Yesterday was a great day and I want to share a few quick memories. I worked from home and took a break around 2:00 to head out for my run. I decided to climb up to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and head north. I’ve been eyeing the trail from our back porch over the past few weeks just waiting for the snow to melt and the ground to dry out. I had gone out on Saturday for a walk with a friend which proved the conditions were ripe for a trail run. This was my day!
I used the Ogden Nature Center as my access point and then followed the BST north to One Horse Canyon which is a dead end (as indicated by the large boulders at the base of the power lines). The trail does pick up again just past the north divide and you can then follow all the way along the mountain range, below Ben Lomond’s peak and out to the point of the mountain. My dad has done that portion of the trail but I have never been out there. Today was the farthest north I have gone on this trail.
You can read more about the Bonneville Shoreline and see all kinds of maps showing access points, connector routes and terrain here. The trail system is quite large and it does get a little confusing when you try to talk about which portions of the trail you were actually on. This website is the most comprehensive information source I have found.
I put in just over four miles, doing a bit of a hike/walk/take pictures combo. It’s amazing how much more technical the running is out on the trail – I love it because it makes the time and the miles fly by but it does also slow down my pace significantly.
I barely made it off the mountain in time to head to Mackenzie’s baseball practice! We got there right on time though and it was a ton of fun. Even Nick was able to meet us there 
I think, maybe, he wants to be the pitcher…
Spring sports calls for after-practice snacks and I stopped by to get the boys ice cream cones on the way home. They immediately decided to go for a drive together, ice cream cones in hand
And then a walk by the creek..
These are the moments that make me happy.
We also watched the season finale of The Biggest Loser which we had recorded from Monday. Mack loves that show and he was really excited he got to stay up and watch some of it. I know there are plenty of people that have negative things to say at TBL – that it’s too fast, too hard, too strenuous, etc. BUT, I’ve watched half a dozen seasons and I am always so encouraged and so happy for the contestants. It makes me want to get out and be even more active and it makes me want to get more involved in our community’s health action. Watching last night and seeing how empowered each of those people has become through the TBL process, I just think it is absolutely wonderful. It really is a movement. Spouses, siblings, audience members have all joined in and several of them got to share their weight-loss stories.
I especially loved how this season they had children that went through the process and then became advocates in their schools and home town communities. This is where change occurs – with each and every one of our children.
Something really cool: at Mack’s baseball practice they have the kids exercise before hand. Just a few laps around the court, some jumping jacks, sit ups and such. Get the heart rate up a bit before practice starts. The really cool part? They have the parents join in! And, the coach deliberately said “I’m showing you our warm up because I want you doing it here with your kids but more importantly I want you doing it with them at home every day between practices.”
Yes! I love it!
I think so often we get our kids involved in sports or we take them to the playground and then mom and dad end up sitting on the sidelines doing nothing. That’s our time too! Why not take advantage of the time and the resources? Chasing my kids around the playground, man that full on counts as cardio!
Just like I’m sensing this shift in our food knowledge and legislation, I’m starting to sense this shift and new energy in the realm of “active lifestyles.” Biggest Loser is a part of that movement, I’m a part of that movement, our kids are a part of that movement…and the energy is rising. I’m really excited and I think as a country we’re really starting to tackle this obesity epidemic head on.
Well said, Kim. I hope you are right. I think obesity and Type-2 diabetes are huge contributors to our country’s health care crisis. Diet and lifestyle are the major causes of those diseases. Other than the next couple of days or so, the weather is generally getting warmer and drier. We should all be outside hiking or doing something else active.
Part of this shift is what I’m seeing at the grocery store. Maybe I’m just paying attention more but lately I’m seeing more and more people taking a hard look at the food labels when we’re out grocery shopping, I’m hearing it at restaurants, I’m seeing it in posts on Facebook. People are fed up with our food options and they’re seeking out a better way. It excites me because I know that each and every time we decide not to purchase these crap foods, we’re sending a message and that message is getting louder.
When I was in public school there were few overweight kids. Now I drive a school bus and I see many, many more that are overweight. Can it be that all of these children have the genetics for being fat? Not likely. The parents, through the advertising media, have changed their views on what is healthy. Without the excersize (read video games) children have no way to burn excess calories. There is your shift…