I generally don't blog about politics anymore. Everyone has their own views and sometimes those views can be pretty strongly held. At the same time, I've always been somewhat of a political animal, and it's impossible not to be intrigued by the political machinations going on today. I have long realized that the next presidential election isn't about Obamacare or gay marriage, it's about the Supreme Court. This weekend, that became even more apparent. It is no longer a theoretical possibility that there will be openings on the Supreme Court. It is now a fact. I've watched the unfolding of the political posturing with fascination.
I find it remarkable that "conservatives" who espouse the concept of following the constitution, so easily state that the President should not nominate anyone to the Supreme Court because there will be an election in 9 months. Does that mean that once a President is within 12 months of the end of their term, they should stop being President? What about 12 months a one day? The constitution states that the President should nominate a candidate when there is an opening on the Supreme Court. It doesn't say, "but not if the President only has 9 months left in office."
At the same time, I will readily admit that both Democrats and Republicans do the same thing. I am not going to let the Democrats off the hook. However, just because the Democrats have been partisan does it mean that the Republicans are allowed to be just as, or even more, partisan. I read an interesting article today on the fact that our system of government is unique, and in some regards has not yet withstood the test of time.
Oh yes, I've discussed politics. How does that have to do with life? Well, I have been driven much of my life to want to make a difference. I even thought of running for office at one point. The degree to which I want to effect change has not always been a healthy motivator for me. Whether it is in regards to traditional political change, or my favorite subject of healthcare, I have often felt obliged to do everything possible to influence policy. When I take it too seriously, it is not healthy, so I have endeavored to take it less seriously.
Finding ways of sharing my viewpoints is great. Whether anyone listens is actually not important, or at least not too important. Whether change occurs is even less important. Why? Because ultimately we can not and should not be judged by outcomes. We need to live with ourselves based on whether we speak out for what we believe in. My priority in life is my family. I have a great wife, kids, and now a grandson. My other priority has, and, I have recently realized, will always be improving the lives of older adults in our society. That is why I went back to work. That is what I work towards every day. My final priority, not surprisingly, is exercise. Not because I love running 20 miles, but because I love being both healthy and healthful. Also, because I need balance and exercise provides me with the ultimate balance.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Friday, February 12, 2016
My road back to mental and physical fitness
2014 was an incredible year for me from the perspective of triathlon. I completed three ironman’s, the last one with a PR. I was excited about 2015 and signed up for three more races. In retrospect, I might not have taken off much time before jumping back into training, and was actually “punished” by my own body when I tripped and fell warming up for a half marathon in January of 2015 and popped a rib out of place. Most painful experience ever, by the way! I never fully got untracked, decided not to do the first IM I’d signed up for, did manage to race at Ironman Boulder, where I felt like the light switch was flickering on and off all day. In fact, while I was proud of giving the run everything I had, I’m pretty sure that in doing so, I completely fried my adrenal glands. As luck would have it, my third IM was cancelled due to weather, as I arrived at the airport in Baltimore! The fact that I was relieved should have told me all that I needed to know.
Ultimately, I took September and October off almost completely. A solid two months without any training whatsoever. I wasn’t feeling well, mentally and physically, and since I’m a doctor, was convinced that I was developing some terminal disease. My return to fitness began in November when I spoke to my coach, Tim Waggoner (aka Lucho), and decided to forgo any specific training plan. I would come back totally based on feel. He would not give me any workouts, but we would talk once a week. I did what I felt like, when I felt like it. At first it wasn’t a lot, and it wasn’t hard. I used no electronics. As the weeks passed, I started to get some of my motivation back.
Just six weeks back into my training, I actually went out and did a 25K trail race, although I really focused on pacing myself. One thing was clear, twenty years of regular exercise, including 8 Ironman’s over the past 6 six years, matters. Also, my body tends to tell me what I need to do. Over the next couple of months I intermittently struggled with hip, glute and low back issues, but they were ultimately fleeting. I have kept doing what I feel like, when I feel like it.
In the past month, I’ve started added intensity, and have actually been having a lot of fun. Regular computrainer workouts with 10 x 1 minute at a solid wattage really gets the blood flowing. I even got in a 4 hour ride on my computrainer, which is encouraging from the perspective that I know that when the time comes to increase my bike volume, I’ll have no issues.
My weakness in ironman races has always been my run. I’m relatively consistent, but have felt that I am capable of running faster. After discussing this with my coach the other day, I have set a goal of doing as many 20 mile runs as possible over the next 5 months. My next IM is in early August. Today, I went out and ran 16 miles at a comfortable pace of 9 minutes/mile. We’ll see how my legs feel tomorrow. If they feel good, I’m on the right track.
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