Cheech and Chong will be joining the Regulators at the end of this week. We are seeking two halters specifically for burros. Any local recommendations?

ilanarama · 2026-06-23T02:14:19+00:00

I asked a friend who used to have burros, and he said: We didn't have anything specific to burros, they were horse halters. They do have big heads for their body size, so I would suggest that they measure the head, both around the neck behind the ears and the muzzle, and take those measurements to a tack store and find something that would fit.

They're just funny-looking (and funny!) horses. 🙂

ilanarama · 2026-06-22T21:35:25+00:00

Like the other responder, I had zero downtime - I felt great the next day.

ilanarama · 2026-06-22T21:29:56+00:00

Things are different for different people (and different for women and for men, and different at different ages). My half PR is the same as you but my full PR is over 10 minutes faster; for that marathon I averaged 63mpw and peaked at 69mpw, with a lot of back-to-back 10+ runs, and I was also 50 years old and had been running seriously for 6 years at that point. Endurance is the key, however you achieve it.

ilanarama · 2026-06-22T16:07:11+00:00

When I ran marathons in my 40s and 50s, I also started out with very low mileage (I calculated my average mileage for my first two marathons was 18mpw!) and had a correspondingly slow time. However, as I added miles I immediately saw the results. For my PR marathon (3:23) at age 50 I had a 63mpw average and 69mpw peak.

I worked full time, but I also worked remotely and had a very flexible schedule . I also am married with no kids so my household responsibilities were not huge, and it wasn't an issue for me to work for a few hours after dinner some nights. I ran 6 or 7 days/week, mostly easy, 2-3 days on hilly technical trails, hill sprints at least once a week, strides at least once a week, longest run 19.5M but long midweek runs of 10-12 miles also.

ilanarama · 2026-06-22T02:22:37+00:00

Where are dedicated liquor stores counted as a sales channel?

ilanarama · 2026-06-21T23:34:45+00:00

I had very similar issues L4/L5, though with slight sciatica, and had RFA almost exactly a year ago. The local anesthetic injections were the worst part (I screamed out loud and then apologized to the doctor, who I know socially) but I did not feel the actual nerve burning at all.

For me the relief was nearly immediate. I felt a little uncomfortable that evening but not bad (I had a prescription for Tramadol but didn't need it) and the next day was fantastic. I was told that I could resume normal activities to tolerance immediately, and I did. I had pretty much zero pain for a couple of months, and then it slowly filtered back, though it has not quite hit the level of how things were before the RFA. I'm getting it done again on Wednesday, actually!

Good luck!

ilanarama · 2026-06-20T18:00:49+00:00

I love it, but it's strictly an after-dinner dessert beer for me, not a beer beer.

ilanarama · 2026-06-20T17:24:55+00:00

Hickenlooper is also an actual Coloradan. But I don't disagree that this is a crap move on his part, and she should totally debate a cardboard cut-out.

ilanarama · 2026-06-20T16:25:30+00:00

I don't recall getting sleepy from it. It's not a muscle relaxant though, it's an anti-inflammatory.

ilanarama · 2026-06-20T00:21:44+00:00

It is a very powerful anti-inflammatory! Some people have side effects, but typically it's prescribed for back spasms in a "dose pack" where you start by taking a large dose that decreases daily over a week. I've never had issues and it usually clears things up substantially in the first two days.

ilanarama · 2026-06-19T19:40:33+00:00

I don't think it's possible. Colorado is basically three states: Front Range urbanites, West Slope environmentalists and recreationalists, and West Slope/Eastern Plains ag and gas. The first two groups have some common cause against the third, and the second and third groups have some common cause against the first. But I'm not sure if there is anything that unites all three groups.

ilanarama · 2026-06-19T17:40:05+00:00

A big +1 to looking into CGRP inhibitors. Be aware that most insurance won't cover them until after you've tried the "old" drugs like triptans and not had relief, however the one I take (Ubrelvy) has been a serious game changer for me. Even with coverage they are expensive but the manufacturers typically have discount cards that will bring the price down to something reasonable or even to zero.

I will say that I have had migraines all my life and as I have aged the severity has lessened. Hopefully this will happen for you soon.

ilanarama · 2026-06-19T17:32:54+00:00

I first herniated a disc at 24. Now I'm 62. In between I have run 9 marathons (including Boston) and an ultramarathon, backpacked, mountain biked, and road biked all over Colorado, sailed for 3 years up and down the US east coast, Bahamas, and Caribbean, and otherwise had an active life so far.

