Month: December 2013 Page 1 of 2

In no particular order. Thinking back to the beginning of 2013 to now. I’m amazed at how much I both changed and at the same time … haven’t really changed. It was a awkward year to say the least. Here’s to 2014, cheers! *clink*.

1. dig deeper
2. eat more lentils (is that even possible?)
3. choose conversation over reading
4. be vulnerable
5. go easy on yourself
6. make more art
7. consult my power animal often
8. dance with my girls at every opportunity
9. unplug more often
10. surround yourself with the things that sustain you
11. laugh (at yourself) more
12. gratitute
13. own it

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

– Marianne Williamson

http://www.strava.com/activities/102079226

No really. I got lost. Good lost, not bad lost.

I was looking at Google Maps before I left and noted that if I stayed on Naito Pkwy and take a left at Thurman, I’ll hit the Lower Macleay trailhead into Forest Park in about 6 miles. I missed the turn and ran about … half a mile past the turn, but the error put me on the wrong side of the freeway.  Some serious urban backtracking through an industrial area got me back on track. Also noted – the trailhead isn’t on Thurman, it’s on Upshur. If you stay on Thurman, you go over Balch Creek and through the neighborhood up to the Leif Erikson trailhead.

Not a big deal and I think I’ve got the route for the next time. I turned around on the way back and took a mental picture (the thing people did before Google Glass).

The good

Nutrition felt more dialed in – 1 Vanilla Clif shot at 45 mins (not really feeling hungry but ate anyway). Brought one bottle of watered down gatorade (still too strong).  Took half an almond butter and jelly sandwich and ate 2 bites at an hour and 30 mins. Not appetizing at all. Last food was caffeinated mocha Clif shot at mile 16.  I’ve felt a umm… speedbump around mile 17/18 on long runs in the past so I wanted to blunt it with some caffeine. It worked.

I practiced walking a little bit on some of the steep ups on the trail. Just power walking little sections. It allowed me to keep my arms in (instead of big uphill swings) and to keep my core warmer. It was in the high 30’s F today.

The bad

I was feeling not so great (physically) around mile 12 after the turnaround. I didn’t realize how much elevation there was just before the turnaround. Left hamstring was a little tight. I was being very tentative on the descents because I’m still in 4mm drop road shoes. I need some more traction in order to feel comfortable opening it up on the descents. Brooks Pure Grit trail shoes will be here in a few days.

The bonus

I could have gone another 6.2  to make it a full marathon. I got some kick back around mile 19. I was grinding it down, but feeling better than expected. Good stress on the system. Mentally:  “solide”.

Two thumbs up.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRfn5l5PvcY]

*I actually did take a wrong turn into Juarez once, but I wasn’t with Juanita. I ended up doing a u-turn and had to inch the car back into the line of traffic coming back into the U.S. Lots of explaining at the border crossing as I did not have my passport with me. I learned that it is not possible to just “take a look at the border” while driving toward the border… before you know it – you’ll find yourself in Mexico.

http://www.strava.com/activities/101286043

This is a really fun one from my hood up to the rose garden, over to the zoo, up council crest and then it bombs back down to PSU. This is the longest scenic loop I have in my list. For longer runs in the future I think I’ll take a right on wildwood and run past pittock mansion and continue out and back. I really don’t want to run south of Tabor.

The good

• I tried to keep my pace down and the engine firing about 60-70%. Trying to keep it LSD (long slow distance)
• doubled  weekday distance which I think will be a good progression (20 mile weekly, 20 mile long run).
• temperature was super. started with gloves on, then took them off after a couple miles, then put them back on coming down council crest (it was cold(er)up there).
• there was blue sky! coming down council crest I had stop and take in the scenery for a sec. Sunlight glistening off moss covered trees – very beautiful.
• Food intake was…. okay. 2 whole wheat fig newtons is all I carried. 1st @ 1 hour, 2nd at 1:50. Should have eaten at 45 minutes (right before I was hungry) and again at 1:30. Tough to get down with no water though. I ended up finding water on 6th? at a public water fountain.  Need to pick up some caffeinated gels.
• Body glide was applied in all the right places. Only one small burn from my waist belt – but nowhere else.

The bad

• super muddy climbing up from the zoo. No surprise, but really tough to run up 12.8% grade in slick mud (more of a speed/slip walk). I think I could be faster on the descents with more traction.
• ARG! most of my regular city water fountain stops are turned off… Rose Garden – OFF, Zoo – OFF, Marquam Shelter – OFF. I ended up drinking warm water out of the zoo bathroom tap and then again somewhere around PSU. I really don’t want to carry a bottle – but I might need to switch to Cytomax or Accelerade for the longer runs.
• Ow my shoulders. I’m going to need to lift or at least climb in the gym in the next two months to have the upper body strength to hold up my shoulders for a 50k.
• Legs were mostly fine… the last 2 climbs up Salmon are always tough and feel really slow, but I’m usually not going that slow. Knees were a little sore coming down from the high point b/c I was really holding back because of the mud – so moving slow.

