As one might notice (as I write this, anyway) in the “current obsessions” block in the left sidebar, I’m working toward a goal of biking at least sixty miles this week, mostly to see if I can manage it, and I want to see if I can kick my body in the pants and kickstart the weight loss process a little bit (I’m still going down, but I’ve been languishing in the same general region -the 240s- for more than a week), and I’m thinking a little extra cardio along the way might just do the trick.

Yesterday afternoon, I hit the trail straight after work as I do at least a couple of times a week; I’m finding it helps clear my head after a busy day of program managing and office politics. I usually find myself doing ten or fifteen miles any given day. Monday’s fifteen felt pretty good, so about half way through my first lap (my trail of choice most of the time is the loop at Dutch Gap Conservation Area, not far from my house), I decided that I was feeling just as good, so I was going to try to get ahead of my pace and do twenty, especially since it’s been a little cooler and less humid the last few days.

…and I managed it. I might even say I felt virile afterwards, if my ass wasn’t so sore after being in the saddle for such a distance. While I was out, though, I met somebody who puts my efforts to shame, and really impressed the heck out of me. Typically, I lap most hikers pretty regularly (I average aound 10-12mph), and even a lot of cyclists. Along the way this time, I passed a fellow on a bike once or twice, and about twelve miles into my run, we found ourselves on an easy stretch together and got chatting for a mile and a half or so (I honestly appreciated the temporary slow down to recover a bit), and this guy amazed me.

This fellow, Bobby, is 80 years old. He rides the trail a couple of times a week, in spite of having had a knee replacement done a couple of years ago. I sincerely hope, should I live that long (and I’m doing my best to try to make that happen), I’m still out and active and doing stuff like he is. He told me about another guy who he rides with sometimes who’s 87!

Talk about an inspiring human being. Wow.