So after getting up and drinking at least one cup of coffee, I head out for my walk-run every other day as a complement to cycling. I have a great 3-mile course laid out across the street doing loops around a Moravian cemetery, where the tombstones lay flat instead of upright for some reason. Some are decorated with American flags while others have the occasional flower. Squirrels dance between the graves, and if I'm early enough, I'll see a fox or two. If I'm lucky, sometimes I see a pretty lady that I can pretend I'm not looking at, even though I am.
I usually don't even begin to run until I have the first mile under my belt. Yesterday, as I completed my first lap, I could see one of my neighbors, an old drunk who sells his SNAP benefits to a barkeep every month. He glared at me as he waited for a ride and was shouting, "Come across the street, mother fucker, and I'll break your nose!"
Where the Hell did that come from? I decided to ignore the guy and began my second lap, going uphill and trying to steady myself on uneven surfaces, littered with branches from the previous night's rain. There are usually two dogs at the crest who bark wildly every time they see me. "Come across the yard, mother fucker, and I'll break your nose!", they are saying. I usually say Hi to them, but they were sleeping in so there was no greeting. Just dancing squirrels.
As I finished my second lap, the old drunk was still waiting for his ride, still glaring, but smoking a cigarette. But I pretended not to notice him again and started my third lap and hill. This is when the sweat starts, and this is when I start running in small spurts.
I have pretty bad hip arthritis, which is why I mostly cycle. But I still love running and miss the days when I felt I could go on forever. This was not one of those days. Almost immediately, my left hip was in pain, but I pushed ahead because sometimes tit goes away after the joint is lubed up. This was not one of those days. I was still making good time and continued, as the sweat began to pour out of me.
As I finished the third lap, the old drunk's ride had just arrived. It was an old beat-up truck taking him somewhere to a job where he worked off the books. As he got in, I could see him waving his arms and pointing at someone, but it wasn't me.
Lap 4 begins again. After I reach the top of this mini-mountain, I begin to run again, thinking about different stories I could write, wondering why the tombstones at this cemetery are all flat and listening to crows yell at me for invading their turf. I'm running a bit faster now.
On my fifth lap, I am running a bit faster and am now drenched in sweat and am starting to feel pretty good except for the arthritis.
After the sixth lap, I keep running and head to a nearby Catholic church, where I can hear the kids scream and well as they play. My left leg nearly gives out twice. I am slowing down, but feel good.
Eventually, after 3 miles, I stop. Finished. Drenched with sweat. Endorphins have kicked in, but so has the arthritis.
I see a neighbor and ask, "Was the old drunk yelling at me?"
"No, he was yelling at me for calling him a SNAP scammer, and I have it on video."
"Good for you. Good for you." I say and walk inside.
I apply ice and check my VO2Max.
I feel good, but the graveyard still awaits. In the meantime, today is a good day to ride.
20 comments:
Bernie, I played men's and co-ed volleyball all over the Lehigh Valley until I was 51 years old. I had to stop because degenerative cartilage and osteoarthritis had taken over after 25 years of that, nearly 25 years of pitching fastpitch softball, many years of playground and city league basketball, and running 3-5 miles daily for conditioning to play the sports I enjoyed. Arthroscopic surgery in my left knee to clean it out followed. When he was finished with surgery, Dr. Diorio at coordinated health remarked, "Dana you're running and jumping days are over." Since 2022 I have had each knee replaced and 3 screws inserted in my left hip after being tripped while photographing a concert and spending 3 days in trauma at the hospital. Earlier this week I ventured out to hike one of my favorite trails at Hawk Mountain out to the north lookout, the first time on that trail in over 18 months. I needed a trekking pole for the first time to help provide some balance as I worked my way along the rocky trail. I'm a year older than you are and still remain active as much as possible, but it's an adjustment for sure. I haven't started up trail biking yet after the hip fracture, but it's coming soon. Keep doing what you're doing, as long as you can and want to do it. We only get one opportunity in this lifetime to enjoy what we do, so keep on keeping on.
