Father Time marches on undefeated

I went to my first ever Orange Theory class yesterday with Adam.  We ran right next to each other on the treadmill and I glance over to see that our heart rates were almost identical.  When my heart rate was at 158, I was at 95% of my maximum heart rate nearing the upper limit of my red zone.  Adam's heart rate was identical to mine and he was in the upper end of the green zone, almost entering the lower end of the orange zone.

I checked a few other times and when my heart rate reached 162 I was at 102% of my maximum heart rate.  Adam was at 82%, safely in the orange zone.  Interesting to note how our hearts were pumping the same number of times and I was flat lining, in the Danger Will Robinson zone and Adam was at the lower end of the Orange zone.  Oh to be 24 again.

At the end of the class we are able to view how much time we had spent in each of the zones.  I joked with Adam that I had clearly "won" as the pyramid view of my heart rate showed clearly that I had spent almost 21 minutes of a 57 minute workout in the Orange zone and almost 31 minutes in the Red zone.  Actually I think this makes me the biggest loser, a clear indication that I am out of shape.  The goal is to spend no more than 20 minutes of the workout in the Orange or Red Zone.  I had 51 minutes total.

Much of the time that I spent in the Red zone, I was at total rest, doubled over, gasping for breath hoping my heart rate would come down.

Clearly I have work to do and I have no illusions about taking down Father Time. After all he is undefeated.

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Thirty One Years

Sue and I got married thirty one years ago.  That is a crap ton of years as Sue likes to say.

We flew to San Francisco for our honeymoon.  Sue's brother Rick drove us to the airport and offered to buy us a drink, but he didn't have his wallet so we ended up paying for the drinks :)

One of my first memories of what was to come in our lives together occurred when I hailed a cab to take us to our hotel in Downtown San Francisco.

The cab I hailed was pink and inexplicably to me, Sue found this to be hilarious.  She giggled all the way from the airport to our hotel.

Years later we would describe this as road tripping, when Sue and Laura would begin to laugh uncontrollably about something that may or may not have been funny.

Adam and I would look at each other and wonder what in the world is happening.

Cab Drivers reaction when encountering road trippers...

When Sue and first got married she had only been to other other state(Nebraska).

Sue saw the ocean for the first time on our honeymoon and in the years that have followed we have crossed two oceans together, raised our two incredible children Laura and Adam in a house filled with love. 

We said our goodbye's to people we loved who shaped us into the people we are. 

My Grandmother, Sue's Mother and Grandmother, my Aunt Joy and Uncle Norm and my dear friend Kelly. 

We have shared the disappointments during our career's, job loss, a failed business, extended bouts with auto-immune diseases.

Maybe nothing all that remarkable that any couple that has been married a crap ton of years and it is in the ordinary that we find that which makes our lives together extraordinary. 

Thanks for choosing me to share your one wild and precious life with. 

“Instructions for living a life. 
Pay attention. 
Be astonished. 
Tell about it.” 
― Mary Oliver

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Living the dream

Twenty two years ago on June 29,  I became a father for the second time.

I hope someday that I will be as good of a man as my son is.

Wrigley Field Tour, June 2012

When Adam graduated from high school one of his dreams was to either pursue an acting career on Broadway or pursue a career in sports broadcasting.  One of Adam's dreams was to someday be on Sports Center and replace Chris Berman.  Look out Boomer! He could go all the waaaaayyyyyyy!

I have watched with pride and amazement as Adam has begun to live his dream at the age of 22.   Adam is a co-host of a local radio show, Denver Sports Nation on Mile High Sports(1510 AM, 93.7 FM) on Saturday nights from 5-8.

Next week he and his partner Dario will fill in for Mac and Doog during drive time(3-6) on July 5 and July 6.

During one of their shows they will be joined by  two time Super Bowl winner and the Denver Broncos greatest running back in the history of the franchise, Terell Davis!  How cool is that?

If you haven't had a chance to check out their show, please tune in some time.  Adam and Dario have great on-air chemistry.  They are funny and they are having so much fun doing something they love.

Happy Birthday Adam!  I am so proud of you for the person you are and I am so inspired that you are living your dream and making it happen.

"Follow your bliss and the Universe will open doors where there were only walls."-Joesph Campbell

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Endings

Write about endings.

Interpret that prompt however you would like.

That is the homework from a couple of days ago.  I am not writing at all about what I thought I would and this has sat in my drafts folder.  When I started this writing classes, one of my commitments was to write and publish and not judge whether it was good or not.

I was involved in a hit and run over six months ago.  The person that rear ended my car, thought about it for a minute and decided to drive away.  My car was totaled and tomorrow at some point a tow truck driver will come and pick up my car and drive away with years of memories. 

Laura and Adam both learned how to drive in my car.  They preferred the Chevrolet Malibu to Sue's car. 

There were three road trips to Cut Bank, Montana in the Malibu.  

A trip in March 2006 with Adam, for Kelly's prom in her junior year.  What a trip that was and so many precious memories.   My profile picture on Facebook, Twitter and this blog is from that trip.  Nine months later Kelly's  cancer returned. 

A trip with Laura in 2007 for Kelly's high school graduation.  A day filled with so much emotion as we watched Kelly walk with her class and receive her diploma. 

A final trip to Cut Bank in March 2008 with the Sue, Laura and Adam to lay Kelly to rest. 

Maybe I am writing about my car because it is easier then it would be to write about other endings. 

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30 days of Thanks: Day 6

Today I am thankful for:

The wonderful friendship that Laura and Adam share with one another!

Seeing the love that Laura and Adam have for Keegan!

Sharing my life with my amazing wife and best friend!

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Fans on the Field

Today was the 4th annual Fan on the Field 5K and 10K run.

                                            Keegan shares some last minute advice for LaLa

The 10K runners(Laura and I) get a chance to run through the Pepsi Center, Coors Field and Invesco at Mile High.  How I hate that name.  I will always call it Mile High stadium.

The 5K runners(Adam and Keegan) hit the Pepsi Center and Mile High stadium.

The race director completley rerouted the 10K race course this year as we hit the Pepsi Center first, then ventured to Coors Field and finally coming back to Mile High.  Not sure why they did it.  It may have been to alleviate congestion on the course and it did seem somewhat better this year from that standpoint.

Fans on the Field is a fun race that benefits the National Sports Center for  the Disabled.   

It was great to see so many kids out running with their parents today and I felt very lucky that this is an event that my kids and I look forward to each year.  Adam only does a couple of 5K's each year so  I think there need to be more 5K runs that have something to do with the Broncos, Rockies, Nuggets and the Avalanche and he will be there :)

I got to high five the Nugget mascot, Rocky.  Hands down the best mascot in profesional sports.  I wish I had gotten his picture.

The run was a bit of a struggle for me.  I have down so much slow running this year, I am having a hard time trying to get back into a faster pace. 

                                                  The runners hit the Pepsi Center

                                          Off to Coors Field.  The little girl with the pony tail was fast!

Heading to home plate to greet Dinger!

My obligatory water picture :)

                                                       A little Kung Fu fighting, courtesy of Keegan

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