The Bonus

This came up somewhere around mile 13 and was absolutely perfect.
Made me think of my pop. I’ll call him tomorrow.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pex_ASYQPM]

http://www.strava.com/activities/100863681

I love the shape of this run. And it’s a bold one to get in during the week.  I was thinking today, “this is where it gets real” when I passed the zoo and started down the freeway ramp on Rte. 26 to where the Marquam trail splits uphill toward Council Crest. It’s exactly halfway and at that point, you’re down in a valley so either direction would be a climb home.  You’re committed. Always a good feeling on a run. Best to push through and close the loop.

The Wildwood trail down through the Veterans Memorial into the zoo parking lot is so buff and soft – the ground is slightly wet and covered with spruce needles, the surface is almost tacky underfoot – wide and smooth. So nice.

I saw one other runner on the climb to the first road crossing from 26. The trail is very muddy and there are railroad tie steps that ascend the road. She stopped and let me pass – she was going the same direction so I assume she came from Wildwood too. It was colder and in the clouds at Council Crest – the trail was very slick and I had to step delicately to avoid slipping on the descent. It might be time to switch to trail running shoes for the rest of the winter. Definitely another 4mm drop shoe –  I love the ride and weight.

I’ve been cold weather running in a thin synthetic long sleeve zip t and the OR centrifuge jacket. The fitted balaclava traps warmth around my ears and I’ve been flipping the bill up on my running cap to hold the hood in place and keep field of vision wide open. If it’s raining I just flip the bill down like a little awning. If it’s really cold (last week) I can zip all the way up to my nose. I’m finding it to be a excellent cold weather setup.

On a long run I try to have as few “gates” as possible. I try to hold the entire run in my mind as a singular map. I think oftentimes people break big tasks down into smaller tasks to make it easier – I think this makes it more difficult, it’s disruptive to the complete effort. I prefer the opposite. I visualize the entire route in my mind before I step out the door. At a certain point, if the run is going well, I’ll lower the level of focus (the mental vise) and just have fun. I could have gone for another 8 today… but I had a meeting.

There is nothing like flying down a mountain trail on foot, sailing over rocks and roots, feet barely touching the ground to continue forward propulsion. My legs were covered in mud when I got back to the office.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVuUw6LHSuE]

When a bird flies through an empty sky, it becomes less clear as it gets farther away, and we come to think of it as having disappeared.

-Takuan Soho

The weather outside is perfect for running today.  The temperature is about 41°(F) and a dense mist is hovering above Portland. It’s like Karl the Fog has come up for a visit. There is so much oxygen and moisture in the air that breathing deeply almost feels like gulping water.

I ran Terwilliger to Marquam trail clockwise – this is the more challenging direction with a 4 mile steadily increasing grade to a 2 mile + steep drop back to downtown. The trees on the trail were literally dripping moisture – it wasn’t raining, but as the moisture condensed on the moss and ferns growing in the understory, they dripped down onto the trail. A bit muddy – which makes descending a spicy endeavor.

Last week I ran the same trail in the opposite direction and there were sections with sheets of ice covering the trail – those are mostly melted out, but there are still a few spots of frozen mud/ice. Slick as snot I was thinking as I was gingerly making my way down.

Good soul run had me thinking about how much I like to run solo. I’ve only had a few scares being far out solo. Times when I was more than concerned that a chain of events was going wrong and things could go pear-shaped at any moment. And it’s true – there is never one catastrophic thing that will go wrong – it’s a little mistake here, followed by another and another. SRENE is the acronym I learned climbing to prevent catastrophe. Solid, redundant, equalized, no extension. It’s a recipe for building anchors. And for staying safe.

Once I was mountain biking at Kenosha Pass in Colorado, it was summer and a normal summer thunderstorm rolled through – except all I had was a pair of arm warmers in addition to my cycling shorts and jersey. I was probably 15 miles from the car when the hail started and the temperature dropped by 30 degrees. My lips were blue, my teeth chattering uncontrollably – I ate all the food I had in my jersey pockets and rode back to the car as fast as possible. I was scared that day.

Another time was was solo mountain biking near Elliot Knob in Virginia. Carrying my bivy gear in a pack and navigating a tricky rock garden. I was way out of town up on the ridge when fell off the high-side of the mountain and over a retaining wall. As always when these things happen – first you check yourself to make sure everything that is supposed to be attached – is still attached. Check. The only damage was my broken brake lever and my ego. I landed on the pack. Was that a dream? Am I still here? Indeed I am.

It’s the realization of how vulnerable we can be.  And if we focused on it, it would consume us and we would be frozen like frightened animals. It’s always present though hiding in the periphery. It’s good to know it’s there and to understand what that feeling is – it’s fear.

