Category Archives: Gaining Life Experience

Gaining Life Experience, Troy's Blog, Twin Cities Adventures

Another Fight for Air

February 24, 2019 Troy

For the third year in a row I decided to participate in the American Lung Associations’ Fight for Air climb in downtown Minneapolis. It didn’t take as long for me to decide to sign up this time as I was motivated to perform at the fastest time I’ve climbed these stairs ever. My goal was to conquer 680 steps in 5 minutes. My best time was over 6 minutes and last year it took me more than 7 minutes to complete all of these stairs. What would it take to achieve 5 minutes? A lot of work with the biggest hurdle being my ability to breath. My lung capacity always has appeared smaller than others affecting my endurance even in high school when I played football. It’s something I’ve struggled with but with hard work and dedication I can improve the ability to breath.

At first my plan was to hike hills and climb stairs as much as I could along with riding my mountain bike. My first ride last fall was somewhat unpleasant as the bike kept reminding me of how inadequate I was to be riding at a fast pace for any length of time and that hills were an obstacle beyond my abilities. I did not take this well but all that told me was how much I really needed to be out on a trail riding the bike as hard as I could as often as time allowed to regain some of the health I’d lost over the previous year. Quitting was worse than the ride I had just completed! But now my goal of 5 minutes seemed really far away too.

Over the next several weeks I continued to get out 3 or 4 days a week either riding or climbing stairs as much as possible and improvement became noticeable which encouraged me to keep working harder, but then Mother Nature decided to weigh in. All of a sudden the ground was coated in ice with a little bit of snow mixed in making it very difficult to continue riding and dangerous to climb stairs. Now what? After a couple of weeks struggling to train it was time to do the thing I wanted to do the least – join a gym! Working out while being in a stationary location seemed absurd to me, but being ready for the climb was a higher priority, so with a month to go it was off to the gym.

Surprisingly I didn’t hate going as much as I thought I would and I was motivated to go. Rotating between the stair machine, stationary bike, and elliptical machine I sweated away trying to work my lungs as much as I could handle. And then one day it was time to enter the water and swim laps. Another activity I despised while listening to others who did laps every week. I’m not a strong swimmer but love snorkeling in the ocean. In a pool there’s no fish or corals or even a shark to motivate me. Have you ever swam with a sea turtle? You don’t realize you’re even working out. Well, until you look up once the turtle has gone and realize how far you need to swim back.

Entering the pool I planned to do 6 laps on this first attempt. Completing my first half of a lap I was breathing pretty hard already. Was swimming really this aerobic? Am I really this out of shape? There are people swimming next to me that just keep going and going – How? Returning to complete the first lap and it was time for a break to catch my breath. Once again how out of shape I must be has confronted me. Eventually I did swim 6 laps, a half a lap at a time, and sat up out of the pool almost completely exhausted. Sitting there staring back into the blue water while an internal struggle commenced – time to take a shower and leave this place, exhausted and a little defeated, or get back in the water and work even harder? Could I even stay afloat now with fatigued muscles? After a minute or two and the life guard continuing to glance my way I re-entered the pool determined to do 1 more lap. That lap completed, after stopping at the halfway point briefly, and then I did another. By this time my body was telling me safety was becoming a bigger concern with being able to stay afloat so I exited and ended my first experience in the pool.

With only a few weeks until the Fight for Air climb I continued to get better but the Stairmaster informed me that 680 steps in 5 minutes was highly unlikely. A little disappointed each week that my performance had not improved more it was time for me to take on this challenge. Unfortunately I had been battling a cold for the past few weeks and on this day it decided to stage a comeback making breathing more difficult once again but it wouldn’t stop me from trying anyway. All I could do was my best.

Getting all checked in and securing my number to my shirt and tag on my shoe it was time for stairs. A few stretches to warm up and my time arrived. Step after step, floor after floor, I could feel the difficulty I was having in breathing and my time was not going to be what I was striving for, but I didn’t stop. I did have to slow down for awhile in order to catch my breath so I could continue on and reach the top at a fast pace. With only 10 floors to go I was struggling to pick up my pace but tried to get going faster again. At that point my cold was really affecting me, causing difficulty to catch my breath, and I could feel my heart pounding. Now with 5 floors left I forced a faster pace and reached the top sooner than I expected, yet disappointed that my goal was not met. Walking around to slow my breathing back down and reduce my heart rate I felt pretty good overall so working out did make an impact verses the previous year where my chest really hurt from my heart pounding which lasted for almost a week. The hurt was more like a muscle that had been worked than what I believe a heart attack to be like so I didn’t worry too much about it and I could still breath normally.

