#PAAZRNR AZtrailrunning TrailrunningwithRobin creatingmoments livinginthepresent

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Satisfied? Content? Gratitude?

 Two weeks ago I traveled back east and I blogged about it here.  It was a great trip back, both for business, and to see great friends.  I was in the town of Plymouth Meeting, which is where we lived prior to moving back to Phoenix.  Last week, while getting back into the swing of things here in AZ, not gonna lie, I was missing being back in PA; not just the people and food, but the whole experience of just driving around, being in the place our family spent 11 years.  I was comfortable there.  I was content.  I was also grateful and satisfied I had the opportunity to visit. But there were thoughts of, “where do I want to be? Where do I belong? Which, PA or AZ, makes me happier?  More satisfied? More Content? More Grateful? I am coming to the realization that the answer is BOTH!!!! And, I am VERY GRATEFUL, to have had the opportunity to live in both places, and to visit both places. Two weeks ago, I was seeing people that I love dearly, interacting with business colleagues I am typically on the phone or videoconference with, eating food and bellying up at places I spent 11 years going to, and running the trails I’ve logged so many miles on over that time.  Yep, I was certainly in my happy place and I am very fortunate we get to go back there when we want.  

 Oh, and yes, I am very grateful to live in the place that I live now.  As the pictures above dictate, being in the trails in AZ, working with my trail steward group, logging miles all by myself, letting the mind go, and most satisfying, sharing time with Robin out in the mountains (nah – we are hard-pressed to get the girls on the trails w/ us, maybe once a year 😊).  This is also my happy place and considering I spoke with two folks today back east in PA and they are getting snow and frigid cold weather, that is a bonus.  PA can keep that stuff and I will make sure we visit when the cold and wet stuff is gone.  (We do have a trip in February coming up so we will see how lucky we get then 😊???)  I was feeling a little down when last week started with the visit fresh on my mind, the start of a new week, and yes, no beer and clean eating for the next 20+ days beginning (see details here 😊). I was struggling a bit but as the week went on and my mind got clearer (no booze helped I’m sure 😉), I began having that sent of gratitude that I am feeling now.  Robin put it into words very well, “we get to have two homes and how great is that?” Totally true and we get to create the life we want to live on our terms.  

This time of year, in AZ the weather is outstanding for getting on the trails.  I took advantage of it starting last Thursday.  I am learning that no matter how things may start, it is how things finish that really creates that level of satisfaction you may be searching for.  Thursday started 5 straight days of being out on the trails, and the mountains, running, hiking, doing trail work, and spending time with great people and of course, the one that keeps me going each day (Robin, in case you are wondering 😊).  It started with a new route I’ve been traveling up and down the McDowell Mountains via Bell & Windgate Pass.  Great climbs, drops, with views to the Northeast and Southwest of Scottsdale (didn’t get pics of these).  Friday was out to one of my favorite loops (I posted them in reverse order because I wanted my wife to be the highlight).  Seriously though, I didn’t do anything bad to warrant all this praise for Robin 😉.  Just sharing the love this week!!!  That favorite loop is Pemberton Trail in McDowell Mountain Regional park.  Spent a good amount of time out there Friday afternoon all by my lonesome!  Saturday was trail work with my excellent park steward group. This team is awesome, fun, sometimes sarcastic but we always have a lot of laughs, talk some football, and enjoy a few hours cleaning up many of the trails we all are fortunate to use.  Not only did we work the trails, but we also got a few miles of hiking in!!! Sunday, well Sunday was a beast of a day tackling the Black Canyon trail. Ran this a couple times last year and wanted to start getting back to it in preparation for the Black Canyon 100K coming up in February.  But in reality, I wanted a long day on the trails, a test to see where I am at with my body and mind, and, with taking a personal day yesterday, I can attack it slow and smooth.  The crazy thing, for 5 hours that I was out there on the trail, I didn’t see a soul. Two ATV’s out on some jeep trails in the distant, and cows.  A whole shitload of cattle.  From what I’ve been told, they used to use this trail back in the day to take cattle from Phoenix up north during the hot summer months.  Would make sense for them to be coming back down now but I got the sense they were headed north not south.  I didn’t really stop to ask these one’s pictured since the main one was looking at like he was going to charge.  That hunk of beef and his friends where standing right on the trail too.  Once I moved toward them, slowly……. they were on their way.  But, over the course of the next 8-10 miles I saw another 2 groups with about 10-15 cattle in both.   Answered the question of where all the cow pies were coming from 😊.  Monday was the run with Robin.  I am really loving getting out and doing trail running with her.  She had been hesitant to get started but is crushing it out there and maybe, just maybe, she may be getting close to her first trail race. We hit up Go John Trail which is one we did last month in preparation for my last race.  We both like this trek which has some great climbs and some rolling downhills for a great couple of hours out on the trail together.   Oh, and each day it was about 80*, sunshine, and low humidity!!!  Not rubbing that into the east coast folks but, yes, yes, I am rubbing that in 😊.  It did get a little warm Friday afternoon when I was finishing up – that is rubbing it in. 😊

 Last week I got caught up on missing what I had already experienced, living in the past, when I had so many great other things to create.  I am sure there were moments in that time that I may have missed something; a conversation with the girls, or Robin; maybe an opportunity for myself to reflect. Looking back at memories are awesome; I need to be better at being grateful for them; satisfied, and content on creating many more.  It continues to be a great ride……………it is time for me to capture the moment while I am in it.  The last few days certainly helped!!