Harvest Half Marathon

Recently ran into Mark at Talisman Centre. He's a happy sort of fellow who I've seen there for years.  We finally got into a conversation. He's leading Mindfulness Mediation on Monday Mornings at 6am. I went this week ... as I've heard about the benefits of Mediation - and have been 'trying' it out for about a year now.

Committing to do Harvest Half Marathon at 6:20am today.

Ran the Harvest Half Marathon with friend Greg K today. I invited him to join me in Ghosting it last night.  When I woke this morning I texted him ... positively inviting him again ... Let's do it.  It was windy like heck ... and 0 degrees.

If he wasn't going - I wasn't going.
Frig ... he said Yes.
Ok - I'll do it too. It will be bette if he picks me up.

Cold start ... but such a beautiful course. Hilly.
I was surprised how controlled we were the first couple of kilometres. 4 min 40 seconds.  I didn't feel good & this was plenty fast. Relax. Enjoy.
We were ghosting this ... running/racing for ourselves. Really - just a training run.  Normally the first km of a race like this ... I would be shooting for about a 4:15 but would invariably run at 3:45 in the excitement. (Not good).

We ran shoulder to shoulder for the first 11km ... when I began to feel really good.  I turned to Greg, and claimed, "I'm going to lay it down."
I ran 3min 55" for the next 2 km ... then eventually settled into about a 4min 20" pace.

Finished in 1 hour 33 min ... running fast through the shoot so as not to have a volunteer wrap a finisher's medal around my neck. (I ghosted the course ... I tried to register yesterday - and pay to enter ... but it was full at 1000 participants. ... coming from the East Coast - I'm still not used to The West's high registration fees and selling out for these types of events!)

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I've mediated 3 our 4 days in a row using the ap HeadSpace.
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I finished the race just a bit in front of bib #12.
I've visited the HarvestHalfMarathon.com website only about a half dozen times today ... looking to see how I ranked. Those bastards still haven't posted the results.

I'm practicing Mindfulness.
Pretty sure I still have work to do.

I thought I was faster

Last night was my 3rd Wednesday night of Midweek Mayhem ... a fun cycle cross Wednesday night bike race series.  I signed up for the B group ... which many of my friends 'heckled' me for doing.  You see ... I am racing against brand new cyclist from 12 year old girls to old guys like me who have been riding and training for years ... but have not really figured out how to be fast.  (I doubt if there is anyone with as much training and racing experience as me in this B group!)
... well, that's a bit embarrassing.
When I started road bike racing in 2009, I kind of dreamed that I could get to the level of Category 3. It took 5 years ... and this year I got my Cat 2 upgrade.    (Racing in the "B" group with a Cat 2 license definitely feels like "Sand Bagging" as I sit here thinking and writing from an outside perspective!)
I was not particularly keen on riding or racing last night ... as I rushed home and changed into my cycling gear. I had that grumpy feeling ... I think it may come with middle age - unsettleness. Not sure.  However, these days, the hardest part of a workout tends to be getting my gear on - and getting out the door. Once I'm started ... I'm good.
I rode from home, stopping to preview a home for sale enroute to Deerfoot Park, NE.
I arrived at the start line with plenty of time ... and kind of bullied my way to an extremely good start position at the very front.
I wanted to give my best effort tonight - as I really do want to upgrade to the A group. Deep down, I want to belong there! (On Strava last week, after being heckled by my friends ... I declared that I was going to win the B Group this week.)
Right out of the shoot, about 8 guys were leading. I hung on ... and thought ... well my endurance is better ... and I'll catch them and pass them on lap 2.  Heart was pounding.  Towards the end of this very first lap, I lost my chain on a very steep hill. (The result of poor shifting & perhaps poor bike maintenance - my fault.) The group of 8-10 got a lead that I never did bridge ... and only lost more time in the next two laps.
I finished about 10th.
At the finish line, my son congratulated me on racing well ...  then added, "You let <name> Dad beat you. He just started racing."
Another friend & team mate with TCR, Kurt - reminded me that I cut some of the course. "I was on your wheel ... and then you cut some flags ... did you hear me? ... I yelled - I'm going to unfriend you on facebook!"
Oh well ... there's always next week.

Mid Week Mayhem - CX Race - My sons girlfriend beat me.

