Frank's running progress since injuring his Achilles

1. I ran a 30 K. in November to test my Achilles. In rehab, I had not run that distance before the November Helen Klein run. Running time was not great. But I completed the run in about four hours                              

2. My next test of my Achilles was the Jed Smith 50 K. at the beginning of February. My time was improved as I did six hours plus. However, my Achilles was fine. I was tired  the last night miles or so.

3. Last Sunday's run at Lake Chabot was a 20 K.and my time a respectable two hours and a few minutes. It is clear that my speed and endurance are both improving. A big part of that improvement is because of Tony. I train harder with him because he doesn't wait for me. I have to catch him or put it another way-I would like to catch him. Thanks Tony.

Linda's Story

It was cold in Cool! Frank ran at Lake Chabot on Sat so I visited Linda Smith at her equestrian center (Ironwood Equestrian Park) out at Florin Rd. I took Decka, the 25 year old Quarter and Digger. The sad part of our life is Raider died of colic last week, so Linda put me on a 9 yr. old white Arabian, well trained, but I need to learn dressage, and it will take many hours for me to be comfortable with it. Mostly my hands need to get relaxed. I have been using my legs on Decka and Raider close to Dressage while riding, all out, on beautiful trails but my own style of riding has been balance and a mixture of a little dressage (a very little) and reigning. Linda is my favorite friend, she teaches me wonderful things although I am 23 years her senior. We met when we were both starting to Fly Fish about 10 years ago. She is wise, spiritual, and really knowledgeable about all things equestrian, fun to play with and she has developed a warm and welcome atmosphere at her place. Her facility is fab, with huge indoor arena, mirrors at the end, a wonderful outdoor area for jumping and dressage and a great large barn with all the equestrian amenities for a beautiful horse home. At this time she has 28 horses, training and boarding. My little family of three was in heaven. She has a pack of 5 dogs so Digger loved it and learned "dog behavior. He is a 3 year old Wire Hair Fox Terrier and hasn’t had a chance to learn social niceties, with his own kind. She has adopted 5 dogs or really they had good instincts and adopted her. She has mostly hard surface floors (smart) with the exception of an area rug in front of her fire place. The dogs  have learned it is her rug. She uses gentle nudging to keep them in control. They used gentle nudging to show Digger his boundaries. My time at the center was full of old friendship and new riding experience. That part of my getaway was informative, and exciting in a fun way.

On the way home, hauling the horse trailer, I took Hwy.50 where they are doing huge "improvement" so there are cement walls that block off all shoulder during the construction. I was 3/4 mile from Zinfandel off ramp when the thumping began. I knew it was probably a blowout. It took me up to the 1/2 mile to get stopped in the far R lane, next to the cement wall. I was afraid to drive on the rim any further (lack of understanding about wheels and truck mechanics). So there I was with traffic racing at me from the rear and nowhere to escape. I could see the cars and trucks out of the side view window tearing down the highway getting closer every second and not veering over to the other lane until the last minute. It caused me to instinctively yell a lot of times, wishing they could hear me, and from fear. I called 911 first, requesting police help since it was a very dangerous spot. Triple A of course asked me unnecessary questions taking, it seemed like 20 minutes and was probably only 3, and said it would be an hour, possibly. I had a huge bag with bright pink design so slipped along the side of my car and trailer to place it at the back of the trailer hoping it would give a clue about my being stopped. I put on the flashers but didn’t know if they were working. When the officer arrived 30 minutes later on a motorcycle, he said the lights on trailers are so low on the truck, no one sees them. He was rightfully alarmed, kind but forceful about informing me I should always drive on the rim to get out of danger and indeed I was in danger. He went on to say a horse was killed the previous week in exactly the same situation. There was a huge space, he told me about, ( I couldn't see on the right) only about 200 feet up the highway. I swore I would buy cones and flashers for the future if I made it out with a live horse, dog and me. If it had been dark, I wouldn't be here to write this. As it was there were many near misses. I did the yoga deep breathing to calm myself down. This was among the scariest experiences in my life and I have had a lot. So the lesson was to drive on the rim, no matter how far, to get to a safe spot. The Triple A guy was nice but when I got home Frank pointed out that the electrical connection to the brake system on the horse trailer was unhooked. The only explanation was the Triple A guy unhooked it since the spare was under the truck and behind the connection. It was connected when I left Linda's. I never thought to look at the connection after all was taken care of and the truth is I felt safer in the truck. Luckily I was driving slowly around curves and hills the rest of the way home. Or I could have had another bad experience. That part of my getaway was informative and exciting, but not in a good way.  

