Weekly Log 22-Jul to 28-Jul-2019: Zig Zag

Miscellaneous Ramblings:

• I must be naive, as I never realized until now the band name "The Doobie Brothers" was chosen for their penchant for, well, doobies.  I thought they were just brothers in a band, like, "The Allman Brothers Band".  Yeah, I guess the surname "Doobie" sounds a little suspicious, but I never put it together.  Crazy!
• A planned fall marathon is out the window for me.  I was hoping to run either Steamtown or Mohawk Hudson, but I have to be realistic at present on my limitations and lack of running.  So glad I got in the Myrtle Beach Marathon in the spring this year.

Monday:  4
As soon as I got up and hobbled downstairs in pain, I knew any running was out the window.  Like yesterday morning, I was very creaky and again couldn't lift my right arm.  Took my morning dose of Prednisone with breakfast while pondering that I just don't foresee I'll be able to run in the mornings anytime soon, and I'll have to change up my routine.  Fortunately, there are plenty of runs and races in the evenings in the summer, and hopefully (?) by the end of the summer things will improve.

As usual, I feel much better in the afternoon and evening.  Went with Matthew (with his own set of ailments) and Brady to Ninigret Park after dinner.  Ran mostly grass at Ninigret.  Started off with sharp pain in the shoulders, but that dissipated as I ran further.  Felt good overall.

Tuesday:  0

Wednesday:  2 walk, 3 run
Worked in MA today.  Was hoping for a run/walk before work.  Avoided the trails as deerflies are really bad, especially if you're walking.  Went to the track and walked two miles.  Tried several times to at least jog for short spurts, but just not possible.  I'm glad nobody talked to me, as I was in a pretty foul mood and needed to give myself a good talking to, in over to avoid sulking at work.

In front of the Wellesley, MA office is busy and ugly I-95.
In back of the office is beautiful trails with this view of the Charles River.

In the evening back in RI, I ran most of the Fun Run with Muddy.  Shoulder pain yes, but pretty mild, and felt quite loosened up running.  About a 6:40 pace.  Yes, I was breathing like a dinosaur, but still pretty happy with that.

Thursday:  0
Runs just take too much out of me lately, so while I always like to have a shakeout before a race (Blessing is tomorrow), since tomorrow is truly just about finishing, I'll save my energy.

Friday:  10
It seems like every day is something different.  This morning it's trouble walking up and down the stairs, with a lot of pain.  Come on Prednisone, kick in before tonight's Blessing and limber me up again.  Thank God (or whomever) that Blessing is an evening race.

Please, no more stairs.  Too painful.
(At Westerly Town Hall, awaiting my number to be
called for DMV, before I realized there's also an elevator.)

See separate write-up on Blessing.

Saturday:  0
Very sore in the morning, then surprisingly felt good in the afternoon and was able to attend an annual family seafood bake / pool party.

Sunday:  0

What I intended to do:  Go for a coastal bike ride with the guys and hopefully a stop at a coffee shop.  As a back-up plan, if this didn't work, I also got an invite from my cousins to meet up and go to the beach (they come to RI but once per year, and some of them just once every few years).

What I actually did:  After a fitful, tough night, woke up to the alarm at 6:15am to get ready for our 7am ride.  I was actually scared as I found out I could not physically raise either of my legs.  This PMR thing does not take a linear progression, as my previously frozen right arm was functioning just fine today.  But without leg control, it's really hard to get out of bed.  It took me a long time, but with a lot of effort and pain and grabbing onto things, I was able to do it.  Stayed out of bed only long enough to visit the bathroom and tell the guys I'd have to take a raincheck, then reversed the painful process of getting back into bed.  There's no way I could get on a bike, or play and swim at the beach.  Ugh!  Frustrating is an understatement, as I started thinking about my own mortality, the lack of quality in my life of late, and the fear of one day soon I won't be able to get out of bed at all.  I've got to stop that thinking and realize there are plenty of people worse off, but it's hard.

