Wednesday 050609
- Slept in again this morning. When I saw how beautiful it was when I woke (7AM, bedtime before 9!) I felt a touch guilty. It was absolutely gorgeous out there. I need to get into a morning routine here shortly … just for the life of it.
- Someone I went to high school with recently posted a picture of me on Facebook. I eyeballed it, and made note that I thought I looked about the same. Okay, sure – to the more casual observer, I might look a helluva lot different. From my perspective there was less hair on my head (n
ow shaved), more on my chest – but otherwise it was about the same. I don’t think I am the only one that clicks on a picture of a someone you have not seen in 15-20 years and then think, “whoa, who the hell is that?” Admittedly, about half the folks look much like they did in HS, but the other half … well, let’s say they were shadows of what they are now. And hey – that is their gig, and this is mine. I feel pretty lucky that I get to continue to pursue a life where I get to play in the mountains, running (or walking) to summits … I realize that my ego drives my choices and it is not appropriate for me to judge the choices of anyone else – so I debate if I should post this as I am not sure I can convey that well in writing. In any case, the person who posted this photo noted they did not know I was such a “fitness buff.” That term got stuck in my ego ridden craw. I know that I end up with a lot (too much) of my self identity as a runner, but fitness buff does not seem to fit. It seemed to imply that I pursue all this for the sake of fitness. There is certainly some truth in that but I think it is also because of the journey – being out there, being alive, on a trail, seeing stuff, smelling the pines … hopefully we don’t just have to be fitness buffs to get that. - Mesa Trail, 10 miles, 99 minutes, 2800+ of climbing. Pace was all over the place … from 15-20 minutes a mile on some of the climbs to under six on some of the descents..
I'm not sure I get your concern here, but A) don't let it get to you; go for a run and B) consider the source (Facebook and someone who doesn't really know you, yeah?).
ReplyDeleteReading how much you sleep makes me sleepy. Nice work.
George, I like you just the way you are (except for those short shorts you sometimes wear and the slimy thing you had going last week.......).
ReplyDeleteFitness buff? Maybe we can catch that step aerobics class early tomorrow morning.
Where did you satr and turn around at? Good to see you getting after it again! Beautiful out today!
ReplyDeleteMatt ... it is funny though how we want to classify folks. I do it too. Trail runner, road runner, track runner, fitness buff, weekend warrior. Whatever.
ReplyDeleteJV - I think you are converting to the shorts.
JP - Started at south Mesa. Headed up Mesa PROPER (no shortcuts on Towhee, etc). Finally shot off Mesa at south Fern, doubled that back around to north Fern (just below the canyon), back onto Mesa and then headed up Bear Canyon until I got to five miles. Good water flowing up there now.
Well said... it's rarely about the fitness, unless you count the satisfaction of knowing you could just go run 10 miles at the drop of a hat and not die from the experience. But, more often, it's means more to me to just be "doing something worth while". An easy way to accomplish something each day. From one "fitness buff" to another....
ReplyDeleteSG - exactly. I think I heard somewhere that folks who exercise more than 3 hours a week are doing it for something other than fitness. I think the fitness piece is certainly a component but we get out there to be ALIVE. On the flip side, I have wondered if I'd essentially achieve the same level of fitness (or near to it) on being out there a lot less. I get out for about 10 hours a week. I wonder if I'd see about 90-95% of the same level of fitness on 6 hours. I then start seeing a graph in my head and then give up and go for a run instead.
ReplyDelete