By, Frank’s Linda

Trail Run at Lake Chabot

Tony and I just returned from the trail run at Lake Chabot in the San Francisco Bay Area. We entered the 20 K. and followed the orange ribbons For our event, there was 1455 feet of elevation gain.

I was pleased with the Bay Area weather-it didn't rain. The temperature at the start was likely in the upper 40s. There was no rain. The trail was muddy in  part but overall not too bad. The week prior in Cool was cold and rainy. It was super to see the blue sky and sun again. I came in first in my age division about 10 minutes behind Tony who was the oldest in his age division .

Overall, I had a good race and more importantly felt terrific at the finish line . I did not hurt nor did I have any issues with my Achilles. I haven't felt this good after a race in years. I'm going to re-evaluate and get clear on what races I want to run. Happy running the trails.

The purpose of this book

There are many reasons for writing this book. One major reason relates to how to deal with the issues that confront us in our lives. At one time or another, we are faced with problems centering around mental health or physical issues such as depression, grief,  anxiety; or weight . The causes are usually related to retirement, loss of spouse or significant other as a result of divorce or death, a physical illness, an accident, or something else that is important. Everyone has their story.

Each of the individuals in my book have a significant story . Each of us  were able to work through  various conflicts, struggles, or issues. The one common theme, that ties together all of us, is the  importance of finding resolution  that allowed us to work through our pain and difficulty. Each of us found  a solution  through being part of a group, finding meaning in our lives, developing  passion, and participating in a physical activity.

I want to emphasize the importance of physical fitness and exercise. It seems clear to me, that I would not be writing this blog if it were not for  a sports activity. My mental, physical, and spiritual needs are met through daily physical exercise as part of meeting future goals. Research supports the importance of exercise as a treatment or intervention in dealing with physical, cognitive, and psychological difficulties.

It is not too late to get off the couch. I was in my late 50s when I developed the  secret. If I got it, you can get it. Tomorrow ,Tony and I leave for the Bay Area to run a short 20 K. at Lake Chabot. This run as a warm-up for the 50 K. Way to Cool in March.

The Loss

This was really unexpected, as with so many difficulties in life, it hurts!! It keeps welling up inside of me and tears keep coming. " just let it happen". My trail horse, I have danced with for 6 years, is gone! This huge, powerful, magnificent creature, who gave me such joy has suddenly died. One day he was in his corral waiting for the next ride, doing his thing and the next his total existence was gone. It is hard to believe that great power has dissolved into nothing.I will miss his beautiful quiet eyes, hugging him with my arms while my face was in his furry neck, smelling him on my clothes after a ride. I will miss keeping his attention on me while we were together. I will miss the anticipation of a ride together while i am tacking him up. I will miss our communication that changed his gait from a walk to a jog to an extended trot and back to a walk. I loved going up a steep hill, standing in the stirrups, leaning over his neck, holding onto his thick mane and feeling his strength build up under me as he went into a gallop. I loved working with him to do what I wanted when he had other ideas. Sometimes, I let him take over.We have gone wonderful places together. My soul was refreshed when we were on a trail immersed in its beauty. I trusted him at all times during those rides and he showed he trusted me.That huge creature never bucked, shied, spooked or hesitated on the trails. His greatest desire was to go "all out".He did not like the arena or a quiet walk, he was Franks Tevis horse. So we worked together and it worked for us. It was a copious relationship. The partnership will be greatly missed. Raider gave me thrills I will always cherish. Linda Lieberman

Understanding depression

Thursday, the 17th , I attended a continuing education  class  called "Understanding Depression and Bipolar Disorders: What We Know and What You Can Do About It". This class was held in Folsom. Yes, that place that Johnny Cash made famous.

Information that is pertinent to my book is as follows:1 20-25% of the population in this country will experience depression in their lifetime. 2. Some of the symptoms include: changes in mood, low self-esteem, decreased motivation, irritability, lack of enthusiasm, not being happy, weight change, decreased libido, fatigue, sleep disturbance, pessimism, loss of perspective, and indecisiveness. Unfortunately there are more symptoms.

