TrailMix

Hittin' the road to Lean Horse 100

2010-09-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

There's something about taking a road trip. It's a rite of passage for young Americans. Many of us have memories of spending time in the back of the family station wagon when we were young, where the goal seemed to be making good time not making good memories. When Jeff and Bonnelle(of the famous Murphy/Stevenson school of Ultra Running!)suggested at the Grand Canyon last year that we do Lean Horse 100, we saw a perfect opportunity to have a road trip and expose our kids to the great American west one Flying J at a time.

The plan was to take it easy and not torture ourselves or the boys as we made our way from California to the Black Hills of South Dakota. I took two weeks off work and would need the time to go from being nocturnal to normal. With my last day of work finished we packed the Honda Civic and headed for Vegas. We'd take 4 days to get to South Dakota, seeing a lot of cool stuff along the way. We made our way North from Vegas to Salt Lake City, DuBois Wyoming, and then Hot Springs, South Dakota passing such sights as the Temple Square, The Grand Tetons, and Mt. Rushmore. Running 100 miles is a test of endurance, but travelling across the great American West really gave us an appreciation of the adventurous and courageous pioneers that settled this country. They didn't have Cracker Barrel restaurants back then did they?

Race day finally came and the weather cooperated a little cooling down from 104 on Friday to low 90's on race day. The race director, Jerry Dunn, leads approx. 250 of us out of town on his bike as family, friends, and locals yell, "Way to go runners!"
The course is run almost entirely on the the George S. Mickelson trail which runs from Deadwood to Edgemont. Formally a railway, you can be assured of two things; there will be no huge climbs/descents and the scenery will be spectacular! The course is an out and back with most of the climbing(nearly 7000 feet)taking place in the first 50 miles. My wife and boys crewed for me the entire time. The boys would run down the trail to me, grabbing my bottles and asking what I wanted, then run back to their Mom giving her any special requests. Most of the day my needs were simple; ice water and Gu. Once I had them make me up a bottle of Perpetuem and once a bottle of Starbucks Coffee Frap. The aid along the course was good and offered the usual ultra goodies. I got to the 50 mile turn around in 11:50 where my crew was waiting with a Dairy Queen cheeseburger and chocolate malt! As I left the 50 mile aid station I was looking forward to the night and the cooler temperatures that it would bring.
I was lucky enough to run most of the day with Bonnelle who was having a great day. Her plan was to pick up a pacer at mile 50 or 60 and I was welcome to tag along if I wasn't too far ahead by then.(Her words) At mile 60 we picked up Jeff who just a week before won his age group at Leadville 100 and also received Leadman for finishing the Leadville marathon, 50 mile run, 100 mile mtn. bike ride and the 100 mile run! We picked up lights at the Crazy Horse Memorial parking lot and headed off into the dark of the Black Hills. I ran much of the night by myself seeing Jeff and Bonnelle's lights in the distance ahead. She would go right through the aid stations as Jeff would gather what she needed from "The Crew Van" and catch back up to her. As a side note, the van was the envy of every runner and crew out there! We ended up passing quite a few runners as we made our way back to Hot Springs. Mile 75 to 100 was similar to the last time I did 100 miles. It seems as though time slows to a crawl. My strategy after 50 miles was to just take it 5 miles at a time, which seems to work okay until mile 85 when 5 miles seems to take a month. 90 to 95 is even worse. The sun is starting to come up and you realize that you've been running almost 24 hours. Then it hits you...if you walk, the last 5 miles could take up to 2 hours! But I don't want to be out here for 2 more hours! So...I guess I'll run. That works for awhile, then your body protests to a level that your mind can't override. So you eat a gel and push on, trying to block out the pain and just take it for what it is.
At some point you wonder why you're doing this? Why put yourself through the pain, the mental challenges, all those hours of training? You wonder if it's worth it. Then you get to mile 99 and the finish line is in sight. You're running faster than you have all day and feeling great. The pain is gone. No longer tired, you fly through the last few turns like you're finishing a local 5k. Someone yells out, "Way to go runner" and it almost brings you to tears. Maybe you're emotions are all on the surface. Maybe you're just exhausted. Maybe you're just proud to have made it to the finish. I think it's all of those things and the fact that I'm just thrilled to be a runner.
Then it's over. The trip back to California was great. We stopped to see friends in Colorado and saw some of the most beautiful scenery we'd ever seen. When we finally arrived home the race was a jumble of memories. My feet were swollen for 2 days and I have a blister on one foot. Other than that I feel great. This morning I went to the gym and on a bike ride. I'll start running again soon and am already thinking about the next challenge. For now I'm looking forward to cooler temps and running the Grand Canyon in October. I want to say thank you to Jerry for putting on a great race and to Lisa and the boys for all their support and encouragement.

Until next time, happy trails,
Mike

The Birthday Run

2010-02-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

Well we've made it...another trip around the Sun. 2009 is in the books and we're a month into 2010. I hope all who are reading this are doing well. I'm two days away from reporting for my new role at the DC. I'm excited for the new challenges, change of scenery, and three day weekends! That's right, I said three day weekends. I'll have off EVERY Sat., Sun., and Monday. Good for running, soccer, and family in general. I'm definately looking forward to the weekends off.

On Jan. 27th I turned 37 and so talked Bob into running a 37 mile birthday run with me. He finally conceded because the alternative would've been running his own birthday miles...45! We started out in the dark on the 29th. I stashed some water up on Apache Saddle for later in the day and got to Bob's house about 6:10am. The plan was to run around town while it was still dark then head up on the trail at first light. The more miles we got in early in the morning, the less we'd have to do later in the day. We we're going to run our "Smokey Bear Loop" and then head up the hwy to Quatal Cyn. From town to the bottom of Quatal Cyn and back is about 24 miles then we'd stop at that point for a brief lunch break at Bob's then head out to complete how ever many miles we needed to get us 37.

The snow was deep up in the shaded areas of the trail and so we ended up doing way too much post-holing on the smokey bear loop. We broke through the hard top crust and then sank 18 inches in the slushy snow beneath, cutting up and bruising our lower legs and shins. The going was slow, but it was early and we are resilient, so we pushed on. We briefly lost the trail in the snow but wasted no time getting back on track. It felt great to get out of the deep snow and onto the road.

The top of the saddle was cold and windy and the first mile of Quatal cyn was slippy, but as we descended the snow gave way to the familiar dirt and rocks. It was nice to open it up a little on our way down the canyon. We passed a couple of hunters on the trail, but other than that the mountains belonged to us. We peeled off a couple of layers at the bottom of the canyon, the sun now higher in the sky and beginning to warm us. We dreamed of lunch as we ascended the canyon back towards the saddle. Thanks to the early a.m. mileage, we had it figured that we'd be at about 32 miles or just over 50K when we reached town and our awaiting lunch at Bob's. Lisa and Holly graciously took our order the night before and would be awaiting our arrival. The downhill to Bob's felt good and we cruised in, right on pace to soup and baked potatoes...typical ultra fair and just what we'd need to finish the last few miles.

Paul and Tara were kind enough to join us for the last miles. They had taken the time to go out earlier in the morning and in true tour de france style leave us well wishes on the campground road where we'd pass on our way up to the trail. After a brief stop to read all the chalk graffitti we headed out to finish the Birthday run. The last few miles were great and we both felt great.

It is a real treat to spend the day with a good friend in beautiful scenery. We pushed ourselves mentally and pysically and were very happy and satisfied to be done.

After a shower and change of clothes we all met back over at Bob and Holly's for a Birthday party and post run dinner. Mexican food always goes down easy but after 37 miles it is even better. A slice of orange, frosty glass, and a Blue Moon...the ending to the perfect day.

Birthday runs are a great way to celebrate not only your age, but life. If nothing else it is a great excuse to get out into the outdoors and move like we were meant to. You might not be ready this year to do your birthday miles on foot, but a bike works too. Or how about a lap around the track for every year? Just do something. As George Sheehan says, be a good animal.

