Monthly Archives: June 2006

This morning I ran 10 km on the trails. It was very hot at 31 degrees C towards the second half of my run. Then I went to work. From my bone scan results and the symptoms, my doctor thinks I have gout. What is gout? I quote from the following web site: http://www.arthritis.ca/types%20of%20arthritis/gout/default.asp?s=1 “Gout is a type of arthritis that results from too much uric (pronounced yur-ik) acid in the body. Uric acid is a waste product that naturally occurs in the body. It is normally flushed from the body by the kidneys through urine. With gout the body either makes too much uric acid or does not excrete enough. The uric acid forms into crystals that, because these have nowhere else to go, deposit in different parts of the body. Often the excess uric acid crystals deposit in the joints. This causes pain, swelling and tenderness in the … Continue reading →

I am very happy to announce something that may give encouragement to those who need it. Marilyn just got the results of the state of her health from her doctor for the first time since she started an active running/cross-training program last August. Her cholesterol levels are much lower, her blood pressure is lower, and her BONE DENSITY has INCREASED since her last scan. These results took much less than a year so for all you people who wonder if a CONSISTENT exercise program (along with a nutritious and balanced diet) really helps or if it is just propaganda, I say my wife is living proof. I will soon be going for my physical including a bone density scan and I am sure it will also be better than last time. We both take Calcium supplements (500 mg twice a day). As you all no doubt have read, reasonable amounts … Continue reading →

Last Wednesday I tried to run the route mapped out by 5peaks in the river valley. I got lost and so I ended up doing probably an extra km. The route was fairly dry since it had stopped raining for about a half day and during my run it only sprinkled a little. I did this again today after we got several days of heavy rainstorms and it was very muddy and slippery. Marilyn and I did it and again I got lost in a different place and so added yet another km to our planned 5 km route. Someone must be actively checking out the proposed route because last Wednesday I crossed a certain wooden bridge covered in chicken wire to prevent slipping. The bridge was very rotten and in poor condition. Today when we got to the same bridge, it had collapsed into the ravine in a pile … Continue reading →

Today I measured a pace of 10:34 per mile over two miles. Actually that is not quite correct since the indoor track we go to says that it is 7.15 laps per mile, or 4.44 laps per kilometer. Before I run my 15 laps, I walk one or two for a warm-up and another one or two after for a cool down. Since I measure over a run of 15 laps that is actually 2.1 miles, so my time is better than reported, but hey, who’s counting? I am? Oh! But anyway… Then I swam 1 km plus 50 meters, which just happens to be 42 laps. We swim 42 laps because that number just seems so right, what with it being the answer to life, the universe, and everything! Although I am still resting after every two laps, my time is improving. Today it took me one hour and … Continue reading →