« Deep Thoughts | Main | Arguably Salvaged »
March 27, 2006
The Rumble of Adventure
Okay, I admit it, I'm addicted to adventure. I can't help myself. I'm genetically predisposed (My parents are the best world travelers ever. For example, they went to Brazil in January, and next month they're headed to Ecuador.) and environmentally trained (I live in a national park and I'm surrounded by other adventurous people.) to desire it. My mother used to yell at my brother because, say, during lunch, he would ask, "What's for dinner?" My brother likes food that much. Me, I'm guilty of dreaming about the next adventure while I'm already on one. Someone should yell at me for that.
My philosophy is that life itself should be an inherent adventure of learning and living creatively. Stagnancy in life, or the failure to find adventure, could be our society's downfall. I know that adventures come in all shapes and sizes for different people, and I would never presume judgement upon what one person identifies as an adventure. What I'm trying to say is that an adventure for me, and adventure for you, and an adventure for some guy named Steve in Ohio can be 3 entirely different things. But, at all costs, keep your life adventurous, and do so in whatever capacity you wish!
I know I am. As such, the rumbles of my latest impending adventure are now audible, and growing louder. Sometimes the build-up of excitment prior to an adventure is as fun as the actual activity. Right now, I'm enjoying the giddiness of planning and anticipating...
I also ran today, though it was highly unexciting. 7 miles easy. While I was out there, I ran a mile on the dirt track near my house, to test its surface and to check in on my easy running pace. The track is clear of snow, but it's in poor shape. It's dry in spots, but still wet in others. And, unfortunately, it's all mucked up from 800 pound bison roaming on it freely all winter. Work needs to be done on it badly, and I don't suspect it will happen for a bit and that's somewhat disappointing! My pace was nice and slow, right where I'd like to be for an easy day. I do think my pace was slowed a bit by mucking through the, well, muck, but only by a few seconds.
Tomorrow's run should be exciting. I found this sweet workout, which I'll probably describe in painful detail tomorrow, that will serve as a creative interjection among the less exciting but staple distance running workouts. That is, if it doesn't kill me. It looks hard. It would be an easy workout to do logistically, if I could run on a track. I'll be doing it on a gravel road, so hopefully it will still be good. Bring it.
Posted by Meghan at March 27, 2006 7:47 PM
Comments
Now YOU'RE the blogging tease! I look fwd to seeing this adventure unveiled in good time...
Posted by: Audrey at March 27, 2006 8:48 PM
Well put. A+. Spot on. Brilliant. I create adventure wherever I can. I go find it and can relate to your posting. Isn't it sad how we live in a time where everything is already explored and the world has shrunk to bits and bytes?..where I can post on someone's website that I miss living during more adventurous times and that very person lives and works in a park where trappers, mountain peoples and Native Americans once adventured against the elements just to survive? Adventure. For me at least adventure and conflict go hand in hand. Without a challenge, without a wall of jungle or an unmarked path with uncertain consequences, there can be no golden ring on the other side. BTW, if you are up to speed on me, I just missed buying "The Quiet American" because the bookstore was sold out. What I didn't post was that I instead bought Joseph Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness."
Posted by: Duncan at March 27, 2006 8:54 PM
adventure running idea no. 1) how about "organizing" a speed workout with the dear bisons that sorround you? Last summer I ran a mountain race in the dolomites which was about 6 miles long but had an elevation delta of about 900m (1800feet). The most brutal part, upon reaching a 3/4-mile long plateau before another gruelling-stomping downhill mile to the finish, was running "through" a huge un-shephered herd of Rendena cows (thet take their name from the Rendena Valley...) that had completely occupied the trail and sorrounding grassy area. It was like you had to run breathless uttering a continuos "Ooohhhh," sidestepping and rebounding off the tame but enormous, and enormously agitated, bovines. Wondering the whole time: where's the bull? Talk about a rush. Maybe you can work something similiar with your indigenous horned friends... Adventure is great, even PeeWee loves it. Relaxing at the needed moments is no lesser rewarding. Cheers corrado.
Posted by: corrado giambalvo at March 28, 2006 5:13 AM
errata corrige: 3 x 900m = 2700 feet
Posted by: corrado giambalvo at March 29, 2006 6:31 AM