been involved with the race as either a participant or timer.
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| 2021-07-07 | Downtown Mile for CASA 2020 Shirt | This year's race is on Saturday, September 11, with the first heat starting at 5:30 pm. Registration is open at runfarc.com.
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| 2021-07-08 | Long Run? - July 8, 2021 | I may have to rename this blog sloweroldrunner.com.
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| 2021-07-10 | Sheehy Toyota of Fredericksburg | I traded my 2018 Ford F150 XL for a new 2021 Toyota Corolla LE. I did the transaction at Sheehy Toyota of Fredericksburg, a sponsor of many local races. It was an easy peasy and pleasant experience.
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| 2021-07-15 | Long Run - July 15, 2021 | I have not tried to run more than 100 paces at a time since last Thursday's long walk.
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| 2021-07-17 | Dynamic Foot and Ankle | I think the issue started after the 2018 JFK 50 Mile, held on the snow and mud-covered AT, and the muddy C&O Path. Probably, I did not clean my left foot off well enough after the race and developed a toenail fungus.
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| 2021-07-21 | 2021 Tour de France | The 108th Tour de France wrapped this past Sunday. The NBC Sports Channel has carried each race stage in its entirety for the past many years. After my morning runs, I'll usually watch an hour while stretching. Since I've recorded the race on my Tivo, I will skip through the commercials and the nonaction parts of each stage.
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| 2021-07-22 | Long Run? - July 22, 2021 | Working with my personal trainer, physical therapist daughter, I'm not going to run for another week. I'll keep walking, stretching, and strength training daily.
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| 2021-07-28 | Google Did it to Me, Again | Google owns feedburner.com. Sometime in the summer of 2021, Google will shut down the Feedburner site. This site has been the procedure that slowoldrunner.com was using to send emails when I post a new article. As a replacement, I recommend using follow.it to replace that functionality.
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| 2021-07-29 | Long Run - July 29, 2021 | I have not run much in the past two weeks. Since pulling up after six miles on July 13, I've been doing a lot of walking, stretching, and strength training, trying to resolve the issue that is pulling at my right groin muscle.
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| 2021-07-31 | Adulting is Hard | For Ms. Biles, the actual mental health issues are coming as she will need to cope with this loss of ability and how it impacts her self-image.
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| 2021-08-02 | 7 Running Tips from the World's Best Timer | As a Chronotrack and Winning Time timer, I have been able to associate with some of the best timers in the world. The bibs at the Antisocial 7.000.000 mm races teased the list of 7 running tips from the world's best timer. Here's the list:
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| 2021-08-04 | Sweden 3, Canada 1, USWNT 0 | On July 21, 2021, at the Tokyo Olympics, Sweden out hustled, outran, and outplayed the US Women. Sweden kicked their butts all over the field. In the few minutes, I watched, multiple US women laid on the grass with injuries. Before the game, the USWNT knelt during the US National Anthem. Maybe the USWNT should work out and hone their skills rather than spending their time trying to figure out how to choreograph protests
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| 2021-08-10 | 2021 Dahlgren Heritage Rail Trail 50km | For the past 4 1/2 weeks, I did more walking than running. I have not run for more than 6 minutes without walking. I was able to stretch, and strength train each day. My goal was to finish the 50km in 8 hours.
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| 2021-08-12 | My Single Bottle Belt | I don't remember ever throwing this belt in the washer. Over 26 years, the only cleaning was running in the rain. This belt has gotten me through many long runs and races.
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| 2021-08-14 | Information Please | I'm not a fake news conspiracy nut. However, I'd wish we could get more factual data on two recent stories and then be able to make conclusions. The news reports "Orange Man Bad."
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| 2021-08-15 | 2021 Devil's Den 10 Mile | Since 1996, the Fredericksburg Area Running Club has hosted a 10-mile race in late August. The club's objective was to provide a long race event for those runners training for a fall marathon or other long event.
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| 2021-08-18 | What I Learned on NPR - May 2021 | I'm not a big fan of NPR. They seem to have a political slant and lobby ideas, all in the form of a non-profit organization.
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| 2021-08-21 | Long Run - August 19, 2021 | After two long races on consecutive weekends, I was able to get out for a long run Thursday. Mentally, I prepared to do a long race this fall.
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| 2021-08-24 | College Football Playoff Expansion | The start of college football season is days away, and college sports are erupting in chaos again. NIL has a significant impact on all college athletes and more so with football players.
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| 2021-08-27 | Long Run - August 26, 2021 | As the summer goes on, we are finally into usual Virginia summer weather. When I got out for my long run just before 7 am, it was a sunny 74 degrees with a 72-degree dew point.
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| 2021-08-30 | Guns | With the Taliban's 11 day takeover of the Afghanistan government, our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms becomes more relevant.
