You can’t listen to anything on the radio or the TV without getting an every 30 second update on COVID. I deal with it all day long in the clinic. The clinic has still been very busy, but now, when I leave, I go home, and I get to stay home. Prior to all of this going on it would mean multiple other things going on: meeting for this, or for that; going out to eat; gathering in groups somewhere, for something. For me, life has slowed down once I get home. I for one am thankful for this aspect. I never got to spend enough time at home before all of this occurred, and now it has allowed me to be home, spend more time with Sarah, and getting things done around the house. There will never be any changing the busy, crazy world of medicine. It will always be chaotic and stressful. But when I leave, it is time to wind down, slow down, and appreciate what I have.
During the week, Sarah will take Dakota for a walk in the morning, and I take her in the evening. She is ready to go anytime, anywhere. On the weekends, we may both run together with her in the mornings. Dakota is just out there, carefree, taking it all in, just happy to spend time with us, and go walking/running. We all need to act like Dakota. Forget everything else going on, and enjoy the moment at hand. Slow down. Life moves too fast anyway. Maybe this is the positive we can take out of this. Slow down and enjoy our life at home more. Spend time with those of our family. Just slow down the hustle and bustle of everything else going on, and take a deep breath. When I take Dakota in the evenings, I have been taking pictures of sunsets at the Lake. I have to admit, I did not really take the time to appreciate what was even going on before. There was too much to do, and not enough time to get it all done. Now I have some time, and it is one of the things I enjoy very much right now. It is a perfect way to forget about all of the other craziness going on this year. Here are some examples:
Maybe God had some insight into this, and is telling us to all slow down. Enjoy life. Take it all in. Take care of ourselves, and respect others as well. This is not about each of us individually. This is about all of us, and how we are going to get through all of this together. Nobody is immune. We all have to make sacrifices. We all need to take care of not only ourselves, but each other. I can’t even watch the news anymore. I think I have heard everything that could possible be the stupidest thing possible, and every day, something else tops it. Maybe that is how some people are dealing with the stress. I don’t know. But we are all human, and I think it is time to start acting human. Be respectful. Be kind. Is this how you would want to be treated? Use your head. Get out and move, and enjoy the things that are available to us, especially during the Summer. Pretty soon, we will be back to Winter, and won’t be able to spend time outside. Don’t blow it. Exercise of some sort is the cheapest medicine we can all take…and it is free! Keep moving everybody!
The weather is nice, and the trails are open, so what are you waiting for? Get out there and use them while you can! Before too long, Winter will be here, and we will be much more limited on spending time outdoors. With everything going on with COVID now, you want to take this time and spend as much of it outside now while you can. The scenery has been very nice lately too, especially around the Lake! Here are a few more examples!
Get out there and take it in. When you have views like this, it does not even feel like you are exercising. Do whatever activity you like to do: running, walking, biking, roller blading, whatever, just get outside and utilize the trail system we have while you can. 30+ miles just waiting to be used! It does not matter if in the morning, afternoon, or in the evening as the sun is setting. I will say, when the sun is setting, the views have been spectacular!
You don’t know what you are missing, until you give it a try. It really is very relaxing, especially at the end of the day. This time is great to unwind from everything that has gone on from the day, and a time to just forget about everything else…especially COVID!
So go get your tail out on the trail! Spend the rest of this Summer enjoying the weather, and utilize the resources we have available to us. Make it a priority. Take your health into your own hands, and enjoy the scenery. Keep moving everybody!
Well, you can chalk up another Half Marathon Finish for Sarah. She competed in the Half Marathon around the Lake Saturday, even with the heat and humidity. She has been a runner for many years, starting in High School. She has done countless Half Marathons. She always followed me around to races/marathon that I was in those first years when the kids were small, because she held back to keep an eye on the kids. She started her Half Marathon debut in 2006, and has continued since then. I did not run this race this weekend. Physically, I am not able to handle this heat yet. So, I rode my bike to help provide water, and give cheer support for her. It was my turn! She did very well, in spite of the terrible heat and humidity. It was at least better than it was on Friday. I don’t think they would have been able to have the race if it would have been on Friday. She was nervous because she knew it would be hot, but we had a lot of people from our Run Club who were also running in it.
Sarah is on the far left, as they were just taking off. The rain the night before helped cut down on some of the humidity, but only slightly.
They followed the Lake during the run. They are coming around one of the corners here, and she is still hanging with a bunch of them from run club. The further the race went, the more separated people got. The heat and humidity can change even the best of plans, or the best of training.
Here she is giving the thumbs up after just going up the hill by Memorial Park. She is one tough individual. Her feet got chewed up pretty good because of the heat, so then she was limping around Saturday afternoon. We as the run club are going to be doing a virtual Wonder Woman 10k coming up soon, wearing our Wonder Woman gear. It really won’t be any different for her, as far as I am concerned. She has always been my Wonder Woman! Life is busy as a physician, being a mom, a wife, cooking, running, and her favorite escape/hobby, sewing. She can do it all. She too leads by example. It was my turn to support her during a race. I did some cheering on the sidelines last year for her during some of them, but riding along beside her most of the way was a first. Running is what got us going out together. Running helped us raise a family. Running is helping us as we get older as well, and hopefully will get to do more of this when we retire. If we can’t run, we will bike. But, regardless, we will be spending time being active just like we always have. Good job this weekend Sarah. I know it was hot. I could not run for you, but tried to help you get through it as easy as possible. You are tough, determined, and always positive, and I am lucky enough to have you as my wife. Love you Sarah! Keep moving everybody!