I read On Fear many years ago:

What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing or any other resistance, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it. We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it. – Krishnamurti

I love that quote.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9i5npmuOy4]

Good article from Andy Selters via Alpinist

http://alpinist.com/doc/ALP39/39-wired

I can’t remember when I started commuting to work on foot – I think it was after reading Racing the Antelope: What Animals Can Teach Us About Running and Life  in which the author writes that if you want to run long distances – you have to run long distances. So the easiest thing to do is to just start running everywhere you go. Easier said than done – but it’s a great way to get to the office in the morning (getting home is the tricky bit – see below).

Today’s commute

inbound: http://www.strava.com/activities/99880888
outbound: http://www.strava.com/activities/99941080

The Reveal

I get questions from people at work about the run and strange looks from cyclists. I have to remember (difficult sometimes) to run facing traffic and ride with traffic – sometimes I get them mixed up because I don’t realize that I’m riding not running or vice versa.  I’m taking the same route.

I thought I’d explode my running pack and reveal my super top-secrets about my 4 mile inbound commute.

Leave everything you can at the office.

I mostly commute by bike, so I have an opportunity to bring in my shoes and jeans early in the week. I leave my shoes here, and have been mostly wearing the same pair of jeans all week. Software design is unlike say… changing the oil in a car, so my clothes don’t get very dirty. Plus it saves water through smaller laundry loads at home. Be kind to mother earth.

I’m very very lucky.

In many things in my life… but also that I have towel service and showers at work. I’ve gone long stretches with no showers – it’s totally possible using the wet-wipe technique. As in – buy a commercial supply of wet-wipes and take a wet-wipe shower. It works. Outdoor stores also sell no-rinse body wash if you want to go that route depending on circumstances.

On to the pack.

1. Inside the stuff sack are t-shirt, work shirt, socks and my unmentionables (which regrettably are the one thing that I’ve forgotten periodically. Infrequently, but still). As the old New England saying that I learned growing up says, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”. I improvise.

2. My iPad mini. Essentially my laptop replacement. It’s amazing – everyone should have one. I resisted a consuming device for a long time  – now I see the light. It also doubles as my reader.

3. The eagle creek ditty bag contains my phone, wallet, moleskin (in case I want to stop and sketch some amazing scenery while running <– I’ve *never* done this), some pens and a couple of emergency bus tickets.

4. Two mojo bars. If the urge strikes to keep on keepin’ on – then that’s what I’ll do, and I might get hungry. So I always pack snacks.

5. Amphipod (above iPad mini) with my office key card and house keys.

6. iPad shuffle. I don’t always listen to music when I run… I’m a purist at times, but on the run commute, when I’m not trying to get anywhere fast. I always keep my slow jamz looping. Mostly David Guetta,  Deadmau5, Calvin Harris or Will.I.am.  The cheesier the EDM beats, the better. *Earbuds that wrap around your ear for running – crucial.

7. My lunch box packed with snacks. I’m a soup fanatic, so I usually go to a food cart at lunch for soup. Filling and warm – soup is so amazing. Almost as amazing  as french green lentils.

8. My kicks. Right now Brooks Pure Flows. I have a pair of heavier shoes – Brooks Ravenna’s, but when I have my pack on, I want the lightest setup possible – so I go for the Pure Flows. I can’t say enough good things about this shoe. Love ’em.

The pack is an Ultimate Directions (model no longer made) … around 1300ci. It’s waterproof, has padded shoulder straps and thin waist and sternum straps. The trick to running with a pack on is to have it cinched up so tight that you almost can’t breathe. You want to pack to conform to your body and not move around on your shoulders when moving. Cinch it!

Not shown:
If I’m running at night I have the reflective tab on the back of the pack, but I’ll also use my red blinky light from my bike and maybe a headlamp.

I wear glasses so I take a hard case and carry my glasses in that (I can see well enough not to run into parked cars while running, so I don’t wear them).

Outbound. AKA – the return commute.
99% of the time it sucks. My running clothes never dry during the day, so I’m putting on cold and clammy shirt, socks, etc. I’m tired, hungry – it’s dark outside. The run is primarily uphill. I don’t shy away from it –  there are no illusions that it’s going to be “fun”. And I always have my jamz.

Lottery closed. Just got my confirmation. I’m in. Here’s a video of last year’s race.

[vimeo 66273634 w=500 h=281]

Gorge Waterfalls 50k – 2013 from Project Talaria on Vimeo.

The last 50K I ran was Capon Valley 50K in West Virginia. Before that I ran Bull Run 50 miler after which my body was so wracked with pain that I couldn’t sleep and remember waking up and watching Donnie Darko at 2 a.m. 50 miles is hard. 50K is fun.

I’m so essited!