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| 2021-09-02 | Long Run - September 2, 2021 | Yesterday, the remnants of hurricane Ida blew through and took all the humidity with it on its way north. When I got out on my long run, the sunny skies had a temperature of 61 degrees with a 55-degree dew point.
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| 2021-09-05 | 2021 Fawn Lake Triathlon | The 12th Fawn Lake Triathlon was held on August 29, 2021. RTU timed this race from 2009 to 2019. The race organizers asked me to fill the USAT official role again this year. So, I was there bright and early at 6 am on race morning.
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| 2021-09-08 | UVA Football - September 4, 2021 | I had UVA football season tickets from 2001 to 2009. I had to drop them when I was working races every Saturday and Sunday in the fall. Now that I have retired, I can get to some of the UVA home games that do not conflict with races
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| 2021-09-11 | Long Run - September 9, 2021 | I'm doing much better. I still have some aches and muscle strains on my right side and worry that they may become severe during a run. So, I'm running a little slower and cautious.
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| 2021-09-13 | 2021 Downtown Mile for CASA | The Downtown Mile in July 1994 was the first race managed by the Fredericksburg Area Running Club. The original director was Chris Campbell.
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| 2021-09-18 | 2021 Deuce Braswell 5km Run Against Teen Violence | This year was the 16th edition of this race held in the memory of Baron P Braswell II (Deuce), who was senselessly murdered on January 20, 2006. His parents Gwen and Baron Braswell, have managed this race all 16 years
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| 2021-09-20 | Compression Shorts & Brohuggers | The brohuggers for men are 3/4, and full split shorts with the front panels pulled up under the waistband exposing the upper thighs to the cooling breeze.
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| 2021-09-23 | Never Do These 7 Things | I pondered, "I'll never be able to run a race like that again." Then again, I should never say never and thought of 7 things you should never do.
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| 2021-09-26 | Long Run - September 23, 2021 | I'm glad I wrote my last FARC newsletter article about motivation. Today, me writing that article got me started and through my 20-mile long run.
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| 2021-09-29 | School Board Meetings | Public comment time at local Board of Supervisor, City Council, and School Board meetings are becoming raucous battle royals.
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| 2021-10-02 | Long Run - September 30, 2021 | Fall is here. The early 50 degree mornings make long runs pleasant.
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| 2021-10-05 | The Bobby Cox Theory on Winning Division Titles | Since 1969, the start of division play, the Braves have won the most division titles, 21. Second, with 20 titles each, are the Yankees and Dodgers.
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| 2021-10-08 | Double Elimination | This August, I was following the Little League World Series out of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Both the first and third-placed teams only lost one game. They beat each other one time. So, why did the team from Michigan finish first?
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| 2021-10-13 | 2021 Newport Marathon | This past weekend, I found out that Rhode Island is not flat. The typical east coast seaside marathon is pancake flat with a bit of up and down.
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| 2021-10-15 | Chatham Bridge is Open | It's been 16 months since I could run directly from my house to downtown Fredericksburg. In June 2020, the Chatham Bridge was closed for total rehabilitation.
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| 2021-10-18 | 2021 10km Run through History | Fall came quickly. It happened Saturday afternoon, Oct 16, 2021, while I was sitting in Scott Stadium watching UVA beat Duke 48-0.
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| 2021-10-21 | 87 Saved in Snowstorm during Utah 50 Mile Ultra | I was born in Utah and lived in Salt Lake City until 1970. Currently, my youngest is living in Salt Lake. So, when I heard a national news story about a snowstorm causing issues with a Utah 50 Mile Ultra with a headline stating, "87 Saved ...", I needed to do more research into this race, which ran on October 9, 2021.
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| 2021-10-24 | Trevor Bauer | In the Bauer case, there are too many strange happenings and makes one wonder. This case has impacted a person's career dependent on youth, and we don't know why?
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| 2021-10-27 | Long Run - October 21, 2021 | This morning, I was lazy and didn't get up until 7 am. Staying up until midnight to watch the Braves beat the Dodgers may have been the cause. I got out just after 8:30 am and ran from my house across the Chatham Bridge through town to the end of Lee Drive.
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| 2021-10-30 | 2021 Halloween 5km | Running the 5km this morning wasn't the brightest thing I have ever done.
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| 2021-11-02 | Long Run - November 1, 2021 | On Monday, October 25, I still had not registered for JFK. I planned to do my regular three weeks before JFK trail run on Wednesday, October 27, and then decide. But that night, I came down with a sore throat and scheduled a COVID test for Wednesday. I canceled my run for that day.
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| 2021-11-05 | Election Day 2021 | The past Tuesday was a good day for me.
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| 2021-11-06 | 2021 Family Fun Cow Run 5km | With daylight savings time pushing sunrise to 7:30 am, the sun would not be warming the overnight low above freezing before the 8 am start.