Happy Trails. Mike.

Transferring...for real.

2009-12-30T20:01:00.000-08:00

Well after a 6 month delay I am going to the Distribution Center in February! I am happy to be starting a new adventure, professionally...

On the running front I ran a Marathon PR in November (3:58) at the Eye-Q Two Cities Marathon and a 50k PR (5:54) at the Ridgecrest 50k in December.

The Grand Canyon was an awesome time in October. Jeff, Bonnelle and I ran across, spent the night and ran back. Lisa and the boys drove our stuff around to the North rim. She even had the camp set up, tent and all. Love that! We ran into Catra Corbet on our way across as she was heading back to the South on her rim to rim to rim...All in all a great trip. Great company, great food, and of course...great scenery.

Now we're training for the Montana de oro 50 in Feb. In March we're going to do the Malibu Creek 50k and the Sycamore Cyn 50k. April is Leona 50 mile. May is Nanny goat 24 hour in Riverside.

That's all for now...
Happy Trails. Mike.

Title: Transfering (pending the approval of my lawyer...)

2009-07-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Well, the exciting news that I've been waiting to share is that it looks like I'll be transfering to the distribution center! What?? What's that?? Oh, right...my lawyer would like to add something:

Transferee hereby agrees to and does for himself and his heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and each of them, release, remit, remise, acquit and forever discharge Employer, all individual members of Board of Directors (past, present and future), its employees, officer, agents, successors and assigns and Target, Inc. from any and all matters of action, causes of action, grievances, rights or claims of rights, debts, dues, damages, liabilities, costs claims, controversies, demands, torts, contracts, agreements, guarantees, indebtedness, obligations, expenses, accountings, warranties and choices in action, in law or in equity, including grievances of unfair labor practices and of every nature and description whatsoever by reason of or in respect to the performance by Retiree of any extra duty assignment by Transferee whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, latent or patent, or has at any time heretofore owned or held against the aforesaid parties or Board of Directors.

Wow. That was kind of akward. Kinda slowed down the story and stifled my creativity! Oh well, I guess that's the kind of world we live in. You know you can't buy a iron these days without heeding the warning, "do not iron clothes while you're wearing them." 0r a curling iron, "for external use only." You know that all of these disclaimers in our lives are here because someone, late for work, tried to iron their clothes after they got dressed. They were then in so much pain they took way too much medication, combined with a couple shots of alcohol and said, "well...I guess it's time to operate heavy machinary now!"

But, you know, that's what it's come down to. It's a "cover your ass" world we live in. Caution, contents may be hot. Slippery when wet. Danger, thin ice. Radar enforced. Monitered by cameras. Remove child before folding. Do not reach hand inside until moving parts have stopped. Do not use to dry pet. And the classic, Avoid death.
What boggles my mind, is that some things are so regulated and enforced and others, it seems, are up to our discretion. Who decides these things? Do you know that anyone who wants to can climb up the cables at Half-dome in Yosemite? There are signs everywhere to not leave food in your car, tent, etc., but everyday there's an incident because someone decided not to heed the warning. Then later that afternoon the same moron is hanging precariously 4000 feet above their mangled car on the side of a sheer granite face. No guard rails, no supervision. Do we really trust them to do the right thing? No! People die every year from falling off half-dome so I guess when the National Park Service gets sued there will be a waiver, a pre-requisite course, a guide, money, and it will be another one of those, "avoid death" signs.

So, time's running out people! You want to feed a grizzly bear a sandwich? Go to Yellowstone now! Want to sneak up on a moose for a good photo and enjoy the thrill of being charged? Head up the Alcan highway! But I'm telling you, someday soon we'll all need lawyers and disclaimers for everything. Remember the good ole days when you got a call by mistake? You used to say, "sorry, wrong number." Someday soon a lawyer will be there on the other end of the phone ready to say, "Unless otherwise agreed expressly in writing by both parties, this communication is to be treated as confidential and the information in it may not be used or disclosed except for the purpose for which it has been intended. If you have reason to believe that you are not the intended recipient of this communication, please contact your phone provider immediately."
Have a presentation at work? Your lawyer will stand up and say, "the opinions stated in the following presentation are not the opinions of the company...yet. Warning: Although the company has taken reasonable precautions to ensure that my client is not going to say anything totally crazy, there is a chance he will, in which case the company cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from what you're about to hear. Listen, observe, read, and think at your own risk!
Going grocery shopping? Soon there will be a huge sign in front of the store..."Warning...consumtion of the food hereby contained on these premises, without the appropriate physical activity, will result in an energy imbalance, which will lead to weight gain, mood swings, lowered sense of self worth, lack of motivation, sweating, tight clothes, and general discomfort. Proceed at your own risk." We might as well close all the fast food joints. Except for in n out!

So yes, it looks like I'm transferring to the DC. The drive will be shorter and hopefully I'll be working days. It's either a 3 or 4 day work week, so that'll be nice. I am excited for the new challenges that await me and I think it'll be nice to be out of the retail side of things. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I feel that the DC business will suit my personality and blue collar nature while allowing me to leverage my strengths in order to faciliate growth as I develop as a leader at Target in preparation for my future roles.

Happy trails,
Mike.

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Nocturnal

2009-07-20T17:03:00.001-07:00

I hardly update my blog these days. Not that I was ever really consistent about it but when you have 2 loyal readers, does it really matter? Props to Karl and Mom! Anyway, it seems as though I'm either always tired or really tired. It is not uncommon that at any given time I've been up for 36 hours. My record is 42! That's 42 hours awake on two one-hour naps...it's not advisable. When I finally do go to bed, sometimes my mind is racing. Maybe it is some sort of survival, coping mechanism?? Either way, I'm over working nights. I miss tucking my guys into bed and being on the same schedule as everyone else. For now though I'm nocturnal. I might have news soon that that is changing...we'll see. My Mom is enrolled in a writing class which I'm very excited about. I think she needs to start a blog and post all her work. In the spirit of writing class, I'm going to write an inpromtu poem for this blog entry. For you Mom.

Nocturnal

Sun fades, night falls, mountain comes alive.
Bears roam, cars rush home, work left far behind.
Timer bells, dinner smells, wafting through the air.
Cooling now, windows open, hear the TV's blair.

New moon, milky way, summer's brilliant sky.
Time stands still, pine tree's smell, satelites go by.
Off to work, for the job, my gratitude eternal.
Waiting though, back to days, enough, no more nocturnal.

Until next time...Happy trails!
Mike.

