Building Memories (BM) uses personal experiences and relates them to topics of importance to building.
This BM explores staying healthy, exercise, and family relationships.
We all want to feel fit, young, and energetic, so most of us go through “health kick” phases—some more successful than others. In my younger years, I was a good athlete, but as I moved into my 40s and 50s, life got in the way. Staying in shape simply wasn’t a high priority.
In my mid-50s, I rediscovered the joy of movement when I started swimming in Lake Michigan. The water was invigorating, the scenery beautiful, and swimming proved to be the perfect low-impact, full-body workout. Over time, I added some light jogging and biking into the mix.
Then in 2014, I decided to compete in the Chicago Sprint Triathlon, held every August along the lakefront. The event includes a 0.5-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike ride, and 3.1-mile run—certainly not an Ironman, but at half the Olympic triathlon distance, it was enough to get my 55+ body back into shape.
I competed twice over two years. The first race I did solo, and I learned a lot—especially during the swim. My bright idea was to start at the front of the pack and stay ahead of everyone. Big mistake. I quickly discovered that front-line swimmers can be very aggressive, and apparently, dunking your neighbor to get ahead is part of the game. Coming from the competitive building industry, I should have known better! After a few gasps and gulps of lake water, I finished the swim—slower than I hoped—but the experience was fun and pushed me forward on my health and wellness journey.
The following year, my daughter Allie, then 26, decided to join me. I was 58. We didn’t train together—she lived in the city, I lived in the suburbs—but we made things interesting with a side bet:
- If she beat my time by five minutes, I’d pay her a large sum of money.
- If she didn’t, she’d have to do whatever I asked for six months.
After the race, we went out to brunch with about ten of her friends, eagerly awaiting our official times. When the results came in, Allie had beaten my time by just a few seconds—winning the bet, the race, and the day. The table erupted in cheers.
It was a great moment for her, and a relief for me. I happily paid the bet (she needed the money more than I did), and we all celebrated. Let’s be honest: if the results had gone the other way, there’s no way my daughter would’ve followed my directions for even one month, let alone six!
Photo 1 – Triathlon Chicago
Photo 2 – Steve & Allie Post Race
Photo 3 – Steve Post Race