Rusty's Dream is a sculpture along one of my routes. It serves to add a moment of humor during a ten mile run ..read more

As I rolled into town, I felt a welcome sense of relief. I had accomplished my goal, but things certainly hadn't gone as planned. Though I had trained for months preparing for the bicycle trip, the challenges along the way were impossible to foresee. The idea of spending my vacation riding from Columbus Ohio to Gettysburg Pennsylvania occurred on a bike ride with my friends. I’d wanted to try something new to challenge my mental and physical stamina again. I had run the Boston Marathon five years earlier and was familiar with what endurance training entailed. The trip was set for August of ..read more

Spent the day healing up from a fall I took during my run yesterday. Over the years, I have taken a tumble every once in a while. It's usually tripping over a root, a rock, or just a crack in the sidewalk. I always think each time will be the last time ... it never is. At the age of 65 I notice I don't get off the ground quite as fast. But somehow I can still get up. This one hurt. I stepped on a rock which twisted my ankle and sent me to the ground on my left side. The inventory of what hurts is as follows: Scraped up hands Scraped up knees Knot on the side of my head Sore rib Sprained ank ..read more

I have resided in western Colorado for the last 6 years. The climate is very different from the midwest, where I had lived most of my life. Running here has it's challenges but I've learned to love it. The air is clean and fresh with no flying insects to speak of, unless you run along the Colorado River Trail which is home to the occasional swarm of gnats. The sun shines about 245 days out of the year with humidity levels in the single digits at times. Rain is always a welcome respite. Summers reach above 100 degrees ... winter temps fall below freezing. Wind speeds average 10 to 15 mph. It ..read more

After so many years of hitting the road, I can reflect back and see that running .... 1) Simplified the complex when I was wrestling with a problem. 2) Reassured me to keep moving forward when doubts crept in. 3) Calmed me down when I felt anxious about a matter.  There's something about hearing your rhythmic breathing and steady footfalls as you mentally work through life's predicaments. Your perspective on how to react to those problems is altered by the physical discipline of running and the positive results thereof.  ... and people say running is nothing more than a way to injure ..read more

Once in awhile a run comes together beautifully. The heart and lungs are functioning well as every bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament efficiently propels you forward. It’s then you know that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be ... and it brings joy.With some, the body and mind are at war ... compulsions, addictions, etc. If tried, the discipline of running can strip away all pretense and reveal the truth. It is a mirror that cannot lie, taking you to the place where restoration can gain a foothold. I suggest that you don't think of your run as a chore that you just want to get out of t ..read more

I run, I bicycle, I hike and ... I play the banjo. You may think that playing the banjo shouldn't be counted as part of 'cross training'. Well, for me it's been pretty handy. It exercises my 'brain' and helps me to withstand the mental fatigue and inner arguments associated with distance running. The discipline that it takes to practice and perfect Scruggs style banjo picking reminds me that any success comes at a cost and pushing on through is well worth it. It took months of noise that didn't sound at all like bluegrass music. But I broke through eventually and I was off to the races (no ..read more

Maybe the ultimate benefit of running is how it enhances other areas of your life. Here are a few of the things I’ve experienced after years of lacing 'em up … 1) Health benefits compared to other men in my age group. I’m on no medication. My heart, lungs and digestive system are all functioning well. Muscles are strong and I have no issues with balance. 2) Mental acuity that helps me think clearly in decision making. The mind that’s been toughened by thousands of miles of running is a wonderful tool later in life. 3) Self discipline that filters into all of life’s challenges. I see myself bei ..read more

A few years ago I traveled east to visit family. While I was there I wanted to see what it would be like to run at near sea level. I'd been running in the higher elevations of western Colorado with a difference in altitude of about 4000 feet.  I put my shoes on and took off down the road. I found it to be just as I’d hoped ... my breathing wasn’t labored at all. Obviously this was going to be fun I thought. I decided to see how much I could pick up my pace and still maintain good air. So far ... so good ... SO GOOD. At last I was flying down the hill leading home and wouldn’t you know it? … I ..read more

In my 20's I felt like I was part of the herd and needed to establish my place as an ‘alpha male’ runner at races during that time.  Now, in my 60's, I find that It wasn't about those races after all ... it's what running gave me in the solitude of all the miles in-between ..read more