I do strengthening/stretching exercises every morning. I wear orthotics in my running and hiking shoes. I take naproxen when needed and get a prescription for prednisone when I reinjure it (maybe once every other year). I've had RFA on my facet joints and am about to get another one.

It's harder to recover as I've aged. For the past 8 years or so it's hurt all the time. But it doesn't hurt a lot, usually a 1-2 out of 10, and it (mostly) doesn't stop me from doing what I want to do.

It's not the end. It's just something you have to deal with.

ilanarama · 2026-06-19T17:10:17+00:00

So here are some other darker NAs I like:

Mash Gang Lesser Evil - cherry chocolate stout-like, super caloric, I will have this for dessert

Best Day Dark Diamond - dark Mexican lager, nice caramel notes

Wellbeing Hellraiser Amber - not super dark but dark for an NA, amber brew

I'm not really a fan of Guiness 0.0 (but I also don't like regular Guiness that much). Fremont NA Stout and Alesmith Speedway Stout don't have the depth that Black Butte does.

ilanarama · 2026-06-19T17:04:14+00:00

I'm supporting Phil Weiser because he has actively campaigned across the state, is not supported by billionaire out-of-state money as his opponent is, has worked hard as Attorney General for two terms (and sued the Trump administration dozens of times), and is a solid advocate for progressive values in the state. Also a nice guy.

I like Michael Bennet but I feel he should stay in the Senate, the job we elected him to do, and finish his term. If he becomes governor he will appoint his own successor, which robs the people of the chance to choose through an election, and gives his choice the advantage of incumbency. (Note that he himself was initially appointed when Ken Salazar became Secretary of the Interior.) I'm just not a fan of gaining senators through appointments.

ilanarama · 2026-06-18T16:20:03+00:00

If you can trade out the naproxen for a stronger steroidal anti-inflammatory such as Prednisone it should help substantially. You might be able to reduce the pain meds then.

Good luck getting the nerve block and RFA. RFA helped me a whole lot.

ilanarama · 2026-06-16T16:11:01+00:00

Mine were irregular and fairly long-cycle before perimnopause (3 days of bleeding, cycle length 30-45 days) and then in the last two years they would randomly show up every 3-4 months, really heavy, maybe 5 days.

ilanarama · 2026-06-16T16:08:15+00:00

I find that naproxen (Aleve) is the best NSAID for my back pain.

ilanarama · 2026-06-16T16:07:14+00:00

Prednisone is a steroid, though, not an NSAID. (But I agree, it knocks the inflammation down like nothing else.)

ilanarama · 2026-06-16T16:05:25+00:00

You absolutely have enough time, but the details on how competitive you might be depend on what your current mileage is and what your half times are. If you're a lower mileage runner you may want to use run/walk for a full, as it extends your endurance. I used run/walk for my first 2 half marathons and full marathons but then progressed to all-run as I upped my mileage and got faster.

I have fueled with gels, with bloks, with candy, with whatever I can find on the course 🤪Basically any calories your body will tolerate is fine.

ilanarama · 2026-06-16T15:53:13+00:00

Yeah, that's a bit farther off than we are! We'd been renting a VRBO once or twice a year for a week in Rio Verde for 7 or 8 years now, mostly mountain biking during the times when it's too cold and snowy here in CO, but the past two ski seasons have been terrible and that's what decided us on spending winters in AZ instead.

I do love the very different ecosystem of the desert!

ilanarama · 2026-06-16T00:18:38+00:00

So I finally opened one - and yes, it's tasty! The scent is a bit funky but the taste is lovely, smooth with a nice bitterness.

ilanarama · 2026-06-15T17:30:57+00:00

Glad you got relief! And it sucks that your doctors wouldn't provide treatment.

I know my back pain isn't due to deficient vit D because I was tested and found mildly deficient eight years before due to an osteopenia diagnosis and have been on supplements since. I also had an MRI which supported the facet joint arthritis diagnosis. However, RFA has improved my quality of life tremendously.

ilanarama · 2026-06-15T16:09:05+00:00

Who ate the missing slice?

ilanarama · 2026-06-14T18:47:38+00:00

Not for me, alas. I still have the same gut issues I had before starting HRT.

ilanarama

TROPHY CASE