~~okieOLIO~~

olio: a collection of mixed themes; an incongruous medley of motifs; miscellany from various sources

A2A February 20, 2010

Filed under: outdoors — trisha @ okieOLIO @ 8:24 am

http://www.a2amarathon.com/training/index.htmlthere are many, many things i want to do in this life. in fact, just about everything. but running a marathon has never been one of my aspirations. i like being outside; i like being active. i’ve participated in a handful of 5ks and had fun. but something about hours and hours of pounding the pavement has never appealed to me. 26.2 miles is an impressive accomplishment, no doubt, but i’ve never run even half that far without getting completely bored or antsy to get back to my gazillion other projects. (although i once jogged a very slow 10 miles along the atlantic city boardwalk with the ocean breeze spurring me on – but that was a huge deviation from my occasional 2 to 3 mile jaunts. notice that i still brag about it, though. ;) )

for those of you who do get that runner’s high and find your zen in the repetitive and disciplined endurance training, here is a race that should motivate you to get up and get going: the inaugural Arbuckles to Ardmore Race for Mercy. i may be a bit partial to my hometown, but i think that this race will be special because of the ambitious cause and the uniquely beautiful course. the arbuckle “mountains” may not look like much from I-35, but the view from the historic highway 77 – with its hair-pin turns and steep grade – is much more exciting. add to that the fun of running the trail out to city lake in ardmore regional park, and you have a route that might even keep me entertained.

my husband & i will be running the 5k circuit with my sister & her husband and our dad in honor of my mom & titu, our survivors. the short course terrain won’t be nearly as interesting, but how much can you do with a couple of miles, really? i’m looking forward to being a part of this inspiring inaugural event. there’s still time to register for the 5k, half-marathon, and full-marathon on march 28th. maybe i’ll see you there!


 

a little bit of paradise December 17, 2008

Filed under: outdoors — trisha @ okieOLIO @ 10:20 am

what-a-viewright now i am 7867 feet closer to heaven. that is, if heaven were actually elevated high above our heads as we tend to refer to it. this week i am visiting my brother in the rocky range of colorado, and for me being surrounded by this magnificent beauty is about as close to heaven on earth as i have experienced. as i have shared, i may have been born in the plains, but my heart is at home in the mountains. in fact, this is so much a part of me that my husband chose a picturesque peak to propose, knowing it would make the moment perfect for me.

all activities of the outdoor and adventurous variety are a resounding “yes” for me. i’ll gladly hike, camp, climb, raft, or participate in any other fresh air pastime three-quarters of the year. unfortunately, the winter games are permanently closed in oklahoma, so a migration to geographically superior locales is necessary. (for all the okies out there, i still have a special place in my heart for my home state, it just can’t offer me what i desire when it comes to topography.) so, enjoying a week with one of my best friends playing on the snowy slopes is my kind of vacation.

i’ve always been a skiier, and quite unwilling to surrender any of my precious ski days to try a new downhill sport, namely snowboarding. i’ve been quite content to hone my carving technique and improve my powder and mogul skills on two boards. which is not unreasonable for someone who lives 750 miles from the hill. however, last season i was inspired to swap equipment with one of bry’s fellow boarding instructors, who happened to have a few free hours one afternoon and the same size feet as i do. she helped me get the hang of it fairly quickly, so this season i headed out there determined to give snowboarding a fair shot.

little did i know that a super-storm would blow in the day i arrived, bringing with it more than a foot of fresh powder and making it almost impossible to tear the skiis from my feet. what a dream! floating on a pristine white blanket is the most peaceful experience. (until your quads start burning :) ) but my resolve to board again was strong, and thankfully i had the same opportunity to switch gear and ride, this time for a full day.  i am happy to say that i may now be an ambi-rider, a bi-slider, a dual…not sure what the customary term is here, but i definitely want to continue riding as well as skiing.

i never thought i’d want to share any of my thrilling ski time with the slow process of starting from square one.  but there is something about learning a new skill that i just love. the challenge, the gratification of each small success, the stimulation of your brain and body…it’s a high i’ll go for anytime. the opportunities for alfresco extreme recreation come entirely too infrequently for me, but the chances to learn something new never cease. i hope to always be pursuing unfamiliar skills, experiences, and knowledge.