Gaiters

I recently ordered a pair of gaiters from Dirty Girl Gaiters. I love these things. No more detritus in my shoes! I got the "hottie" pattern and it goes well with my yellow Mizuno shoes which, by the way, I have warmed to and quite like now. I hope I can get another pair the same color.


Hard to see them, but they are there.

These things are really easy to set up, just attach a piece of velcro (included) on the back of each shoe you plan to wear them with - Xi, the proprietor of DGG, includes enough for a few pair of shoes. Slip them on before your shoes, clip the lace holder to the front of your shoe laces and the velcro on the gaiter to your shoe. It's that simple and you won't even know they are there. Except for when you take your shoes off and there are no rocks or sticks!

Do your self a favor if you run or hike on trails...get a pair of these things.

Trail Running "Emergency"

So, I recently had my first trail running "emergency." Nothing serious, mind you, but an emergency nonetheless.

It was last week. I was trying to get in a couple hours after work, and before heading over to a high school football game that the son of one of my work mates was playing in. I work about 5 minutes from the Forest of Nicene Marks, of which I have written of before, so it's pretty easy for me to get in a nice run there after work (or before, if I could get my lazy butt out of bed early enough). I figured I could easily run up a trail an hour or so and then come back, do a quick change, and not be too late for the game.

Everything started out great. I was feeling good, running well and enjoying the forest scenery. We have had a little rain lately here in the Santa Cruz area so the Redwood forests are wet and beautiful. The particular route I took starts on a fire road, but after a short time I took a turn on single track. I'm cruising uphill, everything going well though after about 30 minutes I feel like maybe I need to get rid of some water instead of just taking it in - not unusual for me as I have highly efficient kidneys (at least that is how I like to think of it). I pull off the trail to relieve myself but quickly realize this could turn into a multi-event situation. No problem, just knock everything back, I think, and finish the run. Then relief can be had without problem.

Well, while I told myself this it seems as though some parts didn't get the memo. A few minutes later the first cramps start - you know those ones that practically double you over. It's basically your GI system saying "HEY, we're here and just want to remind you in case you had forgotten!" At this point, maybe 35 - 40 minutes in, I'm just hoping to get to 45 minutes and then turn around. There's an outhouse near a picnic area a little over halfway back to my truck, I tell myself. I can make it there and take care of business.

I turn around at 42 minutes.

At about 45 minutes - I know this because I'm really taking a hard look at my watch, by this point, to realistically estimate my time situation here - I have to stop to walk, as whatever is going on won't let me run. More watch checking and time calculating. I start to run again. I stop running to walk again. I start running again, only off trail behind some trees.

Explosiveness followed. Though I did make it to as suitable an area as can be hoped for given the circumstances. Fortunately it was late afternoon on a weekday and pretty much no one was on the trail.

Now maybe most of you carry TP with you on runs. I don't. Have never needed it on a run. Until now. I do keep it with me while on fishing trips. And hiking trips. And hunting trips. Basically anytime I'm going to be away from my vehicle for more than a couple hours as I have needed it many a time. Except for running. That is going to change.

High up in a Redwood forest, there is an amazing lack of broadleaf plants or trees. Down by the creeks there can be quite a few. But higher up on the hills there are none. At least where I was. Thank god for the fern. The ancient fern. I have found that the tips of a few sword ferns, doubled over, can, in an emergency, provide enough "coverage" to clean things up just enough to not embarrass oneself getting back to your vehicle. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly not ideal and not as squeezable as Charmin. But it's much better than nothing, and those consequences.

I felt fine after, got rid of the problem right then. I continued back, though, eager to finish the "cleansing" process at the nearest outhouse, which I made in pretty good time (all downhill) :-)

I did make it to the football game. Unfortunately my work mate's son had already played. And it seems the coach of his team is having some troubles cycling kids through the games on a regular basis so I didn't get to see him play. They won, I make it home and everyone lived happily ever after. Or something like that.

Sorry if I offended anyone with this post. It is a part of running, though. And this is a blog about running. Even if you haven't yet (yes, YET!) experienced this aspect of running, I'm sure you know stories. Well, as least now you do.

Good Runs

Fall is here, though you wouldn't necessarily know it by the last couple weekends around Northern California. Beautiful weather - crisp mornings warming to comfortable afternoons and clear skies. Both Lori and I ran in a couple of Pacific Coast Trail Run runs the last two weekends. Angel Island on Saturday, September 29th, and Carmel Valley today - October 7th.

