Fitness for life
Elizabeth and I had an amazing time doing a bike tour of San Francisco. We started at the Bay Bridge, worked our way along the bay, went under the Golden Gate Bridge, and stopped for lunch at Baker Beach.
Most of this can be accomplished on bike path and it all feels pretty safe. The Presidio Tunnel Top Park is a major highlight, it’s so well done.
Here is the link to my Strava map https://strava.app.link/hFi1GfOjULb
This is a great ride, give it a try.
Today we took a trip out to the gorge for this amazing hike with our friends Jarod and Adina. Jarod knows the gorge well and recommended this hike and it did not disappoint. It only took us about 40 minutes to drive out there from downtown Portland, that was after a stop at HenryHiggins Boiled Bagels
This is a relatively easy hike with moderate elevation gain but the visuals are stunning. You will hike along the river getting higher above it as you go which changes your perspective.
We hiked up to Punchbowl Falls about 3.2 miles up but there was plenty to see along the way.
Here is the Punchbowl. You can get down to it but it’s not easy and didn’t seem worth the time to us.
I’d say this hike is family friendly because it’s not steep and you can turn around at any point and feel successful.
Our hiking crew, Fletcher the dog was in the water and missed the picture. Thank you to Jarod and Adina for hosting us.
We wrapped up our trip with a short drive over the bridge to Stevenson WA for lunch. A very cute town with lots of lunch options.
Get out there and have fun.
By Elizabeth
When Ralph and I travel, it’s a given that we pack workout clothes. It doesn’t matter if it’s a weekend getaway or a weeklong vacation, we both know we will for sure get a few workouts in.
So for a recent girls’ weekend at the beach with three workout pals, it didn’t even occur to me to ask in advance if we would be going for a run. I just assumed we would! To my delight, one of my girlfriends made the same assumption and we enjoyed a glorious 5-mile run on the beach.
A native Californian, the beach is my happy place. And to be able to go for a run at the shoreline is one of my favorite things to do.
I have several fun trips lined up for the summer and you can be sure my running shoes will be among the first items to go in my suitcase!
By Ralph —
There are a lot of ways to celebrate your birthday, and running a marathon probably isn’t at the top of most people’s list. But it is mine! And getting to run in the 40th annual Chicago Marathon was such a gift. The event staff did an amazing job of keeping everything safe and organized. The spectator support throughout the course was amazing. It was great to see so many enthusiastic people out supporting their loved ones and everyone else.
This race was particularly special to me because Elizabeth and both of our kids were there to share the weekend and the whole race experience. In fact, the three of them ran in the 5K race the day before the marathon. What great memories I have of the three days we had together in Chicago!
Elizabeth and the kids are very experienced race spectators and they take supporting me during a race to the next level. In Chicago, they managed to log 11 miles themselves on race day tracking me around the course. Through some very careful strategizing (and tracking on Find My Friends, Strava and the race app), they saw me at miles 1, 3, 13, 17 and 25. Each time I saw them I got a little energy boost and pep in my step.
My philosophy is any time you get across the finish line in a race it’s a success. As I was running through the dog miles of 15-20 I was reflecting on how fortunate I am to have the physical capability and opportunity to do these races. That being said, I did not make my time goal and that’s a little disappointing, but I am not letting that take away from the overall experience and the joy of the day. I am blessed to have such a wonderful and supportive family. I acknowledge not everyone has that and I am grateful.
My time? 4:03:38. I came in 11,943 out of 43,000 finishers.
Here is the great thing about the situation: it’s on to the next event. This weekend, I am doing the Meals on Wheels Charity Bike Ride and in November, I’ll run the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Half Marathon. I’m doing the Rock n Roll Half as a fundraiser for Augie’s Quest and the fight against ALS.
By Ralph
I like having a major race on the calendar at least once a year. It keeps me interested in getting better and it gives me a major challenge for the year. This year, that race is the Chicago Marathon on October 8th. Just so happens that is also my birthday, so I will be having a huge party this year — 12,000 people have already RSVP’d. So nice of all of them to meet me in Chicago to celebrate!
This is my third big city marathon in the last three years. Two years ago, I ran the New York City Marathon and last year I did the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. I like to have a training theme for my races. Right now it’s Big City Marathons. Before that it was Ironman triathlon. That lasted eight years and I completed five full Ironman triathlons during that time frame.
Elizabeth and I are enjoying the Big City Marathon Tour — a theme we made up– because it also gives us a chance to explore a new city, or enjoy a city we have already been to, beyond just the race.
After I finished the Marine Corps Marathon, I got cleaned up, we went out for a great celebratory lunch, and we had a memorable time leisurely strolling around DC looking at the monuments and taking in the sites. It’s a day I will never forget. What made the day even more special was the fact that our son Davis was able to join us for the weekend and participate in all the activities.
I am very thankful that I have such a supportive family who joins me on these journeys.
Here is what I look for when selecting a race:
1. The reputation of the race – is it an iconic race that is well respected with a great history?
2. Is it a city Elizabeth and I will enjoy going to beside the race? What other activities can we plan while we are there? In New York, for example, we went to a Broadway show two nights before the race.
3. What are the logistics around the race? How close is the venue to an airport? Are there plenty of hotels close to the start or finish? How spectator friendly is the race?
My challenge for you is to look around at the fall racing schedule and see what appeals to you. Close or far, long or short, that’s up to you. But I do think you will find it motivating to have a fall event on the calendar. I am not sure what I am going to do in 2018 yet, that is yet to be determined. Half the fun is trying to figure that out.
By Ralph
A very common struggle on vacation is maintaining some kind of a workout routine. You have worked hard all year to achieve a level of fitness, maybe even in preparation of that vacation, and you don’t want to lose that progress while you are away. Here are some of my vacation workout tips.
I personally really enjoy working out on vacation because it allows me to break my normal routines and explore new places. I understand not everyone shares my enthusiasm for vacation workouts, but with the right frame of mind, you will come home feeling much better if you get a few workouts in.
I break vacation workout opportunities into two categories. You can decide for yourself what works best for you and the people you are vacationing with. The first is the “Get it Done” workout. This is about getting 3-4 workouts during a weeklong vacation done in the hotel fitness center. This is great in areas that may not be safe to explore or when you have to be as efficient with your time as humanly possible.
The second, and way more interesting is, “Build It In” workout. The ideas are endless on this depending where you are vacationing. On a recent trip to New York, Elizabeth and I had a few active things on our list that had us out and about enjoying the city while burning calories in a fun way. I had my heart set on renting bikes and riding across the Brooklyn Bridge and Elizabeth wanted to walk the length of the High Line Trail. We did both of those things on the same day without public transit, starting from our hotel in Time Square. We had the best time, took tons of pictures, and got our workouts in at the same time.
But as with most things, preparation is key! Spending just a few minutes on the internet before your trip is the best way to take advantage of your workout time regardless of what you do. Knowing what equipment is available in the hotel fitness center will help you make the most of your time. Discovering in advance there is limited equipment and space available will allow you to bring a body weight routine with you, giving you a better chance of success.
I also look to see what athletic clubs and gyms are in the area and what their guest policies are.
I like to use websites like Strava and Map My Run to see posted runs from the area I’m visiting. These websites give me local knowledge on the best places to run, walk, hike or bike before I even get there.
With the right mindset and a little advance preparation, staying fit on vacation can be fun and add a lot of great memories to your vacation. Get there, explore, and have fun staying fit.