Leona Divide 50

2009-05-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

So...it was a little warmer than it has been the last few years. That being said, it was Bob's first attempt outside the 50k distance and so the weather was not the focus at the start. Friday we went to the pasta dinner/pre race briefing in Lake Hughes and then scouted out the road crossing, 42 mile aid station, where Lisa, Holly, and the kids would meet us on our way to the finish. I was extremly proud of Bob for taking on the race in the first place. At Sycamore Cyn 50k two weeks earlier he was not feeling stellar at the end...It was Friday afternoon when Lisa told me that Bob had contacted Glenda, the RD, Monday to see if he could still get in even though the cut off had passed and registration was closed. "What!! He's thinking about doing Leona??" I immediately called his house and Holly told me, yep you guessed it, he was out on a run!! I jumped in the truck and and proceeded to track him down. A brief conversation and he was getting a ride back to his house. "Let's do this thing!" After the pasta and a promise to Glenda to not put her through this next year, he was signed up.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I remember my first 50 miler and the thought that I don't belong here! Look at these lean animals and their Western States 100 shirts!! I am out of my league! Bob had a few of the same thoughts, but I reassured him that he was a great runner, no doubt he trains harder than me! Lis and the boys drove us to the start which was awesome! The weather was perfect, not too cold. With hugs and kisses and some well wishes we were off. We maintained a great pace(nice and slow!) through the first climbs and were running the downhills and flats comfortably. As the sun rose you could tell the heat was going to be a little more of a factor than in years past. I ran into Jeff Stevenson and got the latest news on the house in Leadville and what he's been up to. We also ran with Conrad Daniel and Donnelle Stevenson for a few miles which is always a treat! At some point I started asking Bob if he'd peed yet? No...Okay, no need to panic start drinking.
The aid stations were great as the miles ticked by. After mile 32 every step was a new distance PR for Bob which is exciting, but I could tell he was starting to slow down a little. Are you drinking? No...uh ohh! We made the climb to the turnaround at mile 35 and not long after Bob's legs started locking up on him. He drank two bottles and took some more electrolytes but by this time the damage was done. He'd gone 8 hours without peeing and it was getting hotter with a brutal 4 mile climb that is totally exposed awaiting us at mile 42. At mile 38 he made a tough decision to drop. He was satisfied with 38 miles and walked away with a great lesson learned about what it takes to tackle the longer distances.
I left him at the Luau at mile 38 in good hands and bombed off the mountain, excited to see Lis and the boys. I passed 3 or 4 runners on the downhill and got to the 42 mile aid station at 4pm. I tried to get cooled off a little, got my fuel out of my drop bag, got my bottles topped and hit the trail trying to focus on the climb ahead. It was hard! The heat and endless switchbacks were demoralizing. I caught up with a Marine Officer who flies helicopters and we hung together until the down hill finish. I left him with about a mile to go and ran in to cheers from those at the finish line. Bob was there, feeling better, with the family and it felt great to sit down! Thanks to all the volunteers and especially Lisa, Shane, and Ryan who are always there to support and care for me!

Montrails roasting on an open fire.

2009-02-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

Take caution runners. Two years ago when I ran across the Grand Canyon it poured rain on us the whole way across. It was cold and we barely escaped flash floods and rocks plummeting off impromptu waterfalls cascading off the canyon walls hundreds of feet above. Robert actually took a rock on his hand as we squeezed between the canyon wall and the waterfall beating down on the trail. All in all it was an eventful day and one I'll not forget. The biggest lessons I learned that day however, I learned not while running but upon reaching the North Rim.

1. Always accept rides from complete strangers with heated leather seats.
2. Don't try to eat soup while shaking uncontrollably from hypothermia.
3. Don't place wet running shoes to close to a hot fire.
Yes, my Continental Divides actually shrunk a good 2 sizes that night. I ran across the canyon in size 13 Montrails and back in size 11! Now when my shoes are wet I dry them slowly .
Happy trails & dry feet,
Mike.

Winter Training-Finding Peace in the World.

2009-02-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

Let's face it. Sometimes it's hard to get out and run. Heck, sometimes it's hard to get out of bed! It seems that winter always brings an extra challenge to an already hectic, full, schedule. What with work, communting, kids, work, and oh yea did I mention work, who has time to do anything? But it is of utmost importance that we find those moments that answer the question, "What is it all for?". Sometimes it's a song, a moment, or if you're lucky, spending time running in the mountains.
Sometimes it is those little moments where you are completely at peace and all is right with the world. I think that running tends to be pre-disposed to having those moments because there is a point when you're stripped down, physically, emotionally, that you're more open to feelings of real joy. Let's face it, running and wearing yourself out gives you a new perspective; a hot shower feels better, a coke never tasted so good, and sitting down is heaven. I would challenge everyone to find those moments every day. Take a few minutes to appreciate your life everyday, embrace your place in the world, and renew your spirit.
Happy Trails, Mike.

Mountains, garmins, and goats oh my!

2009-02-04T17:41:00.000-08:00

Well, I have to admit that running up here in the mountains is great! I feel so lucky to be able to train and live here! This weekend we were down in the big city so I had the opportunity to hook up with some long lost friends/training partners. I met up with JR, Wendy, Steve, Diana, Joe, Bill, John, and others for a run from the Topanga Overlook to Red Rock amphitheatre. It was a hilly and challenging 14 mile run. It definately feels nice to run at sea level! The next day I again met up with a group of Mountain Goats and The New Basin Blues at Tunnel 1 on Kanan. We ran to Encinal Cyn and back for a nice 10 mile run. After the run Jeanie and many runners had a "pot luck" affair with everything from stuffed grape leaves to ice cream! It was great to see everyone and train with such a talented group of runners. I'm definately looking forward to training with several of them up on the AC 100 course this year.
I am enjoying running with my new Garmin 405. It is great to accurately track miles and pace. Bottom line...better training-better racing.
Happy trails......

Say "NO" to Pasadena!!

2009-01-28T18:08:00.000-08:00

Pasadena was cancelled due to the wild fires in So. Cal. It was too smokey to safely run the race, so we were out around $350 and a 4 hour drive. The good news is they re-scheduled the run...the bad news is they want us to pay again! Not the full price but half price, $40. I say nay, nay, nay! I've been in other events that were cancelled and if you paid, they let you run it when they re-scheduled it for FREE!

There is no way I'm going to pay $180/night at the host hotel and another $40 for the race. That would be a grand total of about $600 to run 26.2 miles. That's about $22 a mile! Screw that! I'll pay $50 and run Leona. That's $1 a mile! Plus I'll make Bob and Ken buy me a Latte afterwards for helping them finish their first 50 miler!!!

Back in Business

2009-01-28T17:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been about a year since I was training seriously. It feels good to be back on a schedule of running some quality miles, eating good, and looking forward to some events. It has been great living back up here in the mountains. Actually, I've never really trained seriously while living up here, so I'm interested to see how I'll feel during a 50k/50miler down at sea level. I've been training exclusively up here at altitudes from 5200-8800 feet. The 5 mile loop I do regularly has 1250 feet of elevation gain, so a double loop is 2500 feet! That's good training! My 18 miler last week was mostly road running due to snow levels, but still at altitude and hilly. I'm doing 20 this weekend in the santa monica's and looking forward to running in my old stomping ground.
Happy Trails, Mike.

The Inagural 2008 Pasadena Marathon

2008-11-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

Well, what can I say...The marathon was cancelled due to the fires. The smoke was pretty bad. I would've run slowly, but it's probably better that they cancelled it. It was a fun weekend nonetheless. Who can complain. A night at the Westin, good food, good friends, and of course family. It is disappointing not to have done the race especially since I haven't run in two weeks since the last marathon. Now I guess I have to go out tomorrow and run 18 miles or so just to stay in some sort of shape for the Over the Hill Track Club 50k on Dec. 7th.

I really feel bad for the runners who chose Pasadena to be their first marathon. I couldn't imagine the how that would feel, having done 16 weeks of meticulus training, perfecting the race strategy, building that confidence gained on the long run, probably barely sleeping the night before with the anticipation of the epic event looming only to wake up to find it's cancelled. What a let down. I hope they don't let it get them down.

For me, it was disappointing but not that bad. I think my response upon finding out the race was cancelled was, "Uh...Ohh...You want to go to Starbucks!?"
Happy Trails. Mike.

Santa Clarita Marathon '08

2008-11-04T18:53:00.001-08:00

Well, it was a beautiful weekend! We drove down Saturday after soccer games and checked into the hotel. The expo at SC Marathon is small and somewhat obscure, but nonetheless, is a good place to get some free water and goodies. This marathon is somewhat small with only a little over 300 in the marathon. The majority of participants were in the 5k or 1/2 marathon.

I awoke at 5:30am after a good nights sleep with an extra hour thanks to Daylight Savings Time! After a bowl of oatmeal, a bagel, and a cup of coffee I headed down to meet Bob in the lobby. It was a cool and wet morning. It didn't rain but you could tell it had during the night. Basically it was humid and turned out to get pretty warm as the day went on. I wasn't hoping for much of a performance since I hadn't been training very much. Our plan was to recover as we went with a 4:1 run/walk ratio. As we got going however we decided to just run for an hour or so to warm up and then make a plan based on how we felt. Bob was very positive and helped me to feel confident. We decided we'd do what he did in LA this year. Run a mile and take a 30 second to 1 minute break just after each aid station. Before long we were 12 miles in and feeling great. We started to skip our little walk breaks although I did take a couple breaks to stretch my legs a little in an attempt to stay loose.