After spending the entire beautiful Sunday summer morning lying supine in bed and on the couch, I got up about Noon time and with the aid of Prednisone, was finally able to walk a bit with a minimal of limping and pain.  By early afternoon, I was once again able to lift both legs and was feeling reasonably better as I got out and mowed the lawn and then went to dinner at Sea Goose with some of the cousins that were still in RI vacationing.

Weekly mileage:  17 run, 2 walk

Weekly highlight:  Finishing my 17th consecutive Blessing.

Weekly lowlight:  Scary pain and lack of mobility on Sunday morning.  I'm dreading tonight as the Prednisone wears off and I return to my crippled state.  I'm also nervous about tomorrow, as so far the neurologist hasn't even reviewed my case and thus I can't get an appointment, so I'll have to reach out to my PCP again as my prescription will run out soon and he said no more.  This will make for an interesting discussion.  At least my orthopedic doctor seems to be backing me, so I have a second option while I wait out the ridiculous delays in even getting an appointment to be scheduled.

Weekly Log 15-Jul to 21-Jul-2019: Heat Wave and a Return of Brady

Monday:  0
Planned total rest day.  Actually fairly sore from what I thought was a pretty easy ride and then run yesterday.

Tuesday:  5
Flew to NC in afternoon.  $34 from Providence!  Very hot run (95 degrees) in Durham, NC.  And that was at 6pm!  As I was running, I was thinking that this weather reinforces that turning down the job move here in 2014 was the right thing to do.  I'm just not a heat person.

After I got off the main road, the path I ran on
gave at least some shade and protection.

Felt like jumping in here.

I know I'm cheap, but suggesting a 30% tip?!  Really?

Wednesday:  3
Long drive back from NC, where I met up with Mark and Brady halfway on their trek home from Tampa.  The car A/C is broken.  Ugh.  So the entire ride back was in the 90s with hot air blowing in through open windows.   Did I mention that I'm not a heat person?

My old Volvo wagon, which I gave to Mark,
is still in great condition and running at 206K miles.
(We got the A/C fixed upon return to RI.)
Brady, in foreground, is home for a 5-week visit.

Stopping at this busy rest area along I-95,
I asked Mark for Brady's leash, and he's said it's
packed in the back and I didn't need it.
OK.  So I let Brady out of the car, and sure enough he just stayed right
with me, even when leashed dogs went past and barked at him.

I ended up driving the whole way back to RI, because I somehow didn't get tired.  I was home about 15 minutes, when it was time for the Fun Run.  So many people thanked me for helping to put on the Fun Runs and said they had fun, and that it made it all worth it.  Personally, I ran with Mike B for the whole 5K route and enjoyed conversing with him.  Mostly, it was two old guys whining about their old age ailments.

Thursday:  0
I am really sore today.  I'm hoping it's only because of sitting in the car for 12+ hours yesterday, and not an easy paced 5K.

Friday:  6 run, 2 walk
Another year.  Double Nickel.  55.  I feel very old.

Took Brady with me to Burlingame picnic area, and we ran 6 miles of trails.  My stiff shoulder seemed to loosen up as I ran.  The last two miles he was dragging a bit.  Both of us cooled off in Watchaug Pond at the end of the run.

A random screw, completely screwed in.  How on earth could that
happen?

We started out with a strict rule of dog not allowed on any
furniture, and certainly not a wet dog just back from swimming in
Watchaug Pond.  Yeah, I'm way too soft in my old age.

In the evening, Jana suggested we take Brady for a walk in Watch Hill.  OK, sounds good.  Brady seemed to enjoy it, and I know we did as well.

Brady in Watch Hill

Man's best friend

Saturday:  0

Four cars home now for the rest of the summer.
If shuffling cars around in the driveway is the worst downside
of having everyone home, then it's a non-issue for me.

This is just disgusting.  Here in Westerly along the coast,
some years the temp never hits 90 degrees.  Today reached the low 90s
even in Westerly, and close to 100F in Providence.  Ugh.

