And so the taper begins

What I actually did: 2 commuter walks of 2.4 and 2.0 miles. Weights:

5 +5 singles pull ups (scapular plus regular), 5, 5, 7, 5, 5, 5, 5 chin, 5. These were tough, given the short rests between the grouped 5s.

Bench: 10 x 134, then 3 sets of 6 x 150

high incline: 3 sets of 10 x 89 with 3 sets of curl bar curls.

It doesn’t seem like much, does it?

Illinois with a workman like victor over Central Michigan

Ok, CMU is by no means a good team, having gotten blown out by Florida International 52-16 the week before (6 turn overs).

And the Illini used a conservative offensive plan to open the game with a crisp touchdown drive (after stopping CMU). A couple of field goals made the game 13-6 at the half; the second one was 59 yards!

The opening drive of the second half pushed it to 20-6 and from then on, the defense kept CMU moving between the 20s. It ended 30-9.

What was concerning is that CMU ran for 142 yards; total yards were 379 for the Illini, 309 for CMU. But the Illini defense got one turn over (interception shown above) and forced 3 field goals; (CMU touchdown run was called back for holding).

The Illini did have some success running off tackle.

So, now they are ranked no. 24. The trouble is that all of their victories came against teams who have exactly 1 win vs an FCS team. The level of competition rises this Friday night.

Note to Self: it is about 0.8-0.9 to lot 47 and about 1 mile to the “usual” parking lot.

Workout notes: yesterday, pre-game, 4 miles in 59:10. I did the lower loop of Bradley Park. Today: 8.3: I did a serpentine type course just to get shade and miles. It was 84 F (50 percent humidity) when I finished. Forget the pace stuff: that is off. (Strava “correct” got it at 8.6, Garmin at 8.0, so I went with 8.3.

So, now it is time to taper for Quad Cities; long term forecast looks promising.

A bit of a bounce back

I felt a little better today.

Pull ups: sets of 5, with one 7 plus 3, and I did some reps starting with scapular pull ups followed by a full pull up (5 scapular, 5 regular)

bench: 10 x 134, 1 x 170, 1 x 175 (bounced), 4 x 155, 6 x 150, 6 x 145

high incline: 10 x 84, 10 x 89, 10 x 89

curls: 3 sets of 10 (2 with the curl bar, 1 with the Swiss)

later: commuter walk of 5K over lunch: Moss to West Peoria

Hey guys: voting Trump: “That won’t HEP YE”

I remember the fall of 1979 when I was taking a Naval Electronics class (baby electrical engineering). Our instructor was Lt. Commander Culpepper. He was a big guy with thick, black rimmed glasses and a heavy southern accent.

The class was for juniors (Midshipmen second class) but there was a sophomore (third class) in the class. Commander Clupepper noticed him and asked how he got into the class. The Midshipman said “I know the right people.” (he had served as an enlisted sailor). Commander Culpepper asked him what he did in the Navy. He replied that he was an ET (electronic technician’s mate).

Commander Culpepper said, in his deep voice: “THAT won’t HEP ye!” (and he was right; that student got a D on his first exam).

And now to the issue at hand. Right now, men are keeping Trump afloat in the race. Yes, millions of women are voting for him too, but if his male numbers came down, even a little, this would ensure his defeat.

Yes, I am talking about Trump’s defeat; that, to me, is more important than Harris winning.

Now, of course, they are men who actually like Trump being unhinged. I can’t do anything about that. There are those who see Trump as the price to pay for abortion, right wing judges, upper end tax cuts, and business deregulation.

I can’t do anything about that either.

And there are the religious nutters who equate gayness, transgenderism, etc., with evil. I can’t do anything about these either.

But, there are some men who are mostly pro-choice, reasonable about things like safety nets (maybe more restrictive than I am), who believe in conservation, some environmental policies (within reason) and think that demand side economics are not all bad. They might even be repulsed by Trump’s vulgarity.

But, they can’t quite come to terms with some of the noxious anti-male rhetoric from the left. (hint: in Mexican-American culture, “macho” is a compliment whereas among many in the left, it is a pejorative). It is all “you are a privileged hetero cis-male and you need to get over yourself and LISTEN..” (that is how they see the world: the “in” not-privileged and the “out” privileged (so they say) that MUST shut up and listen.) You’ve heard them telling you to quit “mansplaining” .

Guess what: this former football player (ok, I was a bad one) can’t stand these types either. Some are dumb as rocks. Others have been brainwashed as to their moral and intellectual superiority due to their never being challenged by their like minded friends.

