The Evolution Of Endurance

According to one popular theory of evolutionary biology, early hominids in equatorial latitudes exploited their aerobic endurance and lack of hair (which allowed them to avoid the overheating fate of their prey) to run their next meal to the point of exhaustion. It was the virtue of their staying power that our predecessors could get close enough to kill an otherwise much powerful animal. The theory goes on to say that the high-protein diet allowed higher functional brain capacity and complexity which in turn led to all the subsequent cultural advances and evolutionary traits we take for granted today. The need to move for survival, to sweat and to endure comes from that tough, lonely place of searching for self discovery. You know that place–where we actually choose to confront our fears, weaknesses, where we rebel against the fear of death to redefine mortality. That's why endurance is not just the act of ascending a mountain, it is also an inwardly ascending above your inner self. Keep climbing. Keep sweating. Keep training and pushing your true self forward.

Alpinism

Our relationships with winter are as varied as our relationships with each other. Some experiences are a quick fling, a mad dash, soon to be forgotten. Others etch themselves into our psyche forever. As adults, we tend to revisit what we have loved most and if we manage to arrive there again, we find comfort in the repetition.

In thinking about these deeper connections, I realize water was the original shield that protected us from the outside world. Perhaps we all unconsciously seek this refuge again and combined with the primal need to be sheltered, create a feeling of comfort we can’t quite explain when we sit near, look at or touch the water–even in its crystal form. We can almost smell it, taste it, love being near it, write about it, take photos of it, and cast our gaze into its collective form.

These images can be profoundly universal because as viewers, we automatically relive our own winter stories by experiencing the joy of perspective. Winter can be interpreted in many ways, but it takes special skill to convey a universal feeling within an image. We all have memories like this, somewhere in our consciousness. Water is the thread that connects our adventures of winter with spring and summer. Viewing these images makes one journey wide-eyed through the constantly shifting snow. Pictured here is my son Cadence this winter at Lake Placid Olympic Village where he learned slalom skiing and our family winter home in New York.

Courage Has No Limits

You never truly realize what type of impact a person has on you until they're gone. Kobe was a giant in every sense. He served as an inspiration to people of all races and all backgrounds to be the best person they could be, on and off the court. The concurrent loss of his daughter Gianna and all the other passengers adds immensely to what is already a great tragedy. I can only imagine the pain that Kobe's wife Vanesa and all the families of those involved are going through right now, and I hope that this serves to remind us to cherish those we love while they're with us. Really shocked by the news about Kobe. Along with his kindness to people he met in LA, you could see him at the gym coaching his daughter. No pretenses, just a father with his daughter. He showed up. He was bigger than the sport, a true champion of life and giving back. #Respect

A Utopian Vacation: Shaking It In LAAAA

While people were gobbling up 100,000,000 tonnes of turkey, my son Cadence and i were cycling from Malibu to Marina Del Ray. Stopping to play in the water, carving up sand, having lunch in Venice, getting slightly drenched, and then drying out again. One week in the sunny climate of southern California wasn't enough, obviously. My secret fantasy is to get another place on the coast here. Although i love the joy of Northern California, LA is also a mystical playground with its own warm tribe that i admire. My parents live here and i have always considered LA my town.

Run Monterey

After getting my Bib autographed by American Olympian Steve Scott, i had some good karma running with me for the 13.1 miles Monterey Bay Half Marathon. Since i have ran this race for numerous years, it was only fitting that i have now joined the Big Sur Marathon Foundation as a volunteer for positioning their races to new runners. i always love sweating for and participating in Big Sur runs and couldn't be happier to help spread the word to runners near and far.

As for the race: the first 8 miles were perfectly in tune with my heart and lungs. In the second half of the race when i usually press on and run as hard as i can, the upper airway infection from overtraining–intervened. Rather than accommodating my need for speed in the second half, my lungs merely started to cough while not letting me approach full capacity. 

As such, i did the best i could inhaling the morning ocean air and marveling at the majestic ocean view while keeping my quads going at a consistent pace. Although, it was not a PB that i was aiming for, it was still a strong finish. Another major highlight was watching my son Cadence and his Mom race well for the 5K. A truly outstanding weekend in Monterey. See you again next year boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen. 

She Floats Like A Swan Grace On The Water

An out of body experience with my former championship oarsmen at alumni varsity head race. The boat was solid as a rock from the warm up into the full race Cadence and completely set as it was when we raced together in our championship varsity shell during our 20s. Glad to feel the boat run in the water, such a sublime pleasure. Barry Shaw, our experienced coxswain guided us with complete confidence to pass numerous alumni racing shells to finish first on the water. Absolutely bonkers to be racing with olympians, worlds and college champions again. See you again next year lads. Keep training. Stay healthy. If i were to die and go to heaven, i would prefer to be in a racing shell with these lads training while witnessing the rising sun. So happy to see you all. My heart is full.

Robot On The Silver Screen