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| 2021-11-10 | What Motivates You? | There are those mornings where I don't feel well enough even to open the door. The weather may be brutally hot, humid, rainy, or snowy. I'd rather sit and mope, doing nothing. What motivates me to get out the door and get started? What motivates you?
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| 2021-11-14 | 2021 Veterans Day 10km | Arsenal Events hosts this race which starts on River Road and finishes in Pratt Park. This race is one of the few that closes River Road.
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| 2021-11-15 | 2016 JFK 50 Mile | 21 in the can. This year I started playing with the house's money. I thought I would stop after 20. However, I needed a fall race goal to keep from getting a big butt.
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| 2021-11-17 | JFK Forecast | My forecast for this weekend's race: Friday evening, there will be high anxiety followed by restless sleep. In the morning, it will be dark, followed by a large front moving into Boonsboro around 6:15 am.
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| 2021-11-21 | 2021 JFK 50 Mile | 26 JFK 50 Mile races are in the can. In the parking lot after finishing number 25, I told Meg that it was probably my last JFK. Since 1998, I mailed my form in on the first day or registered online within the first week.
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| 2021-11-23 | Vaccination Mandates | There is a simple solution to the situation based on personal freedom. It's part of that life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness clause.
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| 2021-11-25 | 2021 Fredericksburg Turkey Trot 5km | The Thanksgiving Day Fredericksburg Turkey Trot returned today after the 2020 edition was changed to a virtual run due to COVID. This year was the 29th edition of the race, which started in 1993 and is operated by the Rappahannock Area YMCA.
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| 2021-11-29 | Rules Don't Apply | The significant three issues in road races are headphones, strollers, and dogs. All three are safety issues in larger races. I've heard the rationale that "I always do my training runs with X. I know how to be safe." I don't do my training runs next to people with headphones, strollers, and dogs. You irritate me and probably others, too.
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| 2021-12-02 | Mizuno Breath Thermo Gloves | I may be looking for a 100% knit material glove soon.
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| 2021-12-05 | 2021 Fredericksburg Blue & Gray Half-Marathon | This race is the 21st Fredericksburg Blue & Gray Half-Marathon. Other Civil War Battlefield locations have unassociated Blue & Gray Half-Marathons, the most notably, Gettysburg.
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2021-12-08
| College Football Playoff Revisited
| With the ranking of Division I college football teams being the opinion of people and schools not being able to earn their way to the playoffs, I keep thinking of ways to improve my playoff ideas
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| 2021-12-12 | 2021 Frosty 3 Mile
| Today was the second year for this 3 mile race held at the Rouse Center in Stafford, Virginia. I completed this race for the second consecutive year, three weeks after JFK and one week after the Blue Gray 1/2 Marathon.
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| 2021-12-14 | My Favorite Races #10
| Race Name: Mental Health 5km
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| 2021-12-17 | My Favorite Races #9
| Race Name: Old Dominion 100 Miles
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| 2021-12-20 | Paul's Bakery 2021
| Paul's Bakery has the best donuts in town.
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| 2021-12-23 | Letter to Santa - 2021
| :Santa, you're the concept of giving that might motivate us to strive for peace and goodwill for all. For Christmas, I would like
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| 2021-12-26 | Wegman's - Carded at 65
| As previously reported on a Facebook post, on Christmas Eve, a cashier at Wegman's asked to see my id to make sure I was old enough to buy beer. The last time I was carded, I was 35.
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| 2021-12-31 | 2021 Running Recap
| In 2021, I was on pace to run 2000 miles. I needed to run 141 more miles than in 2020. By the Fourth of July, I was 82 miles ahead of last year's pace.In 2021, I was on pace to run 2000 miles. I needed to run 141 more miles than in 2020. By the Fourth of July, I was 82 miles ahead of last year's pace.
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| 2022-01-10 | 2022 Would Like a Mulligan
| A famous comedian's routine was titled "Never Challenge Worse." No matter how bad things were, they always can worse. After 2020, people said, "this was a bad year. It can't get worse". Or, can it?
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| 2022-01-12 | Michael and Son
| Michael and Son missed 4 of 7 appointments that needed to be rescheduled. I would say they are as bad as the cable company. But, that would be disparaging to the cable company. If you can tolerate the lack of proactive communications, missed appointments, and customer service reps, you need to explain the situation on every phone call; they are OK to work on your plumbing.
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| 2022-01-15 | Long Run - January 13, 2022
| My first long run was only 11 miles on my Belmont-Ferry Farm, Falmouth Bridge, Heritage Trail route. I want to build up to a weekly 20 mile run by late March. If the snow clears, it will be out to Lee Drive next week
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| 2022-01-18 | Saucony Triumph 19
| They are cushioned neutral shoes with a semi-curved last. They are heavier than my current primary shoe, Saucony Endorphin Speed 2.
