Ready for Hawk Watching?

October 19, 2012

Diligent training.  It is something people talk about a lot this time of year.  Can you eat all of that pumpkin pie?  Well, what has your training consisted of?  Are you ready for that scenic bobsledding trip down Manaslu?  I don't know.  Have you been training?  Why does your favorite team suck?  That's right, they suck!  Well, it may have to do with their training.

These were the thoughts going through my mind as I set out on a moderately windy evening to prepare for tomorrow's Hawk Watch Run at Hitchcock Nature Center.  I was training.  Here's a video clip with inspirational music provided by Electric Needle Room.  Spoiler alert, the video and/or soundtrack will probably skip around, much like my prancing feet out on this focused training run!

Another aspect of the fierce beauty of moderate competition is the art of preparation.  H, anyone can get out there and wing it like Earnest Borgnine doing stand-up.  It takes preparation to be prepared!  Armed with this thought I went out to inspect an area that was similar to the actual race course in that they are both outdoors and geographically similar. I found.that there were many small to large tree (and zombie) limbs lying around.

Yep.  Good thing I was practicing my pull-ups.  That will probably help me pull myself over some fallen limbs, and/or pull myself up off my ass after I slip in the leafy mud.

Here is another edge that I have over other competitors in this event.

Hedge apples from Osage Orange tree!  Suck on that, suckers!

That's right.  Awareness of potential natural missiles is the third corner of the triangle of competitive advantages that I am about to smack people upsides da head wid!  Booyah!

Although my preparations... H, they might smack of moderate activity to some, are not easy, they are way easier than preparing for any of the distances that were available for the currently sold out 1st annual G.O.A.T.z Trail Run.  The website offers 5, 10.5, 21 mile, and 50 kilometre (approximately 30 miles!) distances for those that are either in great shape or trying to atone for a lifetime of sloth, lechery, or some other sin, real or imagined.

It's the weekend and I am getting pretty psyched about it.  It was a hard week at the soft, noise-dampening tapestry installation firm I am currently interning with.  Time to get out and feel the eyes of the hawks!  Now it's you that're being watched, hawks!  How does that feel, eh?  My fine feathered friends!  Heh heh heh....  Haawww!  Aaahhh!

Speaking of hawks.  Let's get together and watch my favorite movies of all times, Hawk the Slayer, on Saturday afternoon.  You bring the movie and drinks and I'll provide the tv and couch.  I am getting prepared for some serious recovery/laziness following this foray into the savage world of the raptor!

Do you dare to join me?!  Caaawwww!  Kaaaaaaawww!