Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts

Monday, 19 November 2012

Baby, we were born to run!

I have a really clear memory of the first time I ran as a deliberate exercise.

Looking back, I had always been a runner in some way. I was the kid at recess who sprinted back and forth on the field just for the joy of it. (Luke and Danny will appreciate that, after Dad read Jurassic Park to me, I used to pretend I was a velociraptor on the hunt. Surprisingly enough, I was not a particularly popular child.) I always ran the full set of laps on field day, and, err, I suppose I chased a few boys around the playground as well.

But then one day, Mom took me to the fitness club with her. Usually, we'd go inside for a few laps in the pool, but this time, for some reason, we went around back to a few jogging trails. Mom settled in for a brisk walk and said, "Why don't you run some, Holly?"

Off I went.

The girl who quit gymnastics and basketball, who dodged wiffleballs instead of catching them, who didn't learn to ride a two-wheeler until middle school, and who couldn't swim the crawl without drowning herself until last year... That girl had finally found something that would stick.
Let the record reflect that I outran this thunderstorm home. :)

Friday, 27 January 2012

Two-Wheeling Around Town

There's something you should know about me: I never stand on my bike pedals.  It's not that I can't: when I'm going at a reasonable clip, I've practiced getting out of my seat to pump the bicycle.  And when I'm crossing an intersection, I can manage a few feeble turnovers to appease the waiting cars.  But I always sit securely back in my seat just as soon as I can.

My inability to pump a bike has led to some entertaining attempts at hill climbing in California, and promises to lead to some interesting experiences here in New Zealand.

Trusty, but thus-far nameless, beautiful steel-frame
I've been enjoying.  Admittedly, needs a racier seat.