Depression increases cortisol and too much of that is toxic, increases brain damage, can cause artery disease, and decreases BDNF which is brain derived neurotrophic factor, increases oxidative stress which accelerates aging. Now for the good news. One effective a treatment of depression is exercise. Exercise is defined in research studies as walking 62-120 minutes a day,10,000 steps per day which is about 5 miles, stretching, and an aerobic activity such as walking, jogging, running, or swimming . Also exercise is associated with increasing BDNF which is now considered to be a major component were factor in the illness.

It is time to feed Decka.

Why is This Book Important

Why this  book is important and relevant to a large audience.  Our culture depicts middle-age years as being overweight, requiring medical assistance, taking medication, being spectators and engaging in electronic lifestyle. It is important to defy and challenge this non-flattering perception. There is different way to both view and live during retirement  and  the aging process. A positive correlation exists between passion, fitness, sports activities, and being healthier and more fulfilled.
Because life expectancy is declining in our society as a result of obesity high blood pressure, and stroke related health issues, it is important to adjust both attitude and behavior for the betterment.  I prescribe: 1. Get inspired, realizing it's okay to begin a new activity by taking baby step's. Physical activity can assist in improving physical fitness, losing weight, reduce anxiety and minimizing depression . 2. Find meaning in activity outside of family, career or raising kids to build self-esteem. 3. Enrich your life by making friends, sharing interests, learning about others by becoming part of the new group.4. Realize that there's more to life than the accumulation of material things and that having the biggest  does not result in happiness.5. Participate in an outdoor activity  to facilitate spirituality. 6. Relax, enjoy, and read about individual' s adventures for ways to escape.7. Be inspired and motivated by reading the illuminating profiles of  remarkable senior athletes.        

A day of running with Linda the horse Decka and Digger the dog

On Saturday, the 12th, the Lieberman family hit the trail that

morning . That "wild bunch" consisted of Linda on her mare Decka, our dog Digger and I. We had planned to do a 5 mile loop. Decka hadn't been ridden in quite some time and was in no condition for a difficult ride. The first part of the trail was steep and uphill. Linda was concerned that her horse would be in jeopardy as a result of that difficult climb. I was not worried as I know a lot about conditioning. I get out in front of Linda and stayed there. Eventually, we reached a good wide level section of the trail. Linda quickly caught up to me and passed me arriving at the cul-de-sac before me. She acknowledged that her horse was fine and that she realized that Decka fooled her. Once her horse knew that she was headed in a home direction she miraculously came to life and went into an extended trot. We walked down the road until we reached our cut off. Linda took her horse up another steep hill and reached home. Incidentally, we are the only house on our cul-de-sac. I took the long way and dropped off our dog before heading out on another run this time for about 10 miles.

 

A brief background is in order. Recently, Raider, my Tevis horse passed as a result of a problem with his large intestine. His death was a great loss for us both. For the last five years or so, Linda had been riding him on the trail and in limited distance endurance rides. He was a terrific trail horse that gave us a tremendous amount of pleasure. He helped Linda's riding ability and she developed trust and confidence in him. As a consequence, she didn't do much with her mare. So that is one reason why her mare is a not  in tip top shape. I don't expect conditioning to be much of an issue for Decka as long as Linda continues to walk her horse up the steep uphills and trot on the flat.

It Has Nothing to do With Age

“It Has Nothing To Do With Age?” is the first book to provide in rich detail how to think “outside the box” by providing concrete examples of  how older individuals  push their physical, mental, and emotional limits to new frontiers and why they do it. Its focus is on individuals who are optimistic, competitive, and perform at unfathomable levels in grueling events. The interesting stories in this book demonstrate their evolution and shift to a higher and more proficient level of physical and mental functioning as well as to their unselfish societal contributions.

The book’s unique content is based on the authors journey along with seven in-depth interviews with outstanding senior athletes in sporting events that include the Tevis Cup 100 mile horse race, the Western States 100 mile ultra run, the Swanton Pacific 100 mile ride and tie, the Dipsea, the Hawaiian Ironman, the Molokai to Oahu Outrigger canoe race, and national and international rowing.