3rd Quarter Adventure

I just realized, the older I get, the more I think in quarters.  Not so much for planning ... but how the last quarter went. Did I hit my business targets? Did I get sufficient exercise? Did I have have sufficient adventure/fun? Is my life progressing in the direction I want it to go in? Am I moving towards a designed life or am I just living day to day reacting to the circumstances around me?

A friend and colleague at work, Tim Banfield, is constantly adventuring. He frequently invites me to climb, mtn bike, ski tour, and scramble.  I finally said yes ... and we picked Tuesday 22 September to do something.

On Monday we decided to do a Multi Pitch climb at the Ghost area (Don Getty Wildland).  While I have ridden my road bike a little bit in this area ... I really had no idea where we were going.

Getting there is Tim's Grand Cherokee was almost enough adventure. A short hike from the drainage and we were at the base of our choosen route - Heidies with Hilties - a 5.10b route established in 2000 by two women by the name of Heidi!  The last time I did a 5.10b was at Smith Rock in Oregon in 1991 with my brother ... and it was a single pitch.

Tim led the 4 pitches and I followed.  At one point I thanked Tim for keeping the rope tight ... and he replied that he was giving me a 'girl friend belay'.  With a taunt rope, I was able to successfully do the entire climb without falling.

Tim assured me that at no time were we ever in danger, and I acknowledge that. However, at the same time - my body was completely exhausted as we reached the top at the final 4th pitch.  At he base of the climb, we had a snack before going on a short hike to find the Secret Cabin.

Completely at peace, I lied on the bunk ... so thankful to be in this amazing location.

In retrospect, the highlight of the day was not the adrenalin pumping climb up the steep wall ... but the relaxation of hanging out in this wee cabin in complete peace!
At the same time, I needed the climb to enjoy the peace of the cabin.  I guess it is the ying and yang or pendulum  of life - you cannot have happiness without sadness, you cannot have success without failure.

On Being Happy

Since beginning a 90 day “Sabbatical” 79 days ago – I've been reading, talking about, and contemplating Happiness … or at least a life worth Living.

I particularly enjoyed peaking into the lives and writings off Seth Godin, Tim Ferris, and the blog - Brain Pickings of Maria Popova. These are smart and successful people who have had the luxury to navel gaze and today they share willingly.

Being Happy is About Being Grateful and wishing the best for others.

This maybe the most important key in getting to Happy. I particularly like Tony Robbins suggestion and what he does as his “Daily Priming” activity. Tim Ferris did a great interview you with him on his new book Money: Master the Game. http://fourhourworkweek.com/2014/10/15/money-master-the-game/

Being Happy is About Giving your brain the space it needs – to remember to be happy.

Coincidentally, wife Shirley and I arrived in Disneyland yesterday, the happiest place on earth. An interesting place to be writing on happiness, after contemplating it for so long.

It's easy to be happy XC Skiing in Golden, BC with friends ... at the same time one must remember to be Grateful for the Experience and freaking remember to be happy!

Tough Conversations

Feeling grateful just now ... and a bit exhausted.
A friend, and past client, called and had heard about the RECA judgement against me.
He is a true professional ... and friend.

I realize that it is not easy for most people to pick up the phone and to call.
"Hey Bryon, I heard from x person ...
What the fuck?
I did not expect that of you?"

Somehow my intuition told me that I would be speaking with this friend.
I'm very grateful he called.

It's time for me to reach out ... tell my story to a few others.

I wasn't that surprised to see this story in Thursday's Herald.  Surrinder Randhawa has caused me so much grief.  Here's the Story ... where he threatens another lawyer with an axe.

Here's another Story from CBC. Surinder Randhawa punished again by law society

... do I ... try to write this story? My side.

... now ... or another time ... or never.?

I think I, and my family ... will be better off ... after I spend 90 minutes on the bike trainer. Time for a work out. I need exercise.

Perhaps I'll give the 'coles notes' version of my story another time.
But then I think ... "Don't Complain - Don't Explain".

I took a few short cuts. I ensured nobody was hurt. I'm sorry.
The penalty I received is extreme.

Another terrific Colleague sent me this on Oct 31. It helps to read it frequently. If by Rudyard Kipling

Peace.