My daughter Megan did her first solo mini triathlon this weekend. Way to go! She is an excellent swimmer, and since she has been home, she has been doing a lot of running with us, but the bike for her is more unchartered territory. I got her bike ready (previously Molly’s), and she got in a few rides prior to this weekend. She was nervous, but very excited to “Tri” this on her own. She has done this one before on a team, and of course, she was the swimmer. It was really a perfect day for a triathlon. Sarah and I were spectators for this one. It was the first one we have not done in many years. Sarah is planning on doing a Half Marathon next weekend, and for me, well, my recovery is still taking time, and I do not do as well in the heat yet. So, hopefully, we will both be back at it again next year too!
With everything going on with COVID, they had individual starts for everybody, 10 seconds apart. Here Megan is getting ready to jump in the water. I have to admit, I can tell she is my kid. There are many similarities with her and I, but there are also some differences as well.
This is one of Megan swimming. And, wait a minute, she is actually swimming! This is for sure where she and I differ. She does not have to do the Reiffenberger Stroke…which means you stand up and run like h@#$! I am terrible at swimming, and have to say, I really don’t like it. Give me the bike and/or running any day. She is the total opposite!
Here Megan is at the first transition, going from swimming, and getting ready to get on her bike. But, she had to fix her hair first! Now, I have to admit, that is not something I have had to do, or worry about, for a long time! She is going to have to work on this as you can lose a lot of time in these transition zones. She will get it!
Here she is coming in to finish the bike section. 14 miles around Lake Kampeska. Everything went well for her! I fixed a tire for her earlier in the week, so I too was very relieved to have her come in and we did not have to worry about a flat tire during the race!
Here she is stopping to get off the bike to again enter the transition zone to take off running. This is definitely one similarity, and I think it is safe to say it is similar for everybody doing the triathlon. As you get off the bike to get ready to run, you look at all of the trees around you and realize your legs are now about as flexible as those trees! It is such a hard feeling to describe until you actually experience. It takes the first mile of the run, at least, to try and get loosened up to feel more comfortable running. The run in this race is a 5k, or 3.1 miles.
She is coming around the corner to the finish line of the run. She is about to finish her first “Tri”!
She can definitely see the finish line here! From this side view of her running, if it weren’t for the pony tail, this could be me! She definitely has my running form as well. I will make her a true runner yet. I wanted to do something this day since I could not do the whole race. I ran the run portion of this with her, waiting for her right around the corner at the start, and letting her finish it on her own. When you are tired, and it is getting hot, any kind of encouragement is appreciated. It was great for me to be able to run with her, and “Tri” pushing her. I kept pointing out the person ahead of us, and would tell her that was the next goal. She would pass them, and we just looked at the one ahead of us again! She did great!
Last year I did the triathlon as one of 3 on the team, and my portion was the run. Here Sarah is helping me down the final stretch, pushing me, and encouraging me to keep going. This was only 4 months after I had been sick, so I think this was because she wanted to keep an eye on me than anything else, but don’t tell her that I already knew that was what she was doing! The point is, we can all use some help at times. We do not have to always do things by ourselves. Those accomplishments when we do complete them on our own are definitely more meaningful, right Megan?
This was a shirt Megan bought for me for Father’s Day a couple of years ago. It says: I’m a Runner Dad…I’m like a normal Dad, only much cooler! Right on Megan. I am proud of you this weekend. This “Tri” took work, and you did it! We can all take a lesson from this. Once we put our mind to it, we can “Tri” anything, and accomplish anything! Hopefully next year Meg we will all be doing this triathlon! And for everybody else, shoot for the stars. You have no idea what you are capable of achieving until you “Tri”! Keep moving everybody!
The 4th of July celebration extended over multiple days. It was a good time to take a break from work, and an even better time to spend with family. We always have projects to work on at home, but we also need to learn to take a break from everything and just relax. We managed to get some of this accomplished as well. This first picture is Sarah and I at Lake Kampeska waiting for the rest of the run group to come on Sunday morning. It was a light crowd that day as many of us were out celebrating the 4th late, and watching fireworks. We had a large group meet the morning of the 4th, which is turning into a new tradition as well. We all dress up in our red, white, and blue, and Owen carries a big flag, and we go for a group run. I think we managed to get some attention that morning by people stopping to watch us run by. It was also a morning to celebrate something else very special for our family.
Very good friends of ours, Steve and Carletta Hauck, were in Seattle for the week as their daughter, Carissa, was getting married on the 4th. We were supposed to be out there as well, but had to cancel due to COVID. They have been friends of ours since we moved to Watertown, as Carletta was our day time nanny for 15 years. So, Carissa was like another daughter to us. We could not be there for her day, but we ran for her and her fiancée Scott. We thought about them all day!! We had a large group out running for them. Carissa has run with our group many times when she has been home.
It was a great day to celebrate multiple things! We had a good time meeting that morning for her, and running as a group.
We need to remember what the day is about as well. Later that day we all went about spending times with our families, celebrating in our own ways as well. We spent the afternoon and evening out at the Lake, just having some quality time with family. We spent time playing the bean bag toss, and going out on the jet ski.
The best part of it all, was just hanging out with my kids, and their significant others. It was relaxing, and the fireworks after words was very cool!
Even the dogs had a good time playing with each other. There is always stress going on with our lives, but you just need to take a break from it all and forget things for awhile. Nothing is ever finished. There is always projects to work on, and things to get done, but you still need to take time to spend with family. Projects always seem to have a way of working out eventually. Relax! Take life as it comes. Enjoy the moments like these. We all just need to learn how to relax! Keep moving everybody!
