Today was one of those days that started early and ended late, scheduled tightly all day. That always brings some stress in figuring out how to get it all done, and executing the plan. In the end, the day brought some pleasant surprises....
1 - Had to drive from Boulder to Laramie (about 2 & 1/2 hours) and back (another 2 & 1/2 hours), leaving the house this morning at 6am. That meant the alarm went off at 4:30. I was flashing back to a few years ago when I worked at Air Academy High School and often got up at 3 or 4 to get in an hour or two of Ironman training on an indoor bike trainer before arriving at school at 7am....good times (not). Meeting in Laramie at the University went well - but the unexpected treat was the beautiful scenery on highway 287 between Fort Collins and Laramie. I've driven this stretch in the winter where it's often snowy/icy/windy and often cloudy and foggy...not a fun drive. But in the summer, the scenery is incredible...lush green hills and valleys, beautiful rock canyons, lots of wildlife to see and smooth winding roads that allow you to really appreciate the Ultimate Driving Machine. :-) Stunning everywhere you look.
2 - Back home at 3:45, thinking about the bike ride on the schedule that I needed to get done. It was 80 degrees with minimal wind, and for the first time this year, I went out in a sleeveless jersey and NO gloves. How liberating and free it felt to ride unencumbered by layers of clothing! The sun felt great on my skin, and it was like I got reacquainted with my bike just 'cause I was closer to it and to nature by not being all wrapped up in clothes. What a great day to be outdoors and moving. Happiness again.
3 - The last training assignment of the day was a short (1500m) swim. Grabbed some food and sat down for a half hour, catching up on emails from earlier in the day - before I know it the clock reads 7pm...getting late and I"m getting tired. I remembered that the outdoor pool at Flatiron Athletic Club is open in the summer til 9pm...a quick phone call confirmed that those hours were now in effect. I'm a big baby about swimming outdoors in the winter - even though the water is heated, I do get cold out there. I'm a bigger baby about swimming in cold open water, but that's a story for another day. So off I go to FAC and starting my swim around 8:00. About 10 minutes into it I look up and notice that I'm swimming under a beautiful Colorado sunset. The sky was streaked with pink, purple and orange, and the air was still and warm. For the last 30 minutes I was out there, I had the pool completely to myself. The stroke came easy to me (it doesn't always) and it was easy to calm my mind & just let the body move. Definitely some good vibrations out there tonight.
Turns out it was a great day - reminds me that my expectations might be coloring my outcomes more than I realize. If I expect good things all the time instead of sometimes meeting my day or individual tasks with negative anticipation - it might well be that there are many unexpected treasures awaiting. Reminds me to keep my mind and my heart open - you never know where the journey will take you next.
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