Running Gear!!!

I am really excited about two new apparel developments at the winery.  First, I just got in our brand new sport tech fiber running shirts for race day and training.  The second bit of news on the apparel front is that I ordered and they should be in next week our 1/2 and full marathon shirts.  These shirts are free to any wine club member who presents a 1/2 or full marathon finisher medal from 2011.  Did not finish a race this year but want to sport this stylish shirt, that will be $26.20!

Newsletter for the week of April 25th

Dear Lords and Ladies-

With the impending wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton taking place this coming Friday, if you, like me have yet to receive your official invitation, I think it is time to stop holding our breath.  My heartbreak knows exact bounds (it goes from my left ventricle to 1.2 millimeters towards the right).  In reality, it is probably better that we are not attending the wedding on Friday so that we can be well rested for Whitestone’s BIG BARREL TASTING in Wilbur on Saturday, April 30^th from 11 am to 5 pm. Comparing the two events, there is no question which event has the wow factor!  I mean, would you rather spend the day at Buckingham Palace or in Wilbur?!  My vote?  Bucki...errr WILBUR!  Brats and Burgers from Egger’s Meats or crumpets and tea?  Um, make mine a double with extra pickles!  Learn how Whitestone makes award winning wine or stare at Prince Charles’s ears?  Tough one, but I will go with the winemaking.  And finally, taste through a three-year vertical of Merlot in the barrel, comparing 2010, 2009, and 2008 French and American Oak and the effect aging has on the wine or try and make a guy in a red jacket with a funny hat crack a smile?  To answer, please pass the wine thief and a glass. 

Our Spring Big Barrel Event will be in Wilbur this Saturday, April 30^th from 11 am to 5 pm.  We will be serving bratwurst and burgers.  We will be having educational tastings on how wine ages in the barrel and all of our current releases open for tasting.  This event is free for wine club members, $10 at the door for non-club members.

Wilbur, Washington is located 60 miles west of Spokane on Highway 2.  Our production facility is located in the middle of town, at 111 E. Main Street (Highway 2).  Please email info@whitestonewinery.com or call 509-838-2427 if you have any questions.

This Friday, April 29^th, from 6 to 9 pm we will be hosting live music at our Spokane Tasting Room (111 S. Cedar Street).  Come on down and pick up your official Whitestone Running gear for Bloomsday!  

Spokane River Run

I did it! Well, not the big race, that will not come until the end of June, but I did run and complete my first race in a decade!  And I did not die!  Last Sunday was the Spokane River Run, a great 10k trail run through Riverside State Park.  At the end of the race, I was kicking myself for multiple mistakes I made, like thinking I was going to be the slowest person there and lining up in the far back.  After a couple of days, I realized how happy I was for just getting out and participating.  My time, 1:02.12.

9 min 30 sec up, 14 min 22 sec down...what the #%!?

First, let me write that I love my new Garmin GPS running watch!  It is additive to see exactly what my current pace, overall pace and distance run is by just glancing quickly at my wrist.  Running outside of Wilbur, using my watch, I have learned that a country mile is actually the same as a regular mile, it just seems to take forever and a day when you are on a straight, 6 mile long road.  Yesterday, I got a real surprise on my splits when out for my daily training.

Outside of Wilbur, one of my training routes has a section that features a long, straight, 3/4 mile long medium grade hill, topped with a flat 1/4 mile stretch before the road turns north.  Yesterday, when I took off, the wind was not that bad...yet.  While on my jog, I came around a big bend, and started up the grade.  I could not believe how easy the climb!  It felt like I was flying up the hill.  When I got to the end of the stretch, I looked down at my watch and discovered that I had done the hill in an amazing (for me) 9 min 30 seconds!  Then I turned to head back down.

Have you ever tried to run into a sustained 30+ mph wind with gust over 40?  It felt like hitting a wall.  I could not believe how hard it became to even breath. Every deep breath caused the wind to dry out all the saliva in my mouth. No matter how hard I dug in, it felt like I was standing still.  At one point, I stopped jogging and just tried to power walk into the wind.  When I finally reached the bottom of the hill, to my amazement, I clocked in a 14 minute 22 second mile.  What the wind hath giveth, the wind can take away!

Introducing the vineyard treadmill

I like to say that one should never complain about being to busy in business because the alternative is far worse.  When I created and named this blog, little did I know how fitting the title. What a crazy couple of weeks! It really became hard to find any time to train, especially when my weekly milage is going up. That is why I created the vineyard treadmill! It is exactly 1/5 of a mile from the front gate to the back gate in the vineyard. During this time of the year, the center area is a nice firm grassy running surface. So I run back and forth. The first couple of laps are always nice and enjoyable. I mean, how cool is it to be running through a vineyard in the middle of the woods along the side a of lake! By lap 5 it becomes old. I am now at the point in my training were I do 5 to 8 miles a day. Do you know how many laps that is in the vineyard? The big horns watching me up on the cliff, their only thought must be "We're losing our territory to this nut ball species?"

From UC Davis

Ladies and Gentleman, cue up the music please. Ah, yes, a nice soft violin will work as I tell you my sob story. I currently find myself on the campus of UC Davis, participating in an executive continuing education conference on wine. For a week, my schedule is nothing but drink wine, talk about wine, drink some more wine, eat a gourmet meal, take an afternoon break and talk about what wine we drank over some beer, and then back to more wine. I know what all of you are thinking right now.  Now that is a tough life! I mean, when are you getting time to train for your marathon? And back to hanging out on a college campus drinking all day? Who would ever want to revisit that part of their life? But cry not to much for me dear friends. I attend these conferences in order to be the best winemaker that I can be for you. I have even found a little time to keep training for the big race in June. Behind me hotel is the UC Davis Arboretum, a long, beautiful 100 acre park with a three mile running trail. What a great running path! The arboretum is long and stretches along one side of the campus and runs between campus and the interstate. With streams and larger ponds along the path, the course sits down low, with pedestrian and car bridges running above feeding people into the main part of the university. Its a really neat area, with the sights of nature all around, but the sounds of cars, and the occasional break into another area of the campus. Nothing beats a run were one minute you are in the woods, the next you are running past some stoners playing hacky sack in the quad. In order to perform my training, I actually skipped out on the first part of a wine and cheese tasting! I know, true sacrifice and dedication! Instead of getting to drink wine and taste cheese for three hours, I only went for two! I am such a beacon of light, shinning my bright light of self sacri...owww! Hey, I think that lamp just slipped out of your hand and hurled itself at my head! 

And now a treat for my dogs...And now a treat for my dogs...

I think Spring is definitely on its way. Just went for a 5 mile run, and in getting ready for that run, I drove my dogs nuts. The weather has been cold all year.  Even when there was sunshine, one still had to bundle up a little, because the air temp was frigid. Today, it is gray and dreary out, but over 50! So used to layering up and bundling up, that in getting ready for my run, I went through the normal routine.  Only to step out side and start to burn up! So, back inside, the dogs start to bark thinking I am home, I take off a layer, give them a biscuit and head back out. Only to still be overdressed! Back inside, barking dog, layer off, give them a treat, step outside...still over dressed! My dogs got four treats before I went out in shorts and a long sleeve running shirt. And even though it was raining, the rain felt great and I was the perfect temperature for the run.  Now it is off to nacho night at the tasting room!
Enjoy the wine, enjoy the journey!