22 Years and Counting

Greetings! Over 21 years I’ve become pretty good at planning for odd situations that call for extra steps to preserve The Streak. For the most part, I’ve managed inclement weather, the occasional ache and pan, and international travel. A couple of years ago, we took a week-long cruise on a very small boat with no exercise room. It worked out fine because the cruise was in the Galapagos Islands. The weather was lovely all hours of the day and night, especially the early morning when I worked out on the top deck.

The last year proved to be a difficult one, for sure. I didn’t plan on some health issues like a hernia or nerve damage in my right foot. Carefully, I worked through those issues. In December we took a trip to South America, which included four days on the boat. It did not have an exercise room. I wasn’t worried as I had a similar experience in the Galapagos. The major difference came as this ship cruised channels in Patagonia and around Cape Horn. It was very cold, windy and often raining. Exercising on the top deck was cold, wet and miserable.

Other changes over the last twelve months made preserving The Streak not a simple as it has been for more than a decade. We moved. We seriously downsized. Our previous home had an exercise room with more space at my disposal than many yoga studios. Our new home does not have a dedicated space for exercising. As a result, I gave away most of my exercise equipment. We joined a gym to make up the difference. It’s not the same. However, I’m getting into a new routine. For the first time in 22 years, I had my anniversary work out in a gym. Embracing change felt like the appropriate thing to do.

Given the planned and unexpected events of the last 12 months, The Streak remains intact. I always say if you make this exercising your priority, you’ll find the time each day and you’ll find a way to get it completed.

Long live the streak.

Tom

No More Jell-O

Greetings! I hope all is well in your world. In March of this year, I mused about The Streak reaching 21 years while reflecting on turning 50.  In that post I wrote, “As you know, I love to quote John Mellencamp lyrics. The 21st anniversary of The Streaks seems like as a good occasion to continue the trend. In Mellencamp’s song, Don’t Need this Body, he writes:

This getting older

Ain't for cowards

This getting older

Is a lot to go through.”

Oh my, it’s like I put some sort of craziness into The Universe.  Since that time, I had a hernia and repair surgery. Both of which seriously threatened The Streak.

The health and wellness community strongly encourages people to have a colonoscopy after turning 50. Yesterday, I had the procedure. Let me join my voice to the masses. First, do it. Second, the day before is more annoying than the procedure. I didn’t have any polyps, so that made my experience as low key as possible. It was a breeze. I was out of the office in an hour. We went straight to lunch and had a normal evening.

Seriously, this getting older is not for cowards. Being healthy sure makes a different in the process. I told Shannan my new message for The Universe is, I’m done with hospital gowns and Jell-O. The Streak will help with that, I’m sure.

Make Good Choices. Run.

Tom

The previous blog mentioned above can be accessed at this link:

http://drtlp.blogspot.com/2018/03/21-years-and-counting.html

Road to Recovery

Greetings! Thank you for your support and words of encouragement. It’s been a month since surgery and all is well. I preserved The Streak most of the last five weeks using an elliptical. At first, I was using it without any incline. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been gradually increasing the intensity. Also, I included in a three mile run or cardio workout every two or three days. The doctor gave me the go ahead to begin the road to normal last week. I took a few extra days just to be sure. Yesterday, was my first day of light resistance training. It felt good.

There is a new resistance and high intensity interval training program coming next month, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1RzwOvzRVY .  My plan is to be ready to dive back into regular exercise with its arrival.

Again, I deeply appreciate your support.

Recover. Run.

Tom

Humanities as Vocation

Swoop looking over a city square in Prague.

Greetings! Below is a link to the current episode of Public scholarship postcards. The topic is Humanities as a Vocation. I teach an introduction to the Humanities course. Some of you are probably thinking the question I am often asked, what do you mean by humanities? Learn how our college mascot, Swoop, is part of the answer and more by listening to the podcast.

Enjoy the human experience. Run.

Tom

Long Live The Streak!

Greetings! In my opinion, the team at Northside Hospital rank alongside the best. I received great care from kind and thorough professionals yesterday. My procedure went exceedingly well. Afterwards, I experienced no real pain at all. That holds true this morning. That is a gift and I am Thankful!

Even though I feel great, I took caution and completed my daily exercise using the lowest setting on our Elliptical. The Streak has been in preserved! I can’t foresee any reason this situation will cause an interruption. I worried a lot the hernia and the surgery. I believe there was good reason for that. I realize I am fortunate in so many ways. Among them, I have immediate access to high caliber healthcare, wonderful friends, family and coworkers who have been incredibly supportive. As always, Shannan shined. I am overwhelmingly blessed to have such a loving, considerate and fantastic life partner.

Thank you all!

Tom

Preserving The Streak

Greetings! I’ve had my wisdom teeth removed and oral surgery as an adult. That’s more than I wanted, and quite enough for me. Nonetheless, today I’m scheduled for out-patient hernia surgery. The last couple of weeks haven’t been that bad. I haven’t really been in pain, so I completed some light resistance workouts, a number of 3-mile runs, but mostly I kept to low impact cardio. Of course, I didn’t change my dietary habits, so I gained weight like it was magic.

The medical professionals keep making a lot to do about post-op pain. I must say I’ve be overwhelmed at how hard they have pushed the high-power pain medication and I haven’t even had the procedure. I feel certain I can get through this without opioids. That’s a purely personal position. I understand the role they play in recovery.

For me, the greater issue will be finding a meaningful way to exercise for thirty minutes tomorrow and the immediate days following without having a negative impact on the corrective work of the surgery. At present, The Streak is 21 years and 53 days old. Preserving The Streak is important to me. I will appreciate it if you will send your positive thoughts in my direction.

Find A Way. Exercise.

Tom

Iconic Lips

Greetings! This Public Scholarship Postcard podcast will look at lips and pop culture.  Our quick trip across time will make mention of the super celebrity, Marilyn Monroe, America’s great Pop Artist, Andy Warhol, legends in the music industry, The Rolling Stones, the cult classic movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and a couple examples of everyday mixed media. 

Click the link below to hear the entire podcast.

Listen. Run.

Tom