No races in the near future for me, and though this is not entirely a plan of my choosing, it's a great opportunity to explore more relaxed/social running events that I would otherwise bypass. Also, one of my goals for this summer is to take a break from my anxiety-junkie lifestyle and realize that if I run at a casual pace now and then it won't kill me or my training and I might just get to see my friends more often, too. So far so good!
As one is wont to do on a Tuesday afternoon, my mind wandered to the weekend, so far culminating in a Friday night with some friends and a great plan to venerate the finest decade there has ever been at the 1980s-themed We Run San Antonio Pub Run. I've never done one of these runs even though they've been a San Antonio tradition since 2008.
I just can't resist the chance to jog with leg warmers, Ronald Reagan t-shirt and a side-ponytail with some good friends and a brew or two. Come join us! It's free! You don't have to drink any adult beverages! It will change your life! Or at least overpepper it with "!"
6:30 pm meetup, 7:00 pm run start at Pat O'Brien's, 121 Alamo Plaza, SATX 78205.
If you can't make it this month (and I wouldn't hate you for it, it's a toasty one for sure) there is a Pub Run on the first Friday of every month, each with a different theme...maybe I can twist your arm enough and get ya there in September. To entice you further I'll do a recap and post web-approved pictures of nonsense after the run.
Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Trailing it in the heat
I am in San Antonio still...and it is hot...and as promised I have been trying to re-visit some of my favorite running spots, in between all the fun, nay, character-building training the army has prescribed. And I do mean character-building in a most Calvin and Hobbes sense...
I squeezed in an afternoon run at the Salado Greenway. It was stinkin' great! I refuse to bore you and myself with any more thoughts on my sub-par pace.
The path is wonderful. Wide, well-marked, paved, with benches and mileposts. I don't like to run with my cell phone in all the humidity since I am an unnecessarily sweaty gal, but here's a pic of the trailhead where I started, near Oakwell Farms. Yes, yes, it's taken from the cool and breezy womb of my car, before the onslaught of the summery air-soup.
I like to run 1.5 miles north to the Tobin Park Trailhead, near an overpass of I-410. There is also a water fountain here, and a doggie water fountain. And some information placards about the local flora and fauna. Mountain lions? Really?? I haven't seen one yet but I have seen the stoic heritage live oak shading the trails. "Heritage," of course, bestowed only on the live oaks over 100 years old. Or so I think.
From there you can veer left and follow the path all the way to McAllister Park or LBJ Park. Which are both great runs, but for cooler, more clement days. As in not July. But what I like best about running the Greenway year-round is the absolute difference in ambiance that even a casual observer like me will notice. Overwhelmingly verdant in summer, and in January, it's as bleak as the moon. The autumn colors (and whatever color autumn is, it's definitely my favorite) are as sharp as anywhere I've seen, and the springtime is just steeped in possibility as the plants are bursting with color...and pollen. Achoo!
This trail system is truly a prize. It reminds me of home, the Emerald Necklace encircling the city of Cleveland. Bash the "mistake on the lake" as you will, but I aver that Cleveland is one heck of a great place to live. I hope to write a post from there soon!
I squeezed in an afternoon run at the Salado Greenway. It was stinkin' great! I refuse to bore you and myself with any more thoughts on my sub-par pace.
The path is wonderful. Wide, well-marked, paved, with benches and mileposts. I don't like to run with my cell phone in all the humidity since I am an unnecessarily sweaty gal, but here's a pic of the trailhead where I started, near Oakwell Farms. Yes, yes, it's taken from the cool and breezy womb of my car, before the onslaught of the summery air-soup.
.JPG) |
| Green as can be! |
From there you can veer left and follow the path all the way to McAllister Park or LBJ Park. Which are both great runs, but for cooler, more clement days. As in not July. But what I like best about running the Greenway year-round is the absolute difference in ambiance that even a casual observer like me will notice. Overwhelmingly verdant in summer, and in January, it's as bleak as the moon. The autumn colors (and whatever color autumn is, it's definitely my favorite) are as sharp as anywhere I've seen, and the springtime is just steeped in possibility as the plants are bursting with color...and pollen. Achoo!
This trail system is truly a prize. It reminds me of home, the Emerald Necklace encircling the city of Cleveland. Bash the "mistake on the lake" as you will, but I aver that Cleveland is one heck of a great place to live. I hope to write a post from there soon!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Running out of town: San Antonio
I have not been doing very much running at all, have you? Over the holiday weekend, it seems like every few hours we are visiting with friends and eating hot dogs! I managed a few trips to the gym but I am not running more than 2 to 4.5 miles at a time, though pretty quickly (for me), around a 7:12 min per mile pace. I hope this will restart my running with renewed mental energy (as opposed to calorie-massive quantities of charred processed beef ingested this weekend).
We saw fireworks by chance as we drove across the mountains.
I am out of town for the whole summer, so I'm soliciting San Antonio (yay!) running ideas, paths and plans. San Antonio is certainly among the top five places I've lived and I am always happy to spend time there.
I like running along the Riverwalk (early in the morning for sure, to beat the crowds and heat), starting at the Pearl Brewery:
and ending with a post-run fancy pastry at the CIA Bakery Cafe,
and I love the Salado Greenway, too. This picture from last fall just oozes refreshment:
My road bike is coming with me (though Nugs and D are staying home in El Paso) and the plan is to get some rides in with my old bike club, the San Antonio Cycling Club. I love to ride out in Castroville and get cookies at Haby's Bakery for the drive back into town. It's the wrong time of year for Tour de Gruene and the Fiesta Wildflower Ride but I love both these routes and will do them solo if time allows.
There is nothing like Hill Country by bicycle even when it's a humid one billion degrees out!
Temptation is this Orangeleaf half marathon on July 20th in New Braunfels but I'm trying to ignore this compulsion...must not think about all the delicious yogurt at the end...
Hope everyone enjoyed a happy 4th of July weekend! San Antonio fans (and who isn't??), won't you share your favorite places for running, riding, passing time?
We saw fireworks by chance as we drove across the mountains.
I am out of town for the whole summer, so I'm soliciting San Antonio (yay!) running ideas, paths and plans. San Antonio is certainly among the top five places I've lived and I am always happy to spend time there.
I like running along the Riverwalk (early in the morning for sure, to beat the crowds and heat), starting at the Pearl Brewery:
and ending with a post-run fancy pastry at the CIA Bakery Cafe,
 |
| Separation anxious even with her safety goggles |
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| Can't wait to call this my go-to running path again! |
There is nothing like Hill Country by bicycle even when it's a humid one billion degrees out!
.JPG) |
| A great day = the Guadalupe in spring + road bike |
Hope everyone enjoyed a happy 4th of July weekend! San Antonio fans (and who isn't??), won't you share your favorite places for running, riding, passing time?
.JPG) |
| Nugget, pondering squirrels and Texas pride |
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