It was a hoot riding 13 miles with my dad and sister yesterday, at least in part because Traci eased up and wasn’t barking orders about sprints. (We took a quick trip up the fire tower at Ouabache State Park to compensate for the lack of intensity on our ride.)
Dad was pleased to discover he could ride that distance fairly easily, enough so that he’s still considering the 20K Colavita time trial in Bluffton on Sept. 16. Nor has he ruled out the Sept. 23 sprint triathlon at Potato Creek State Park.
But whether or not he does those events — he’s incredibly busy for a retiree — it’s cool he’s trying to fit workouts into his routine. Because he’s never struggled with weight control, he can get by without exercise. Which means he often doesn’t.
Traci and I lectured him about the importance of “making an appointment” to exercise. But I’m also reminded of what novelist and runner Haruki Murakami says about the down side of being “naturally thin.”
” … There can’t be many of them who would go out of their way to take these troublesome measures when they don’t need to. Which is why, in many cases, their physical strength deteriorates as they age,” writes Murakami in his memoir, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. “I think this physical nuisance (a tendency to put on weight) should be viewed in a positive way, as a blessing. We should consider ourselves lucky that the red light is so clearly visible.”
My dad and sister get ready to resume our ride after a quick trip up the fire tower at Ouabache State Park.