Escaping the heat with Brady awkwardly wrapping himself around me in a
neighbor's pool (yes, they invited Brady in;
it's salt water, not chlorinated)

He just could not figure out how to get in the pool on his own

Sunday:  2
AM run fail.  Could barely reach down and touch my knees.  Could NOT lift my right arm one iota, not one inch.  Scary.  What is this fresh hell?  I tried running in the neighborhood, but didn't last one minute with the pain and awkward gait.  Walked home frustrated and depressed.

Got the lawn mowed (I can actually do that again) and a fair amount of yard work done, so I appreciated getting something accomplished at least.

In the evening, I was limber again as the meds had kicked in, and I took Brady out for a walk at North Camp (until we were consumed by deer flies and picked up the pace), then stopped by my brother Greg's house and Brady ran crazily in his back yard with Greg's two yellow labs as I caught up with my brother.

The black dog got temporary relief from the heat and the deerflies.

Brady, come back.  Where is he going?

Weekly mileage:  16 run, 2 walk

Weekly synopsis:  I'm certainly better than last week when I wasn't taking Prednisone at all.  This week I'm able to move with a lot more mobility, at least in the afternoons and evenings.  I'm looking forward to getting in to see the rheumatologist and getting a confirmation and a fresh look at the treatment and drug dosage, but I have yet to be able even to secure an appointment as the medical system moves so incredibly slowly.

Weekly highlight:  6-mile run and swim on Friday.  Most exercise all week.

Weekly lowlight:  Morning stiffness on Sunday morning.  I've read that's a symptom of PMR, and it was certainly evident, scary, and frustrating Sunday.

Weekly Log 8-Jul to 14-Jul: Potential DIAGNOSIS!

Miscellaneous rambling:

• This week, just around the corner from my house, an elderly out-of-state tourist with NY plates cut me off.  She screamed something at me that I didn't catch, except the last word:  "Stupid!"  I simply calmly told her that I had the right of way, not her, and she sped off.  The same exact thing happened to me last summer at the same intersection (Airport and Winnapaug), except that time I got luckier as a Westerly PD car was there, witnessed the event, and put on their lights and pulled over the offending driver.  Why don't people just take their time, relax, and calm down?  Especially presuming they're on vacation here.  Ugh.
• While biking along the shore, was shocked to see parking in Watch Hill is up to $40/day now, and at Misquamicut beach lots, $30/day.  I don't want to sound like my Dad telling tales of buying bread for a nickel a loaf in his day, but this is outrageous!

Monday:  0
Planned rest day from Loon.  1st day off the meds, and I'm starting to feel it, especially as the pain returns to the shoulders.

Tuesday:  0
Even worse than last week, I am having a very difficult time today, as all the symptoms have returned, and then some.  Had an extremely hard time and quite a while physically getting my carcass out of bed and standing up.  Could not put on my own socks, no matter how many times I tried nor how I varied the position leaning, sitting down, etc.  Had to have Jana put my socks on for me (is it time for "the home" as Mike B says?), and I didn't even bother to try to tie shoes and just went for the slip on variety.

I was thrilled I was able to get in to see my PCP same day, as I could not move my right arm more than a couple of inches in either direction, and couldn't even shift the car.  It was awkward starting the ignition and shifting my manual gearbox with my left hand, but got it done.  When the nurse brought me in, she commented on my limping right away.

I summarized my pathetic previous week for the doc, including my physical setbacks, going to South County Express Care while he was on vacation and getting predisone, which responded nicely, but now off the meds I'm set back again.  He said he'd get me referred to a rheumatologist, and gave me a second more-detailed set of lab tests, including the previous two rounds of tick-borne tests, muscle enzymes, inflammation, and a bunch of stuff I don't understand.  I asked if I can I get another prescription of Prednisone.  I couldn't believe he said no!  He said I can't live my life on Prednisone, but I said I can barely live my life at all now, told him about the difficulties I'm having, and I either need to get some relief until I can get in to see a rheumatologist (likely 1-2 months) or I probably can't continue working at the office and will be homebound requiring assistance.  I pleaded and begged to get more Prednisone, and in the end he capitulated with a very low dosage for 30 days, and said no more.

Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis) to Louis (Dan Aykroyd) in Trading Places:
"Come on baby, just a dime bag. 
I'll do all those things you like."
-------
That's the junkie I've become.  I was literally begging my doctor to give
me drugs against his judgment, as this is the only thing that's given me relief.

Getting my blood drawn, I was feeling really weak after a while.  I always look away because I'm squeamish like that, and when done, the person drawing my blood explained that they usually draw just one vial or sometimes two, but she had just taken eight vials out of me.  Yuck.

Wednesday:  0
Continued hobbling means I can barely walk and running or other exercise is out of the question.  Had to cancel working in MA and made up some excuses as there's no way I could drive there and spend the day.  Instead went home at lunch and crashed on the couch in pain.  I didn't think about how low the couch is, and had a tough time and took multiple attempts to get off the couch.  Pathetic.

Hobbled as I volunteered at the Fun Run in the evening.

Thursday:  0
Day 2 on the low dose Prednisone.  I'm still hobbling in pain, but starting to feel marginally better.  I've regained partial use of my right arm again.

In the afternoon I had a follow-up appointment with the orthopedic doctor looking into my original shoulder pain and mobility issue, before realizing that is all tied together.  As the symptoms have changed and spread to both shoulders and both hips, we know it's not a left shoulder specific injury or issue, so I actually thought about it cancelling and saving the $50 co-pay.  So glad I didn't!

This doc spent a lot of time with me today, reviewing my lab work, asking a lot of questions, poking and prodding, and having me perform a number of physical tests.  After that, he sat down and said with a reasonable degree of confidence and pending confirmation and review from a rheumatologist, he said he feels strongly that I have Polymyalgia Rheumatica, and explained in detail why he felt this way and why it wasn't other specific disorders, infections, or diseases.  I was so happy to have a medical professional, for the first time since this started in May, express what they felt to be a diagnosis!  Once you have a diagnosis, you can move to treatment.  So what is Polymyalgia Rheumatica?

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a rare inflammatory disease that affects older adults, causing widespread muscle pain and stiffness, especially around the shoulders and hips. 

PMR primarily affects the shoulders, neck, hips, lower back, and thighs, with muscle pain and stiffness that is worse in the morning. A systemic disease (affecting the whole body), PMR also causes flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and fever. 

The symptoms of PMR can come on suddenly, over a period of days or weeks. Corticosteroid medications such as prednisone are prescribed to reduce inflammation and pain. Patients usually respond quickly, within 24 to 48 hours, but most need to remain on treatment for a year or more. The disease typically runs its course in one to five years. However, even with effective treatment, relapses can occur, so ongoing medical follow-up is essential.

https://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/education/forms/polymyalgia-rheumatica/

So, now what?  Continue on the low-dose Prednisone until I can see the rheumatologist, and my orthopedic doctor will also make a call to see if he can accelerate that visit.

Remember this scene in the church from Blues Brothers?
I'm so happy to have a likely diagnosis, that I could do backflips.

Friday:  0
Day 3 on the low-dose Prednisone.  Gradual improvement.  For the first time since Monday, I was able to put on my own socks!  Ridiculous, I know, but I'm celebrating the small victories.

Saturday:  0
Continued improvement.  First full day this week of no limping at all!  Still near-constant pain in the shoulders, but again, I'll take the improvements.  Finally had enough mobility to attack some projects that had been sitting, including 1) rewiring the garage door safety sensors and thus getting the door to work again, and 2) changing the spark plug, air filter, and fuel filter on our tractor lawn mower, and thus getting that to run again.  It felt good to actually get something positive accomplished.

Enjoyed the afternoon at a friend's daughter's graduation party, and felt physically very comfortable the whole time.

