Thankful

-

Watching all the ads on TV has gotten me thinking. We aren't allowed to celebrate holidays anymore - at least not in the traditional way. Instead it's all about the shopping and getting the best deals on junk you don't need and probably can't afford. I don't remember which store it was for,  but the ad with the turkey throwing the car keys in the middle of the dinner was disturbing to me. I mean, really? Is trying to gather friends and family together for a nice dinner that wrong? It's rare to even sit down as a family without electronic interruptions - let us have one day of silence and togetherness. The other thing I found disturbing about that commercial was the emphasis on more, more,  more. It is not enough to be happy and thankful for what we have any more. It is always out dated or just not in style Unless what you have doesn't work anymore is another of the same thing really needed? I would say no. And the disposability of today's items makes us less appreciative of what we do have.

So instead of hitting the stores on thanksgiving I'm gonna enjoy my day off. I will go for my run - thankful that I can and that there are great places to run in this town. Both on the roads and the trails - there are hills, level terrain and everything in between. If I take my bike out, there's lots to be thankful for. My husband for riding with me and his patience as I've gotten more skilled and faster. The fact that we have such good equipment - riding is lots of fun, but it's even more fun with the right tools for the trails. And the trails in Colorado Springs. From Palmer Park to Stratton Open Space, we have such variety of trails and plenty of space to ride. And since it's pretty cloudy right now, I am also thankful that we've been able to afford the warm riding gear I have. It's opened up the season beyond the summer to be able to ride under all conditions.

Closer to home, I'll make a dessert to bring over to my Mom's for dinner. We don't always get along, but it's nice when we do. It's also nice that she spend so much time with me when I was younger - simple tasks like fixing booties and playing in the kitchen aren't so intimidating anymore. I'll call my Dad - he live in OK and I don't see him that much now, but I'm happy that we've been able to build a relationship now. I'll get some quality time with my kittens (at over a year, they aren't kittens anymore) thankful that we have such sweet girls which such huge personalities. I'll also remember my Isis and be thankful those happy memories.

And Friday, instead of going crazy spending money on things I don't need, I'll go to work and be thankful about my health. Sometimes bad things happen to healthy people, but a lot of what I see could be so easily minimized through a simple, healthy life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A long way on foot - Sheep Mountain Endurance Run

-
Image
Fifty miles is a long way - regardless of how you travel. As I was training and preparing for Sheep Mountain Endurance Run, I knew that it would be a long day - I knew that there would be ups and downs, that the plan would have to be fluid and goals adjusted mid-race. That is the nature of endurance sports and the people who achieve are the ones who can go with the flow and find the ability to turn things around if they do go south. Obviously, for my first 50, I was hoping for nothing but smooth sailing - with no dark spots, no demons and smiling the whole way. A girl can always hope, right? Runners assembled for the start Photo - Human Potential Running The sun was just starting to brighten the clouds as we walked to the starting line with nearly 100 other runners. The race director went through a few things, noting that there had already been some DNS's due to the elevation and to be smart. Smart... Most people would say smart would mean not doing something like a 50 mile ...
the full story...

Mortality

-
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well preserved body; but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'Wow! What a ride!'” - Hunter S. Thompson It seems such a trite quote, but true at the same time. Life is about the journey - the adventures along the way, the failures and successes. A life well lived is a person with stories to tell, taking the chances along the way that will provide fulfillment. You don't realize how close we are teatering to the edge until something happens that affirms our mortality.  In eleven years of practicing physical therapy in a nursing home setting, I've had my share of experiences with death. Never close though - far enough removed to be touched by the passing but not affected. Sometimes it's expected and everyone says "it's for the best. They are happier now." Other times, it's not and we are all shocked...
the full story...

Regaining my mojo

-
Image
I'll be honest. The two months between the middle of July and middle of September just about crushed me. Tired all the time, unable to muster more then a slug pace for most rides, and shuffling my way through my runs. It was the worst two month I've had - made worse by my continuing to try to push through the fatigue. So after Vapor I made sure that I would listen to my body and not pressure myself into training until I felt ready. No matter how long it would take, I would take the recovery I needed. Two weeks of minimal activity - short swims that were mostly just paddling around, very short runs where I didn't look at my watch at all and the easiest of rides imaginable. After those two weeks, I was still tired, but feeling better. Getting more like myself again, with a little more energy. That meant I needed at least another week of easy recovery! It was not the time to succumb to FOMO and start up with the big rides and hard runs again. So I behaved even more, knowing ev...
the full story...

Friends with the Monsters..

-
And the voices inside of my head.  As Saturday approaches, the voices - the demons - have begun talking to me. Sometimes a whisper, sometimes a scream. 54 miles. It's the distance from Colorado Springs to Lake Pueblo State Park. Or the top of Wilkerson Pass... A long bloody way to cover on two wheels, let along two feet! Yet that is my goal. Traverse the trails and roads west and east of Fairplay, covering more then the distance of two marathons. Theoretically, it should be nothing. After all, I've run back to back marathons many times - once getting both under 3:10. Fifty two miles, in just shy of 24 hours at a pace much faster then I'm planning. But in this ventures, I had time to recover between races and took the recovery seriously. Here, nothing but continuous forward movement. One step in front of the other, no breaks between efforts and the the clock doesn't stop ticking.  As Saturday approaches, those voices are getting louder. Ever doubting, ever questioning - ...
the full story...