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| 2022-01-21 | My Favorite Races #8
| Race Name: Riverbank 12 km
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| 1/24/2022 | Long Run - January 20, 2022 | What a miserable day for a long run. |
| 1/27/2022 | Sheehy Toyota for Fredericksburg - Service Dept | I've owned my 2021 Toyota Corolla for six months and took it in for my first recommended service to Sheehy Toyota of Fredericksburg on January 18, 2022. The entire process from appointment to completion went smoothly. |
| 1/30/2022 | Long Run - January 27, 2022 | I needed to increase my long-run distance to ramp up for a spring marathon. Usually, I only jump the length by 2 miles over the previous week's run. However, last week's rain kept that run shorter than desired. |
| 2/2/2022 | Sex and Gender - Part 1 | From my readings, I started forming my opinions on transgender participation in athletics. This posting is a start and will follow with additional posts on the subject. |
| 2/5/2022 | Long Run? - February 3, 2022 | I hope this is not a sign of things to come for 2022. Today was the third bad weather day for a scheduled long run. |
| 2/8/2022 | Living Wills and Goose Poop | What does it mean when you are thinking about writing your living will and medical directive in the first couple of miles of a run? |
| 2/11/2022 | Long Run - February 10, 2022 | I succeeded. |
| 2/14/2022 | Nathan Hypernight Glove-Mit | These gloves are suitable down to a 25-degree wind chill by balling my gloved hand inside the mitten overlay. |
| 2/17/2022 | Real Estate Taxes Explained | Many residents and I received our Stafford County real estate assessments on February 14, 2022. Immediately following, many exasperated posts appeared on social media on how increases in values were unfair and debilitating. The posts contained many misconceptions and assumptions. |
| 2/20/2022 | Long Run - February 17, 2022 | What a beautiful day for a long run. My run was not as good as the conditions. |
| 2/23/2022 | My Favorite Races #7 | Race Name: John Robbins 8 km |
| 2/26/2022 | 2022 Dahlgren Trail half-marathon | The race is run on the old rail bed trail. The Navy built the rail line in 1942 to provide supplies to their Dahlgren Base. |
| 3/1/2022 | Sex and Gender - Part 2 | What is a man? What is a woman? What is a boy? What is a girl? We all have preconceived ideas and stereotypes that define these words. |
| 3/4/2022 | Long Run - March 3, 2022 | Long runs in recent weeks have not been successful. Because of this, I have yet to register for my 27th JFK. |
| 3/7/2022 | 2012 JFK 50 Mile | I started posting my JFK race reports on Facebook in 2012. 2012 was the second year I used the 5 am start time. In the 15 years through 2010, I started at 7 am. In 2010, Following is my 2012 post from Facebook. |
| 3/10/2022 | Thinking Time Limits for Baseball | While owners are locking out major league players and negotiations are bogging down, there are discussions on improving the speed of play and making the game more fan-friendly. What if we had thinking time clocks in baseball? |
| 3/16/2022 | Sex and Gender - Part 3 | Sexual preference is independent of one's gender or sex. This split is difficult for many to comprehend. Most have hang-ups that a particular sex can have only one sexual preference. |
| 3/19/2022 | 2022 Grand Slamrock 5km | Today was the first race to finish inside the Fred Nats Stadium. The stadium was built in 2020 for the Washington National Single-A farm team who moved from Prince William County. |
| 3/22/2022 | My Favorite Races #6 | Race Name: Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon |
| 3/25/2022 | 10 Pitcher Limit | Limit a team to ten pitchers on their active roster. If a pitcher is removed from the active roster, he cannot be reinstated for 30 days. |
| 3/28/2022 | NFL Overtime Rule Changes | We've just started the NFL year. In the 2021 playoffs, the coinflip at the Kansas City versus Buffalo game may have been the deciding factor. Many changes have been proposed. I have a couple of my own. |
| 3/31/2022 | Long Run - March 31, 2022 | Today, I did my last long run for a marathon I'm running in April. |
| 4/3/2022 | UVA 30, VA Tech 0 | On Saturday March 19, 2022, UVA increased its lead over Tech |
| 4/6/2022 | Extra Hitter | I have to accept that the designated hitter is here to stay. How about a better idea? I'll call it "Extra Hitter." Here is how it would work: |
| 4/9/2022 | 2013 JFK 50 Mile | Somebody recently told me that if it wasn't posted on Facebook, it didn't happen. So, here are my reflections about my run at the 2013 JFK 50 mile this past Saturday. |
| 4/13/2022 | 2022 Virtual Stafford Hospital 5km | They call it the Cabin Fever 5km. I revert to the original name of Stafford Hospital 5km, which starts at the hospital at Stafford Courthouse. |