The miles seemed to fly by! We were both amazed at how fast each mile went. In no time we were at 18, 20, 23, and then DONE!

Fueling strategy: I tried something a little new for this one. I carried two bottles; one full of Ensure and the other Cytomax. Lately on my longer runs I've just felt bonked and wanted to avoid that. Every half hour I took a big drink of Ensure and every hour took an advil and an Endurolyte. The result was that I felt better at SC than at any other marathon I've done! My legs were getting a little heavy as we were climbing over the last couple of paseos, but other than that I felt good.

I guess you don't have to run as much when the training you do is at altitude! The bottom line is that the training we do up here is tough. Even if we're not doing 20+ mile long runs, we're doing hilly 16-18 milers at 6-7,000 feet. I was running a ten minute mile pace and breathing easy, chatting the whole way with Bob.

After the run we showered back at the hotel and ate at BJ's Brewery. One word of advice, don't drink a nutty brewnette after a 26.2 mile run on an empty stomach! I got a little dingy! Oh yeah our time was 4:40. My best ever time at Santa Clarita!

Attitude is everything.

2008-10-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

The SAID principle states that a body will make Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands. This physiological principle is awesome when you're putting in 70 mile weeks in the mountains. It fills one with the confidence one needs to perform at the level needed to have an enjoyable marathon. That is, it makes you think you're all that and a bag of chips...Oh yeah, I've got this. Easy money. 26.2 miles of fun! I hope all those under prepared runners piled on the medians at mile 22, frantically strectching their calves in an attempt to stave off that wonderful wake up in the middle of the night with a leg cramp that makes you sit up and scream at the top of your lungs feeling, don't hate me as I gracefully and effortlessly run by with that big smile and say smuggly, you okay, keep it up, you're almost there! After all, I've adapted. I'm stronger. All my training is paying dividends! Yeah, that's awesome. I'll tell you what's not awesome...my current training schedule. I have a marathon in a couple of days and I don't even remember the last time I ran over 15 miles. Add to that a dash of sleep deprivation, a handful of inproper nutrition, and a rounded spoonful of dehydration and you've got the perfect recipe for a painful day! Granted if you read my post from the leona divide 50 mile race this year you'll see it's filled with the same type of Debbie Downer sentiment. What's that, how'd I do in that race?? Oh, better than the year before! I know it doesn't make sense. More training=worse time?? Well, in fact that might not be too crazy of a concept. There is also a thing call over training. Not only are you more prone to injury, but mentally you can get fried. And that right there is the secret. Running, like life, is 90% mental. I'm not saying you can go from the "couch of doom" today to running 50 miles tomorrow, but if you believe you can run 50 miles, you will do it. And sooner than you think. You become what you believe most of the time. If you believe you will be an ultra runner you will be.

Life is too short for excuses. Having a bad day is your fault. Not your jobs. Not being in shape is your fault. My horrible training is my fault. But that's all okay. We're allowed to have bad days and not love our jobs everyday and not be in the best shape. But we shouldn't let the negative thoughts impose specific adaptations on our attitudes. Sometimes it's a good idea to take life one day at a time. Like running, living life with a good attitude requires training. Start with baby steps and pretty soon you'll be off and running.
Happy Trails.

2008-10-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

" Aha. Look what I've created. I have made FIRE." Even though Chuck Noland was joking when Tom Hanks finally made a fire in Castaway, I believe there is a little Caveman in all of us.(GUYS) It seems as though the primordal fire has not fully been extinguised and every once in awhile(twice a year for me)an ember will ignite something in my soul that says, "Take to the woods. Hunt. Eat. Run." Luckily for me and more specifically, my wife, I am able to surpress that voice, just like the rest of them, and carry on with all the comforts and modern conveiniences that civility affords. Am I alone here? Answer the following questions to see how much caveman still exists within you.
1. As winter approaches do you find your diet changing? Do you crave and consume a higher calorie diet rich in fat??
2. Do you suddenly come to in Blockbuster with a copy of White Fang and North to Alaska?
3. Do you go from shaving daily to weekly? Are you tending to find yourself suspiciously and suddenly busy Saturday morning before your barber appointment with an uncanny desire to "let your freak flag fly??"
4. At the supermarket do you loiter in front of the seafood counter...and you don't even like seafood?
5. Are you distracted with an unwaivering fascination by the most trivial things, ie., clicking a light on and off repeatedly while going, "ohhhh".
6. Do you read Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke over and over??
7. Do you start to feel like Bear Gryll's is silly and that you could do that!??
8. Do you have a curious desire to want to learn how to tan an animal hide?? I knew I wasn't alone on that one.
9. Has your wife caught you in the backyard trying to start a fire with flint and steel???? Better yet, did you start a fire with flint and steel??

If you answered yes to any of these questions then it looks like we're in the same cave my friend!

Cheers,

Mike.

Update for Karl...

2008-10-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I would update it more but in the last year and half since I started it only my Mom and Lis have read it. Like twice each.

Wow! Where have I been??

2008-08-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

First of all, thanks to Bob for letting me use his internet to update this blog...you see we moved up here to the mountains and have no internet so I've been out of the loop for a few months.

The first thing I must say is how sorry I was to hear of the passing of Craig Chambers. What can you say about Craig. He was such an influence on all who knew him. I owe my running to him. He was a friend and a mentor and a great human being. I'll be writing more about Craig later. You'll be missed my friend.

Running has been going good up here. I've been doing a lot of training with Bob and it's been good hard runs. The altitude will hopefully help for the races at sea level. Bulldog is coming up on the 23rd and I'm looking forward to it.

That's all for now. Sorry to the two of you who read this.(Mom and Lisa!)

A Beautiful Day

2008-05-06T12:47:00.001-07:00

Don't you just love those days where all is right in the world. A nice 2 1/2 hour run in the sunshine, knowing that your plans for the rest of the day are to get a Jamba Juice, go see a movie, watch your son at track practice, buy your wife a coffee(you're welcome sweety)then have dinner with family and friends. Ahh...Life is Good! It's often hard to block out the images that this is my last day off and tomorrow night I'll return to work an 8 day stretch, knowing I'll be hungry and sleep deprived wishing I...but I digress, it is after all a beautiful day! Here's hoping that all of you who will read this(Mom&Lisa)seize the day and enjoy what it has to offer.
Happy Trails,
Mike.

For Wayne

2008-05-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

I was eagerly anticipating the 30th annual Wild Wild West 50k since I got in the truck to drive home from Leona. It is one of my favorite races of the year for several reasons. The scenery never disappoints and the company is always memorable. This year the early season rains provided a better than usual flower show and the company was as great as ever.

