Busy Weekend

Springtime in Colorado can be positively glorious, and this weekend was a prime example. The bright blue sky simply begs you to get out and play!

When Tanner was a kid, this would be the kind of weekend that would see us over at the vacant lot trapping grasshoppers to feed to our pet tarantula. Or perhaps we'd go over to the playground to play catch or give each other silly athletic challenges. ("Climb up the slide, go down the ladder with your eyes closed, then run backwards through the swings in a slalom course, and then do 12 pushups, all under 40 seconds", etc.) Or perhaps we'd go camping, play tennis, or maybe just do a hike in the woods.

But now that the boy has moved to Bill Gates country, I seem to have redefined "play" mainly as "long workouts". Weekends certainly do offer the opportunity to beat myself up in a variety of ways. That's cool -- it's obvious that I could benefit from improved fitness...but I also have to find time to squeeze in all the other chores that fall upon the so-called "responsible adult."

Saturday morning began with a good bike ride. I joined my training buddy Kim for a climb up Deer Creek Canyon and onto Highgrade Road. He had to be back early, so we cut it short and didn't make it all the way to the top, but it was still a good workout. As we rode, he recounted the highlights from his recent trip to Hawaii, including an impressive triathlon performance, a rough-water "adventure" swim, and various sightseeing excursions. Since my vacations typically consist of not-so-exotic locations like Highlands Ranch, or an annual trek to the wastelands of Kansas, seeing his suntan and listening to tales of swimming butterfly atop cresting ocean waves...well, it made me pretty jealous.

(I am thinking of going to Omaha this summer. That's almost as cool as going to Hawaii, isn't it? Isn't it?)

After the bike ride and some time spent trying to figure out the best application of the Body Wrench, it was time for my next appointment. As part of my involvement with the American Patriots History Association (APHA), I had scheduled an interview with a WWII vet named Larry Smith. An energetic and articulate gentleman, Mr. Smith was willing to share the stories of his service as his unit battled their way across France and Germany, liberating numerous towns and concentration camps as they pushed the Nazis back.

An expert mechanic, Sgt. Smith was responsible for the 71st Infantry's transportation; he and his team kept the trucks running during their march--including a stretch of 59 straight days of combat. The greatest benefit from participating with APHA is the chance to meet these true American heroes and to be able to do our small part in honoring them for the sacrifices they all made for the rest of us. But I also love the fact that I get to learn about all the things you don't normally think about; such as the challenges of finding enough gasoline to keep the units mobile, and bartering goods and services with locals and other units to obtain what you needed to get the job done. Then there are the dangers faced by the brave men who stay behind to repair a broken down vehicle unprotected, as the rest of the troops move on ahead.

Anyway, it was the first time I had actually performed an interview all by myself, and thanks to Larry's helpfulness and good nature, it went pretty well. It made for a great Saturday.

On Sunday morning, I went up to Red Rocks to run a few steps. I started with 4 non-stop sets of stairs, and am assuming the total time of 29 minutes is my new PR. Then I ran a bleacher snake from the bottom to the top in a time of 32 minutes. I think I was faster when I was trying to keep up with Kim and Reynold, but at least now I have an established recorded time.

If I'm going to run the bleachers like that, though, I definitely have to get there earlier. By about 7:30am, it starts to get very crowded. Some folks hop straight up the bleachers, some do pushups on each row, and some are just sightseeing, so there are plenty of disruptions and distractions. I love seeing all the stud athletes out there, though -- it's an inspiring place to be on a Sunday morning, no doubt about that.


After the bleachers, I ran around in other parts of the park. Yes, I still have my mechanical problems (as you can see in the photo) -- I can't seem to keep my torso vertical. I ran right past the deer you see at the top of this post; they didn't seem bothered by my huffing and puffing at all.

I timed it so that I could be back at the Ridge for swim practice at 9:00. I wasn't particularly fast in the pool, but did work hard. By the end of the workout, I felt satisfied that I had exercised enough for the weekend. The rest of the day would be relaxed and restful.

Well, not entirely. I walked to the grocery store to get more ear drugs and some fresh salad fixins. I did my household chores, started work on the veteran video editing, and caught up with my bookkeeping. Do I miss hunting grasshoppers and hanging out on playgrounds? Sure I do; and I especially miss the conversations with Tanner -- he always has an interesting perspective on every topic. But with weather like this, gorgeous workout venues, and friends to inspire me, I have nothing to complain about. My Spring is off to a fabulous start. I hope yours is, too.