Update: Northfield, state runs, tri-athalons, oh my!

Okay, let me try to organize my head about what's coming up. There's a lot!

But it's a good thing, I think, because I'm currently deep in the midst of helping an aging parent in post-fall recovery as well as placement in assisted living. I gladly do this, but it can be a bit wearing. So being sure to make time to be active is especially important if I'm going to keep my sanity and not fall into bad habits such as stress eating or lack of sleep.

So what's coming up? Well, I have a town run scheduled for this Saturday (June 23) in Northfield, which will bring me to #136. And I'd like to do one more longish run in the "50 states" campaign, just to make up for not getting one on the books in May. Perhaps Rhode Island next week?

And then there's my first-ever triathalon, set for Saturday, July 14 in Surry, N.H. It's a .25-mile swim, an 8-mile bike ride, then a 5K run. think I have the bike/run part nailed, but swimming? Swimming? Er, let's see.

I suppose I could just show up and flail my way through the quarter-mile without drowning. Even so, better judgment says I should make time to swim somewhere a few times prior to engaging in this.

So one plan is to take the bike on a long ride out to Harrisville, N.H., a community to the west of here that has a nice public beach. A 40-mile bike ride is probably not the best way to precede a swim, but at least I'll get in some good exercise that day.

Not sure when that'll happen but perhaps the 4th of July, which is a Wednesday this year and our business is closed. I don't have any silent film screenings on the weekends before or after the holiday, so there should be time. We'll see.

And then there's my goal of biking the entire 34-mile length of New Hampshire's Kancamaugus Highway, both ways, sometime this summer. I've been riding more and more, to the point where the tires on my Giant Defy road bike are getting worn down pretty good, so there's hope on that one. Sometime in late July/early August, on a day when the weather's not too dodgy up in the White Mountains. We'll see.

And wait! Speaking of the Whites, I'd like to make progress on getting to the summit of all 48 peaks that are 4,000 feet or higher. This was originally an attempt to get one of our dogs, Zahnna, to all 48 summits, but in the past year she's slowed down considerably and shows signs of hip trouble. So, alas, she may have to call it quits at #30, with 18 still to go.

Well, maybe. In the past week, she's been getting some new food supplement that seems to have perked her up for action, so perhaps it's time to hit the trail for some trial hikes. Not today, though, as it's nearly 6 p.m. and still well above 90 degrees. Maybe this weekend. (If I can suddenly find a spare 12 hours somewhere.)

So there's no shortage of options to stay active this season. It's a matter of staying organized, prioritizing, and also not getting injured. :)