Yard work, rugby, running and Savannah's 22nd...

Saturday, July 13, 2013

I started out what was supposed to be the beginning of a very hot, humid stretch of weather working in Mimi’s yard.  She had a nice list for me which included the chance of bumping up against more poison ivy, so I needed to be careful.  I spent the next five hours pulling and hauling weeds, pruning trees, cleaning out gutters and a garage and, with the help of her two granddaughters, Madison and Mikala, washing her car.  I’d remembered how much, as a child, I’d enjoyed hosing off the car once my dad had soaped it up, so I put them in charge of hose spraying.  I kind of figured this would mean more water on each other and me than on the car, which was about right.  With the heat and sweat pouring off my body, it actually felt pretty good.

I left her place and drove to Jason’s rugby match where they were playing a 7’s tournament.  Basically, it’s the same game played on the same size field, but with half the amount of players...7.  Since there is so much ground to cover and the running is much more exhaustive, they only play two seven-minute halves.  Jason got in one half of one game, so I managed to spend another couple of hours in the sun for seven minutes of action.  It’s what dad’s are supposed to do.

By the time I got home, it was too late for a ride.  Instead, I suited up for a humid run and drove to the park.  On the way, I received a call from Heidi asking me to pick her up on the way home from a birthday/pool party she was attending for Savannah, who was 22 today.

“I know you haven’t seen her today yet, so that’ll work out,” she offered.

She was right.  Savannah had been sleeping when I’d left in the morning and off to the party by the time I’d returned from the rugby.  I had every intention of tracking her down at some point, even if it meant following her to whatever bar the group was going.  This was better.  I arrived at her friend’s house sweaty from my run, but quite huggable.  I opened the gate to the pool in the back yard only to watch a white blur move past my feet and through the neighbor’s yard to freedom.

“I’m betting I shouldn’t have let that dog out,” I said as two half-drunk party goers took up the chase…one of them was my daughter.  When she returned with the dog, I gave her a birthday hug while Heidi snapped the picture.  We agreed that we’d meet up at ‘The Harry Buffalo’, a local sports bar/watering hole after we’d all cleaned up.  

The run had gone well, too.  Though I prefer all workouts to be riding right now, when they can’t be, running is a good substitute and helps prepare me for the 115-mile hike I’ll be taking.  I continue to feel stronger with each passing day and if I can get the piriformis under control, Tour Ohio should be a big success.

Yard Work duration: 5 hours.  Run duration:  32 minutes.

Training Heart Rate:  75 for yard work and 140 bpm for the run.
Calories burned:  1250 for yard work and 550 for the run.