Don't cross that church threshold...
Credit to the drunk. At least he's working.
Good morning. Tomorrow I turn 73. After a mostly sleepless night from a shot of prednisone for a yellow jacket sting to my face but a side benefit to my typically achy hips and shoulder,I enjoyed your post.
I also love my runs. The past years have been disrupted by numerous health troubles including a propensity to stub a toe and break a bone in my foot generating a5 different 7 week hiatus from even strolling. My proudest accomplishment was completing a marathon at age 62 with the guidance of Jeff Holloway run walk method and rare determination to train. Two months later, as a result of that commitment, i also completed Ragbrai, the 470 mile biccycle ride across Iowa.
Interestingly, I also loop in a cemetery as part of my route. Tomorrow morning, after a hopefully better night's sleep, I will grudgingly get on the scale, record an ugly number and enjoy the gift of the lowest morning temps I have seen in weeks. Walk, run, walk. Record the time, record the distance,record the heart rate. This from a person who didn't start working out until age 46.
Years ago in a different place I lived I also walked a cemetery accompanied by my cocker spaniel. My favorite inscription: "As you are now, so once were we. As we are now, so you will be. Please don't forget to pray for us."
Have a great ride tomorrow morning.
Imagine the fraud that exists in all our federal programs. It’s rampant. Don’t ever stop exercising!!
Geesh Brenda I dint meen to skare u ven i'd yeled at ya. I wass chust fuggin wit ya. Have a goud day. May da only arthuridis you sperience be in your pecker. LOL
Hokie Joe.
There are fraudsters to be sure. I see it. But there are far more people who could actually use a little more help. Maybe they'd get it if there were fewer cheats. Probably not, but maybe.
Wow! A marathon at age 62? That is impressive. I have to admit that though most of my cardio is cycling or the elliptical, my favorite is and always will be running. And my run these days is mostly a slow jog. Love the inscription, which says more bluntly what I was trying to say in this essay.
Hokie, my goal is to be like you one day.
I saw your Facebook post and envied you. I will drive on but have no intention of getting artificial anythings. We all have an expiration date and I often think our doctors do more harm than good with needless tests or surgeries that can take so long to recover from as we age.
Lol, I was in a church on Saturday for my evil Republican brother's 50th wedding anniversary. That should hold me for a year or two. I did enjoy reading about Ahab as I waited for the service to start.
When I need a moment of mental break from working, I check Bernie's blog. It never disappoints. Thanks, Bernie!
Come on down to Holy Saviour in Bethlehem, it's beautiful, it's quiet and many of Bethlehem's finest from the Greatest Generation and later are interred there.
Your left hip hurting while jogwalking around the cemetery with tombstones lying over. That sounds as if you are strolling one of the circles of hell Bernie.
I once had a professor whose favorite expression was, “inherent in the use of any good thing is some abuse.” You could apply this maxim to any constitutional right, or to a welfare scammer.
In God's Acre, what Moravians call their cemeteries, the tombstones are all flat and the same size to symbolize that everyone is equal in death. In fact, in our cemetery in Nazareth, there is only one larger stone in the old section, now covered by grass. I was told it was for a student at Nazareth Military Academy that drowned after saving a classmate from that same fate.
Next time you run through there, take a look at the front section with the trees. You will notice that there are a variety of trees there that are not normally found in Pennsylvania. Returning missionaries brought them back and planted them there.
Chris Crook
I appreciate that bit of knowledge, Chris. .
I recently took up Japanese Slow Jogging. It is an actual technique. It utilizes the motion of running at the pace of a brisk walk. I watched YouTube videos on the technique. Bernie, I think you’d like it.
Get a new hip Bernie. Best thing ever. The rest of me is still 62, but the new hip is amazing!
Get the hips dude. You won’t regret it.
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