Month: May 2015

I was descending fast on a relatively tame section of trail on Monday morning, and was picking up speed — all of a sudden the trail become very technical – rocks, roots and mud. Before I could even make a decision as to what to do – I was in it – and I just decided to let go. I’m normally very conservative trail running on technical descents, gingerly picking my way down.

I ran from the Tillamook Head trail in Seaside, up to Ecola State Park. Time was premium, so I turned around near the top. This would be a beautiful point to point run (Cannon Beach to Seaside).

This time I was carrying way too much speed and without a conscious decision, just turned off my analytical brain and just flowed. Super fast. I didn’t fall or slip, but wow. It was an amazing feeling. I realized that the more speed you’re carrying, the faster you pass the complex terrain – sounds intuitive, but it’s much harder to act on that when you’re in the mix. The faster you’re moving, the fewer footsteps you have to land.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wz6Ec8zSvk]

Binge read Station Eleven over the past 3 days.

Usually when I wake up the next morning after finishing a good book I’m still thinking about it – this morning I wasn’t thinking about it. The story was entertaining, but I don’t think the characters were very developed – there was nothing intriguing about them – their only purpose was to move the story arc along. It’s a post-apocalyptic (pandemic) story that weaves between time just before the incident to about 25 years afterwards. Comparing it to other books in the genre – The Road (McCarthy) was way more terrifying.

Moving onto some more literary fiction, Murakami’s The Wind Up Bird Chronicle. I have high hopes. We’ll see.

Good late afternoon run today. Just took the waist belt with 10oz of water and 2 gels for about 20 miles.  Hit water fountains at Marquam Shelter, Top of Council Crest, [Drained the 10 oz bottle], Pittock Mansion – then stopped at the Thurman Market and bought a Coke and some salt + vinegar chips after popping out at Lower Macleay. Straight up shoving chips into my mouth and chasing them with Coke.

https://www.strava.com/activities/306767003

I’ve never run this direction and think the Council Crest climb is pretty tame. It’s way tougher running into Lower Macleay, up Pittock and down Council Crest.

Started to blow up a little around mile 19 – there’s kind of a short/steep section on Ankeny just before dropping back down to Laurelhurst Park, when you’re really wiped out, any elevation change is just like trying to run in quicksand. I could avoid it, but what fun would that be?

Digging this song on my shuffle. Reminds me of Baltimore and Tom. And running in the woods.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNzuDFYTaoA&w=560&h=315]