After 15 minutes I went to check on my time and saw that it took more than 6 minutes for me to complete the climb. Not even close to 5 minutes I was shooting for but still better than either of the previous 2 times I participated in the Fight for Air climb so not all bad. My cold probably cost me a few seconds of time but even with that I would not have made it under 6 minutes. Once I finished I knew I didn’t push hard enough at the top so I was responsible for another few seconds of time. Combining those things I likely would have been under 6 minutes, but still a ways away from 5. What does this mean for me? I’ve got a whole year now to train for my goal of 5 minutes! I will continue at the gym and once warmer weather arrives get back out on my bike to keep pushing and training.

Overall it helped me to maybe feel what it’s like for those that can’t breath normally most of the time and what they must deal with on a daily basis. Knowing they can’t use their full potential because of the inability to take in the air required to do so. I’m so appreciative to be able to breath in a normal manner even if my lung capacity is smaller than others. Five minutes in 2020! (That’s 2.27 stairs per second or 136 per minute)

Gaining Life Experience, Troy's Blog

Making the Most of 1 Day

August 24, 2013 Troy 3 Comments

Do you ever have a day that starts early and is jam packed with fun things to do all day and ends late? They don’t come around very often it seems but when they do you can look back on it and know you made the most of each hour given to you on that day. That’s how our day going out to Washington was. We knew it was going to be a full day but not quite sure how long.

Our morning began at 3 AM which was just a few minutes before the alarm would be blaring at us to wake up. Instead of waiting to be assaulted by a noisy little box we got up, turned it off and began the days journey excited for the adventure ahead. Less than an hour later the car was packed and headed to join a few family members on our way to the airport. By 6 AM more family members met us at the airport and we were grabbing a quick breakfast while waiting to board the airplane taking us to Seattle, where this vacation would begin. Shortly after 10 AM beautiful mountain vistas began appearing outside of the airplane windows and before we knew it the popular Mt. Rainier was below us with Seattle just ahead.

Quickly disembarking, well as quickly as several hundred people can get off an airplane, it was off to get luggage and take the light rail downtown where the cars were. Once everybody was safely secured in their respective automobiles it was already time for lunch. Wow this day seems to be moving quickly! With lunch in the rear view mirror it was off to Sequim to spend the night just outside of Olympic National Park. The route took us into Tacoma and around Puget Sound before heading towards Sequim. It took about three hours to drive from Seattle to Sequim getting us there just after 6 PM.

At this point much of the group just wanted to get dinner and relax from a long day of travels. Admittedly I was tired but adrenaline pushed a small contingent to begin exploring Olympic National Park. A few minutes to grab the camera and a bottle of water before settling back into the car for a 45 minute drive to the nearest visitor center while grabbing a bite to eat on the run. We arrived at the visitor center just as they were closing but decided to finish our meal on one of the nearby picnic tables and enjoy the evening and the surroundings before heading up the mountain the Hurricane Ridge.

As soon as the car doors opened at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center a fawn and mother black tailed deer were there to great us. Most likely looking for scraps from the numerous visitors there early that day. Seeing wildlife really enhances a visit to any national park making the experience feel more fulfilling. The evening was upon us and the sun was heading for the horizon so any exploring needed to be completed soon. Hiking a nearby trail, a spot was found to gaze into the horizon as the sun marched towards it, spreading it’s amazing colors throughout the sky. I couldn’t think of a better place to be during the remaining few hours of this day.

Darkness continued to creep closer and closer to us but not to worry. First of all, we were fairly close to the car and secondly we had flashlights this time, not like in Acadia National Park. Having been practicing night photography I thought this would be a great opportunity to capture a gorgeous night sky so off to a nearby picnic area to setup the camera before it was too dark. Just as the stars were beginning to peek out a bright light appeared on the horizon. It must have been a full moon. The mountainous landscape lit up all around us. Well, photos full of stars and possibly the Milky Way were out of the question. Obviously I did not do my homework on the timing and phases of the moon this night. What do you do when handed lemons? Take pictures of the moonscapes I guess.

Spending the next hour taking photos it was time to call it a day. While the camera was shooting away at the night sky I realized a day like this when you take advantage of every minute of breath makes many other days mundane by comparison. The question of how to take advantage of every breath most days arises instead of falling victim to the daily routine we get so use to that we almost lose the appreciation of the day. Arriving back at the hotel it was after 1 AM – 22 hours after the day began. With a smile I quickly drifted off to sleep excited to continue our adventure the next day.

Life Experience Gained: Mountain landscapes from an airplane, The Seattle landscape, lightrail, downtown Seattle, Puget Sound, Olympic National Park, and most importantly the first time I conscientiously realized how much I enjoyed this day and all we did.

