Doctors say the darndest things

Walter had a check up a couple of days ago. I saw the same doctor a few weeks ago to deal with something on my skin. This doctor doesn't see me as often as he does Walter.

My low heart rate (48 when I went to the doctor - 45 when the dentist checked a couple of weeks ago, normal is 60 - 80) came up as a subject of discussion with the doctor. He told Walter not to startle me when I'm at rest because it could lead to fainting. According to the doctor being startled leads to a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate and since both my blood pressure and heart rate are low, I'm vulnerable to fainting if startled. So I guess instead of telling me to sit down, I should run a few laps before receiving startling news.

I've been thinking about this too much for the past two days. Sort of bracing for something unlikely to happen. I know part of Walter wants to test the doc's assertion. I kind of want to test it myself. I haven't read any articles about runners having this problem.

I have an appointment to give blood on Friday. I will find out if the blood pressure is too low for the Red Cross. I have given three times since taking up running.

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Loki likes wearing his life jacket but he really does not care for riding in the canoe. I need to get a picture of him modeling his jacket. He did last 5 minutes longer than his previous trip but we won't do anymore canoe trips with Loki because it puts stress on both Loki and Walter. I wouldn't mind taking him on a camping trip if a safe place were available for him to be while we paddled around in the canoe. He loves to ride in the truck and play at the lake.

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Maybe Mary Worth has given up appearing in her comic strip for Lent. Wrong season in the real world but at the glacial pace that Mary Worth time moves it could be the Lenten season.

Help is on the way

The AC repairman is on his way. Our AC went out last night. Fortunately, it is relatively cool right now (highs in the low 90's, lows in the upper 60's). I'm sitting in the hottest room in the house writing this blog entry.

It was nice to be able to sleep in and then run in the daylight, today.

This week I biked and ran 23.53 miles, burned 2369.4 calories and weigh 149.3 pounds.

Monday: ran 3.47 miles in 41:18
Tuesday: bike 3.09 miles in 13:57
Wednesday: ran 6.09 miles in 1:07:21
Thursday: ran 2.41 miles in 26:32
Saturday: ran 8.47 miles in 1:35:42

I skipped Friday because it was so pleasant in the shade and I did not feel like going to the gym. I had talked Walter into a sunset canoe trip but his head hurt and we went out to dinner instead. I did get Loki into his life vest and was able to make adjustments. I may need to make some more adjustments to make it easier for him to urinate. He doesn't mind wearing the jacket.

We will attempt an evening canoe trip on Sunday.

Exercise Log: August 24 - 30

This week I canoed, ran and biked 27.48 miles, burned 2492.1 calories and weigh 149.9 pounds.

Sunday: canoed .5 mile
Monday: ran 2.15 miles in 24:14
Tuesday: biked 2.96 miles in 13:53
Wednesday: ran 1.14 miles in 15:00 and 6.08 miles in 1:05:00
Thursday: ran 2.01 miles in 24:37
Friday: biked 4.02 miles in 18:46
Saturday: ran 8.62 miles in 1:43:52

My canoe experience was short because Loki accompanied us. A half mile was all he could handle his first time out so I took him out of the canoe and walked with him while Walter paddled some more. I let him go off leash in the swimming area and he had a good time splashing in the water and chasing turkey buzzards.

I bought a life jacket for him for our next trip. Hopefully, he can last a bit longer in the canoe and maybe learn to swim.

Canoe trip pictures

The pilings from an abandoned bridge. Any traces of the road have disappeared.
Taking a break from dragging the canoe down a very shallow part of the river. On the way back we found the deeper part and did not have to get out and drag.

I wear a big hat and SPF 45 sunscreen because I come from a long line of people who do not tan well.

The banks of the Navasota River.

More pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/22287142@N02/sets/72157606316256215/

The canoe is a 14 foot Old Towne Guide 147. It weighs 75 pounds. Its max carrying weight is 800 pounds and its optimum is 400. So far we've been about 50 pounds short of optimum. Either have to carry more provisions or take the dog. Perhaps try both.

Canoeing and littering

Walter and I went canoeing yesterday. We planned on the Brazos River but could not access it with the canoe. Instead, we paddled on the Navasota River about 4.5 miles worth. We had to get out and drag the canoe in a couple of places. We found a few anglers on our trip and too much litter.

People go to nature to get away from it all but end up trashing the place.

We ran into a Brazos County Constable walking around trying to find an address among the trash at the river access point. He advised us of another access point to the Navasota.

I have trouble wrapping my mind around littering. Is this some kind of class thing that my middle class upbringing will never understand? I never see bottles or cans from a micro brew or regional beer company laying around (might have a different picture if I lived in Austin or Portland). See plenty of Bud, Keystone, and Milwaukee's Best cans and bottles but never Shiner or Guinness (or a malt liquor)*. I know people who drink Miller and Bud while fishing but they dispose of their empties properly. These folks have had the same middle class upbringing that I had. Every week I spend some time picking up beer cans that were thrown in my side yard (I live on a corner lot). I would think that everyone in the neighborhood is in pretty much the same economic class so why do I have to pick up beer cans and other litter out of my yard? Where is the transition point from it's okay to leave the empties to putting the empties into a container for pick up? Can anyone explain why some people litter?

*I would still find the litter annoying even if it was a better beer.

Exercise Log: July 14 - 19

This week I biked, ran, rowed and canoed 21.14 miles, burned 1523.7 calories and weigh 145.3 pounds.

Monday: biked 3.02 miles in 13:35
Tuesday: ran 3.40 miles in 35:00
Wednesday: rowed 1.27 miles in 10:00
Thursday: ran 3.19 miles in 35:00
Friday: biked 4.08 miles in 17:58
Saturday: canoed 3.02 miles in 1:02:26; 3.16 miles in 1:01:33

For my Gold's Gym Games training
Monday: 12 Push Ups, 2 Pull Ups w/120 pounds of assistance on machine, 27 Sit Ups, 1 min. Jump Rope, 16 Leg Press (160 pounds), 3 Bench Press @ 60 pounds
Wednesday: 12 Push Ups, 7 Pull Ups w/ 150 pounds of assistance, 36 Sit Ups, 1 Min. Jump Rope, 18 Leg Press (160 pounds), 8 Bench Press @ 55 pounds
Friday: 15 Push Ups, 14 Pull Ups w/ 150 pounds of assistance, 40 Sit Ups, 1 Min. Jump Rope, 21 Leg Press (160 pounds), 7 Bench Press @ 60 pounds

Next week's plan: use 140 pounds of assistance on Pull Up Machine, 80 pounds Lat Pull down
Monday: canoing, row and games training, 55 pounds Bench Press, attempt unassisted Pull Up
Tuesday: 30 minute run
Wednesday: bike 2 miles and games training, 60 pounds Bench Press
Thursday: 30 minute run
Friday: row and games training, 65 pounds Bench Press
Saturday: 1 hour run

Paddling

The look on Mary Worth's face is icon/avatar worthy and scary. Hopefully, Jeff has invited her over in order to trap her. The sound of her voice has weakened him, can he handle her full presence? Can Dr. Sansabelt handle that 1980's Ocean Pacific tee?

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We bought a canoe yesterday and took it out on Lake Bryan. I enjoyed paddling with Walter. I'm glad he has found something active that we can do together. He found some paddling trails on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website. Both of us need to get in better paddling shape before tackling the trails.

Google maps is a great thing for scouting out the water way before setting off.


We will try a trip with Loki in the canoe to see how he likes it. He does enjoy laying in water and he likes going on trips with us.

I need to work on my paddling technique.