Winding Down Vacation & More

Boy can we pick the perfect vacation week or what ? We have had plenty of play and down time but I also got in some training and we actually spent 2 days painting a living room and hallway. I know it sounds like a tough way to spend a vacation but it looks amazing and we have been wanting to do this for a while so it was a huge accomplishment and a monkey off the ole back – whatever that means.

I am starting TODAY off the right way with peace and quiet, my dogs, and coffee. (and you folks). But the big ticket item today will be launching my kayak a couple of miles down the road at Beasley’s Point. There is a nice small beach down there that is perfect for kayaking and open water swimming.

Tonight I need to head home so I can connect with John Anderson and a couple of other cyclists for tomorrow’s cancer bike ride. Keep your fingers crossed for OK weather. I’m sure we will have plenty to share from this ride. Wet or dry, I’m looking forward to it. It will be good fun and a nice 66 mile training ride while helping the cancer cause.

Last weekend my wife and I were helping out the race director and her husband at the Avalon Islandman triathlon. Midge and Tim Kerr are GREAT friends and GREAT people who totally GET IT.Tim has been giving back to the community in various ways for over 20 years. (see www.timkerrcharities.org for more on them)  Avalon is one of my “give back” races that I work and support but don’t race. So I was helping Tim organize some athlete awards when I hear Midge call my name for an award for going “Above and Beyond”. Awards like this and the one that I received from Team in Training a few weeks ago mean more to me than any performance based award.

This was already a special race because we were using it to recognize the late Brad Schoener, and Brad’s wife and family were there to support and present the awards. Although I still don’t feel my actions warrant an award, I am really touched that someone gave me a nod like that simply for doing what I love to do. So my point is – yes – you can make a difference simply by harnessing what you love to do.

As a quick side note; Earlier this week we also met Tim and Midge for dinner where we discussed everything from raising kids to racing. Earlier, this year I had  introduced the Kerr’s to Anne Mahlum of Back on My Feet (www.backonmyfeet.org) who will have huge representation at Tim’s 7 Mile Run in September. As I was going into a little more detail about Back on My Feet and how their program works, Tim chimed in with this comment “Well, why don’t I just send busses up to Philly to pick up all of the Back on My Feet athletes so they don’t have to worry about transportation”. Need I say any more ?

Life is good and I am surrounded by great people.