Hey guys. Miss me? Got back to San Jose and back on the grid this afternoon, and am trying to catch up! I was in the rural SE of the country, one of the big coffee growing regions. I also walked briefly into Panama on Monday because it was sort of on our way.
I did NOT get any running in. But I did two "surprise" giant walks while I was there. On Monday, the family I was staying with asked if I wanted to go for a walk about midafternoon (high of 90, dewpoint 79). I said, "Sure." I should have known something was up with the way they were packing supplies and looking at their watch as they left. Then, they pretty much hauled ass straight up a mountain. Wearing crocs. With maxi pads for insoles. I was just working on keeping up! They walked for 1 hr 45 min, about 8K, mostly uphill, then we stopped briefly at a corner store for some snacks before turning around and walking back home (at least that was mostly downhill, but it was dark and raining by then).
I should have known better the second day, but I headed out with them again in the other direction, which was also pretty much straight up a mountain, although probably less steep. So Tuesday, we only walked 90 minutes before hitting a store and turning around. I got what I needed done because I was able to drop in on 3 students on the way back, which I needed to do, and they got their walk in.
They are getting ready for a big pilgrimage to the Basilica in Cartago, which is a yearly tradition in Costa Rica. Thousands of people walk there from all over the country. For this family, it will be about 9 days and 250 kilometers. So they were getting ready.
Both days, I put more miles and hills on my legs than I would have on a regular "run" day. I'm not putting the miles in my log because I wasn't running. But for training purposes, I'm going to assume that it was a similar amount of "work", so I'm taking my usual rest day today and will jump back into my plan as usual tomorrow.
Great pics, HsM and Bin!
Return To Racing
Got our 5m in. All under 11:00 for a change. Yesterday I would have run shirtless if DW would permit it, today I'm in long sleeves.
How's the shins, Traci?
Welcome back, Zel !!!
SheCan
Zelanie-- "They are getting ready for a big pilgrimage to the Basilica in Cartago"
How very neat! Do most residents of Costa Rica make this pilgrimage? Is it for religious reasons?
Scotty-- "Art lab, Cherie? Your blood is made of paint? Tell them you want your result SOON and don't let them 'brush' you off... "
Haha! Lets hope they're not freewheeling it as much at the blood lab as we do at the art lab, otherwise they'd mix my blood with someone elses, and think the result was so, so cool! Have fun tonight at the zoo run! HOpe you're faster than a cheetah!
Jerry-- " Yesterday I would have run shirtless if DW would permit it, today I'm in long sleeves." Will you be in a Burqa tomorrow?
Cherie
"We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. " ---- Shasta Nelson
It's a Catholic thing, I guess Cartago was the site of an officially recognized miracle some 400 years ago. That day is a national holiday here and I think most Catholics from here seem like they want to do the trip at least once in their lives. There were something like 2 million people in 2011. I am not religious, but my family would like me to go with them. I am thinking about it, just because it is a big part of life here and something that would be quite a memorable experience! On the other hand, going anywhere with 2 million others sounds pretty overwhelming.
Hope they have lots of PoP's.