Trail run? Really?
So we are two weeks post-NYC and the best thing I could say about my recovery period since then is that I actually rested. Not really by choice, but because I caught whatever cold/flu thing has been going around as we returned home. It has really knocked the wind out of me, but I finally had enough and decided to venture back to Crossfit yesterday. I took it really easy, but was happy to get back it. And clearly I did enough squats to make my rear end sore.
I didn't know what I would be doing today, but last night one of my friends (and running buds), AK, decided to e-mail me with an interesting proposition -- do a 4-5 mile trail run near our respective houses. For those of you that know me, trails are NOT my thing. I tend to do dumb things like sprain an ankle, lose a shoe in a bog of mud (yes, this happened), etc.
I decided to accept because I needed to get a run in and having an excuse to take it easy, and AK has been wearing me down to get me on the trails. We had her, her husband and some others for dinner last weekend and she was definitely doing some lobbying over some amazing pulled pork and collard greens. :-)
As I was chatting with Marc last night about it, I said one of the things that I need to focus on during a proper trail run is that I need to ignore pace and focus on effort, along with the experience of just being on a trail. Turns out that AK asked me about that same thing as we drove to the park, and she concurred that I needed to just recalibrate what I should expect to get out of a trail run.
We went out this morning and it turns out that it probably ranked pretty low on the technical side, and didn't have 'too much' on the "Rocks and Roots" side (H/T to other friend: RP). I trusted AK to know a course where I could feel challenged in a good way, and have a good time, and of course, I was right. It also seemed poetic after the body of "Caballo Blanco" was found yesterday. His story was a major focus in Christopher McDougal's, "Born To Run", which I read last year and enjoyed. RIP, Caballo Blanco.
AK was great in giving me some tips and at times, she was more aggressive on the downhills (my weakness on trails - all mental). It was good. She would slow down to let me catch up. While it felt hilly, it wasn't too bad on the elevation scale. It did feel like a harder effort just because I hadn't run in 2 weeks (or done much of any physical activity) and because of the lingering cold.
Unfortunately I had some issues with the Garmin so I am showing AK's capture of the run. The weather ended up being pleasant, and while it was pretty windy elsewhere, we were protected from it in the trees (as predicted by AK).
Going back to the pulled pork (which was smoked in the BGE!) and collard greens discussion, one of our good friends MMKR brought over one of her baking creations known as "Paleo Twinkies". While a couple of tweaks needed to be made, they were tasty and Paleo! Other dishes have been conjured up at Chez Beck recently like smoked whole duck, cassoulet, lasagna (made with leftover BGE pulled pork - holla!) and some Bo Ssam for Super Bowl Sunday -- and of course a Big Blue win! OTBN, as usual, was a huge success with great friends, amazing food and some stellar wines.
Finally we are officially into baseball season, although you wouldn't really know it. You probably missed it that the Seattle Mariners played 2 real season games in Japan against the Oakland A's. And yes, those games counted and pretty much no one in those markets saw the games because they were at 3am PST. But somehow MLB Network and ESPN are advertising "Opening Day" for this upcoming week.
I think it was a disaster all around because the Mariners have now gone back to playing pre-season games after playing 'real' games. Huh? One of the many reasons I, along with many others, continue to think Bud Selig is a schmuck. But hey - Go Yanks!
Before I forget, special congrats to my awesome coach, Kim, for her awesome performance in Texas this morning in her Ironman!
I didn't know what I would be doing today, but last night one of my friends (and running buds), AK, decided to e-mail me with an interesting proposition -- do a 4-5 mile trail run near our respective houses. For those of you that know me, trails are NOT my thing. I tend to do dumb things like sprain an ankle, lose a shoe in a bog of mud (yes, this happened), etc.
 |
| KK and AK's collard greens with bacon! |
As I was chatting with Marc last night about it, I said one of the things that I need to focus on during a proper trail run is that I need to ignore pace and focus on effort, along with the experience of just being on a trail. Turns out that AK asked me about that same thing as we drove to the park, and she concurred that I needed to just recalibrate what I should expect to get out of a trail run.
We went out this morning and it turns out that it probably ranked pretty low on the technical side, and didn't have 'too much' on the "Rocks and Roots" side (H/T to other friend: RP). I trusted AK to know a course where I could feel challenged in a good way, and have a good time, and of course, I was right. It also seemed poetic after the body of "Caballo Blanco" was found yesterday. His story was a major focus in Christopher McDougal's, "Born To Run", which I read last year and enjoyed. RIP, Caballo Blanco.
 |
| Big Green Egg Pulled Pork! |
Unfortunately I had some issues with the Garmin so I am showing AK's capture of the run. The weather ended up being pleasant, and while it was pretty windy elsewhere, we were protected from it in the trees (as predicted by AK).
 |
| Paleo Twinkies by MMKR! |
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| Marc, Erik and Dave getting ready to carve one of the smoked ducks! |
I think it was a disaster all around because the Mariners have now gone back to playing pre-season games after playing 'real' games. Huh? One of the many reasons I, along with many others, continue to think Bud Selig is a schmuck. But hey - Go Yanks!
Before I forget, special congrats to my awesome coach, Kim, for her awesome performance in Texas this morning in her Ironman!