Building the Perfect Run and Pub Combo
A Comprehensive Guide
Life is about give and take. So is every single aspect of planning a run to end at a bar. The drink cancels out a portion of the run. The best pubs aren’t along the best running routes and the best running routes never have the best pubs. So, the best you can do is find the nearest combination of both. Any sane self-respecting man’s dream would be to run along the forests and water in Washington, straight into a pub in the heart of Dublin city center. But that’s not possible.
So, I am going to break down how to compromise in pursuit of the perfect combination -- including what’s absolutely necessary. This is an incredibly trivial thing to spend so much time reflecting on, but its fun for me and that’s what life about. Nonetheless, I’m going to make this guide, even if it is only used by me in the future.
As always, we are starting with the run. That’s how you earn the pub. What makes a perfect run? Could depend on the miles you have planned for that day or the weather, but those aren’t always in our control. For me it boils down to three things: elevation, nature, and company.
· Elevation: Some people may argue against this one but let’s be real, running is hard enough so no need to do it uphill as well. Be proud of yourself for getting out and running and find that downhill route. One give and take moment with this though would be that many nature runs (desirable) involve trails that have to go up before they can come down.
· Nature: And that last sentence was the perfect segway into the next point. (I’m good aren’t I). Quite possibly the most important factor of a run, what you are actually looking at. This is another reason why I have a war waged on treadmills. BORING. I want to see an endless ocean, trees taller than I even thought possible, or be able to try and run faster than the current of the river to my left.
· Company: Better to run with others than to run by yourself.
Now that that’s out of the way we can move on to the main event, what makes the perfect post-run pub. Granted, there isn’t too much of a difference between the perfect pub and the perfect post-run, but there are some distinctions to be made. See, this is one of the rare situations where a rooftop isn’t ideal. Cozy old pubs with fabric booths and a fire? Love those, not the time. Before I go on to the three bullets for this one, I’d like to generalize an honorable mention: all breweries. Now for the three things to look out for.
· Proximity to Nature: This is a given and an uncontrollable as you can’t move the pub, but it’s often the number 1 thing to look out for when planning a run straight to the pub’s front door. The defining characteristic of this kind of pub needs to be one thing. Outdoor beer garden with a view. Great example of this is that I’ve been to is Dru Bru Brewery in Snoqualmie, Washington. Summer day, post-hike at snow lake. Immaculate.
· Beer/Snack combo: This goes without saying, but they’ve got to have some of your favorite beers and decent snacks on deck. Bonus points if you call ahead on the final mile of your run and have it waiting for you. Side note: I was in Manchester recently and got this thing called a Ploughman’s lunch for the first time. I think I am going to write a whole piece on strictly that because I may be in love.
· Seating and vibes: I alluded to this in my previous mention of a fire cozy seating not being ideal. We just finished a run, were sweaty, maybe a bit stinky so the last thing I want is to let that seep into the furniture. Ideally, were sitting on old wooden chairs or wooden stools. The place has also got to be good for conversation as we’ve got company, we ran with friends, remember from earlier? This is a freebie that most places hit, but well-arranged seating, not too close to other people. They don’t want to smell people just getting in from a run while trying to enjoy their drink. However, I do want to be close enough to the strangers to strike up a conversation after my fifth beer.
I’ve done a few that have been close to hitting all of these for the golden mark. The best coming to mind are The Blue Light in Dublin or Fremont Brewing in Seattle. Haven’t found the perfect mix though, so the search continues.
Step 1: Find Pub you want to go to.
Step 2: plan a route either circular from the parking lot or a one-way and get a ride back
Step 3: enjoy having the most fun you’ve ever had
If anyone has any suggestions, PLEASE let me know. We don’t gatekeep here.