Lori had been battling a cold for a little over a week up until yesterday, and didn't run her planned race last weekend at Angel Island. She still ran a good 8k and felt alright. Today, she ran the 8k at Carmel and was feeling good and was pleased with her time.

I had not planned on running either of these races, but changed my plans, stayed in town and joined Lori for both. The Angel Island run was a great day. The weather could not have been better, and the 25k course had us doing three loops around the island, each progressively higher with the final loop ending at the summit. Lori and I had to leave early for the drive to Tiburon, but it went by quickly with no traffic, and crossing the Golden Gate bridge in the early morning is nice, especially with the incredibly clear air. You could see everything!

Once at the ferry station in Tiburon (one of the cool features of this run is having to take the ferry over to Angel Island) we got our bib numbers and milled around with everyone else waiting to catch a ride over the the island. Everyone pitched in and helped load the race gear and supplies onto, and off the ferry and over to the start area. Within a few minutes, Wendell had the 25k and 50k runners up to the line for instructions.

After a short level section, the trail took a sharp turn up. After a short distance a section of stairs replaced the trail. After the stairs the course wound along a paved road, through old, abandoned buildings left over from Angel Island's era as an immigration station (I believe). I ended up running next to a nice guy and we started to chat about all kinds of things, lots about the fantastic views (did I mention how clear the air was???) and we ended up running nearly the entire race within a few yards of each other. On the first loop, we actually missed a turn as we both were staring out at the view of San Francisco. Fortunately, a few other runners behind us alerted us to our mishap, and we quickly corrected our mistake.

The race really flew by, and before I knew it, we were at the summit - with yet another fantastic view of the entire San Francisco Bay - and only a downhill to go to the end. Ken, the guy I was running with, picked up the pace and we really attacked the remaining trails. I must say that it was fantastic to have run with him, as it really taught me that I can be a lot more aggressive than I have been in training. We crossed the line a few seconds apart. I posted a cool 2:09:04 for 6th place (results)! I couldn't believe it. Top ten!

After, Ken and I talked for a few minutes, congratulating each other on a great run and enjoying the beautiful day. Lori met me, and we hung out at the finish area for a while before catching the ferry back to Tiburon. An afternoon in San Francisco topped off the day, and what a great day it was.

The Carmel Valley run today was another gorgeous day. A bit on the chilly side at the start, it warmed up nicely. I ran the 25k again, taking Lori's spot in the 17k and upgrading to the 25 late last week. Actually, Lori was not going to run, but had been feeling sick all week and since I was staying in town instead of going hunting and camping, I took her spot. She actually did race day registration and did the 8k since she was feeling better.

Since I had run well the week before at Angel Island, I was looking forward to how this run would end up. While the distance is the same, the nature of the course is quite a bit different. Carmel Valley has twice the elevation (just over 4k), and that elevation is MUCH steeper! As in really steep. To the point that quite a few sections were not runnable. At least by me. I did see one woman running a a pretty good section of it (I think she was wearing a Wonder Woman suit, but not sure as she flew by me on the uphill). I had worked out some rough times based on last years 33k times so Lori would know an approximate time to expect me.

The smile on Wendell's face told me what I wanted to know about the hills on this course. He had a devilish smirk when referencing the "real fun" that begins for the 25k and 50k runners after the first aid station. The smirk understated what lay ahead. The uphill I mentioned above that I didn't run...that was the smirk. It was ridiculous steep. And went on for a while. A few sections had to be at least a 50 degree slope and probably more. I'm still awed by "Wonder Woman" running up it. Damn. That is some serious fitness.

The downhill was equally steep, and certainly required control and quads to keep from taking a tumble. This run was definitely going to introduce me to any and all little used muscles in my legs, butt, abdomen and some other areas of my body. I felt this run a lot more than Angel Island, and on the last big uphill was passed by one person running the 50k, and one running the 25k. Dammit man. Within a mile-and-a-half and I get passed. The elevation had taken its' toll, and I couldn't keep up.

My time was 2:37:11. Good for 4th place (I think, I didn't want to bother the time keeper too much so I only took a quick look at the time sheet)! I am very happy with this. I still can't believe it. I had actually beat my best case time prediction by a few minutes. Turns out the 25k person who passed me near the end was the women's first place winner. She looked really strong there at the end and picked up her pace to the finish, as did the guy who was running the 50k. Really cool to see.

All-in-all, I am ecstatic about the past two races and learned a lot from them. I have some good things to focus on in training, and both Lori and I really like the race scene with Pacific Coast Trail Runs - lots of really nice people and well organized "races."

