When did I age?

Over the last week I've noticed aging. Not wake up pain aging just things. Of course it doesn't help when your 10 year old sits for what seems like hours analyzing all that is on your body. "Dad, you should have stayed out of the sun, you have lines in the corners of your eyes and around your mouth". I tell him that it's because I smiled all the time when I was a kid, that's why those lines are there. Then he points out grey hair on my chin, the veins that pop out of my arms, the slowness in my walk. Then yesterday I'm sitting in a meeting not really focused on the task in front of us and I'm looking at my hand. In whatever light I was in it looked all old! When the heck did that happen? I know it's inevitable but it wasn't supposed to happen to me.

No, this is not a midlife crisis. I actually enjoy getting older. And heck I did a run test today and felt better today than I did last month. I wasn't much faster but it felt so much easier. If that continues what does age matter.

It's a good life....
Dave

The Sun

As I've said multiple times the Sun is the key to life. When there is no sun like the recent winter months here in Germany there is a certain mood that strikes. It's not bad but it's not super happy either. Its a sense of purpose. Let me get my things done and then get home. It's the lack of sun during the day and it's the overall short days.
Over the last week things have changed. First the sun has been out. Not just out but the complete opposite of those winter months. It's been out in cloudless skies with a super warm glow. Temperatures regularly in the 70's. This has caused a wholesale change in the mood. People are out on their patios until the sun goes down. You can smell the grills all over the neighborhood. Bike paths are full of bikes, in-line skakes, walkers and dare I say runners. Kids are back in the street. Marco spent this weekend outside with the neighbor kids. It's been 6 months since this happened with any regularity. It's like life began again. The doorbell rang multiple times with little girls standing there looking for Marco.

As for me, I road my bike outside in shorts. Freedom from tights, freedom from chill or downright cold. Freedom from a runny nose. Yes, the Sun does bring Life......

It's a good life....
Dave

Fine Dad, take the picture.
This is Marco making yummy snacks. He's taking a cooking class after school on Monday so we are trying to foster it by adding things to do on the weekend. The weekend before I left for Panama he made Peanut Butter balls mixed with Honey, raisens, dried cranberries and chocolate chips. They were yummy!

Back home in Germany. Although I knew this would happen it's still strange. The week before I left we had seen more than a week straight of cold rain or snow. You know the saying with March, Lions and Lambs. Well March roared in this year. Last week (the last week of March) while I was in Panama the weather turned. When I landed here yesterday it was a beautiful 75 degrees and Sunny. What a welcome feeling.

Panama was great. Besides being late to the big presentation that one day, all else went great. Every time I go there I am reenergized for what I do as a living. The energy in the room is infectous and it's because of the Latin American people. They are just really appreciative and full of excitement.
The running was good there as well and that always helps on trips like this. I met Craig in the lobby every morning for a run through the Park. The great thing about that was we carried each other through the rough spots. There were clearly days that felt worse than others and it was good to have a running partner and a meeting time to keep the running going. I can't remember the last time a ran when I could feel the sweat rolling off my head. Our morning run started with a 2 mile jaunt to the park. There was one section that was a gradual climb. At the top of the climb with a turn into the sun the first drops of sweat would roll off my head. From then on it was a contiuous stream. Now I always suggest you use technical fabric when running but did you know once it is soaking wet from hot humid conditions, it stays wet. The wicking properies are pretty much gone at this point. On the good side even soaking wet it weights much less than wet cotton and it's still much cooler than soaking cotton. Anyway I managed 55 miles around the park while in Panama. I think that's a record for any trip I've been on. Now it's back to being a triathlete which means less running and more of the other stuff. Consider my one week running camp done.

It's a good life....
Dave