Another Perfect Day: A Seinfeld Episode Day
This could really have been a Seinfeld episode in that it was a great day without anything relevant.
It started out with two fantastic car rides and included a run that reminded me why I love to run.
My middle son is six weeks away from getting his driver's license and I drove him to school. Nothing special other than I relish the conversations we have knowing there are few left before he's driving himself to school. The faint image of the moon was still hovering over the skyline even though the early sun had come up. Being in a good mood and with holidays not far off, I throw a little "Jimmy Stewart" at him telling him I'm going to "lasso the moon." "Do you know what movie that's from,?" I asked. "Bruce Almighty" (with Jim Carrey) was the reply. We both laughed over how far off we were on the topic. "No, it's from 'A Wonderful Life'...it's a holiday classic." He looks at me like I'm crazy. The conversation turns to running and he asks what I'd do if I didn't do running. #blasphemy He tells me that I'd still probably do something to stay in shape. He knows me pretty well.
My second car drive was returning my college freshman daughter up to the CSU campus after she'd spent the weekend in Denver. After a quick Starbucks trip to fuel the car ride, I hopped on an early morning conference call and had it on the car's speaker phone. My "business voice" combined with very distinct accents from India and London on the other end shared perspectives on a sales deal I'd been working on. Very routine conversation for me but wildly entertaining for my daughter. The accents had her giggling as if tuning into a YouTube video or "The Simpsons" episode. It was probably more of an indication of her perspective on life by drawing happiness or humor even out of the mundane.
We finished the car ride with questions about boys, her grades and her decision to go to Ft. Collins for school. She'd alternate her answers with rotating radio channels and turning up the sound on songs she likes. We both tried to understand what lyrics were in the Drake song on the radio, and both agreed that while it sounded like "oy vey," we didn't think he was Jewish nor was that the line in the song. More laughter ensued.
After dropping my daughter off on campus, she rushed off for her morning class. I then turned the car south to head home to my own zip code. In all, I'd already logged four hours in the car and I hadn't squeezed in my workout yet for the day. The sun was out and I was in a good mood after the high quality time with my kids. I made the executive decision to switch my crosstraining (planned) with an outdoor run. After skipping my Sunday long run for a lazy morning in bed, I decided to "go long" in the awesome Colorado Fall weather on this fine Monday.
Being in my "off season," I didn't need to go especially long, nor fast. I decided to "hover" around an 8:40 pace, but not pay too much attention to my Garmin. While I brought my iPod, I opted to skip the music and soak in the sun and sounds of nature. My energy level was better than it was even for my last marathon. Perhaps the last few weeks of "taking it easy" had slightly recharged my battery. I thought to myself, "this is why I'm a runner" since I truly enjoyed this one. Fall colors combined with cool temps that glided smoothly in and out of my lungs. I stopped to take a couple pictures. Images I would have never wasted film on in an old Kodak, but couldn't resist on my smart phone. This was not a PR, nor were there bagels and medals at the end, but equally satisfying.
The only things that slightly interrupted this great run karma were the two housewives in two different cars that didn't look both directions on my way home from the running trail. One was gulping down a McDonalds cheeseburger. The other didn't look at all, and I (more than) gently tapped the rear quarter panel of her car with my water bottle. I'm hoping she released a small amount of urine when she heard the "thud" and realized she almost hit me. She didn't almost hit me since I'm accustomed to defensive running in the burbs. Yeah Lady, that strip of concrete they call a "sidewalk" sometimes has people on them that walk or run from place to place--you might want to look both ways.
The day ended just as uneventful as it started with my son studying at the dining room table and me on the couch flipping channels between Tom Brady on "Monday Night Football" and "Dancing with the Stars." My wife by my side, it seemed like a fair trade-off, but she's "on to me" and has realized that I don't watch the show for the dancing or the costumes, but sometimes for the lack of the later.
The day with not much at all had it all. I'm the "Master of my Domain."
It started out with two fantastic car rides and included a run that reminded me why I love to run.
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| Stopped to snap a pic of the beautiful day with my beautiful daughter |
My second car drive was returning my college freshman daughter up to the CSU campus after she'd spent the weekend in Denver. After a quick Starbucks trip to fuel the car ride, I hopped on an early morning conference call and had it on the car's speaker phone. My "business voice" combined with very distinct accents from India and London on the other end shared perspectives on a sales deal I'd been working on. Very routine conversation for me but wildly entertaining for my daughter. The accents had her giggling as if tuning into a YouTube video or "The Simpsons" episode. It was probably more of an indication of her perspective on life by drawing happiness or humor even out of the mundane.
 |
| Backdrop for my awesome 90 minute run |
We finished the car ride with questions about boys, her grades and her decision to go to Ft. Collins for school. She'd alternate her answers with rotating radio channels and turning up the sound on songs she likes. We both tried to understand what lyrics were in the Drake song on the radio, and both agreed that while it sounded like "oy vey," we didn't think he was Jewish nor was that the line in the song. More laughter ensued.
After dropping my daughter off on campus, she rushed off for her morning class. I then turned the car south to head home to my own zip code. In all, I'd already logged four hours in the car and I hadn't squeezed in my workout yet for the day. The sun was out and I was in a good mood after the high quality time with my kids. I made the executive decision to switch my crosstraining (planned) with an outdoor run. After skipping my Sunday long run for a lazy morning in bed, I decided to "go long" in the awesome Colorado Fall weather on this fine Monday.
Being in my "off season," I didn't need to go especially long, nor fast. I decided to "hover" around an 8:40 pace, but not pay too much attention to my Garmin. While I brought my iPod, I opted to skip the music and soak in the sun and sounds of nature. My energy level was better than it was even for my last marathon. Perhaps the last few weeks of "taking it easy" had slightly recharged my battery. I thought to myself, "this is why I'm a runner" since I truly enjoyed this one. Fall colors combined with cool temps that glided smoothly in and out of my lungs. I stopped to take a couple pictures. Images I would have never wasted film on in an old Kodak, but couldn't resist on my smart phone. This was not a PR, nor were there bagels and medals at the end, but equally satisfying.
 |
| Cottonwood on my run |
The only things that slightly interrupted this great run karma were the two housewives in two different cars that didn't look both directions on my way home from the running trail. One was gulping down a McDonalds cheeseburger. The other didn't look at all, and I (more than) gently tapped the rear quarter panel of her car with my water bottle. I'm hoping she released a small amount of urine when she heard the "thud" and realized she almost hit me. She didn't almost hit me since I'm accustomed to defensive running in the burbs. Yeah Lady, that strip of concrete they call a "sidewalk" sometimes has people on them that walk or run from place to place--you might want to look both ways.
The day ended just as uneventful as it started with my son studying at the dining room table and me on the couch flipping channels between Tom Brady on "Monday Night Football" and "Dancing with the Stars." My wife by my side, it seemed like a fair trade-off, but she's "on to me" and has realized that I don't watch the show for the dancing or the costumes, but sometimes for the lack of the later.
The day with not much at all had it all. I'm the "Master of my Domain."
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