Exercise and Weight Loss

New York Magazine has an article titled The Scientist and the Stairmaster (by Gary Taubes) which pokes holes in the belief that exercise effects weight loss. The premise of the article is that exercise has been overhyped as a weight loss tool, and no definitive evidence exists to support the assertion that it does. While this may be true - that exercise alone will not make you lose weight - I think it overlooks other contributions exercise makes to weight loss.

It seems as no one thing will make you lose weight. Just as no one thing will make you happy. A good diet should be the foundation of a weight loss program. The key word there is program. And maintaining weight loss will require maintaining the program. Cut calorie intake, increase the burning of calories, and weight loss will ensue. A study cited by the author finds that...

"...the dozen best-constructed experimental trials that addressed weight maintenance—that is, successful dieters who were trying to keep off the pounds they had shed—they found that everyone regains weight. And depending on the type of trial, exercise would either decrease the rate of that gain (by 3.2 ounces per month) or increase its rate (by 1.8 ounces). As the [study authors] themselves concluded, with characteristic understatement, the relationship between exercise and weight is “more complex” than they might otherwise have imagined."

Not surprising. People are "more complex" than most studies can give them credit for.

It seems that much of the article relies heavily on this statement: "The one thing that might be said about exercise with certainty is that it tends to make us hungry. Maybe not immediately, but eventually. Burn more calories and the odds are very good that we’ll consume more as well."

True. It makes me more hungry. But what about the differences exercise makes to physiology? Aren't there changes to the body that exercise causes? Other reading I have done point to an increase in metabolism and changes in body composition from more fatty tissue to more lean muscle mass which requires more fuel - even at rest.

Late in the article is this passage:

"Ultimately, the relationship between physical activity and fatness comes down to the question of cause and effect. Is Lance Armstrong excessively lean because he burns off a few thousand calories a day cycling, or is he driven to expend that energy because his body is constitutionally set against storing calories as fat? If his fat tissue is resistant to accumulating calories, his body has little choice but to burn them as quickly as possible: what Rony and his contemporaries called the “activity impulse”—a physiological drive, not a conscious one. His body is telling him to get on his bike and ride, not his mind. Those of us who run to fat would have the opposite problem. Our fat tissue wants to store calories, leaving our muscles with a relative dearth of energy to burn. It’s not willpower we lack, but fuel."

While I agree that we are "programmed" a certain way, I think this particular view overlooks the possibility of re-programming the body. This really is what training is all about. If you do certain things in training, you can improve your endurance, speed, and the distance you are able to run. If you don't do certain things in training, would you expect to be able to run faster? Further?

If you don't exercise, you can't train your body to utilize certain energy stored in your body. If you exercise certain ways, you train your body to utilize different types of fuel. There is a great book, Why We Run by Bernd Heinrich, which really delves into the physiology of running and endurance. It really is a fascinating book and very much worth a read. Or re-read.

Mr. Taubes points to aspects of diet that have a greater effect on weight loss - cutting candy, beer, soda, chips (all the stuff I used to eat in much higher quantities). I agree here too. And I think that diet does have a much more drastic affect on weight loss - it is easier to avoid eating 500 calories than it is to burn off 500 calories.

But how many people really maintain weight loss without exercise? I can't say that my weight would be where it's at without the running I do. At the same time, as is pointed out in the article, I did not get where I am at with exercise alone. I made significant changes to my diet and maintain those changes now. Mainly because it's much more healthy and allows me to do the things I want to do better.

He also says exercise can, and should, be done for other health benefits. Just not alone for the purpose of weight loss. It's an interesting read. Give it a read.

Runnin Again

Sing to the tune of "Singing in the Rain:"

I'm RUNNING in the rain
Just RUNNING in the rain
What a glorious feelin'
To be RUNNING again...

That's what I was singing all day last Saturday. After nearly two weeks of no running due to being sick, I finally got out to this past week (Wednesday and Saturday, with a little weight workout on Thursday - I'm not overdoing it at all...), but my run on Saturday afternoon was in the rain. Partly.

It didn't rain the whole time, but the forest was wet and dripping the whole time. I love the smell of redwood forest during a rain storm. It has an earthy, fecund smell that is very pleasing and refreshing. Especially to run in. Even more so if you haven't run for two weeks. Just in case you weren't aware, being sick really sucks.

Fall Creek was the location, part of Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. As expected, the creek didn't even get a touch of color. The ground just sucked the rain up. I saw a few deer, just off the trail maybe 20 feet. With the ground being wet they couldn't hear me coming up until the last minute. Pretty cool. I stopped for a moment to watch them bound away downhill. They are beautiful animals.