| 4/15/2022 | My Favorite Races #5 | Race Name: Stumblefoot Derby (about 2 Miles) |
| 4/18/2022 | MLB Did Something Right | It's difficult to say, "Major League Baseball did something right." They've had labor contract disputes, and their on-field product is not stimulating enough to our attention-deficit youth. |
| 4/21/2022 | 2014 JFK 50 Mile | 19 in the can. 364 days until finish number 20. I made it through the JFK 50 mile this past Saturday feeling much better than I have in a long time, well, at least through the first 27 miles. |
| 4/27/2022 | 2022 Riverboat Series (Day 2) Marathon | The course was 60% in the shade. I was concerned about getting sunburnt. And the course, 18 out, and back laps. From end to end was just over .7 miles. So, 1.4 miles per lap with two 180-degree turns per lap. |
| 4/30/2022 | 2022 Riverboat Series (Day 5) Marathon | This race was in the Columbus-Belmont State Park in Columbus, Kentucky. So, I'll give it the name Columbus Marathon. |
| 5/1/2022 | 2022 Great Train Race | On Sunday, May 1, the 28th Great Train Race was held as an in-person event in downtown Fredericksburg. |
| 5/5/2022 | 2022 Riverboat Series (Day 7) Marathon | This race was on the Tunnel Hill Trail, starting in Vienna, Illinois. So, I'll give it the name Vienna Marathon. |
| 5/9/2022 | Follow Me on Twitter | I've set up a Twitter feed for @slow_old_runner. When I do a blog posting, there will be a tweet on my feed. |
| 5/11/2022 | Mainly Marathons | On the marathonguide.com site, I found the three races I ran in the last week of April. The three races were part of the Riverboat Series managed by Mainly Marathons. |
| 5/15/2022 | My Favorite Races #4 | Race Name: Shamrock Marathon |
| 5/18/2022 | 1996 JFK 50 Mile | In 1996, I posted a race report from my first JFK finish on the Dead Runner Society Ultra List. Jeff Reed took the posting and saved it to a permanent site |
| 5/20/2022 | Giving Up on a Printed Newspaper | I've subscribed to the Free Lance-Star since moving to Fredericksburg in 1983. The paper's coverage of local news is excellent and informative. |
| 5/23/2022 | 2022 Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon | Today was my fifteenth finish of the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, Virginia. I'm one of 82 who has finished all 15 years and am part of the Iron Mile Club. |
| 5/26/2022 | 6 Year Olds Doing Marathons | Of course, the big bruhaha is the 6-year-old participating in a marathon. I don't remember an outcry for the family's other 6-year-old participating in 2017. Is this a problem? Is somebody to blame? |
| 5/30/2022 | UVA 31, VA Tech 0 | On Sunday May 22, 2022, UVA increased its lead over Tech |
| 6/3/2022 | Trevor Bauer - May 2022 Update | Earlier this month, Bauer was suspended through the end of the 2023 baseball season. By that time, he may be past his prime. The punishment may be justified. |
| 6/6/2022 | Training in the Rain | I do my long training runs on Thursday mornings. Every Thursday in March 2022, there was either rain or the threat of rain. Come on, Man! |
| 6/9/2022 | 2015 JFK 50 Mile | My training this year was hampered by issue after issue. It started in March when I tweaked my right knee while running. I refused to go to the doctor as anything he did would have probably prevented me from running yesterday |
| 6/12/2022 | 2022 SPCA 5km Rescue Run - Virtual | The Coldwell Banker Elite Grand Prix allows participants to run series races virtually and receive finisher credit. I ran a marathon on the SPCA race date and used a portion of that race for finish credit. |
| 6/15/2022 | My Favorite Races #3 | Race Name: Colonial Beach 10km |
| 6/18/2022 | NCAA Equal Male/Female Profit Splits | This change may give schools a reason to invest in a sport regardless of sex that might give them the best profit alternative. |
| 6/21/2022 | Book Info | Training for your first ultra? |
| 6/24/2022 | Abolish the Shift | There is talk of outlawing the shift. This rule would require two infielders to the left of second base and two infielders to the right. Maybe there is a different way. |
| 6/27/2022 | 2022 Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon | runners remember the last part of their experience the most. Have them leave happy. It's not the great beautiful course that I remember. |
| 6/30/2022 | 2022 Governor's Cup Marathon | Intermediate goals are good. I finished the Governor's Cup Marathon in Helena, Montana. I planned to finish 5 miles in 1 hour, 10 miles in 2 hours, 15 miles in 3 hours, and 20 miles in 4 hours. That would give me 2 hours to complete a 10 km. |
| 7/4/2022 | 2022 Fallen Heroes 5 Mile | Today was the 23rd time I had finished this Fourth of July race in Fredericksburg, Virginia. From 1990 to 2019, the local Lions club managed this race. In 2021, the Fredericksburg Fallen Heroes took over the event. |
