Cutting the Caffeine

Going to the doctor last week, I received some unexpected news:  anxiety he said... cut back on the caffeine.

I think I would have rather been diagnosed with a rare tropical disease at that point.  We had talked about caffeine before so I guess it should not have been a great surprise.

So I've been investigating caffeine again.  Thanks to portions going out of control, and likely caffeine content, I'd been ingesting a fair share.  A Grande Starbucks brewed coffee?   330 mg.  Compare to a cup of green tea 25 mg.  12 oz Coca-Cola, 34 mg.  Those cups of coffee just get larger and larger.

So far, I've think I've brought it down.  No cold turkey but steps in the right direction.  Today I've had 1 green tea, 1 8 0z. coffee, 10 oz. Coca-Cola.   A lot better than 6 cups of coffee.

Free Weekend

Allergies from last weekend and doctors orders have stopped the plan for the 2014 BP MS 150 bike ride.  Listen to your body, they say.  Feeling sick?  Probably should not exert yourself for a 150 mile bike ride.

I'd been looking forward to it, but not in the condition I've been in.  Resting up is already doing the trick.  We even had our seminar on runner's health last night so my first test came soon.

Here's a recap of the 2013 ride

http://get-atty.blogspot.com/2013/04/same-time-next-year-ms-150.html

A family Masters connection

Our family friend Davis Love, Jr. was a college classmate and fellow golf team member at UT in the 1950s with father Ed.  Davis was from the little town of El Dorado, Arkansas and made it to Austin where he played for 3 years before moving on as an early adopter of the pro golf lifestyle, right about the time of the Palmer Era when things changed

Davis made it to the quarterfinals of the US Amateur which at that time allowed for an invitation to the Masters.  Ed recalls that they were in college when this happened.  A famous story is that on the 9th hole which is sloped very steeply back to front, Davis was short, and then hit over the green.  On the 4th shot he hit and the ball rolled across the green further than where he was after the 2nd shot.  As he then put it, he chipped on the green and 3 putted for an 8.

http://www.augusta.com/masters/historic/players/hbh/1955_hbh12270.shtml

Davis was on the PGA tour off and on in the 1960s and played in the Masters at least another time.  Ed recalls that Davis invited him to come play a practice round but Ed couldn't get away.  Truly one that got away.

http://www.augusta.com/masters/historic/players/hbh/1964_hbh12270.shtml

Davis was a fine golf instructor and gave me many lessons over the years.  The most memorable was in my backyard.  A week later I went and shot my best round every.

Davis died untimely in 1988 in a plane crash at the young ago of 53.  That's him on the left.  His son Davis Love III of course has gone on to a fine PGA tour career and won a major in 1997, the PGA Championship.

Dr. Paul at the Final Four

My friend Dr. Paul is a regular drinker - of Coke Zero.  Which makes him somewhat irregular.  The stepchild of the Coca-Coca family, Coke Zero is a diet soda which is supposed to taste more like a sweeter soda.

Coke Zero has not taken off (surprise!)  So in a marketing blitz, Coke Zero was decided to be the Official Drink of the Final Four.  There was a contest for patrons to go.  Since there are not so many afficianados of "The Zero", Dr. Paul's chances increased.  And he WON!

So he's at the Final Four now, getting the complete marketing drubbing.  And as he said "I'm totally fine with that".  As long as Uncle Coke is picking up the complete tab, he's #OpenToTry.

Glad to hear he and his teenage son are having a big time.  They saw the soon to be famous upset of Wisconsin over Kentucky.  As a transplanted Midwestern, he was very happy for that.  Now if the Badgers can beat Duke on Monday, that should be a season to remember.  Two 1 seeds should make for a great game.