I also got out for a run with my wife Lori and our dog Maggie Sunday evening. It was really nice to run with Lori, as we usually don't run together. We also brought our medically challenged dog out for a trot, and she did great. She has had some issues with her left back leg, having a few surgeries on it the past year. But she has been getting stronger and playing a lot and she had no problems on our run. And no soreness, as far as I can tell, today!

I did see the season's first banana slug on our run Sunday. I almost mistook it for a leaf and nearly stepped on it. Banana slugs are really cool creatures, and the mascot for my alma mater - UC Santa Cruz. I have been on runs where I have seen 10 or so in an hour. Of course, I didn't have a camera to record the moment. Maybe next time. Don't everyone get too excited. ;-)

PCTR's Big Basin Trail Run Report

I didn't run this one, as I have a cold that just won't give up. Damn thing has parked itself in my upper respiratory system, and I have this annoying, persistent cough. I haven't run for over a week because of it!

Though I didn't run the race, I was there to support Lori, who ran the 15k. This was Lori's first trail race, and definitely the biggest elevation gain for a run she has done, race or not. Here is a short report.

We got to the race area in plenty of time, and everything was well organized, as seems to be the case for the PCTR races that we have been to. Lori got her bib, and I let them know I wasn't running. The weather was perfect for a run, with fog hanging over the park keeping things cool, but not cold. The weather the last few days in the Santa Cruz mountains has been stellar - warm days and nights that get crisp. Classic late-summer, early-fall weather.

I kept an eye out for my friend Doug, who was signed up for the 15k too. I was also hoping to have a chance to meet another local trail runner and blogger - Addy. Alas, I was not to see either.

While waiting around the check-in area, I saw a woman with one of the Nathan hydration packs on. I have wanted to check one of these out, but have yet to find them in a store locally. After hemming and hawing for a few moments (I can be shy about going up to people I don't know) I approached her to ask her a few questions about the pack and how she liked it. She was very nice and even let me try it on. Though small for me, I did get a general idea of how if felt, and I definitely want to check them out further. Turns out the woman was none other than local runner and blogger Miki. Thanks, Miki for letting me try your Nathan hydration vest on. Miki had some bad feelings about this race, as past races here didn't treat her well. Unfortunately for Miki, those bad feelings were prescient as she turned her ankle early in the race and had to DNF.



After the start I went for a short hike up the trail the 15k, 25k, and 50k runners took. I wish I had fresh batteries for my camera, as there were a couple places that would have been good to get some photos of runners coming back through. After a while, I meandered over to the aid station between loops to cheer runners on and help direct runners the right way. It wasn't long before the reports stared coming in - yellowjacket or bee stings were a problem. A big problem. Some runners said they had been stung 15 - 20 times! A number of runners dropped right then, said they had been stung too many times and felt bad. Those of us around the aid station tried to encourage runners coming through, and let them know there were no reports of problems on the 10k course, but no one can blame anyone who had to endure the trail of stings for not wanting to repeat that experience.

Lori came through, and finished around 2:17 or so - a really good time and she was happy with the whole thing. She didn't get stung around the areas where most of the problems occurred, but did get stung while going up the cable area near Berry Creek Falls. And, even better, she isn't as sore as she expected, considering the elevation gain.

She is really lovin trail running, something we are both happy about as we can do a little running together from time-to-time. She is even signed up for the PCTR Carmel Valley 17k already! And trying to get me to sign up for the 50k. Not sure I'll take the bait on that one, though. It's got nearly 9,000' of climbing. And I don't know if I want to kill my legs on my first ultra. I'll think about it some more. ;-)

California Coastal Trail

I just learned of this trail the other day while browsing some books. I saw two guidebooks covering the California Coastal Trail - and figured some digging was in order.

Here is a snippet from the website:

The California Coastal Trail (CCT) is a network of public trails for walkers, bikers, equestrians, wheelchair riders and others along the entire California coastline. It is currently more than half complete. Coastwalk is a volunteer organization that advocates for completion of the Trail.

I wish them well. I think trail systems are great ideas, as they can offer a great place for people to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer. The more trails the better, I say.

It also looks like a great candidate for a long trek-like run/adventure. Not saying I'm in the planning phase, as 1,200 miles is a little out of my league currently. I still need to finish my first ultra, for heaven's sake! I'm just saying that it could be a good challenge for anyone inclined to do that sort of thing. It could also help raise awareness of the whole project - get some attention directed towards the effort, knowwhatimean?!?