| 7/5/2022 | 2022 San Juan Island Marathon | My legs were dead from the start. On June 19, 2022, I finished the San Juan Island Marathon on San Juan Island, Washington. This race was my sixth marathon finish in 8 weeks. |
| 7/9/2022 | Road Trip - June 2022 | Getting there is half the fun. On June 2, 2022, I left on a 22-day road trip to the west coast, running three marathons and visiting relatives on the way. |
| 7/11/2022 | Price You are Willing to Pay | Are you ready for an Economics quiz? I have three economic questions. Give them a try. |
| 7/15/2022 | 2017 JFK 50 Mile | 22 in the can. I need a fall race goal to keep from getting a big butt. It's getting harder and harder. |
| 7/17/2022 | My Favorite Races #2 | Race Name: Heritage Festival 5 Mile |
| 7/21/2022 | Long Run - July 20, 2022 | I haven't done a long-run posting in a while. With the races I've run over the past three months, I didn't get back on a weekly long-run schedule until after July 4. |
| 7/24/2022 | DFL | Would the past tense verb form be DFLed? |
| 7/27/2022 | NIL | There are varying opinions on the effect of NIL. I believe it will lead to students shopping schools for the one that will give them the most NIL dollars. |
| 7/30/2022 | College Football Conference | Now, more than ever, the non-Big 10/SEC/FBS schools should consolidate into one College Football Conference ("CFC") that will decide their champion on the field of play. |
| 8/3/2022 | Virginia Driver's License | In my 50 years of driving, I've only had a Virginia Driver's License. |
| 8/7/2022 | 2022 Dahlgren Heritage Rail Trail 50km | The good, I finished in less than 8 hours. The bad, my last 14 miles were slower than 15 minutes per mile. And the ugly, most of those 14 miles were over 17 minutes per mile. |
| 8/9/2022 | Sex and Gender - Part 4 | Gender identity is independent of physical fact and leans toward how one feels. |
| 8/12/2022 | 2018 JFK 50 Mile | You must have a little good fortune to finish the same race for 23 straight years. You have to be healthy and trained on the same day. And, cooperating weather helps. |
| 8/15/2022 | 2022 Devil's Den 10 Mile | With a breathing issue and eight days after a crappy 50km, a ten-mile race is a necessity. |
| 8/18/2022 | My Favorite Races - long | Before I get to number one, here are some races that would have made the list if my list was longer. In no particular order, races 10 miles or longer, excluding marathons. |
| 8/21/2022 | Oximeter | One of the benefits of getting older is access to Medicare. In the words of Yakov Smirnoff "what a country." |
| 8/24/2022 | Tan Lines | don't you hate those tan lines? |
| 8/27/2022 | Student Debt Relief | The headlines don't match the plan, which is ambiguous enough to cause controversy. |
| 8/30/2022 | Domino's | Sunday, August 28, 2022, was my last night as a part-time driver for Domino's. For the first time since 1961, when I entered kindergarten, I don't have a scheduled life. |
| 9/3/2022 | Long Run - August 31, 2022 | At my August 24 meeting, my test results indicated obstructive lung disease. I don't exhale everything out of my lungs. |
| 9/6/2022 | 2022 Fawn Lake Triathlon | The 13th Fawn Lake Triathlon was held on August 28, 2022. RTU timed this race from 2009 to 2019. The race organizers asked me to fill the USAT official role again this year. So, I was there bright and early at 6 am on race morning. |
| 9/9/2022 | 12 Team College Football Playoff | During the Friday afternoon news dump of Labor Day weekend, networks announced the decision for a twelve-team College Football Playoff. |
| 9/11/2022 | 2022 Downtown Mile for CASA | My goal for the race was not to pull or aggravate a muscle. |
| 9/15/2022 | 2019 JFK 50 Mile | 24 in the can. I need a fall race goal to keep from getting a big butt. Even after 24 years, I can surprise myself with my results. |
| 9/19/2022 | 2022 Deuce Braswell 5km Run Against Teen Violence | This year was the 17th edition of this race held in memory of Baron P Braswell II (Deuce), who was senselessly murdered on January 20, 2006. His parents, Gwen and Baron Braswell have managed this race all 17 years |
| 9/21/2022 | My Favorite Races - 5km | Before I get to number one, here are some races that would have made the list if my list was longer. In no particular order, 5 km races. |
| 9/24/2022 | What Should I Do? | "Ιm real gіrl аnd lоokіng for ѕеrіous аnd hot rеlаtionship..." |
| 9/27/2022 | UCAN | UCAN is a line of energy drinks, snacks, and electrolyte replenishment products. |
| 9/30/2022 | A-Fib | Thanks for all the well wishes on Facebook. I'm back in sinus rhythm and wearing a heart monitor. |
| 10/3/2022 | Magic Number | we can calculate a magic number for the leader as (leader's games remaining + games lost by leader- games lost by wannabee+ 1) |
