Spent the weekend with my wife in Jackson, Wyoming at the Snake River Lodge and Spa. It is a cozy little retreat, although the service bore the indifferent air that comes with seasonal help. It was one of those good food/good wine/trail run weekends. I ran long on Saturday, chugging up the mountain as a light snow flurry fell, enjoying the sound of snowmelt-fed streams and the rustle of tall pines blowing in the wind. Ran with Callie yesterday, coming upon herds of foraging elk and otherwise paying attention the whole way, lest we stumble upon a bear.

We don't get away like this too often, so it was a fine time to relax, but i kept thinking back to an idea my friend Jimmy Boyce lobbed at me last week. Jimmy is the head chef at Studio, a legendary oceanfront restaurant at the Montage in Laguna Beach. He is witty in a sarcastic and intellectual sort of way, and is ripe for a Food Network/Travel Channel show. Out of the blue last week, while we were sitting in his kitchen Thursday afternoon, he suggested we travel to France to do some serious eating. It would be a sort of education on how to eat properly. For a guy like me, who is admitting to himself that the thing I will miss most about not hitting the Tour this year is the food and wine, the suggestion was like nectar.

Counterbalance this with another -- more austere -- conversation last week with my friend Duncan Smith. Duncan is a SEAL, and we go back to our Raid Gauloises days. He's the sort who revels in pain and suffering and superhuman, but in that quiet modest way for which the SEALs are famous. He sent a group of SEALs to the school where I coach last week (also Thursday; it was a busy day) to oversee student-athletes competing in something called the NAVY SEAL FITNESS CHALLENGE. Athletes were measured in push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, a long run, and a long swim. In essence, this was the SEALs' qualification test. I wondered if anyone would show up, quite frankly, but was stunned when more than 50 athletes competed. I will write more about this soon, but I found myself quietly inspired by the competition. It's been awhile since I've strived physically like that, pushing myself out of the comfort zone as I lay my fitness on the line. Next time they come back to the school I may just have to jump in and give it a try myself. 

On the other hand, that would be a little self-serving.

So now it's time to fly home. Jackson has been awesome, and the sun is finally peaking out this morning. We will go for a long drive before hitting the airport, just to revel in the wonder of this special place one last time. The combination of relaxation and those two conversations with accomplished friends who are hardcore in their own way has me feeling renewed and inspired. Finally, after weeks and months of feeling like I've been running in place, I'm ready to get back in the game. Not sure why it takes a little getaway like this to ignite that passion, but I feel rejuvenated after feeling beaten down. 

Keep pushing... always.