Sunday:  15 bike, 5 run!
Decided to go for a solo easy bike ride along the local coast.  Stiff getting on the bike, and riding at first, but really felt good after that.  Towards the end of my ride, stopped for an iced coffee at the Weekapaug Inlet, and enjoyed some downtime and people watching.

Got back from riding and Matthew asked if I wanted to go for a run.  Hmm.  I actually feel up to it, but it was almost Noon now and he was planning to run Avondale, which I felt was too open in the hot sun for me.  When he suggested changing to Bluff Point State Park, I'm in!  We ran about 3 miles together at my pace for today (8:15) and then he went off while I continued at the pace back to the car.  Legs were stiff but manageable, and shoulders still painful, but they always are lately and that didn't impact my running.

Weekly mileage:  my Sunday activities only - 15 bike, 5 run

Weekly synopsis:  What started off again as a terrible and physically debilitating week was offset by getting a potential diagnosis on Thursday.  I really feel things will continue to improve from here, albeit gradually.

Weekly highlight:  The potential diagnosis received on Thursday, for sure.  Yes, it still needs to be confirmed, and assuming it is, it will likely require a year of more of taking drugs.  But just starting to get some answers is a huge relief, and my recent downward spiral into loss of mobility and constant pain was just robbing me of any quality of life and taking way my dignity.

Weekly lowlight:  Just like last week, having a really rough day on Tuesday and not knowing when or if this ever going to be resolved.

Loon Mountain Race 2019

Lincoln, NH
Sunday, July 7, 2019

Happy post:  This writing, for a change, is going to be a happy and upbeat blog post!  Because for today, I am pain-free and have near total mobility in my limbs!  (Yes, that's because of a temporary high dosage of prednisone, but let's relish the present.)  Because my attempt to complete the mountains series remains viable.  Because this will be my 3rd time running up Loon Mountain.  Because it's a well organized event in a beautiful location.  Because it's a feeling of accomplishment to have conquered the mountain and look down over the beautiful views of mountain ranges.  Because I feel alive!

Early rise:  The alarm went off in Westerly, RI at 4am.  Hit the snooze button but once, and then promptly got up at 4:09am.  Why exactly snooze alarms are almost universally set at exactly nine minute intervals is one of the greatest perplexing mysteries of the universe.  But I digress.  With what little I needed having already been laid out the night before, I was on the road by 4:25am.

Easy drive:  It's so rare and wonderful to have no traffic slowdowns at all.  I even drove right through Boston on I-93, because for once Google Maps showed that a quicker route northbound on I-93 than I-95.  I was originally on track for and hoped to watch the start of the women's race at 8am, but after stops for gas, food, and bathroom, I missed that opportunity and pulled into Loon Mountain Resort just minutes after 8am.  Took my time making my way over to the now familiar Governor's Lodge to pick up my bib, as the men's race start is at 9:15am.  Upon reaching the other registration, ran into confusion over two Jeff Walkers, and was told that Maine Jeff Walker had asked the registration personnel to relay a message for me to take it easy on him today!  The truth is that I have only ever beaten him once in a race, and the terrain was much different (Exeter Trail Race).  I certainly wasn't going to be remotely close to him today, but I appreciated his humility and gesture.

Boston may be ranked the 10th worst US city
for traffic, but this morning it is clear sailing!

Nice bibs as usual.
(Photo of last year's US mountain champ winner and trail master, Joe Gray)

The start:  After an easy warm-up, and catching up with Steve Brightman, I got myself lined up.  I stuck to my simple goals of 1) finish the race, and 2) have fun.  To help the odds of success and to ensure I went out easy, I lined up smack dab in the middle of the field.  Once the race started, it was apparent to me that the downside to my mid-packer approach was that I was stuck in a crowded field (523 men finished) with limited opportunities to pass.  I told myself to just relax and go with it.  After about 1/2 mile, the logjam cleared and I was able to pass with ease whenever I needed to for the remainder of the race.

A beautiful sunny day today.

