Thursday, August 31, 2017

CARD BLOCR

My 20th century wallet has finally gone the way of the flip-phone.

The bulky dinosaur has bulged from my back pocket for years, and it was time to move on.

When I purchase an item, since I rarely use cash these days, I fumble through my credit cards, or flip to the other side of the leather leviathan in order to find my driver's license.

And, during a workout, I refuse to carry a bulky wallet.

So, I have happily leaped into the 21st century with my recent purchase of the Card Blocr, by Conceal Plus.

The Card Blocr is made from a sleek aluminum and titanium alloy. It is lightweight, thin, and will fit into an arm band, with my phone, during a workout.

Card Blocr protects your important plastic cards against distortion and break. It also shields against NFC (Near Field Communication) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification).

Card Blocr can hold up to 6 cards. I usually carry my bank card, a credit card, and my driver's license, and I'm good to go.

Cards slide out easily, using the handle at the bottom of the Card Blocr. Use your card, lightly press the cards, and they will lock into place after use.

The Card Blocr can be cleaned with a soft cloth and rinsed with cold water. Just let it dry and it is ready to be used again.

I like the light weight and the convenience of the Card Blocr. It really makes carrying a wallet a thing of the past.

Go to www.amazon.com, and type: 'card blocr.' The card blocr credit card holder will come up.

You will be glad you purchased this great new product.

                                                                  My Old Wallet
                                                                      Card Blocr
                                                                      CardBlocr-Open

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

RUBY THE RUNNER...FIGHTER

Sharp Mountain, with its many trails, sits directly behind my house. For many years, I ran the trails to find solitude, and soft-surface comfort for tired legs. My Redbone Coonhound, Ruby, logged many miles on those trails with me. Last November, she was diagnosed with a severe liver disease, was given only two months to live, but she fought, and finally lost her battle on Friday. Since her illness, she was reduced to walks rather than runs, and last Wednesday she took her final walk, a brave, but fun, 1-mile trek.
Run with your pups as long as you and they are able. It is good for them and it's good for you. I hope Ruby is running trails and sniffing rabbits in doggy heaven.


Saturday, August 5, 2017

DIVERSITY

Running is a sport of great diversity. It is definitely a "One size fits all" endeavor.

Following is my monthly running column that appeared in the Republican Herald newspaper today.

More Americans than ever are running and participating in races these days, at distances from 1 mile to the 26.2-mile marathon, and longer.
Perhaps one of the reasons for this popularity is that running is a relatively simple endeavor. It requires placing one foot in front of the other and going as fast as you can for as long as you can.
Running a race is an exercise in pure democracy. Everyone lines up at the same starting line, with the same opportunity to reach the finish line.
And if you’ve ever watched a running race, you will observe that all runners are not skinny. Runners come in all shapes and sizes and have one goal in common: to cross the finish line as quickly as possible.
Bobby Mulhall, 51, of Shenandoah, is not your prototypical runner. He is a bigger guy who has been running road races for more than 21 years and has more than 300 races to his credit. Recently, he shared his thoughts with me about runners who carry a few more pounds with them.
“I think it’s important to get the message out there that you don’t have to be thin to be fit and healthy,” Mulhall said. “There is a misconception out there that thin people are fitter and healthier than bigger people. This isn’t always true.
“Thinner is better, but just because you are a bigger person it shouldn’t stop you from running or exercising. My philosophy on weight is that you should eat healthy, exercise and let your body weigh what it wants to weigh.”
There are a few races out there that recognize the efforts of larger competitors.
“The only local race I know that has a ‘Clydesdale’ division is Shenandoah’s Coal Cracker 10K,” Mulhall said. “I wish more races would add a Clydesdale division.”
Typically, a Clydesdale category includes men weighing 200 or more pounds, and an “Athena” division includes women weighing 150 or more pounds.
Mulhall adds, “By adding a Clydesdale division to races, I think it would attract more runners who might be intimidated to race against smaller, faster competitors. For bigger runners like me who usually can’t earn a medal against smaller runners in our age groups, we would still have a chance to place against our bigger peers.”
Mulhall’s experiences as a larger runner have been positive, for the most part.
“One of the things I love about racing is being around the friendly runners and the positive energy I get from them,” he said. “There was only one time that I can remember someone making a comment to me that alluded to my size.
“Two years ago I was running a 5K in Mount Carmel. There was a woman that I passed about a half-mile from the finish. She then passed me right in front of the finish line. A few minutes later she walked up to me and said, ‘I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t be beat by someone like you.’ Other than that, I don’t remember anyone else ever saying anything about my size. There were a few times over the years though when I was registering for a race, they assumed that I was a walker and I had to correct them.”
If you’re intimidated about becoming a runner or participating in a race, take the advice of Bobby Mulhall.
All you have to do is lace ’em up and get out the door.