The morning started with a "jumpy" Froggie getting down into a track-like starting position for the "ready, set...", as the chill of the morning kept us gladly huddled close together at the starting line. I love camping at the top of Tuttle Creek, and as I ran by the tent I waved to Lisa and Shane who awoke early to wish us all well. The run slowed into a fast walk as we settled into the long climb ahead of us. Bob and Robert and I hung together as we ascended towards the portal road, and I also ran into James and Summer. We talked of running, running, and oh yeah, running!(running always dominates the first 15 miles, food the second!) I stopped briefly to lend a hand to Summer and James at the river crossing. They probably didn't really need help, but know that it made me feel good to lend a hand. After the portal road and one more climb we gratefully welcomed the several mile down hill.
I would like to give a big thanks to all the aid station volunteers who graciously gave up their Saturday to come support all of us crazy runners. A big thanks to Margaret who brought home made oatmeal, chocolate chip, raisin cookies!!
I started talking to a runner who was wearing a shirt that had the picture of soldier on the back. It said in memory of Cpl. Wayne Geiger. Pictured was Wayne, 23, from Lone Pine, who gave his life in service to our country. I started visiting with the runner, Jeff, and he told me the story of Wayne and the shirt. We leap frogged each other for the next 10 miles or so chatting as we passed or got passed. We came to the turn where marathoners go left and 50kers go right. Jeff said it's too bad I'm going this way I've had fun running with you guys. Seeing my opportunity, I seized the moment and gently twisted Jeff's arm into coming with us. He'd wanted to run an ultra, but was thinking more for next year. He was feeling great at this point, so with some quick work from a red sharpie in the hands of the aid station volunteer Jeff was now running the 50k.
The rest of the race I stayed by Jeff's side. We ran and talked about Wayne and the sacrifice he made for our country. How what to many is just another number, a statistic to help make a point, is to the small town of Lone Pine, a tragic story of a life cut short. But also, a story of tremendous conviction, courage, and commitment. Wayne's courage to willingly choose a path that he knew would put him in harms way gave Jeff and I a perspective and renewed energy to continue when the race got hot and we got tired. For Jeff and I the worst case scenario would hurt our ego, but would be nothing beer and pizza wouldn't fix. Wayne faced life threatening situations every day. And ultimately paid the highest price.
Each mile after 26, Jeff and I would celebrate his new distance PR. At 30 he told me he was trashed but we continued to run all the way to the finish where my boys escorted us in. Jeff became an ultra runner that day and earned the title. He honored the memory of a fallen soldier and inspired me with his grit and determination. I am proud of Jeff and Wayne and indebted to both for what they have taught me.
After the run we met at the Dow Villa pool with pizzas and Robert supplied the beer and wine. Peg, Lisa, Bob, Scott, Elana, Jack, Guru and I relaxed away the afternoon indulging in the best Pizza we've had in a long time. We reminisced about the day and of runs gone by. A fitting end to a great day.
I'm not sure what my finish time was, and frankly I don't care. All I know is that when the starter finally gave the "go!" Froggie led the race for at least 10 feet!
Happy Trails, Mike.

Leona Divide!

2008-04-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

If someone would have told me yesterday that not only would I finish Leona but I would finish 10 minutes faster than last year, I would've told them they're crazy!

The full moon was illuminating the sky when I arrived at 5:00am. The temp was a little chilly, just perfect for the start of the race. As I went inside to get checked in I ran into Greg and his wife. I told him he was part of the reason I was here today. You see back in '06 greg came to Leona after a long run of only 15 miles and not having run a marathon in 5 years. He made it to #9 aid station at 42.9 miles in 10:42 before dropping. That was something I thought about last week when I decided, on little training to sign up for the race. The last thing I want to read in UltraRunning Magazine is Mike McGinnis--DNF. But you know what if everytime you try something you're confident you will suceed, is that really a challenge? This year I was uncertain about my fait and what would come over the next 50 miles.

Next I ran into Kirk Fortini. Kirk and I seem to play cat and mouse during these races always in proximity to one another for a good part of the day. Today would be no different. I then visted with Jeff Stevenson for a bit before I had to go check in. It's great to see so many familiar faces at these events, and as time goes by more and more become friends. One thing I love about ultras is that everyone is friendly and even though you havn't seen them in a year they say, "Hey Mike how's Lisa and the boys?" It is as though a fellowship exists between those who are suffering together. We support each other, encourage and cheer for one another on our journey. I was especially touched at Leona this year when a fellow runner approached me at the finish. He was having one of those days in November at Santa Monica Mtn 50k when near the end he was getting discouraged. We had to ascend the Ray Miller Trail one more time just to turn around and descend back to the start/finish. For that remaining 6 miles I encouraged him and we began talking. First about running then about life. We shared some personal things from our past and before we knew it the race was over. He was very grateful to me for helping him through his low point. We visited a little at the end and went our separate ways with a handshake and a "thanks again." Now I see him at Leona as he's flying downhill on his way to a great time and I'm still on my way up to the turn around. He stopped dead in the trail and turned around. "Hey you're my friend from Santa Monica." When I got to the finish he approached me and introduced me to his wife. He began to tell me that he had told his brother about me and how what we talked about months before had helped them with a similar situation. Once again he was very appreciative and kind.

I just love that in the middle of a sporting competition these types of connections can be made. My worry about not finishing the run turned out to be nothing but a waste of time. I had my best race there ever, feeling strong all day. So much so that I ran all the way in from the last aid station which includes probably 1.5 miles of uphill. I couldn't be happier with my time of 11:43 which is perfect for someone seeking mediocrity! Until the saw blade rings next year...
Happy Trails,
Mike

Las Llajas Training run.

2008-04-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

You can tell summer is drawing near. 90.3 degrees and the snakes and ticks are out in force. Some trails are worse than others but whatchyou gonna do?? Bring a camera that's what! It is good to get some unseasonably hot days to ease into the heat training for the summer runs. I'm excited this year that Ken The Runner will be joining us at Bulldog. I can't wait to do some training with him. Luckily for those of us doing Leona this weekend the weather is going to cool down. The temps on race day are supposed to top out at 67 degrees. That should make for a great day.
Happy trails. Mike

Leona Divide Tomorrow

2008-04-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm sitting here calculating the slowest I can go and not miss the cutoffs for tomorrow's race. It is a feeling I havn't felt in awhile, not sure if I'll complete an event. My first 50 miler I felt this way. I just havn't been training and putting in the miles like I used to. I kinda wanted write this post to remind myself of times in the past where I felt I wasn't ready and did fine. Like the time I wasn't running much after the Grand Canyon in Oct. 06 and then went and did great at Santa Clarita Marathon. Two weeks later I then did well at Santa Monica Mtn 50k. Then 2 weeks later did 105 laps to raise money for the American Cancer Society. I think my saving grace is the fact that I try to go slooooww! I usually train way harder than I race. The race is about the memories for me, and the feeling that comes with finishing something so challenging. My favorite is thinking of Lis' and the boys as I realize I will finish and see them. Their love and support has made my running special. Now Shane is running track and becoming a trail runner at age 7 and Ryan at 4 is running 4 laps on the track and psyched about it. Then there's Bob putting in the miles and racing and doing now better than me. It is awesome to see others take up this sport that I love and has given me so much.

I know that I will do well tomorrow because I will see friends that I havn't seen in awhile like Wendy Young and Dr. Paul and maybe Jeff Stevenson. We'll catch up as the miles pass, push through the pain and find out a little more about ourselves as the layers get stripped away and the core is exposed. We'll comment that it doesn't seem possible that a year has gone by since we last met here. You continue on with the encouragement of others who know all too well what you're going through. Hopefully someone else is suffering and I can reach out and help them. Together we'll make it. One step at a time for 50 miles. Like all things, if it were easy it wouldn't be so rewarding.

As I drive home I'll be overwhelmed with satisfaction and the excitement of seeing my family. The Starbucks in Valencia will once again see me slowly get out of the truck, legs stiff from 12 hours of punishment, and will myself inside for a well deserved coffee. Think good thoughts for us.

Happy trails,
Mike

Vacation

2008-04-07T08:25:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note. We started our vacation the best way we know how, at the Pantry in downtown L.A. We then headed down to Oceanside and will be going to SeaWorld today! We're having a great time. More to come...

Long hikes taking the place of long runs??

2008-04-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

My work schedule is playing havoc with my training which is sporadic at its best anyway these days. I'm currently working Wednesday to Wednesday, so I basically work overnight for 8 shifts straight and then I don't have to be back until the next Wednesday. In a sense it is very cool because I am writing this post from a condo in Oceanside overlooking the beach. I don't have to take vacation days to take the family to the beach for a week! On the other hand I don't run for those 8 days. I need to start, it's just tough when I'm working a 12 hour shift. I think the reality is I don't have any thing in particular I'm training for. I usually just stay in shape and do whatever races fit my schedule. This year however I guess I'm not in shape as evidenced by my being sore after a 9 mile run the other day. Last year I could do 50 miles and not be sore. Being sore was something I no longer had to deal with.(Aside from joints)
My last off week two weeks ago I did a 30ish mile hike followed by a 16 mile hike followed by a 6 mile trail run with Bob. This week I'm on track to do nothing significant. In short, I guess I'm not doing Leona Divide this year. I am going to ramp it up over the next couple weeks in some sort of effort for Wild Wild West. I really would like to find a balance though with work and running. Right now it's feast and famine and frankly I'm starving!