Mid-packer observations:  With the disclaimer that none of the following bullets should be  construed in any way as pompous and those that know me well will often find me cheering just as vigorously for the person who finished last as first, I'm usually in the top 10% - 20% in any given race and my self-selected mid-packer position today put me in a position to take some interesting mental notes on the participants around me.  At the risk of painting too broad of a brush, and again with no intention of disrespect, here are some observations that I found unusual relative to my two previous LMRs:

• Some people start walking as early as 1/4 mile in (just past the lodge where the old starting line was, on the first significant incline).
• Can't believe how many wear headphones!  And physically carry a cell phone or music device!  While racing up a mountain?!  This despite the LMR headphone policy of "The use of personal music devices is strongly discouraged at this race. To enjoy all that our race has to offer and for the safety of all participants, acidotic RACING, LLC encourages a headphone-free environment during the running of the Loon Mountain Race.".
• Wearing cotton underwear (or to a lesser extent any underwear to me, but yeah that's probably TMI) in a warm and muggy mountain race has just got to be very uncomfortable, sweaty, and chafing.  (No, I wasn't checking out guys' underwear, but with a few shirtless guys with droopy shorts in front of me, it was kind of in my face.)
• Once we were on the only real "trail" section to me, I was astounded by how many ran weird inefficient back-and-forth across-the-trail trajectories in an apparent effort to avoid any wet ground at any cost.  I suppose that's their prerogative to a point, until they cut me off, as not surprisingly, I'm generally running a relatively straight tangent even if that means I have to run through muck or step through a stream.

Second half:  Coming out of the trail, we have a mile of mixed up and down hills in open terrain.  Right about 4 miles in is the usual place where I start to mix hiking and running, as this where we encounter slopes > 20%.  Today is no different.  At the end of power hiking the first such stretch, a guy says to me, "That last 0.1 miles was really hard.".  Perhaps I should have expressed more empathy, but I just shot back that's nothing compared to what's ahead.

Reaching Aid Station 2 at the gondola summit, I got water and heard my name called, but didn't realize until I was pulling away that it was Leslie handing me water.  Thanks Leslie!  Post summit, the race end is near, with about 1/2 mile of sharp downhill on Haulback before starting the punishing 40%+ climb up Upper Walking Boss.  Ran into a lot of women here, and it took me a bit to figure this was the tail end of the women's race.  I don't remember UWB being as excruciating as before, so I can only guess that being my 3rd time, I was better mentally prepared?  It's an uphill finish but with all the cheering and finish line in sight, I managed to break into a slow but sure jog across the line.  Done! 

Passing a couple of runners just before the finish line.

Great day out there.  I didn't know if I would be running 1 1/2 hours, but even with my slowdown, I still finished in 1:15.

Final results:  1:15:32.  Full results here.

Four down in the mountain race series, two to go.  Next up is Greylock on Labor Day weekend.  Good, time to get healthy.

Weekly Log 1-Jul to 7-Jul-2019: Setback & Change in Approach

Monday:  1/4 mile swim
Went to PT in the morning for my shoulder range of motion issue, and was advised that overall my joint condition appears to be worsening, and that I'm limping with hip issues, and I should get in to see a rheumatologist.  Called my PCP to discuss, only to get an answering machine announcement that his office was closed for the week.  Ugh.  Found and called a local rheumatologist for an appointment, only to be told that's not how it works, and I need to get a referral from my PCP, then after they receive the paperwork, they'll call me to schedule, but their scheduling is really backed up.  Ugh.  I'm in pain, and having a lot of trouble getting in and out of my car today.

Evening swim at Watchaug Pond.  Since I can't get my arms over my shoulders, the doc said no swimming (crawl), and I did what I could to breakstroke while Matthew swam a full 1/2 mile.

Tuesday:  0
Definitely the worst day of my medical issue thus far.  While trying to keep the blog positive, the reality is walking is painful, getting dressed and standing up difficult, and reaching into shelves in the refrigerator or cupboards impossible.  Is this what my life is reduced to?  54 years old, crippled, and chronic pain.

