Geeking it out with the Audio Tour
For 10 years I’ve wanted to see this architectural marvel, Gaudi’s “Sagrada Familia.”
Its pretty much the main reason I didn’t get the hell out of this place three days ago.
So like any majorly anticipated bucket list item, I savored it.
Jesse is not really into historical stuff, describing himself more of a “future” guy, but he was a great sport and even went along with the incredibly long audio guide.
Gaudi’s my dawg. His spirituality is firmly rooted in nature, and the building is constructed to bring the outdoors inside. The columns holding up this enormous structure are designed to look like the trunks of a forest of trees, and the ceiling a canopy of leaves. Light filters in the way it would if you were meditating in the woods. Its completely unlike any other church I’ve seen. Maybe that explains why I didn’t mind spending three hours there.
Tops of the Columns Turn into a Forest Canopy
I’m so glad I had just one run today so I could squeeze this little adventure in. I might only have one more day like this while I’m in Barcelona. Tomorrow will be an absolute killer session. With Crystal Palace coming up in less than two weeks, its my last chance to do something hard to prepare for that 5k.
In less than a week I may be running Stockholm, but I’m not confirmed yet (as in, the meet director hasn’t given me a lane.)
Zoom in to see a demon in this picture.
There are three possibilites:
1. I don’t get in, and I go straight to London to prepare for Palace on the 13th.
2. I get in and race a 5k in Stockholm.
3. I don’t get in to the 5k, but I get commissioned to rabbit a World Record attempt in the race. I’m OK with any of those options at this point.
I’ll let you know what happens.
Geez, you’re the reigning US outdoor 5k champ! That ought to get you into any race of the same distance.
Hi Lauren,
I will be watching the live streaming video of the London Crystal Palace 5000 on the 13th. Give ’em hell! We’ll be cheering here in New York!
Bob :/)
Awesome blogging as usual, Lauren. Thanks to you, I am now gonna have to check out Gaudi; the whole notion of bringing the outdoors in is pretty much what I live for in architecture. Sometimes it keeps me up at night. I am a nerd, but I am not kidding!
Moving right along to track news, a bunch of us are also really excited for you to rabbit in Stockholm!!! My fingers have been crossed for a 1500 soon like you indicate in your next entry because we want to see you get a nice little reward for all your recent training and recovery milestones and the obvious speed that you’re churning out in the process.
But the rabbit thing is kinda cool in a lot of ways and I am slowly warming up to the idea. Race director politics, notwithstanding, of course. From this fan’s point of view, the rabbiting side of track and field is one of the more intriguing aspects of the sport. I won’t go into great detail on the reasons, but I think it has to do with the collaborative nature of the arrangement, versus the cutthroat competition that can sometimes emerge in head to head situations.
Anyway, we are rooting for you no matter what. Keep us informed of the race plans as they develop (if you can)…the splits they want you to do & all that jazz. And feel free to wax philosophical about running strategy and tactics in the process, haha. The rest of us are bound to learn a lot and to be entertained as well.
Sorry about the length of this comment. I get all pumped up about your posts. Usually I keep my replies “down to a shout” as KG would say, because I’m freakin busy and I have no choice. Today must’ve been an exception.