| 10/6/2022 | The Weather People Who Cried Wolf | In the current media environment, producers are looking for clicks and eyeballs. Every hurricane, snowstorm, and thunderstorm is the end of the world. |
| 10/9/2022 | New Rules for 2023 Major League Baseball | Recently, MLB has announced rule changes that will go into effect for the 2023 season. I've made a few suggestion posts that they failed to read. |
| 10/12/2022 | Concussion Protocols | Runners don't have concussion protocols. Should there be competency protocols for Ultrarunners? |
| 10/15/2022 | My Favorite Races - short | Before I get to number one, here are some races that would have made the list if my list had been longer. In no particular order, races shorter than 10 miles, excluding 5 km. |
| 10/18/2022 | Sex and Gender - Part 5 | Gender expression is how a person portrays themselves to the world. The portrayal is not based on the person but on how the general masses want the world to exist. |
| 10/21/2022 | 2022 Duke City Marathon | I was not sure how I was going to do. On October 16, 2022, I finished the Duke City Marathon in Albuquerque, New Mexico. |
| 10/24/2022 | 2020 JFK 50 Mile | 25 JFK 50 Mile races in the can. I need a fall race goal to keep from getting a big butt. Since last year’s race, I’ve lost 17 pounds. Right now, we don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I was not planning to lose weight. |
| 10/28/2022 | 2022 JFK 50 Mile | Usually, I write my race reports after the race. I've come to the point of making a decision. Run the 2022 JFK 50 Mile, or break my streak. |
| 10/31/2022 | 2022 Halloween 5km | "Running the 5km this morning wasn't the brightest thing I have ever done." That is how I started my 2021 Halloween 5km race report. I'll start my 2022 post with the same feeling |
| 11/3/2022 | Fernando Tatis Jr | Now I wonder, is the Symbicort I'm taking on the USADA banned list? |
| 11/7/2022 | 2022 FredNats Salute to Veterans 5km | We had the second Coldwell Banker Elite Grand Prix race of the year to finish inside the FredNats Stadium. |
| 11/9/2022 | Election Day a Holiday? | Commentators have discussed making election day a national holiday. Their feeling is this would allow everybody to get out to vote. |
| 11/12/2022 | My Favorite Races - Marathons | Before I get to number one, here are some races that would have made the list if my list had been longer. In no particular order, marathons." |
| 11/15/2022 | 15km Course Measurement | On Sunday, November 13,2022, I measured a 15km course for USATF certification. |
| 11/18/2022 | Election Math | A couple of days ago, President Trump threw his hat in the ring for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. |
| 11/23/2022 | 2022 Route 66 Marathon | I decided to get out of town on JFK weekend. That way, I would not experience weather nostalgia. On Thursday, November 17, I headed to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to run Sunday's Route 66 Marathon. |
| 11/25/2022 | 2022 Fredericksburg Turkey Trot 5km | This year was the 30th edition of the Thanksgiving Day Fredericksburg Turkey Trot, which started in 1993 and is operated by the Rappahannock Area YMCA. I've either run or timed the race 29 times. |
| 12/1/2022 | The Anatomy of a Streak | Streak: noun - an uninterrupted series, verb (used without object) - an act or instance of running naked through a public place. |
| 12/5/2022 | 2022 Fredericksburg Blue & Gray Half-Marathon | On December 4, 2022, I finished my eighth Blue Gray Half-Marathon. I was 27 seconds faster than last year. I was happy with the race I ran. |
| 12/8/2022 | Kevin Can F Himself (final season) - Review | A sitcom? When Kevin leaves the scene, the scene turns drama dark, and the laugh track silences. |
| 12/10/2022 | 2022 Frosty 3 Mile | A 5 km course would block either the entrance to the Rouse Center or cross Austin Ridge Rd. Neither option was acceptable to the Stafford Sheriff's Department. So, we reduced the race distance to 3 miles. |
| 12/13/2022 | Sleep Solutions - Review | My sister had sleep apnea, and my parents snored. My ex from the early 2000s told me I snored so badly that it affected her sleep. So, I thought I snored. She lied. |
| 12/15/2022 | My Favorite Races #1 | Race Name: JFK 50 Mile |
| 12/22/2022 | 2022 Hawai'i Bird Conservation Marathon | I know that monitoring the weather is an essential factor in race preparation. For once, I had to monitor volcanos. This running stuff is good for your brain. |
| 12/27/2022 | Tru by Hilton | Tru motels provide most of the Hampton Inns' amenities at a lower price point. Their target market appears to be younger travelers. |
| 12/31/2022 | 2022 Running Recap | I finished the year with 1902 miles compared to 1900 for 2021. I took four road trips, driving about 20,000 miles to run eight marathons. |