Perhaps overly dramatic,
but this is what I feel like.

Went to South County Hospital Urgent Care to seek some relief.  The doctor I eventually saw was kind and compassionate.  She recommended I see a rheumatologist (this is the 2nd professional in as many days to tell me this) and follow up next week with my PCP to get the needed referral.  In the meantime, she gave me a 6-day prescription for Prednisone to hopefully gain some temporary relief from inflammation.

Wednesday:  3
Woke up feeling like a new man.  Still pain in both shoulders, but walking is normal and I'm able to bend over and also reach my arms into the air.  Hallelujah!  Sounds ridiculous, but just don't take mobility for granted.

Felt even better by the evening, and decided to run in the weekly club summer fun run.  Far from 100%, but ran moderately easy at about 6:50 pace and felt good!

Thursday:  20 ride
Happy 4th of July!  Rode with Matthew out to watch the Quonnie 4 on the Fourth race.  Unlike last year, not many WTAC runners this year.

Friday:  6 run, 0.6 swim
AM solo beach run, before the mob of tourists take over the beach again.  The tide was coming in, but it was close enough to low tide that the sand near the water's edge was hard-packed and I didn't have to run in soft sand.  Felt great!

PM swim with Matthew.  Slow as molasses, but I did it.  Out to the buoy (1/4 mile) and back.  Goggles have had it as water was leaking in, but otherwise a good swim.

Saturday:  0
Calves sore from yesterday's 6-mile beach run.  Also, shoulder pain has returned.  Is that because I'm weaning off the Prednisone, or painful from yesterday's swim exertion?

I hemmed and hawed on whether to run Loon Mountain tomorrow.  At the beginning of the week, I had crossed it off in my mind, realizing that also means I won't be able to complete the mountain series, but feeling much better now and having much of my mobility restored, I'm going to go for it!  Last minute decision, which means it will be an early morning tomorrow driving up.

Sunday:  8
Loon Mountain Race.  Short, but separate, write-up to follow.

Weekly mileage:  17 run, 20 ride, 3/4 swim

Weekly synopsis:  All over the place in terms of mobility and pain this week.  Happy that the prednisone gave me a temporary improvement of quality of life, but need to get to the bottom of this.

Weekly highpoint:  It should be Loon, but just getting out and running the Fun Run temporarily pain-free was an amazing turnaround from just the day before.

Weekly lowpoint:  Tuesday was bad.  I was just about in tears from the pain, and embarrassed to have to ask others to do really simple tasks for me, like taking a bottle of juice out of the refrigerator when I just couldn't extend my arm to get it myself.

Books read:  Stealing a page here from BLS' blog.  I don't normally read books, but I picked up this assigned school book of Matthew's and found it interesting:

It's the story of a runaway slave from the Presidential Mansion in Philadelphia.  Back when the capital of our country was in Philadelphia, the slaves that George and Martha Washington brought up from Virginia got a taste for freedom when the vast majority of African-Americans in the state of PA were free.  As the approaching end of Washington's 2nd term meant a return to Virginia, a slave state, one of Martha's slaves, Ona Judge, escaped with help from the local free black community and traveled to Portsmouth, NH.  Overall this was a good read that kept me interested.   The downside to me was too much speculation on what people did or thought in the book (as opposed to what they actually did), but that might have been necessary on the author's part due to very little written information from slaves themselves.  For example, "Ona may have believed ..." or "we can only imagine ...".

One professional review on the back cover of the book states "No one who reads this book will think quite the same way about George and Martha Washington again.".  I do take exception with that statement.  Look, we all knew from a young age that the Washingtons kept slaves, right?  As did all of the early presidents that were from the south.  Playing Monday morning quarter-back, should they have kept slaves?  No, of course not; slavery is a terrible stain on this country.  But let's also not forget that George Washington did emancipate his slaves in his will, and let's not judge George Washington's 18th century life through 21st century lenses.