A reader, blogger, and frequent commenter -
The Padre - inquired about how my legs were doing post-marathon, and also our Phoenix trip. The questions came at a great time, because I was actually getting ready to jot down a quick update, and post some vaca pics ... hope you like baseball and the desert!
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| Royals first baseman, Eric Hosmer, hitting a home run in his first Spring Training at bat, we had great seats for maybe the best sports photo I've ever taken |
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| Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona - Spring Training home of the Royals and Rangers |
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| Evening view of downtown Phoenix from the top of our resort, Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort |
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| Speedster outfielder Jarrod Dyson slapping a ball to the left-side of the infield |
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| Morning trail walk about a mile from our resort |
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| Royals infielders practicing double plays |
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| My awesome wife and best friend, Michael |
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| Royals short stop, Alcides Escobar getting lose in the On Deck Circle, about two rows from our seats |
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| Rainbow over our hotel after a full day of rain ... in Phoenix??? |
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| Selfie of Michael and me before the race (that's a throw-away warm up shirt ... before you ask) |
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| Royals catchers working out at Spring Training |
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| Rangers quirky third baseman Adrian Beltre smelling his bat after batting practice |
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| Entrance at Surprise Stadium |
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| Rangers star pitcher Yu Darvish, who two days later suffered a torn ligament in his elbow and will be out for the season with Tommy John surgery |
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| Desert wildlife on a rainy Tuesday in Usery Mountain Regional Park |
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| Home run high fives |
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| Giant Tommy Lasorda bobble-head at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers |
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| Dodgers star outfielder, and Cuban defector, Yasiel Puig taking talking with a coach at the batting cage |
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| Sunrise over the Cubs Stadium in Mesa, Arizona |
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| Rangers players signing autographs after practice at Spring Training with the desert mountains in the background |
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| Sandy Koufax at the Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training - 79 years old, and probably the greatest living pitcher |
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| Royals pitching staff before their first Spring Training game |
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| Giant suspended sculpture in downtown Phoenix called "Her Secret is Patience", a $2.5 million collaborative public piece |
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| Sun setting on the Phoenix Mountain Preserve at the end of a great Spring trip |
As far as post-marathon health, my legs feel great except for my left upper IT Band being a little sore, which has caused a little hip tightness ... but nothing major. I've only ran every other day this week, and no more than nine miles at a time. But I'll get back to training next week for a half-marathon I have scheduled at the end of April. The plan is to ease myself into some short Speed work and gradually start stretching out my Tempo runs. I'm hoping to set a half-marathon PR at the race, but I'll let you know in a couple of weeks if I'm up for the task so close to a fairly fast marathon for me. It will just depend on how healthy my legs are. It's been my experience that my legs can feel pretty good after a marathon, but when I start adding back in faster runs, they don't feel quite as good as I thought they did. Anyway, things are going about as expected, just taking the race-recovery slow. Have a great weekend!
... Be Great Today!
Late congrats on your marathon. Great scenery! Phoenix for sure is a beautiful city.
ReplyDeleteIn Italy baseball is not popular, here people are soccer addicted: not me, I am a rugby man.
Thanks BK, rugby is not huge here, but I actually have a couple of customers in Nebraska who play on travelling club teams, so I'm fairly familiar with it
DeleteMr Jim, Most Excellent Post!!!! Thanx for the kind words right off the bat. Your 1st photo of Eric sucked me in. I mean look at the extension he has in his arms. Those seats were exactly where you should have been!! Holy Smokes!! Love the caption of Jarrod SLAPPING the ball into play!! Your wife is as beautiful as the rainbow over the freshly washed clean Phoenix landscape. And that photo of Beltra smelling his bat, dude, only players and fans like us appreciate the game. Its A Magical Shot and I hope you enter that photo in your local county fair this summer. I can't stand the SMELL-A Dodgers but that shot of Sandy Koufax is priceless!!! Thanx 4 the sculpture photo as well and I bet it was stellar in person. Again, thanx 4 the mention and I can't thank you enough 4 posting all the photos. Totally made my day and brought back memories of waiting 4 the late Tony Gwynn to come out and sign balls. Tooting my our horn, T Gwynn only made the cover of SI once and I have it signed and framed. YES…. Play Ball….. Run Strong
ReplyDeleteI actually met Tony at an autograph signing in Des Moines, Iowa about five or six years ago - he signed a bat - I have it displayed in my basement. He was truly one of the greats! I'm not a Dodger fan at all, but I really respect Sandy Koufax and wanted to watch their young shortstop, Corey Seager. The Padres should be good this year, but I don't think there will be as many homeruns in that large ballpark that everyone thinks there will be with that lineup. We face the same thing here in KC. But Shields will give you 200 quality innings and Cashner is a stud. Plus, I think Yonder Alonso is really underrated and will come into his own this year with more protection in that lineup. Have a great weekend!
DeleteLooks like you've had other things on your mind apart from your legs. It's great to be able toimmerse yourself in your other passion for a while.
ReplyDeleteYou got some really lovely photographs in Phoenix! Which goes to show, art is all about representation - because last time I was in Phoenix I was pretty unimpressed. But then, I was on a business trip, so I mostly saw interstates, hotel rooms, and office parks.
ReplyDeleteThat picture of Micheal is gorgeous! Well done! And looks like a great trip overall. Spring training is always fun :)
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