Separation From Friends

Today was another taxing, but productive day.  The early morning ambulation came off without a hitch and the universe treated me to quite a light show as the sun peeked up over the horizon. It was a great way to start the day.

Sculling on the Anacostia

The water was glassy, and that's the first time the reflection set-up has been this spectacular for a very long time.

Anacostia Light Show

As the dawn progressed, the colors got deeper, and the hint of fall in the air begged an easy pace to enjoy the show.

Anacostia Waterfront Halo

Sunbeams shot through the clouds creating a halo over the post industrial section of the Anacostia Riverfront.

Sky in the Water - Anacostia River

The river pulled the sky under the surface and did its part to enliven the palette.

The rest of the day was a little more taxing, but thanks to the practice of fitness, starting the day right, and some help from my friends quite a bit got accomplished. Tomorrow we send off one of the very best of us from the day job into retirement. I'm happy for his upcoming change of pace, grateful for his untiring support over the last two years, and saddened to see him part company with a group of folks who have ground it out to bury our critics in success.  I'm looking forward to how the day unfolds, and I hope that the universe grants me the strength and wisdom to honor this great man's contributions to his county, his service, and our little band of merry brothers. It's going to be epic.

Burning the Candle at Both Ends

My temporary uptick in work at my day job is proving to be quite a challenge. One thing I have learned is that the physical fitness I've gained through calisthenics and daily walking if proving to be the pivotal factor in keeping my mind clear and my body cooperating. There's a lesson in fitness in all of this because I started down this daily practice path a little over a year ago, and I did not have to rely on the reserves of body centric strength until the last month or two.  Being prepared has really paid off.

Eight People Preparing Their Physical Beings for the Unknown on the Anacostia

We all walk a path into the unknown, and up till a little over three years ago, I'd been able to mostly rely on youth coupled with a lack of preparation and luck to see me through the scrapes I found along the way. It was an undisciplined approach to life, and proved successful enough that I never really stopped to think about the assumptions of the future that I was foolishly relying upon to keep me on a tenable path.

Fortunately for me, I have faced a series of events that have proven conclusively that I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen around the next bend in my life path. I've been able to deal with that uncertainty by taking action, and that's a relatively new step from my perspective.  In the past, I gave far too much credit to the ability of intellect and thinking to keep things manageable. I've come full circle.  I now believe that action is what allows the intellect to function. With action, my mind has grown clearer and stronger.  It did not wither as I'd assumed in the past. The whole experience has been a period of growth that never would have happened had I not faced what I believed was the end of my rope, the end...doom. That's just a bit too dramatic, but I did get quite a wake-up call through my own ill conceived thinking.

I remain uncertain why I've been allowed to follow this path, but I believe there is a reason that may or may not be revealed.  Until then, I look forward to the challenges that the rising of the sun tomorrow may reveal.

Louiseville, Kentucky - Bourbon Chase 2015 Day 0

This morning we left DC and made the 10.5 hour trek to Louisville, Kentucky to stage for our planned participation in the 2015 Bourbon Chase.  The Chase promises to take our twelve person team over approximately 200 miles of road running through the heart of horse and bourbon country in central Kentucky.  Our team departs tomorrow at 1245.  I'm runner eight in Van #2, and I suspect that I'll not start my first of three legs (4.8 miles) much earlier than 1900 tomorrow evening.

The event will be a diverting way to put in most of my walking miles over the next two days at a relatively quicker pace.  It will be a good test of the fitness aspects of walking and how well they translate into being able to cover relatively long distances at a jog.  I hope I don't bonk.

Kentucky Sunset

Since the sun has set in the great state of Kentucky a number of hours ago, it is time that I turn in for the evening.  I'm feeling strong, but need some rest to turn in the performance I'm shooting for during the Chase. The reputation of walking as fitness is on the line.  Report out on my first leg tomorrow.