I love routine. Schedules, plans, organization, routine. I'm one of those people that functions almost entirely by routine. I plan everything in my life weeks and months ahead, and people laugh at me when they see me planning next month's projects when they are still catching up on this month's. My fitness routine is no exception, I am always writing down and planning when I'm going to walk, run, hike, whatever. I make calendars. Lots and lots of calendars. I like knowing what to expect and take comfort in knowing that planning ahead makes sure that everything is going to go just exactly the way it should. Right? Well, not always... Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world, and there's often very little we can do when life slings mud at us. Oh how annoying it is when something pops up and messes with my nice, neat, carefully planned perfect routine. I've been lucky so many weeks to get that routine just perfectly right, that I often take it for granted, I'm able to do everything I want to do and keep making great strides forward. Until one day BOOM life slings the ol' mud blob right into the works.
It could start with the itchy throat. You know the feeling. You try to tell yourself, "it's just allergies, it will go away by tomorrow, I'll still be able to get out for my scheduled run". But tomorrow instead of flying down your favorite route like an Olympian, you find yourself in bed with your friends OJ and Puffs by your side, drifting in and out of a Nyquil induced coma while posting your misery on Facebook and watching old episodes of Xena on Netflix. A few days later, you feel a little bit perky, but even in the best of these pesky illnesses, it will be at least a week before you can strap on the old running shoes again. And it's not just illness that can take you out of the running, as it were. Most of us who have been doing this running thing for any length of time know that injury comes with the territory. We do what we can to avoid it, but our bodies are only human, and susceptible to the wear and tear of the constant beating it takes. Pulled or tired muscles, creaky joints, trips and falls, any number of things can pop up, and you need to take time off to rest and let your body rebuild itself. Or what about vacation? Who Googles vacation destinations before they leave to map out running routes in the area they are going to make sure they don't fall behind on their training? Um, actually, I do. But even with that planning I am still not able to always stick to my goal because of time constraints, route issues (omg, that hill was NOT on the map!), weather, etc. So I come back from vac all flabby and flaccid and knowing that the next time I put on the running shoes, it's not going to be pretty.
Why is it so hard to get going again after taking time off? I mean, the first run after a long time off from running is always brutal. You feel like you have lead weights on your ankles, and you have to remind your feet and legs what they are supposed to do. One foot in front of the other, stupid! To put things in perspective, of course, it's not like it's the same as starting from the beginning. I mean, running a 6 mile route in around 1 hour, 15 minutes, is a huge improvement over where I started, when I could barely finish walking 3 miles in about an hour, let alone running 6 at all. But I feel bummed when I turn in that time now, because I know that I can do that 6 miles ten minutes faster than that, and want to be back up to speed. It's kind of like three steps forward, one step back. I hate coming back from a "break" knowing it will be at least a week, probably a lot more, before I can get back up to the level where I was before, and crossing my fingers for as many good weeks in a row as I can get, hoping more setbacks don't come up. It stinks that our bodies lose so much of their endurance when we get taken out of our fitness routines for awhile. I mean, Netflix and the Post Office let us put holds on our service when we are on vacation, can't we do that with our bodies?
The good news is, our bodies are really good at healing themselves. Whether it's an illness, injury, or just a short bout with vacation sloth, if we make it a priority to live healthy lives overall, when the time comes to weather a setback, we are able to get back on that horse and ride when it's over and done. It's really just an issue of mind over matter. Just like when we first started out, we have to convince ourselves all over again that it's worth it to get out, get moving, and get the routine going again. But once we take those first steps forward again, everything falls back into place. It's just a matter of remembering to take it slow and easy at first, and enjoying it whether we are at the top of our game or just working our way back up.
I'm writing this because the mud slinging fairies of life have seemed to take a personal vengeance on me as of late. A little over a month ago I went through a particularly nasty cold that ended with the most lovely infection in my lungs (which is just awesome for an asthmatic like myself), and after nearly 3 weeks of recovery, I was just getting back out and up to speed when I pulled a hamstring or some other such nonsense in my left leg, which knocked me "out of the running" for another week before I dared get out on it again. So for the past week and a half I've been slowly and carefully working my way back into my routine. It's been awhile since I was at my best, but I have patience and know it won't be long before I'm back on track. Because germs and such be damned, I know I can still get my mojo back, no matter how long it takes. Take that, mud slinging fairies of life, kiss my dust. I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack...
Thanks for reading! See you next time...
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Tahoe Life: Friends, Family, Home.
Home. It's where the heart is, as they say. But what does that mean? I don't know exactly, but this is going to be my attempt to put it into words. We all have someplace we idealize in the back of our mind as home. It's a place we think of that brings feelings of familiarity, comfort, belonging. For many of us, the place or places where we grew up and spent the most time of our lives growing, learning, and becoming who we are now, are what we think of as the idealized "home".
