The weekend started Friday with Facebook letting me know that it was National Bourbon Day. While this prompted my looking for interesting Bourbon cocktails and finding these Food and Wine's Bourbon Cocktails. After an excellent dressage lesson, I headed home to see what plan had developed. In the end, we went old school and just drank the good stuff on its own. We were able to sit out on the patio, where the weather was lovely. I managed to enjoy the bourbon, but kept it minimal as Saturday morning, I was getting up at 4:30 a.m. to run a half marathon. This was the 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut Half marathon in Pennypack Park. Interestingly, I had never been to Pennypack park, but it is quite nice. The weather was perfect and most of the race was in the shade. I followed my current modus operandi of slowly running the first half and then walking with brief (downhill) run bits the second half. Prior to starting the race, I met some interesting folks (always a fun part of racing), including an Australian chap in the process of trying to beat the Guinness world book of records string of 160 marathons in a single year Marathon Man. I also met several marathon maniacs and half fanatics. You may remember that I acheived my goal of mania in June 2010 Becoming a Marathon Maniac. There was quite a representation of the group at this race and someone arranged a group photo that another of the members was kind enough to share.
The race itself was very friendly and well organized, with even the wait for the bus at the end not very long. Following the run, I headed back to Chester County and had a jumping lesson on Keegan. My leg seemed to be swinging a bit more than usual, but Missy gave me a pass on that given the proximity to running the half marathon. Everything else went really well. Keegan is jumping ever better and other than my position, we didn't have to work on much. Sunday morning, I did yoga to loosen up those muscles and then had another dressage lesson. This lesson also went well. I feel like we are making real progress. I rode in Caitlin's demo Voltaire dressage saddle and while I quite liked it, it didn't put me in quite as good a position as my Antares, so I'm going to stick with what I have (this is good because I really don't need another dressage saddle). If anyone is looking, still for sale are the following dressage saddles in a 17.5 medium tree:
1) Hastilow Atlanta Dressage - this is an older saddle, but in impeccable condition. Very good for a TB. quite deep seat with a narrow twist http://www.hastilowcompetitionsaddles.com/ (this model no longer made, but this are high quality, British saddles). $1000
2) Hulsebos WB4 http://www.hulsebossaddles-usa.com/dressage. They do still make this saddle, which sells new for $2600. Make me an offer above $1600 and it can be yours.
3) E. Jeffries Elite - price new $2400, but there are a lot of these out and about. You can have this one for $900 OBO
4) Michael Stokes Centaur - lovely dark brown and black. Fits a solid TB very well. $900 OBO
And if none of these tickle your fancy, ask me as I know of several Counties, at least one Albion, an older Miller Klimke and others from under $500-$3000.
David Ziegler and Criticial Decision competed at Intermediate down at Seneca, where Sally Cousins and Sharon White were also showing several and the big international event for the weekend was Luhmulhen, which didn't go so well for the US contigent. Elsewhere, the US Open played much harder than predicted at Merion, the Phillies played poorly and the Heat need to win two to avoid another championship loss on their home court. We have Phillies tickets tonight. Hoping it doesn't rain
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