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Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Blue Ridge Parkway - Mt. Pisgah & Sierra Nevada Brewery Tour!

Life post BEL... kept thinking about the event, for days afterwards.  Thinking about the people I got to meet, the cool stuff we got to do... can't wait to go back for another BEL.  They'll be changing things up in the future, with XII, a qualifying 12-hr event with Phase 1's elements.  Only after you successfully complete that will you be able to sign up for their future BELs. 

Wednesday, Jul 5:
A run to grease the wheeles, work out kinks.  6.0 in 48:40, 8:07 ave, 2 degrees of incline.  Right knee complained a wee bit, but overall, the run went better than expected.  Did a record 4 strict pullups afterwards, followed by some toes to bars.

Thursday, went to REI for an event meant to help people learn more about their Ragnar trail event.  Nice freebies!

Friday, Jul 7:
Biked 16.2 in 75 min.  Eyes tired, so closed them sometimes.  A record 5.5 strict pullups afterewards.  I feel like I've gotten even stronger, since BEL.  I only just started trying strict pullups.  Previously, I was always doing kipping pullups.  As long as I take breaks (still hanging onto the bar continuously, in betwee), I can do just about as many strict ones as I can kipping ones, though.

Saturday, Jul 8:
Trail run at Latta Plantation, getting in 8.7 miles before making it back to the car amidst really nearby thunder and lightning, and pouring rain.  So soaked.  The wind and cool air came in so suddenly.   It had been so warm just moments before.  The Saucony Nomads did really well staying dry, even in the pouring rain.  Nose breathed the whole time... may be a record distance for me.  Not too hard, either.  I had spent this morning watching youtube recaps of Spartan Palmerton and Emerald City.  Learning good techniques and being inspired.  OCR keeps me motivated to get out of bed.

Monday, Jul 10:
45 min strength session.  Need a body reset, since legs have had trouble recovering, and my right knee has had issues this past week. 
  • 100 situps
  • 2.5 min plank
  • 130 squats
  • 100 burpees (still got it ;)  )
  • 40 + 45 + 35 = 120 4-count flutter kicks
  • 100 jumping jacks
  • 20 pushups
Wednesday, Jul 12:
5.0 in 40:49, 8:10 ave, 2.5 degrees of incline.  Right knee still iffy for the first couple of miles.  5 miles all I could do, because I was tired.  Shoulders still strained from the pull-ups, and/or BEL.  Recovery from BEL has been surprisingly slow.

Saturday, Jul 15:
6.0 in 50:30, 8:25 ave, 2 degrees of incline.  Feel like I haven't run in a while, even tehough I have.  Went easy-ish.  Ran in my neighborhood's fitness room's treadmill for the first time in a long time.  Feel like I'm back in my old stomping grounds.

Sunday, Jul 16:
My dad came, and we made a day trip to Asheville, mostly for a Sierra Nevada tasting tour, but we figured that we'd also get in a hike.

We went to Mt. Pisgah, which is on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It was about 720 feet of elevation gain, over 1.5 mi one way.  There was a tour at the top.  Breathed hard with my 20lb ruck.




We hung out outside the Pisgah Inn to kill time before our brewery tour.

 
 Sierra Nevada Brewery is even more amazing than I had imagined, after listening to a podcast about it.  It's a beautiful campus, with a really nice driveway, self-guided and guided tour spaces, an ampitheater, a garden, and indoor and outdoor eating and drinking areas.  The atmosphere was great, with families, music, and lawn games about.








 


 I wish I lived closer, so that I could come here all the time!



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