Stick to the Process to get the Results

This week my family and I have relocated from Italy, back to the United States. The number one thing I was looking forward to, was some good old fashioned American BBQ. My brother-in-law, Chris, of @plazoo_bbq fame promised me that we would throw down, and he did not disappoint. Before we get in to the parallels of great bbq and running, if you have not read Chris’ amazing story, click here: Push Through the Pain Cave. If his story doesn’t inspire you, you do not have a pulse!

Now, back to great bbq and running. In Chris’s profile story above, he said “People only see the final product; they don’t see that it takes me days to do one meal.” Well, I wanted to see the process, because the final product looked AMAZING. Chris decided to bbq a 13-pound brisket and an 8-pound pork butt. The day before the meal, Chris meticulously trimmed the fat off of the meat, but not too much, because he told me that “Fat is flavor.” Then he applied the dry rub to both pieces of meat and placed them in the refrigerator.

I’m not making this next part up, he woke up at 3am! At 3am!!! To start the fire; and he didn’t use lighter fluid as it impacts the flavor. Once he got the fire started and added the wood for flavor, he brought the temperature of the smoker up to 225 degrees and placed the brisket in. For the next hour or so he constantly monitored the temperature and adjusted the vents to maintain the 225 degrees. Eventually the temperature stabilized, but it is a crucial part of the process to ensure quality.

At 7am it was time to place the pork butt in the smoker as well, always monitoring and maintaining that 225-degree temperature. Chris said that the difference between good bbq and great bbq is patience and trusting in the process. “They call it low and slow for a reason. I watch that temperature and make sure that I have clean smoke coming from the vent, and I don’t open the smoker except when it’s time to wrap the meat in tin foil and to add the meat thermometers.”

At 3pm the brisket came out and at 4pm the pork butt came out, both were placed in an insulator and allowed to rest, allowing the juices to soak back in to the meat. Finally, at 5pm, 14 hours later; it was time to chow down! Watch these two videos to see what perfection looks like! Chris is adamant about being patient and sticking to the process and the results speak for themselves.

How does this relate to running? As you are all well aware, I believe in having written plans for your training, and they should be specific to your goals. I also preach to be patient, never increasing weekly mileage more than 10%, building a cardiovascular base, etc. In other words, STICK TO THE PROCESS. Admittedly, running is a little less scientific then bbq, but the idea remains. If you create a good plan based on your goals, execute that plan consistently and with patience, you will give yourself the best chance for success! And what better way to reward yourself after achieving one of your goals, then with some good old fashioned bbq!

If you have any questions for Chris, leave them in the comments, he is a pro!

I hope that this post and this blog helps you achieve your dreams! To receive new post notifications, newsletters, and post previews, please SUBSCRIBE!

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner  Strava: Joe Randene

Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section BELOW and we can have a discussion!