Games athletes play

As adults we never outgrow the need to have play in our life. It helps connect us, make us more active and helps us be happy. As athletes we still have the need for play. Setting out a training schedule and having things written down like, "10 mile run  7 minute pace"  every day would bore us to tears, even if we could do that week in and week out. We need the variety that comes with working out at a park one day, a gym the next or our our neighborhood the following. When I go out to ride  my bike or run, I usually go out to Umstead  State Park or  the American Tobacco Trail. These places inspire me and help keep me motiovated. At Umstead when I am running, I can sprint from trail marker to trail marker, jump over rocks or a bench, run through a stream or chase an imaginary foe fast down the trail. When I am biking I can hammer up a hill thinking I am dropping Lance Armstrong or speed down a hill trying to be aerodynamic. Yeah,  I am probably not any of these things but, they bring out the playful side that we need to do this year after year. We need this to be better people and athletes so, get out there and play.