18 mile long run with Bob.

2008-02-08T18:01:00.001-08:00

Having to work at 10:30pm can pose challenges for my training. I'd hoped that after running 18 with Bob and taking Shane (Lance Jr.) on a 9 mile bike ride I'd be ready for a nap. I've never been good at naps or sleeping during the day. I was able to get about a 10 minute nap before work which seemed to do some good. I guess because of my running I end up telling myself when I've been up for 24 hours straight that it is "training". Whatever works! 3 more nights of work then I'll have a few days off and be able to get in another epic hike this Friday. I'm planning on doing an all day trek like I used to when I was in good shape. I'll bring a good lunch and circumnavigate Pt. Mugu State Park for 8-10 hours. I only hop that the ticks are not bad like can tend to be on some of those less used trails going down the west side of Sandstone Peak torwards Big Syacamore Canyon and ultimately to the Ray Miller Trailhead of the Backbone trail. For the past two years I've been throwing around the idea of doing a one day assault on the Backbone Trail. It's 65ish miles from Ray Miller Trailhead to Will Rogers State Beach. I think this would be an epic trip. I plan to leave at 3am and make a long day of it. The other option is to bring pillow and take a nap along the way. But heck, after all of this "training" staying up for 24 hours I won't need one.
Happy Trails,
Mike

Hike up to Tri Peak.

2008-02-08T18:01:00.000-08:00

Happy weekend to everyone! I don't return to work until 10:30pm on Saturday, so I decided to take a hike up to Tri Peaks in Pt. Mugu State Park. It was a gorgeous day. I saw 4 other brave souls on the trail as I was coming down. Sure was nice of them to let me clear all the spiderwebs! I was listening to Phidipidations by Steve Runner and was saddened by the fact that he will no longer be doing a weekly podcast. I've been running with steve's voice in my headphones for 2 years, often planning my long runs around the release of his latest podcast. I hope he continues to put out the show even on a limited basis. I know that balancing life and running is hard enough without adding 20+ hours of podcast prep in the mix. You will be missed Steve. Run long and taper my friend.
Happy Trails, Mike.

Winter and the primal instinct.

2008-02-07T21:10:00.000-08:00

Is it me or does everybody try to put on weight during the winter months. I believe that it is an ancient, instinctual survival mechanism that triggers in us when the weather gets cold. It couldn't be because I've gotten lazy and lost my discipline! It seems that as the days grow shorter and the temps drop, I tend to start to crave a diet with more fat than I usually would be comfortable with. I also tend to want, to the dismay of my wife, to grow a beard! Could it be the primordial Mike showing through? Is it just an excuse to eat more pizza? Is that wrong? Is this the same primal instinct that draws me to the mountains to run. It is almost as if caught in a Star Wars like tractor beam. "Can't pull away...Must run in mountains...must eat cheeseburger..." Will I next be chasing neighborhood cats with a club? Maybe. I don't like cats! Just kidding. Whatever the attraction is, whether diet or call of the wild, I feel that it is important to listen to our bodies and be in tune with what we need both nutritionally and spiritually. If being in the mountains running or eating a slice of pizza is what my body and mind are craving who am I to argue. As the great George Sheehan once said, "Listen to your body. Do not be a blind and deaf tenant."

Happy trails. Mike

Merry Christmas. Getting back at it.

2007-12-26T10:07:00.000-08:00

I haven't been running or blogging in quite a while. I've been getting in the weekend long runs and have done 3 events since November, but working two jobs has not allowed me to run like I would like. Maybe I just needed a break. Anyway now I have one good job and I'm starting my new years resolution early to get back into good shape. I know nobody reads this blog...but it is a good way for me to be accountable to myself. Also Lisa bought me a new digital camara that is small enough to take running, so I'm hoping to take a few photos during my runs to help make the blog postings more interesting.

Long runs help clear my mind and feed my soul.

2007-09-28T15:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I stepped out for an 18 miler. It looked like rain, and it had been misting a little as I dropped the boys off at school, so I stuffed my Golite Wisp into the pocket of my two bottle waist pack, filled my bottles with perpetuem grabbed the phone and my iPod and hit the street. I've been trying to do one of my long runs on the road every week to prepare for the road marathons I've got coming up. When I run I generally listen to podcasts. My favorites are phiddipidations, Endurance Planet, This American Life, and now Morning Stories . My sister Jill, while training for Disney half marathon, was listening to morning stories and told me I have to give it a listen. I was hesitant. I had my favorites already but I thought I'd try it. I am very glad I did. Some of the stories are sad, joyful, and funny. They range in topic and content but they are all stories worth hearing and feeling. It is amazing that as humans we are unique but at the same time connected by our individual experiences. Even though separated by time and space there is a sense of familiarity, in a macro sense, listening to the stories of others. When I listen to Morning Stories I feel myself relating to complete strangers and find that their stories inform me and my story. Maybe these stories have a bigger impact when we're out pushing our mental and physical limits and are venerable to such emotions. You know, like when you cross the finish line of a race and have an overwhelming urge to cry because you see your kids or your spouse. You're exhilerated, exhausted, happy to be done, and sad it ended all at the same time. I feel when I'm on a long run all of the "stuff" that is life is stripped away and I get closer to what's at the core of me. What is really important to me is very apparent as it becomes where my thoughts focus and I feel joy in thinking about it. For me it's always family. My wife and kids mainly, followed by extended family and friends. In a word, Love, and the connectedness of being a husband, father, brother, and friend. My place in the world is clear at those times. And so I return, soul fed and mind clear.
We're heading to the mountains this weekend. We're looking forward to the cooler temperatures and the star filled sky. We'll get the woodstove heated up and I'll spend an hour readying kindling for future visits. Bob and I are going on a run at some point which should be nice in the cool weather. The boys and I are looking forward to Lisa coming home from Hume Lake this weekend. We've missed her all week! We will have a late birthday celebration wiht Bob and Holly Saturday night which will be great...Is that Tri tip I smell?? Happy Trails. Mike.

Fall is in the air. Happy Birthday sweetie.

2007-09-13T00:30:00.002-07:00

This morning I stepped out the door for an 18 mile road run. The driveway was dotted with evidence that it had rained at some point in the early morning. It has been so long here in Southern California since we had rain that it almost made me shout with joy when the drops started falling about two miles into my run.
Off in the distance I could see the sun peeking through the clouds while above me was shrouded with that, it's going to rain for a while look. There's something about the changing of seasons that is magical.
As the wind blew leaves off of trees and its coolness chilled me, thoughts of warm fires, hot cocoa, and sharing time with my family while the snow falls outside filled my head. I pictured walking hand in hand with my wife Lisa while the boys glanced back occaisionally to make sure they weren't too far ahead. There's two blocks of houses near our street that go all out at Christmas time and we always stroll in the chilly air perusing the years offerings. Or of the times we would sit in the front room of the Pine Mountain house with only the light from the woodstove and the ihome player illuminating the cocoa mustaches of the kids and the sounds of Bing Crosby's White Christmas filling the air. We leave the front light on outside and watch from the warmth of the front room as the snowflakes put on a show. Lis and I could do that for hours, while the boys, after two minutes, tire of sitting on our laps and being cuddled and start asking, "Why are we doing this??" Gotta love 'em.
It rained for nearly an hour while I ran my route that I call Tour De Camarillo. The sky put on a show the entire time, changing constantly as the rain ceased and the sun regained its hold on Southern California. It's always great to have the time to be out in nature and reflect on great memories. By the end of winter I'll be longing for BBQ's and sitting out front on the porch until 9:00pm as the sun finally sets.
As I'm writing this the wind is really picking up and the sky is growing dark. I recieved a call from Bob saying that it snowed in Pine Mountain this morning. I can't wait to get up there and crank up the woodstove. We'll sleep in the front room right in front of the stove the first night until the heat reaches the bedrooms the next day. We'll get out the Bing Crosby and get ready. As the boys grow bigger and stronger we're able to contain them less, but we live for those precious moments that will become the memories for next year at this time when Fall is in the air once again.

