Destination Long Run: Block Island

Destination Long Run: Block Island
August 31, 2015 Jess

Destination long run (DLR) was something that came into our life a few years ago while I was in pursuit to celebrate Beej’s birthday and balance our training schedules. For I know my husband would forgo any type of celebration, especially one in his honor if it meant he wouldn’t be able to move his body that day. So on a snowy Sunday morning we headed out early to Providence for a destination long run/birthday combo and this began our now tradition and favorite one day getaway.

With both of us in training for Ironman right now there is not a lot of spare time. Let me rephrase that, we are in a constant time deficit all of the time. But even in the midst of our one pointed focus life right now, we still make time to mix it up and have fun while getting our training in. We saw an opportunity this past weekend for a DLR and seized it. We took it south this time, off the mainland to Block Island.  Early Saturday morning, before the sun had risen we each packed up our smallest backpacks with a bathing suit, towel and a change of clothes. We kept it light since we’d be on foot all day plus we love the challenge of going as simple as possible. Dressed in our run gear, we headed out to Point Judith for a 7:15am departure on the high speed ferry, after all time is of the essence, and in 30 minutes were docking at our destination.

The day was already heating up we set off for a 1.7 mile walk to Elevation Studio, this yoga/pilates and living foods cafe would be our home base for the day. Delicious, rich coffee and plenty of plant power options on the menu. We saw no need to consider any other eating establishment as chowdah and clamcakes are no longer relevant sources of nutrition for us.  We took our time and met some locals along the way.

Cow kisses are big, hairy and awesome!

We found out that cow kisses are big, hairy and awesome!

We landed at Elevation and sucked down one of their awesome smoothies before our run. Perfectly named Rocket Fuel, it was an explosive combo of banana, almond butter, dates, almond milk, cacao, chia and maca.  One was enough to set us flying. We stashed our bags in a corner and headed out for our run with no agenda, pre-determined path or pace.  A few miles down the road we spotted a Greenway Trail head. We abandoned the asphalt for softer terrain.  This island, 7 miles long and 3 miles wide, boasts upwards of 25 miles of hiking trails and although the seaport downtown area is bustling we rarely saw anyone on our trail run.  With beautiful views of meadows and the ocean we kept heading for the deep blue until we hit cliffs. We found a trail and nagivated our way down to the ocean which was aqua blue this day and inviting us in for a refreshing dip.

Off the beaten path to the beach for a mid-run swim.

Off the beaten path to the beach for a mid-run swim.

After a bit of a beating on the rocks while riding the surf, we dried off sand and blood (thanks to BJ’s no stink Lululemon running shirt) and pushed a faster pace back to Elevation with dreams of a fresh juice and cold brew coffee in our heads. We landed with a 90 minute run in our training log and sat sweat soaked in the sun. We refueled with a Fruits of the Earth juice of beets, carrot, apple, ginger and cucumber and I also feasted on a sprouted wheat bagel with vegan carrot and raisin cream cheese – a rare treat that immediately hit my pleasure centers. After years of threatening to buy, rent and borrow SUPs we finally did it – Elevation has them readily available at an affordable rate with easy access to the water. Great core workout and after finding a somewhat calm cove we tried out some yoga poses with Warrior III proving to be the hardest.  After an hour on the SUPs we found ourselves back on the porch with a colorful lunch to send us on our way to the ferry. 

Kale Salad w/ purple cabbage, carrots, walnuts and tahini dressing, homemade hummus and salted sprouted grain chips.

Kale Salad w/ purple cabbage, carrots, walnuts and tahini dressing, homemade hummus and salted sprouted grain chips.

With plans to catch the 3:30 ferry back to Point Judith we said goodbye to Danielle, owner of Elevation, but not before grabbing a few pieces of her handmade jewelry and another cold brew for the road. About halfway back to town we found another island gem, Luca’s Farmstead Market filled with healthy organic food options. We grabbed some fresh fruit and a Kale Apple Kevita in case we got hungry on the boat.  Since there is nothing that we would eat being sold on the ferry boat it’s always important to be prepared in case hunger hits. A hungry belly and low vibrational food options usually leads to an unhealthy choice so best to avoid that altogether.

Fresh nectarine and Kevita buys at this health food market.

Fresh nectarine and Kevita for the boat ride home.

We made it back just in time to catch the ferry, grabbed a seat on the aft deck and used the voyage home as our meditation time. If we don’t make time in the morning for our practice it’s important to find a window during the day to fit it in. So we went in and met up on the other side when we docked.  Once on land, we set a direct course for Crazy Burger in Narragansett.  Since these getaways are rare we wanted to make sure we hit everything in the vicinity. We attempted to be mindful as we devoured a Just Plain Nuts and Poco Loco Burger with Bangkok slaw, a side of sweet potato fries and a major rarity, Barq’s rootbeer (oh so good!).

With full bellies, topped off tans and ready to rest bodies we got home to well tended to kids, thanks to our fabulous dog sitter Melissa, a movie and our yoga mats to get our bodies recovered and ready for long ride Sunday. With workouts coming every day, multiple times a day for the next 13 weeks straight it’s important to ditch the watch, the pace, the heart rate monitor and skip town to experience training in a new way. So whatever your Ironman is; work, family, marathon training etc., don’t forget to take a shift away from the norm to experience a little adventure in your life! If you feel so inspired to hop the ferry to BI, here’s what it cost us for our DLR day. Namaste.

Destination Long Run Block Island Cost Breakdown
Ferry: $71.70
Elevation Cafe: $72.35 (Pre-run smoothie, breakfast, lunch, bracelet and earrings from Danielle’s shop)
Paddle Board Rentals: $40.00 (1 hr for 2 boards, rented from Elevations)
Crazy Burger: $34.12 (Dinner)
Total Cost: $218.17

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