And then ease off.

That was our joke with each other on Sunday morning runs ten years ago when I was almost always training for a marathon, or half, or the Broad Street 10 miler. Now, I have settled into running slower, cycling slower and skiing with more care.

Here is the view from the back of the pack. It is odd to start running with the group Sunday morning only to have them blithely move ahead while I trot a respectful distance to the rear. I am adjusting, though, and there is a calmness to my runs I didn’t have before. I pause every now and then to catch a breather, and even stop to take a photo, as I did last Sunday, a day after heavy rains, when our local park was flooded.

Regarding cycling, I still am pushing it to keep up with the other guys I ride with. They are mostly around my age and so I can’t pull that “I’m older than you guys” stuff with them. Fortunately several of them have dropped down from their peak a decade or more ago, but some of the guys were not listening, and continue to be beasts on two wheels. So right now I’m using the smart trainer to get the early spring training needed to look respectable in May. I signed up again for the Delaware Gran Fondo, a 100 km ride through the hills around Wilmington. It’s a fun ride with a nice party afterwards.

And skiing? I decided to improve my form. A friend of mine who is a ski instructor at Killington in Vermont suggested I try the “Carv” system. It consists of thin plates with sensors one inserts under the lining of the ski boot, inside the boot. They connect with electronic transmitters to my cell phone. I also got Bluetooth speakers for my helmet. I realize this sounds like a lot of gadgetry. But while skiing, a lovely English-accented Samantha gives me tips and encouragement on how to carve better. I actually feel it is improving my form! But the best part of skiing right now is seeing my two granddaughters, aged 7 and 4, learning how to ski. We took a trip to Switzerland and they had a great time with their ski instructors and also skiing with mom, dad and me after their lessons were finished. We were in a small village high in the alps called Grimentz.

So that’s the plan: start slow and then ease off. It seems to be working. Adapting to slower also means keeping one’s pride in check and not obsessing about time, pace or how many runs I got in.

But by all means keep going!