Life

Thanksgiving 2017

Published November 23, 2017

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Turkey Day 2017 ❤

I am thankful for my FAITH. I can leap without fear; I am completely at peace. A higher power guides the journey/prods the direction, knows my beginning & end. Through HIM, anything is possible.

I am thankful for my HOME. No matter what the weather, I am sheltered/comfortable inside. Window view sports our snowcapped Flatirons – EVERY DAY thankful – my piece of the Rockies. No other place on Earth.

I am thankful for an abundance of FOOD. Never a time I went hungry.

I am thankful for GOOD HEALTH. Easy to take for granted. After last year’s surprise, it’s a gift.

I am thankful for DREAMS. Always been a goal-driven individual – expectations tomorrow, in 3 months, next year. Not all dreams complete as designed, but whatta life journey I’ve experienced. 2019: Antarctica ❄

I am thankful for FAMILY. Laughter & shared life moments. Inspiring circle I’ve chosen as Family; blood relatives I share DNA. NZ, Toronto, Ash’s wedding, Crested Butte, Nova Scotia, Ireland. Lucky in life ❤

Thanksgiving Day feast with Ash & Tom in their Westminster home, our Colorado tradition. Turkey & dressing, sweet potato casserole. Veggies & mashed potatoes, deviled eggs & cranberry sauce. An hour later, dessert: Ash’s pumpkin cheesecake. Tryptophan COMA.

Woke at 10pm, to drive home & sleep another 8 hours. This is how the Pilgrims fed? LOL>

: Let the Games begin!

: this year’s Cast

: turkey & the fixin’s

: one lone egg

: tryptophan COMA

ALSO, thankful for birthday cake, fondue & dinner theatre. Yep, that happened this week too! Celebrated Stephen’s BIG day both Tuesday AND Saturday – a birth week celebration 🙂 Friday night, dinner theatre for 4 – tried a new venue, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown (not a fan of ‘Annie’, play showing in Boulder). First impression, FAAANNNNTASTIC! Good to have options.

: whatta cake — WOW, Ash!

: our quarterly theatre tradition

: The Melting Pot, Louisville

LinkedIn Inspiration

Arun: thank you so much for the kind words – and sharing your post. Much appreciated.

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#Thanksgiving #mentor #boss #inspiration

Time to say thanks, one more time, to my ex-boss and mentor, Keenan Haga.

It was 8 years ago and I landed in America for the first time for a short work assignment. New York streets, face-paced environment, and people from different ethnicity – everything was daunting. I was struggling to find my feet in the new place.

On a fine cold morning of November, few weeks ahead of Thanksgiving, Keenan was introduced to me as my boss. I smiled at him but I was shaky and unsure. In the next few weeks, not only he coached me to do my job well but also taught me a few important things: how to dream, how to treat people with respect and how to live a good life.

Keenan left his corporate gig a couple of years ago and moved to Colorado to devote more time for his passions – running and hiking. He recently hit his personal target of completing a full marathon in all the states of US and now going across continents.

Last year, he was diagnosed with cancer and he shrugged it off saying ‘a small bump on the road’, continued running with chemo sessions. And he did it, he survived the big ‘C’ and now setting his goals for 2018.

Thank you for everything Keenan. You continue to inspire me every day! – Arun Kailasam

Posted in Family | Tagged birthdays, holidays, theatre | Leave a comment

White River Marathon

Published November 18, 2017

food, FAMILY & fun – but first…another marathon 🙂

Early 5am flight to Dallas, morning arrival in Arkansas. First stop: Family. Kid brother owns a trucking company AND just opened a gym. We all work somewhere – but the gym…that was mighty impressive. Pre-kid days, Bro was a power lifter (obviously not my twin). Daughter now off to college, LOVE LOVE he’s following his passion.

Next up: lunch at Williamsburg Kitchen. That’s where one finds Mom weekdays (owner/creator/innovator of this lunch-only spot 30 years+). LOVE this place, LOVE her Reuben, LOVE the family ‘eats for FREE’ discount. FAAAANNNNTASTIC!

3 ½ hour drive on rural Arkansas roads, day’s destination: Cotter AR.

Population: 948. Five miles past Flippin, 20.2 miles from the Missouri border. Middle of nowhere. People in Arkansas haven’t heard of this town.

Fun story. Sun goes down maybe 10 miles from Cotter. I’m not a great driver – even worse when it’s dark. 900ft from Cotter High School (bib pick-up), Google Maps says to turn left. Dirt road…no judgments, we have those in Colorado. Rental car lists dramatically to the left, something is wrong – I now see the sign: Railroad Crossing. Yep, been driving on the tracks themselves. Pitch black, no stars here. Yikes! Good laugh AFTER I eased off the tracks & wasn’t killed. LOL>

Pasta charity dinner. Sleeps 10 miles away in Mountain Home. Daybreak marathon start.

AWESOME turn-out. Field was limited to 750 participants AND it sold out, 4^th year in a row. Today’s experience would be all about weather. Warm start. Never peeled my first layer so humidity-dripped in Razorback winter. Sweated it out with a trio of runners kicking the Half. Chatty upbeat folks. Group slowed at mile 12. Goodbyes, maintained pace, exited to the left – second lap.

