I HAVE to stop taking these breaks from writing! At least this time I didn’t take a break from working out. Quite the opposite, actually.
My riding became less frequent as my time to hike in the Adirondacks drew nearer and the rains continued unabated. I also got caught up in the numbers game my Fitbit has created…counting steps. At one point, I did over 30,000 steps in three consecutive days. My feet were quite sore after that period and it was a good test of what it would be like to walk multiple days of more than 20 miles, as I would be likely to do when trekking whatever long course I hike. I also did over 193,000 steps in one seven-day period, marking a new record by far for a week. I am on my way to crushing my one-month total, as well.
And I do get caught up in these numbers and I don’t know why. I always have gotten caught up in the numbers. How many miles did I run in a week? What was my fastest time on a particular course? How many miles did I ride for the day, week or month? What was Carl Yastrzemski’s batting average (he won the American League batting title in 1968 – the year of the pitcher – with a .301 average. It was the lowest average ever to win the league title before or since)? The very important numbers only.
I climbed Hopkins Mountain in the Adirondacks last Friday on probably the best weather day I have ever climbed. With a cloudless sky overhead and temperature hovering in the mid-sixties, I did the ascent in two hours using a casual, enjoy the serenity, pace. Once on top, I marveled at the views and deep blue of the sky overhead and found myself mesmerized and unable to leave for over an hour. That part was okay, but doing so without a cover on my head was not. I burned my dome to the point of blistering and by the end of the day Saturday must have been suffering from some kind of sun poisoning. That was colossally dumb.
And so now I find myself without a specific, immediate goal. I am heading for Augusta and Fort Gordon this weekend to spend some time with Jack. It’s a struggle to get in good hikes around that area as the roads are busy and there are no parks nearby. I’m thinking of packing up my bike and doing a morning ride while Jack sleeps in, which he normally does any chance he gets away from an Army routine that has him up by 4 a.m.ish. When I return home, I think I will map out a strategy for the summer to include several weekend trips of hiking and biking. That will keep my focus where it needs to be – on the training and conditioning I need to maintain as I head into retirement.
Oh…and I did actually notify the farm that I want to semi-retire at the end of this year. It was a watershed moment for me to actually commit to it on paper and with the organization. When I think back over my life at the things I never really thought about or thought would actually happen, this is surely one of those moments. It scares me. It excites me. The unknown will do that to you…
Hike: One hour and 20 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 70 - 90 bpm.
Calories Burned: 475.
Bonus: 22,000 steps.
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