Fun, Family and Fitness at Umigo and Shadowcliffs

Did you make the most of the weekend?

My son and I tried to squeeze the life out of it! Saturday was a special day for us. He’s turning 12 in a couple of weeks and he seems more grown up to me every day. This past weekend he was supposed to be with his mom but she was out of state with our daughter to visit her family. Ian had to stay local since he was cast to play Tommy in the upcoming Pleasanton Civic Arts production of Pippi Longstocking, and he couldn’t miss rehearsals. That gave us a nice few days to hang out that we wouldn’t normally be able to enjoy.

Friday night we played a board game at Tully’s and followed with a movie – a suspense/horror movie starring Daniel Radcliffe of the Harry Potter series that would have been a little too intense for his younger sister. Then came Saturday!

After I did a couple of early morning sessions at the studio, Ian and I headed for the Farmer’s Market for some morning grub and a quick beverage. Then we were off to redeem his Christmas present – certification and two races at Umigo Go Carts in Livermore. He had a blast there and did well, handling his go cart beautifully. He commented on how thrilling it was but also the physical demands of maneuvering the vehicle, wrapping the turns and accelerating on the straighter stretches of track.

Since it was still early and it was a beautiful, sunny day, we decided to ride our bikes to Shadowcliffs and hit the BMX park on the way. After about 20 minutes at the BMX park, we explored the back trails of Shadowcliffs, sharing our appreciation of the natural backdrop, the families we passed and the dogs frolicking and jumping into the pond.

Afterward, he still needed to finish a school project, and I wanted to get in a quick hi-intensity cardio circuit. So we rode to the studio and got both done before heading back to his mom’s place to drop off his bike. By the time the evening came around we were relaxed and spent and looking back on a fantastic time together.

That day reminded me about some very important points:

• Exercise can be more about fun than work.
• Sharing recreational activities is a great way to strengthen a relationship.
• The only way to experience the beauty of the world around you is to go out into it.

We hope to see you out there soon.

Dan is a nationally certified personal fitness trainer and former continuing education faculty member of the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. He is the owner and head trainer at Tri Valley Trainer in Pleasanton, which provides personal training, small group fitness and nutrition guidance. He can be reached at Dan@TriValleyTrainer.com