Daily adventures--waiting to see what waits on the other side of the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry, after exploring and picnicing at the Oxford Park.I just turned 36 years old and my most sought-after birthday gifts were a pair of Brooks running shoes and an Element skateboard. Readers of the 4-1-Run will not be surprised about the former. And anyone who knew me during my teenage/skate rat years will remember the 5+ years skating through Oxford and chuckle remembering the anarchistic zeal of years past.
My wife and her friends are getting good laughs and head-shaking amazement between 3 and 4 a.m. running times and me setting up rain gutters to ollie over in our driveway. To be honest though, I always figured/hoped I would grow up to be a kid. Just past 35 now and some of my favorite things to do are run through the mud, take "adventure/exploring" days with our girls, and now to see what balance I have left for skating. I look forward to the St. Michaels skatepark on my lunch breaks from work :)
There is a bumper sticker that has appeared at funny places at opportune times for me to read it. It's not quite ubiquitous, but it is on plenty of bumpers. It says, "Attitude Makes the Difference." I saw it again yesterday, as the girls and I were barefoot on the beach in Bellevue, throwing shells and looking for sea glass. Cliche for a bumper sticker, maybe, but a subtle reminder to me, to keep adventuring and exploring, and not to get bored or take things for granted, or too seriously.
The morning of my birthday, I left the house a little after 4 a.m., and ran 11.5 - 11.75 miles before going work. I enjoyed the company of running friends and came home to find our older daughter Anna had snuck down to sing happy birthday, with the "you look like a monkey" lyrics. That's a great birthday in and of itself.
My three runs this week have been 7.5 or so at Tuckahoe, 11.5, and 16-ish, making for another strong week heading into 2 weeks before the Delaware Trail Marathon.
So those are my thoughts at the moment: adventure, exploring, attitude, running, skating, fun. Tomorrow is a Tuckahoe day, which, after some good rain today, should be another Sunday of muddy hills and slippery trails. A smorgasboard, indeed!
3 comments:
MV, Enjoy your 37th year, sounds like you are off to a great start! stephen
I got a skateboard last year when Will first started skating. My thought was that I could mess around while he skated rather than just waiting aroud watching him at the skate park.
The problem is I didn't skate when I was younger so I am quite simply awful. Maybe the bumper sticker should read, "Attitude plus a small amount of skill makes all the difference."
Nice shot of the girls on the ferry.
Thanks, Stephen! And Landy, I am thinking that might be too much to make an effective bumper sticker. A little like the billboard on 404 on the way to Tuckahoe...;) Point taken, but I'd say the attitude to want to try has to be worth something, at least I hope so!
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