My darling daughter and her super smart sweetie have been training all summer long for various races.  Last weekend, they ran in Skylar’s 10k Run and my daughter placed first in the women’s division!  WOO-HOO!!!  And her boyfriend was in the top ten for men, which is a personal best for him also!!  All their hard work and sacrifice has paid off as they continue training for a half marathon later this year.

I visited them several weeks ago and got a chance to see it first hand.  On Saturday, I went out for a leisurely breakfast while they got up early and went for a long run.  While they went afterwards to the Farmer’s Market, I was tasked with buying groceries.  I still got home before they did and had a few minutes to sit outside, relaxing and reading.

Sunday started hot and humid.  That didn’t stop them from getting in a bike ride for some cross-training.  I didn’t get many pictures – my camera was directly in front of the air conditioning vent as we drove over to Stone Mountain Park.  Thankfully I took these couple of pictures quickly before my camera fogged up.  I eventually had to put my camera back in the car and forget about pictures as the humidity wouldn’t let the lens clear up.

So while the two of them went bike riding, I took a walk.  There were some pretty steep hills, so I got a good workout and really sweated in the heat and humidity.  People were friendly – I got a lot of hellos and isn’t it hot out, head nods and smiles.  I was surprised that each time I wiped my face on my sleeve, there were traces of yellow pollen.  It’s August – the end of summer! – and I was wearing my wide brimmed hat.  I have no idea where I got that pollen from, but it sure was there.

I impressed my daughter and her boyfriend though when I told them about the distance biking her Dad and I used do when she was little – anywhere from 15 to 50 miles nearly every weekend when were her age.  We lived near several nice limestone paths that used to be old railroad lines, so it was safe from cars although not from divebombing birds, frisky cows or sunbathing snakes, all of which we encountered at some point.  We often left her with her grandmother for the morning while we did it, although later I went by myself as my favorite boy toy enjoyed it less and less due to knee problems.  Bike riding is fun to a point, but after a while your crotch and feet get numb and then it loses its appeal.  I found shorter rides were much more fun and a better balance to my family life after working all week.

I had a nice visit with my daughter.  I usually go each August – it’s that last quiet time at work before the federal income tax return is done and it’s time to start filing the state income tax returns (for which my team is responsible).  Once we get done with filing the returns, Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, so I go now to see her.  It’s been this way for years.  We didn’t do anything special this visit – the three of us just enjoyed some time together, did a little shopping, rented a few movies, and played board games while my favorite boy toy stayed home with da’ boyz.  He enjoyed having the house to himself, although I strongly suspect that someone did not think he was generous enough with the treats.  I’m not naming names here, but I hear that the treats were a bit. . . skimpy.  Just because the beagle is a bit fat is no excuse – at least not to him!

Family biking Skylar's 10k Run Stone Mountain Park