Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Recently...

I've been running lately, starting to get back into a nice training groove that includes doubles and nice moderate pacing with some decent climbing. I've also been on the bike more which I think is a nice change of pace and gives my legs a break from the pounding. Last week was moderate on the running frong with only 50 miles, but also 50+ miles on the bike (in a single ride). Did Deer Creek Canyon from my house with my buddy James and it was a nice way to get back into riding! I forgot how fun it is to kill it downhill and get pulled along like bullet in slipstream.

On tap for this week is 70-80 miles with 20ish being on a high country 4x4 road outside of Casper, WY where I will be with some friends on a vacation. I love Wyoming, and I think I'm glad that most folks don't know how great it really is outside of Jackson Hole.

It will be my second weekend in a row in Wyoming as I attended a great man's funeral last weekend in Lander (aka God's country). JR Horton, my great friend Johnny's father passed away in a freak accident at thier house and was remembered well this past weekend. He was a man who I knew for a few years and had a profound impact on how I view life and the outdoors. While I may have only spent a small time with JR, I always knew he was truly and honestly attentive to me when I was with him. He gave these hugs that I cannot explain, like you knew that he was proud of you, just like I know that my own father is proud of me. I've spent a lot of time thinking about him recently, how the outdoors made him a better person. Respect, tradition, family, and thoughts like that. I can only hope that I can turn into half the man that JR was.

1 comment:

Woody said...

Good stuff Patrick. We all need people like JR in our lives. Have a nice WY vacation. I like that Roes raises the prominence of this race, but I agree about the whole announcement/registration debacle.