It's Lisa's birthday Sunday!!!!!
I am so excited that this weekend we're going on a date to dinner and a movie. She'll be missed next week while at Hume Lake, so for this last weekend together before she leaves it's fitting that we have her Birthday to celebrate. Today as I ran and revisited fond memories it made me feel so blessed to be married to her. We've had so much fun in nine years of marriage and continue to have a great time with the boys and other family members. Honey, I love you so much. I hope your birthday is a celebration of your life and the life we've built together. You are the perfect wife and mother. We are lucky to have you. Happy trails. Mike.

24 miles, good company, and Diet Coke???

2007-09-06T15:22:00.001-07:00

Okay, I don't even like Diet Coke. Those two empty cans in my cup holder?? Oh those, well...
After running with the Blues in Sycamore last week I was asked to join JR, Wendy,(Happy Anniversary)Greg, Annie, Mark, and Patty for a run on Saturday. We met at the top of Reseda at 6am(yeah I wish I worked days!)and were going to do something in the 22-24 mile range. I was excited to have people to run with, especially a group of such accomplished runners. In my normal circle of training partners/friends I am as accomplished in our sport as the others if not more. With this new group...not so much! When the conversation turns to, "remember your first..or was it your third Badwater when you..." Okay. Time out. I'm in over my head! But seriously it was a treat to run with this group. We had a great time and covered 24 miles in just over 5 hours. Minus a couple 3-5 minute rests under big shade trees and two stops for water we ran the entire way. We started at the top of Reseda and ran down some ridge to some houses(in Brentwood maybe)and back for the first 12.5 miles. Then we refilled our bottles at NIKE and headed down WestRidge Trail to the Pacific Palisades and back up to NIKE once more for some much needed water. It had been a while since I ran a hilly 24 miler and this one felt great. Thanks to Wendy for sharing your sour jelly beans! The last four miles to the cars was nice with that feeling of accomplishment that running 24 hilly miles in the warm temps will bring. It's amazing how good a Diet Coke can taste. Greg and Annie brought a cooler of ice cold Diet Cokes for after the run and they were a big hit! I'm looking forward to putting in a lot more miles with my new friends as they prepare for the San Diego 100 next month. From what I witnessed on Saturday they're going to have a great race.
There's something to be said for spending the morning high above a busy city running in the mountains with a group of folks that share a common passion. There seems to be almost an instant bond between ultra runners. Whether training or racing most are kind, giving, and have a good sense of humor. Throw in a Diet Coke or two and you've got a recipe for a memorable Saturday morning. The first of many...I hope.
Happy Trails

Labor Day 2007

2007-09-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

AFOOT and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.

-Walt Whitman Song of the Open Road

Typically on Labor Day weekend we have what we've called in the past "a running weekend." That is we try to get in a couple of events, one being out of town and requiring a hotel stay, so that it really feels like a holiday and not just an extra day off to be too busy. This year was no different. We started off Sunday in Sycamore Canyon with The New Basin Blues Running Club to partake in their annual Sycamore Sunday race on the Lasse Viren course in the beautiful Santa Monicas. I was not intending to race, just going on a run with friends then enjoying the great food afterward prepared by Presidents Ken and Jeanie Berry.
We showed up at 7:30am on Pacific Coast Highway to a long line of cars waiting for the park to open. I came in the wrong way and when I tried to "weave in" got yelled at and honked at by numerous drivers. Surely these were not runners! About 8:00am approx. 25 runners crossed the busy highway to the start of the race. I didn't know anyone that was running so I just mixed in with the crowd as we gathered around Helga who was explaining the race course etc. The course was one I was familiar with as I am lucky to do quite a bit of training in this area. It is hilly, but all very runnable, and I expected to just have a good training run and maybe walk a little or not. Soon after Helga gave the ceremonial, "3,2,1,go!" I found myself running with JR Young. We were actually 3rd and 4th in the standings at this time. We set a good pace and introduced ourselves and started chatting. We had both run long training runs the day before and were not interested in racing, but just having a good time. Two other runners were directly behind us the first 3 miles. We accused them of drafting and asked jokingly if they would like us to carry them the whole way.
A little over 3 miles and we turned up Wood Cyn. As the hills increased in frequency and duration we found ourselves pulling away from our shadows. All of sudden the two guys who didn't want to race were occasionally glancing over our shoulders. "Is anyone there?" "Nope." We continued on for another 4 miles only slowing to walk the notorious asphalt hill just out of Ranch Center. By this time we were 7 miles from the ocean and temperature climbed into the high 80's. We stopped at the Sycamore Canyon Rd. junction to soak our hats and refill our bottles at the faucet. We waited for the water to cool down before indulging. Hey, we're not racing! As we were enjoying the cool water JR spied a runner descending the last hill closing the distance we'd opened up. Suddenly we were off. (We're not racing though!) "I hope she stops to use the water." "Yeah...she'd have to in this heat...Right???"
The final 6 miles of the run were mostly under the canopy of the giant sycamore trees that give the canyon it's name. It's a gentle descent towards the Pacific and we were glad to be out of the hilly part of the course. JR and I were starting to feel the effects of 20 training runs the day before and a sub 10 minute mile pace through the hills and searing sun. He encouraged me to "go ahead, take off and run your normal pace." "My normal pace is about 2 minutes per mile slower than this!", I said. As we neared the finish we continued to look over our shoulders for the elusive runner we knew was somewhere close behind us. My knowledge of the course allowed me to provide turn by turn updates, as our legs were now needing encouragement. "4 more turns and we're done."
As we rounded the final sweeping corner off in the distance we could see the beautiful yellow gate that marked the end of the road for our "training run." Like two nervous horses in the starting gate we wanted to go, but we'd run together the whole way. Who would have the courage, endurance and will to win? Just then I looked over at JR. "Tie for 3rd??" "You bet!", he replied.
We crossed the line together proclaiming to Helga, "We're tying for third!!" She had to dig around in her bag for a second third place ribbon. She pinned them both on us and we walked back to our families and the BBQ satisfied, strong, and content from a job well done. The refrain of our song of the open road would resonate the entire weekend. Happy trails.