Anyone reading this knows by now that I was born and raised at Lake Tahoe. For those who are not familiar with Tahoe, here it is.
Wow, right? What a beautiful place! Why would anyone ever want to leave this? Believe me, it really wasn't easy.
Being a Tahoe kid is a badge I am extremely proud to wear. I love the memories I have of growing up in a place where everybody knows everybody, we all share the experiences of life in the mountains, and know that the joy of living in such a beautiful, idyllic place also comes with dealing with cold and snow in winter, road construction in summer, and tourists, high prices, and unpredictable wildlife year round. It's a lot of work to live at Tahoe, while it's easy to love it, it's not easy to live there. So, as much as we enjoy it, it happens that many of us who grow up at Tahoe still find ourselves moving on to lower elevations with higher populations. That moment came for me about 16 years ago. I had a job at the Lake, was making ends meet, then I got an offer to come down to Long Beach for a "temporary" gig as a live-in caretaker for a friend's mom. I remember when I got there, immediately I got excited that the nearest grocery store was a only few blocks away, the bus came more than once an hour, and the movie theaters had more than one screen. I loved the city right away because it is oh so much more convenient than living at Tahoe. And then there were the temperatures in Long Beach. It rarely gets colder than the 50's, and most of the time it's just right in the 70's. So, even after that job ended, I stayed. It's been 16 years since I moved to Long Beach, and in that time I've never had to shovel or de-ice anything, ever. Life is good.
However, the life I enjoy in Southern California doesn't take anything away from the memories I have of the place I grew up. It's only 500 miles away, and I make a trip up there at least once a year, most years I make it up two or three times. My parents still live there (the true die-hards) so we can go any time. I take any chance I can to go back and visit, to see my parents and old friends. to bring my family and anyone else I can get to join us to see and experience the place that has such great meaning to me.
Whenever I make the drive to Tahoe, I always get the familiar feelings of home as soon as I begin to pass through the areas I knew growing up. In central CA, it's Fresno, Turlock, and Sacramento, places I spent visiting relatives as a kid. Not exciting places, but places with good memories. But the "home" feeling doesn't start to really hit until I begin to climb mountains. I know several completely different routes into Tahoe, each one beautiful, amazing and memorable. My FB friends know, they've seen the photos. Wait, here's another one now.
Ahhhhh, Emerald Bay. Probably one of the most photographed places in the Tahoe Basin. And you can see why. But it has more than just scenic meaning for me. When the tourists see this place, they just see a photo op. When I see it, it means I'm almost home. Mom and Dad's house is just 10 minutes down the road from here.
Arriving at my parent's house is always a joy. Walking in, seeing that it looks pretty much the same as it did the day I left 16 years ago. The living room with the Morris Chair and the man-eater sofa. The front yard with Mom's tulips, peonies, and the trees that were a whole lot smaller when I was a kid. And the back yard with the picnic table my dad built, the fire pit and the big, green striped lawn swing.
While at the lake, it's hard to choose between staying at the house, resting, and enjoying the slow motion pace of Tahoe life, or going out to DO STUFF. Because there is so much to do! I've mentioned in my previous posts about my favorite Tahoe activities, now when I bring my family and guests along, I hope they will enjoy them as much as I did and still do. It's not just the activity and the place, it's the association that it has for me. Here is the creek I used to fish in. Here are the dirt roads I used to ride along with my dad. Here are the beaches my mom brought us to spend the day swimming, the pier my brother, our friends and I used to jump off of and tell the tourists that the water isn't cold. Here is the big rock you can hike to the top of for the most amazing view of the Lake you can imagine. Each place has so many memories, and every time I go back I find myself just a little lost in the past, hoping those that I brought along for the ride are making some good memories for themselves.
As much as the scenery and fond memories of Tahoe places have for me, the main thing that keeps me coming back again and again are the people. Of course, my parents are there. As long as Mom and Dad are there, it's home. Then there are my old friends, former classmates, and the rest who, unlike me, found reason to stay up there. I have reconnected with many of them through various means, mostly FB, where I open my page every day to see all sorts of posts, comments, pictures and such about life at Tahoe. Every time I get ready to go back, I make sure everyone on FB knows, so they can plan accordingly for my arrival. Of course I joke about that, and yet I am surprised by how many people I end up reconnecting with every time I go back. Because no matter how many years pass, how much life has brought us, we are still connected, still the same deep down.
Going home to Tahoe is sweet. I look forward to every trip. But I still love my life in the city, and as much as I get the feelings of home on my way up to the Lake, I start to get them when I leave Tahoe, too, thinking about everything from looking forward to seeing my friends, co-workers and church family in So Cal to mundane everyday life: laundry, work, sleeping in my own bed. I know that I am very blessed to have so much to be thankful for, that I had a wonderful place to grow up, and now I have a great place to raise my own kids. The best part is, I get to have both! I get to live where I enjoy life the most, and still go back to relive some of the best parts of my past. And I think it probably can't get better than that.
