Birthday Weekend (Vibram Style)

This weekend was my birthday weekend.  And it was great!  Anna's the best wife in the world. 

I really don't have a ton of time to go into all the details, so I figure that I can do a quick recap--from the pictures of my Vibrams:


Cougar Mountain Trail Run
I'm really glad that I planned this race on the last day I was 29.  It was fitting.  My 29th year was based on fitness, so how perfect would it be to run the longest race of my life?  But first, let's talk about the name of the race: Cougar Mountain Trail Run.  Cougar: Yes, actual cougars have been sighted in this area. Mountain: Yes, it is on a mountain.  Well, maybe not a huge one (1,600 feet), but the area is called the Issaquah Alps for a reason.  Lots of elevation gain.  Trail: Um, yeah, it was all on a trail.  A rocky muddy trail.  And some times the trail was only one person wide (hard to pass people if needed).  Run: Yup!  I ran most of the way.  Most of the times I was running were when I was behind people going up a hill--they were "running", but I could walk just as quickly...so I did.

Here are some pictures of the race:

All my stuff. 

I got my race bib. 

And instead of a shirt, they gave you socks.  Cool!

The beginning of the race.

The end of the race.

My poor Vibram KSO's!

I finished the race in just over 90 minutes.  And the race was supposed to be 7.5 miles, but it was actually 8.  But I really would have liked to finish in 80 minutes--10 minute miles.  But it was on a trail; and my first trail run ever.  Maybe my next one will be faster.

Paragliding:
My twin brother, Jake, and I got Paragliding tickets for our birthday two years ago, and we finally cashed them in.  Last year, I couldn't do it, since I was too big for the harness.  But now I'm perfect! 

This was us before the flight.

And our names on our hands--both for the Tandem Pilots who'd be flying us and for the EMTs in case there was a crash and our faces were too mangled to identify, I guess. 

And my Vibram Sprints sure loved the view!

The Evening:
By the evening of Saturday, I was woo tired to take more pictures, but I had a TON of fun!  Anna planned the best surprise Birthday dinner at a nearby restaraunt.  The we had people over to play games.  And we stayed up until 2am.  Whew, long day, I'll tell ya!

Sunday:
On Sunday, we went to breakfast in Downtown Seattle.  Then we walked for 5 miles around the cowntown core.  And I used a couple of REI gift cards from my friends and bought my third pair of Vibrams:

The newest model: The Bikilas.

What a weekend!!

Up to Monday:
40 minutes on elliptical
100 situps
100 push ups
2 60 second front planks
2 30 second side planks (each side)
5 miles walked/ran
prayed
read the bible
read my devotion