How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Got a Christmas Bonus!



The original zip line that
started it all!



My Christmas Eve eve started off with my Random Act of Fitness #38:  doing the zip swing at the park.  We're at my parents' here in Washington for Christmas and it is stinkin' cold!  Not surprisingly, no one else was nutty enough to be there at the playground, which was nice because no line for the zip swing this time!  After run-pushing the girls several times, K and I took our turns as well, which we can't do on our mini version back home.  It was fun!



My turn!



Next, I started my deliberate act of fitness while K and girls stayed to throw rocks in the Columbia river.  I headed off to run along the river and jog my way home.



Sorry about the funny face.
I couldn't really feel it.



Man, winter running is NOT for wimps!  It was about 22 degrees and mostly overcast.  It was around noon and there was still frost on the ground.  Starting out I was really wishing I'd brought my ski mask... and this was the first time I did not appreciate the "cooling" feature on my running shoes.  However, by about mile 3 I was starting to feel my extremities again.



So relieved my feet didn't overheat. 
That's the frosty ground!



Now here's where Random Act of Fitness #39 comes in.  I had intended to run a fairly direct route to my parents' house, but I ended up kinda getting lost!  This little mishap roughly doubled my planned mileage, thus granting me an unplanned opportunity to overcome Lazy since I was, more or less, running randomly through unfamiliar neighborhoods trying to work my way back home.

By the time I encountered a path that would correctly lead me home, I'd warmed up significantly and was rather enjoying myself.  I'd gotten to explore unfamiliar parts of town and see some unexpected sights. And heaven knows, I definitely needed the extra calorie expenditure with all of Mom's home cookin' I've been inhaling!  It was kinda like a little Christmas bonus.



Iceburg!  Dead ahead!
I never would've seen this had I
stayed on course.



So I'm tellin' ya... play with your kids every chance you get... never pass up an opportunity to run along a river when you've got one close by (even in the dead of winter!)... and don't be afraid to get a little lost every so often!  It just might result in a bonus that's a little better than the Jelly-Of-The-Month club.

My Overdue Tribute to Grandpa Johnson: One Un-Lazy Fella

I wanted to get the report out on our awesomely active Thanksgiving holiday weekend much sooner but a sobering family event and just the general busyness of the season have messed a bit with my best-laid plans.

This wasn't no pansy hike!
But worth it to enjoy some Indian artwork.

First off, I would say that the Johnson family totally succeeded in overcoming Lazy this Thanksgiving!  Along with the expected gobble, gobbling, we had some great, active family fun.  This started with our hike at Sloan Canyon on Thanksgiving morning to discover ancient Indian petroglyphs.  Along the way we even picked up a small Gila Monster, whom we named Gilbert.  Well, I called him that, anyway.

This was followed up by our First Annual Johnson Family Golden Sneaker Challenge.  I was afraid this might be overshadowed – or even cancelled – due to the aforementioned dismaying occurrence.  Our Grandpa Johnson passed away the day after Thanksgiving and – although not totally unexpected – it certainly cast a bit of melancholy into our mood.

Just look at that concentration during the
"Squash Relay"

But you know what, we gathered the family together the next day as planned for our Thanksgiving-themed fitness challenge, and our despondency was quickly replaced by laughter and energy and joyfulness.

We realized that we were doing exactly what Grandpa would’ve wanted to us to do and, in fact, probably would’ve joined us in, a decade ago!  This is a man who was utterly no-nonsense and impatient with wastefulness, whether it be time, emotion, material objects or good health.

And they're off...
The Gobbler Chase!

He never would’ve tolerated us moping around, feeling blue, all on his account.  In fact, I like to think he was pleased that we gathered together for a wholesome, healthy and enjoyable family activity that refreshed us and reminded us what is important in life.

By our actions, I think we honored his memory the best way we possibly could.  Arthur G. Johnson was a humble and brave WWII hero, an incredibly diverse and dedicated physician and – probably, most importantly – the best father, grandfather and great-grandfather you could ever wish for.  

We’re glad you overcame Lazy, Grandpa Johnson, and were able to bless our lives in so many ways.