Gaining Life Experience, Troy's Blog

Life Experience Through a Plant

June 29, 2013 Troy 2 Comments

The above photo is of a Columbine as photographed in Rocky Mountain National Park. We were taking a family trip there as part of our Monopoly travels to see the Flattop Mountain trail. In addition to seeing this trail there was much else to explore. To get this particular photo I had to climb down a very steep bank. The purpose was to see one of the higher waterfalls in the park. Unfortunately most of these falls were covered from view by trees. Once I got to the river I noticed some of the flowers in the area and took a few pictures. When looking back at this picture I remember the adventures in the Rockies but also enjoying a moment of solitude as the water rushed passed. The rest of the family was not far and were in sight almost the whole time but this was my own little personal experience in the Rockies that not many others get to share.

Below is a picture of another Columbine which I photographed in the bluffs lining the Mississippi River. This was another family adventure where we decided to embark on a 7 mile hike exploring the bluffs. This photo is a reminder to me of the time shared with members of my family and completing the longest hike for our family to date. It also reminds me of some great views of the Mississippi River and surrounding landscapes.

This last Columbine was a Mother’s Day gift to my wife. It is a hybrid that was grown in a greenhouse. Fortunately I have actually been to the greenhouse where it was grown, however it was not purchased there as it is a wholesale greenhouse only. It is a wonderful yearly reminder of why it was added to our landscape.

Each of these Columbines has a unique experience attached to them while all being closely related to one another. One found while exploring in the Rocky Mountains with another discovered on an adventure to the Mississippi River Bluffs and the last one represents the family that goes on these adventures along with the place that family returns to at the end of an adventure. At least for now!

Gaining Life Experience, Troy's Blog

What is Monopoly Traveler About?

June 1, 2013 Troy 1 Comment

Isn’t it obvious? Traveling to the different parks on the National Parks Monopoly Board! Right? Sort of. Travel is one of the ways the objective is accomplished but it is not the main concept of this sight. Our main goal is “gaining life experiences”. This is not highlighted much at all in many of the stories. I hope to correct that with a little identifier on what new experiences occurred in each post.

What is meant by gaining life experiences and why is that important? Life experiences are responsible for who each of us is. Many people may share an experience even though each person has a unique perspective on that experience but no one else in the world has all of the same experiences during a life. It is that whole combination of experiences that help make each one of us an individual like no other. One of the best parts, we get to choose many of our life experiences!

People are very different in how they gain life experience. I like to learn about a lot of different things so I take on a hobby for awhile, learn a lot about it, and then go on to a different hobby. That’s why traveling to different locations fits me. I’ve been to Mazatlan Mexico five times. Mazatlan is a nice place and I really enjoyed it but the last time I was there it was not as stimulating for me because I have experienced it before. I don’t plan to return for awhile if ever. I want to experience some place different. The same thing with cruises. I’ve been on five of them and the last one just wasn’t as much fun. I likely will not go on another one for while (After this summer when we are taking a cruise to Alaska to see Glacier Bay National Park which is on our Monopoly Board).

These are all different ways of gaining life experience making each of us unique. Tough to gain life experience in bed or watching TV. Sure I like to take a break from gaining much experience once and awhile and watch a moving or two and take a nap on a rainy day. Who doesn’t? Accomplishing a something new can be extremely simple such as a walk to a park. You may noticing a bird you haven’t seen before or briefly observing kids playing a game or having a disagreement. BRIEFLY is key here as watching for too long could bring questions from the police. Maybe you see an old friend or meet a new one. All can provide a new experience. In the photo below I had never witnessed hundreds of Robins clustered together like this before. A little research indicated that it is not a rare event further south.

We are in control of how we react to an experience and what we take away from it. Not all life experiences are positive ones. A loved one in the hospital or the passing of a pet. These are still new encounters and add to the total computation of life. Asking a few questions in your own mind or even writing them down helps you understand yourself further. Did you like this experience? Why or why not? What did you take away from it? Did you learn something new about yourself? It’s ok to laugh about having an ah hah moment. I find it very intriguing when I learn something new that I would never have imagined before about myself.

Let me provide a brief example. I don’t recall the exact place and time but I do remember the events and the enlightenment that followed. It had just finished raining and I went outside to work on some of the plants around the house. I’m a horticulturalist, it’s what I do. While walking under some trees I brushed against a branch and water rain over my head. It was just at that moment I realized I don’t like things dripping on my head unless I’m in the shower or swimming. There are more exceptions but in general I don’t like slow dripping liquids. Now it is my choice to not like slow dripping liquids on my head so it is also up to me to change that if I so desired. Not sure how but I’m confident I could. I also don’t know if this has been a life long thing or started recently. That doesn’t really matter to me.

This simple life experience provided insight into me. I learned something and didn’t intend to. We all have this ability. It just takes a conscious effort and willingness to do so. Each little experience leads to a lifetime of knowledge which is why life experience is so valuable and makes you unique.

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