Grand Canyon/Disneyland 1/2 Marathon Weekend

2007-08-31T10:04:00.000-07:00

Running on the trails gives us all a chance to reconnect with our ancient selves. We were designed as "bi-pedal locamotors", that is, we were born to travel on foot. Many of us have forgotten or lost touch with that side of ourselves as we settle in to the demands we have placed upon ourselves saying, "this is what society expects or forces me to do." There is no doubt that we have become comfortable in our existence. It is no surprise then why only a tenth of 1 percent of all the people of the U.S. will ever experience the uncomfortable nature of training and running a marathon or similar test of endurance. I would argue that they are worse for it. Dr. George Sheehan writes, "Success rests in having the courage and endurance and above all the will to become the person you are, however peculiar that may be. Then you will be able to say, I have found my hero and he is me." We were not meant to sit on the couch. We are part of the natural world and, although most of us feel a disconnect with it, have a place within it's hierarchy. Only by getting out there and experiencing it under our own power can we fully appreciate our place within it. I am not recommending that everyone go out and become a trail runner or ultra marathoner immediately, rather I would suggest that they do what my sisters are doing. Have a goal. Train. Achieve success. Repeat. Get off the couch and get outside. Walk or run, it doesn't matter, either way you will be in the process of getting to know yourself and reconnecting with the world and the way you were designed to move through it.
There is hardly a better place to become acquainted with the ancient self than the Grand Canyon. Last year I was lucky enough to travel across the canyon and back on foot. Running through such a dramatic landscape is surreal. It is as if the Canyon takes on a personality of its own. It can be moody, peaceful, and down right angry. On our journey from the South Rim to the North Rim it rained the entire six hours. From the pre dawn start we could see rain pulling the clouds down into the canyon and the flashes of lightning somewhere below illuminating the darkness in this enormous expanse. The thunder rumbled low and echoed off the steep canyon walls. It's as if you're being warned to stay away and enticed to enter all at the same time. Once in the canyon the rain fell with increasing intensity. Soon steep canyon walls became 100 foot water falls and shallow creek crossings became flash floods trapping many in our group for over an hour. 4000 feet below the south rim the mighty Colorado River roared, brown with mud and debris. A brief rest at Phantom Ranch and we began our ascent up the North Kaibob Trail that would lead us to the North Rim some 6200 feet above.
Half way up the trail we met some hikers in a tunnel seeking refuge from the constant downpour. They were taking days to do what we were doing in just over six hours and out of generosity and sympathy shared their lunches with us. When we reached the north rim at 8200 feet we were water logged and cold. The temperature was in the 30's and most of us were at some stage of hypothermia, but happy to be half way done. We hitched a ride in a pick-up to the Lodge where our shaking hands made eating soup a chore. After a hot shower and rest we would be ready to complete our journey back to the South Rim.
This weekend I chose not to return to the Grand Canyon in order to support my sister's Jill and Lacy as they began their journey to conquer the Disneyland 1/2 marathon. I am very proud of them both and have full confidence that will indeed know success. I can only hope that they continue their training and push themselves out of their comfort zones. I hope that they find the courage, endurance, and will to to become the person they are and are able to say, "I have found my hero and she is me."
Good luck girls. I am proud of you!

Training/Bulldog Recovery

2007-08-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

It's nice to be training again. For a while there I was working two jobs and had no time except for the weekends. I know a lot of people have the same constraints when it comes to finding time to run during the week. Over the last couple of years while I was finishing my degrees I got used to putting in 60+ miles a week. I was running on pristine trails everyday! I was in great shape back then. Now, I'm back to training like that, but I think I will have two jobs again soon which will cut back my weekly miles somewhat.

I took Sunday off. Well, we walked around Disneyland for 8 hours, but no running. Following the Bulldog 50k I had one sore muscle in my left quadriceps.(Rectus Femoris) Other than that I feel great, but I am taking it fairly easy to let that sore muscle heal. This week I've been training in a park near the kids school. It has been frequently closed due to Mtn. Lion issues, but it's open again. There's nothing like running somewhere where you're not on top of the foodchain! The park has great trails with really challenging climbs that are spaced out just right to keep you in the aerobic zone barely. I ran close to 70 miles last week including the race and this week I plan on a long run Saturday in the Santa Monicas and Sunday I'll join the New Basin Blues for their annual Sycamore Sunday which will include a half marathon on the Lasse Viren course for the most part. I'm trying to get back into good 50 mile shape, so the back to back weekend runs will become a staple of my training. I'm trying to find people to run with. For the past 4 years I've done about 95% of my training alone which works wonders mentally. I found that I became very strong mentally from pushing myself so hard during training and never giving up. I typically like to train hard and race easy, probably because by the time the race comes I'm so starved for attention I'll walk and visit with anyone! I'm planning on racing more and training less. Constant taper.

Bulldog 50K August 25, 2007

2007-08-27T20:32:00.002-07:00

First of all a big thanks to Nancy for letting me in the race. Life just wouldn't seem right if August went by and I didn't run the Bulldog 50K. Four years ago it was my first ever race and I haven't missed a year since. For me it's like returning to the scene of the crime. That race is the first place all my hard efforts in training paid off. That's the first time I thought, "I'm going to die, but that's alright, at least then I'll get a rest!" Since that first eventful finish I've been hooked. Last year I was lucky to have a contingent of friends running the 25k and met up with several other friendly faces that I knew in the 50k. This year I drove alone. Waited alone. I did briefly visit with Kathy Kusner (Where's Moose??) and another guy I ran the Grand Canyon with last fall. But the atmosphere is always friendly as runners become anxiously talkative.
The weather was clear and cool in the morning. I'd hoped for fog like years past but was just happy that I was healthy and there. Eric Clifton was there as was Michelle Barton so my chances for victory, for at least the moment, seemed dashed!! I quickly settled into my normal middle to back of the pack spot and was surprised at how effortless the first few miles went by. About three miles in I turned around to see Conrad Daniel who I hadn't run with since the Tahoe Triple in 2004. Needless to say we had a lot of catching up to do. He had never run the course so I had a good time playing tour guide as we headed up Bulldog road under the rising sun. The 50K is basically a double loop in Malibu Creek State Park and the namesake for the race is a 4ish mile exposed climb up to where there is actually a breeze and a great view of the ocean. The first loop is usually done in mild to moderate temps while the second...well it's usually pretty hot. Conrad and I were so busy visiting that the first loop went by without a care. We did get passed by Fred Pollard who was kind enough to visit with us for a little bit as we climbed. Fred was just coming off badwater and Leadville and in great shape. Coming out of Tapia park and through the water crossing we found Ken and Jeanie Berry manning the aid station at mile 13.1. It's always nice to see good friends waiting with ice cold Coke and a smile! I reminded Ken of how I'd proposed to his wife at this very aid station two years ago as she sponged me off with cool water as the temps soared to 110 degrees. "If I had a nickel!" she commented. One more climb up the Tapia Spur Trail and we were at mile 15 and the last aid station before the left turn and the familiar territory of the second loop. At this point in the race some were giving up their numbers. They'd had enough. I hope they come back strong for next year.
The second loop was hotter than the first but unlike years past the breeze miraculously found it's way down the canyons to us. Feeling blessed and in good company we climbed on. Kim French with the OCTR group was also making her final ascent up Bulldog. She didn't know us, so we convinced her she should finish the race with us! Now three strong we started down for the Corral Cyn aid station. Lots of ice and Coke. With Conrad promising to buy at the next aid station we headed down the trail, past the elephant(you did see the elephant, right?)and down into Tapia where we avoided the rocks and plunged into the water crossing for a refreshing break from the heat. The last climb was done and the finish line was in sight. We ran in three strong with some pacing from my son Shane. Seven hours and eleven minutes of memories. Thanks to all the volunteers and to Nancy for putting on a great race. Thanks also to Conrad and Kim for sharing their time.

We'll see ya pilgrim. Whaa haa???

2007-08-27T20:32:00.001-07:00

Well, there are a couple of reasons to start this blog. One is my friend Mike "The Duke" (you know who you are) decided to move back to Kansas City. I can't for the life of me figure out why someone would want to leave this trail running mecca we call home. Maybe he got sick of the Thursday night 12 milers up on the Ray Miller Trail, coming off Overlook and getting to the the final decent, 2.9 miles of trail heaven, nothing but ocean, stars, and the deception that running by flashlight brings. At times we'd literally have to stop and take a moment. Not that we're emotional or sentimental, but we are runners and there's something that overcomes you at times like those. Brilliant stars, moon shining out on the ocean. From 800 feet above on a single track trail with little more than 15 feet of visibility you can't help but feel like you're flying. It is those surreal moments, captured in time, that we remember and list when asked, "why do you run?" But, you know he's not the sharpest tool in the shed! Actually he's going to be running with some good company. The Trail Nerds and Bad Ben got him into this crazy sport and will surely be glad to have him back. It was a pleasure to train with Mike and run with him as he did his first 50 miler at Leona Divide this spring. He'll be missed. Cheers Mike.