Spring Break

 Over spring break, I had the opportunity to participate in an Ironman 70.3 triathlon and visit Highlands, North Carolina.

    Before the Ironman, I was pretty scared of the swim, and I was not looking forward to not having headphones. The field was 70% beginners, and the water temp was projected to be cold. I was scared of people freaking out near me because of this and lack of experience. On race day, a different issue was presented. The wind in Little Elm was gusting up to 50 mph and the swim was canceled. The bike was extremely difficult because I had to fight the wind and prevent myself from falling off. While initially I was dreading not having headphones, it was better for me. I was much more locked in and could actually appreciate what I was doing and where I was. The best parts of the race occurred when I was in green areas. On the bike this looked like back country roads with rolling hills that were beautiful. On the run, about half of it was on a trail through the park. I noticed that, while on the trail, my heart rate dropped and I didn't feel like I was struggling as much. Overall, this was a difficult race, but I feel blessed that I could be tested with the elements and come out the other side. 

    Highlands, North Carolina was much more peaceful. When we arrived, there was heavy snow falling. This only lasted the evening as the temperature progressively warmed over the week. While the ice melted, crazy icicles remained for days. Highlands sits in the Nantahala National Forest. I did not realize that the U.S. Department of Agriculture sits over the National Forest service and covers national forests. I found it amazing how the roads curved and switched back while you drove up them. Overall, I enjoyed the hiking. One hike, the Sunset Rock hike, allowed cars to drive on it which I did not like at all. A unique aspect of Highlands is the abundance of minerals. It feels like you are walking on a disco ball because there are so many small shiny rocks/minerals. I found a really nice piece of what I think is pegmatite. Another part of town I loved was the Highlands Nature center Nature Center - Highlands Biological Station. This area was truly amazing and well maintained. There are scenic trails that flow around a small lake as well as a plethora of environmental education resources. In reflection, this is a really great town. Their commitment to history, preservation, and accessibility is impressive. While I did not like seeing the car on our hike, the thought that somebody else can experience what I can makes up for it. 

Civil War Trip

 The weekend of March 4th I had the opportunity to attend a Staff Ride in Washington D.C., Gettysburg, and Antietam to study the civil war. We discussed key leaders and how their actions, or inactions, shaped the war. 

    The first observation I had was at Arlington National Cemetery during the changing of the guard. I noticed that all of the roads were fairly difficult to see and were covered by trees or other foliage. I thought this enhanced my experience because I was not distracted by tour busses driving by. 

    At both Gettysburg and Antietam, we had a guide take us around on a walking tour (true Abbey style). I think this enhanced our experience because it allowed us to put ourselves in the soldier's shoes. We understood the impressiveness of little round top because we actually climbed it as well. The tour walking tour also helped me understand how decisions were made. They were making maps as they went and did not have any imagery. Our tour guide also told us that they recently moved all powerlines underground so the land could be better observed, which I appreciated. After our tour, I got up early and went for a run though the park. I found the fog and rolling hills eerie and it felt like an experience I will never have again.  

    In D.C. I was extremely excited to visit the Botanical Garden. While everything outside was dead, the inside plant exhibit was one of the coolest I had ever seen. Every room was something different, ranging from a cacti exhibit to tropical plants. I am not sure where this falls on the "nature scale" because it is an engineered exhibit. That being said, I think if more people had access to these crazy plants they may care more about protecting them. It is easy to ignore an issue when it is far away, but when you see an endangered plant right in front of you, it hits harder. 

Cowtown 2026

 My blog post for today will cover my experience with the Cowtown Ultramarathon in two parts. The first will be what I expect to experience and how I think I will see nature show up. The second will be what I actually experience. 

Part 1: I think my favorite part of the Cowtown race will be running through Overton Park. This is consistently my favorite place to run because it actually feels like I am out in nature. I love reaching the duck pond at the end of the park, as well as how clean it remains. I believe this will be the final third of the race. That being said, I will probably be struggling a lot. I expect this to help rejuvenate me for the final few miles. On the other hand, I think running on the Trinity Trails will be the hardest for me. While I do enjoy these trails, it is hard for me to run on them. Being able to see a half mile in front of me, or more, makes it feel much longer than it is. Also, we do switchbacks near the end. This is especially brutal because we basically stay in the same spot for a long time. Overall, this is not even close to a "nature run" but I look forward to the pockets of nature that I will experience. 

Part 2: Overall, the race was really great. My previous predictions were profoundly perfect. The brief stint in Overton Park quickly gave me back a bunch of energy. While the Trinity was hard, knowing the race was almost over made it much better. This class has helped inspire me to check out some trail runs near TCU and my home in Seattle. Unsurprisingly, Seattle has a massive amount. My goal is to start incorporating these runs into my race schedule.