| 1/7/2023 | New Year's Resolutions | My goals this year are to do at least one posting per week, no later than Monday morning, and finish a marathon or four. |
| 1/14/2023 | Bradycardia | Bradycardia is a heart rate of fewer than 50 beats per minute. Some say it is a rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute. |
| 1/29/2023 | Cold Weather Running Tips | We’re almost to Groundhog Day and haven’t had any measurable snow this winter. Don’t worry; |
| 1/22/2023 | 2022 Coldwell Banker Elite Grand Prix | Thanks to all the fast runners who did not complete seven races in the past year's Grand Prix series. With your help, I finished second in the 65 to 69-year-old age group. |
| 2/3/2023 | Deja Vu, All Over Again | Have I been here before? Is it the time of year for a time loop? |
| 2/25/2023 | FARC Singlets | Over the years, we've had six singlet versions. |
| 2/19/2023 | 2023 Dahlgren Trail half-marathon | Today was the start of my 2023 racing season. I wanted to see my response to my improved long runs and training. |
| 3/4/2023 | UCAN Hydrate | I've always thought I had a handle on hydration and electrolytes. The symptoms of thirst and dark urine did not exist, and I always carried replenishment drinks on my runs for longer than an hour. |
| 3/11/2023 | Saucony Triumph 20 | The only constant in the running shoe business is change. |
| 3/19/2023 | 2023 Grand Slamrock 5km | Today was my first 5km race of the year. My training runs have improved over last year, so I was unsure how that would translate to race speed. |
| 5/1/2023 | A Matter of Inches | If you didn't like algebra class, this article might not be for you. Do you remember this formula? Distance = Rate x Time |
| 3/25/2023 | Where's Dilbert? | I managed a Wally, and had a pointy-haired boss |
| 4/2/2023 | 96 Team March Madness | With NIL and the transfer portal, college basketball has more parity. There are rumors that the March Madness tournaments will be expanded to 90 teams. |
| 4/8/2023 | Max Heart Rate | What a Country! As part of my Medicare Advantage Insurance, on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, I received a free FitBit Inspire 2 with a year subscription to FitBit Premium. |
| 4/17/2023 | 2023 Stafford Hospital 5km | Overall, a productive weekend. I want to thank Jeff Peterson for pulling me and then pushing me through this race. |
| 6/22/2023 | Fitbit Inspire 2 | This review introduces to those without smartwatches to what is available and my Fitbit experience. |
| 4/24/2023 | 2023 Heppe Chiropractic 15km | Four weeks before the Marine Corps Historic Half, a 15 km or 10-mile race fits into most training programs. With that in mind, Heppe Chiropractic resurrected this 15km race |
| 5/10/2023 | Measuring the Historic Half Courses | On Monday, May 1, I received a text from the Marine Corps Marathon Organization. Their staff had issues measuring their May 21 race courses for USATF certification and wondered if I was available. |
| 5/19/2023 | 2023 Prairie Series (Day 3) Marathon | The Kansas race was in Hiawatha, a small town 40 miles west of Saint Joseph, Missouri. Saint Joseph is where many Oregon Trail wagon trains organized and started their trek |
| 5/21/2023 | 2023 Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon | After completing two marathons last Sunday and Monday, I was unsure how I would do. I planned to run easily and not worry about time or place.. |
| 5/29/2023 | 2023 Run for Valhalla Memorial Day 5K | By 66, I should know better and make a more realistic projection. |
| 6/3/2023 | 2023 Prairie Series (Day 4) Marathon | my readiness level was 1%. My FitBit app recommended, "Your body might need rest. For active recovery, try light walks, stretches, or restorative yoga." If I tried the stretches or restorative yoga, I would never get through 26 miles. So, I went the light walk route. |
| 6/11/2023 | 2023 SPCA 5km Rescue Run | Abnormal for June; the weather provided a lovely morning to run. The temperature at the start was 62 degrees with a 53-degree dew point and no wind. We've been lucky this spring for excellent racing conditions. |
| 6/20/2023 | 2023 Anchorage Mayor's Marathon | I finished a marathon in my 49th state in the 49th state in the 49th edition of the Anchorage Mayor's Marathon. |
| 7/4/2023 | 2023 Fallen Heroes 5 Mile | The Fredericksburg Fallen Heroes organization did a tremendous job managing this race. A big thumbs up! |
| 7/9/2023 | Shortest Possible Route | Have you ever run a marathon and wondered why your Garmin indicates that you ran almost a mile more than 26.2 miles? It's a combination of two factors: the error of the measuring device and your inability to run the shortest possible route. |
| 7/15/2023 | FXBGO | Can you be disappointed with poor service when you expect to pay nothing for that service? |