So, think about what a Trump win might mean: yes, some unpleasant people will be in emotional agony and go about loudly proclaiming that this country isn’t good enough for them.

But mostly it will mean: more tax cuts for the upper economic classes, and very little for you. At the very least, a vote for Harris is a vote to have money infused toward the bottom and middle of the economy, not the top.

And, let’s face it: Trump is morally, mentally and emotionally unfit for the Presidency.

And voting for Trump “won’t HEP ye!”

The Debate may not have changed things but…

Here is a snippet:

That lead to some funny memes:

But..will this change things?

Yes, some like Trump BECAUSE of how unhinged he is…he gives credibility to their own conspiracy laden “thinking.” Some have decided that, while they don’t like Trump personally, he’ll give them judges, tax cuts, business deregulation, etc. So, it is a price they are willing to pay.

And, OF COURSE, there is abortion. For the single issue voter..what can I say?

We are not changing the minds of those voters, period.

But what about the “undecided” voters? I think that this person gets it right:

Now, some principled Republicans can help here. Yes, I “get it”: you have some who really believe that certain deviations from the social norm are evil (e. g. non-standard sexuality, transgenderism). Some might think that supply side economics work. Some might think that Democrats enable chronic underachievement by being too generous with safety net programs. Some loud liberals even laud underachievement and sneer at achievement.

Then you have those who push science aside with it fits their agenda (yes, lots of conservatives do that too)

And there are the “in your face” social justice warrior liberals: many ARE anti-male and downright unpleasant to be around (and often completely wrong…)

But, voting Trump won’t help any of these people, at all. I sure hope the right messenger can deliver this message to them.

I am absolutely the wrong messenger as I am a bearded, Prius driving, walk to work college professor. And while I am probably a bit more conservative than many of my college colleagues, I am well to the left of the median American voter.

Workout notes Two 2-mile commuter walks and some weights:

pull ups: 2 sets of 5 singles starting with scapula pull ups, then 2 sets of 5, 4 sets of 6, 2 more sets of 5 (54 total)

bench: 10 x 134, 10 x 145

incline: 7 x 125, 7 x 125, 6 x 125
trap bar deadlift: 10 x 134, 10 x 184 (low)
10 x 244 4 inch.

Debate time and

I am strangely uninterested. If you find Trump acceptable, I really have nothing to say to you about politics or the election. Yes, we can enjoy each other’s company but we should avoid politics.

Note: that does not mean that I love the Democrats or everyone who votes the way that I do. I don’t.

Workout notes: 6.4 mile walk; I did the 5 mile out and back with one extra lower Bradley Park loop, then an out and back from the House to Bradley Ave. 1:32:45, or just under 14:30 mpm. Last mile (or really from the exit of Bradley Park to home) was 14:02.

Personal: I have to eat less. My current weight would have been fine 12-20 years ago, but I no longer have that muscle mass. I have the “old man spread” in my abdomen. Here I am in 2000 (at 40) and again in 2024 (at 64): same weight, very different body. Oh yes, the 1:35 half (as a runner) and the 3:05 half (as a walker). Sigh.

accepting

I am compressing my workouts into a smaller period of time, and that has an effect.

Pull ups (a few chin ups) 10 singles, then 8 sets of 5

bench: 10 x 134, then 3 x 160, 4 x 155, (2 x 150 then 1 x 150), 5 x 150, 7 x 145

high incline: 3 sets of 7 x 94

curls (curl bar) 3 sets of 10

Then: 3 mile commuter walk, then a 1.1 mile commuter walk.

End of the season blues

First, from last night:

Ok, how about today?

The Peoria Chiefs closed their season with an 11-0 win over the Lake County Captains. The Chiefs started with 3 hits in a row, including a home run on the first pitch. Then came a 6 run avalanche in the second inning.

But in the 4’th, we saw some fireworks. Up 10-0, the Chiefs scored on a bunt (runners on base) and the next batter got some “chin music” from the pitcher. The pitcher was ejected then the manager was. The 4’th ended with 4 more runs and the Chiefs up 11-0.

There was to be one more ejection as one of the home run hitters was hit by a pitch. It was quite the way to end the season. But alas, the Captains are headed to the playoffs (based on their first half win) to face Dayton in the East, and the Quad Cities River Bandits will face the Wisconsin Timberrattlers in the West.

I felt emotional at the end of the game.

Workout notes: very tired from yesterday. Deadlifts;

low trap: 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 10 x 204

4 inch: 10 x 244

Then a lazy 31 minute Moss 2 miles.