In two weeks we'll be heading back to Tahoe for the last week of summer vacation. We're making plans, getting ready, and looking forward to the trip. But for now, the laundry still calls. Until then, I've got my memories to tide me over. And these pictures. Enjoy my parting shot...
Anyone reading this knows by now that I was born and raised at Lake Tahoe. For those who are not familiar with Tahoe, here it is.
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| West Shore of Tahoe, view from Eagle Rock |
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| Kaspian Point, West Shore of Tahoe |
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| West Shore of Tahoe, view from Rubicon Bay |
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| North-East Shore of Tahoe, view from above Incline Village |
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| Sand Harbor, North-East Shore of Tahoe |
However, the life I enjoy in Southern California doesn't take anything away from the memories I have of the place I grew up. It's only 500 miles away, and I make a trip up there at least once a year, most years I make it up two or three times. My parents still live there (the true die-hards) so we can go any time. I take any chance I can to go back and visit, to see my parents and old friends. to bring my family and anyone else I can get to join us to see and experience the place that has such great meaning to me.
Whenever I make the drive to Tahoe, I always get the familiar feelings of home as soon as I begin to pass through the areas I knew growing up. In central CA, it's Fresno, Turlock, and Sacramento, places I spent visiting relatives as a kid. Not exciting places, but places with good memories. But the "home" feeling doesn't start to really hit until I begin to climb mountains. I know several completely different routes into Tahoe, each one beautiful, amazing and memorable. My FB friends know, they've seen the photos. Wait, here's another one now.
 |
| Emerald Bay, West Shore of Tahoe |
Arriving at my parent's house is always a joy. Walking in, seeing that it looks pretty much the same as it did the day I left 16 years ago. The living room with the Morris Chair and the man-eater sofa. The front yard with Mom's tulips, peonies, and the trees that were a whole lot smaller when I was a kid. And the back yard with the picnic table my dad built, the fire pit and the big, green striped lawn swing.
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| big bash in the family back yard, our summertime tradition at Tahoe |
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| The night is not complete without making S'mores |
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| The next generation of Tahoe kids |
While at the lake, it's hard to choose between staying at the house, resting, and enjoying the slow motion pace of Tahoe life, or going out to DO STUFF. Because there is so much to do! I've mentioned in my previous posts about my favorite Tahoe activities, now when I bring my family and guests along, I hope they will enjoy them as much as I did and still do. It's not just the activity and the place, it's the association that it has for me. Here is the creek I used to fish in. Here are the dirt roads I used to ride along with my dad. Here are the beaches my mom brought us to spend the day swimming, the pier my brother, our friends and I used to jump off of and tell the tourists that the water isn't cold. Here is the big rock you can hike to the top of for the most amazing view of the Lake you can imagine. Each place has so many memories, and every time I go back I find myself just a little lost in the past, hoping those that I brought along for the ride are making some good memories for themselves.
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| rafting on the Truckee River |
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| getting stuck in the mud at Prosser Lake. at least the tow truck guy got stuck worse than I did... |
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| creek walking at General Creek, Sugar Pine Point St. Park |
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| skipping rocks at Kaspian Point |
As much as the scenery and fond memories of Tahoe places have for me, the main thing that keeps me coming back again and again are the people. Of course, my parents are there. As long as Mom and Dad are there, it's home. Then there are my old friends, former classmates, and the rest who, unlike me, found reason to stay up there. I have reconnected with many of them through various means, mostly FB, where I open my page every day to see all sorts of posts, comments, pictures and such about life at Tahoe. Every time I get ready to go back, I make sure everyone on FB knows, so they can plan accordingly for my arrival. Of course I joke about that, and yet I am surprised by how many people I end up reconnecting with every time I go back. Because no matter how many years pass, how much life has brought us, we are still connected, still the same deep down.
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| Former Big A Club kids! |
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| High School Reunion! |
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| Sunday morning at First Baptist Church of Tahoe City! |
Going home to Tahoe is sweet. I look forward to every trip. But I still love my life in the city, and as much as I get the feelings of home on my way up to the Lake, I start to get them when I leave Tahoe, too, thinking about everything from looking forward to seeing my friends, co-workers and church family in So Cal to mundane everyday life: laundry, work, sleeping in my own bed. I know that I am very blessed to have so much to be thankful for, that I had a wonderful place to grow up, and now I have a great place to raise my own kids. The best part is, I get to have both! I get to live where I enjoy life the most, and still go back to relive some of the best parts of my past. And I think it probably can't get better than that.
In two weeks we'll be heading back to Tahoe for the last week of summer vacation. We're making plans, getting ready, and looking forward to the trip. But for now, the laundry still calls. Until then, I've got my memories to tide me over. And these pictures. Enjoy my parting shot...
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| Emerald Bay at Sunrise. I know, not again. I can't help myself.... |
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