Cloud-cover cooled conditions. Wind gusted, no bugs 2^nd Half. No elevation gain either – ‘bout as flat a course you’ll find. Hit the wall early, more mental than anything. Notta lotta runners & I had no tunes. [note: iPods don’t last forever.] Light rain, extra out-n-back at mile 18-ish (special from the first lap). 30mph headwind at the turn, 7 miles to go. Walked much of mile 20.

Run-Walk-Ran last 5 miles with Sarasota runner, Buzz Scott. Half-mile to Finish, pep talk from Buzz. Marathon finish #103.

Heat/humidity, gusty wind, light rain & some folks say sleet. Another sub-par effort. 17 pounds UP since June’s REVEL run – lotta gain for a guy my size. Not a dieter. Who gains weight over the summer?! …but first (28 miles away), 2 slices of the best gas-station pizza ever. Four other runners also crowded in – no mistaking us: race shirt & shoes, we all look alike. HA!

Family nite in Fort Smith. Dinner out, cards at Mom’s, Sunday morning church. Good to be HOME ❤

Agee Race Timing, LLC

K R HAGA
2017 White River Marathon

Overall: 102 out of 188
Time: 05:13:55.56

: C Ray Baker R.I.P.

: Good to be HOME ❤

: 2 laps out-n-back

: FAMILY nite

: no place I’d rather be

Posted in Family, Marathons/Ultras, South | Tagged kyrkan | Leave a comment

The Bear Chase Trail Race

Published September 30, 2017

Who signs up for a 50K trail run only 4 days before the event? Yep, that happened this week.

Received a promo email for The Bear Chase Trail Race last weekend, Friday before New Hampshire. Generally I delete these (my run schedule’s set 6 months out) but was out-of-town/travelling soooo the ad stayed in my Inbox.

Home sweet Colorado Home. Cool & overcast all week, highs never topped 60 (GREAT weather). Didn’t have a great run in Keene (REDEMPTION). Short miles this month in my Run the Year challenge (Sept 30^thrace) AND only 45 minutes from Home.

I know, I know – crazy ‘healthy‘ addiction. Paid FULL price & promised Ro we’d hike tomorrow 🙂

Saturday morning. Hydration vest outta the closet, packed a drop bag – pickles/watermelon/chicken noodle soup, change of clothes (shirt/socks). I’m my own crew today. Socks? Yep, NINE water crossings – 6 of those, knee deep water. LOVE LOVED it!

Missed bib pick-up night before (work obligation). Arrived half-hour early in Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park. FREE parking ($10 fee waived for runners). Volunteer handed me a Bib, 4 safety pins & my Bear Chase tech shirt. BAM, done.

2^nd time in a month, I’d be running the event’s low-mile race. 100K, 50 mile or 50K – that’s it. First time since April 2016, I actually registered for a 50K (ran 3 last year). Marathon + 6 miles. Baby steps. I see a 50-mile race in my 2018 future.

Sun rose pink over Bear Creek Lake, hats off for the National Anthem & we were off. Bunched up at the first water crossing, then hiked UP the first of three big climbs. Backside of hill? I flew. Since REVEL Rockies training this Spring, I’m a much better downhill runner.

Easiest trail terrain to date – rolling hills, root-free course (my trail nemesis). Ran strong first 14 miles. Lost my mojo during the sun-exposed 6.9 miles ‘round Fox Hollow Golf Course. No tree, no shade, no wind. Popped in the ear-buds, tried to flood my head with sound.

Last loop (18.8 miles in), half marathon distance to go. Dilly-dallied 10 minutes at Bag Drop. Re-clothed (dry shirt/dry socks), bathroom break, swallowed a half-thermos of chicken noodle. Departed with a fresh bottle of electrolytes.

Last climb UP, right quad cramped. Unfamiliar territory. Nearby runner asked if I needed salt tabs. I thanked him, swallowed both & hoped for a miracle. I’m a puker, not a cramper. Limped/walked the climb, limped/jogged the backside.

Clouds rolled in, temp dropped 10-15 degrees, winds kicked up. No sun, no headphones…no need. Quad cramp ceased. My miracle.

Slow pace – 12/min mile – but I kept moving. Shoulders back, no walk, no slog. Head voices stopped. Focused on a guy in white, later a couple both dressed in red. Approached, paced closed behind, then passed/moved ahead. Ninth & final water crossing.

Less than a mile to go AND… I lost the trail. Are you kidding me?? Bush-whacked thru high grass & willow thicket. Crossed a paved road, met a 100K runner. Had run past the Finish by more than half a mile. Disappointed…but back on trail – I kept moving.

Actually came up BEHIND the Finish. 7 hours – that’s a looooong time but I FINISHED. 32 miles total. WOW! ALSO surprisingly, compared with 2016 results – cut more than an hour off my best time. Today’s run a 50K PR.

Out like a LION (September), in with a ROAR (October) – starting tomorrow with a high-altitude hike. Gotta, hafta – promised the pup, right? LOVE LOVE my Colorado life ❤